Mind Elemental Posted June 13, 2006 Share Posted June 13, 2006 I like to think that I'm pretty jaded, but that passage really disturbs me. Richard is supposed to be a great fighter, war wizard and everything else. But he the only way he can handle an eight year old kid that's taunting him is to kick her teeth in! That is just sad. What kind of pathetic excuse for a hero are you if you can't outwit an eight year old? I don't find that passage funny, just revolting. Kicking the hell out of an eight year old? Permanently disfiguring her and making her mute? F*** Goodkind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lupigis Posted June 13, 2006 Share Posted June 13, 2006 I don't find that passage funny, just revolting. Kicking the hell out of an eight year old? Permanently disfiguring her and making her mute? Could somebody who has read the book please answer a question for me: Does Richard feel remorseful about having to mutilate an eight year old girl and how does this experience affect him in the rest of the book? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theMountainGoat Posted June 13, 2006 Share Posted June 13, 2006 You are giving the series far too much credit if you are expecting logical emotional responses and character progression over the arch of its series. Richard feels bad about it for about 1 page and it is then completely forgotten and never refrenced again. There is a reason why this is called trash fantasy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zakalwe7 Posted June 13, 2006 Share Posted June 13, 2006 I'm scared. Hold me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Errant Bard Posted June 13, 2006 Share Posted June 13, 2006 I don't find that passage funny, just revolting. Kicking the hell out of an eight year old? Permanently disfiguring her and making her mute? F*** Goodkind. I see that as black humor, but if the grotesque doesn't make you laugh, it sure is revolting. Not everyone likes black humor either :/ But anyway, another question about it would be why does he do it, really? Is he scared, has he to set an example, is he a sadist, does he go insane when someone waves a red flag before his eyes, is he on a crusade to annihilate everyone who happens to be hostile to him? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sad King Billy Posted June 13, 2006 Share Posted June 13, 2006 I'm sorry but that photo just scream "Total Tool". I don't mind the erogomonic keyboard, I use one like that at work. But most speculative fiction authors have an office that looks creative, looks cool. There should be stacks of books, action figures, things that kick the muse into gear. And instead it looks like an accountant's office (no offense to those in accounting) with that idjit sitting there in his off-white blazer looking into the camera like a deer into headlights. Tool. For the record, I wasn't making fun of the keyboard or anything, I was genuinely puzzled by it's function. I've seen ergonomic keyboards before, but never with 2 completely seperated sets of keys, most were in a sort of ~ form. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moosicus Posted June 13, 2006 Share Posted June 13, 2006 EB, whats happening at that point in the story is that Richard is the captive of a Mord-Sith, Denna. After being tortured for a while he's brought to wherever this place is, queens palace, where he had been before with Kahlan. While they were there the queen and her little darling had to kneel before the mother confessor and Richard made sure they knew that he would chop off their heads if they didn't. So they don't like Richard there, or Kahlan, cuz they're siding secretly with Darken Rahl. And Violet is really a mean little girl. Her and the chicken that is not a chicken could switch roles in the story without missing a beat. Richard understood instinctively the concept of a little girl that isn't a little girl. Violet looked like a little girl, like most of Tanimura's little girls. But she wasn't a little girl, she was evil incarnate. Hope that helps you understand whats happening in the story and why Richard is the greatest hero EVER!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
14th Dragon Posted June 13, 2006 Share Posted June 13, 2006 I like to think that I'm pretty jaded, but that passage really disturbs me. Richard is supposed to be a great fighter, war wizard and everything else. But he the only way he can handle an eight year old kid that's taunting him is to kick her teeth in! That is just sad. What kind of pathetic excuse for a hero are you if you can't outwit an eight year old? Not to be contrian, actually for the expressed purpose of being a contrian. The other way to look at the situation is thus. You are presented with a situation that 8 y/o child clearly posses all the personality traits of antisocial personality and is a position of power in which to act on those traits without restrait. They have and will continue to torture, inflict gross harm and commit murder. This is with zero offesting qualities. This child would be perfectly capable of bashing in another childs head in with a rock for no other reason then looking at them wrong. If such a personlity is given to be a permanent condition (some debate I know) and they are currently boasting that they will be commiting the crimes in the very near future, do you take no action? Or do you do whatever is within your power to stop them, despite their being only 8 y/o? For the record, I wasn't making fun of the keyboard or anything, I was genuinely puzzled by it's function. I've seen ergonomic keyboards before, but never with 2 completely seperated sets of keys, most were in a sort of ~ form. Well, the ergonomics of keyboards is pretty varried. I've seen a few that don't even have keys, they are like gloves that you move as if you were typing to the keys. Fact of the mater is key boards are just bad all the way around. You have to go to exterems to get rid of the pressure points. Especially if you are tall and can't adjust your desk higher. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sad King Billy Posted June 13, 2006 Share Posted June 13, 2006 The mystar virus is spreading: he has now reached Three Seas Forum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BranTheBuilder Posted June 13, 2006 Share Posted June 13, 2006 I'm scared. Hold me. no Zak, never. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lupigis Posted June 13, 2006 Share Posted June 13, 2006 If such a personlity is given to be a permanent condition (some debate I know) and they are currently boasting that they will be commiting the crimes in the very near future, do you take no action? Good point! The obvious solution is to break their jaw and cut their tounge out. If that won't teach the little tyke a lesson, nothing will! (Where is the smiley to kick this one in the jaw as it sticks it's tounge out, I wonder?) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
14th Dragon Posted June 13, 2006 Share Posted June 13, 2006 Good point! The obvious solution is to break their jaw and cut their tounge out. If that won't teach the little tyke a lesson, nothing will! (Where is the smiley to kick this one in the jaw as it sticks it's tounge out, I wonder?) I'm not saying it is the best solution. But given it was the only solution available at the time. What would have been your solution to the problem? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Wolf Maid Posted June 13, 2006 Share Posted June 13, 2006 What would have been your solution to the problem? My solution would not have involved beating the shit out of a egomaniac kid. I agree violet needs to be punished, but what Richard did to her was extreme. XD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lupigis Posted June 13, 2006 Share Posted June 13, 2006 What would have been your solution to the problem? To be serious for a moment, I haven't read the book. I was just disgusted by the quote. Thus, I don't quite know what the problem was. Does he actually achieve anything by that kick, specifically? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerol Posted June 13, 2006 Share Posted June 13, 2006 I'm not saying it is the best solution. But given it was the only solution available at the time. What would have been your solution to the problem? Caning? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Wolf Maid Posted June 13, 2006 Share Posted June 13, 2006 Does he actually achieve anything by that kick, specifically? Aside from cutting Violet's tongue off and cracking her jaw, not much. He did manage to escape though... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Errant Bard Posted June 13, 2006 Share Posted June 13, 2006 What would have been your solution to the problem? Why, I would have avoided ruining my boots and the rug with bloodstains, bone splinters and shattered teeth, and just broken her neck. It's cleaner, and at least you don't have to worry about anything weird in the future, like her resenting you for that and sending her thugs at you for payback... the ones with the spiked penii. While they were there, the queen and her little darling had to kneel before the mother confessor and Richard made sure they knew that he would chop off their heads if they didn't. So they don't like Richard there, or Kahlan, cuz they're siding secretly with Darken Rahl.Damn, so Richard threatens a queen with beheading and all is well, but a little girl threatens Richard with the same thing and loses her jaw? something is not quite right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lupigis Posted June 13, 2006 Share Posted June 13, 2006 Aside from cutting Violet's tongue off and cracking her jaw, not much. He did manage to escape though... I know I shouldn't pursue this but I find myself unable to stop: How come he was able to escape after kicking her? Was he only guarded by an eight year old princess? Did he use her as hostage? Did his real guards drop everything in order to save the evil princess' life, allowing him to escape in the confusion? What happened? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
14th Dragon Posted June 13, 2006 Share Posted June 13, 2006 To be serious for a moment, I haven't read the book. I was just disgusted by the quote. Thus, I don't quite know what the problem was. Does he actually achieve anything by that kick, specifically? Inderectly this causes the Queen to be killed, which with both the Queen and Princess out of commision does happen to bring that line to a close. How much good that does in the long run has yet to be seen. Why, I would have avoided ruining my boots and the rug with bloodstains, bone splinters and shattered teeth, and just broken her neck. It's cleaner, and at least you don't have to worry about anything weird in the future, like her resenting you for that and sending her thugs at you for payback... the ones with the spiked penii. Yet your arms are bound and you have a single motion to get the job done. I would say aiming for the side or top of the head would have been a better idea for a better chance of a kill. But physical options are limited. Damn, so Richard threatens a queen with beheading and all is well, but a little girl threatens Richard with the same thing and loses her jaw? something is not quite right. Specifically it was to enforce the current feudal order. One is suppposed to kneel before ones overlord. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brys Posted June 13, 2006 Share Posted June 13, 2006 I'm all for anti-heroes in fantasy, but from what I've heard, Richard is portrayed as morally perfect and a true image of a hero. Kicking an 8 year old girl in the face isn't something I'd expect from someone who's supposed to be "good". Goodkind said that he was writing books about "the nobility of the human spirit" - how ironic. If such a personlity is given to be a permanent condition (some debate I know) and they are currently boasting that they will be commiting the crimes in the very near future, do you take no action? Or do you do whatever is within your power to stop them, despite their being only 8 y/o? Ok, so for some reason we have this incredibly twisted 8 year old girl who is an utter sadist. What would you do in real life? Kill them when they irritated you? Or maybe just decide to cripple them for life? I think most parents, or most law-abiding people for that matter, would first ignore it, then talk to them, then try to coax them into taking a more reasonable attitude, and if that fails, a more disciplinary approach involving the removal of privileges and liberty would be taken - violence wouldn't be used, at least no more than minor corporal punishment (ie caning). Crippling them would never come into it. I also wonder whether Goodkind knows any children - how many of them are as sadistic as that girl? Is it just so that he can justify having Richard demonstrate his amazing powers at being able to cripple an 8 year old girl? Before I just thought Goodkind was an utterly awful writer - now it's obvious that he's sickening as well. You know what's really worrying? The editors let this get through - and it's from WFR - the first book in the series and generally acknowledged as the best. How much worse can it really get? There must be millions of people who are reading scenes like this and enjoying it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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