Richard and Kahlan
epic fantasy
Series · epic fantasy
The Nicci Chronicles
The Nicci Chronicles series by Terry Goodkind has 4 books and is best read in publication order, starting with Death's Mistress (2017).
- Books
- 4 books
- First published
- 2017
- Status
- completed
- Last checked
Start here: Death's Mistress (2017) — then read straight through in publication order.
Reading order
The order the books were released — the default way to read the series.
- Book 1:
Death's Mistress
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Death's Mistress - Book 2:
Shroud of Eternity
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Shroud of Eternity - Book 3:
Siege of Stone
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Siege of Stone - Book 4:
Heart of Black Ice
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Heart of Black Ice
About The Nicci Chronicles
The Nicci Chronicles follows Nicci, the former Sister of the Dark and one-time antagonist-turned-ally from the main Sword of Truth novels, as she sets out on her own journey after the war against the Imperial Order. Traveling with the young wizard Nathan Rahl (Richard's grandfather) and the mercenary Bannon, Nicci works to atone for her past by using her formidable magical power to help people the D'Haran Empire's peace has left behind -- starting with a plague of the walking dead in Death's Mistress and expanding into threats that range from ancient sorcery in Shroud of Eternity to a besieged mountain fortress in Siege of Stone and a magic-killing cold in Heart of Black Ice.
Where the original Sword of Truth novels are built around Richard and Kahlan's rise to power, this series is a redemption arc for a former villain, giving Goodkind room to explore guilt, atonement and the use of overwhelming power more intimately than the empire-scale main series allowed. It runs in parallel with the Richard and Kahlan series, covering roughly the same post-Confessor period from a different corner of the world, and was left at four books when Terry Goodkind died in 2020.
How to read this series
Read Confessor (Sword of Truth #11) first -- Nicci's backstory as a former Sister of the Dark and antagonist only makes sense with that context. Then read the four Nicci Chronicles books, Death's Mistress, Shroud of Eternity, Siege of Stone and Heart of Black Ice, straight through in publication order; each book's central quest wraps up within that volume, but Nicci's relationships with Nathan and Bannon, and her ongoing effort to atone for her past, build across all four. You don't need to have read the Richard and Kahlan series first -- the two run in parallel rather than depending on each other -- but both assume the full Sword of Truth backstory.
Frequently asked questions
How many books are in the Nicci Chronicles?
Four: Death's Mistress (2017), Shroud of Eternity (2018), Siege of Stone (2018) and Heart of Black Ice (2020).
Who is Nicci in the Nicci Chronicles?
A former Sister of the Dark and antagonist from the main Sword of Truth novels who becomes an ally to Richard and Kahlan; this series follows her own journey afterward.
Do I need to read Sword of Truth before the Nicci Chronicles?
Yes. Nicci's history as a onetime enemy of Richard and Kahlan, and the state of the D'Haran Empire, are established across the eleven-book main series.
Is the Nicci Chronicles finished?
It ends at four books with Heart of Black Ice (2020). Terry Goodkind died in September 2020 without writing further volumes, and no additional books have been announced.
How does the Nicci Chronicles relate to the Richard and Kahlan series?
They run in parallel, covering roughly the same period after Confessor from different characters' perspectives -- Richard and Kahlan follows the title characters, the Nicci Chronicles follows Nicci, Nathan and Bannon.
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Reading order last verified .