Oh, don't get me wrong, I don't mind sex and violence when they add to the story. GRRM uses plenty of both. But Goodkind is all ZOMG [spoiler]LORD RAHL IS EVAIL BECAUSE HE CUTS OFF LITTLE BOYS' TESTICLES AND EATS THEM (or uses them in magic rituals, I can't remember which)[/spoiler]. He has no subtlety.
To his credit, the politics of the series don't become bat**** insane until book six, and most people had given up reading by then.
