I'm a big fan of the books (Sword of Truth series), although unlike most fans I don't think its the greatest fantasy series ever (that honor goes to the late great Robert Jordan). I'm getting this for Christmas. My question is, to any who have seen it, is it any good? Do they do the books justice, or is this another Xena clone?

Well, a year ago I only watched the pilot and thought that is just a xena clone, so I stopped. Recently I've been reading that season 2 is really great, so I started watching again. But I'm only through 5 episoed of season 1, and so far, it's not that special. Hopefully when I do reach season 2, my opinion will change :)

I haven't read any of the books, but I occasionally catch the tail end of the show while waiting for a Boston Legal rerun.
Honestly, it feels like I am watching a skit that parodies fantasy shows, except that it lasts for an hour. But I have never been huge on fantasy.

I feel the same way, and I am huge on fantasy.
The show is nothing impressive, sadly. The acting is mediocre, storyline is nothing to brag about, characters are difficult to empathize with. It's no Rome, that's for sure.

The disaster that wheel of time became is what put me off fantasy books. Why do fantasy authors always feel the need to write a book that's LONGER than everyone else?!
Longer != better.
Unless I know for sure that it's a stand alone novel (or at max a trilogy) i'm staying well away from fantasy for now.
I think i've read a few of this series over the years, though i didn't really connect them as a "series". Didn't remember them being anything that special... but maybe if you put them all together.
Fantasy books rule: If it's longer than LOTR then it's probably bad.

nope, sorry. Everytime I am in a bookshop I go past the series :D But my brother in law is reading it and says its great. Well, he's from belgium and is reading the books in dutch, and since I am learning dutch I might borrow the books from him, so I can learn the language faster. Heck, that's how I learned english

Robert Jordan was a hack. George R.R. Martin all the way. :D

was interesting makes a change to see a fanstsy series instead of x-files type shows

With all due respect to the late Robert Jordan, his books are certainly not representative of the fantasy genre. In fact, I tried getting into the Wheel of Time series, and I gave up after 30 pages. It made the initial part of Dune seem like a rollercoaster ride. Robert Jordan is the only author so far to have made me read in front of my laptop with Google and Wikipedia loaded. I was frankly very annoyed with all the terminology that I had to learn in order to get my enjoyment out of his books.

couldn't get past the second episode no matter how hard i tried. it's shit.
EDIT: just in case it's important, i read and loved the first.... 6 or so books. at some point i remember them becoming incredibly boring.

About half of the books in the Sword of Truth series were "good", but it was still enough to get me through the series.
However, the Legend of the Seeker is such an obnoxious case of "selling out" that I didn't even make it through the first episode. Of course, it didn't help that they basically did turn it into Richard the Legendary Journeys (or Richard Warrior Princess). I didn't even dislike either of those series, but doing it to Wizard's First Rule (Goodkind's best book easily) wakes me sick, doubly so considering that the author was directly involved in the process.

I read the SoT books a few years ago. Right up until around book 5 or 6. They they just got plain dull, esoteric and crap. I've heard book that after book 8 (I think "Pillars of Creation" was mentioned as the book to start reading after...) they pick up again, but I've not got around to finding copies in the local Waterstone's or library yet.
The TV show....while not exactly clones of Xena or Hercules....are watch-able, but they're only LOOSELY based on the novels : Typical Saturday morning action-"acting" in the stylé of X/H, but given the state of UK TV these days, I gladly download and watch these shows during lunch the day after they air in the US. fun for an hour if there's nothing better to do...
Mord Sith in red leather :wub:!
@TSF : yes, Goodkind was involved because he didn't want the series to become another FUBAR effort, cancelled 4 episodes into the 1st series like loads of others *cough*Fox*cough*, but saying that, Raimi/Tapert???? WHYYYYYYY????
EPIC-FACE-PALM!!
Side Note : Tried reading "Wheel of Time" series of books, and got about 3 chapters into book 2. Just totally uninteresting.
George R R Martin's "Song of Ice and Fire" was alright....but it wasn't good enough to entice me into book 2

In case anyone cares George R.R. Martin's "Game of Thrones" is being adapted into a HBO pilot, full series may follow.

HBO could actually do it right... but i doubt it somehow.