YMMV / The Nicci Chronicles

• Overshadowed by Controversy: The part most people remember about Shroud of Eternity - with even its Wikipedia article being more focused on this than the actual plot - is Terry Goodkind publicly denouncing the cover art as "laughably bad", "sexist" and not a true reflection of his books' content or Nicci's characterization as a "strong female character" (he also invited fans to mock the art). The cover artist, Bastien Lecouffe-Deharme, responded that he found this disrespectful, that he painted what he was commissioned to do (Goodkind himself claimed he had no say in the artwork) and he would no longer work with the author;  Goodkind subsequently apologized and started criticizing his publishers instead. As this all went down on social media, other people then chipped in; some pointed out that the cover really isn't that sexist ^note Nicci is depicted wearing boots with small heels, which are perhaps not the most practical footwear but she's hardly dressed in a Chainmail Bikini while others called Goodkind's comments hypocritical when his own books have been criticized for problematic depictions of women (e.g. the frequent occurrences of sexual violence against women).

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