Product Description

Product Description

Customer Reviews (526)

Great! Kudos to Mr. Sanderson.
Great read, reminded me of why I got into this series in the first place. Before reading this I was skeptical about another author finishing the series, but I would say he's done a great job. Personally, I can't tell what parts Mr. Jordan wrote and what parts Mr. Sanderson wrote. I just wish the kindle editions came out sooner, I am eager to read the next book.

The Gathering Storm
America's Galactic Foreign Legion - Book 1: Feeling Lucky

We just all keep waiting for the next book to come out.I know people who call call in sick and take vacations to read more.

Fresh start
This book has much of the momentum and quick moving plot of the first few books in the series. Robert Jordan, God bless him, seemed to have lost his stride in some of the middle books of the series and was having trouble making the plot move. He was getting bogged down in details and descriptions. This latest book recaptures much of what has made this series a success. It has some interesting twists and foreshadowing and some seeming contradictions to be worked out in the next two books.

Why Sanderson was a poor fit
The book is an insult.We should have all known that it would be bad.

Jim Rigney (God rest him) died leaving one of his major life works unfinished.It was a tragedy.But everything that was actually heard from his own mouth during life was that he didn't want his series finished unless he was the one to do it.He knew something that his wife Harriet probably didn't.Writing a book takes more than technical writing ability.It takes vision, heart, soul and perseverance.

Jordan had prodigious amounts of it, and Sanderson didn't inherit any of it.You can tell in the way this book reads.After all, Jim (RJ for those who might be confused) was a helicopter pilot during Vietnam, a graduate of a military school and spent a large part of his life in the kind of loneliness that only a single, modern American war veteran can ever know.Sanderson has spent nearly his entire life in and around Brigham Young University, one of the most culturally isolated, religiously protectionist places in the US.The vision and the heart isn't there, even if the ability is (and that's another legitimate question).If you somehow expected to see Jordan's same feeling preserved simply by a learned pen taking up his characters, you'll be disappointed with this book.

How does this affect the actual work?It touches every single character.

Matrim: His humor comes off as the sort done by class clowns in a grade school, not as a deliberate, principled commitment to the softening of life's hardships.Matrim represented that for a lot of us.He grew up in book one as a class clown, and though he lost his innocence, he kept his humor amidst the widening of future knowledge that comes from adulthood.It's the reason that some grizzled old war veterans are the most jocular, entertaining people you will ever meet.I've no doubt that Jim knew a lot of men like this, was friends with a many of them.But by the way Matrim was presented in this book, I'm not even sure Sanderson is a man capable of understanding this explanation of his humor even if it had been given to him.

Rand: Rand is a farm-boy who inherited a conflict that he wasn't responsible for, learned to use a weapon that is more destructive than he ever imagined, and is utterly disappointed and disheartened by the fact that the only thing this weapon can accomplish is death, insanity and heartlessness.But he is never shaken in his belief that his cause is just.He kind of reminds me of a helicopter door gunner, corn-fed and home grown in South Carolina.It's the reason why this archetype resonates so well with so many people.But it's clear from Sanderson's writing of Rand that the only trial he has ever faced in his life is the "temptation" to drink a beer.Much of his internal monologue and character context is now dedicated to why he can't just soften up.All of us who knew this character know why he can't.

Egwene and all of the other female characters: Many people complained about the repetitiveness and discomfort of all the misandrist sentiment in the female characters.Not one of the women, from the Sea Folk to the Aes Sedai, failed to criticize how men were so bumbling, bellicose and detached.But everything written was true to form.Jim was one man who knew how the male dominated conflicts of the world were tainted by their participants' insensitivity, lack of appreciation for what they were doing and most of all, their vain hope that enough violence would solve the issues.Jim's world had leaders who discussed things, dedicated themselves to order and had a much greater sense of community and sensitivity that was made so much more real in the mind of a woman.Sanderson just decides to stop with the whole thing.The loathing is so toned down that's it's not even perceptible anymore.He probably didn't see it for any more than what most saw it, naked misandry.Sanderson might personally believe that this kind of prejudice is wrong, and that most women are content hide from world affairs in their kitchens.But the person who took up the pen should have at least understood how the author might have felt about it.I doubt Sanderson ever even met Jim to ask him.

Others: Their thoughts are riddled with the idealism that any obstacle the world presents can be overcome by the requisite amount of playground "teamwork".None of them remain believable, even in the context that the author wrote, many having seen their friends die.For example, Gawyn (Gavin) directs one of Sanderson's patent rhetorical questions at himself in monologue saying about Egwene, "There must have been something he could do!"No Sanderson, there's nothing you can do.Every Vietnam vet gave up on that idea after about a month of boots on the ground.You needed to at least try to understand how one would have felt after an entire tour.

I don't dislike Sanderson as a writer.Though many think is prose is bland, I personally feel that his short, choppy sentences and simplified word palette fit his own works very well.And because his books are filled with mostly immature people, some of them end up being quite good.But writing a few juvenile female protagonists in a way that offends no one's sense of gender shouldn't have fit into the resume.I understand that what compelled Harriet may have been the Wheel of Time's portrayal of powerful women.But there was so much more than that, things that I think only Jim Rigney was able to see.I wish others at least had respect for them.Sanderson may not even understand an explanation of them, not as I've explained them, not as Jim spent thousands of pages of fiction explaining them.It's only because of my respect for them and for Jim that I continue to buy his books.But as a result of this poor choice of author, those things have passed away.May they rest in peace.

Incredible!Can't Wait For the Next One!
As usual, a can't-stop-reading page-turner.I was surprised and excited to see that the addition of another author fit in seamlessly.The story remained true to Robert Jordan's form and was excellent to boot.I'm on pins and needles waiting for the next one! ... Read more

Product Description
The Wheel of Time turns and Ages come and go, leaving memories that become legend. Legend fades to myth, and even myth is long forgotten when the Age that gave it birth returns again. In the Third Age, an Age of Prophecy, the World and Time themselves hang in the balance. What was, what will be, and what is, may yet fall under the Shadow.
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Customer Reviews (1792)

Mediocrity incarnate
I had known of this series for a long time.My first read was purchasing The Gathering Storm (book 12) when I was snowed in at an airport.I didn't get all that far with that book.Ordinarily, it wouldn't really be worth mentioning that I have read so far into the story, except that it seams after reading this book that I didn't miss much by starting with book 12, and the problems with that book are the same as with this.

It seams that whenever the important characters suffer a setback, it furthers the greater good, even if the characters suffer.Similarly, Jordan has a talent for cheesifying events that should be exciting.Like in this book when 3 injured wolves hamstring a platoon of horses.Apparently, Jordan spent no time looking up how wolves hunt or what they are capable of.Either that or it's that the Wheel of Time is a great plot device to explain how the unlikely can happen whenever the main characters are around.And yet it is communicated to the main characters that the world is nearing apocalyptic circumstances.But the way things keep turning out for them, it doesn't work dramatically.I see that the books are being turned into graphic novels.That, I believe, is a more appropriate format for this story.

The land of the Two Rivers where the main characters start makes the Shire look like a thriving metropolis.And yet the 5 characters from this backwater are extraordinarily important to the entire world 12 books into the story, with 3 of them being 3 of the world's 4 most gifted magic users.Only Cadsuane, the mightiest of the Aes Sedai (although a bit of a Lone Wolf), and the Aiel love interest to Rand are notable people who are introduced later.But nothing has developed in a way that you wouldn't have expected.Even Min's prophecies, which haven't changed a bit in book 12, get introduced in this book.And as others have pointed out, the beginning borrows too much from Lord of the Rings.

A real page turner.... ha ha!
I was looking for a long series and wondered why I had never read this one. I got a used copy of book one and realized I had read this book many many years ago. Now I know why I had never read beyond number one. I found myself flipping pages and skipping. NOT gripping for me. Repetitive, trite, juvenile, humorless, non-witty, and silly, leaden, one dimensional characters. So I went to the 5 star reviews to see if any reviewers mentioned what other authors they liked and found: Goodkind, Salvatore, and Donaldson mentioned over and over. Okay, other authors I don't read. I expected to see Stephen King mentioned too since he has the same diarrhea of the keyboard syndrome. There's detail that's important to the story which I can appreciate but then there's over zealous descriptions that have not much point at all especially if they are not especially well written.

The lack of a multi-faceted humor was the big killer for me. I got this book because Brandon Sanderson was the author who finished this series after Jordan died and I really like his work. I also like, so you can compare: George R.R. Martin, Scott Lynch, Patrick Rothfuss, Gregory Keyes, Robin Hobb, Lois McMaster Bujold.

Captures You As Soon As You Open The Book!!
This book is compared to lord of the rings and i was quite skeptical, but if anyone can be up their with Tolkien it is Jordan. The Book will capture you in the first few pages!!!! I was expecting to get a medium sized book, but when I recieved the book it was very thick! I have not finished the book but reading the first few pages i can all ready give it 5 stars!

So far so good, but not that good
Truthfully, 3.5 stars ***1/2

I wanted to sample some other fantasy books after reading LOTR, and I really did not want to start this series, as I doubted I would have the longevity to finish reading it (the author certainly did not have the longevity to finish writing it!). But, I decided to read at least the first book to see what it is like anyway ...

So what can I say after reading it?

First, this is a LOTR imitator, there is no mistake about that. There are too many elements "borrowed" from the former book: faceless dark riders start appearing in a remote village just before a festival; strange characters start to appear, including Trollocs (Orcs), witches, wizards; Innocent farm boys who have never ventured outside the village embark on an arduous journey to save the world ... sounds familiar? The similarities do not just end here, actually, one may even say there are some blatant rip-offs from LOTR -- the warder acts and talks much like the strider (Aragon), the Ogier and Greenman are copies of the Ents, and where the evil one dwells is called the Mountains of Dhoom (Doom) ...

The writing is sometimes pretty bad ("slowly his breathing slowed" is just inexcusable), and repetitive -- the characters all suffer from chronicle dry mouth disease, whenever they are under stress, their universal response is to "swallow hard". However, generally, it flows smoothly and is not hard to understand.

But, I must give credit where credit is due. There are a few good things in this book/series:
First, it is considerably darker than LOTR. The nominally "good" people can be just as bad (e.g. the Children of Light). There is also much suspicion among the allies. This makes the village boys appear even more vulnerable.
Secondly, so far in this book, the plot moves along rather quickly, and the story line is tight. In one part when the group (fellowship) is parted, the plot line forks into three threads, but each moves in its own interesting way, and before long merged back together. I heard horrid stories about later books in this series stuffed with fillers, but in this book, the author did not drag the story, I feel like, even though it has almost 800 pages, it deserves to be called a "page-turner".
Finally, even though this is only the first book, it somewhat came to a conclusion. So that is good, at least now I can put the book down and move on :-)

Overall, I think this book judged on its own merit is worth the time to read it. 3.5 starts ***1/2

Book Review Present
I had this book sent to my daughter in law and she gave me the information needed for this review. The book got there before the estimated time and was in great shape. Almost new she said. Will use this seller again and recommend seller highly. Thank you. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (9)

Just the Prologue
I bought this on my iTouch iPod for the Kindle application and was sorely disappointed when it was only the Prologue of the book. No where in the title, or the description, does it say that it is only the Prologue. Since the picture of the book cover is very small on the iTouch, I couldn't see it there. Instead, I just bought this assuming that it was the full book, just under a different name.

It would have been very helpful if any mention that this was only the Prologue was in the book description. I will, if I use Amazon again, pay much more attention to details. I really don't see how they can get away with just selling the Prologue of a book..

In any case, this is not worth the price and a complete waste space on your iTouch or Kindle. You are better off buying the whole book when it comes out for Kindle instead.

Well written; format 'iffy'
Of course, as a fan of WOT, I'm eager for a new release.
I believe I can say, (no SPOILER intended,) that I am pleased with Brandon's writing, even considering that he's tasked with introducing new characters "before the storm;" My only qualms are with the digital editing.
The price is 'low' for a fan, for this minuscule installment, but for the measly $2.65 I would have appreciated a linked TOC (table of contents,)or at least a page break between shifts of time or setting.
RJ often shifted time and space with a simple "* * *;"...- I assume at the editors' discretion, but it takes a knowledgeable reader to decipher the lack of page breaks in the Kindle version.
I look forward to however many books Mr. Sanderson and Mrs. Jordan feel it must expand into, as I have become accustomed to, no..., thankful for Robert's (or the editors') decisions on length in the past.
Hopefully someone will edit this, and future works, to give us a SEARCHABLE, LINKABLE, text, as a part of a comprehensive, digitized, kindle form of the entire WOT series.

so short it should be free
I finished this prologue very quickly.It was over so fast that I was surprised it was not free.

On a side note, the writing seems very true to Robert's style.Frequent sentence fragments and other mistakes had me thinking that the books will feel right.I'm excited for the book, but this should have been a give away.

The Real Thing
I had forgotten how much I had missed Robert Jordan, and Brandon Sanderson helped me remeber.The only problem I have with the prologue is that it has made it more difficult for me to wait for the actual book release.

The storm is coming
The prologue for the Gathering Storm, book 12 of the wheel of time is in a word, awesome. Right from the beginning it sets the mood perfectly for what should follow in the build up to the Last Battle. A sense of impending doom is given with a Shinerian farmer watching a strange and devastating storm approaching and retreating. The sense of urgency I felt in this section was palpable. This was what I love about Jordan he could really build up a sense of danger and this part was amazing. I can still hear the repeating line in my head "The storm is coming, The storm is coming"

Next was a piece about the Sul'dam who spoke with Rand after Semirhage attacked him. Seeing Rand from an outsiders perspective was great. It really showed how much he has changed since the beginning and shows just how Hard he has become.

The scene with Tylee was next and it was mostly about her reflecting on the battle with Perrin and her impression of him. We get a lot of foreshadowing in this piece and see just how her role in this may be very to helpful to Rand and his treaty with the Seanchan he wants so badly.

Next was a Forsaken meeting from Grendal's pov. This was great because I have always felt Grendal was one of the best Forsaken in the book. Seeing how she thinks and what she thinks of some of the other Forsaken was enlightening. Again in this scene we see a lot of foreshadowing and the implications of this may be earth shattering.

Next up was Rodel Iterlude, the great sage of the the WOT prolouges, I hope one day he gets to be in the main story and have a chapter to himself. His scene was nice and while we still don't get to see a conclusion to his fierce war against the Seanchan at least we get to see the next part of his plan unfold.

And finally we get our first POV with Masema, this guy is crazier then Lews Therin. I gotta say that even though the opening was my favorite part of the prologue this ran a close second. I actually feel bad for Masema now, his small story was great and I really wish he had never got involved with Rand and his crew and had just stayed in Fal Dara hating the Aeil. But in the end he got what he deserved if not any actual justice.

I am now getting really really impatient for the book to be released and I don't think it will ever get here. This prologue while short was the best in a long time and I don't know how im gonna make it through this wait till the 27th. If BS can keep me this excited throughout tGS he will have saved the WOT.

"The prophecies will be fulfilled...The Dragon is Reborn"
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Product Description
The Wheel of Time turns and Ages come and pass. What was, what will be, and what is, may yet fall under the Shadow. For centuries, gleemen have told of The Great Hunt of the Horn. Now the Horn itself is found: the Horn of Valere long thought only legend, the Horn which will raise the dead heroes of the ages.

And it is stolen.
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Customer Reviews (359)

Great Deal
Was very happy with this.Came in exactly the same condition as promised.Very good price!

An enjoyable continuation of the story
First notes specifically on the Kindle edition, everybody else can skip this part: formatting errors seemed fewer and further apart in the book so perhaps as the books continue through the series the publisher is learning more and more about how to properly format. I still enjoyed the convenient chapter marks at the bottom and I'm sure it was true of the first one but apparently the speech synthesizer is enabled in this book for an impromptu audio-book-like-experience. Of course the text-to-speech can't make heads or tails of the special words in a fantasy book and a character named Min is apparently too much to handle (kept saying minimum). I still think a commercial product I paid pull price for shouldn't have these formatting issues but they are easy to ignore. I don't think there was a map of the world included in this book but I don't suppose it would be very clear on a Kindle-sized screen anyway (I have the smaller one).

I should perhaps note I have only read the first two books and I'm writing this having not started the third one yet. This review will be spoiler free (I try to stay vague).

As for the book itself I think Jordan learned some lessons from the first book and avoided making the same mistakes. There were a few obvious foreshadowing moments here and there along with some blatantly convenient plot devices to move the story along and avoid the issues that would have come up had he not resorted to the plot devices (one example is conveniently skipping over several months and traveling a long distance just when it was needed).

After a while I got a little tired of the main character constantly denying he was this reincarnated (for lack of better term?) ancient character with a destiny. I mean a lot of stuff has happened here to him that wouldn't necessarily happen to any random humble sheep herder. It just got tiring after a while. Can you imagine if say Luke Skywalker constantly whined about being manipulation into bringing balance back to the force and talked about wanting to go back to Tatooine and be a farmer? Do you know how annoying that would be?

I think some people have mentioned the straight story with no symbolism. And that's mostly true but I can't help but think "The Source" that is constantly such a temptation to use, super powerful and can inadvertently hurt people and yourself could have some kind of subtle or not so subtle metaphor. Or maybe I'm reading too much into it, that could be.

Judging by the title of the third book (spoiler?) I think he's finally going to be over it and accept that he is in essence a super-hero-like-guy...

I've already purchased the third book and am looking forward to reading it.

A Richly Detailed World Building Quest (Spoiler Free Review)
The Great Hunt is more original than The Eye of the World, but the story occasionally gets bogged down by some rich poetic world building.If that sounds ok to you, then you'll enjoy reading this book.

Story:
Rand and the rest of the party are on a quest to find an ancient battle horn with the power to summon undead heroes.The Eye of the World, Book 1 of this series, was basically a Fellowship of the Ring clone.In this book, the heroes find themselves on a new adventure, traveling across the world and facing new enemies as well as old ones.

World:
The world that Robert Jordan has crafted is amazing.It's a world building fan's dream.There's a deep history, a myriad of different factions at war, mystical creatures, a well developed magic system, and parallel universes.It's easy to understand how his fans can get lost in these books.

Writing Style:
The strength of Robert Jordan's books is his rich writing style that pulls you into his world.At times, the books seem slow paced, but it's mainly because there are so many poetic details that bring the world to life.Jordan has one of the most mentally engaging writing styles in all of fantasy.

Characters:
The survivors of the first book are back, but they seem a bit thin this time around.There's so much effort spent on the world, the characters seem a bit secondary.Also, there are so many main characters that it feels like there isn't enough time spent on their development.

Action:
The magic battles are fantastic, but the sword fights are not.Lightning rips the sky and strikes the ground throwing cobblestones in all directions.Arcing fireballs destroy buildings.The visceral descriptions of the magic battles are great and pull the reader right into the action.However, the swordfights are written like, Rand performed Monkey steals peach, then Cutting the Silk, followed by Angry Humming Bird.Really?It's terrible.The swordfights need to have the same visceral descriptions as the magic battles.Swords should cut enemies down, pierce their bellies, lop off heads...Some of the action is good, but some of it is too poetic to carry an impact.

Maturity:
There's no sex, no swearing, just a complex plot, fancy college words, and some fantasy violence.

Overall:
If you liked The Eye of the World, you'll like this book.The main appeal is the richly developed world, but take note that the characters and action do take a back seat.Fans of Stephen Erickson will also enjoy these books.

If you want some light reading that's heavy on action, you can probably skip this series.

The Great Hunt
I really like the series and the book, however, they all contain typos!
Sentences are split between paragraphs, characters names have letters missing/different and the italicised thoughts are so choppy!
I have read the paper versions, which didn't have all this going on. It is so frustrating!
Great story, but I think they need to be checked and rechecked for all this messiness.

A slow read, but it was worth it
I just finished the second sequel, The Great Hunt, and currently am reading the third one. Robert Jordan wrote the plot in a very slow pace. Six young people from a remote village gradually found themselves being a major part of the grand pattern that could change the world. That was a lot to take on one's life, therefore, the length of words to tell how those people adjusted themselves was justifiable, I supposed.

These characters took a long time (like one full book between 700-800 pages) to step up to another level of acceptance. It wasn't bad. I think we, readers, were given enough time to follow the mental growth of the characters when they were struggling with fate that changed their lives forever.

I like the way Jordan described his world. Although for that, I had to slow down my reading pace, to grasp the rich tapestries of that world. It was described in detail, that I could imagine vividly everything in it, each place with its very different people, buildings and grooves.

What Jordan lacked though, was a clear description of his female characters. I found it difficult to tell the difference between Nynaeve to Egwene or Moiraine, or Selene. They were all very similar to each other. I don't understand why they were angry all the time. There was not enough back ground to explain these females' angry attitude towards the world in general. Whenever any other character in the book said anything at all, the females replied with harsh words, or balled their fists, or twitched their mouths/eyebrows. All this only showed they were angry, but no particular logical reasons provided at all by Jordan.

Also, from several times description through the boys' thoughts, all those females were the prettiest girls the boys had ever seen in their lives. If it was said once, I can understand it. But as it was said to describe all the ladies, I found it confusing. I mean, all the ladies had was the same things, the prettiest face on earth and an angry attitude, how to tell their difference then? I don't know if in the following sequel books the female characterization would be improved, but I certainly hope so! It is too bad if such a good story line with a richly described world became annoying at some parts, due to some flatly described characters.
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Product Description
The Wheel of Time turns, and Ages come and go. What was, what will be, and what is, may yet fall under the Shadow.

Let the Dragon ride again on the winds of time.
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Customer Reviews (267)

Excellent condition, but...
The book I received was in excellent condition, as advertised, but it was not the same size as all the other books that I own in the collection.It is a few inches smaller all around, even though a hardcover edition.Perhaps I don't know enough of the different printings, but, even so, this was not apparent from the book's description here on Amazon that I based my order on.

enjoyable read
Enjoyed it as much as the first four, had a hard time puttng it down

Characters really grow in this novel
This novel goes into much more detail than others in the series to date as far as character growth and storyline.The action culminates at the end like most novels do along with some added twists and unexpected character changes.Other readers describe this novel (along with many others in the series) as slow and boring.If you like a novel to pique your interest every minute, then this series will leave you disappointed.If you want to immerse yourself into the storyline and world completely, then you are in the right place.

That being said, there was one point of the book that always made me want to read right past it.That was the women constantly getting angry with the men for being decent, well, men.Always rolling their eyes or sternly talking to them as if they were complete idiots.If I didn't know any better, this book feels like it was written by a woman who hated men.I certainly hope that the following novels don't have as much of this bashing as it became old very quick.

an excellent read
If you've been reading the Wheel of Time series, you'll really enjoy this book. It continues the plot well and was really hard to put down. If you haven't been reading the Wheel of Time series and are a fan of fantasy books, pick up a copy of The Eye of the World, the first book in the series.

Another Very Happy Customer!!
I love Amazon! It is easy and the reviews make it easy to know what company you want to use for your purchase. I am VERY happy with the books I purchased. I made my purchase at 8:00pm and they were shipped the next day. I expected it to take 14 days to recieve them but recieved them sooner than expected since I had them sent the cheepest slowest way possible. I think it was a total of 7 days and I had my books! That's GREAT service!! Thank You Very Much!! ... Read more

Product Description
The Wheel of Time turns, and Robert Jordan gives us the eleventh volume of his extraordinary masterwork of fantasy that has captured the imagination of millions.The dead are walking, men are dying impossible deaths, and it seems as though reality itself has become unstable: all are signs of the imminence of the Last Battle, when Rand alThor, the Dragon Reborn, must confront the Dark One as humanitys only hope. But Rand dares not fight until he possesses all the surviving seals on the Dark Ones prison. And he faces other dangersthere are those among the Forsaken who will go to any length to see him deadThe winds of time have become a storm, and things that everyone believed were fixed in place forever are changing before their eyes. Now Rand must ride those storm winds, or the Dark One will triumph.Amazon.com Review
About the Author
Robert Jordan lives in Charleston, South Carolina. He is a graduate of the Citadel.

Amazon.com Exclusive Content

Amazon.com's Significant Seven
Robert Jordan kindly agreed to take the life quiz we like to give to all our authors: the Amazon.com Significant Seven.

Q: What book has had the most significant impact on your life?
A: The King James version of the Bible. That seems a cliche, but I can't think of any other book that has had as large an impact in shaping who I am.

Q: You are stranded on a desert island with only one book, one CD, and one DVD--what are they?
A: The one book would be whatever book I was currently writing. I mean, I hate falling behind in the work. The one CD would contain the best encyclopedia I could find on desert island survival. The DVD would contain as much of Beethoven, Mozart, and Duke Ellington as I could cram onto it.

Q: What is the worst lie you've ever told?
A: It's hard to think of one since I am genetically incapable of lying to women and that takes out 52% of the population right there.

Q: Describe the perfect writing environment.
A: Any place that has my computer, a CD player for music, a comfortable chair that won't leave me with a backache at the end of a long day, and very little interruption.

Q: If you could write your own epitaph, what would it say?
A: He kept trying to get better at it.

Q: Who is the one person living or dead that you would like to have dinner with?
A: My wife before anybody else on earth living or dead. That's a no-brainer.

Q: If you could have one superpower what would it be?
A: That depends. If I'm feeling altruistic, it would be the ability to heal anything with a touch, if that can be called a superpower. If I'm not feeling very altruistic, it would be the ability to read other people's minds,to finally be able to get to the bottom of what they really mean and what their motivations are.

See all books in the Wheel of Time series. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (546)

Great series of books
This is my second time of reading the series and I still cannot get enough of it.The series makes you want more and to find out what is going to happen next.Like many others have said this book is better than the last two.I have to agree with this but I still have enjoyed them all.I am rereading the series to get caught up to be able to read the last three books.It is a shame that Robert Jordan is unable to see the series completed.

Come together...
Larger prophecies are being fullfilled - not the little harbingers but the big indicators of Tarmon Gaidon! The puzzle is coming together, but the final image is not yet resolved...and my appetite is whetted!

Robert Jordan
I have read numerous Robert Jordan books and almost all the wheel of time including Knife of Dreams is horrible.Why would anyone waste their time reading these books.Its like a bunch of women talking about rumors that may or may not happen, no action just talk.Apparently none has read Brandon Sanderson or they would find these books lifeless

Favorite Wheel of Time book so far
This book has a lot more action and a lot less drama. I have been going nuts with the
drama some of the previous books build. I am also a big fan of Mat and this book has plenty. Definitely a great read.

Why, Robert, why...
This book is terrible. There have been bad books in the series, but this one tops my list because it marks a huge shift. Faithful main characters are turned into archetypes. Plotlines are not only predictable, they are broadcast, you know, just in case you miss the subtle hints. The male female dynamic has been totally obliterated, and that was one of my favorite parts. Even Cadsuanes character has been generic'd into shrewish stereotype. And what's up with all the exclamation points? Stephen King did this same thing to me one time. He ruined The Dark Tower series. Everything was going fine until that pink book came out...

Quit now and keep your fond memories. ... Read more

Product Description
The seals of Shayol Ghul are weak now, and the Dark One reaches out. The Shadow is rising to cover humankind.

In Tar Valon, Min sees portents of hideous doom. Will the White Tower itself be broken?

In the Two Rivers, the Whitecloaks ride in pursuit of a man with golden eyes, and in pursuit of the Dragon Reborn.

In Cantorin, among the Sea Folk, High Lady Suroth plans the return of the Seanchan armies to the mainland.

In the Stone of Tear, the Lord Dragon considers his next move. It will be something no one expects, not the Black Ajah, not Tairen nobles, not Aes Sedai, not Egwene or Elayne or Nynaeve.

Against the Shadow rising stands the Dragon Reborn.....
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Customer Reviews (289)

Action, finally
Note I read this on the smaller gray 2nd-gen kindle. The maps are pretty much unreadable because of the contrast ratio or not being optimized for the screen. A minimum of formatting issues in this one.

As I have stated in my other reviews I find the strict adherence to the plot formula a little annoying. I mean it's not like it's network TV or something. It's not like Jordan had to account for commercial breaks and a strict budget or something. For instance as in books 2 and 3 all the characters stay exactly where they were for the first 25% or so of the book. There were maybe two action sequences in that time and the rest was just summarizing the plot and re-introducing the universe. And fretting about where they'd go next. Finally all the characters started leaving to their various destinations around the 31% mark. It is great motivation to get through the first third as quickly as possible.

Assuming a "major plot line" is defined by number of chapters dedicated to it there were three major plot lines and a forth relatively minor plot line. Of those I enjoyed Perrin's story the most, probably because some action stuff seemed to happen with some regularity. He's like if some one combined Forrest Gump with General Patton. As in "woops, I'm a general".

I'm not trying to imply I want ONLY action. It's just hundreds of pages of riding horses and talking, staying some place to camp and talking followed by more horse riding and...talking...gets a little dull after a while. So a Trolloc invasion every so often is a fun change of pace, albeit rare.

The Tanchico stuff I just found long and plodding. I just tried to get through it as quick as I could to get back to Perrin.

Rand's tale was a slightly more interesting than Tanchico but I still found it on the dull side.

As some point I thought I knew how Perrin's tale would end up as it would have been a perfect re-intro into the story for the next book. But I was way off. Probably. I haven't started five yet.

The last chapter I actually didn't see coming at all. I wasn't sure how it would end but I wasn't really expecting that ending.

I've always thought there were some passing similarities with this series and star wars: a chosen one, special sword from his father, a "Darth Vader" type of villain. And actually a perfect Han Solo and...well maybe I shouldn't compare Perrin to Chewie even if Perrin is large and harry and in a matter of speaking talks with wolves. The only thing missing is some sort of Yoda-like figure to teach Rand. Maybe in book 5!

I remember wondering what happened to Min in my last review. She was in the first couple chapters of book 3 and then disappeared. Well she showed up in the first chapter of this book as a way to re-introduce the The Tower. Her's was the forth plot line I mentioned: at least she played some part this time around and not insignificant. I don't know why I like her so much.

One thing I have noticed about these books: no curse words other than "she muttered an oath", only subtle alluding to sex with phrases like "a good cuddle" and even the evil seems to have some kind of black-and-white feel to it (no gray areas or ambiguity in the good vs evil, you're one or the other.). But some how tobacco smoking seems perfectly acceptable, which is fine with me but seems some how in contrast with the last 15 years or so. It's like this book is out of a different era. Personally I find it refreshing. When I'm done with this series I'll be reading "A Game of Thrones" which from what here is about as opposite of this as a series can get.

Conclusion:
Despite what may seem like complaints above I actually did enjoy this book for what it is and will be reading the next book albeit after a break. I only knocked a star off because of the strange procedural-like formula Jordan seems to insist upon and because parts of it are just agonizing to get through. The great parts, I feel, balance it out.

Shadow Rising Review
If you liked the first 4 books, you'll like this one.This is the one where things move past the beginning level adventure and into the nitty gritty.If you haven't read the first 4 books...do it.Start with the Eye of the World.

Tough to read when it never shows up
This supplier needs to use shipping methods that are capable of tracking. I paid 4 times as much for shipping as I did for the product itself, and it was still supposed to take 1-3 weeks to arrive. 3 weeks? Did they hire an orphan to run from Miami to Colorado with my book in hand? That's the only plausible explanation I can think of for anything to take 3 weeks to get anywhere in today's world. My book was supposed to show up by June 1, it is now June 8 and I have no idea where it is. They could at least give that poor orphan a bike for crying out loud.

$9.99 for the Kindle edition is flat out thievery
$9.99 (Kindle edition) for a book that has been in paperback well over 10 years? I understand that Macmillan wants to charge a higher fee for new releases but this book is several dollars cheaper at your local bookstore and that price takes into account the printing of the book, transportation to the store, profit for the publisher and for the book seller. The electronic version shares almost none of those expenses yet they have decided to charge the consumer an extra $2.00? Shame on you Macmillan. Much like the music industry that failed to accept the future before it was too late, Macmillan seems focused on scalping the consumer for a few extra bucks now at the expense of a long term relationship with the buying public. Looks like I will just pull out my old paperback and save myself $10.

Macmillan/TOR price increase
Macmillan has increased the price for this ebook, so they are now charging more for the zero per-unit-cost ebook than the paperback.In this pricing dispute with Amazon, Macmillan has claimed that the concern was about newly released books.This book has been in print for more than a decade.Any costs associated with producing this book we recouped a thousand fold before anyone ever thought of selling the ebook.Given that the cost to Macmillan of the ebook is essentially zero, Macmillan is now chargingan unreasonable price for this ebook. ... Read more

Product Description
In the tenth book of he Wheel of Time from the New York Times #1 bestselling author Robert Jordan, the world and the characters stand at a crossroads, and the world approaches twilight, when the power of the Shadow grows stronger.

Fleeing from Ebou Dar with the kidnapped Daughter of the Nine Moons, whom he is fated to marry, Mat Cauthon learns that he can neither keep her nor let her go, not in safety for either of them, for both the Shadow and the might of the Seanchan Empire are in deadly pursuit.

Perrin Aybara seeks to free his wife, Faile, a captive of the Shaido, but his only hope may be an alliance with the enemy. Can he remain true to his friend Rand and to himself? For his love of Faile, Perrin is willing to sell his soul.

At Tar Valon, Egwene al'Vere, the young Amyrlin of the rebel Aes Sedai, lays siege to the heart of Aes Sedai power, but she must win quickly, with as little bloodshed as possible, for unless the Aes Sedai are reunited, only the male Asha'man will remain to defend the world against the Dark One, and nothing can hold the Asha'man themselves back from total power except the Aes Sedai and a unified White Tower.

In Andor, Elayne Trakland fights for the Lion Throne that is hers by right, but enemies and Darkfriends surround her, plotting her destruction. If she fails, Andor may fall to the Shadow, and the Dragon Reborn with it.

Rand al'Thor, the Dragon Reborn himself, has cleansed the Dark One's taint from the male half of the True Source, and everything has changed. Yet nothing has, for only men who can channel believe that saidin is clean again, and a man who can channel is still hated and feared-even one prophesied to save the world. Now, Rand must gamble again, with himself at stake, and he cannot be sure which of his allies are really enemies.
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Customer Reviews (2447)

Slow, Yes.But Overly Slammed
Jordan continues to develop his saga in predictable fashion.A bit less action than the other books, but is that really why people read them?

Wars Don't Always Move Briskly!
I gather many are irritated with this book because it has few of the momentous events and speed that previous books in the series take.I WAS bothered by that at first, but in retrospect, I don't think it's quite that bad.It may be the "weakest" in terms of shocking events and stunning revelations, let's keep it in perspective:We're reading an epic of Homeric quality; like any real war, it has it's ebbs and flows.I had thought clear back at the end of book 4 or 5 that Jordan would be drawing the story to a close soon.After all, we had two sides in a war, getting ready to slug it out.What more could we need?Then, to my surprise AND delight, he added at least one more faction to the mix.
Yes, this particular book slows the action quite a little, but I think it makes plenty of sense to do so.I gather many are irritated by Jordan's "random" grabs for previous characters, but I personally love it!In real life, complications happen all the time, especially when you least expect.

In summary, I suggest that someone buy this book, if they've reached this point in the series.It may be slower, but it'll pick up again in the following book(s).

I'm looking forward to the last two books with eager anticipation!

Another great book in a fantastic series
Once again Robert Jordan has taken us on a grand adventure. This book keeps us in suspense while guiding us ever onward towards the great battle to come. Though I look forward to the final book, I will be sad to see this all end. The series has so many fascinating characters that it is hard to pick a favorite. Keep reading and enjoy the ride!

The plot (?) of this book
Spoiler alert: I'm going to write about the book's plot. Mind you: the entire plot, so skip this if you don't like it be shown before reading.

1) Rand is alive and is going insane.
2) Mat is going to marry Tuon and is escaping with her after having kidnapped her.
3) Faile is still captive under the Shaidos and Perrin is trying to rescue her.
4) The whole tea available in Caemlyn has been drunk by Elayne (who is pregnant).
5) The Black Ajah does exist.
6) Egwene has been captured by someone (more about it in the next book I guess).

We already knew about points 1,2,3, 4 and 5 from previous book(s). What a pity point 6 is adding something new to the plot.

Sorry for wall of text. I will never be able to be as brief as Mr. Jordan in my descriptions.

Wheel of time
I absolutely love this series and recommend it for any fantasy readers. Robert Jordan got a little carried away with the intricacies of the plot and different story lines books 4-8, so its a little slow. The most recent book written by Robert Jordan (deceased, RIP) and Brandon Sanderson is amazing! He is doing a great job picking up the series and we can all hope it will be wrapped up soon and meets our expectations in the end. ... Read more

Product Description
The Wheel of Time turns and Ages come and go. What was, what will be, and what is, may yet fall under the Shadow.

Let the Dragon ride again on the winds of time.
Amazon.com Review
Is Robert Jordan still doing the Light's work? Even loyal fans have to wonder. (And if you're not a fan yet, you'll have to read the previous 6,789 pages in this bestselling series to understand what all the fuss is about.)

Everyone's in agreement on the Wheel of Time's first four or five volumes: They're topnotch, where-have-you-been-all-my-life epic fantasy, the best in anybody's memory at the time since The Lord of the Rings. But a funny thing happened on the way to Tarmon Gai'don, and many of those raves have become rants or (worse) yawns. Jordan long ago proved himself a master at world-building, with fascinating characters, a positively delicious backstory, and enough plot and politics to choke a Trolloc, but that same strength has become a liability. How do you criticize what he's doing now? You want more momentum and direction in the central plot line, but it's the secondary stories that have made the world so rich. And as in the last couple of books, (A Crown of Swords and The Path of Daggers), Jordan doesn't really succeed at pursuing either adequately, leaving a lot of heavily invested readers frustrated.

Winter's Heart at least shows some improvement, but it's still not The Eye of the World. Elayne's still waiting to take the crown of Andor; the noticeably absent Egwene is still waiting to go after the White Tower; Perrin gets ready to pursue the Shaido but then disappears for the rest of the book. About the only excitement comes with the long-awaited return of Mat Cauthon and a thankfully rock 'em, sock 'em finale in which Rand finally, finally changes the balance of power in his fight against the Dark One. --Paul Hughes ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1102)

A pretty good entry for a late one...
I read this and liked it. The camera was held pretty tightly on the action. It let Mr. Jordan write in his active style, and when he does that I find that I like his books in this series somewhat better. The trade-off is that we don't get a lot of sweeping action sequences, but that's a good thing here. The claustrophobic view is held on individual characters and so we get to see more intimately the actions they undertake in the story. In other words, what we do get is less "watered down" than the stuff we read in, say, The Fires of Heaven.

Fantastic
The book was a gift for my daughter and she could not have been more pleased.She has long since read it and I am about to get her another one.It arrived exactly when predicted and shipped to a second address just fine.

Conflict galore
Ooooh. I can see the end in sight and this one hooked me by the nose, pulling me along.

My patience with the previous book (no Matt) was rewarded this time. And, boy did I love how Mr. Jordan drew out the whole Matt finding out who Tuon was. And Matt's response when he does find out? Priceless. And the 3 women who love Rand and what they do? Hilarious. And the attempt to cleanse saidin? Whoa!

My only concern is what is going on with Faile (but there was a little hint of another plotline there).

Setting: Nothing much was new here. We just get to see even more of the world. I don't remember having anyone go to Ebou Dar before, though. So, that was very interesting.

Conflict: I touched on a few above, but there is a lot going on here. Every chapter seemed to have something new, some new way to deepen and intensify the conflict, or even to add another level of pain for the characters. I actually started to like Alanna (I know!) and I'm understanding Cadsuane more - and totally respecting her.

Plot: The main thing is about Rand trying to cleanse saidin. But, there is also the Seanchan in Altara and Matt's love life. There is Rand and the Asha'men. There are the machinations of the Forsaken. There is even Paiden Fain, crazier than ever.

Character: We get even more insight into characters like Alanna, Cadsuane, Nynaeve, and even Rand. I had gotten a bit tired of Rand in previous books. But in this one, we get some more insight into his thinking thanks to some intimate psychic connections from others.

Text: Still lots of flowery description and details about what people are wearing. I felt like the action sequences are also getting better, though. Previously, I was having trouble following along sometimes.

Still stretching out the trilogy
Here we have the ninth book in the series. I have read this book at least twice before. We diverged with Perrin in a extraneous quest but he needed something to balance all the fun Mat seems to be having.

Thus we run square into the problem that Jordan has created, too many streams. The entire discussion during this reread is where can this series end, for it was a trilogy.

After the series achieved success others will show how Jordan purports to have thousands of pages on the history of the world. That is all well and good, but back when the story was only going to be a trilogy, you wouldn't need to create so much unless you were sure you were going to be paid for it. Before WoT, Jordan was not all that well published. Conan books, and not as memorable as the items published much earlier by those who expanded on Howard's iconic barbarian hero.

But now as a writer making money. Probably very good money, why not take the time to step back and create a mega opus. Bigger then Tolkien who is regard as the God of Fantasy.

Why not write so many character sketches that you can fill rooms with them. That may make the world richer, but it sets up problems. Winter's Heart fails though not as badly as the previous transition book. The failure is having so many story lines that justice is not done to any of them.

Further the time scale is again destroyed, where earlier books almost a year will pass in the telling, now it is weeks, and our heroes can accomplish what used to take them months. One has to remember that they are novices at there jobs of magic casters, or rulers, or battle leaders despite what memories may be inside their head.

Those of you who aren't twenty, how many really know that it does take years to have the wisdom to read people. To analyze the interactions of your environment quickly and correctly. If every twenty year old could do it (And there are several in Jordan's world who can.) Then what need of older people. Surely everyone over twenty-five are idiots...

In the Music Man, "The older-but wiser girl for me..." (It was on last night) and that is highlighted everytime a Wise One or Aes Sedai of years of experience is bossed around by one of the children. Sure they need to be heroic, but elders need to help them manage, not jump to every order.

So again do you read this book. Well it is better than the previous for stories, though shortened, do complete. But once again Jordan is stretching out his trilogy beyond all reason.

Winter's Heart
Even though this was sold new, two of the CDs were defective and chapters could not be listened to. In the auto, even the slightest bump caused the cds to skip. ... Read more

Product Description
In this sequel to the phenomenal New York Times bestseller The Fires of Heaven, we plunge again into Robert Jordan's extraordinarily rich, totally unforgettable world:

On the slopes of Shayol Ghul, the Myrddraal swords are forged, and the sky is not the sky of this world;

In Salidar the White Tower in exile prepares an embassy to Caemlyn, where Rand Al'Thor, the Dragon Reborn, holds the throne--and where an unexpected visitor may change the world....

In Emond's Field, Perrin Goldeneyes, Lord of the Two Rivers, feels the pull of ta'veren to ta'veren and prepares to march....

Morgase of Caemlyn finds a most unexpected, and quite unwelcome, ally....And south lies Illian, where Sammael holds sway....
... Read more

Customer Reviews (317)

Wheel of time series, by Robert Jordan
Excellent book series, don't get involved if you dont want to read a long story.like 14 books long.if you enjoy reading fantasy novels this is one of the best.it is a legendary story equal to the writings of Tolkien, better than any other modern fantasy novelist currently in writting.

Low point of the series
I must shake my head in amazement when i read all of the five star reviews that this book gets.It's like these people haven't even read the first five books in the series, for if they did they would have to realize the dropoff in quality starting with Lord of Chaos.By no means a terrible book, this is where the majority of WoT readers can all agree that the series begins to stagnate.This is one of those rare novels where one can openly give the entire story away and not have to put spoiler tags because ABSOLUTELY NOTHING EVER HAPPENS.Readers should just get used to this and stick it out, as this becomes a theme for the next three books or so.

One thing that this book does do, however, is contintue to develop the entire female cast of characters into the most hateable ensemble of raving lunatic bitches to ever grace the pages of American literature.Just about every single chapter with Elayne or Faile is complete torture.Oddly enough, I don't really mind Nynaeve, but that's probably because she spends most of the series next to the completely intolerable Elayne.Seriously Elayne.Go away and die.

Having said all of that, the book is interesting enough to get to the end, which is actually one of the most climactic endings in the entire series.All i have to say is this: Dumais Wells.That is all.

Lord of Chaos
The speed with which I received the books was definitely 5 star (I ordered books 5, 6, and 7). But I ordered the larger size of the paperbacks and received the smaller size. If the larger size is no longer available then it shouldn't be an option. This is the second time this has happened. The other time was with another vendor.

The begin of the great Wheel of Time slump
When I first read Robert Jordan's Lord of Chaos back in 1997, I remember it being a grueling read that sapped my enthusiasm for the series. In many ways, it sets the formula for its successors -- hundreds of pages of inertia punctuated by an event at the end. Now that I'm older and am better at deconstructing an author's intent, successful or not, I do appreciate what Robert Jordan was trying to do with the book. The payoff is neatly executed based on themes set-up throughout the book, it's just that it necessitates making the women of the book -- particularly Nynaeve and Elayne -- extremely unlikable.

Lord of Chaos is fundamentally about Rand's relationship with the Aes Sedai, which in turn is a proxy for the relationships between men and women in general. In Fires of Heaven, Moiraine told him never to trust another Aes Sedai -- Rand understands the argument, but naively underestimates the two delegations that come to him. He chooses to trust the wrong delegation, and that in turn forces a series of events that culminates in the Battle of Dumai's Wells, perhaps one of the most visceral and exhilarating action sequences in the series. The final moments of the story proper also bring about the natural resolution for Robert Jordan's major themes -- his view of the politics between men and women, and in particular, the manipulation and humiliation of men at the hands of women and ultimately the need for women to submit to men.

I'm not sure if I would describe Robert Jordan as a sexist, necessarily, and he's definitely not a misogynist, but he takes the "Women are from Venus, Men are from Mars" approach to an embarrassing level. The women of the book do not treat its men very well -- indeed, Rand is literally tortured for being a man that can channel (though one wonders if he's tortured for simply being a man who stands up to powerful women). This has been a problem for me throughout the series, but I find it especially troubling in Lord of Chaos. Gender is treated as a see saw, tilting the balance of power between one side or the other. There is no equality, only a struggle for dominance.

I want to continue my re-read of the series to get to Brandon Sanderson's contributions, but I wonder how much more of this I can take. It's especially a shame because the earlier books were so entertaining. Alas, I must grit my teeth and soldier on to the end, although each volume grows more tedious than the last.

Tragic
That a series begun with such promise could devolve into this is sad. Read the first three, or four if you have the stomach for it, and then move on to Martin, Le Guin, Erikson, Tolkien, or even Brooks. ... Read more

Product Description
The Wheel of Time turns, and Ages come and pass. What was, what will be, and what is, may yet fall under the Shadow. Let the Dragon ride again on the winds of time.
Amazon.com Review
Robert Jordan has created a rich and intricate tapestry ofcharacters in his Wheel of Timeseries. In this seventh volume, Rand al'Thor--the Dragon Reborn--drawsever closer to the Last Battle as a stifling heat grips the world. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (671)

Entertaining, but doesn't significantly move the story forward
My Kindle re-read of Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time continues with A Crown of Swords.

This was the termination of my initial read-through of the series -- at this point Path of Daggers wasn't out yet, and I was in for a long wait for the next volume in the series. I remember being particularly bored and disillusioned with the Wheel of Time by this point, particularly with the Ebou Dar storyline. I've found that on my second reading of the book some 13 years later that I enjoyed it a great deal more than during my original reading -- particularly (and ironically), the arc centered around Ebou Dar and the hunt for the Bowl of Winds. Mat Cauthon is increasingly becoming my favorite character in the series and seeing him finally getting treated with the respect he deserves by the Aes Sedai was satisfying, as was Elayne and Nynaeve's dealings with the "real" sisters and the Kin.

Although more significant events take place in Lord of Chaos, A Crown of Swords is shorter and therefore unburdened by its predecessor's many filler chapters. Not to say that there isn't filler here -- the central storyline of A Crown of Swords is a bit of a cul-de-sac for the series, as the struggle to fix the world's broken weather is nothing more than a distraction from the Last Battle. I found it to be a relatively brief read, and although it doesn't further the story significantly, the character movement was satisfying, and Mat's cliffhanger is still as strong as I remembered. Tangential though the story may be, it comes down to whether or not you like the characters -- I happen to be fond of them, so spending some time with Mat, Elayne and Nynaeve in Ebou Dar wasn't a bad way to spend a week and a half of reading.

However, on the negative side, the pacing of Rand's arc was especially uneven. The showdown at the end seemed to come out of nowhere, given that the chief antagonist was barely mentioned in A Crown of Swords before the climax. It does show that Jordan was able to move the story when he wanted to and could have resolved many of his story lines within a few chapters. However, in this case the lack of any kind of build-up to the fight left me a bit bewildered. The ending itself is incredibly rushed, the payoff seemingly unearned given the similar ending (and better set-up) featured in The Dragon Reborn. This is something I remembered from my first read-through, and my opinion has changed little on the second.

At this point, readers know whether or not they're invested in the series -- if you like Mat, Elayne and Nynaeve, then A Crown of Swords will be a worthy read. But if you're plowing through the series eager for the start of Tarmon Gaidon, you are setting yourself up for disappointment.

Still going
After reading the previous book in the Wheel of Time series, I thought I was halfway through, as 'Lord of Chaos' is book six and the series was projected to be twelve books. But now it seems the series is projected to go to 14 books so again I find myself halfway there, I'm like the donkey with the carrot in front of me always just out of reach :).
The overall story is still moving forward, albeit at a slightly slower pace. The consensus seems to be that the later books (6-10) aren't as good as the first five or so and I would agree, but I found this book , #7 in the series, still to be pretty good. There is a definite decline but not by much. A number of reviewers complain about the braid tugging and skirt straitening etc. but I thought Jordan actually dialed it down a notch or two for this book (or else I am so used to his particular writing quirks that I just don't notice them anymore). I still find his habit of giving every single character a name frustrating- in most books if a character is named it is because they are important to the story, but with Jordan, everyone has a name, important or not (down to horses!). Specific to this book, I found the long anticipated showdown between Rand and Sammael to be a letdown- poorly conceived and sloppily written. Never the less I am still looking forward to the next book and eventually, maybe some day in the far future, actually finishing the series.

great novelhorrible copy
I just love Robert Jordan, however I simply can't believe that the publisher has the gall to charge such inflated fees for digital copies of books available in paperback with so very many typos in them.

What a let down
This series started so well, and I enjoyed book 6 Lord of Chaos even though some claim that was the book Jordan decided to just stop progressing the story line at all. But this one, simply bored me from start to finish with the exception of the parts actually involving Rand.

The Elayne and Nynaeve searching for a bowl plot was dull in book 6, and really was painful to struggle through at times in this one. Quite how that plot has lasted over two books is ridiculous, especially considoring it seems to take up two thirds of this one whilst the only things that happens is Jordan introduces a bucket load of useless characters.

Whilst there is also several chapters from the point of view of Egwene that seemingly offer absolutely nothing to the story, yet there was three or four of them in a row to be struggled through near the start of the book. Did it really take 3 chapters to tell us they had left their village and started north, and that people still treated Egwene as a child.

Even the plot that follows Rand in this book, and there is precious little of it, is dull. He seemingly does nothing for the first two thirds of the book. Whilst then despite building up to it for about three books worth of useless chapters, he eventually goes and defeats Sammael in the same amount of lines as Jordan has used solely telling us Nynaeve was pulling her braid.

I'm still making my way through the series, and will read book 8 as I really enjoyed the first 6, but if it as bad as this one I won't be reading on further in the series.

The Pace is Picking Up
I am a late comer to this series and this is the first review I've written.I started this journey in January 2009 and it is now September.My goal was to read one book a month and finish by the end of the year.(Of course, I've since learned it will be a 15 book series...)But about book 3, I realized I wasn't recalling events and characters that were being referenced and became really frustrated by that.So I slowed down...about 2 months to a book.Unfortunately, the books slowed down too.Books 4 and 5 were quite tedious and I wondered if I'd find myself starting to agree with the 1-star reviews err the end.But then Book 6 came and for me, the story became extremely intriguing and the pace picked back up.And now I have Book 7, "A Crown of Swords" under my belt, having it read it in less than a month.The complex weavings (pun intended) that are the Wheel of Time story are so engrossing!Certainly this series is not for the faint of heart.It is like "The Silmarillion" in the respect that it is for hard-core fantasy readers only.I've since learned of a good web site that has chapter summaries and detailed character listings when I find myself not remembering an event or not sure about what I just read.Sure, the books have many tedious parts, what seems to be repetitious descriptors (Nyneave's braid tugging, each of the boys thinking the other knows more about women, etc), and odd grammatical choices...but good grief.I can easily look past those because of the immersion.This is escapism at its finest.So if by chance you are reading this review having not started the series, I would honestly say be sure you are ready to commit to it, and if you do, stick with it.It is well worth it so far. ... Read more

Product Description
The Wheel of Time turns, and Ages come and pass. What was, what will be, and what is, may yet fall under the Shadow. Let the Dragon ride again on the winds of time.
Amazon.com Review
Robert Jordan's bestselling Wheel of Time epic is one of the most popular fantasy series of all time for a reason. Jordan's world is rich andcomplex, and he's assembled an endearing, involving core of characterswhile mapping out an ambitious and engaging story arc.

But with the previous book, Crown of Swords, and now withPath of Daggers, the series is in a bit of a holding pattern. Pathcontinues the halting gait of the current plot line: Rand is still on thebrink of losing it, all the while juggling the political machinationsaround him and again taking to the field against the Seanchan. The rest ofthe Two Rivers kids and company don't seem to be moving much faster. Egwenecontinues to slowlyconsolidate her hold as the "true" Amyrlin (finally getting closer to TarValon and the inevitable confrontation with Elaida), and Nynaeve and Elaynekeep on wandering toward the Lion Throne, again on the run from theSeanchan. Mat Cauthon is barely mentioned, and fellow ta'verenPerrin keeps busy with politics in Ghealdan. The ending does providepromise, though, that book nine might match the pace and passion of theprevious books.

If you're already hooked, you could sooner overcome a weave of Compulsionthan avoid picking up a copy of Path of Daggers. But if you're newto the series, start at the beginning with the engrossing,much-better-paced Eye of theWorld. --Paul Hughes ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1720)

Great Book
Contrary to some of the negative reviews, I really liked Book 8, Path of Daggers.I felt that this book was significantly better than Crown of Swords, and DID make progress on some sup-plots with key characters.

Probably the single biggest advantage for PoD over the previous book, Crown of Swords, is the conclusion to the BRUTAL Bowl of Winds subplot... Jordan devoted over 400 pages of the previous book (Book 7) to this irrelevant story.Wadding through Nyneve and Elayne aimlessly searching all over Ebu Dar to find the Bowl of the Winds was a TOUGH read; one that was bogged down by useless details, completely empty chapters, and menial characters.Jordan does devote a few chapters of book 8 to concluding this terrible sub-plot, but then moves on to more interesting characters.

Without giving the story away, Jordan starts a new sub-story with Perrin that I thought was pretty good, and also devotes a few chapters to Egwene and her hold on power with the rebel tower.Jordan also takes Elayne's character down a new path, which I thought was significantly more interesting than the Bowl of Winds saga, and pretty much leaves Nyneve out completely.The best sub-plot by far is the one that follows Rand... over half of this book is devoted to him, and I really felt like Jordan made progress on this front.Everything from the greater role of the Ashaman, to the impending battle with the Sechean is awesome.There are some really great scenes in book 8 that are VERY memorable... in this book Jordan truly illustrates the power of the Dragon Reborn!

I would not say that this is the best book in the entire series, but probably the best since book 5.It was a good read, and I would recommend it.

Hell of a Cliff Hanger
This book seems to focus on Rand and show his internal thoughts much more clearly than previous books, which works perfectly with the climax. Finally we begin to see the toll the Source is taking on Rand and the Asha'man, and how much Rand relies on his followers. Losing just a few Asha'man for any reason is a high price to pay for victory, and Rand has to decide whether to take the Seanchan out before they become too much of a threat, or whether to keep his valuable forces intact. Egwene struggles against the puppet strings that keep her power as Amyrlin Seat in check, while Elayne journeys back to Camelyn and faces difficulty claiming the thrown of Andor. With both of these plots we are left with a complete cliffhanger, driving this somewhat weary reader on to the next book without pause. If you haven't given up on the series yet, don't hesitate to pick up the 8th book. You've already come so far!

Not available on Kindle for the US?
Why isn't Path of Daggers available for the Kindle in the United States? I'm very disappointed, re-reading this entire series was one reason I chose to purchase an e-book reader, and since the other titles are available I assumed that this was also available. Is there even an ETA?

Series Over For Me
I gave the book a chance despite how much of an effort it was to struggle through a crown of swords, but I stopped at chapter 8.

The first 6 chapters are entirely devoted to Elayne and Nynaeve and that damn weather bowl that they searched for, for two entire books. Despite him dragging out that one chapter plot into two books, Jordan then proceeded to devote 6 chapters to using the damn thing and then them going through a gate way. The entire thing could have been done in a single page, one chapter would have dragged it out to ridiculous proportions, but 6?!?!?!

Finally after struggling through that you finally reach a chapter not about that damn bowl, and your thinking great, a chapter about Perrin. He was an interesting character in book 4, a very interesting character in fact. Granted Jordan decided to then leave him out of book 5 for reasons only he will know, he came back for books 6 and 7 to lead the army to save Rand, and argue with his wife while trying to avoid what seemed a much more stable woman.

Still he was a good character once, at least it's not about that damn bowl again, but chapter 7 ended the wheel of time series for me.

When struggling through endless pointless chapters about Elayne, Nynaeve or Egwene, there was always that reward of a return to the point of view of Mat, Perrin or Rand. But with Mat written out of this book, Perrin been thoroughly ruined by the introduction of Faile, and Rand.... Well the chapters on Rand did seem to still be of good quality, but frankly there just wasn't enough of them anymore to warrant struggling through the female point of views.

For me, that damn weather bowl ruined the wheel of time series.

FINISH IT, ALREADY!
I BEEN WAITING FOR THE END OF THIS SERIES FOREVER!!!!! Everyone is running around allwilly-nilly; nobody's quests are making sense anymore... it's time to tie up those loose ends and bring this puppy back to the kennel! I mean I've been reading this story since 1990! If you don't know how to finish it, for heavens sake- GET HELP!! I lost track of what exactly everyone's part in this saga is... and I think so have the main characters. Let Rand go mad and kill all the Forsaken and bring this psuedo-Norse folk tale to a close, so that fans like me can move on! ... Read more

Product Description
Since the debut of Robert Jordan's internationally bestselling series in 1990, The Wheel of Time has transported readers to a world so strikingly real, so rich in detail and complexity, it seems to rise from memory rather than a printed page. This essential companion to The Wheel of Time is for the millions interested in the history and the background of this incredible series-never-before-told legends, previously unknown peoples and lands, exotic beasts, and portents of what may come to pass.

With more than seventy new full-color paintings that include stunning new world maps, portraits of the central characters, landscapes, objects of Power, and national flags, this comprehensive guide is indispensable to any Robert Jordan fan
Amazon.com Review
"The Wheel of Time turns, and Ages come and pass, leaving memories that become legend. Legend fades to myth, and even myth is long forgotten when the Age that gave it birth comes again." Jordan's Wheel of Time series has uncountable fans, and those who are looking for an encyclopedic history and mythology of Rand al'Thor's world will enjoy this work, which fills in background rather than furthering the story. Also included are double-page spreads of Darrell K. Sweet's seven book jackets for the series. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (176)

close to advertised
The book showed up quickly, but what not in quite as good of condition as advertised.Still, I am satisfied with the transaction and would recommend this seller to others.As for the book, I was expecting a lot more artwork, more of an illustrated guide to twot.This along with the fact the book was published in the 90's before a lot of the current books were written makes for an overall lacking guide to twot.

Robert Jordan's World - The Wheel Of Time
A insightful overview of the kingdoms, people and creatures that you encounter during the series. I've only now discovered the series and found the book helpful in explaining some of the situations and characters.

Wheel Of Great
When i saw this i was really excited so i got it rigth away. robert jordan still delivers a great work of art

Awful Artwork
Seriously, couldn't they have gotten someone other than Napoleon Dynamite to do the artwork for this book?I mean, isn't The Wheel of Time series one of the most popular fantasy series in the history of books?The illustrations are incredibly inaccurate and hilariously bad.Lanfear, who's supposed to be, like, the most beautiful woman ever, looks like a greasy-haired Drew Barrymore with a bad nose job.And I swear he used a photo of Keanu Reeves for the (capeless) Myrdraal.I could go on and on...Pretty much like the covers of the books (which are at least done with a bit more accomplishment), the illustrations all look like they were done by someone who never actually read any of the books.With all the amazing fantasy illustrators out there, I just don't understand.
The book itself is a decent expansion on some of the historical bits from the series.

The whole Wheel of Time series
I have read many a fantasy and this series is among the best (rates up there with J.R. Tolkien and Stephen King Dark Tower Series).This is still an ongoing series with two more novels to be completed for 2010 and 2011.I was so excited about the 2009 novel, that I have started reading the novels all over again, starting with the Prequel.The ONLY DISAPPOINTED I have is that KINDLE DX has not proceeded to enter them into the electronic world.I received the Kindle DX for a birthday gift and was quite excited.....until I found out that the series I am presently reading (which will take another year or so to complete) is not on Kindle.I sure hope that you can help me out.Sincerely, a HUGE, AVID READER OF ROBERT JORDAN AND IS WHEEL OF TIME.Thanks for your consideration. ... Read more

Product Description
The Shadow Rising/The Fires of Heaven/Lord of Chaosf Chaos.Amazon.com Review
This is the second box set in Robert Jordan's epic bestselling series,the Wheel of Time. The first set included The Eye of the World,The Great Hunt, and The Dragon Reborn. The follow-up includesthe next three books of the series. The Shadow Rising, The Firesof Heaven, and Lord of Chaos continue the great saga of Rand, theDragon Reborn in a world broken in two by unimaginably powerful forces. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (47)

best buy for the fantasy bang
i couldn't find the second set of books anywhere cheaper than amazon. they come well packed and sealed. if you're going to buy this series, buy it from amazon! don't buy used books online! i've had books that had some pages completely missing!

awesome
i'm not going to review a 14-book series.these are great. if you like fantasy, give this series a try.

Wheel of Time Box Set #2 (Books)
Arrived ahead of schedule, no problems in shipping or with the books themselves.

Thanks!

Great books - II
The books arrived quickly and in perfect condition. I love the books and the boxed set is the only way to go.No seriously, you'll want to read the books back to back to back.

Best, book, evah!
Buy the entire series.This is an epic fantasy series that introduces a new way for "magic" to work and has all the best high adventure.It is very very in depth and has the best character development around.My fav series to date, even over LOTR. ... Read more

Product Description
rom America's premier fantasy writer-the #1 New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Crossroads of Twilight-comes New Spring: The Novel. Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time has captured the imagination of millions of readers who eagerly await each new volume of the saga. Now, Jordan gives us a glimpse of the events leading up to the first book of the Wheel of Time. New Spring: The Novel is a perfect introduction to the Wheel of Time. For three days, battle has raged in the snow around the great city of Tar Valon. In the city, a Foretelling of the future is uttered. On the slopes of Dragonmount, the immense mountain that looms over the city, is born an infant prophesied to change the world. That child must be found before the forces of the Shadow have an opportunity to kill him. Moiraine Damodred, a young Accepted soon to be raised to Aes Sedai, and Lan Mandragoran, a young soldier fighting in the battle, are set on paths that will bind their lives together. But those paths are filled with complications and dangers, for Moiraine, of the Royal House of Cairhien, whose King has just died, and Lan, considered the uncrowned king of a nation long dead, find their lives threatened by the plots of those seeking power. 'New Spring,' the novella first published in Legends, related some of these events, in compressed form. New Spring: The Novel tells the whole story. Robert Jordan is a graduate of The Citadel. He lives in Charleston, South Carolina. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (368)

Wonderful But Leaves You Wanting More
For fans of the series, this is a neat look back at the beginning and what lay behind it.Unfortunately, it ends just as Moraine and Lan actually become a team without showing any of their adventures from there.It leaves you wanting so much more, but then, most of the books do that.Perfect for filling in some blanks once you've read the bulk of the series.

Just what I was looking for...
I really enjoyed this book.I only wish it were much, much longer.I just do not understand the negative reviews.How could anyone not want to know more about the story?They call themselves fans of the series, but then they whine and whine and whine.The story was fascinating and gave even more depth to the characters I already know and love.I wish Mr. Jordan had been able to write more of these before he died.Maybe the whiners are all men?I didn't look too closely.Maybe they just could not relate to this side of the female characters?Read the book and enjoy it for what it is, a great story that adds to the entire series.

Wheel of time
I liked the book, only thing is I did not know about it until I was almost at the end of the series. It was a good read and completed some of the things I wondered about as I read the other books.

I wish Amazon could list books that are in a series in order, it would make following the series easier.

Great book and great service!
It's a wonderful book and great, fast delivery! Highly recommend bit the book and "Oldbutcool" as a seller

Loved it!
I never read a series until it is complete, I've just been burned too many times. But now the series is almost done, thanks to Brandon Sanderson, so I decided to pick this series up and, by the time I've read them all, I think Brandon will be just about finished with the series.

I didn't know where to begin, here or with the original beginning, The Eye of the World (The Wheel of Time, Book 1).I decided that I would start here so that I wouldn't need to go back and rehash some of the same or covered plot elements.

In the end, I'm glad I did and would suggest it to anybody beginning this series. I'm halfway through The Great Hunt (The Wheel of Time, Book 2) and it is starting to reference some of the events that takes place in this book.

I think the thing I enjoy the most about this book is seeing Moiraine and Lan before they grew into the characters that I am reading about now.It has added depth and a perspective I would not have seen otherwise.

The only bad thing is that this was supposed to be a three-part series as a prequel to The Wheel of Time series, and it is left undone.Maybe Brandon Sanderson will pick it up and finish if off, but for the most part this does a good job of introducing you to the magic system, the main characters, and the mythology of the book.It is well paced and I loved every bit of it. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (8)

Super Reader
Conan gets poisoned, and gets to trade sword blows with more than one demon, as well as deal with devious Vendhyans.

Conan the Dilluted
Never cared for Robert Jordan's version of Conan, but maybe I'm just jaded by the fact that at book 9 of Wheel of Time I felt sorely ripped off. There are far better Conan authors than Jordan, to be sure. But, that said, this is still a fun book with decent character development and the proper ingredients of swordsplay, thievery, monsters and magic. Not a waste of your $5.

Disappointing last Conan novel from Jordan
Robert Jordan has written some of the better of the Conans published by Tor, starting with one of my favorites, "Conan the Invincible," which had the feel of a new author bursting with enthusiasm over a favorite character. But "Conan the Victorious," Jordan's seventh Conan novel (counting the novelization of Conan the Destroyer) falls far below his standards. Jordan ceased writing Conan after this novel. Perhaps he had become bored with the series, and if so, the malaise definitely overwhelms him here.

Whatever the reason, Jordan's last date with Robert E. Howard's literary child subtly disappoints. It is overstuffed with political intrigue and double-crosses and not enough adventure, magic, or the exotic. This is especially disappointing since it takes place mostly in Vendhya, Howard's fantasy version of India seen in "The People of the Black Circle"; if any locale should feel exotic, it should be this one. It's true that political maneuvering has an important place in many of Robert E. Howard's Conan works as well as his historical adventure stories for Oriental Stories/Magic Carpet, but Jordan lets an avalanche of scheming slow down the pace of the story. (A good comparison would be with Howard's "Hawks over Egypt"¸which staggers under too much intrigue in too little space, but that was a work Howard didn't sell in his lifetime.) Any short synopsis can't begin to explain the extra characters and subplots that clog up "Conan the Victorious". With so many characters and plots and counterplots, the novel relies heavily on information exchange between characters instead of action and movement. Many of the subplots get a short shrift, and the details fade over the long stretches while the other storylines compete for space. When the pay-offs for some of the subplots come due, they have marginal effect and seem as if the author merely forgot about them until he suddenly needed them for the finale.

These problems would become symptomatic of many of the pastiches to come: too much plot, too little development, and a limp finale. In this case, the ending is particularly weak. The demon and the army of the dead are too rapidly disposed of in the quick rush to the last chapter, and the coda fails to patch up the numerous plot holes and story points that Jordan dashed over earlier. Jordan's Conan career started so promisingly in the fast and imaginative "Conan the Invincible," but by this last novel, his party with the Cimmerian had definitely come to a bleary end.

Fortunately, the next novel, "Conan the Valorous," introduced author John Maddox Roberts, who would pen some of the better pastiche novels.

Good Conan tale
Jordan writes Conan well. The slowly dying theme of the warrior is pretty good. The characters are as real as they can be in such a work, but Jordan lacks the unPC attitude of Howard. Who really has it?

Horrible shlock trying hard to rip-off Robert E. Howard
I hate this book.Robert Jordan is horrible.I love the REAL Conan stories by Robert E. Howard, and the stories completed and fleshed out by Lin Carter and L. Sprague DeCamp, who worked off of Howard's notes and outlines.Anyone else writting Conan is a hack and should not be read!Robert Jordan's sense of dialogue is cliched and plain ignorant.That wa a large part of Robert E. Howard's appeal.I am so sorry that Howard's originals are out of print and terrible tripe such as this is still out there polluting one of the greatest characters ever created. ... Read more

Product Description
Readers have eagerly snapped up more than a million copies of The Dragon Reborn, the third book in the #1 internationally bestselling Wheel of Time series, and now Robert Jordan fans will be able to enjoy it in a beautiful trade paperback edition.Robert Jordans Wheel of Time has over ten million copies in print in over twenty languages.The Dragon Rebornthe leader long prophesied who will save the world, but in the saving destroy itis on the run from his destiny, able to touch the One Power but unable to control it.Perrin Aybara, bedeviled by dreams, is in pursuit with Moiraine Sedai, her Warder Lan, and Loial the Ogier. Egwene, Elayne, and Nynaeve are approaching Tar Valon, where Mat will be healedif he lives until they arrive. But who will tell the Amyrlin their newsthat the Black Ajah, long thought only a hideous rumoris all too real?Ahead for them all, in the Heart of Stone, lies the next great test of the Dragon Reborn . . . ... Read more

Customer Reviews (319)

Tales for the Young at Heart
The books are a full 700+ pages, which takes some time to read. Since I read a standard length book in less than a day, I like this feature. The series is full of rich detail that leads the reader to a world filled with fairy tale beasts, evil characters and heros. The rich detail allows the reader to become a visual part of the action.

The Wheel of Time series is a classic coming of age tale with all the elements for character building. The plot revolves around three teenagers who are suddenly thrust into a battle of good and evil. The characters face gut-wrenching decisions in their quest to defeat the darkness that threatens to engulf their world," but nothing is as it seems.

The books have many elements in common with Tolkein's Lord of the Rings saga. If you liked Lord of the Rings, you'll find much to like in the Wheel of Time series.

Very well done
Voices are easy to understand (clear, crisp) and are very talented.Great to listen too while driving or just relaxing at home.Of course the story (series) is outstanding; I have read it and enjoy listening to it even more.

The best so far
I am reading this on the smaller "2nd gen" kindle. Here are some notes on the kindle version, non-kindle readers can skip. I believe this had the fewest formatting errors of the books I've read so far.The text-to-speech feature is enabled but isn't really worth bothering with because of all the book-specific vocabulary words like Aiel and Daes Dae'mar (and Min keeps coming out "minimum"). Some maps are included but I had trouble making them out on this particular kindle screen. Perhaps the maps are better on the newer/better contrast versions.

As for the actual book I enjoyed the story without Rand as much as the prior two which contained Rand. Maybe even more so: no one whining about being what he didn't want to be through the whole thing. And finally, at long last, the character who hasn't done much of anything outside of be a burden for basically two entire books gets cured of his cursed item and is able to actually contribute to the story in some way.

One thing I have noticed about the two sequels I have read so far is that the first 25 to 30 percent (the kindle has a convenient progress bar so I happen to know) of the novel is dedicated to re-introducing the reader to the main characters, the universe and rules of the universe. But not that much really happens. It's like the opening to a sequel movie: an action sequence or two to keep your attention and then it's just largely pointless stuff until everything is re-introduced. I'm sure I'd appreciate this if I took breaks between novels but as someone reading them all back-to-back it's just kind of boring. Having said that I never skip that first 25% because it's still the characters I love and the universe I enjoy and that's just more of it even if it does seem boring and pointless.

To go off on a tangent briefly I read a trilogy of books by Stephen Donaldson (the Thomas Covenant series) and the two sequels I read did the same re-introduction but in an incredibly smooth and flawless way. So it's possible to re-introduce all this stuff to the reader in one or two chapters instead of 25% of the book, I wish Jordan had taken a cue from that author.

It's almost like I love the characters, the story, the universe, and most everything about these Wheel of Time books but not the way the author writes them. I don't know if that even makes sense. Sometimes I just wish the more relevant parts were described in greater detail while the lesser stuff was skipped had less priority in descriptions. For instance do I really need to know the sailors of EVERY BOAT are barefoot? You already mentioned it multiple times from the perspective of multiple characters. I get it. The sailor's feet are bare. Okay. I don't need to know that. Same thing with the mud: I get it, it's muddy in the city. You already described that in incredible details when the other characters arrived, I don't need to know it again.
The action sequences, as I think have been mentioned before, are possibly the weakest point. Especially Rand's portions: dad cuts the silk slowly, turtle balances on a barrel, cat on a rain gutter... that's an action sequence?? (Yes, I made those sword moves up, but you get the point).

This series, at least to me in these first three, is kind of like the TV show "Legend of the Seeker" in this way: There's a lot of weaknesses to it and it's not exactly high art but some how the show is my guilty pleasure. And I'm starting to think the Wheel of Time is the same sort of thing: perhaps not high art, not Stephen King's get-into-the-character's-head but there's still an appeal for what it is (these novels are superior to the Seeker of Truth novels, to be clear).

This review might make it sound like I didn't like the book but actually I did. I never got any of the characters mixed up (there's always a "just like in Edmond's field"-this or a "I don't feel any wolves"-that, if nothing else). Hopefully if you're contemplating this third book you've read the first two so all I can say is if you enjoyed those first two then you will also enjoy this one.

I'm definitely planning on going right on to the forth book. If nothing else I would like to know what happened to Min. She just kind of got sent away at the top of the book and was never heard from again.

Good series
This is a good good series, about 15 books when the final two are released. While the middle books were not as good, books 1-5 and the last couple are good.

Too Much Bark, Not Enough Bite (Spoiler Free Review)
The Wheel of Time Series is famous for it's ginormous fantasy universe brought to live through Robert Jordan's poetic writing style.There are hundreds of characters with significant roles, rival factions spanning a thousand years, and complex sub-plots.The complexity and depth of these books are phenomenal.However, there are times when these books tend to spend far too much time focusing on world building and sub plots and dilute the main quest / story arc.

Story:
Well, the title and the first 50 pages will have you believe that this book is about Rand facing his destiny and becoming The Dragon Reborn.But 600 out of the 675 pages actually focus on Perrin's transformation into a spiritual wolf pack leader, Nynaeve, Egwene, and Elayne's quest to investigate Dark Ajah spies in the White Tower, and Mat's quest to recover from the effects of the possessed dagger from Shadar Logoth.The book also introduces more of the Aiel and highlights their culture.The story arcs meet up at the end of the book, but the payoff is awfully weak.Instead, the book talks about more fiendish plots in the future.After finishing this book, I feel kind of ripped off.I also have a whole new appreciation for the simplicity of the original Star Wars Trilogy.

World:
The Wheel of Time world is amazingly deep and complex.There are online encyclopedias if you want to research the world.It's truly amazing.Combined with Robert Jordan's writing style, your brain will get quite a workout holding the world together in your head.

Characters:
More time is spent on the characters in this book, than the previous novels.Perrin, the 3 girls, and Mat get loads of pages.You get a pretty good idea as to what motivates them.Unfortunately, Rand just fades into the background and becomes a plot device.Some of the villains are interesting, too.However, there's quite a bit of time spent on tertiary characters that don't really go anywhere.This does make the world feel deeper, but it also slows down the pacing of the book.It's unfortunate.

Action:
The action in the book is ok, but there are too many instances where a mage justs casts an 'auto-win the battle' spell or the details of the action are lost in poetic descriptions.How am I supposed to be interested and feel the tension of a fight to the death when the action isn't described?Rand performed Splitting the Silk, Monkey Eats Banana, and Hawk Swoop as swords clashed.There is no drama or suspense in that.It makes you want to skip to the end just to see who won.

Maturity:
These books are good for teens and anyone who can juggle all of the events of a super deep fantasy world in their imaginations.No sex, swearing, and the violence isn't gory.

Overall:
If you enjoy a deep world and a poetic writing style, this is a 5 Star book for you. You will probably also enjoy the Malazan Books by Steven Erikson.
If you want to cheer on a hero as he faces his destiny, you will be somewhat disappointed because the major story arcs are overshadowed by world building.
... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (22)

Tedious...
I echo the sentiment of other reviewers so I'm making my review short. There is much sash twitching, names that sound identical, and excessive detail for an item that has been described before. If you like the series then this shouldn't be too much of an issue, considering the series starts picking up again at book 11.

awesome
i'm not going to review a 14-book series.they are good.if you like fantasy, give them a try.

Great books!
The books arrived quickly and in perfect condition.I love the books and the boxed set is the only way to go.

great series (so far)
Good series. I have trouble sometimes due to the sheer meat of it, but I'm getting through. So far, great great story(-ies).

Read it!It will change your life.
Ok, maybe not change your entire life, but this is an awesome book.If you are a fantasy nut, or just want a good book, and you haven't read this series yet, you are totally missing out.Seriously. ... Read more

Product Description
The Eye of the World/The Great Hunt/The Dragon Rebornnclude The Dragon Reborn, The Great Hunt and The Eye of the World.Amazon.com Review
This box set of paperbacks includes the first three books in RobertJordan's bestselling epic fantasy series, the Wheel of Time. No saga sinceTolkien's Lord of the Rings has evoked such fervor among readers. In thefirst Wheel of Time book, The Eye of the World, Jordan introduces a world brokenby phenomenal power and threatened by engulfing shadow. In The GreatHunt, our hero, Rand al'Thor, begins his epic journeys with a quest forthe lost Horn of Valere, which promises to raise long-dead Heroes ofLegend. And in The Dragon Reborn, Rand's destiny begins to takeshape as his followers flock to him, and the world descends further intodarkness. This box set is a great way to begin exploring the world of theWheel of Time. But don't stop here, the second set awaits! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (124)

Product came as describe and was shipped very quickly got it in just 2 days
Great book series, can't wait to get my hands on the next 3The Wheel of Time (Boxed Set #1)

Over All
I've read the entire series(so far) and agree with many other readers that the pace slowed to an agonizing crawl, but to be fair this is common with many other book series.Particularly when the story was originally intended to be no more than three installments.Fans and publishers alike were clamouring for more and reluctantly Robert Jordan conceded.In his attempt to broaden the story, it became overburdened with sideplots and such that added to the slowing of pace.But this reader wouldn't have had it any other way.I'm looking forward to the last two books(and hopefully the other wheel of time projects) like a kid waits for X-mas!!!

Excellent series - worth reading
I borrowed my brothers books many years ago.Recently I read a related book and wanted to re-read the entire series.One of the best of all time.If you liked Tolken than the series is for you.Robert Jordan's spins an excellent yarn!!!

Was super pleased!
Was extremely pleased with the books!!The books were brand new, never used and in new packaging.So far from reading the series I have been so pleased and the story is amazing.I would definitely recommend this book series and seller to someone else.

Great Fantasy Series
A great fantasy series. I have mostly read science fiction and not stepped too far out of the blockbusters of high fantasy (Tolkien, etc.). This is a great read. ... Read more