Epic Fantasy Review: The Path of Daggers (Wheel of Time #8) by Robert Jordan

The Path of Daggers by Robert Jordan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Ok, this one was good, but it took me forever to get through it. Longer than normal, even for one in this series. And, I have decided I don't like this one quite as much as I remembered liking it.

What I like is that we get more of Egwene being awesome. The story still tries to take on way too many subplots, but that's just part of the experience. There are some great battles, lots of danger and a good deal of Rand. As for Rand, he's kind of a mess in this one. Cadsuane is stalking him, just enough to keep him on edge, and he's trying to deal with politics and with the invasion. All of this while trying to deal with the power gone strange and a growing difficulty catching it. He cannot show weakness because his so called allies are waiting for any opportunity to take him out of the picture.

I wish there was more time spent with the Aiel, but we mostly get Shaido in this book, not much of the good Aiel with their funny ideas and interactions. Still, it's interesting.

As for things I don't like, I don't particularly care for Perrin in this story, or Faile. We get too much of them, but I acknowledge that this building of their story is a necessary set up for the next book, which features their plight quite a lot. I also don't care for how Matt's story is essentially dropped. I know he'll be back, but not in this book.

Overall, I love this series and really like this installment. People who liked previous books in this series will like this one. Readers who haven't gotten into the series by now probably won't suddenly find themselves liking this book.

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Epic Fantasy Review: A Crown of Swords (The Wheel of Time #7) by Robert Jordan

A Crown of Swords by Robert Jordan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A quick read, compared to some of the others in the series. I think it's still in the realm of the middle books where folks tend to lose interest in the series and stop reading, but I had no such trouble. Much of the action in this book occurs in Cairhien and Ebou Dar, following the divergent paths of Rand, Min, Nynaeve, Elayne and Avienda.

As always, my favorite character is Matt, mostly because he's the wild card. I also like that he finds himself both the victim and master of chance. It works out in interesting ways. Fate is fickle when Matt's around, and the swings are often surprising. My second favorite character in this book is Nynaeve. She is a complex woman, both mature and petty, strong and vulnerable, and I always enjoy getting glimpses into her head and watching her through the eyes of her closest companions. This book provides an important stepping stone in her growth and development.

The bad guys are also cool, and a new one seems to have entered the mix. A bad guy worse than the Forsaken. It makes for a good story, but then again, another character? It's one of the infuriating things about the Wheel of Time books. More characters than you can absorb and remember in one reading.

Rand on the other hand is less likeable in this one. He's uber mistrustful, arrogant, and careless. Just not all that nice of a guy, which is a shame because he started off as my favorite in the early books and the overarching plot hinges on him. Still, he's not completely lost. There are glimmers, but they are being buried by his growing madness, and it isn't pretty while that's going down.

Overall, I love the series and this book ranks high for me. Not as high as The Eye of the World (#1 and always my favorite), but good. I recommend this book to fans of epic fantasy, but I caution, as always, that if you didn't like the first few books in the series, you probably won't find this one any more likable. People tend to gather in the extremes for these books, and having read them over and over again, I fall into the pile of those who love it.

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Epic Fantasy Review: Lord of Chaos (The Wheel of Time #6) by Robert Jordan

Lord of Chaos by Robert Jordan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Alright, somehow I almost forgot to review this one properly. This isn't my most favorite of the Wheel of Time books, but I still love it, though while reading I tend to swap between liking and disliking it. For example, I particularly dislike what happens to Rand in this one, but I love the way Jordan handles his descent into madness. I dislike what the Aes Sedai do to Egwene (or at least why), but I love how she handles it. I think the bickering is a bit over the top, but it's also amusing to me.

Lots of folks seem to dislike how the women in this story behave, and they're right to do so. They are egotistical; they are disrespectful to each other and particularly to men; and they are petty. They are also strong. They persevere. They grow and try to be better. In other words, they are human, and that's interesting.

Just like in previous installments, this is a massive book. I am glad I have it in paperback because it helps to be able to see how much is left. I got to a point where I thought I was done and still had 200 pages left. That's normal for Wheel of Time books.

Overall, I love this book and this series. I recommend the series to folks who love epic fantasy, including all the detail and description the genre tends to have. However, if you haven't enjoyed the series up to this point, I don't think there's much chance you'll like this book. Then again, if you've made it this far, why not finish?


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Epic Fantasy Review: The Fires of Heaven by Robert Jordan

The Fires of Heaven by Robert Jordan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book is forever taking...but I still love it.

The Fires of Heaven (Wheel of Time #5) continues the story of the build up to the end of the world. The two major story lines in this installment are Rand's pursuit of the rogue Aiel that are following Couladin and Nynaeve's ongoing conflict with Moghedian. Of course, the number of characters featured in these two divergent tales is quite overwhelming, so I won't go into details here.

So here's what I like most about this story. First off, Matt becomes awesome in this book (against his will, but awesome nonetheless). I've always loved Matt's character in these books, and this is the tipping point for him. I also enjoy Nynaeve's trials and her feud with Moghedian. She's always been so overconfident, having become Wisdom of her village at a very young age, but certain events in this story really seem to put her in her place, paving the way for her to perhaps become a better, more likable person. This is a very important book for both Matt and Nynaeve.

Now, down to what I don't like. First off, ugh, I don't like the chase after the rogue Aiel. The images it brings to mind, what they find in the towns the Aiel have passed through, are horrific. That's part of it. Another part of it is the growing arrogance of Rand. Sure, he's found himself in a leadership position he didn't want, and he's a target for the Chosen and the Dark One's other minions, but still, that's no excuse for abandoning your core values. There are glimmers of his former goodness coming through, but his dubious sanity and growing mistrust and tendency to use those closest to him are deplorable. I recognize that it is necessary for his development to descend into darkness, but that doesn't mean I have to like the trip.

Finally, this book took me forever to get through this time around. Some of it is slow going, on top of the book being massive. The first half was such, and I almost considered dropping the book and jumping to the last in the series (I've read this one almost a dozen times, so I could have gotten away with it). The second half of the book was much more interesting and fast-paced, mostly due to the growing intrigue, the battles, and of course Matt's and Nynaeve's shining moments. That makes me feel better about my decision to stick it out.

I'm ready and excited to jump into book 6, but the ultimate goal is to finally make it to the last book in the series, which my husband assures me is one hundred percent worth slogging through all the books leading up to it. So, I will continue.

As for my recommendations, I definitely do recommend this series as a whole, though this isn't one of my favorite installments. I would say if you've gotten this far and have enjoyed the story up to this point, keep going. It will keep you busy for a while, but it's the journey that's the value in a work this massive. Keep in mind that The Wheel of Time is effectively one enormous novel. It's meant to be read in order and in its entirety, and that's what I recommend doing. Fans of epic fantasy, political intrigue, battles, and good vs. evil might like this series. Of course, if you had trouble getting into the first few books, I doubt that you'll fare much better with this one.


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Epic Fantasy Review: The Shadow Rising (Wheel of Time #4) by Robert Jordan

The Shadow Rising by Robert Jordan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Love this book. Mat is awesome. Perrin is great in this one, but later gets kind of lame. Same with Faile. Nynaeve is quite the firecracker.

The Rising Shadow is a crossroads in the Wheel of Time series. All the heroes of the story start in Tear, just after Rand's epic taking of the Stone of Tear and Callandor, but they don't stay there long. Having three Ta'vern in one place attracts a new horror into their midst, bubbles of evil. I've got to say, they are pretty scary and well done as a way to kick the main characters into action.

Rand plays a big part in this book. His growing fatalism and obsession with the Prophecies of the Dragon make him difficult to be around, and even his closest friends begin to suspect that the madness that inevitably destroys all men who can channel has already taken hold of him. Still, those who follow him, particularly the Aiel, take this in stride and hope that at least they might be spared the worst of it. Moiraine hopes to keep him alive long enough for him to survive the last battle. Matt hopes to keep him same long enough to get himself away from the epicenter of whatever Rand's insanity might spawn.

Nynaeve and Elayne continue in their efforts to track down the Black Ajah, this time traveling to Tanchico. I really enjoyed their storyline in this one. We spend a lot more time in Nynaeve's head, and I find her to be quite fascinating. She plays at being tough, and she is, but she's got some hurdles to jump. She's worth following as she grows. This is the first book where I'd use the word 'awesome' to describe Nynaeve.

Elayne's a bit flaky in this one, but I still enjoy her in this one. She's more of a supporting character, though. Her story isn't exactly central to any of the plots, though she plays a role in them along Nynaeve's side.

Perrin and Faile, along with Loial, go off to protect the Two Rivers from Fain and the Whitecloaks. Their relationship is quite entertaining and I love the way Faile keeps nudging Perrin into leadership roles against his will. The way all his old friends and even those older than him begin to take direction from him, along with how he rises to the occassion, is great. I love the reluctant hero, and Perrin makes a great one in this story. Of course, in later books, I get a little sick of him and Faile, but for now, they're great.

Matt really starts to get interesting in this book. He's a rogue, but a likeable one. His sole desire is to get away from Rand and all the madness that surrounds him. He doesn't seem to realize that he too has a huge target on his back. The Forsaken are just as interested in destroying Matt as they are Rand, but unlike with Rand, they have no reason to try to keep him alive or turn him to the shadow. I think Matt's better off near Rand and all the Aiel. Anyway, Matt's one of my favorite characters in this series. I never get tired of him or his antics.

Egwene is also just starting to become more interesting in her own right, but there's more to her in future books in the series. I recommend keeping a close eye on her when you read these stories. She's much more than just Rand's ex-love interest.

Overall, I enjoyed this book just as much as the first several times I've read it. I recommend The Wheel of Time series who love detailed world building, epic fantasy, really long reads, and a story that can keep you busy for over a year (if you read them all). As someone who reads very quickly, the length of the Wheel of Time books is a draw for me. However, if you like your stories to be quick and to the point, you may not be up for this series. It takes its time in everything.

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