Robert Jordan: Crossroads of Twilight

Hi

Crossroads of twilight is the tenth book in The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan.
My copy has 660 pages and I’ve got it for quite some time now so I can’t remember where I got it.
This is a reread.
You can find all my Wheel of Time reviews here.

* SPOILERS! *

Right now, I’m actually regretting my decision to reread the series.

Why does Jordan think it necessary to recount everything that happened in the previous nine books? We’re not stupid. This is book nine; we know what’s happened so far. Who would start a series with book nine?

The plot in this installment goes nowhere. It’s at a complete standstill and this book is almost superfluous because so little is happening. Whatever does happen is only the aftermath of the previous novel. Endless rehashing of the channelers’ reaction the the cleansing of Saidin and little else.

Tuon and Egeanin are unrealistic, egoistic, self-important, stupid and self-involved.
I can only admire Mat for coping with those women the way he does. In his place they’d have gotten a few slaps a long time ago.

Perrin bores me to death and I absolutely hate Faile. I wish they’d both just die so we could get rid of them. Or maybe Faile could die so Perrin could go back to being the strong character he was before he got involved with Faile. Even reading about Perrin actually doing something would be a nice change. I hate this plotline even more than the first time I read The Wheel of Time books. I don’t see why they should have such a big part in these books. Both are disconnected from the rest of the world and they aren’t really important for the overall plot too.

Elayne seems to be the main focus of this book and though I don’t really hate her, I really dislike her. She’s so stupid! And Aviendha’s attempts to adapt to the court are cringe-worthy. Their plotlines really don’t work for me. Countless eye rolling moments to be had with these two characters.

Taims plans for The Black Tower are Rands fault. He left them alone for too long without even checking in on them from time to time.

I’m tired of reading about Egwene’s wobbly chair. I like her storyline, even the truly mundane things like the papers on the provisions and the army. It gives us a view of how much work a camp that size is. But I hate to read the same thing over and over again (like the wobbly chair). I would have liked to know more about her plan so the suspense would be higher. Now she’s captured a few pages after revealing the plan to us. I was surprised (the first time I read it) but now, upon rereading it, it would have worked better had we had more foreshadowing.

Crossroads of Twilight is definitely a slow book that doesn’t add anything new to the series. You could almost skip it to be honest but I do wish you wouldn’t because the series overall is pretty good and enjoyable.

3 STARS

Happy reading
Helena

Robert Jordan: Winter’s Heart

Hi

This is the ninth book in The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan.
My copy has 633 pages and I got it quite a few years ago, can’t remember where.
You can find all Wheel of Time reviews here.

* SPOILERS! *

Here are a few things I noticed while reading the book.

I am so, so tired of Perrin moping around and moaning about Faile’s capture. I’ve really had it with the whole thing. And I know it’s not going to be solved anytime soon because I hated this whole storyline when I read it the first time. He’s so pathetic! Every time there’s a chapter about them I dread reading it and I have to struggle through to get to something good again. There’s virtually nothing good about those chapters.

Like, Perrin and Faile; Elayne is getting nowhere too. She’s not as boring, she’s just too dumb to live. She, a queen? She’s a stupid, spoilt, little girl.

Aside from those chapters, this book really picks up the pace. We can finally see some things happening and people getting where they should be instead of being underway for books on end. The Last battle is definitely coming closer and the urge, the desperate need for more time shows through in every storyline.

I absolutely loved the last chapter. Using Shadar Logoth was a very smart move. The battle in general is amazing. There are so many points of view, I felt like I was watching a movie instead of reading a book. Loved it.

It would have been very easy to make Mat into a character who gets out of everything by sheer dumb luck. But he’s not. He’s cunning, smart and witty and I liked that. He gets frustrated for good reasons.

I love the Forsaken and I really enjoy reading from their POV. They are all very different and it’s great to get to know them better. I want more of this.

Rand is becoming an absolutely great leader. He schemes and plans though his ideas are but slowly revealed to us. It’s easy to forget how young all of them are and how much they had to go through to be where they at this point. Especially Rand.

There’s a lot of world-building in this book. We learn more about the Seanchan and the Windfinders, we meet many characters (again) and we see a new city.

I enjoyed the book and I’m glad the series is picking up again.

4 STARS

Happy reading!
Helena

Robert Jordan: The Path of Daggers

Hi

This is the eights book in The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan.
It has 563 pages and that makes it the shortest book in the series.

*    SPOILERS    *

I’ve got just a few things to add to my previous reviews. By now you will all know that I love most characters, the battle scenes and the multiple POV’s. You’ll also know that I heartily dislike the all the bickering and that I truly hate Elayne and Faile.

The changing of the weather with The Bowl of the Winds was one of my favorite parts. All of them working together, despite their differences, towards one common goal. I loved it.

I never really liked the Dark One’s ability to bring someone back to life. If people die, they should stay dead. Villains get no real punishment and there should be consequences for their actions. It works in the series because it is explained and we understand why it’s possible but that doesn’t mean I have to like it.

The hunt for the Black Ajah is a very exciting, satisfying storyline and I really enjoyed those scenes.

Matt is absent and I missed him.

The Seanchan are pretty terrifying. Their channelers actually believe themselves to be dangerous monsters who should be kept on a leash. They are quite ridiculous as a people and they have utterly stupid notions, but they are very well written en truly believable.

That’s it.
The Path of Daggers is book 8 and it’s difficult to write a review about a book in such a big series without saying the same things over and over again.

4 STARS

Happy reading!
Helena

Robert Jordan: A Crown of Swords

Hi

This is the seventh book in The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan and it has 759 pages.
It’s my second time reading the book.
You can find all my reviews of the series here.

* SPOILERS *

A Crown of Swords is a good addition to the series but it’s not special in some way so I can’t really add a lot to my previous reviews.

Here are some observations I made about the novel while reading.
I liked the start of the novel with the Battle at Dumais Wells from Sevanna’s point of view. It’s always very interesting to read the same scene from different POV’s. I like that a lot. It gives you so much insight into the characters and into their motivations.
Elaida is completely delusional and I have so much fun reading her point of view.
Loial is amazing; I love him. He’s smart, funny and very loyal and sweet.
The whole plot to have Egwene as a puppet Amyrlin Seat made me laugh so hard. That blew up in their faces. How they can still think she’ll do whatever they want her too goes beyond me. Egwene will be an amazing Amyrlin and I can’t wait for some of the things she will do. I’m especially looking forward to her plot for the Black Ajah.
Siuan is one of my favorites too; especially when together with Gareth Bryne. They will make such an amazing couple. Both grew a lot in this book.
I still hate Faile. She’s jealous, she manipulates Perrin, she changes her mind faster than a clock can tick and she only cares for herself and her own opinion. Why does he even care for her? What does he see in her?
Jordan’s writing is so vivid that while reading from Moghedien’s point of view I almost felt sorry for her.
Rand’s character development is fairly well-done. But I’m fed up with the whole Rand-and-three-girls-thing. And he makes some stupid decisions from time to time like leaving The Aes Sedai to make the treaty with the Sea Folk when everything was going so well.
The Gholam is a really nice addition. They are different enough from the other Shadowspawn creatures to be terrifying in their own way.
The scene where Mat and Brigitte get drunk together is hilarious, especially with Elayne suffering the consequences.
I absolutely love The Kin. The idea of the women who escaped The White Tower and the wilders forming their own organization is pretty smart. I love them. They are different
I hate, hate, hate the recurring theme of man versus women gossip, the constant nagging and bitching, the misunderstandings and the complaining. I’ve had it with the whole thing.
The battle where Rand destroys Shadar Logoth is one of my favorite parts. Jordan’s fight and battle scenes in general are great.
My absolute favorite part is Nynaeve’s and Lan’s reunion. I love that. Nynaeve has to try to keep her tongue after her marriage and listen to Lan and that leads to some very funny situations and conversations.

4 STARS

Happy reading.
Helena

Robert Jordan: Lord of Chaos

Hi

This is the sixth book in The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan.
I am rereading the whole series and I plan to read one book every other month.
This one is enormous and has 1017 pages.
It was nominated for the Locus Award for Best Fantasy Novel in 1995.
You can find all my reviews on this series here.

* SPOILERS *

This is more of a collection of my thoughts about this specific novel and not really a fully fleshed out review. It’s hard to review book after book in a series so i’m doing it this way for now.

Dear mister Jordan. We’re not stupid. This is the sixth book, there’s no need to retell everything that has happend since the start of the series or walk us through every character. Who would be dumb enough to start the series with this book when you can see everywhere on the cover that this is the sixth book?

The prologue is ridicilously long; it’s more like a novella then a prologue. It doesn’t bother me, but it is rather stupid. Don’t call it a prologue just call it the first chapter.

I love the idea of the schools Rand founded to leave something behind. It’s smart and it shows how it’s not just about him but about the whole world. It will take time to defeat The Dark One and the world has to be ready to face him and move on after this Battle. Rand is preparing the world for that.

Ji'e'toh is a stupid, ridiculous, unconvincing bunch of rules. Aviendha and the Aiel in general  are fullof contradictions.
Sulin calls her behavior meeting her toh? She is sullen, angry and she never wants to do her job, how is that meeting her toh?

The Wise Ones and Aiel Maidens who are trailing Rand everywhere are nowhere to be seen when The Tower Aes Sedai pay Rand a visit. That’s convenient.

The foursome of Rand, Elayne, Min and Aviendha is just awful. All three women see Rand as some kind of dog who’s their property. It’s so wrong!

Elayne and Nynaeve start showing some logical, serious thinking in this novel and their bickering isn’t present as much as it was before. Thankfully; because I hated that.
And another thing; you would expect Elayne to go for the throne, but she doesn’t. No idea why not. She’s a rather stupid, dumb character.

Lews Therin is a very interesting addition to the story. First time readers will wonder what is up with that. Is he real or is Rand going insane? I know because this is a reread but it’s still intruiging.

Herid Fell is a cliché but he’s also a funny and good person. And it’s an easy, not-boring way to give the reader the much needed information without making it into a lecture of several pages.

I love Egwene and she is an amazing Amyrlin Seat. Her scheming for real power is so interesting to read and I loved those parts of the story.

I still hate Faile, she’s super irrational, overly jealous and angry for no reason whatsoever. Aside from his love for Faile I find Perrin to be a very realistic and loving character. He is obviously the reluctant hero. Mat thinks himself a reluctant hero but he actually loves the planning, the bossing people around and attention it gets him. Perrin really hates it; he wants a quiet life in a small town with wife and children. But this side of him makes him a slow character too because he can’t make decisions for the life of him.
And speaking of Mat, I like him a lot more. He was more of a comic relief character in the previous novels but he is actually turning into a normal person with real feelings, doubts and fears.

The battle of Dumai’s Wells is amazing. Jordan is a master in writing battles and fights. It was thrilling and full of action, we see the different characters and their part in it and it is so, so satisfying to read. I loved it.
Aside from being very skilled at writing battles, the politics and maneuvering in this novel are right on point too. I love such thorough world-building and the immense amount of details.

Alanna bonding Rand against his will is the prime example of Jordan’s opinion of women. Women are meddlesome, proud, self-righteous, conceited and self-important and Aes Sedai even more so. Wise Ones too but not as much as Aes Sedai. Every relationship in the series between a man and a woman is just plain wrong. They don’t understand each other, they cannot communicate, they don’t really care for the feelings or thoughts of the other person and they certainly don’t take them into account. Rereading this series in such a short time (my first time took me several years because I had to wait for the books to get published) has made me realize how wrong and disappointing this is in such an otherwise amazing series. It honestly sets my teeth on edge.

The book is interesting and the general plot is amazing but again, it’s too drawn out.
It has an amazing ending too!

4 STARS

Happy reading.
Helena

Robert Jordan: The Fires of Heaven

Hi

This is the fifth book in The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan.
I am now back on schedule with the series!
This book has 862 pages.

* SPOILERS! *

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. I hate it when authors feel the need to remind us of EVERYTHING that has happened up until now. This is the fifth book in a series. You’re just stupid if you think you can start with this one. And Jordan reiterates everything about the series. What is Saidin/Saidar? What are Aes Sedai? Who’s Rand? Who’s Morgase? What’s The White Tower?
We know already!
Shut it and get on with the story.

This is the one where Moiraine ‘dies’. I remember being heartbroken about it the first time. Not so much now because I know she’ll be back, but still. I’ll have to miss her for a long time. And I liked her for her dedication, her wisdom, her wit.
And I love Lann and he’ll be absent for a while too. He’s awesome; strong, manly, skilled. He’s a bit of a cliché, but I don’t mind so much with him.

The world in the series has amazing depth and the novel is full of details of absolutely everything. The world building is one of the most special things about the whole series. The thought that must have gotten into it! There’s just so much you know. The different countries and cultures, so many details, the intricate political weavings and lots and lots of characters. I love it.
The battles were fantastic too; very absorbing, detailed and thrilling.

I love the different peoples and cultures though they aren’t all completely logical.
The Aiel for example are a mixed bunch. Jordan tried too much to make them different from anyone else; so some of their views feel forced.
Ji'e'toh is my prime example in this. It is ridiculous! Aviendha asks for a switching because she lied? And her ‘debt’ to Rand is absurd and not at all logical.
Their views on nakedness and sex are completely contradictory. The Far Dareis Mai can walk around naked without shame, Aviendha sleeps and dresses with Rand in the same room, men and women sit naked, together in a sweattent but kissing in public is frowned upon and Isendre has to walk around naked as punishment and is punished even more when she shows herself like this (naked) to Rand. And Rand is not allowed to look at her? She’s naked! Of course he will look at her. Everyone would.
Like I said; the whole thing is absolutely ludicrous and nonsensical.

Lanfear is a walking cliché.
Nynaeve and Elayne were my most hated characters in this novel. They complain, criticize and nag, they are ungrateful, venomous, proud, haughty and they find fault with everyone (men especially).  And they are doing absolutely nothing for way too many chapters. I will never understand why Jordan wrote so many chapters about them because at least half of them are completely boring, dragging, uninteresting and full of their catfights and hateful bickering but very little else. It drags the whole book down. Why not ignore them and revisit them only when something happens instead of filling page after uneventful page with their fighting?
Their actions towards men are especially loathsome. I don’t care about Uno’s language or Juilin Sandar’s hat so shut up about it. All men are supposedly stupid. And everything is always a man’s fault. Everything. Always.
Nynaeve’s constant complaining about clothes has gone way beyond the ‘details’ into tiresome, aggravating and tedious.

Jordan has a problem with characterizing women in general. We’re all stubborn, hateful, man-hating, gossiping, sulking, jealous and self-righteous creatures. We believe we’re so much better, smarter, more logically thinking and braver then men. There’s lots of sniffing about foolish men who need our guidance or they’d be lost. And no man understands a woman, like ever in this series.
Jordan clearly had issues.

Egwene becomes an admirable young woman. She’s smart, dedicated and she works tirelessly to get what she wants. I like her and I remember that she grew on me this way the first time too.
Siuan Sanche is an amazing character. Her storyline with Logain, Min and Leanne was interesting, and funny. Siuan and Gareth Bryne with make for a very special couple. 
Perrin and Faile aren’t a part of this novel. And I liked that because I hated them in The Shadow Rising.

I loved the split of The Tower. Amazing decision and it makes for two very interesting storylines. I would have loved more details about it. It was merely glossed over now and I wanted more about this and less over and over repeating of the whole Nynaeve/Elayne thing please!

I hate it when men (and Rand especially here) don’t want to hurt women out of their being oh so noble. Get over it. There are bad women out there too.

And I don’t really like the Rand having multiple lovers thing. It feels contrived, it’s annoying and it’s dehumanizing in a way.

The series is never just about Rand. By now it’s clear to everyone that even though Rand is The Chosen One; he can’t do it alone. He never was and he never will. He needs others to fight this battle against The Shadow with him. Heck, he needs the whole world to fight it. And I like that very much. To see everyone coming together for this one cause. I always love that. I guess that’s the romantic in me.
And this also makes it so much more interesting. It would be boring to read 14 books from Rand’s point of view. All these POV’s show us the whole world and every possibility and problem there is with a plot like this.

The Fires of Heaven is one of the lesser installments in the series. But there are better ones to come.

3 STARS

Happy reading.

Helena

Robert Jordan: The Shadow Rising

Hi

This is the fourth book in The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan.
I felt like reading one extra this month instead of waiting another month. I should still read the next one in January though because I want to keep a bit of a schedule. I don’t want to plan all the series I’m reading (The Dresden Files, Discworld and Wheel of Time) in the same month, leaving me no time to read anything else but these series.
You can find all the reviews in the series here. 
The Shadow Rising has a whopping 1009 pages.

* SPOILERS! *

Rereading this series has given me a whole new outlook on it. I first read it when I was around sixteen years old and except for The Lord of the Rings it was my first experience with anything SFF-related. I LOVED The Wheel of Time back then. Right now, I find I’m more critical of Jordan’s writing, the characters and the story in general. I’m not that fan girl anymore that loved everything about it.
I still enjoy it a lot and it will always be special to me because it was the start of my SFF love. I just don’t love it as much because I know now that there’s better out there.

Back then, I could relate more to the characters because of my age. Now, at just 27 I feel like Nynaeve for example can behave like a child and Matt is still a toddler with a lot of growing up to do (which he does). But I have more love and appreciation for the world-building and the politics. Like I said; I changed. It’s not so much about the loving the characters. I can appreciate bad characters and I especially love good, solid world building and lots of details.

I simply love Tam, Min, Tom and Siuan for example. They are amazing characters. I do not love Matt but I enjoy him and he has a purpose.
While I hate Elaida with every fiber in my body, I still appreciate the important role she plays.
Faile is a 'good' character but she's also a hateful, self important, highly irrational, manipulating, bitching, childish and abusive bully. I hate her, I hate her, I hate her.

From this book on it gets really big. We truly begin to see the sheer depth and the epic greatness of this series. It is so much more than a simple story where good has to defeat evil.
Politics start to play an important role because Rand has to unite all nations to fight The Dark One. But he has a lot of growing up to do and a lot to learn. Aside from that, he really doesn’t care about the nobles and their ideas. He is still a farm boy in his mind. I like that a lot because a person doesn’t change where he comes from. His whole storyline in The Waste is great.
He comes into his own and it’s not that easy anymore to push him around.

Aviendha’s reaction to Rand’s supposed ill-treatment of Elaine is way over the top. It’s not like we read about a real bond between them. So why does Aviendha care so much about Rand’s behavior towards other women? She really got on my nerves.
And the whole relationship stuff in general doesn’t interest me. Rand and Min and Elaine. Faile and Perrin. I simply don’t care because it’s so juvenile. Elaine and her stupid letters and her whining about Rand reading those letters.
The repetitiveness in general of the reactions towards the opposite gender is eye rolling and sigh worthy. All men are wool headed and all women are strong and able to manipulate men. Each gender doesn’t understand the other and the boys especially think the other boys are better at talking to women. Each gender thinks the other gender needs guiding, gossip whenever given a chance to talk and are generally plain stupid.

The breaking of the narrative still works great. We get to know what’s happening to everybody at moments in time that are important for those characters. This is great because everything influences everything else; even though events or characters might seem unrelated at one point.

The Shadow Rising is a fast read because a lot happens in this huge (!) novel and the world building gets even better in this one. So many details you could drown in them but I love that. But the talking about dresses, yanking braids, sighing and puffing is too much. 
Jordan doesn’t need to remind me about everything that happened in the novels before this one. I know what happened! I read the books and I’m not stupid.

This is fantasy to lose yourself in, not for the prose which just does the trick but isn’t exactly elegant but for how epic it is.

3 STARS

Happy reading!
Helena

Reviewing with Licor 43. Bliss.

Robert Jordan: The Dragon Reborn

Hi

This is the third book in The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan.
It has 641 pages.

* SPOILERS! *

Ah, the foreshadowing is glorious! That’s what’s so nice about rereading. The suspense and the anxiety are far less, but knowing so much more, you get to enjoy the novel in a whole other way.

While you’re reading, certain decisions like Siuan sending the girls to hunt the Black Ajah seem to be plain foolish. But actually thinking about it, you get to see that it really is the only way events could go. The whole novel is so plausible, so logical the way everything happens.

This novel is told in a very different way from the ones before.
Rhand has a lot of growing up to do and he has to accept being the Dragon Reborn, but we don’t get to see that because he’s not in the novel. He’s almost like a side character even though he is the main character with the most important mission in the novel. But I like that; I guess we got rid of a lot of whining this way.

Instead of Rhand, we get multiple, diverging plotlines all coming together in the end.
This book proves that a hero doesn’t save a world on his own. Others have their roles to play too. This is not a simple hero saves the world story and it is not just about Rhand. There is so much more going on.
Not a lot happens in the way of real action but it is a very important and big novel in the way of shaping the characters because it tells us a lot about them, we get to know them so much better. The characters are growing up, even Matt (though I still feel like he’s a caricature). Most of the characters are better developed in this book.

I did not like Moiraine in this novel though. She seems very different from before.
And I absolutely hate Faile, she’s complaining about everything, and it’s always someone else’s fault. Well guess what, she wasn’t wanted but she decided to come anyway, knowing it was dangerous. She’s manipulating, bitching and being childish. She should shut up and get killed.
One can only hope.

The forsaken could be anywhere and that’s creepy, anyone with power could be a forsaken. Or anyone else for that matter. In this novel we truly get the sense of the scope of the evil in the world.

This novel was a pure joy to read. So fast, so much suspense and so many wonderful characters. Except for Faile; I hate her.

Happy reading!
Helena

Robert Jordan: The Great Hunt

Hi

This is the second book in The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan.
I am slowly rereading the whole series and I plan to read one book every other month.
This one has 701 pages.

* SPOILERS AHEAD! *

First of all, the prologue was really enticing.
 After that, it got boring. The first half of the novel reads fast, but nothing really happens.
Fortunately, it does pick up.

The characters are better worked out in this novel. Most of them are more realistic and human. Though Matt is still an idiot and Nynaeve can be a sulking child. And everyone is still stubborn. But we know more about them and they are more than stubborn, proud or smart.
The sheer magnitude of the world becomes apparent in this novel. The different races, cities, countries, customs etc. are amazingly brought. I love a good, solid, wide world in Epic Fantasy. This is a world I can believe in. Especially with all the details we get, and I love the details! It makes it so much more real.
The simple prose makes it easy to read. It’s almost too simple, but it doesn’t feel like I’m reading a YA or children’s book, it’s just very fast and easy to read.

Rand’s point of view is almost non-existent and this makes you wonder where he is and what he is doing.
I loved reading from Fain’s point of view. He’s so different from every other ‘bad guy’ and that makes him very interesting.

Reading this for the second time takes away the surprise. But not as much as you might think. This is such a huge series so it has been a few years since I read it. I forgot a lot of the minor plot elements, I forgot about a lot of the characters where their loyalties lie (darkfriend or not) and I forgot about specific scenes.
The biggest pro of rereading this is understanding the foreshadowing and hints Jordan gives us. And there are a lot of those.

I am enjoying this reread a lot.

Happy reading!
Helena

My husband's bread pudding and a book.

Robert Jordan: The Eye of the World

Hi

I am rereading The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan. Because it’s a reread I started with The Prologue which you shouldn’t do if it is your first time reading the series.
So here’s my review of the 756 page first novel in The Wheel of Time.

“Life in Emond's Field has been pretty boring for Rand Al'Thor and his friends until a strange young woman arrives in their village. Moraine is an Aes Sedai, a magician with the ability to wield the One Power, and she brings warnings of a terrible evil awakening in the world. That very night, the village is attacked by bloodthirsty Trollocs - a fearsome tribe of beast-men thought to be no more than myth. As Emond's Field burns, Moraine and her warrior-guardian help Rand and his companions to escape. But it is only the beginning of their troubles.”

                * SPOILERS!*

World building and characterization is an ongoing process in this and every following novel. I like it that way. It’s boring to read 50 or so pages only about the world. I want to discover it with the characters. And Jordan writes it that way.

Tam not dying was a lovely and unexpected touch. I love Tam and it would have been easier for Jordan to let him die. That way, Rand could go away without any real trouble because there would be nothing to keep him home.
Matt is the one character I don’t feel a connection with. There are darkfriends I like better. He’s stupid, a complete idiot and rather detached from reality or maybe just not interested.
I like Moiraine, Lan, Tam and Egwene a lot.

There are some highly emotional parts in here as well. Rhand dragging his father to supposed safety, Lioal singing or Nynaeve and Lan. Those are very beautiful moments without being dramatic or overly emotional.

The ending didn’t deliver though. It’s a mash-up of several good ideas stuffed into a few short chapters. As if he had way too many ideas on how to finish this novel and he ended up using all of them. And what’s up with the rope coming out of Aginor? Weird!
Where does this even come from? The Eye of the World is not mentioned before the very end. It’s a very weak ending.
And I still don’t get it, even after this reread.

It is a bit too long and even boring at times. Luckily that doesn’t happen often and those moments are always between exciting parts. All in all, it is a quick and exciting read.

Reading this the second time around I am less surprised by events or people. But still; I forgot a lot.
And it’s amazing to read about concepts for later novels that are mentioned in this novel. Jordan must have spent an enormous amount of time thinking about the series before actually writing it because the foreshadowing is amazing.

Happy reading!
Helena

Being lazy.

Robert Jordan: New Spring

Hi

This will be my second time reading the whole Wheel of Time (WoT for the fans) series. Initially I didn’t start with the prequel; I never do. It’s so much more fun to discover everything gradually then just by reading the prequel. So I suggest you read at least the first 5 or 6 books before reading the prequel as an interlude.
This novel has 350 pages.

“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 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.”

This novel is not as surprising, gripping, suspenseful or thrilling as (most of) the others in the series because it is a typical prequel. It’s light-hearted and so, so charming.
We get to know Lan, Moiraine and Siuan almost 20 years before the events that start unfolding from the first novel on.
And I love all three of them. Moiraine and Siuan are still young and not Aes Sedai yet.  But oh they’re trying so hard to compose themselves and act like real Aes Sedai. They feel true to their future selves; but younger obviously.
And Lan is just magnificent.

Happy reading!
Helena