Rating: 
Summary: Enough of the 1 star reviews!
Review: Most of the 1 star reviews appear to be written by people who haven't read the book. This is not simply a reprint of the original short story.The first 202 pages (of a 334 page book) are brand new, and the rest has been rewritten, in some places just a tweak here and there, and in others a more significant rewrite. Even though this does not advance the main story forward, it is a much more interesting read than Crossroads of Twilight (the last full-length novel), and it provides a nice chunk of information about an important aspect of the Wheel of Time narrative--just how and why did Moiraine begin hunting for the Dragon Reborn. It's important to note that the rewrite of New Spring truly does add to the original short story, and gives us additional insight not available in the original story.
Rating: 
Summary: Back to basics
Review: It's prequel number one (of three) for Jordan as the end of the Wheel of Time recedes ever farther from sight. Leaving aside the necessity or otherwise of further bloating an already mammoth series, examined on its own merits _New Spring_ has more to recommend it than the last few instalments in the series proper. Without the need to buoy up a multiplicity of storylines, Jordan produces a fast-paced, engaging tale. It's Lan and Moiraine: The Early Years, essentially; set twenty years before the other books, this deals with Gitara's Foretelling of the Dragon's rebirth, and how a young Cairhienin Accepted gains the shawl and finds her Warder. The problem is the very 'expansion' that is responsible for this tale being republished. The original 'New Spring' novella from _Legends_ is included here with few changes (bar some extra incidents on the road to Chachin), and as such remains well worth the read - if you don't already own a copy of _Legends_. The new material tacked onto the beginning, however, will appeal only to real WoT masochists. An account of Siuan and Moiraine's ascent from Accepted to full sisters, it's sometimes entertaining in its portrait of the series' key players in their youth, but on the whole it's too redolent of the later books in the WoT - full of unmemorable characters and info-dump exposition, devoid of tension or much in the way of humour. Newcomers should go to _The Eye of the World_ and its immediate successors, where the exploration of the White Tower is pulled off far more gradually and elegantly. Fans will probably buy this one anyway, but be warned: if you've read the excellent original story, there's little new here.
Rating: 
Summary: Prequel Schmequel
Review: Reviewed by a college student majoring in History, Anthropology, and English After spending a week reading the novel, this is what I have to say: First of all, why is Jordan writing a prequel for an unfinished series? The Wheel of Time Series has been going on for years and I see no ending in the near future. The last book of the series was less than well-written even though it was a bestseller (fans will still buy it!!). Second, why is Jordan writing about something that readers of the Wheel of Time Series already know. There is nothing NEW in New Spring. The details contained in the book have already been written about in the last TEN books of the series. We already know what motivated Moirainne to look for the Dragon Reborn. We do not need an entire novel that explains this fact. Glimpses, phrases, and sentences contained in the last 10 books are enough to give you an overview of what is contained in New Spring. Third, why is he going to write three prequels? A Trilogy prequel? This is not Star Wars. Even the prequels of the First Star Wars Trilogy are disappointing considering the main character of the prequels is going to become Darth Vader anyway. The same goes for Jordan's prequel(s). Fourth, why did he make the Black Ajah so stupid? The Black Ajah has found out the Dragon has been Reborn but they do not know when and where so they go about killing men with extreme luck about them. How stupid can he make them?! If they were this stupid they would not have existed for thousands of years under the nose of the seven Ajahs of the White Tower. MY VERDICT: Fans of the series should read this novel, but they should not expect something they don't already know. Prequels have a way of doing this: explaining something you already know. However, you should not buy it. Just go to your local library and add your name to the waiting list (copies in most libraries are probably going to be checked out since the author is very popular). This novel is better than Book Ten (Crossroads of the Twilight) of the Wheel of Time Series but it is not as good as the first three books of the series. I think the first three books are excellent and very good literature; books 4 through 6 are average; books 7 through 10 need to be revised. I am a fan of Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time Series. I will continue to follow the series until its end. BUT JUST BECAUSE I'M FAN DOESN'T MEAN I'M GOING TO LET THAT AFFECT MY JUDGEMENT. Jordan's recent works have not been on the same level as his earlier ones. It's as though they were rushed through publication with minimal editing.
Rating: 
Summary: The story isn¿t moving forward, we my as well look back!
Review: I found myself in two minds while reading New Spring. After waiting so long to reach the end of the series, it was annoying to find RJ has been working on a prequel instead!! At the same time, I liked reading about Moiraine and Siuan as Accepted and the testing for the shawl. Of course the final third of the book describing how Lan becomes Moiraine's warder is largely unchanged from the short story in Legends so that adds nothing new. There are flashes aplenty of the RJ we saw in the first 5 WOT books and I do wish he had spent more time on the Aiel war (yes, I know, the story has to start somewhere after all!) and perhaps some discussion between the Accepted on their preferred Ajah. I look forward to reading in the next two prequels of Siuan's ascent to the Amyrlin Seat and how the search for the Dragon shifts to the Two Rivers. Since the story clearly isn't moving forward very much, we may as well look back!!! Otherwise, my WOT cribs still apply. The clichéd mannerisms appear in full force and the same pathetic excuse for a map appears again, leaving the reader trying hard to precisely locate the action (the position of the Hook? East of the Erinin and Tar Valon of course, but beyond that, keep guessing). But that is OK. Since RJ is on his own trip and unconcerned about his readers, I now read his books through the County Library and decline to buy them. He has every right to write the way he likes, and I have the choice to buy, or not.
Rating:
Summary: Boring Prequal
Review: New Spring, is... different to say the most. The only interesting part of the book is the perspectives of the story line. I did like the way Jordan Robert used perspectives of characters' rarely used before. Getting to "know" the characters minds is the only reason I would read this book if I've already read the rest of the series.
The book is about Moraine and Siuan finding the Dragon Reborn. Really the story line isn't very interesting. In the start a foretelling says that the Dragon is reborn in so many words.
It is an okay book and I would still read it, but no new plot elements are introduced and I would rather read the end of the series than a prequel. The plot is already moving too slowly in the series. I suggest reading New Spring anyway, especially if you've not read any of the Wheel of Time series.
Rating: 
Summary: For the love of the Creator...
Review: This goes out to all of those one-stars out there. First of all, yes, RJ's writing did become a little sluggish in the last few, however, look at this time in between Crossroads and Book 11 as time for him to re-refine his style and deliver 11 with a punch so hard we will all be on our rear ends. Also, as the original short story was not 334 pages, this cannot be the story all over again. Normally, more pages means more story. Hmmmm... Please, if you are going to criticize an artist's (and noone can disagree that Robert Jordan is an artist) work, give good criticism as opposed to something like "NO MORE RJ until he finishes what he started
Rating:
Summary: I was shocked
Review: I have stuck with Jordan for year after year after year. I have collected all of the WOT series in hardback. Like many of you I have grown very bored and disillusioned by the direction the series has taken. Needless to say I was dumbfounded as to why when we are all hoping for a dot on the horizon to show us that the end is near, here comes a _prequel_???? Unbelievable. See you in 2 years.
Rating:
Summary: Good Jump in Time
Review: This book gave me a different view of characters that I had engrained in my mind. Moiraine and Siuan seemed so strong and confident, and this story seems to make them even more personable. It DOES seem a bit odd to come back to them at this point in time in the story seeing as how both of them have become much less important in the main plot by book 10 (don't want to spoil it for people who don't know). The one thing that truly excited me about this book is the number of doors that are being opened. I see other series about Artur Hawkwing's times and other "historical" series. This book is well-written as always and helps to add to the suspense of the FINALE that will come. I am impatient to see how the series will end, but that is the joy of a book.
Rating:
Summary: Finish off the story
Review: Please, Please, no one buy any more of this guys books until he finishes off his Wheel of time novels. What a ripoff. Years we have waited for an end of to a plot started over 10,000 pages ago, and he can't seem to finish it. NO MORE RJ until he finishes what he started!@@&^(*#$^
Rating:
Summary: I just Finished.
Review: I just finished the book and it's wonderful. If you are a WOT fan, I would suggest reading this book. It fills in a lot of details that are only hinted at in the other books.
If you are a Wheel of Time fan you should read this book.
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