Rating:  Summary: Not just a useless prequel, a rerun of a useless prequel Review: So let's get this straight!! The guy can't finish his own series. The books just go on and on and never stop, then, when even his most hard core fans are standing on the cliff ready to pitch the ten book collection into the sea, Jordan comes out with a NEW book, which is nothing more then an extended short story that he ALREADY published??? Did I miss something here? All those who think this is just a very feeble attempt to make a little cash please raise your hands!! Thank you. I did not buy this book. I committed the Cardinal Sin of book reading and I read the first chapter in the book store. That's when I realized it was something that I've already read. That's when I realized that this author has totally lost it. Shame on him and on the publishing company. I hope Amazon doesn't get stuck with a million copies of this trash sitting in some warehouse in Toledo, Ohio, or Tar Valon, or wherever it is. I look forward to the author admitting defeat and leaving the story untold!! (I was in my 20's when I started reading this series when the first book came out. I'm like, OLD NOW!!!) I don't need a prequel.
Rating:  Summary: Just make sure you buy it on sale. Review: If you are not already a Jordan fan, DO NOT become one. At least not until he finishes the bloody thing. If you have already been sucked in, do yourself a favor and buy it on sale, because you know you are going to buy it. I'm still not sure it was worth the $12 I paid for it. But then, books 7-10 havent been either. If you have read the short story as it was published in the Legends book, then you have already read this. Oh a little tidbit here and there, but nothing of use or substance. Its an ok book if you have a couple days to kill and nothing else to read. But if you read it and are disappointed, you have been forewarned. And if you read it and think its the greatest thing since sliced bread, well, I'm sure that its best I not say what I'm thinking. Until the next book....
Rating:  Summary: STOP!!!! NO MORE PREQUELS Review: What's the point of writing a prequel when half your fan base is clamoring for the Wheel of Time series to end. Good Lord man, no more writing unless it involves the wrapping up of 20 year old plot threads/lines, etc. Better yet, wrap up this damn series so I can store it and never have to read the last 5 books--again.
Rating:  Summary: Two POVs is a Great Direction for this series Review: I think this book shows that, while Robert Jordan is not a particularly talented writer, he does have a vision for the Wheel of Time series. Whether or not this vision came about as a fluke or from brainstorming, I cannot say. But I will say, that the copy of this story I read in Barnes and Nobles is heads and shoulders better than 'Crossroads of Twilight'. For some reason, narrowing the list of main characters down to two has the effect of making the story seem tighter. Even though many scenes have a strange, predicatable formula to dialogue and descriptions to them (When Gitara Moroso dies, the Amyrlin acts as if this was merely an annoying instance rather than anything particularly terrible...I'm not asking for the Amyrlin to break down, but the whole 'You can't Heal death.' line has been used too many times in the series and 'Gone...right when I need you most' is so overdone in fantasy in general, the moment lost dramatic tension. I give this book three stars. I can honestly say that I don't necessarily 'care' about Aes Sedai politics, though in general, their political intrigues are less grating to read about than Elayne's chapters, but I did find myself enjoying the fact that a few Accepted and Aes Sedai in some scenes were probably already Black Ajah. Perhaps the three heroes and three heroines in the main bulk of the series works against R. Jordan, in that you get bored trying to keep up with these characters during the lulls in their experience. I no longer believe Robert Jordan has a 'gift' for writing, nor a mastery of political fiction or intrigue. I honestly think he had a great idea for a series, built the story around these great, main principles and somehow got lost with each new detail he introduced. This reader is curious to see what a stronger writer, such as Guy Gavriel Kay, James Clavell or George R. R. Martin could do with the Wheel of Time source material. Hopefully, get rid of the Dragon Reborn...ironically, this book made me realize that the Wheel of Time is much more interesting when the Dragon/Rand is not at the forefront of the action killing off Forsaken and whatnot. Wait until this book is out on paperback, and then buy. I think it was a good read, but honestly, I read it right in the bookstore and was not upset when I placed it back on the shelf and went home.
Rating:  Summary: Read "Eye of the world" first Review: Hell read them all first,then go ahead and read this,i finished this last night,and although entertaining...dosent add too much to the story began with the first novel....i would recomend it because it is "the wheel of time",but not neccesary to enjoy the rest of the series,the first one hundred and fifty pages just lead up to moraine and siuan becoming aei sedai,one chapter is devotied to them leaving the tower and entering a village,nothing happens,just loads of detail about the different people who frequent Tar Valon,and thats basically how the restof the book goes,although i did enjoy Elaida "helping" the accepted with there training(wicked).....try it for yourself,just dont hope for too much....Enjoy
Rating:  Summary: Stop, will you? Review: I believe it was purported that Robert Jordan had the ending already pictured when he started writing the series. For someone who already has the ending in mind, you would think that a prequel might be something that you may want to consider after FINISHING THE ORIGINAL SERIES? Or has the author forgotten to mention certain details that we need to know? For someone who has written over 1,700 characters (historical and present -- yes, it's true, COUNT THEM), you would think that he had all his bases covered. Or maybe the emperor has no clothes. Get on with it, Mr. Jordan. If you have seen the ending, then write TOWARDS it.
Rating:  Summary: Another Great Addition to the Wheel of Time Review: For those of us who have missed Moiraine, this book is for you. We get a great look at the tests for becoming an Aes Sedai while we get a character study of Moiraine's motivations for finding the Dragon Reborn. Though most of the last hundred pages is the original short story; it has been editted and fleshed out a little bit to make it fit within the context of the whole novel. Little references to what happened in the beginning of the novel make it more Jordanesque than the original short story. If you have a good memory, or have read WoT enough, you will notice that almost every single Aes Sedai mentioned appears in the rest of the series. It was nice to read a story that wasn't caught up in the complex pattern of books 9 and 10. It feels like a relief, not a character you really care about is going to die (otherwise they wouldn't appear in the rest of the series) and it is easy to concentrate on the one and only plot. With the next book due out in the Spring of 2005, New Spring: the Novel is a great read.
Rating:  Summary: the worst thing Jordan ever did ... is not this book Review: The worst thing Jordan ever did was create the Dark One. If you think about his story, it is not a series but a serial novel. There are adventures attatched to adventures. No one I know is complaining about how many Xanth books there are or when Anthony will end the series. Or how many Conan stories Robert E Howard wrote. No one wanted the X-files to end. Why do they want Jordan to end so badly? Because he promised us an ending with the last battle against the dark one. So now we're all waiting for it and have been for sometime. If you think about all his stories, they are a bunch of adventures that are all tied together. Some are really fun. But now it is at the point were we are all waiting for that promise. I personally really enjoyed this prequel (I also enjoyed book 10, most of it at least). I thought it was exciting and brought back one of my favorite characters in Moraine. And the ending was great. I would recomend this book in a heart beat. The promlem with it is that there are no explanations. Which is good for return readers, but basically prevents you from reading this one first other wise you'll be lost. So, if you don't mind another adventure in a great world, pick it up. If you're upset that the series has not ended, don't. If you haven't read any of the others ... read it at your own risk but know you'll probably be very confused.
Rating:  Summary: FINISH THE SERIES. Review: I agree with others here; I won't spend another penny on Jordan unless he's progressing toward the end of the WoT series. Book 10 was so boring. I really thought the tenth volume would end it: clean Source, Aes Sedai on brink of war, all that. But no, it's just more politicking and overwrought prose. More "I feel so weird having three wives" crap from Rand, more about Min acting like a girl, more about how magnificently beautiful each woman is in her own, special way. God, I loved this series. I've read the whole thing through at least 3 times. But if it doesn't end, I won't be crying. I also won't be buying any lousy "prequels."
Rating:  Summary: doesn't QUITE make it to Book 1 of Wot... Review: I would have given this book a five star rating, but for the fact that the plot leaves you still hanging as to how Moiraine actually found Rand (or am I missing that from one of the other books in WoT?). As for plot, it really moves right along--no "dead" moments in the read. As Moiraine and Lan are the only two viewpoints in the book, there is a refreshing lack of characters to try to keep track of. Though I know many who would disagree with me, I personally found a prequel to be a nice addition to the series. I loved the extra perspective into Moiraine and Lan's characters, as well as Siuan!, overall would highly recommend this book even to those of you who have given up reading the newer books. Relieve the good 'ol days when RJ really captured the reader with a hard to put down story that you wanted to talk about over and over with your friends.
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