Rating: 
Summary: The descent begins . . .
Review: This series has gone completely in the tank and A Crown of Swords is where the tanking begins. By itself, ACoS has decent action and some plot developments. But its resolution is ambiguous, unlike each of the previous six books, and it adds more questions to a plotline already polluted with innumerable mysteries, intrigues, factions, and characters from the six previous books (and 3500+ pages) that preceded it.After the end of Book 6 (Lord of Chaos), it seemed that the series had regained its direction. But in ACoS, Jordan introduces numerous "new" characters (most notably Moridin), new concepts, and new intrigues. The pacing slows to a near crawl for nearly 600 pages before erupting to the uncertain ending. Worst of all is the dithering by Rand, the messiah figure who is paralyzed by inaction for most of this book and Book 8. The first five books of this series are great. But book 6 is an interlude from the non-stop action and this book begins the series descent into unabashed authorial self-indulgence. To wit: The Wheel of Time Series is now at 10 books plus a prequel and a guidebook but less has happened to the characters and the plotline in books 7-10 than did in any two books of the first five. The 10 books are probably seven times the length of Lord of the Rings and at least two or three more sequels are likely. If you're prepared to stick it out to a (hopefully) colossal ending, then get this book, the execrable Path of Daggers and the others. If not, get out now and save yourself the grief so many other disappointed fans have endured.
Rating: 
Summary: Long, but excellent ending
Review: While I was reading this book, I was also reading Dickins' A Tale of Two Cities. It's crazy! Robert Jodan writes in the exact same style as Dickins(the long-winded detail, innumerable characters,and innumerable clauses). It's so obvious, that I wonder if Jordan use Dickins as a refernce. Check it out.
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