Rating: Summary: Crossroads of Nothing Review: I am (was?) a huge fan of the Wheel of Time series. I first read Eye of the World back in junior high, and it was my entry book to the fantasy genre. For this reason, it disheartens me to give this book such a poor review. I agree with the sentiments that many have already put forward -- Robert Jordan has lost control of his series, and Crossroads of Twilight emphasizes that fact. Firstly, this book goes nowhere. In all seriousness, I could sum up everything that happened in this book in two short paragraphs. The story focuses mainly around Mat, Perrin, Egwene, and Elayne. Nynaeve is mentioned perhaps three times, and Rand has an extremely short two chapters. While the plotlines that surround the first four characters are interesting, by the end of the book, they're in the *exact* same position they were in the beginning of the book. Why should it take Robert Jordan three years to write a 680-page novel to simply tell us, "Yeah, not much happens." The pages are filled with useless over-description. While Robert Jordan is the "king of descriptions," in the beginning of the series, he was able to masterfully balance his descriptions with action, with plot advancements, with interesting stories. As the series has gone on, though, the series has tipped massively in favor of description, and not much else. Robert Jordan does not need to tell me what every Aes Sedai in the room is wearing, where their silk came from, what country the brocade pattern is from, and what the Aes Sedai had for breakfast. This is useless fluff that does nothing to advance the story. If what they're wearing affects the story, then by all means describe it to the very last stitch. I found myself skimming through or skipping entirely many paragraphs that started with the dreaded, "Her dress was..." And I hardly *ever* skim through books. While many people are saying that this book is simply a setup for the next book, I'd like to remind them that that's what people said about the last two books. While I think this book was better written than Winter's Heart (don't get me started on how rushed the last chapter [and what should have been one of the most important and fleshed out chapters in the whole series!] in that book was,) and while the book did keep my attention and keep me reading, I found myself disappointed at the end. When I read the last words of the book, I closed it, and instead of that feeling of satisfaction, I was left with a stale and dry feeling of, "But nothing happened!" In short, if you're a fan of the Wheel of Time series, I'd suggest holding off to buy this book. Wait until it's in paperback. Even better, buy it a month before book 11 is going to come out (2005? 2006?) because that way, you'll be able to read its 680-page prologue. In the meantime, if you haven't yet, give George R. R. Martin's "A Song of Ice and Fire" series a try. I guarantee that you won't be disappointed when you close the book after reading the last words in the last chapter.
Rating: Summary: Milking the Cow Review: Jordan should be ashamed of himself. "Crossroads of Twilight" is ten pages of interesting material spun out to 700 pages of dross. I realize that he has to make a living. However, he should have finished the Wheel of Time series long ago, and gone on to something else.
Rating: Summary: Zero plot advancement Review: I concur with the other reviewers. Nothing happens in this book. Save yourself some money and skip from #9 to #11 with the assurance that you're missing nothing. Robert Jordan's editor needs to have words with him.
Rating: Summary: What happened? Review: I've been patient. At the end of WH, I thought that my patience was finally going to be rewarded. It ended with something that *should* have been a major turning point. I mean, the Taint is clensed from the male half of the One Power. That's a Big Deal (tm), right? When I read that, I was certain that the next book was going to explode. It fizzled. A bunch of people see Rand's Big Project from a distance and, effectively, go "huh?". Meanwhile, everyone is still bogged down in the same plot-lines that they were last time -- and I do mean the *same* ones, and not a single one so much as inches towards resolution. After such an enormously portentious ending in WH, it's simply incomprehensible to me that Jordan would have chosen to spend yet more time twiddling with all the pieces he has on the board. What happened? A big, fat nothing.
Rating: Summary: All Stuff and Nonsense Review: Having read all previous volumes of the Wheel of Time, I was very disapointed in Volume 10: Crossroads of Twilight. It seems to be no more than 700 pages of filler between volumes 9 and 11 (whenever that appears). The book does little to advance understanding of either the characters or the plot - although it does leave you hanging at the end, certain that another volume is in the works. Furthermore, the publisher did little to enhance my enjoyment of the book as a volume as it was poorly bound and began to fall apart from the moment I opened it. I have enjoyed Jordan's "Wheel" up to now, but if the next volume is anything like Crossroads, I probably won't finish the series.
Rating: Summary: Don't listen to them Review: Jordan needs to get on with the series. He's been dragging this one out for far too long. You can skip the book and just assume the the characters moved about 1/2 on the books's map and that's it. The entire part about Nate's mom was totally unbelivable. Hopefully the next one explains things with a little more detail.
Rating: Summary: Not so good Review: This is probably the worst book in the series. There is not much going on. The plot did not advance at all from the previous book and to think I waited two years for this book. The only important part is the prologue which is like the continuation of the Book 9, _Winter's Heart_. Do not buy this book. Just borrow it from a library if you really want to know what happens. At least you can return it without delay
Rating: Summary: For Love of the Epic Review: The title of this new book continuing the WOT series is very appropriate: not only are the characters coming to a turning point in the epic's development, but it seems many of the readers are also. I'm not going to lie, I had a hard time making it through this book. It *is* filled with such detail on sub-plots and supporting characters that it justifies re-reading the series (3rd time). Just because it's not all focused on the main plot does not mean you are justified in trashing Robert Jordan. Get real folks-- this is an EPIC and the story of the beginning/end of an Era of Time in a Fantasy world takes just as much work and development of the sub-plots and many supporting characters as does the main plot. Assuming that any readers of this review are Fantasy fans, you must have read Tolkien (or at least seen the movies). The unfortunate truth for those who were bored by this book (and for those who found themselves nodding off during LOTR) is that epic stories don't happen in one thrilling burst. They are epic because they encompass entire worlds. Accusing Jordan of losing his mind or his abilities as a writer is ridiculous; you may as well say Tolkien wasted his time. You want the short and skinny "to the point" WOT? Here: Dude has to save the world. His friends help out and so do a bunch of other people. There are battles and stuff. Someone wins. And while you happily go on with your narrow view of the world and of fantasy, I will eagerly await the next volume.
Rating: Summary: Skip this book!!! Review: I have followed this series since the beginning, and I felt ripped off by the lack of action and movement that occured. I thought that the book had basically been written to make a few more bucks out of the people foolish enough to keep reading them. There are perephial characters added that may be pertainent to the ending, however, do nothing to advance the current story, and at the end of the book all of the characters are pretty much where they were at the beginning. I hardly think there is much that couldn't just have gone straight into the next book, and would suggest that unless you get this book free, or very inexpensively, to skip it, and hope the next one has more movement towards the conclusion of the story.
Rating: Summary: Still dragging on Review: Crossroads of Twilight is another book in a long line of over-discriptions and tiny shifts. I am still waiting for something to happen in this series. RJ hasn't written a book that has satisfied his readers since book 4. That said, the reader is left in a place that gives hope for the WOT series actually getting somewhere next go 'round. There are too many characters for the author himself to keep up with, and I don't care as much as he seems to just what each Aes Sedai in the room is wearing. Not at all satisfying, but it leaves hope for future installments. Let's all hope there really are only three more to suffer through.
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