Rating: 
Summary: New Spring, same old thing
Review: I was eight pages into this book when suddenly, in an unexpected and surely unwelcome intrusion, a vision of Jordan guffawing and pointing at me with one hand and cramming fistfuls of cash under his muu-muu with the other leapt unbidden into my head. It was enough to put me off my Jordan feed permanently, and luckily I was just standing in the bookstore at the time and hadn't paid for this book (with money, anyway). This book isn't just a retread, it is a retread of a retread. It is the expanded version of a previously published prequel to a series that is projected to end sometime around 2189 when Jordan's great grandchildren finally rediscover dignity. And all you have to pay for it is approximately the amount you could use to innoculate all the children in Gambia against yellow fever. Great!Do not buy this book. Do not recommend it to your friends. If you do, more and more and more will continue to appear, dooming you to an eternity of open plot lines and 3-paragraph descriptions of Aes Sedai dresses. If you do not, Jordan will be faced with two options: 1) write a good book, or 2) stop 'writing' and go bask in Bimini, secure in the knowledge he has perpetrated one of the greatest acts of authorship fraud ever known to the American people, even surpassing the ghostwriter stable comprising 'Tom Clancy's Op Center'. In either case, we will be better off.
Rating: 
Summary: Good writing, mediocre value
Review: In a sentence, Jordan's latest shows exactly why he has sold so many books - and frustrated so many people. The first half of the book is Jordan at his best, beginning with exploring Tar Valon at the time of the infamous Foretelling by Gitara Sedai in the Amyrlin's presence of the birth of the Dragon Reborn. The exploration of the backplot in the Tower by Moiraine and Siuan's eye is almost as interesting as Rand's trip through the portal to visit his ancestors - and as far less sophisticated than they appear in the later books, finally getting inside the two Accepted and later Aes Sedai heads is equally interesting. Jordan's skill at writing POV commentaries is as good here as in any of his books - you can go through 3 pages without seeing a spoken word and not realize it. Equally fufilling is the revelation of how Aes Sedai become, well, Aes Sedai, with the Oath Rod, ceremonies, and choosing of Ajah deliciously done. Other characters play a minor role here, but there are some amusing cameos - almost to the point where you wonder if Moiraine can go back and say, 'yeah, you were in the class of 3763 AB with me and I remember when...' There's also a nice little cat fight between characters that begins the thread that ultimately ends up in the splitting of the Tower. Where I only give this three stars is on the value proposition. Jordan basically cuts and pastes the story from Legends (which originally appeared in eformat elsewhere to begin with) as the second half of the book. As a result, the value proposition here is atrocious. $22.95 for 300 large type pages, only about 180 of which are original - you'll be stunned how thin this is - runs the same price as his main novels. Profiteering by stretching this series out has been raised by fans before. Instead, I thought it was Jordan trying to fill plot holes. This latest effort really makes me reconsider. Still, for hardcore Jordan fans not bad, and new readers to the series its a decent place to start.
Rating: 
Summary: Curse Robert Jordan. Curse his eyes!
Review: A word of warning: If you haven't started reading the Wheel of Time series, consider not doing so. I was given the same warning before I started, failed to listen, and have often found cause to regret it. Here's the problem with the series: The first three books are brilliant, stunning, Tolkienesque, some of the best fantasy ever written. The next three books are excellent. Starting around book seven, Jordan starts to be weighed down by the enormity of what he has started. Major plot points start to get further and further apart. By book nine, there only seems to be one resolution while more than a dozen loose ends are added to the increasingly unwieldly plot. Because each book tends to weigh in at more than 800 pages, by the time you realize this, you're stuck. You've read 5,000 pages and, if you're like me, you're determined to see it through, even if you're not sure whether you're watching the most extensive build-up to a grand finale ever or the literary equivilent of a twenty-car pile-up. So, with thousands of fans waiting eagerly to find out how the story turns out, praying that Jordan lives long enough to finish it, and doesn't give up, what does he do? He spends a year writing a prequel. That being said, it's a pretty good prequel. It's far more terse than anything he's written in a while. He doesn't have a half dozen plot threads to deal with at once or ten times that many that he's fastidiously ignoring. There is very little crossing of arms under breasts (Jordan's most overused mannerism.) I will also admit that it's good to see some old, familiar faces back. Some of the characters in this book are allegedly dead by book ten. Some of them are still in several major storylines, but you only hear about them for twenty pages out of every thousand or so. I will remain intentionally vague to avoid spoiling early books for anyone working their way through the series now. You have enough frustration ahead of you without that. Unfortunately, not only the characters are familiar. About sixty pages of this novel were already printed in "Legends," a short story collection that is another one of Jordan's increasingly habitual strayings from finishing the main storyline.
Rating:
Summary: Three and a half stars
Review: My biggest disappointment with the book was that, as far as I could tell, the last 130 pages were just New Spring, the short story from Legends, reprinted with minor adjustments. This means that only a little over half of the book was really new material, which might damper the enjoyment of those who have already read the story in Legends. But still, it's a good read, especially for those who haven't yet read the short story. The plot moves quickly and purposefully. The characters do not take any tedious baths on-screen, and while Siuan and Moiraine do visit a seamstress, there is a point to the scene, which is brief and entertaining. Reading this book made me feel that Jordan's problem in his later novels is that he isn't sure where he is going, so he STALLS, as this certainly seemed like a return to his old
style of writing, especially in its better moments. There's only one chapter of Lan in the first half of the book, which might disappoint some people, but Moiraine's POV was quite interesting IMHO. The political games she plays with the Hall as a newly raised Aes Sedai are what Elayne's struggles for the throne of Andor could have been, if they weren't punctuated by pointless baths with Aviendha and her harem of nubian Sea Folk babes. Also, her test for the shawl was EXCELLENTLY done- there was far more to it then either the reader or Moiraine herself had been led to believe (i.e. she didn't just stand there forming weaves while sisters beat the tar out of her) and Jewish readers especially might appreciate Jordan's use of the star of David as a directional tool. A number of Aes Sedai and Accepted are mentioned in the first half but thankfully, most are people we have already met. Also, I would suggest that dedicated fans bone up on just who is Black Ajah in the Tower prior to going into this book. Its creepier that way. But perhaps the most rewarding part of the first half of the novel was the insight it gave into Moiraine and Siuan's relationship. Jordan doesn't state flat-out that they are "pillow-friends", as they say in Randland, but it certainly seems that way. They do kiss, at one point, and one gets the impression that it's more than just a peck on the cheek, since the kiss itself is the climactic end of a scene between the two, though Jordan doesn't go into any real detail. Whether pillow-friends or not, it's clear that they care deeply for each other, and it's touching. If you're a fan of Jordan definitely read this book, as the writing is much better than his past few efforts, and the story is a welcome diversion from the tangled and tedious plotlines that the main story in the Wheel of Time series has become. Still, you might want to borrow it instead of buying it, especially if you've already read the short story.
Rating:
Summary: blah blah blah...
Review: I stopped reading Jordan 3-4 books back and feel like I escaped some form of literary torture. Got milk? Read George R.R. Martin's "A Song of Ice and Fire" and consider yourself liberated!
Rating:
Summary: STAY AWAY!!!
Review: I wouldn't recommend this book for any former fans of the series (which I know there are many of you). I also wouldn't recommend this book for any person looking to start the series either. This book will destroy the sense of mystery of the Aes Sedai which made the EOTW so enjoyable. Instead we get more of the same, bitchy, whiny, sniffing Aes Sedai. Heck, I'd say stay away from WOT period!! Robert Jordan needs to focus on the continuation of the series, not write prequels.
Rating: 
Summary: Gets better with repitition
Review: The first time I read this book I wasn't too impressed. It wasn't bad, but it seemed like it was a completely unecessary addition to an already long series of books.
However, one day when I was completely bored out of my mind, I picked up A New Spring again and started it all over again. The second time I was quite impressed. It read much better than the first time, and the character developement and background really struck a chord.
For those who were dissatisfied, please just try again. It really does become a fulfilling and fun book, and lets you get to know Moiraine and Lan in a way the Wheel of Time didn't. Just my two cents.
Rating:
Summary: a wheel of time prequel
Review: i admit i havent read the book. the number one reason i havent is that ive been reading the reviews and im starting to agree that i think jordan should finish the series before going off the track and starting the prequels. whats he waiting for? does anyone know? im a big fan but this is crazy. he should already be done with #11 - finish the series then start on the prequels. maybe we should boycott the prequels until he comes out with #11. well, at least i will. thanks for listening.
Rating:
Summary: This is a good book
Review: This was the first book that I've read in the series and it wasn't as bad as all the 1 star reviews. It moved along at a decent pace. I would recomend this book to anyone but with that said there are a few things I would like to say.
10,11,12.... books are a bit much. It seems to me like a professional writer wouldn't need to write a series of prequels to fill in gaps in their story. I believe 10 (and counting) books would give a writer plenty of opportunity to fill in any gaps and tell a complete story.
I brought this book and was half through before I became familiar with this writer and this series. I hope that I'm not getting myself into a never ending series. (Who knows, this author could die before he finishes writing this story and leave everyone hanging).
Based on this book and this book alone, I would recommend buying it. But beware....if your new to this series, like me, you may want to check out what your getting into before you leap. I'm in now so I guess I'm going to start on volume 1. Wish me luck!
Rating:
Summary: A true Jordan fan!
Review: I am still anticipating the next book to this series. Even though it's taking forever, you can't deny that you want to find out how it ends. Until that day comes, I will continue to read Jordan's novels. If you are a true Jordan fan, you will stick to it till the end. I know that the long wait will be worth it.
| 
