Rating: 
Summary: They just keep getting better and better!
Review: Wow. Action, adventure, romance, mystery, humor - this book (and the entire series) has it all. I can't even begin to describe it. I love these books so much, when I'm not reading one I go through a sort of depression, in which the world around me seems drab and dull...until I pick up the next Wheel of Time book. Jordan describes everything so well, making the land rich in detail AND history/lore. You can picture the great White Tower of Tar Valon, and this image also brings to mind the history and current affairs of the Tower...it's just amazing. I've heard that Robert Jordan made ten pages of notes for each country in the Wheel of Time...and it shows! All the history is very consistent, and believable. But, don't get the idea that it bogs the books down - it's just the opposite. It makes the land much more believable and enjoyable.You really care about the characters. Each one treats the situations he/she gets in differently - Jordan doesn't go by stereotypes, he actually creates "real" people, that are very easy to believe in and identify with. There is a large cast of characters, and each one basically has different adventures that appeal to different people. This makes the books rather complex - the Shadow Rising is the first book where all the seperate threads didn't come together at the end. But this just makes the books more interesting. For example: Some people thought Rand's adventures in the Aiel waste were the best scenes in the book. I didn't like them at all, and would have found them pretty boring if Moiraine hadn't been there. (Moiraine's my favorite character.) Instead, I was hooked on Elayne and Nynaeve's quest in Tanchico. There are three main plotlines in this book, with a fourth (Min and the White Tower) popping up occasionally...which was funny, because I thought that was more important to the series as a whole then, oh say, Perrin's adventures in Emond's Field: population 10. But there were several good battles with Perrin and Faile - the last one brought tears to my eyes, and the note he left her was sooo sweet! All four are all resolved (somewhat) at the end, but like I said before - they aren't connected. Once again, there were several humorous scenes in this book. Incredibly, I heard some people complaining about them, saying that they're "immature" and a "waste of time." I, personally, am very glad that Jordan puts them in, because they certainly help you care about the characters more. Remember that this is a STORY, not a TEXTBOOK. If Jordan suddenly made every character not make ANY mistakes, and ALWAYS say just the right thing, then the series would get drab and dull, fast. The Wheel of Time books are the best that I've ever read. But if you haven't read the first three, then by all means do so now, because they MUST be read in the right order to get the best enjoyment out of them. And if you choose not to read them at all? It's a pity, because you're missing out on the best fantasy series (no, the best series, period) ever created.
Rating: 
Summary: A Boring Beginning, but it soon Speeds up
Review: In the Shadow Rising, I found that the first half took me two weeks to read due to the "dullsville" factor, while the second half I sped through in two days. The plot is not weak, but the dialogue at times gets annoying. The Perrin storyline is by far the best. However, this book does not have a storyline which I despise completely, as this series sometimes does. Sadow Rising is a good book, but make sure you have time on your hands before starting it.
Rating: 
Summary: A Triumphant Fantasy Epic
Review: Robert Jordan triumphs in this, the fourth volume of his grand, epic, and best-selling fantasy series. This characters grow, the narrative matures, and the already complex plot twists and turns until the reader is either swept up in the storm or left bewildered. The Shadow Rising is an intesnse and tasking novel, but the patience required is well worth the wait. In Shadow Rising, we find Rand meeting the Aiel in the wastes, discovering both who the Aiel are and more about himself. This plot line is one of the more interesting and epic in the novel. Here, Jordan eschews the simplistic narrative style he started with in The Wheel of Time, and Rand experiences a series of dream sequences. This gives the novel a richer and more complex texture. That makes it more intereting, but also harder to follow. Readers who expect just more swords and blood will likely be left bored and disappointed (at least until the action quotient picks up). We also see Elayne and Nanyeve pursuing the Black Ajah in various places. This forbodes the splitting of the White Tower as well as the coming of more Foresaken. Meanwhile, Perrin learns that the Children of the Light have overridden the Two Rivers and that his homeland is now being terrorized by Trollocs. This sequence is fascinating, because the old Jordan would have made it a straigtforward adventure. The new Jordan has added texture which helps bring Perrin and the Two Rivers folk to life, adding complexity to the narrative in his relationship with Faile, the closing and reopening of the ways, and of the tough choices in challenging the Children, the trollocs and Lord Luc. The novel starts off slow--even slower than the previous three volumes. What makes the novel tough also is that at the beginning, none of the characters is particularly appealing. Rand is a jerk, Mat is boring, and the others seem to have entirely lost any semblence of friendship or even of decency. Jordan seems to have struggled to keep the plot going while making his characters interesting. But when the adventure begins, the characters again become likable. Jordan continues to "pay homage" to Tolkien. The Perrin return to the Two Rivers is, in plot and theme, a retelling of The Scouring of the Shire from Tolkien's Return of The King. The characters, most of whom strarted the series as young adolescents, continue to grow and mature. Jordan's thinly veiled treatment of sexuality is still very adolescent. At a certain point one hope the characters grow even more. We see the beginnings of adulthood in Perrin's relationship with Faile, although one hope that this also begins to show itself in other areas as well. His childish stubbornness in the first charge on the Two Rivers is annoying. Well, there are five more novels to go. With that caveat and the fact the Jordan does not seem to know what to do with Mat, the world Jordan has created has more depth, more magic, and more history than before. The reader also has the very strong feeling that this all comes togethor in some thread, woven into a large tapestry. We can't see the whole picture, but we can feel it out there. Overall, Jordan has taken a fairly simple and straightforward fantasy to a far more complex and nuanced level. The Shadow Rising is intricate and imaginative tour de force--a triumphant fantasy novel.
Rating: 
Summary: Enough already!
Review: By the end of this book, the only character I could still tolerate was Perrin. If the next book in this series doesn't pick up the pace and start delivering a decent plot, I'm done with it.
Rating:
Summary: Great, better then book 4.
Review: Shadow Rising is a great book. It is better then the last one, which was pretty good. I am hopefully that, if this series continues, it will continues at this pace. Slow enough to learn more about the charactors introduced in the first three books, but quick and exciting with battles, blood, and suspense. In the Shadow Rising, Rand travels through the desert to met with the Aiel. Broken up into many clans, they are awaiting a leader who must prove himself to them. This leader must face testing where, as he struggles against the elements, he will learn secrets about the Aiel's past. Meanwhile... there are other struggles ongoing. Perrin has returned to TwoRivers where he has learned it is under attack. He needs to help draw the people together, even as he seeks to learn how the Trollocs are able to travel so far, undetected. However, Perrin is still fighting with himself, and trying to strike a balance between himself and his wolf brothers. And on and on it goes. With each book, the author seems to add adventure to political backstabbing with some romance and history toss in. The results have been a series worth buying and worth reading.
Rating:
Summary: A little struggling....
Review: Who knows if this review will in fact be read (as there are so many), yet none-the-less here goes. I had a little difficulty keeping this one open for the second half (if you believe it, usually the problem lies with the first half)! Don't get me wrong, it's a great read, but the reader HAS to be commited to this series to completely enjoy #4. Mr. Jordan gives us further insight into the characters of Rand and company. Rand is going into the Aiel Waste, to do what HE wants and thinks has to be done (still under the watchful eye of Moraine). For the reader, this (I should say these) section(s)of the novel is/are where the Aiel become more in-depth, including their customs, septs, clans, etc. Perrin... he has his hands full! He hears of Two Rivers being under attack from Trollocs, and decides to go and see what can be done about it. Personally, I feel that the main "chunk" of this novel is about this scenerio (but others may differ). Elayne and Nynaeve are still searching for the Black Ajah, and they get themselves into a big 'ole frying pan there! I won't give away any kind of endings to the scenerios above (as I myself hate that)but I will say that "The Shadow Rising" is by far (hands down, no contest, etc.) the best and most descriptive "chapter in this saga". Even with the slower parts, it still easily gets five stars! Oh, and the total amount of pages (1008 pages) is including the Glossary (starting at pg984) and the "About the author page), so while yes it is still a high number, don't be too discouraged by that amount of pages... I'm sure glad I wasn't!
Rating:
Summary: A good continuation of the Wheel of Time
Review: Wheel of Time, turn turn turn! Tell us the lesson that we should... The fourth book was quite good, particularly those parts involving Perrin and Faile. I won't get into major plot details, as many others have already beaten me to it. But I do recommend this title. There are some fairly major changes to the overall arc that would leave one confused without this book. My only major complaint is the start, which took far too long. There were definately some good parts of that, but it would have been nice to get out of the Stone well before page 240. But that's really a minor issue. The real question for Mr. Jordan is, will it ever end?
Rating:
Summary: The BEST of TWoT
Review: This book is the best. Throughout the book you learn the history of the Aiel, and the end (which has to do with the history) is absolutely amazing! I never thought.... well, if you like the Wheel of Time so far, you will find this book the best of the four so far. This book about: 1.)Perrin leaves the Stone of Tear with Faile with news of The Children of the Light invading the Two Rivers. He hurries to Emond's Field to make certain no harm comes to the town's inhabitants and intent on letting himself being arrested by Dain Bornhald, the leader of the Children in the Two Rivers until the threat is dropped. On arrival, he discovers more than he can believe and handle; fighting trollocs and The Children of the Light while having nightmarish dreams of a man called Slayer...... His greatest fear is for his lover, Faile. 2.)Rand Al'thor travels to the Aiel Waste to fulfill the Prophecy of He Who Comes With the Dawn. Rand makes friends and bitter enemies in his travels, but his greatest challenge is the test of Rhuidean and the lost origin of the Aiel. Egwene travels with Rand to become a Dreamwalker with the help of Amys and the other Aiel Wise Ones. 3.)Finally Elayne the Daughter-Heir of Andor and Nyneave of Emond's Field (is it al'meara?) are on their way to Tanchico to root out the Black Ajah and find out what the they are looking for; an object that will harm Rand Al'thor the Dragon Reborn. With the help of Thom Marrilin and Juilin Sandars, the two are able to sneak into the Panarch's Palace and...... This book is excellent! BUY IT!
Rating:
Summary: The Shadow Rising!!!
Review: The Shadow Rising is an all around Great Books, one of the Best in the series of 9! After I finished the Dragon Reborn i was anxious to dive into the next epic Plot in the Wheel of Time! This book inhansis the the story of Perrin and the Great Dragon Reborn Rand himself. With Ewgene becoming the first Dreamwalker for ages and contining there sreach for the Black Ajha. There are only a few disapiontment i can think of, one there is a lack of action (besides for the ending fight of the book)and this peticular book gets off to a very slow start for the first 250 pages or so, while everyone is simply waiting about Tear, for the Dragon to make a decision. In the end I give it 4 star, I liked it and am continueing the series, but it wasn't quite as good as the first 3 had been
Rating:
Summary: Great to fall asleep with
Review: I thought I had sleeping sickness but the truth is this book is so boring, the instant I read a page I zonk out! I must admit I found the second and third books somewhat interesting, despite being completely predictable. But man, lets have some action! What fun is it to read about people travelling all over some bland world, while not having a single interesting conversation, and then having a quick battle at the end of the book? Come on, it got old in the second book, overdone in the third, and made me puke in the fourth. I'm not going to bother reading Jordans cut-and-paste plot any longer. Unless I need to fall asleep quickly, that is. Fantasy must be in a really pathetic state if this is the greatest series available right now. The writing is quite lame, the characters wooden, if it werent for the complex political world this book would get 0 stars. Oh wait, I can only set it as low as one. (Think I'll leave it at that). In Summary: Would make a great addition to any library containing Celestine Prophecy.
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