Rating: Summary: a study in ethereality Review: I think either I have somehow lost the ability to comprehend what I am reading or this book is 600 pages of fluff. I think it is time to put an end to the exploitation of epic fantasy readers. Mr. Jordan needs to understand that the genius of Tolkien, Donaldson and Williams is their quality and continuity of content not their quantity. I have been extremely impressed by this series up to this point, but really, this book could have been one or maybe two chapters in a legitimate story progression. Save your self the time and skip this one, you won't miss anything.
Rating: Summary: Woefully anti-climactic, truly disappointing Review: After having spent several months re-reading all seven of the previous W.O.T. books and haunting my local bookstore in anticipation of the arrival of Path of Daggers, I am disappointed beyond my meager ability to express. Prior to reading POD, I also (like many of the authors of the reviews I just looked over) truly loved Jordan's previous works, and felt that the W.O.T. series might be the best fantasy series ever published. However, the Path of Daggers convinced me that my earlier beliefs were erroneous. The series has stagnated in the last two books, particularly in POD. POD did little or nothing to advance the plot of the series towards its alleged ultimate conclusion - Rand's battle against the Dark One. Given the lack of intelligence or common sense attributed to Rand and the other "good guys" in this installment of the series, it would seem that the world is doomed.
Rating: Summary: Path of Daggers: An unfinished Snore Fest Review: I managed to read all of Jordan's books in one day each (they were mesmerizing), with the notable exception of "Path of Daggers". I hope to god that the next book is not the disapointment this one was. Not only did this book not go anywhere, but much of the discription in the jacket, just did not happen (when might Perrin have to forfit his soul to save Failie), it might as well have been discribing the next book.Finish what you start Jordan.
Rating: Summary: Not what I expected after waiting not one, but two years.... Review: Okay, so my peevishness at being forced to wait an additional year for #8 lasted about three days before I gave in and bought the book, and I did read it straight through like I do every time. And yes, I was disappointed. I had been hoping that Jordan was spending the extra year holed up in solitude cranking out a masterpiece that was going to rock my world, and, well, apparently he managed to fit in an extended vacation or two in there somewhere, because the Path of Daggers is filler. Engaging filler, but nonetheless apparently intended to fulfill his obligation to the publisher rather than the reader. Rather than sound utterly bitter, a couple of good points - as always, the book had a couple of excellent dry-mouth moments: Elayne's return and approach of her mother's throne and Faile's capture by the Shaido among them. But I found myself missing a Rand-Forsaken showdown - there was no incident in the book that approached that level of drama, even though this could have been accomplished in the battle with the Seanchan. If Jordan's taking requests for plot material in #9, I've got a boatload - Forsaken, Mat, Moiraine, Galad & Egwene, Siuan & Gareth Bryne, Logain......and no more new characters!
Rating: Summary: Wait for the paperback Review: If you have read the 7 previous books, no amount of words will convince you not to get Jordan's latest tome. My advise is to wait for the paperback and then be disapointed. This series is turning dismal, trite, and just plain boring. I don't see any conclusion on the horizon; for all we know, Jordan plans to milk the WOT for the next 10 years (5 books @ 2years apiece). Like other addictions, you will be better served to wean yourself from the WOT now, not later.
Rating: Summary: Plodding Time Review: I have read most of the reviews on the site, and I agree with all the negative ones. It's true: RJ has fallen in love with his own writing. What was once a whirlwind of events and exciting plot twists has become a mess of convoluted wordiness that sends the plot nowhere fast. The storyline (which is the best thing in the series, in my opinion) has become entrenched in very thick mud and does not move. Even the very disappointing A Crown of Swords had the reader gasping when the Bowl of the Winds was finally used at the end of the book. In The Path Of Daggers, interesting possibilites are not developed: The long-awaited meeting between Sorilea and Cadsuane fizzles badly and twice when two main characters are attacked (we have a first-person perspective through their eyes) you find out that they awake dazed, not knowing what happened to them. This kind of writing really saps a lot of oomph from potential "bangs" (pardon the usage). Add to all this the fact that there is no real cliff-hanger at the end; Mat is nowhere to be found in the book, and there are no gripping conflicts that send to storyline to the stratosphere. All in all, this series needs to pick up the pace. Quickly.
Rating: Summary: Better than Crown of Swords but not as good as the first 4 . Review: I began reading this series while I was stationed in England(1980-1988) and I had hoped it would have climaxed by now. I feel Mr.Jordan has been infected with the same disease our sports "heros" have, "GIVE ME MORE MONEY". Although I'm still a fan and I did enjoy reading "Path of Daggers", there are still too many unresolved issues to keep the story line flowing. Please return to your original form where everyone was saying how you re-invented The World of FANTASY and how you would be replacing JRRTOLKIEN as the BEST OF THE BEST.
Rating: Summary: MAJOR DISAPPOINTMENT! Review: What IS this all about? Who are all these people? This series has gone on so long I guess senility has set in -- not for me, but the author. That's scary because he is way younger than me. This has to be the worst book of WOT ever. I loved the series and read on and on and on and -- oh you know what I mean -- despite more than a bit of tedium because the story(ies) are/were intriguing and MOST of the major characters really CHARACTERS. BUT what happened to RAND? My personal favorite -- used to be anyway. Isn't he the one the epic is about? Everyone else is just an irritation now. Besides, all that braid tugging, skirt smoothing jewelry clinking and neckline flipping gives me a headache. What happened to the real women? -- who are these simpering ninnies? The Forsaken women are sure to triumph if only because they are the only ones who can hold more than two sequential thoughts. UGH? Is it money or old age, Mr. Jordan. Whatever, stop this nonsense, give us back the heroes we like to root for, wrap up some plots and tie up the dangling ends. I for one don't care if the series goes on forever -- just get some movement and closure. My brain can't juggle any more.
Rating: Summary: just be patient folks Review: o.k, I know this was somewhat dissapointing but compare WOT to the Star Wars trilogy. Take books 1-3 as Star Wars in which the primary characters are developed and the foundations are laid. Books 4-8 are The Empire Strikes Back in which everything just pretty much builds up to all hell breaking loose(as it seems prepared to do at the end). Lastly books 9-10(dare I actually assume that there will only be 10) as The Return of the Jedi in which everything is brought together at a breakneck balls-to-the-wall pace.
Rating: Summary: Give Mr. Jordan a break! PoD is not as bad as you think!!! Review: Everyone is saying how Mr. Jordan missed the mark with Path of Daggers. For the most part, I agree with that statement, but a true follower of Mr. Jordan will see his intentions. Rand is tasked with saving civilization from the Dark One, but to do so he must unite all the warring kingdoms and factions, including the Aes Sadei. The Seanchan invasion demonstrates the need for a unified world under Rand, and with his inevitable victory Jordan is settting al'Thor up for just that. Once the nobles and common folk see Rand as a serious victorious leader, they will be more willing to join him without fighting - Artur Hawkwing's accomplishments will be achieved again, but without the Seanchan. It is very difficult to understand what Jordan intends to do with Perrin - he saved the Two Rivers from certain destruction and helped save Rand from the Aes Sedai, both very honorable, but now he faces the remainder of the Shaido (saving Faile) and to do so he mush join forces with undisciplined Dragonsworn, liars and thieves to boot. The ultimate contest? Or just more sub-plots? Lastly, but the most important key to winning Tarmon Gai'don, is the brilliant Mat. Please, Mr. Jordan, get him married so he can concentrate on beating the up-coming Trolloc invasions from the Blight. What am I talking about? Well, you just had a vast majority of the Borderland forces heading south to Andor - saving them for the last battle that is also centered around Andor and Elayne. Somehow Moiraine comes back - is she the only Aes Sedai with brains and whit? All the others seem pathetic next to her, aside from Egwene and her closest friends. Alanna, she could play a much larger role with al'Thor, but I think Mr. Jordan is saving that for later or just plain ignoring it. Lan, even if he is married now, must still feel the pull of the Blight, so don't tell me that he will soon convince Nynaeve to follow him north past Andor - back to his homelands. All that, and so much to cover in the next book or two or three, and no one wants to wait. If I was only a fraction as good as Jordan is when it comes to writing, I would write my own conclusion. As it stands now, even with this unexpected twist of events, PoD is not a bad book, only different than what people wanted. Egwene has gained some status as the true head of Aes Sedai, and she needs it to unite the Ajahs. And now, would the Blues and Greens please dispose of the hated Reds? Disband them, make them illegal, whatever, they are the source of all trouble, and half of them are Black Ajah anyways. And, lastly, is Logain. Having him balance against Demandred as the Black Tower's teacher is a great idea - Logain should become Rand's greatest companion, and perhaps friend, as Min predicted that Logain would become a great king or ruler. It is they that will be able to cleanse the male half of the One Power, along with Nynaeve and her extraordinary talent for Healing. My last question originates from the Crown of Swords - did Rand receive help from Moridith while fighting Sammeul? He didn't sense the One Power in his shadowy companion, and the description doesn't fit Logain or the others. Another Forsaken? Seems most likely, since they will destroy each other before confronting Rand. A Mydraddal that channels? I must admit that may be a bit of a stretch, but the Dark One isn't kidding around this time. It should indicate to the Forsaken that the Dark One has no intentions of keeping humans around if he wins - the world will be remade in his vision, and no mercy will be granted to human beings, save but a select few. Mr. Jordan, I plead with you to make your next novel more comprehensive and complete, otherwise the band wagon fans may all disappear. Regardless, I will follow the series to the end, and see Rand al'Thor give everything for the sake of salvation.
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