Rating: 
Summary: Not what I hoped
Review: I fell in love with Wheel of Time, but A Path of Daggers lacked any major plot developement, and left the best character (Mat) out of the story. It is still wonderful, but comes nowhere near the perfection of The Fires of Heaven, The Eye of the World, or most of the books before it.
Rating: 
Summary: Disappointing, no Matt, no action
Review: Imagine my complete diappointment upon reading this book and finding Matt has been completely left out of it. In book 7 we are left with Matt getting caught up in the Seachan invasion and in book 8 not one word about his fate. The book concentrates primarily on the actions of the women. Unfortunately there is not much action, merely endless banter between the characters. This book could have been condensed into a hundred pages and would have been an improvement. It appears to me that Jordan is trying stretching himself too far in trying to give every character equal billing. At this pace, the series can be at least 20 volumes long. It is hard to believe that in 2 years time, this is the best that Jordan can do. This is easily the weakest book of the series. My advise is to borrow this book instead of buying it. Wait for book 9, you wont have missed much.
Rating: 
Summary: I waited over 2 years for this?
Review: Man, I don't know what disapointed me more... the lack of Matt or the Seanchen. I love the series, I've read it straight through at least 10 times (mainly because he's taking so long with it!), but this was disapointing. Nothing dramatic besides a few lunatic channelers. Not even a good Forsaken plot to stir things up. If he takes another 2 years and comes out with a book like this, I can't see myself being very happy. Remember when the books were first released, and he just churned them out? Was it me, or were those first 5 just plain better? These last 3 have been very flat. The only thing I found very cool in this was Egwene finally taking control.
Rating:
Summary: Cut to the chase, already!
Review: Perhaps it's not fair to review the book before I've finished it, but I'm halfway through, so here it goes. This book, like the last, suffers from too many characters doing too little. The first books in the series were wonderful, because you had a small group of characters being introduced to a wider world and being forced to grow into more complex individuals by the events unfolding around them. Now, the story seems bloated by all the subsidiary actors that have been introduced to complicate the ever-more convoluted plot. I need a chart to keep track of which Aes Sedai has what relationship to Rand and the rest of the characters, not to mention all the nobles that keep cropping up. Meanwhile, the Shaido get a few chapters and the Seanchan get a few, dealing with two established enemies just enough to keep them in the mix. And then the book starts with a whole new set of potential antagnonists coming to join the action and make things even more complex. As a result of all the disparate elements that Jordan is juggling here, Mat disappears entirely and Rand becomes a minor character when he should be the pivotal one. Also, emotions are lost to action; Rand was interesting when we saw him coping with the strangeness of his life, but now he seems one-dimensional figure--the Dragon--not a human being. Perhaps this is for effect, but it's very alienating. I feel no emotional connection to the character anymore. At least none of the other characters suffer from this problem.I still think the series is one of the best in epic fantasy, but Jordan is starting to lose me with his inability to come to some sort of resolution for all the plot lines he's introduced. It used to be that when I started to read one of his books, I couldn't put it down. That's not a problem with the current installment in the series.
Rating: 
Summary: I Can't Wait for the Next One!!!
Review: As a devoted fan of the Wheel of Time series, I enjoyed The Path of Daggers immensely. The complex and intriguing world created by Robert Jordon continues to hold me in its spell even after seven books. While I did miss the presence of Mat and other personal favorites, I realize that it would be impossible to do justice to the multitude of fasicinating characters of the Wheel in one book. There is more that enough intrigue with the characters that are in this book to make a a second or third read as exciting as the first. While I await the next book as impatiently as I awaited this one. I would not want to rush Jordon's next book one bit. The Wheel weaves as the Wheel wills.
Rating:
Summary: Great book but more could have been in it...
Review: I, like so many others, have been holding our breath, waiting for Path of Daggers. Hoping that some how the grand finale or at least more pitoval scenes such as Rand's fight over Toman's Head or even the pitched battle between Rand and Ravhin, would some how come about in this book. To a degree I am satified with the way the plots keep turning and new threads are add. However there was some let down when it came to miss a couple characters I felt should have been at least seen such as Mat or even just a bigger scene between Rand and Padan Fain perhaps. Certainly the Shadow is very prevelant in this book and some of POVs were very good. What I felt it lacked was the added action and even some more character death or at least relevations about the future. However I do believe book nine will most likely be the best book by far since Lord of Chaos or even it's predecessor, The Shadow Rising. Regardless, I would recommend Path of Daggers for the Wheel of Timer readers just not for those unfamiliar to the series or even those wanting to see what the fuss is about. Again not the best of Jordan's work but certainly it's like taking a part of the Star Wars Trilogy and just comparing it by itself, it is good part of the whole.
Rating:
Summary: Praising book and it's content
Review: The 8th book provides a perfect platform for a thrilling climax and for from being tedious the majority of reading is both enjoyable and amusing. The interplay between Elayne and Nynaeve elaborates on the creation of two great characters whilst the work of Perrin provides us with a much greater insight in to the political machinations of Jordan's world. Whilst admittedly the absence of Mat is a touch dissapointing I believe that this sets the scene for a strong impact in the next book whilst at the same time adding more focus to the main character Rand. To conclude I think that the 8th book is while not as action-packed as it's predecessors equally as enjoyable and a definite must for those who love this genre.
Rating:
Summary: First rate book of fluff and filler
Review: As has been pointed out in previous reviews, (for previous WoT books even), Path of Daggers continues the fabulous story of Good vs Evil, with more than enough "...folded her arms beneath her breasts..." and "...not for the last time, he wondered how anyone could ever understand women..." This book is something around 700 pages in length, but with careful editing of the bickering and nonsensical chatter, could have been pared down considerably with no loss of plot developement or reading enjoyment. Jordan is a master storyteller. The world he has built is truly awe inspiring and a pleasure to get to know. He knows how to write a climactic confrontation. He also has shown a capacity to slow this series to a crawl and it's a shame. The Wheel of Time HAS slowed to a crawl. 5 American dollars says the fight between The Dragon Reborn and the Dark One goes 12 rounds...er...books.
Rating:
Summary: Bitterly Disappointing
Review: WOT is possibly the best fantasy series ever. But I imagine a number of those waiting for this one will be disappointed. As others have mentioned, this book reads like a 600 page prologue. First we wait nearly half the book for a glimpse of Rand, then read the rest futilely for a look at perhaps the series' most engaging character, Mat. I suppose one cannot expect Jordan to produce a Shadow Rising or Fires of Heaven every time, but frankly most of this reads as filler. There are a few bright spots, but this is otherwise an unremarkable step towards what will hopefully be an exciting book nine. The Light send we get something better after what will surely be another interminable wait for it.
Rating:
Summary: The series is amazing but "Path of Daggers" is fair at best.
Review: To be perfectly honest and to the point I read halfway through this book and had to say to myself ,"I waited two years for this!?!" and sadly the second half did little to sway my mind. Now I wonder how long will I have to wait for book nine of this series, and will I be as disappointed. Don't get me wrong, this series is amazing. The first six books are each engrossing monsters, stocked with delicious plots and lively characters. Books seven and eight seem to lack the imagination and effort of the previous six volumes. The story in "Path of Daggers" just sputters along, sadly it leaves out one of the larger characters of the series and tends to lack direction. One never really settles into reading the story. Perhaps this book should have been longer. Afterall, some of the books in this series number around a thousand pages while book eight comes in only at six hundred. On the upside though, I never really put this book down and will probably read it again. This is a testament to the fact of how captivating Robert Jordan's "Wheel of Time" series is. Maybe the only reason I find this book a disappointment is because of how high the pole has been set in this series. I hope book nine can help regain some of the magic lost of late and atone for the subpar performance of book eight.
|
