Rating: Summary: If you don't like it - read more closely Review: It seems a lot of people are disappointed with this book, and the series in general. I believe this is because you're not reading closely enough. Read it again, and pay attention - there's PLENTY to keep you busy. Just think of all the mysteries there are. Who killed Asmodean. According to RJ, by bk. 6 it should be "obvious." Do you know? Have you even wondered, or tried to figure it out? There are two popular theories on the web, one is Graendal and the other Lanfear. Try looking at all the websites, reading their reasoning, and create your own theory. Who do you think is beating Sheriam? Who is Mesaana in the Tower? Who killed Adeleas and Ispan? These things fascinate me, and I find myself going back and looking for clues, and reading what other people think on the web. After that, if you have a new idea, you can send it to people who have the websites, and discuss/get yours posted. People say there's not enough action, but you're just not looking closely enough; there's plenty to keep you occupied. If you pay attention to all the mysteries, and look for clues, you're certain to find something that will keep you intrigued. The sheer quality of the writing is amazing, but if you go back and look through the rest of the books, you notice things you never would have before. For example, how many of you realized that in Book1, Ishamael healed Lews Therin with the True Power (the black eye stuff)? The books are layered and layered and layered, and you can't even begin to comprehend it until several readings all the way through. There's just so much here, if you don't like the books, then you're expecting everything to be handed to you simply. Reread it and try to figure it out and speculate. Trust me, you'll enjoy it a lot more than sitting here complaining.
Rating: Summary: Good novel building the plot Review: There have been a lot of relatively poor reviews for this book most of which are related to the length of the series and the tedious nature of the plot. The point is that this is a huge series and a book like this was necessary to bring some of the plotlines together. There is really little point in reading this book without reading the rest of the series first , and for those who think the whole series too long yes its hateful having to wait a year for the next part of the story but i also would like to see most of the plotlines concluded in some fashion and the only way this is going to happen is with 3 - 5 more books. Also if its that annoying then its obviously worth waiting for.
Rating: Summary: Waste of time Review: Worthless.How can people call his series an "epic"???? Just worthless. Stop milking the public, Jordan, and stop killing trees. If you continue to make these books, at least use recycled paper!
Rating: Summary: Worst "epic" ever Review: Thank goodness I stopped at Book 4. I now wonder why I wasted the money and time...oh well, that can't be helped now. Please tell me something, why is he popular? He is not only wasting pages, he's wasting words. If you want to pick up a real fantasy epic, try Tolkein's the Hobbit, Raymond E. Feist's Riftwar Saga Series, or R.A. Salvatore's Dark elf series. Don't waste your money or time on this claptrap I give this "1 star", only because I have to.
Rating: Summary: good, except nothing happened in it Review: One thing I like about this series, I can read them and be entertained. This book still was entertaining, despite the fact that nothing happened. Robert Jordan is very political, everyone is perfectly composed and the blink of an eyelash means that they are especially agitated. Those people must be very sick of watching each other so closely. I know I would be. I think Mat put it very aptly in book five, when he wanted to escape because he was tired of people looking at him like " in a second they were going to tell him what he was thinking, and they already knew whether his small clothes were clean or not". Mat's one of my favorite characters, he makes me laugh. It was too bad he wasn't in this book. This book let a lot of stuff hang. I think Mr. Jordan could start bringing in more of the Forsaken to pick things up again, instead of going into all these sub plots and counter plots between Aes Sedai. It's so annoying reading about Aes Sedai composure. But all in all he wrote a good series, I felt like the characters were old friends by the time I got to book seven and I could laugh at everything they did because it made sense. It can't be easy living up to the fantasies of millions of fans. Maybe that's why he's letting it drag, he wants to make sure that the series isn't disappointing.
Rating: Summary: Lots of background Review: Everybody's complaining about how slow the book is and how convoluted the plot has become. But will this stop anyone from buying the next book? Not a chance! People, stop looking at it as a slow, boring book and think of it as a ton of background info (okay, maybe too much background, not enough foreground) that can only increase the action later.
Rating: Summary: Subtle, subtle, subtle. Review: I think the thing that anyone who has read, or who's even considered reading this series needs to remember, is that all of the characters keep changing through the entire(so far) series. Especially for those that think the last few books have been "boring". Jordan masterfully keeps the characters growing. I've read the books through more than twice, just to catch "the things you catch the second time around". It's funny how in a world of non-commitment, Jordan seems MORE than committed to keeping our appetites satisfied with an evolving ever-alive world where even the not-so-important characters seem developed and subtly suprise you here and there. Better than Eddings. Better than Goodkind. Not for anyone with a lack of commitment to reading.
Rating: Summary: i just got bored. Review: tangents, tangents, tangents. as if jordan were idolizing all of dickens' mistakes. anyway, since i bought the book i've just been feeling guilty about not being able to finish the buggered thing, as it all leads nowhere and for the past three books i've been feeling anyway as though i ought to keep a pen hand to keep track of what's going on. but it just isn't worth the bother. and what is with the whole wide-eyed naivete and grating exaggeration of the relationships and reactions of the characters? it was cute at first, and one makes allowances for the backward farmboys in the beginning, but are the characters of his world just congenially child-like? and it simply isn't possible for characters to read that much into each twitched eyelash and plot and think at the same time--that much unnatural tension would make them snap, if they were real. which they can't convince me that they are. the man can write, give him that, maybe he ought to try his hand at travel books and essays, but on story-telling he's all puttered out. mr jordan--condense it, focus it, rescuscitate it, and don't sell out. please.
Rating: Summary: Very amusing. Review: I stopped reading this series after the travesty that was "A Crown of Swords", and judging by most of the intelligent reviews, it was a wise decision. One thing amuses me: many people have been excusing Jordan by proclaiming that this book is a 'transitional novel', setting the stage for some grand action in the coming book. That may be, but I would like to point out one thing--if you take a good look at the customer reviews for Book 6, you will see people saying EXACTLY THE SAME THING. And if you look at the customer reviews for Book 7--again, the common wisdom ran, "It's a transitional novel, and Book 8 will be the BIG one!" Now, as I look at the reviews for Book 8, I cannot help but laugh. THREE transitional novels in a row??? Hmmmm. And one other thing--people are recommending George R.R. Martin, but they fail to mention his equal (if not superior) in crafting a fantasy epic: Tad Williams. His "Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn" trilogy never misses a step. And the best part? It's finished!
Rating: Summary: good but slow Review: Well I read book 8 and it wasn't bad but the chapters were to short compared to the other books and there was only 30 chapters. What happened in this book well Rand is slowly going mad and loseing control, he has traitors on his hand trying to kill him and the Maiden's angery at him. Elayne is finaly home again and ready to lay claim to the throne, Egwene finaly has had enough with the Hall and told them she is the Amyrlin Seat and put Romanda and Lelaine in thier places and is not there puppet and it looks like Perrin and Faile are in trouble. All in all a good book. I know that some reviewers didn't like this book because nothing happened well somethings did happened and some didn't but not enough to please some readers, well I was happy with the book and that is all that counts. So I suggest you read this book if you read the others and make up your owen mind.
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