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The Path of Daggers (The Wheel of Time, Book 8)

The Path of Daggers (The Wheel of Time, Book 8)

List Price: $7.99
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Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 2 stars
Summary: The series that never dies
Review: The Path of Daggers, the eigth in the Wheel of Time series is the weakest yet. Once the greatest, most anticipated series since, Donaldson's Covenant Books, this series has been dragging along for the last three installments, a story seemingly without end. The Path of Daggers concentrates on all of the wrong characters and storylines....and even these go nowhere. If there is a more annoying character in a long running major series other than Faile, I would like to know. As it is, most of the main characters are becoming less and less interesting as the episodes drag on, Perrin has always been rather one dimensional, Rand's struggles with the various women that surround him hasn't led to anything remotely revealing, and Mat, along with Lanfear (Rands most interesting adversary) has been MIA for quite a while now. I suppose that after reading such great books like The Dragon Reborn, or The Fires of Heaven, that there had to be a bit of a letdown, I mean no one could be expected to keep up such a blistering pace juggling so many characters, and so many threads of storyline. It's just that the main story, where the Dragon is supposed to return and destroy the world while saving it from the Dark One, has been submerged in favor of lesser fare such as the plight of the Shaido Aiel or the battle for leadership of the Aes Sedai. In fact, I'm rather hard put to remember what new things actually happened in this book, other than we were introduced to three MORE Foresaken. Strange that Jordan is still spending time, introducing new characters, and weaving even more convoluted plots, when the story should be picking up speed, winding towards a grand conclusion. While the trend in Fantasy writing tends to be more fast paced, more open sexually than ever before, Jordan characters spends endless pages wondering why they cannot understand the actions of the opposite sex. His novels have an almost puritannical streak, which makes for poor character development and relationships that cannot possibly burn with any kind of passion. Couple that with endless scenes of Rand using his powers to thwart one enemy or another, and you basically have a story that is full of sound and fury signifying nothing. Readers have said that digging in to a good series becomes an almost intoxicating experience, you go up, finish the book and come down again, until the next "fix". The Path of Daggers has brought the Wheel of Time series down....with a thud!

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: SERIES O'PAIN
Review: Is it just me or do all the women in RandLand spend all of their time smoothing/adjusting their skirts? His series is now approaching 4000 pages and 25% of them focus on the status of skirts. This series has become one ridiculously huge annuity plan for Mr. Jordan. Greenpeace activists should be manning a 24-hour WTO-like protest on his front lawn for all of the trees he has sacrificed by drawing this thing out over 8 books. The number of characters has grown so big that the Manhattan phone directory must have at least 23,498 fewer listings than what a true WOT directory would show. The Dustin Hoffman character from RAINMAN would have a tough time trying to keep track of them all. I am sorely disappointed that the author seems to think he can ream his audience repeatedly and get away with it. Mr. Jordan clearly suffers from diarreah of the word processor. God invented libraries for a reason and that reason has a name: Robert Jordan.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: The Longest Train Wreck in the History of Fantasy/Sci-Fi
Review: This series is a disaster and I can only hope that this latest installment means we're nearing the end. The first book MAY have been worth 3 stars, if you're feeling charitable. The series has gone downhill steadily. Previous reviewers nailed the exact troubles with this book so read them. The biggest shame about this book and the series is that it serves as a massive distractor from other better fantasy writers.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Beware of the 5 Star Reviews: Take them with a grain of salt
Review: Be warned all ye who read these reviews: This is NOT a 5 star book. Even the reviews contained here should tell you that if you read them. Sure, there are 5 star reviews but even those people tell you that this book is not that great, or has problems or suffers from pacing issues. The truth of the matter is that Jordan is riding on reputation and a public's perception that his new stuff is good ONLY because he has written good books in the past.

Jordan has passed into a form os self mockery. His character are starting to act in a unintentionally comical fashion. Entire pages (and yes, I do mean entire pages) will cover a rather meaningless discussion in which Jordan will describe how each character responds to another character's facial expressions. NO JOKE.

IF THIS WAS THE FIRST BOOK YOU READ IN THE SERIES YOU WOULD'T READ ANOTHER ONE! That is the absolute truth. Instead of rewarding dedication with a plot that carries through the promise of exposition and background, Jordan plods along. This book's plot (as well as Crown of Swords) is so instantly forgettable that only the most diehard fans would be able to repeat it, although the story could probably be described in short shrift.

My message to my fellow reviewers is to judge this book for what it is, and not within the context of a series which was once full of promise. To grant this book a 5, or 4 star rating simply because, say, you loved the Great Hunt (as I did) does a vast diservice to other readers.

I am realistic about the fact that a reader of this review isn't going to use it to determine whether to start the series. I am sure that this review is being read only be people who's opinions are set in stone one way or the other. But in the hope that there is someone out there unsure about whether to read this book, or even to start this series, my answer is "No." After such a long amount of time devoted to this series and its characters, it has turned to utterly terrible. I strongly feel that I have wasted my time reading through Jordan's last three books. I am sorry to say this, but if I had known at the time I started Eye of the World what I know now, I believe that I wouldn't have started the series. Instead, I would have dedicated myself to stories and authors who understood basic storytelling devices such as plot and pacing.

One additional point for those people who would ignore my advice: If you must read these books, I would take breaks often. It took my months to finish Crown of Swords, for example, because the plot would literally stop cold. Additionally, do not think yourself daft because you do not like Jordan's writing style. At first I thought it was just me, but I realize by the other reviews, that I am not alone. Yes, Jordan has a great grasp of the English language. What Jordan suffers from is an apparent disrespect for his reader's intelligence. While other writers will fast forward time (say a week), Jordan seems intent on describing every hour in the day. The result is that the reader is told every detail of a character's day, even those events which the character himself thinks are boring.

I would also be very wary of the earlier reviews. Having read many of the reviews on Jordan's earlier books, I have found that many of the earlier reviewers simply gave the book 5 stars and then admitted in their review that they hadn't read the book yet but they were "sure it was going to be great." Obviously, that type of review is worthless. However, check for yourself: the Jordan faithful are so dedicated to a author who apparently feels less respect for his audience.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: path of boredom
Review: I was looking forward to the continuation of an exciting story that seemed to be slowing down. Instead I found myself in the epithomy of womanhood as perceived by a very macho, egomaniac, superiority complex type of writer. Much to my chagrin I had to leaf page after page reading fake girlish bickering looking for a resoolution of some conflict. Instead all was a mess of events. Did somebody edit the book as to make it more structured? Is Robert Jordan exploring his feminine side and oblitarating it? Is he writing only to fill pages hoping the quality of his first three books will carry him over a few more titles? That, ladies and gentlemen, is what was in my mind at the end of the book, and not at all the fate of any of the characters who have become mere cartoons in a mire of sameness. I only which there were minus stars to rate this book.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Zero stars...what happened in this one?
Review: I read this when it first came out, hoping Jordan had finally decided to tell a story again. I was disappointed. I honestly don't remember what happened any longer, except for the Bowl of the Winds thing. Yeah, that's good writing. I'll stick to Robin Hobb, Martin, Glen Cook & The Black Company, and a host of other GOOD writers who can tell a story.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: The dud of a great series
Review: The first 120 pages of this book was the most boring fiction writing I've ever read. Fix the weather with the Bowl of the Winds and get on with the story. Where's Mat? He's one of the most interesting characters in the series. Perrin is one of the dullest. When do Rand and Elayne meet again, the last twenty pages of the series? The ending showed some promise. I hope Taim attacks Elayne in Andor. Maybe the Dark One will finally break all the seals and heat things up a little bit. Maybe the Seachan will attack Tear. I just hope something interesting happens in the next book.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The Path of Daggers(Jordan,Robert, Wheel of Time, Blk. 8)
Review: Yo mordirin is Ismal reborn, the others are lanfear( name is last chance) and the other two Forsaken who died in the first book. the tall fade is the paragon of his type, and is very atuned to the Dark One.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Please Stop
Review: Listen, I'll read a cereal box if there is nothing else around, but I didn't even finish this novel. I read the earlier books while waiting for Goodkind's next work, and steadily began to regret not taking up TV.

Mr. Jordan: I DO NOT NEED TO KNOW EVERY LEAF THAT FALLS FROM THE TREES. The pacing of these books is MISERABLE. For the LOVE OF GOD SPEED IT UP. I swear to GOD in Crown of Swords NOTHING HAPPENED. I'd invite Mr. Jordan to review the 3 act structure just incase he has become lost in describing to us the rustling sound mice make when they walk across the broken dried leaves of falls past.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Losing Interest
Review: These books are like an addiction. I cannot stop reading them, so for me to say that one was bad is definitly going to take a big disapointment. Path of Daggers is just that. Characters become more one dimensional the more I read, the story goes nowhere. Has Jordan run out of ideas? Does he now know how to end it? Or is he just stretching this series as far as he can to pick up the extra bucks? Whatever it is one more book like this will make me lose interest in Rand once and for all.


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