Rating: 
Summary: Path of Daggers
Review: Well, I have read a few of the reviews, and I must say, I agree with those that believe negativity is too easily spread. Remember, it is always easier to be the critic than to be the one being critiqued. In reference to Robert Jordan's lack of excitement and adventure, I would say that is a reflex of our over-stimulated culture. Mr. Jordan is attempting to write an epic story, not a sensation-oriented, hit-you-til-you-can't-feel-your-feet type of book. I would draw your attention to famous works, like Homer's Iliad, when he describes the armies of the heroes or the Bible, when we are gifted to a list of whom begat whom, which goes on forever. While not the most fascinating of sections, each author believed them necassary for the telling of their specific story. Remember, we are all guests in Robert Jordan's world, which he can see and taste, and we can only read about. Mr. Jordan paints us a picture of a world he sees as real, and I ask you, what more could you want? My life isn't chock full of excitement all the time, and his stories are more real then some sensational novels I have read. So I would say to those who believe they must be stimulated constantly to enjoy Robert Jordan's world; remember, it is a series and he has had the final scene fixed in his mind from the beginning. Prepare yourself for the next novel, which I believe will tie up a few loose ends and expose us to many more twists. All will be revealed in the end.
Rating:
Summary: Delightfully Subtle
Review: To say that nothing happens in PoD is a travesty. Jordan spins a fantastical world with a maturity and art rarley seen in an age hooked on 15 second audio bits. Science Fiction does not have a name as the most profound of genre's, yet Jordan imbues his work with a richness and texture that easily equals the best writers of our time- although perhaps focusing on less relevant social material. I thought POD was one of the best books in the series thanks to its subtle, yet complex, manipulation of plot and character. Better than COS and LOC, it is defintely more than just a filler before WH.
Rating: 
Summary: the set up
Review: While "Path of Daggers" is just a bunch of fluff compared to books 1-7, Jordan used it to set up book 9. Will Elayne get her throne? Will Egwene get the White Tower? Is Mat dead or a Seanchan prisoner? How will Faile get herself out of the mess she's in? Will Rand stop hating Aes Sedai and realize that he and the Asha'man are male Aes Sedai? Who is the Daughter of the Nine Moons? Will marriage soothe Nynaeve's grumpy soul? We wouldn't be able to ask many of these questions without book 8. Jordan has had two years to ponder the plots of book 9. Let's keep our fingers crossed that "Winter's Heart" isn't a set up for book 10.
Rating: 
Summary: Not his greatest, but a good "filler"
Review: As others have said, PoD WAS NOT BAD! It was a necessary evil, a transition novel. I encourage all readers to thoroughly re-read this book (come on, if I, being a young teenager, can reread it, all you adults can too), THEN see what they think about it. See? It IS good; it hints at a lot of things and sets the stage for the last few novels, although I'm still suffering from "Mat withdrawal".
Rating:
Summary: Drivel
Review: A four word sentence sums up this book: Don't waste your time. Jordan has taken an idea for a series that was a good one in the first several books, but has drawn this storyline out so thin that it is just bad writing. Essentially, there is no plot to this book - everything inches forward incrementally from the positions in the last several books in this series. All Jordan is doing is milking the mindless readers out there for more sales, once he has hooked you on his series. Please, don't buy into that greedy, unispired plan of his. Jordan's ridiculous characters have long since become silly, trite caricatures of nearly the same foolish, headstrong person. Who on earth thinks it is clever, intelligent, original or even mediocre writing to include endless scenes of the same people doing the same things? Do we really need Jordan to tell us for perhaps the three hundreth time in the series that Nyaeve tugs her hair when she is frustrated or angry? Please people - have enough discriminating literary taste to reject this slop. Jordan displayed decent writing skills and a great imagination in the first book or two of the WOT series, but has just become lazy and avaricious since then. The only way that his true fans can force him to revert to the quality writing that he has since abandoned many volumes ago, is to refuse to buy his books unless and until he crafts his books, rather than merely churn them out one after another.
Rating: 
Summary: An Intriguing Half Story
Review: A completely repaced book , which presents a change in style following the other previous books in the series. Difficult to get through unless an avide fan, it becomes much more interesting and fun, if having read the other seven books shortly before reading this one. Only then is the book really intrgiuing. A teaser that doesn't reveal much but hints at and promises much more. Although quite compelling. You end up with feeling that this was half a book. BY far the shortest of the books.
Rating: 
Summary: Reading the Book Was Like Walking a . . .
Review: Much like Hans Christian Anderson's mermaid's sacrifice, I found reading this book was as painful as the title warns. Jordan apparently has received training in the David Eddings method of Formulaic Fantasy, and has thrown out the competent characterization (these were all striving for three dimensions, but falling a little short) in exchange for the nudge-nudge, wink-wink method of showing where men and women differ. Honestly, if I wanted to read about this, I would read "Men are from Mars, Women from Venus", but Jordan has been cramming this inane filler down his reader's throats for nigh on three books. The only reason I find fault with this technique this late in the game is the lack of excitement in the plotting. Whereas in earlier endeavors, even the wheels-within-wheels machinations of the scores of factions in the series - though a little heavy-handed in their melodrama - were made interesting, and had some bearing upon the work. Unfortunately, "The Path of Daggers" simply has plans within plans, but no punch behind it. On the other hand, some long-standing dilemmas (like Nynaeve's magic-working) are resolved in a flash, making all the worriment a little silly, and the resolution trite. I cannot say whether I will buy the next book, but I surely hope for all those who know they will: close your eyes and hope it is more "Lord of the Rings" than "Mission Earth".
Rating:
Summary: What happened to the end of the book?
Review: I have to admit that I LOVE the WOT series. I think that Jordan does an amazing job of creating characters that people can really relate to, and furthermore, I find the myriad of sub-plots add a lot to the series. (plus it's fun to try and keep track of everything that is going on) With that said, I am very disappointed in book 8. I'm glad that I read the book since it adds something to the entire story, but Jordan really needs to start to resolve some of the well developed, older, sub-plots. It's just not fun to have to keep track of the same things forever. However, IT IS fun to really get into a new aspect of the book that can be developed as a sub-plot. I think that because so much is going on right now, Jordan has to pay a little bit of attention to everything. This is really thinning out the writing, and all of the major plots and new sub-plots aren't getting enough attention. One final note in Jordan's favor. While he does leave us hanging incessantly, I enjoy that . . . it makes me excited to pick up the next book and it shows a good contrast to Terry Goodkind (Sword of Truth novels) who really ties up almost everything at the end of each book. While Goodkind's books are fun to read I don't crave them the way that I crave WOT books. The reason for this? Jordan's cliff-hangers and the sub-plots that everybody loves for about 2.5 books.
Rating:
Summary: If you love watching hours of C-Span...
Review: then you'll love this book! And I thought watching politicians prattle on and on about some obscure issue that only people in their home district care about in an empty House Chamber late at night was boring, well let me tell you that POD makes C-Span seem like exciting television. Jordan needs to take writing lessons from George R.R. Martin, who is making a run at winning the title of best modern fantasy writer. (Okay, maybe Gene Wolfe or Orson Scott Card should get it.) There is a reason why, to the best of my knowledge, no book from the WOT series has ever won, or even been nominated, for a Nebula or Hugo Award. Sorry Jordan, I'm off this endless ride. Enjoy my money....
Rating:
Summary: Who wants resolution? Not me.
Review: Path of Daggers. It is hard for me to disentangle this novel from all of the others in order to review it on its own merits. In my mind, the characters and events from all of Jordan's novels come together seamlessly. The series unfolds like a single work, each book a chapter in this epic masterwork. In Path of Daggers, Rand al'Thor has become more a tragic hero, flawed by his own pride. When he raises Callandor against the Seanchan, it is Odysseus defiantly giving his name to the blinded Polyphemus. Once again Jordan has given us new characters to love and hate and revealed to us new facets to the characters we already hold dear as friends or loathe as mortal enemies. As he so skillfully does, Jordan has resolved some questions, introduced others, and suggested that the impossible must happen. .... The faces he shows us are not perfect. Their lives are not perfect, their decisions are not always right. There is no grand resolution, loss, or triumph....It is a series of small skirmishes and battles. Jordan's greatest talent lies in making his characters change and grow, and they continue to do so in this eighth book. It is not the best book in the series, but it still keeps you up late so you can read just one more chapter. And it does what it is supposed to do...keep you wanting more. So until book nine, I guess its back to the beginning (again).
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