Home :: Books :: Science Fiction & Fantasy  

Arts & Photography
Audio CDs
Audiocassettes
Biographies & Memoirs
Business & Investing
Children's Books
Christianity
Comics & Graphic Novels
Computers & Internet
Cooking, Food & Wine
Entertainment
Gay & Lesbian
Health, Mind & Body
History
Home & Garden
Horror
Literature & Fiction
Mystery & Thrillers
Nonfiction
Outdoors & Nature
Parenting & Families
Professional & Technical
Reference
Religion & Spirituality
Romance
Science
Science Fiction & Fantasy

Sports
Teens
Travel
Women's Fiction
The Path of Daggers (The Wheel of Time, Book 8)

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

List Price: $7.99
Your Price: $7.19
Product Info Reviews

<< 1 .. 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 .. 167 >>

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: I wish this story would move on
Review: I started reading WOT about two years ago, and I went through the series in about 4 weeks, because I was amazed by the complexity, and depth of the novels, and just the story it itself is amazing. But as I read on, I notice that the story did not really progress as in other normal fantasy books, like when is Rand going to fight the big cheese. When I heard that the eigth book was coming out, I quickly ran and bought the book, but to my amazement the book was just boring. There were basically two battles that were describe pitifully, and Egwene still in her journey to gain control of the Aes Sedai, and well you know the rest. I hope Jordon's series would just pick up the pace like it did in the first couple in the series. And can somebody please tell why Rand A'Thor is still a whiny little kid, I mean deal with, accepted and move on. You figure that after 7 books, he would change. This book was just lacking in something unlike the first couple. I know that the story itself is great and everything, but it's just taking too long, and I think that the readers/fans are getting fed up with it. Mr Jordon, if you're reading this, I hope you understand I'm not putting you down or anything, it's just that the latter books weren't as good as the first couple, and I hope you can rekindle that spark, that attract so many readers.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Could have been wonderful
Review: The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan is not a good series, despite being written well.

Criteria for a "good" book, or series: o The book is well written; meaning that it has a continuous flow of story that "keeps you in the book". o The book has a coherent, easy to follow plot that is not predictable o The book has a believable plot, in that the characters don't do anything unbelievably stupid. o The plot follows the standard "V" form (not necessary, but common in all classics).

Many of the opinions or claims in this paper will not be directly substantiated or referenced. This means that the feelings come from the reviews that I spent half of a day reading (over 100). The criteria however, are an exception to this. When readers who read frequently read for pleasure, they tent to "get lost" in the book that they are reading. By this I don't mean become confused with the story, but a kind of envelopment, where a reader forgets that he or she is reading and experiences the story. It is common for people to "get lost" in television programs this way, when to get someone's attention, you have to shout or wave your hand in front of the viewers face. This is one of the main goals of quality writing for pleasure, where the reader forgets that he or she is reading, and can see and even hear the story inside of his or her mind. A book that is "well written" flows enough to keep the reader inside of this world, so that the book occupies not just the reader's eyes, but the readers mind as well. When characters act out of character, or a particular scene needs to be re-read to be understood, the reader will often "fall out of the book", and this is a sign of a poorly written book. Another sign of a "good" book is a believable plot. A good plot necessitates that characters in the book follow the pattern of behavior that they have previously established, and that everything that the characters do has a reason. The plot should not be obvious, in that the reader should not know what is going to happen any more that very vaguely, and it should be easy for the reader to understand what is happening, and why. Too many characters introduced to quickly will keep the reader lost trying to sort out who is who, as will complicated or similar names. The standard "V" form is an age-old plan for the plot of a story, with the "V" representing the way the chances of the hero/heroin winning are looking: § The story starts, the author identifies the hero/heroin, he/she finds that he/she has an impossible or unlikely task to complete and struggles with the "why me?" dilemma. § The hero/heroin takes up the torch, and bravely begins his/her quest; the hero/heroin makes progress, and the task seems less impossible. § The hero/heroin suffers a major defeat, and comes within inches of dying. His/her forces are crushed, the enemy seems to have won a complete victory, and the task of the her/heroin now seems more unlikely than ever. § The hero/heroin somehow retaliates with a plan that no one trusts, and overcomes great odds to defeat the enemy; everyone lives happily ever after.

"[The books in the "Wheel of Time" series are] the windiest books I've ever read"(Honnecke). "The descriptions go on ad nausium but with a plot so interesting that you continue to read; it is not until you set the book down however, that you realize that nothing has happened"(Honnecke).

The "well written" book is the only criteria that the "Wheel of Time series" totally fulfills. Robert Jordan is quite adept at creating a world that has readers clamoring to find out what happens next, and is able "hook" almost everyone that come in contact with his books. Jordan's characters are interesting, separate people that command attention and devotion. Part of this series ability to "hook" readers has to do with the interest in Jordan's characters. One of the attributes that differentiate this book from other fiction-fantasy is Jordan's ability to completely surprise the reader, the twists and turns of the plot found in "The Wheel of Time" are enough to confound even the most veteran of readers. However, this supreme unpredictability comes at a price: the easy of understanding. The plot is coherent, and convincing, giving readers a feeling for more than twenty individual characters and the separate personalities that go along with them. However, the sheer number of such complex characters makes sifting through who is who an activity that requires the reader to have been taking notes through half of the series. It is easy to get confused about what the character is doing, when the reader has to struggle through three pages of reasons, and feelings. In what may be an attempt to promote believability, or lengthen the overall series, Jordan spends much of his pages on character development of characters that refuse to develop. The main characters are, in the eighth book, still struggling with the same issues that have plagued them since the third or fourth. The people in Jordan's world seem to learn very little from the contemplation that takes up easily half of the book. Jordan may be trying to provide an accurate portrayal of the human mind, or he may want to solve all of his world's problems in one final book. Either way, why do his main characters have to be so blind to the world around them, as well as stupid? Finally, Jordan has proved over an over that he favors, not the "V" style, But more of a "__' "style. In that his books start off with the situation of the characters looking horrible, and then immediately getting worse. This trend continues throughout the rest of the book until the very end, when by some miraculous twist, the heroes and heroines seem to have triumphed once again. This series although interesting, fascinating, and completely original; is full of the most painstakingly slow happenings ever to be produced in such quality.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: I just wish something would happen
Review: I agree with the often voiced opinion that the Wheel of Time series is well written and based in an interesting and complex fantsy world. However, I find that the books move a little slow for my taste. Not that I could stop reading them (they are addictive), because of the novel subject of the "one power" and the world that it resides in. This is not to mention the characters that I have come to idetify with over the course of this series. So, overall I have enjoyed this series I just wish that Jordan would pick up the pace.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Disappointment
Review: Robert Jordon has a gift for describing people and places with such great detail that one feels as if they were walking with his characters. This book, however goes overboard in this. You get all this great detail about things, but the plot's entire progress suffers due to it. I was excited throughout all of his other books, but this one made me wonder why I spent my money on it.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: The Path of Daggers
Review: Having been a long time fan of Jordans writing and yes I even liked the Conan Chronicles, I found the latest installment to this absolutely stunning world he has created with the other seven books to be very confusing. You need a masters degree in physics and english comp to understand all of the twisting and turnings of the story line. Meanwhile all those lovable character descriptions and indepth comments on their thoughts have become plain annoying. Where did all the action go and more importantly the reactions. It was all so open ended. However bad the story line was though the denoument(ending) was worse! When is this torment for Rand going to end? Does he get any of the girls, does he loose it or does he just die? Whatever the answer is I hope it comes soon as my pocket are finding new places to spend their money. All things considered though Robert Jordan has left himself with a great deal to build off of in the next installment and it should make for a fantastic storyline provided he steers clear of the mistakes of Path of Daggers and keeps the plot together. I suggest also that if you are a die hard fan like me you take the time to reread the last few books to help you keep things in perspective...on to #9 ROB!

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Give me a break
Review: I am an avid fan of the wheel of time series and literally drove the local bookstore owner mad asking when this item would be relaesed so you can imagine my disapointment upon reading it.

This book does not add anthing new to the story nor does it resolve anything. After seven books building up the story I am starting to wonder if Jordon is just going to string us along forever or if he is going to give us the monumental disapointment found in another (lets not name names) that builds up the story over a number of volumes and resolves 30 years of plot in a single final chapter.

While this book might be good in itself as some people have suggested. Fans such as myself know that it is a huge let down of Jordan's usual standard.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Did I really need to read this one?
Review: The question that I keep asking myself is why did I keep reading. I have enjoyed most of the books of this series, but I found this book tedious with no real reason for being. Nothing happened.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: It works
Review: For a storyline of this magnitude, Jordan surpasses all. Of course there will be meandering and sometimes hard to follow parts. You try writing a story like this and see how well you do. I have been reading the Wheel of Time series since the first book was ever published. I am eagerly awaiting the ninth book.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Comment made by a poor Croatian student
Review: I think it is frustrating for a student from eastern Europe to pay a very fair price for eight books and then to realize that it is not nearly finished. Please finish it Rob.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Jordan: I'm trying to help you out here.
Review: The Path of Daggers has earned my frustration not so much by the fact that it was the worst of the Wheel of Time series (and oh, it was bad) as it was the straw that broke MY back. If I hear just one more of these sorts of descriptions by Jordan, I cannot be held responsible for any wholesale destruction on my part: 1)any thought by Matt, Perrin, or Rand that one is better with women than the other. It was actually amusing the first couple of times. With about eight of these observations per book, it stopped being amusing real quickly. 2)the endlessly repeated descriptions on how terrible it is to grasp Saidin. However, If Jordan must include these, once per book is just fine. Once per grasping of saidin is torture unimaginable. 3)I know I'm not alone here: No more cutesy little puerile taunting fests, or comments of bewilderment, between the sexes. That also ceased entirely to be amusing by the end of the Eye of the World. The cow has been thoroughly milked. The foundation for Jordan's series is solid, imaginative, and filled with the kind of detail that creates the illusion of real history. For these reasons, the WORLD of the Wheel of Time is thoroughly enjoyable. However, this major strength is being sapped and tormented by the existence of those three big problems, and other such related ones. The book unto itself was bad in that it was horribly disjointed, slow and drawn out, and abruptly cut off. I had to reread the ending about two more times to make sure I understood it correctly, but only after checking to make sure that no lost pages had fallen out of the book. Jordan's habit in his previous books (done for the most part successfully) was to bring the story to a quick and action filled ending. This time, it was just literarily abrupt. If he could bring his writing and/or plot style back to the Shadow Rising-Fires of Heaven formula, Jordan would be in the clear again.


<< 1 .. 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 .. 167 >>

© 2004, ReviewFocus or its affiliates