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

Rating:
Summary: Jordan's done it at last.
Review: Thank goodness for Path of Daggers. I can now comfortably put the series out of my mind until the next installment comes out. With the others in the WOT series that just wasn't possible.

Rating:
Summary: Its getting to be a bit of a tangled skein...
Review: Jordan's WOT now has so many different story-lines that further developing them appears to be creating a series of different-but-semi-related stories, not one multi-leveled one. This book is still highly readable, but it is more due to the author having a good turn of phrase, rather than any merit in the plodding story-line(s). POD is a book you work through, not one that captures you. Whilst I fully accept that the extraordinary pressures placed on Rand, coupled with his impending madness might understandably make him a bit tetchy, to my mind it is getting a bit hard to feel compassionate about him. He's turned into a tosspot!! On the plus side, Jordan is a bit like Pete Sampras. He's a master at his trade who, even when he's not at his best, is still right up there at the top of the heap. POD is a bridge to what would appear to be the concluding stages of this great epic. Rand's iffy (at best) relationship with the Ashamen of the Black Tower is very well handled, as is the developement of the characters of Perrin and Egwene. It says a lot of Jordan that even after being disappointed with his last two WOT offerings, I still eagerly await his next one.

Rating:
Summary: Stretching my patience and my attention is drifting
Review: After reading David Eddings Belgariad and Mallorean series I was ready for something different, so my brother, who gave me the Edding's books, told me about Robert Jordan. There was about 5 books out at the time. As I read my way through all his books, I became involved in the storyline, and all the plots and schemes being made by every character and their mother. It was rather amusing. Time moved on and new plots developed and got intresting, until the height of the series in the Lord of Chaos. Finally PoD came out. It took me 6 days to read, unlike the others that were much longer(I noted) were read in less time. All I can say was I got bored. Nothing seemed to happed except everyone just moved from one location to another, and some went back to their previous locations. 2 steps forward and 3 steps back. PoD was tolerable at best, even if that. Down the long dark path of disappoints and letdowns, this book ranks high. It lacked storylines, plots, and even action. And exactly how many petty little characters do you plan to have in this book. I really don't need to know the name of every man in every town from the Spine of the World to the Aryth Ocean, and I certainly don't want to know the name of every horse they ride to the style of dress or coat they wear. I found my self just reading the book so I wouldn't miss anything in the next one. All this book is 600 pages of filler and dribble. I found the character's not progressing in any sort of ways, I think something was lost when this book was written, most notably an outline, or perhaps something that involves someone of considerable importance, and I don't mean some Inn Keeper who spills a drink on someone and is found with a sword sticking out her chest or some nonsense like that. A few ideas were planted in this book, like linking, cleansing Saidin, and a new way to hunt down Black Ajah. Other than that, I didn't set aside anytime to read PoD, I did it when I was bored, and getting more bored by the minute. The only thing I have to say if nothing at all is wait until paperback, and then read it in preparation for the 9th installment. If anything I'd think Robert Jordan is trying to out do the Grand Jury testamonies that came out several months gone. In other word RJ lets get a move on, I don't wanna see the series end when I'm 50, and by the looks of it, it just might. I think this book a lame horse that needs to be shot, and speaking of horses that need to be shot, start with Bela.

Rating:
Summary: The book was good, go on you can say it
Review: All right heres the thing, this book was pretty darn good. Sure, it wasn't as in depth as the previous ones, yet it could not have been. These are the reasons. First Mr. Jordan has had a rough couple of years. Second he had to write New Spring for the Legends book and last he did have a deadline. The point is under the circumstances, he did a pretty darn good job. I must say the best chapter was the one with Logain. If RJ keeps him up as an important character, well lets just say it would be a good thing.

Rating:
Summary: The weakest of an All-Pro line up- But still All-Pro
Review: RJ introduces very interesting new characters and plot twists; this alone makes it a must read for Jordan fans. Although I like more resolution in a book, the foundation has been established here to make book No. 9 outstanding. Lord of Chaos remains my favorite.

Rating:
Summary: Heavy and slow, but picks up near the end
Review: The begining was heavy, heavy, heavy. A 50 page prolouge that had nothing to do with the plot (yet) did little to whet my interest, and all the stuff with Elayne/Nyneave/Avienhda was far too long--all the whining and fighting with the 20+ Kin, Aes Sedai and Sea Folk was just horrible, and Jordan turned what could have been an intriguing climax (fixing the weather) into boring garbage. Rand's fight with the Seachan was pathetic; it could have been very eventful, but it concerned mostly a bunch of shifty eyed lords and Seachan narratives. The book's saving grace was Perrin, Faile, and Egwene, who's happenings were usually very interesting and well plotted, although confusing at times. Although slow, Jordan managed to set up the plots into a little rip cord that promises a fantastic ninth book (the pact between Cadsuane and Sulin, the woman who wants Elayne dead, the attack of the Tower, and Faile's capture). My only concern was the epilouge which made it sound as if he wasn't going to cover the White Tower war at all and was just going to skip ahead. Many would be dissapointed since this is a plot point we've been waiting for since tSR. If only Mr. Jordan can remember the dramatic and heart touching roots with which he began this series.

Rating:
Summary: A huge disapointment!
Review: This entire book could have been condensed into a 100 page update to his readers.This would have saved a lot of wasted time and frustration at realizing that nothing important was going to happen!Please Mr.Jordan,I,d rather be kept waiting for another year than be duped and robbed!

Rating:
Summary: Very poor work from a great author.
Review: It seems that Jordan has Stephen Kind"idus", meaning he's in a contract and has run out of steam. His last two books have been very poorly done, especially the Path Of Daggers, which can be completely skipped and you won't even realize it.

Rating:
Summary: good, but not as good as the others
Review: The Path of Daggers was excellent compared to any other fantasy writing but the other Wheel of Time books. However, this book was far less interesting and engrossing that the others in the series, even ACoS, which I was sure was going to be the low point of the saga. No mention of Mat was a big disappointment, but we do learn about Moridin a little more. Still no unveiling of major secrets, such as where is Demandred and who killed Asmodean and is Moiraine alive, but I guess we'll just have to be patient.

Rating:
Summary: Hoping but not quite there yet.
Review: This book was not quite as good as the others and I was disappointed but still it wasn't that bad. I missed being able to hear about Mat and what is going on there. Hopefully, the ninth book will bring everything together so it is not just an assortment of personal stories.