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A Crown of Swords (The Wheel of Time, Book 7)

A Crown of Swords (The Wheel of Time, Book 7)

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

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Just keeps getting better and better: Where's the next?
Review: Oh, zut! I've hit the end of the series so far! Help! I am a 14-year old girl, and I drag at least one of the WoT books off to school with me every morning without fail, and read whenever my teachers allow it because once you get started, you can't put it down. All five Emond's Fielders have made giant turnarounds in every way. Rand, for instance, was a gentle, naive country boy who wouldn't harm a flea if it bit him before that fateful Winternight that changed the course of Jordan's world. Now he's the only one who can face the Shadow to save the world, and he's killing off Forsaken left and right, among other things. Other characters have popped out with surprises of their own. Lan is still Lan, but he's a little looser now. Remember Faile's nickname for him, from #3, "stone-face?" Come to think of it, she changed, too. When we met her, she was a rough, tough Hunter for the Horn, and now she's a fan-holding lady. Some things never change, though. Berelain is still "...a Mayener strumpet...with a neckline cut halfway to her knees..." The remaining Forsaken are still more contemptuous of Rand than not, but I think they're starting to sweat. The Aiel are really cool. They have a great sense of humor, and they use it. Heck, they use it when they're not trying to be funny. Aviendha going to Salidar for any reason was a jerk-around shock. I'm glad Nynaeve and Lan got married. He was asking for it when he tried to push her away! Now let's just get the matter of his bond settled... I think I see what will happen with both Elaida's and Nicola's Foretellings. But RJ weaves as RJ wills, when RJ wills! Anyone who likes a good fantasy series should love WoT.

-Master of the lightings, rider of the storm, wearer of a crown of swords, spinner-out of fate, who thinks he turns the Wheel of Time may learn the truth too late.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Details conquer Climax
Review: The longer this story trudges on, the more drawn out it feels. An entire page is spent on describing a tavern common room, the inn keeper (down to the number of round thingys on her marriage knife and her bosom size), and her young helpers. Yet when a major sub-plot reaches a climax (Lan and Nynaeve), we are given nothing but a vague reference to "strange Sea Folk customs". I am almost dreading reading the next book... the series has gone from a rabbits-pace start to a crawling snails-pace.

The gruesome death of the philosopher who obviously held some vauge information of importance. The we're-not-sure-he's-gone death of another of the Forsaken. Min's viewings of kings and heroes-to-be. Pedron Nials mysterious unreadable note. How many "threads" must the pattern weave?

The "out of character" behavior is even worse. Elayne seems to take a complete 180-degree turn, from giggling Novice to snobbish queen-to-be. Perrin's new wife develops a jealous streak for... some reason. For someone who was so "perceptive" early on, she becomes quite blind about her new husband. The endless prattling about "wool-brains" and "fool girls" is becoming nerve-grating.

This story need to be put out of my misery... soon, please.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Good, but made me want to pull my braid if I had one...
Review: Great, but they dawdled a lot as the Dark One schemed behind their backs and the Forsaken (Chosen, whatever) tried to bring demise to them. When ever someone meets somebody or talks to each other, they always seem to underestimate each other. The pace is , at times, EXTREMELY slow, but this is a vital bridge to main plotline. I hope that the eighth (and of course, so far) last book is better paced and I hope the ninth and tenth books finish off lavishly.RJ is Not as good as the Master of Fantasy Tolkien, but he is truly the Master of Detail and long epics. All the power to him- another good book, yet...

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Brilliant book
Review: Well what more to say the characters and Jordans writing style improve like a fine wine with age. The characters seem more real and you feel for them, they have become like old friends.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: In this installment, Mat gets laid.
Review: Thrill as Mat is pursued by a woman old enough to have birthed him! Marvel as Elayne, Egwene & Aviendha (or whoever the hell) look for a bowl! Gape in wonder as Elayne finds some old broads who can weild the Power! Gasp in astonishment as Nynaeve and Mat argue with each other! Could it possibly get any more exciting (I shudder to think)?...

To be fair, there is a climactic moment (maybe 2) in this book (which is why I grudgingly give it 2 stars) but it happens so fast with no significant damage to any major character, it may as well have been a hiccough.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Me like Good Book by wordy wordy Jordan man.
Review: Along with The Shadow Rising and The Eye of the World, this is one of the best three books of the Jordan series so far. The Eye was a great farm-boy-becomes-hero story, though fast paced compared to the rest of the series. In The Shadow Rising, the intensity comes from the three main characters, Rand, Mat, and Perrin all coming into their powers. Rand learns of his past and the legacy of the Aiel, Mat aquires gifts and pays a price in attempting to take control of his life, and Perrin returns to defend his homeland in a great romantic and heroic storyline. A Crown of Swords is less focused on the big three, but here Jordan shows how much can happen in a very short amount of time (Just a couple weeks, I think). The encounter with the Gholam, a minion of the Dark One that is perhaps more dangerous than even a forsaken, is one of the most exciting scenes in the series. A new and very large group of women chanellers is discovered, though what their future role will be is uncertain. The Seanchan return to show that they have a role yet to play in the series. Some characters, such as Nynaeve, make huge strides, accomplishing things that have been hinted at since the first book. As can be expected from an epic series, many things are left unresolved. But, the best part of this book is the darkness of its ending. Mat's unterminable luck finally runs out, and Rand takes on another one of the forsaken, but the insanity induced by the taint starts to subtley show itself, as Rand begins to enjoy his own power.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Foreshadowing, and Cliffhangers
Review: I have seen mixed reviews of ACoS and PoD both. While most readers agree that the first 6 books are excellent, there are naysayers to the next 2 volumes that Jordan has produced. A Crown of Swords and a Path of Daggers are both books which Jordan has used as a transitioning phase from which the Two Rivers Crew (TRC) will be thrown into a larger game of global domination and destruction, as opposed to the localized feel of the previous books. Both books are not meant to further develop the personalities of the characters in a major relevent manner, as all the characters have come to the peak of their power and prestige, and now must face down the evils that come with the release of the DO. Although I did miss Mat in PoD, as he is my fave char, it was necessary for Mat to be left for another days writing as events on the mainland must come to a head to not only invite the coming of the Seanchan, but also the impending release of the Dark One (Four more books I say). Besides, when the Seanchan come and Mat is leading the army, Rand and company are gonna wish he was outta the rest of the series too. While there is not the same development of character as seen in earlier books such as TFoH or TSR, both ACoS and PoD have adequate development of character, such as Mat's change from reluctant general to brash battle leader and dependable (GASP) friend in ACoS, Perrin's continuing development as a husband to Faile and the continuing humanization of Lan (*Sniff* I miss the cold blooded killing machine). The cliffhangers are necessary to setup Book 9, which will be a turning point in Randland, and all the dreams and viewings true fans have argued and speculated over will be shown in the next two books if things continue to develop at the pace Jordan is writing. All in all, a great continuing read and a must have.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: The series is slipping..
Review: Books 1 through 6 in this series (to some extent or another) all have a measure of character development, foreshadowing, plot advancement, and some kind of resolution at the end. With CoS, Jordan keeps concentrating on the tiniest insignificant details and forgets to keep the larger story moving along. Egwene and Lan and Perrin are almost completely ignored. Sure, a couple important things happen (although Rand's confrontation with Sammael was a big disappointment), but since this is a 700 page book I expected more. Every little sub-plot is left hanging in the middle of nowhere and (almost) nothing is wrapped up at the end. Consider how many important things happened and how many things got done in the previous books. All that happens in this one is women whining about men, men whining about women, and Aes Sedai whining about everybody. Considering what they've been through you'd think the characters would have some ability to LEARN, but they keep saying and doing the same things over and over. And the sterotypes of men and women just keep getting worse. Please, Mr Jordan, just leave all the endless bickering alone and remember there's a STORY here to wrap up. We're waiting.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: this book rocks
Review: I've read these books a couple of times and the first time i thought they were awesome and they get better every time so quit whining they are to intricate and detailed for some readers maybe and they are just plain better than Tolkeins stuff they have twists turns and little things you dont notice until you double check. you could spend months studying and still miss most of the stuff

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: slowing down a bit but still great.
Review: Okay, i understand where many people are coming from in there thinking that book 7 was a bit repetitive and getting no closer to any answers. i also whole-heartedly agree with those out there who believe that jordan's style of writing is magnificent. it truly takes a master to be able to entrall so many readers for so long. i know i was hooked from day 1. many people out there complain of so many questions but no answers. i too have so many questions that i would love answered, but that is a part of the suspense and joy of reading. many things were answered(lan and nynaeve got hooked up). just be patient and enjoy the story. i also read Pod, and i'm sorry to say that i was a bit dissapointed in it. it seems that jordan completly forgot about mat in this book, and even though perrin was in a goodly portion, he didn't seem to get very far. i think what got me so interested in this series was how jordan focused on the differing aspects of the main characters. and while reading Pod you lose mat and the others don't get far. overall i think jordan is doing a superb job on what must me a horribly difficult series to write, what with the many intricacies. he goes into my books along with the other great authors i've read(tad williams, david eddings, david drake, raymon e. feist, terry goodkind, weis and hickman).


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