Rating: 
Summary: The problem of pace...
Review: First off, let me just say that, while I found this book to be enjoyable, it is probably the least so of the Wheel of Time series. What I felt to be the pimrary problem, however, was not the characterization or a "lack of plot", but instead the pace of the book. The first 90% could have been a good deal faster, although I felt that there was still a lot of story packed in. The last 10% however, was so rushed that it contributed next to nothing. Rand's "battle" with Sammael seemed little more than a caveat to the actual storyline, and its anti-climatic nature only reinforced this impression. I can only attribute this perhaps to the restrictive influences of real life concerns and publication deadlines. If Mr. Jordan had taken a few more months with the book, the delay would certainly have prompted an uproar from his fans, but perhaps A Crown of Swords would have then been a more solid piece of work. With that in mind, I am perfectly willing to wait until November '98 for the next installment. Yes, it would be nice if the series was resolved within the next few years at a rate of 1 book per year, but I, for one, would prefer that the quality of writing not be sacrificed for speed.
Rating:
Summary: Slowing Down and Plodding Along
Review: Robert Jordan has thrilled and excited me with his interesting and innovative fantasy series. But in his newest book, the old charm is growing stale fast. The book suffers from a slow and plodding plot, which covers a week or so of time over 800 pages and ends with very little actually happening. No new ground is broken: the characters have the same conversations that they had in any of the previous four books and Jordan spends too much time describing every little detail, some of which add little or no substance to the characters or story. (Such as Jordan's constant description of the clothing worn by the woman and how they blush if a skirt is too risque). Sure, details are great but when the same images are repeated every ten or so pages then they lose their importance and become just another line to skim over. Jordan is a talented writer and I thoroughly enjoyed his previous books (with the Great Hunt as my personal favorite), but someone has to reintroduce this series to the concept of story pacing. The book has large deadspots and the ending, after 800-so pages, is disappointing and seems a bit contrived. After the dramatic conclusion in LOC, COS takes two or three steps back. My only wish is that Jordan returns to storytelling with a purpose rather than bogging down the books (and me) with the mundane. The Wheel of Time series is a grand and epic idea. It deserves better than this.
Rating: 
Summary: Adds to the general storyline, but pick up the pace please!
Review: The worst of the seven books out so far; this has nothing to do with action (or a lack of), rather the loop holes and slow pace of the whole storyline. I have read many of the reviews and agree with them all: this is a good book that could have been far better. A few pointers to RJ: 1) get Rand of this guilt trip (especially over women!), 2) last ditch rescues (ie Rand's by the "unknown" character) have to stop .... yes, the wheel weaves strangely, but surely some method must stem from the chaos, 3) Rand's going mad? ... stop belaboring the point, your readers are not without a memory, 4) female characters ... seem way too "feminist" (for the lack of a better term) for my tatses (a few is ok, but all of them?!) otherwise they are excellently portrayed, 6) I could go on, but what for? All I am trying to say is that RJ needs to pick up the pace a little, show us some more action .... if Rand is going mad why not show glimpses of that? Is there a "civil war" among the Aiel? And the White Tower ... maybe it is time that it truly/physically fell. If the "last battle" IS approaching, chaotic change occurs ... show us some of it but DO NOT lose touch of the characters. All in all, still looking forward to Book 8 with love and hope!
Rating: 
Summary: An excellent continuation of the series!
Review: After having read the 'entire' series (books 1-7) in the past month I must say that this is one of the best fantasy series I have ever read. I thought COS was very good and cannot understand all the criticism it has received (every other reviewer seems to find it boring). Most of COS is centered around either Mat, Elayne and Nynaeve or Min and Rand. The parts with Mat were good in describing his frustration with Elayne and Nynaeve. If you still havent read the Wheel of Time series you should! RJ has become one of my favourite writers along with Tolkien, Donaldson, and Feist.
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Summary: I love A Crown of Swords! It is unreal!!
Review: All of Robert Jordans books are exellent but this one is the best. I really recommend it!! And of course, read all of his other books aswell.
Rating:
Summary: Just A Continuation of the best!!
Review: There may not be much new in Rands world,but the other characters got some long awaited attention.To me this is one of Jordans best so far and I can not wait for his new one. I`ve spent a long time reading fantasy and other such things and I must say that this is the best ever.I just wish we had a shorter wait
Rating: 
Summary: that rumbling in the distance---MUDSLDE!!
Review: these books are getting redundant. i like fantasy and all but a writer is in trouble when his best charater is the setting. i thought the first 3/4 books showed promise and some good writing but now i am reading them simply because there is little else new fantasy worth reading: game of thrones being the exception. i agree with all who have noted the stupidity of the boys and girls- are there no grown-ups in this world?-and am wondering when they will wake-up and smell the coffee. i mean when i was 18 if i discovered that i was a hero with awesome abilities ment to play a role in the history of the world--i would have been a little EXCITED or something-maybe looking forward to the future(vowing to change it?), i would have been high-fiveing the homeboys, not moaning and whining all the time. mat is the only on acting remotely normal, then this bs with the queen-totally out of charater. when is rand going to stop this wierd obession with woman dying-why are they so special?(the women in edmonds field seemed to be capable of careing for themselves)- one of the forsaken a women?!! how about reacting like she is the wicked witch of the west!-instead of oooo i can't hurt her,she's a girl- what a crock. by the way- we know lan is made of stone now, you don't have to tell us EVERY TIME he shows up. these are just a (very) few examples of jordan/editior laziness/greed. this series could be done by now. i echo the opinions that jordan has changed his mind several times in the development of this series....and it will now end with a splat- dissapointing everyone a little. i will -probably- read the rest of them but my intrest is waining. it is much more diffcult to say alot with few words than it is to say little with many and i am afraid mr jordan is not putting in the effort neeeded to write well. i only hope the long time between books is related to the amount of effort he is putting in- not his lack of intrest or imagination. hey no spell checker, will drop a note to amazon. lets' hope jordan gets back to the form of the first 3 with this next. looking for good fantasy- try a book by d.gimmel, knights of dark renown(he has written many) is my favorite
Rating:
Summary: Not much action, but what's there is significant
Review: In the latest book of the Wheel of Time series, Robert Jordan proves that a book does not have to be action-packed to be interesting. He is patient as always with the development of his characters and decidedly rich in detail. The one real sore spot in the book is the situation with Mat and Tylin, which did not have nearly enough buildup of Mat as a typical womanizing soldier to make the humorous irony as apparent to us readers as it is to Nynaeve and Elayne. While maddeningly slow-paced at times and often switching POV's precisely when we least want it (a credit to Jordan's ability to get us to identify with various characters), there was very little here that did not in one way or another advance the behemoth of a plot the WoT sports; for the most part, this was like the opening in a chess game--the pieces slowly move into position for a powerful onslaught. The introduction of Shaidar Haran, Cadsuane, Rand's devastating injury, the spy in Egwene's camp, and the final build-up to the long-awaited meeting between Mat and the Seanchan's Daughter of Nine Moons all stand poised to flow over the reader in an avalanche of world-shaking action at the start of the next book, while significant plot points which have occupied the characters such as the Bowl, Lan, and Nynaeve's block were resolved. Everything is in place for an explosion in Path of Daggers. Now it is up to Jordan to deliver.
Rating:
Summary: The weakest of Jordan's series.
Review: I believe this book had only one purpose -- to be a seg-way into the next. But where is the next? This novel lacks the exciting conclusion that I've come to expect. It ended so "wide open" that a reader can't help being frustrated. I hope that Mr. Jordan is alive and well, and will soon give us the novel that is two years coming. His novels have been a source of great enjoyment for me and I miss having a new one to read.
Rating:
Summary: Where's the cover art on the paperback?
Review: I look forward to each new installment but this time I was aghast that the paperback had no cover art. The hardback does. What is happening to this series that they can not afford cover art? The covers in fantasy and science fiction lend themselves to helping us imagine but this time, it looks like someone cut a corner. And it felt that way reading it, like RJ was trying to stretch the series as long as possible. He is not tolkien. He's RJ. But the Fallon stuff is adolescent. Better concentrate on the Wheel of Time.
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