Rating: 
Summary: An exercise in futility
Review: Let me summarize this book - 300 pages of pointless plotting, 300 pages of plodding politics, 25 pages of useful character development and plot movement. For anyone who has not started the series I offer you this advice: Wait for the series to end (sometime in 2040), read books One through Three, then read the finale. Use the following summary for all the books in between: 1.) Rand ineffective. 2.) Aes Sedai imperious. 3.) Female characters insufferably arrogant. 4.) Rand's companions travel a lot.Hope this helps!
Rating: 
Summary: Enough with the Jordan Bashing
Review: It seems to me that many of the people writing reviews here don't quite grasp the genius behind Jordan's work. The man has developed the most complete, complex, and all encompassing work of our time. This story is not about easy reading, or even high-impact constant edge-of-your seat drama. Jordan has not created a story to help us escape reality for a while, but he has created an entirely new reality, one that is full, rich, and complete. Jordan's style of writing is definately unique. He has a flare for the dramatic that cannot be beat. In my opinion, he is a brilliant author, and he deserves more respect than he is getting around here. I will grant that at times the story does not move along as quickly as it does at other times. And the complexity of the story makes it somewhat difficult to follow many of the minor characters. But it must be understood that this is all part of Jordan's magic. If he did not take the time to slow the story down for some character development, and to add all of the political complexities and twists, then this story would just be another simple fantasy novel. The complexities that Jordan adds, all of the minor characters, the wonderfully amazing attention to detail, and his ability to incorporate so much prophecy into the story is what really brings out the magic. I know that this is where we all present our opinions of the book, and the author. So present your opinions, but stop telling Jordan how to write his books. He is doing just fine by himself. I doubt that the works would be as successful if his critics were writing the story. This book was truly amazing, another bestseller for Jordan. The only dissapointing thing in my opinion is that now I must wait once again for the next installment. Such is life, eh? I for one will be ready to follow Jordan as he continues the journey toward the Last Battle, and I don't care how many books it takes for him to get there. We are witnessing the birth of a classic fantasy story. This story will be one that all others in the future will be compared to, such as C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien.
Rating: 
Summary: Enjoy the read, Resist the Naysayers
Review: Winter's Heart is a nice read, with full three-dimensional detail and a complicated plot. This book is what it should be for a volume that is not the beginning or the ending of the story; a few plotlines are cleared up, but they mostly hint at more complicated layers underneath. For Jordan fans that are along for the ride and are collecting the hardbacks, get it and savor Jordan's rich descriptions and multi-leveled plots. But, if you're a casual reader, you probably should wait for the paperback.
Rating:
Summary: Finally We Are Getting SOMEWHERE!
Review: Well finally, is all I can say! Well maybe I can say a little more than that....it feels as thought Mr Jordan has finally done something to take us a few steps closer to the original goal, set out way back in the first novels!! I think the last two or three books have spent far too much time getting involved with characters who do not seem to play that much of an important part of the goal, and he did spend sometime in this latest book doing the same, but at least we had a few good pages towards the end of it all! I felt that his writing seemed less intense in this book, and no I don't believe someone else wrote the book, because he still has the same writing style, it just seemed as thought he spent less time with it than with the previous ones, which I can almost say is a relief, as there is less to follow! Don't get me wrong I love the story, he is an amazing writer and to be able to keep the plot going for so long without totally losing sight of the end is amazing, but I just wish that he could squish the contents down, with less characterisation and a little more action. From a females point of view I can't say that I really approve of Rand's character having three female lovers, for some reason this produces a strange instinct to yell and scream at him for being a masogonistic dinosaur! And I find the females to be very irritating, and sometimes stop and wonder if this book is written by a female, a very dominating female at that! But then I stop and think about how he seems to perceive the woman as being bossy and highly irritating and I realise that it could only have been written by a man! I mean what happened to Lan he seems to spend most of the book hiding behind Nynaeves skirts, come on really, he surely has a better role to play in this than that! Ok I'm sorry but I had to get that off my chest, I hope the next book with follow as with this one, if only to take another step in the write direction with less characters and more plot!
Rating:
Summary: Jordan is still the best
Review: I completely enjoyed "Winter's Heart" by Robert Jordan. My opinion is of no consequence though because basically I am brainwashed. Six years ago I was looking for a new fantasy series to read. After reading the entire Dragonlance series (you must think I have no life, it was around 40 books!), the Deathgate, Belgariad, Mallorean, all the Pern books, etc. I was looking for a new series to tackle. The size of "Eye of the World" was the first thing that drew me to it. I was looking for something long, and while the cover art wasn't really outstanding (an inside joke among RJ fans), I decided to read it. I think it was the best decision I have ever made concerning books. I immediately zipped through all 5 paperbacks, bought the 6th hardback, and then waited for the next book with eager anticipation. I introduced many people to this series including my father, sister, brother, and three friends. I feel it was one of my favorite "gifts" I could give someone. My personal set of books have been read around 15 times by various people, I myself have read the series around 6 times, and loved it each time. Jordan is on top for a reason, and I don't understand why anyone can say more negative things about his writing then positive. The books are in greater detail and depth then any other fantasy novel I have read (I consider myself well read in the field). I have never been closer to characters and I have never experienced a more complex plot. The books have caused havoc on my emotions at times (like the testing in the tower, and all that sad stuff that just wrenches your heart *sniff*). "Winter's Heart" is another great addition to a long tradition of the best books. Many of my, and other RJ fans I have met on various BBS's questions were finally answered. I finally know almost everyones secret identities. No more guessing or speculating. Also the scene of the cleansing was just brilliant. My adrenaline was running high as the various enemies and forsaken approached the hill while circles of men and women linked protected Rand and Nynaeve. I was stunned to say the least. We'll never know who killed Asmodean, but at least we'll always have Paris...er...Tar Valon.
Rating:
Summary: Crack-now in Hardcover!
Review: For someone who considers himself smarter thaa your average bear and a discriminating reader, i find it hard to rationalize for myself, not to mention the world at large, why I continue to read these books. At least I can take solace in the fact I haven't paid money for any book since five, which of course, has already lost its rick-shaw quality Tor cover. I came down to this realization: I already read eight books, goddammit- I have to think my time is worth something. I read each new book at a slower pace than the preceding one, hoping vainly to validate my needs. Whenever i hear that "BOOK X IS OUT!" I slather at the mouth and beg to be first in line for my more gullibles friends' copies when they finish. This slathering and twitching brings the truth out, for me at least- tWoT is crack, sold in the form of a book. It starts out nice enough, but the high diminshes the more you put in your body. You develope a kind of tolerance to seeing fire thrown through the air and hearing vaguely articulated plots by hidden Forsaken. By the time you hit book seven or so, you are now an addict: you no longer necessarily WANT the next book, but your need for it abides. It can lie dormant for years at a time, in which you can read actual pieces of "Literature"(you know-the good stuff they compare Jordan to when he gives them dumptrucks filled with money), but when you hear those magic words "BOOK X IS FINALLY OUT!" you begin shaking like a dope head whose methadone prescription has run out. You need the fix, and you gobble it up lickety-split. Afterwards you are left feeling dirty, confused, unsatiated and more than a little ashamed. Some readers content themselves with blatant lies, such as the popular "Oh, this book was transitional- he's building to something BIG." So they said in books 4-8. In book nine something happens nine pages from the end, after six hundred-odd pages of filth. This "something" should have happened in book five, max. If Jordan wasn't paid by the word, no doubt it would have been. As it stands, I loathe this series about as much as I'm capable of while still retaining my addiction. In the meantime I will lambast it wherever possible, and after every new book read some real authors in an attempt to get the taste of Jordan outta my mouth. Thank god a Storm of Swords came out a week after Winter's Heart. The joy of reading Martin was more than enough to kill my self-loathing for being a Jordan junkie. Oh yeah, one last thing: I hope all of you Jordano-philes out there have realized the sad truth: he will die before he finishes this damned series. By book thirty one(which will take place about four weeks after book nine, knowing the way he keeps things a'movin') Rand will have seven arms, each tattooed, three pregnant women and a necklace made of forsaken ears. He will have conquered Seanchan in three hours using Callandor, helped by Perrin, whose control over animals will now extend to Elk, weasels and wombats. Why wombats? Because he's Ta'veren, of course. Once the elite Wombats of Manetheren have destroyed the Deathwatch guard and routed the three forsaken fiendishly scheming to control Rand >again<, the last chapter will see a litter of septuplets brought by shaidar haran to Shayol Ghhul. These septuplets will, of course, be reincarnated forsaken sent out to screw up another plan and be disemboweled by the ever increasing power of the slack-jawed yokels Jordan chose as his protagonists. When this book, which will be called "The Litter of Seven" is completed, Jordan will run out of air in the room he writes in. He wil die feebly and alone at the age of 98. Why will he die of suffocation? Because some of the money piles laying around him will fall onto his head, causing a wad of franklins to lodge themselves down his throat. At that point, the series will be picked up by the grandson of Terry Goodkind or someone of equally poor writer's stock. Tor books, by then a subsidiary of Wizards of the Coast, will continue the series again, at the breakneck spped of one book per day in the life of randland. enjoy, for you've been warned.
Rating: 
Summary: Not bad but finish the series already
Review: Trilogies work because humans can not hold interest for too long on a single plotline or story. That is a fact. Short stories are wonderful because one can finish an entire story in one sitting. Also a fact. There is honestly no end in sight for this series and Jordan is not getting any younger. So sit back and wait another two years for the next installment of this -at least- decology. Maybe if he has a son, HE can finish it in less than twenty more books. Some stuff happens in this book at least. But not enough for the amount of pages it contains. If you are one who seeks closure in life do not read this series. Personally I hope the bad guys win just so I can stop hearing the characters whine and moan. Go Dark one go!!!
Rating:
Summary: You people need to stop whining...
Review: Most people who are review this book are sounding like broken records. First of all, if you expected instant gratification from a series with elementary A+B=C plot development, perhaps you should have started with the Harry Potter books. But if you want a story so rich in detail that it feels like you actually KNOW the characters, then go with this story. For people who have complained about book after book, and that the series is dying, then Robert Jordan must be doing something right, because if it was so bad, why are people still buying his books? The latest installments of the Wheel of Time, granted, haven't been full of action. In an epic of this proportion, you will have a rise and fall of action that will be slower than that of just one book. Jordan has written NINE books for this series. What exactly does everyone want? Zero suspense? A non-dimensional plot development? If you want a lack of tension in the stories you read, then don't read these. These book are for people who take the art of epic writing seriously. Every one of these books has contained a lot of plot development one way or another. Winter's Heart has perhaps changed the entire storyline as we know it, yet people are still complaining. What, not enough blood and gore? Robert Jordan will continue to keep his true fans, because they believe he is one of the best fantasy writers out there. They will stick with him, because they know he has a story worth sticking with. No two books have been or will be the same in this series, and as the story continues to unfold, it will only get better. Perhaps you all who have lost the faith, forgot to realize that the name of the series is the "Wheel of Time". The story centers much upon the development of these people's lives, than just one person. For that reason, it's not called "The Life of Rand." So for all of you who out there who still appreciate the artist known as Robert Jordan, book 10 will be amazing. For those who have fallen off the wagon because you don't understand the components of an epic, I hope you will find Harry Potter very redeeming. My eight year old cousins do.
Rating: 
Summary: It's Ebay Time
Review: Look, everyone seems to be hacking at Jordan now because his once great epic story seems to be bogged down in repetitive descriptions, slow moving plot, added, useless plot lines and slumber parties. Well, I would like to join in. This sucks. I am nine books into a series that should've been over by now. I've been limping along (like so many) since book eight and clearly Jordan has lost his ability, his nerve and his voice. I'm only hoping there are enough die hards out there to buy my collection on Ebay. Mr. Jordan: You should feel like Al Gore, you are done, you just have no idea.
Rating:
Summary: Getting there.
Review: OK, so there was too much filler in there.. but those last 50 pages made up for it all, they really did! Hey, even if i have to read another 600 pages in the next book to another 50 pages like that, i will. Robert J, you must know yourself that those last pages were awesome, you have such a tallent, PLEASE bring it on!!
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