Rating: Summary: The best of the series Review: This is possibly the best book in the series to date. It is worth starting the series just to get to this book.
Rating: Summary: An amazing novel Review: The Dragon Reborn is perhaps the best novel I have read by Robert Jordan. The strength of the plot is impecable and Jordan moves through it quickly enough that it is exciting. If you liked the first two Wheel of Time novels, you will love this novel. I encourage you to read this novel closely, because Jordan reveals the plot of the next novels in three prophcies Moraine mentions. As of book nine, two of them have been fulfilled, and I can see where the third will be fulfilled. If you have already read the Wheel of Time, I encourage you to reread the Dragon Reborn because of its importance in the overall plot.What happens. Rand has declared himself the Dragon Reborn and is being tormented in his dreams. In an attempt to assure himself of his claim, he sets out to fulfill a prophecy of the Dragon. He leaves by himself and we see only glimpses of his travel, while we track Rand with Lan and Perrin and watch the search for the Black Ajah with Egwene, Elayne, and Nyn. I find the most entertaining parts of the novel to be those that concern Mat. Mat is healed in the White Tower and leaves before he has regained his full strength. He faces many dangers as he delivers a letter for Elayne and travels to Tear. The novel is amazing. I have read it three times. I encourage you to buy it also, because you will likely read it more than once.
Rating: Summary: Still going fairly strong Review: ***3.5 stars*** I don't think that Book III is quite as good as Book II, but I will give it the same positive 3.5 star grade. It's nearly as good, and it's still better than the first book, which I rated three stars. What is striking, about half-way through the book, is what a complete contrast this one is with book 2, which was a fairly taut, action-packed quest thriller. With book three, Jordan stretches out. Details are lingered over, and plots are allowed to deepen. Most notable is that the protagonist of the series, Rand Al-Thor, is absent from virtually the entire novel. In one sense, this is not a bad thing. Characters who were introduced in book one and then given short shrift in book two are given much more to do here. This does not always translate into great character development (in fact, one problem with Jordan is that, sometimes, the more some of his characters have to do, the less likeable they become because he draws them so narrowly. This is especially true with the female characters, as for all their presence in the pages of Dragon Reborn, Elayne, Nynaeve and Egwene don't really grow or do much that lets you get to know them any moreso than earlier). Nevertheless, it's nice to see the action focus on some other people and to get their perspectives on what is happening in Jordan's world. In fact, Rand really isn't missed all that much. One potential problem that I had noted after reading Book Two was that Rand isn't a particularly developed character and that beyond the fish-out-of-water routine that Jordan sketches for Rand thorughout Book One and a portion of Book II, there isn't much to him. So, does Jordan shift the focus in Book III because he wants to concentrate on other characters, or does he concentrate on other characters because he has lost his grip on how to portray Rand? I hope it's the former, but I suspect the latter. Another potential problem I'm seeing here is that Jordan has created for himself a far too easy "out" to make things turn out just "right," and that is that the world these characters live in is largely pre-determined. Thus, if ridiculous coincidences like four seperate parties of people travelling across and over a continent and arriving in a particular city at nearly precisely the same time the end of the book for unrelated motives and purposes mostly unbeknownst to each other, this can be explained away because "that's how the Wheel wove the threads." What a convenient way to deal with writer's block or to cover for sloppy editing! Anyway, the positives outweigh the negatives, yet again. The slower, more introspective pace works here and the Mat Cauthon character, in particular, (who was mostly absent or unconscious in the second book) makes a great return to the story and I find him much more interesting than Rand or the mopey Perrin. Paired with who already was the book's most interesting character (Thom Merrelin), this duo's adventures and exploits are what ultimately make this third book a success.
Rating: Summary: Best of the series to this point Review: I've read the entire series and so far this is the best and most diverse book of the three. It begins to explain the complex plot which, up until this point, was still very hidden to the reader. It begins to reveal an enemy which had barely shown its true face to this point and finally showed signs, however random throughout the book, of action. Again, in my opinion, the sections of the female characters are horribly boring but the ending is amazing just like all the others of the series. All in all the novel is a good read and worth the time it takes to read the hundreds of pages within it
Rating: Summary: Robert Jordan's work has inspired me to read again Review: Robert Jordan's real name is James Oliver Rigney, Jr. in which he has written the "Wheel of Time" series as well as some of the "Conan" series. His work is said to take begin where Tolkien left off. He gives birth to worlds that draws the reader deeper into the novel until they are hooked. The story revolves around five people from Two Rivers that have a destiny all linked to each other. One of the boys, Rand has discovered that his fate is to become the Dragon and to save the world from the Dark One. The Dragon is doomed to go mad because of the One Power but before that time comes he will have to face the Dark One in the final battle. With his companions from Two Rivers and others made along the way, he will have to prove to the world that he is the Dragon Reborn.
Rating: Summary: Good reading Review: I picked the book off the shelf, and smiled as I realized how long it was. Long books don't affect me at all, but this one seemed a challenge. It wasn't though, it is pretty good. In place a bit slow, but the story keeps you reading. The world is realistic as well and interesting. All in all, a fantastic read.
Rating: Summary: WHERE'S THE FOURTH BOOK?!?! I WANT IT NOW!! Review: Even in Orlando for a week, amid all of the parks & amusements, this book held my attention for the whole week. No, I wasn't walking around Epcot, hooked to the book, (could you imagine me on a roller coaster, reading while everyone else was screaming ;>) but it was the next thing. Driving home, I would try to soak in those few paragraphs by the light from the lamposts. Needless to say, this book is very gripping, & is a must, must, must for any fantasy or sci-fi fan. I've read the reviews for future books, & gather that Jordan hits a bump in the road somehwere along here. Definitely not in this volume. Reviewers complain that the good guys are kind of nags. Not here. Nynanevae turns kind of stubborn in this one, though. With all of the characters, unusual cities, OhmygoshwhatsgonnahappenIcan'tbelieveit climaxes, and the haunting Ba'alzamon, Darkhounds, & Forsaken that loom so close to the ta'averen that Jordan inserts, you WILL get trapped in this series. To be honest, its not really a bad thing at all...
Rating: Summary: BEST in the Series. Did Jordan peak too soon? Review: I Promise: I'm going to be spoiler free. This is the third and BEST book in the Wheel of Time (WOT) series. All of the tenants of excellent fantasy are there. Jordan is a great writer who builds an incredible world with a compelling history. In this book, Jordan gets the balance of history, character, exposition and action right. Dragon Reborn is a treasure, but be warned: as of this writing Jordan hasn't finished WOT. By the end of this book, the series stands on its head and you are riding through this series at a great clip. You cannot WAIT to find out what happens next, so you HAVE to continue. My guess is the end of this series isn't going to happen until 2006 (I believe there are going to be 12 books, but I don't think there's an official word). Is it going to be worth it? I don't think so. WOT has gotten very complicated and is becoming turgid. Sometime around Book 6, the action began to crawl. Book 8 (the last one I read) was almost 700 pages and took place over three days! I've read the first five books twice now beacuse it is too difficult to wait a year between reading books. (And he's coming out with them once every other year at this point). My advice: Wait until Jordan's finished them all. It's best to read them one after another. By then we'll know if it was worth the wait. You've been warned! My grade for the series: 1. Wheel of Time: A- 2. Great Hunt: A 3. Dragon Reborn: A+ 4. Shadow Rising: A+ 5. Fires of Heaven: A 6. Lord of Chaos: B 7. Crown of Swords: C+ 8. Path of Daggars: C 9. Winter's Heart (haven't read, waiting for Jordon to finish)
Rating: Summary: Tolkien-like fantasy adventure Review: The legend says that the power of the individual who is THE DRAGON REBORN will save the world by destroying it. Signs point that the time for the appearance of the One is now so different wannabes and hanger on retinues journey to the Heart of the Stone locale of the sword Callandor that only the Reborn can yield. Rand, sole user of the One Power, believes he is destiny's darling. He leaves behind friends like Perrin and his teacher Moriaine to begin his quest for the sword. Perrin joins forces with Moiraine and others trailing after Rand. However evil abounds in the land as the hideous Black Ajah not only proves to exist in reality, but has a plan too. Allies and enemies will assemble at the Heart of the Stone where Rand will try to grab Callandor to defeat his amoral opponents while claiming the mantra of the DRAGON UNBORN. Though well written and filled with incredible detail that vividly describes a world and gives depth to the key cast members so that the Jordan realm seem real, the theme of THE DRAGON REBORN is typical of many Tolkien fantasy adventure series. Still Robert Jordan is quite a talent and provides profundity to all of the ten Wheel of Time books so that the audience knows this magical domain exists outside the fertile imagination of the author. That is the charm of the series. This particular novel is a trade reprinting of the third tale and can stand alone, but is easier to understand early on if one has read the first two stories. Harriet Klausner
Rating: Summary: Best Fantasy Collection Ever Written Review: I have been reading the Wheel of Time series since the first book came out and this is my favorite series ever. However, it's not for everyone. Jordan is probably the most descriptive writer I have ever read and he will describe everything he possibly can in one situation in order to set the mood properly. This makes his books, and the chapters, very long. Some people don't like long and descriptive, elaborate writing like this, I do, and I believe that Robert Jordan is the best author I have ever read. Read the series in order, starting from the first book, and it will make a lot more sense and be much more enjoyable reading. I've gone back and read all of them over again at least twice.
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