Rating: 
Summary: Jordan's best so far, and one of the best ever written
Review: Before I picked up this book, I loved Robert Jordan's stuff. It was one of the best fantasy series' i'd ever read and looked like it was just gonna get better. After reading this book, I became an absolute utterly obsessed fanatic. This thing DEFINES the word "epic". This is mindshatteringly HUGE, and I don't mean just lengthwise. This thing soars over an entire world while twisted plots and schemes rush in and out of each other, as everyone influences everyone else. The small things matter just as much as the big things, and Jordan's no slacker when it comes to details. This thing is extremely lush with intricate detail and is so well done that it is still extremely exciting.This book in particular draws ideas from everywhere into a synthesis of experience and pain and hope and light and dark. One large thread in the storyline gives a feel of "Laurence of Arabia meets Tolkien" in the lush writing that makes RJ's fans love him so much. All the while there's betrayal left and right, and while THAT's happening, off somewhere else events are taking place that lead to a much more stark, real feel without taking away a bit of the quality the hugeness lent. Every character is represented in top form and more character development happens in this book among the main characters than the next 3 combined! Please, if you like fantasy and like it bigger(like earlier Jordan or perhaps Michael Moorcock's "Elric" stuff) rather than smaller in scope(Lord of the Rings and Shannara gave me that feel, seemed a bit more petty), then get this now and read for the very first time the the best epic fantasy book written so far.
Rating:
Summary: An amazing novel
Review: Book Four of the Wheel of Time is a transition book for the series. Yes, this book has much action, but there is more explaning and revelation of the plot. Where in previous three novels, there was a goal to be acheived, (i.e. Finding the Eye of the World, Finding the Horn, Getting Callandor) this novel acheives nothing specific. It provides a link to whatever follows in the following novels. If I were to compare this series to Tolkien's work, I would say the each of the first three books would be similar to the Hobbit, while the Shadow Rising is similar to The Two Towers, lots of action without much changing. What does happen. Rand leaves Tear with Mat, Egwene, Moraine, and the Aiel to go to the waste. Nyn, Elayne, Julian, and Thom go to Tanchico to hunt the Black Ajah. Perrin, Loial, and Faile go to the Two Rivers to fight Trollocs and Whitecloaks. In Tanchico, the Black Ajah escapes, and Nyn fights one of the forsaken. In the waste, Rand becomes He Who Comes With the Dawn, and finds a teacher in one of the Forsaken. Egwene learns more about dreamwalking. Mat almost dies, but has his memory filled with other soldier's memories. Perring defeats incredible odds, marries Faile, and rescues the Two Rivers.
I like this novel because of the development of Mat and Rand who are my favorite characters. I have just finished reading it for the second time and highly recommend reading the series. While someone could start the series from the 1st, 2nd, or 3rd book, too much has occurred to start with the 4th book.
Rating: 
Summary: Worthy of Praise
Review: I must say that I find the lack of REALL praise for this book rather upsetting. Robert Jordan is an excellent writer in nearly every aspect, and from a writers point of view (meaning me), I envy Jordan's creativity and foresight. In Shadow Rising some may complain it moves too slow, that he focuses to much on the thoughts and small actions of each character. My friends, it is called Character Development. While some may believe the characters should have been developed and made by the first book, it is far from the reality of actualy and SMART writting. Rand and his companions are changing drasticaly, especial Rand himself, and Jordan did an excellent job of helping us follow these changes. As for confusing plot lines..... if you can't handle it, don't read it. I found the plot (s), entiricate and fasinating, some of the most "boring" parts of Jordan's writing usualy come back with a twist at another point, he's shown this time and again, and I've learned to pay close attention. The writing is colorful and demands concentration, its a book that while it has lots of action, displays other part of the characters lives and personalitys, which in my oppinon, makes it more realistice and belivable. I believe The Shadow Rising is just as well written and worth reading as the three novel's before it, and I recomend it to anyone who loves a good and thriving fantasy novel. And if you have to spend a little extra time reading the slower parts, Jordan always rewards you in the end.
Rating:
Summary: One of my personal favorites
Review: if you liked the first three you'll love this book- it is action packed and i read it in two days. A great read.
I think that if you have not read any of his previous books that there is no better place to start than from the beging.
Rating:
Summary: Review on The Wheel of Time: The Shadow Rising
Review: Robert Jordan's "The Wheel of Time: The Shadow Rising" is definitely one of my favorite books in one of my favorite series. Jordan creates a world That dominates that of which Tolkien began. This book is full of mystery, action, romance, and good against evil. It is full of magic and creatures that only Jordan can create.
"The Shadow Rising" takes off from where "The Dragon Reborn" left off. Rand al'Thor has just proclaimed himself the Dragon Reborn. Now he needs to live up to the prophecies. Slowly, though, the evil taint of saidin is growing stonger inside him.
Rand goes to the Aiel Waste for he is Ca'caran, or He Who Comes With The Dawn. It is believed that the Aiel are the people of the Dragon.
This book is definitely a good read. I insist, though, to start with book one, "The Eye of the World". The Wheel of Time is definitely a good series rich with magic and adventure. The world of The Wheel of Time will come alive.
Rating: 
Summary: Good if you have the patience.
Review: The fourth installment of the neverending Wheel of Time sees our hero Rand traveling to the Aiel Waste to fulfill another prophecy. Rand isn't only the Dragon Reborn, he's appearantly He Who Comes With the Dawn as well. The premis of this book was a lot more interesting to me than book 3. I mean, finally Rand get's some limelight and half the book's not about three girls at school? A lot of interesting background about the Aiel is revealed in this book as well as where Rand's own history fits into all this. You'll be surprised at some things. Unfortunately, by this point, Jordan is now Juggling over a dozen characters over four separate story threads. Let's count them. In the first thread we have Rand, Egwene, Moiraine, Lan, and Mat. In the second thread we have Perrin, Faile, and Loial, In the third we have Elayne, Nynaeve, Thom, and Juilin. In the fourth thread we have Min, Siuane, and Leane. That's not to count all the other supporting characters that readers of Jordan know could have their own threads at any time. In some ways this is both good and bad for the story. For those that enjoy the long drawn out soap operah, it's great. There's plenty to get sucked into. For those anxious for the plot to reveal itself however, it's sometimes agonizing. This book had a lot going for it. The subject matter was more interesting than in the previous books, but unfortunately, Jordan doesn't give you enough of it and worse, he doesn't stick to it. Everytime the book jumps to the characters and the storyline happening in Tanchico you're tempted to skip the chapter. Present, again, is Jordan's use of "convenient" storytelling. This time however, it's not Rand who's miraculously able to save the with much overdone powers-he-never-knew-he-had. Who woulda thought that one of the other characters (besides Rand and Moiraine who really cant) had the ability to take on a Forsaken toe to toe? I sure didn't. Well in this book, one of the characters is instantly elevated to Forsaken power level status. There hasn't been anything this dumb in the series since Nynaeve and Lan instantly fall in love in a matter of pages with no foreshadowing whatsoever in the first book. Some parts of the book are so great and others make you want to pull your hair out in frustration. Nothing really gets resolved in this book, though we do get to learn about the Aiel and Rand's history which is not limited to this life. This makes the book a worth addition to the series, but I sure hope it doesn't it doesn't turn into an "another book, another forsaken" formula. This book is not quite as good as the books two and three, though parts are fantastic (ie seeing Perrin develop into the part he's destined to play). It's good enough to get fans to read the next book, but you just can't help thinking these books could be so much better.
Rating:
Summary: Jordan's got it going on in this one!
Review: The Shadow Rising takes place on at least four major fronts, three of which I'll mention here: Tear, Rhuidean, and The Two Rivers. In Tear, we see Rand Al'Thor taking command of an Aiel army and fighting off Trollocs and trying to avoid falling in with Lanfear, who apparently is in love with him, or what she can use him for, in a well-described and choreographed close quarters battle. Matt Cauthon is as irrascible as ever about Aes Sedai meddlings, and soon follows Rand, Egwene and Moiraine Sedai to Rhuidean, a sacred and restricted city of the Aiel that is located deep in the waste. Meanwhile, Egwene Al'Vere has been stretching her skills at entering the dreamworld of Tel'Aranrhiod and has accompanied Rand into the waste not to explore Rhuidean as he has, but to gain dreamsleep instruction with the Aiel Wise Ones. In a really meaty section, Perrin Aybara travels to The Two Rivers to give himself up to the Whitecloaks. Faile follows him. What happens there is some of the most vivid storytelling yet in the Wheel of Time, with tremendous character and relationship development, and invention at showing us how the Wheel can warp events around the Ta'veren. An outstanding book, which I may well follow up soon by reading Jordan's book 5.
Rating:
Summary: A viciously entertaining cycle
Review: This book has its ups and downs, as many of the other critics have said, but Jordan does do somethings right. He has kept the characters intertwined and seperate by secrets and assumptions. He does this in the other books in the series as well. People who critisize his jumps in reading don't understand how this just keeps you wanting to read more. And yes, I have, as well, skipped chapters to find out what happens to Perrin and the Two River Folk, only to miss out on the big picture. Jordan also does give enough chapters to most of his sections that you almost have had it up to here with those characters, to coin a phrase. I have read all of the series up to the sixth book, and I must say I feel really dumb upon losing it at school, a few months ago. I can't seem to read other books with out relating all of the characters to Jordan's. She is such a Lan of a girl. He gambles with life like Matrim. All I can say for Jordan is that he does something right with h! is constant cycles of creating knowledge, letting the characters absorb it, then forming their own oppinions about it, and keeping it to themselves until they explode it all out in a frenzy of emotions which jolts the readers to no end, and no end in sight.
Rating:
Summary: The start of a new theme in the series, and started well.
Review: This book marks the beginning of a change in the characters that, so far, have been shown as naive and somewhat timid youngsters. As they have more responsibility and duty laid upon them, they adapt into stronger, more forceful personalities, and by the end of the book, are all quite different to what they were at the end of book 3.
Jordan does a very good job of carrying this out, the characters still act in a familiar way, they just reveal a stonger side to themselves. He has avoided the pitfalls in this area which would have led to botched characters that are completly different people to those followed in the first 3 books. TSR is a very strong book aside from the skilful character develepment too, it introduces the Aiel properly, who are always extremely refreshing and entertaining to read about. And we see Rand finally beginning to get to grips with the One Power, which has so far proven a very fickle gift. It also is split neatly into 3 separate plots, with their own separate climaxes, interspaced by sub-plots that are all entertaining to read. Jordan has done well with this book; it takes bold strides forward from the last one, and ends on a note which promises more in books to come.
Rating:
Summary: An amazing novel
Review: This novel is where the series begins. I think the first three novels could be read independently, similar to Tolkien's Hobbit, and still be enjoyed. However, The Shadow Rising, offers no real conclusion and begins the torture known as the Wheel of Time. I like the overall plot of this novel; I gave it five stars. The focus on Rand is good, but I don't understand how he has become so knowledgable and wise over the course of a year. The side story with Perrin and Faile has great potentail and the ending is awesome, but they way it is written makes me cringe when I read parts of it. Nynaeve and Elayne are my least favorite part of the novel. I honestly consider skipping all chapters concerning their part of the plot. And once again, Mat is my favorite character. Robert Jordan has created some annoying characters, but Matrim Cauthon redeems them. And the action in the White Tower is also well done, if not believable. What happens. The novel begins with Rand holding the Stone of Tear. He becomes involved with Elayne before leaving the stone for the Aiel Waste. One of the best parts of the novel occurs when Rand and Mat enter Rhuiden. He is marked as the chief of chiefs, and begins the unification of the Aiel. Rand also finds a teacher to help learn Saidin. Mat journeys with Rand to Rhuiden and stays with him after they leave. Mats memories return and his luck continues. Perrin leaves Tear to return to the Two Rivers to save his people from the Whitecloaks. Instead he fights Trollics and becomes lord of his people. In the wolf dream Perrin learns a lot about those twisted doors. From a child's game, "Courage to strengthen, fire to blind, music to daze, and iron to bind." After reading this novel for the third time, I noticed that whenever Mat enters those doors, the snake people always make sure he was no musical instruments, iron, or devices to make light. Nynaeve and Elayne go to Tanchinco to find something that might hurt Rand and meet a forsaken. Egwene and Moraine accompany Rand to Rhuiden. This novel, as I remember it, is one of the last real good ones by Robert Jordan. I like the next ones, but I haven't waited years for them. I am rereading them on my way to Crossroads of twilight, and if book 10 is disappointing, I will understand why many readers complain about the later novels. But Book 4 is still fantastic, and while it is not imperative to read the first three before starting the fourth, the first three are the best, so I encourage you to read them first.
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