Book Review – Lord of Chaos

24 Aug 2024 Leave a comment

by Clare in Books, Reviews Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

The Wheel of Time turns, and Ages come and pass, leaving memories that become legend. Legend fades to myth, and even myth is long forgotten when the Age that gave it birth comes again.

The opening of each book in Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time series is a variation on these same lines, followed by a description of wind passing across the land before settling into a more focused scene. Despite the length of each book, I found myself pulled into book 6, Lord of Chaos, immediately after finishing book 5 (paid links). Read on below to see what I thought.

Reviews of other books in the series:

I read the e-book edition of this.

Here is the blurb:

On the slopes of Shayol Ghul, the Myrddraal swords are forged, and the sky is not the sky of this world …

In Salidar the White Tower in exile prepares an embassy to Caemlyn, where Rand Al’Thor, the Dragon Reborn, holds the throne — and where an unexpected visitor may change the world …

In Emond’s Field, Perrin Goldeneyes, Lord of the Two Rivers, feels the pull of ta’veren to ta’veren and prepares to march …

Morgase of Caemlyn finds a most unexpected, and quite unwelcome, ally …

And south lies Illian, where Sammael holds sway …

This book was a long one, with less action on the pages, or at least more spaced out action amongst those pages. Rand has established himself as the Dragon Reborn and, with the rediscovery of the ability to travel, he bounces between Cairhien and Caemlyn. He talks to people in each place but doesn’t do much himself.

Nynaeve and Elayne sit in Salidar, reduced back to students and no longer given the freedom they once had. The intriguing events of the previous book had given Nynaeve a captive member of the Forsaken and Elayne an unusual Warder, but this book saw little progress in any resolution of these situations.

This is the point in the series where I feel that the author could have told and not shown every detail of every single thing that happens. When the events finally culminate in one exciting scene at the end of the book, the pace is much better.

I’m going to take a break from these books for a few months before I start the next one, A Crown of Swords.

Have you read The Wheel of Time series? How far have you read? Which books do you think were best?

Find more of my reviews here.

Book Review – The Fires of Heaven

07 Jun 2024 Leave a comment

by Clare in Books, Reviews Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

The Fires of Heaven is the fifth book in The Wheel of Time series by author Robert Jordan (paid links). I have been slowing working through this series and I’m determined to finish it this time. Read on to see what I thought of this one.

Here are my reviews of the other books in the series:

I read the e-book edition of this.

Here is the blurb:

Prophesized to defeat the Dark One, Rand al’Thor, the Dragon Reborn, has upset the balance of power across the land. Shaido Aiel are on the march, ravaging everything in their path. The White Tower’s Amyrlin has been deposed, turning the Aes Sedai against one another. The forbidden city of Rhuidean is overrun by Shadowspawn.

Despite the chaos swirling around him, Rand continues to learn how to harness his abilities, determined to wield the One Power–and ignoring the counsel of Moiraine Damodred at great cost.

This book picks up with our main characters still scattered around Randland (Note that I’m embracing the term Randland for the world of the Wheel of Time because I’m not sure that Robert Jordan ever gave a name to the world that he created). Siuan and Leane have fled the tower with Min and Logain and the two stilled Aes Sedai work to keep their focus on new goals to put off the despondency that usually follows the loss of the use of the One Power.

Rand has embraced his role as The Dragon Reborn, or the Car’a’carn by the Aiel legends. Yet, the Aiel are split and Rand must lead the Aiel out of the Waste in pursuit of the rebellious Shaido before they cause too much destruction. This theme of political strike and division continues throughout the book. The White Tower is divided, and the realms of Amadicia, Altara, and Andor are plagued by unrest and uncertain leadership. Rand is forced to work with his enemies as he continues to learn how to use his power and fight the Forsaken.

Despite all the events of this book, I felt like the pace has slowed and several scenes could have been easily cut to make this a shorter book. We do see the main characters develop and grow – Rand, Mat, Egwene, and Nynaeve, in particular. Like in the earlier volumes, the end of this book concludes with conflict – both a larger battle and a smaller duel. I’ve already started the next book, Lord of Chaos.

Have you read The Wheel of Time? What do you think of the pacing? Let me know in the comments (above).

Find more of my reviews here.

Book Review – The Shadow Rising

11 Oct 2023 Leave a comment

by Clare in Books, Reviews Tags: , , , , , , , ,

The Shadow Rising is book #4 (of 14) in The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan. I had originally read up through book #7 or 8 as they were published, but then I felt like I wasn’t remembering enough of the details between the books and put them aside to read the entire series once it was complete.

Reviews of other books in the series:

Paid links help to support this blog.

Here is the blurb:

The seals of Shayol Ghul are weak now, and the Dark One reaches out. The Shadow is rising to cover humankind.

In Tar Valon, Min sees portents of hideous doom. Will the White Tower itself be broken?

In the Two Rivers, the Whitecloaks ride in pursuit of a man with golden eyes, and in pursuit of the Dragon Reborn.

In Cantorin, among the Sea Folk, High Lady Suroth plans the return of the Seanchan armies to the mainland.

In the Stone of Tear, the Lord Dragon considers his next move. It will be something no one expects, not the Black Ajah, not Tairen nobles, not Aes Sedai, not Egwene or Elayne or Nynaeve.

Against the Shadow rising stands the Dragon Reborn…..

Goodreads tells me that this book took me nine months to read. I was also distracted by reading other books, but still — this one was a slog. This aligned with my memory of my previous read through and was not a surprise though.

In any case, Rand al’Thor has proclaimed himself as the Dragon Reborn, but then all of the characters sit around in the Stone of Tear and wait for him to do something. Rand is uncertain how to proceed and doesn’t trust anyone and so he debates his options for much of the book before anything more interesting happens.

Once our viewpoint characters leave Tear, the story picks up again, with Rand having to prove himself again to a different group of people. Meanwhile, many of our core characters split up and embark on different threads of the plot. Nynaeve and Elayne continue to ignore the rules of the White Tower while they pretend to be full Aes Sedai, and Egwene learns about a new aspect of her own power.

The scenes with Perrin are some of my favorite, but I felt like these also dragged on for longer than they needed to. I had to put the series down for a few months, but still plan on reading on soon.

Did you read the entire series? Did the pacing slow down for you at a specific point? Let me know in the comments (above).

Find more of my reviews here.

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