Average Rating: 
Rating: - Jordan is too easly to slam
Back in 1998 I read about 200 pages of this book and set it down, frustrated with the pacing. I wasn't remotely interested in anything that was happening, and was stunned at the amount of space Jordan was taking up with repetitious and unnecessary descriptions of people, trees, clothes, etc. I picked it up again, recently, because I realized something: while I have lost faith in what Jordan is currently writing, I haven't lost faith that he knows where he's going. He has said, in numerous interviews, that this series started at the end -- that he first saw in his mind the final scene. Initially he saw the series lasting 3 or 4 books. I would imagine those plans flew out the window after he was midway through The Eye of the World. Anyone who has tried their hand at writing knows that a story grows with the telling. Characters and events have a way of invading the story, of demanding entrace.That said, when I picked this book up for a second time, I did so at a further disadvantage. I had just finished reading three of Sharon Kay Penman's novels (Here Be Dragons -- extraordinary!; Falls the Shadow; and The Queen's Man) AND A Storm of Swords. I was spoiled. While Penman and Martin are both "wordy" writers, they are still economical. The say what needs to be said, tell what needs to be told, and move on. Going from Penman/Martin to Jordan was quite a jolt, as I again found myself frustrated with his pacing. I wanted to insert mySELF into the story and set a penance on Elayne and Nynaeve "on principle". I have never read one of his books as quickly as I did this, skimming over whole paragraphs --something I would have considered a sin in one of the early books in the series, where skimming a paragraph meant I might miss something important. Here, I neither believed I would miss anything important, nor cared if I did, and I didn't get the sense that he truly cared about what he was writing until the story turned to Rand. Perhaps I'm wrong about that, and I probably am, but I don't care about the characters the way I used to. When Nynaeve broke through her block, when Egwene was raised to Amyrlin, I cheered. Now I'm hoping that Moghedien chances upon Nynaeve in her sleep and cuts off her air, that Elaida -- Elaida! -- herself cuts down Egwene. It must be difficult for a writer to bring the same level of passion to the page in "year 10+" as it was in the beginning, so I find it hard to criticize Jordan for losing his passion. It's understandable. And he hasn't lost me as a reader. I'll buy every book (the jacket is off Winter's Heart and it's waiting to be read), and read every book. But not because I like what he's doing -- no, because I believe that he will find the passion again and make what promises to be a remarkable finish. Tarmon Gai'don should be a conclusion to pale others that have been offered before; Covenant and Foul, for all the respect I have for Donaldson, will likely be reduced to playground scuffles. I just hope Jordan gets there, and fast.
Rating:  - I believe in Jordan
This book was classic Jordan. Engrossing. The detailed descriptions of characters (body and mind) and scenes serve to create a vivid image in the mind of the reader. If you find this boring and lose your interest, try Ritalin. Jordan simply never fails to set the scene up for the reader. Nothing to blame in that. Yes, the constant plot twists are soap opera-like, but (coming from an enemy of soaps) if soaps were written this well, I'd watch them religiously. And those who say that nothing happened forget that there are more books coming. I'm only using my imagination, but I suspect that this book was a great buildup to the next... or the one after. I'm betting on Jordan blasting all critics out of the water with his future storyline and ending. Try thinking that these books are chapters, and not every chapter ends with a bang. As I've experienced with other "slow" books in the series, sometimes it takes the next book to make me really appreciate the previous one. So for those of you dropping the series, I'd like to say hang on because the rollercoaster has just topped the first rise, but if you weren't entertained by the colorful rise then you probably shouldn't waste your time anyway. For those uninitiated to the series, it is not Kafka. Nor is it trying to be. It is entertainment, not a philosophical commentary on the nature of reality or humanity, although the series contains many of those elements. But try it if you have a love for imagery and detail of all kinds, seamless blending of different cultures and their mythologies, and good old-fashioned intrigue. Not to forget, an exceedingly tangible world, very different from our own but also very similar. Oh, and be prepared for some excruciating waiting.
Rating: - Boring more than anything else
This installment, as well as everything after Book 4, maybe 5, is far too flaccid to inspire any real ire--but I suspect what others have voiced--that Jordan is just dragging this out because he has either A)lost control of his characters and story or B) is just interested in making more books for more money or C)has completion anxiety in the worst way.The only cool thing that happens in this whole book is when Elayne tries to untie her weave and drops a One Power nuke in the beginning of the book. Other than that, nothing happens of any interest. Rand gets mad, a few more Aes Sedai kneel, the girls continue their boring trip to Caemlyn, etc. The end seems to give a few juicy hooks, White Tower War, Logain bonding a Red Sister?, and such, but I have seen it before and am suspicious the next title will live up to it. The overall problem is that Jordan has abandoned any true artistic reasons to be writing this at all. The first few books had questions of good and evil, kin identity, duty vs. desire. That has largely been abandoned for a themeless "trash novel" style where nothing resonates with any moral issue. The endless cast of people who drop in and out is baffling beyond belief. How much gilding can there be in one description? Does anybody care how many slashes of color this or that lady's dress has? I am still left to wonder why, oh why, did Jordan toss out the most compelling theme in this whole saga for a few cheap battles? He set up Rand's indentity questions so well in the first few novels, and has yet to have Rand reconfront Tam al'Thor at all. He has also not shown sufficient reason why this hasn't happened, trying to pass it off with a cheap statement or so that Rand doesn't want to put Emonds Field in danger. Bad call Mr Jordan--the worst of all. I have been waiting for the confrontation for so long I don't care anymore. You lost your window of opportunity to tackle the most important theme in the whole saga. Overall, this book is a stinker, but I like the world Jordan has set up and it is enough to keep me going. Barely. He has attempted what no other fantasy author has tried--I must commend him for the mere effort--but it seems he reveals more and more why no other author has tried it with each passing tome.
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