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4.1 AVERAGE
4.1 AVERAGE
Good golly, there was actual plot in this book! And action!
I think I'm officially over the Wheel of Time hump!
I think I'm officially over the Wheel of Time hump!
Lots of action, lots of Matt, Egwain grows a lot. Lots of younger people moving into earned positions of power, changing things up, older people either help support or get moved to the side.
After the slog fest of the last book Robert Jordan pulls a Masterclass and turns around making one of my favourite books in the series so far. The prologue instantly gripped me and I loved seeing more of Galad and him getting justice for Morgase, exicted to see where his arc goes and how the Children of Light will change under his command.
Mat was once again a favourite and it was real fun seeing him juggle courting Tuon while keeping the peace with his rag tag group of Aes Sedai & Seanchan. The reveal of Moraine being alive just made me nod as I knew she couldn’t be dead, ut her & Thom? Never saw that coming. Egwene had some of my favourite chapters of hers so far and I’ve enjoyed seeing just how much she has changed from that girl from Emonds Field.
I did have Rand loosing his arm spoiled for me so I wasn’t that surprised when it happened and that might have affected my reaction as it did feel a little anticlimactic for me, but then again Rand’s stoic reaction makes sense in line with the person he’s becoming or thinks he must become to face Tarmon Gai’don. His whole character arc has been pretty heartbreaking and it was a gut punch when he couldn’t understand why Min was sad for him.
The storyline I least liked was once again Elayne’s. Reading about a number of random Noble houses that I’m going to forget the next page or Elayne’s mood swings wasn’t exactly the most engaging reading. My biggest gripe with her was how she seems to think she’s immortal thanks to Min’s vision, leading her to take stupid risks like with the Black Ajah, in turn endangering the people around her.
Mat was once again a favourite and it was real fun seeing him juggle courting Tuon while keeping the peace with his rag tag group of Aes Sedai & Seanchan. The reveal of Moraine being alive just made me nod as I knew she couldn’t be dead, ut her & Thom? Never saw that coming. Egwene had some of my favourite chapters of hers so far and I’ve enjoyed seeing just how much she has changed from that girl from Emonds Field.
I did have Rand loosing his arm spoiled for me so I wasn’t that surprised when it happened and that might have affected my reaction as it did feel a little anticlimactic for me, but then again Rand’s stoic reaction makes sense in line with the person he’s becoming or thinks he must become to face Tarmon Gai’don. His whole character arc has been pretty heartbreaking and it was a gut punch when he couldn’t understand why Min was sad for him.
The storyline I least liked was once again Elayne’s. Reading about a number of random Noble houses that I’m going to forget the next page or Elayne’s mood swings wasn’t exactly the most engaging reading. My biggest gripe with her was how she seems to think she’s immortal thanks to Min’s vision, leading her to take stupid risks like with the Black Ajah, in turn endangering the people around her.
I've officially made it about as far as I remember clearly, and finished the last book written entirely by Robert Jordan. After RJ's death, it was an understandable 4 years before Brandon Sanderson released the next book, which was a long time! RJ had been releasing a book every 1 or 2 years, but I was in college by the time The Gathering Storm was published. I wonder if I'll notice more differences in writing style this time, since I'm not waiting 4 years. It felt very seamless the first time (Brandon Sanderson is great like that), but I know others could tell the difference, so maybe I will!
And thus my journey with Robert Jordan ends for now. It was not THE ending, but it was AN ending, as the saying goes. This will be a review of not only Knife of Dreams; but a push to read the series as a whole for anyone unsure about the commitment.
I started reading these books when I was around 12, and they were one of the first things that got me into fantasy. During the pandemic I resolved to read them all through, and it’s taken several years of on-and-off reading to go through them. Jordan’s world was dense and enticing, it felt real and fleshed out, coming from someone who was worldly and well traveled. He handles conflict and warfare with the view of someone who was seen and experienced loss of life on that scale. His views on gender, while outdated and entrenched in the binary of the 20th century, comes from a place of respect and desire for equality, something very little fantasy written from that time does. Jordan’s death was a loss for the genre and fiction as a whole. Knowing he could not finish his series is tragic, but I have full confidence as I prepare to read Brandon Sanderson’s writings in the world of the wheel as he concludes the story.
This book, in many ways, represents all the microcosms of Jordan’s writing. Characters spend a lot of time thinking and talking their way through situations as the plot threads begin to coalesce towards a grand conclusion after multiple books of slower pacing. Tragedy strikes, great battles are fought, and the pieces feel all in place at the end for something epic. But the path to get here was long and winding. If you’re reading Knife of Dreams, you’re likely committed for the ride. But if you’re wondering if Wheel of Time is worth it, I think of it not as “the best fantasy ever written”, but rather a masterclass in long form storytelling. Something that’s 14-books long and a prequel is an insane ask for the average reader, but if you find yourself fascinated by the concepts and the characters, let me just tell you it’s worth it.
I feel saddened knowing this is the last of Jordan’s writing, but I feel as if I’ve made a big step in reading 12 of his books at various times in my life. He made a big impression on me and fantasy at large. He had much more to give the world, but his series lives on through others.
Tai’shar, Rigney. Thank you for the Wheel.
I started reading these books when I was around 12, and they were one of the first things that got me into fantasy. During the pandemic I resolved to read them all through, and it’s taken several years of on-and-off reading to go through them. Jordan’s world was dense and enticing, it felt real and fleshed out, coming from someone who was worldly and well traveled. He handles conflict and warfare with the view of someone who was seen and experienced loss of life on that scale. His views on gender, while outdated and entrenched in the binary of the 20th century, comes from a place of respect and desire for equality, something very little fantasy written from that time does. Jordan’s death was a loss for the genre and fiction as a whole. Knowing he could not finish his series is tragic, but I have full confidence as I prepare to read Brandon Sanderson’s writings in the world of the wheel as he concludes the story.
This book, in many ways, represents all the microcosms of Jordan’s writing. Characters spend a lot of time thinking and talking their way through situations as the plot threads begin to coalesce towards a grand conclusion after multiple books of slower pacing. Tragedy strikes, great battles are fought, and the pieces feel all in place at the end for something epic. But the path to get here was long and winding. If you’re reading Knife of Dreams, you’re likely committed for the ride. But if you’re wondering if Wheel of Time is worth it, I think of it not as “the best fantasy ever written”, but rather a masterclass in long form storytelling. Something that’s 14-books long and a prequel is an insane ask for the average reader, but if you find yourself fascinated by the concepts and the characters, let me just tell you it’s worth it.
I feel saddened knowing this is the last of Jordan’s writing, but I feel as if I’ve made a big step in reading 12 of his books at various times in my life. He made a big impression on me and fantasy at large. He had much more to give the world, but his series lives on through others.
Tai’shar, Rigney. Thank you for the Wheel.
adventurous
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
We are so back
So much better. This book gives us one of the best storylines - Egwene in the Tower, being all noble and brave and serene. The way Aes Sedai should be - but rarely actually are in this whole series. And Nynaeve is getting much better too. Rand's storyline is still the best of the lot I think, and I am really enjoying Logain. I don't recall liking him previously, but I do in this read through.
Of course Elayne is still a bit annoying. Tuon is aggravating. And Faile and Perrin are awful, but that storyline is finally over, thank all the gods.
So it's not a perfect book, but after going through the slog, this one is beautiful. It's also better than most of the pre-slog books too.
Onwards, we are nearing the end.
Of course Elayne is still a bit annoying. Tuon is aggravating. And Faile and Perrin are awful, but that storyline is finally over, thank all the gods.
So it's not a perfect book, but after going through the slog, this one is beautiful. It's also better than most of the pre-slog books too.
Onwards, we are nearing the end.
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
funny
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Started out very well, then a rough patch in the middle, until it heightened by the end.