A review by nohadon
The Shadow Rising by Robert Jordan

medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No

3.5

As a fourth entry into a fourteen book series, this is a solid middle book, not great, but not terrible. TSR suffers from character perspective bloat, and especially suffers from how contrived Perrin’s plot line is, and how much of the book his plot is for it being so weak. Rand’s plot

in Rhuidean gaining the allegiance of the Aiel

with Moiraine, Mat Egwene strong supporting characters whose growth and character moments I enjoyed quite a bit. 

TSR’s strongest area is in the classic fantasy trope of mystery in the history and form of the magic system.

The Aiel originally following the way of the leaf,  Mat speaking the old tongue and entering the ter’angeal arches, wondering what Moiraine and Rand asked in the arches themselves, the fall of the White Tower

.