Wheel of Time Books

Knife of Dreams (The Wheel of Time, Book 11)

Robert Jordan

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Total reviews: 524 Average rating: 3.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

About the Author
Robert Jordan lives in Charleston, South Carolina. He is a graduate of the Citadel.

Amazon.com Exclusive Content

Amazon.com's Significant Seven
Robert Jordan kindly agreed to take the life quiz we like to give to all our authors: the Amazon.com Significant Seven.

Q: What book has had the most significant impact on your life?
A: The King James version of the Bible. That seems a cliche, but I can't think of any other book that has had as large an impact in shaping who I am.

Q: You are stranded on a desert island with only one book, one CD, and one DVD--what are they?
A: The one book would be whatever book I was currently writing. I mean, I hate falling behind in the work. The one CD would contain the best encyclopedia I could find on desert island survival. The DVD would contain as much of Beethoven, Mozart, and Duke Ellington as I could cram onto it.

Q: What is the worst lie you've ever told?
A: It's hard to think of one since I am genetically incapable of lying to women and that takes out 52% of the population right there.

Q: Describe the perfect writing environment.
A: Any place that has my computer, a CD player for music, a comfortable chair that won't leave me with a backache at the end of a long day, and very little interruption.

Q: If you could write your own epitaph, what would it say?
A: He kept trying to get better at it.

Q: Who is the one person living or dead that you would like to have dinner with?
A: My wife before anybody else on earth living or dead. That's a no-brainer.

Q: If you could have one superpower what would it be?
A: That depends. If I'm feeling altruistic, it would be the ability to heal anything with a touch, if that can be called a superpower. If I'm not feeling very altruistic, it would be the ability to read other people's minds, to finally be able to get to the bottom of what they really mean and what their motivations are.

See all books in the Wheel of Time series.

The Wheel of Time (Boxed Set #1)

Robert Jordan

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Total reviews: 104 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

All Great Books. There will be a Final Book (#12 Memory of Light), Even with Jordans Death 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

I enjoyed all his books, I have read all published books to date (Books 1-11) I say keep reading, even though sometimes Jordan rambles on, and such, even what some say is a Average/Poor book from his. It still is head and shoulders about all written Series save a hand full on equal par. HOWEVER, I DO HAVE VERY BAD NEWS, BUT ALSO GREAT NEW FOR WHEEL OF TIME READERS, AT LEAST WITH REGARDS TO HIS FINAL BOOK #12. Please read the following passage all readers need to know both bits of information.

Robert Jordan (this is his publishing name, not his real)....his real name is JAMES OLIVER RIGNEY, JR. Here is a link so you can read it all(www.dragonmount.com/RobertJordan/). James Rigney (aka Robert Jordan) passed away in September of 2007 (last fall)....however there is still good news for all the readers. The whole staff and editors have the notes and spoken ideas Jordan left while in the hospital the last few days before he passed on. The Book will be named A Memory of Light! The family and editors have hired a Fantasy writer to finish the Series and last book. This Writer (Brandon Sanderson) was a personal friend, and was mentored by Jordan too over the years. He will also have Robert Jordan's wife... Harriet.. helping (she edited and helped on all the books with him). They say on their web-site that they are shooting for Late Fall or Early winter (Sept-Nov) in 2009 to have the last book in the Wheel of Time Series on the shelf. This will be called as I said Memory of Light and will be book 12 and will finish the Wheel of Time. This is what they our saying at least, and they know the book might be BIG, and very hard to get all plots and everything in place...... so the Last Battle can be fought....but they will do it, so they say. I really enjoyed all the books, and I know with all the help from his wife (who knows a man better then his wife) this will be worthy of Robert Jordan's Memory and Life.

Ross Hill (who is just a simple man that RJ helped change with getting me to read a lot and that helped me Graduate with a Bachelors of Science in Management)

Editorial Review:

This box set of paperbacks includes the first three books in Robert Jordan's bestselling epic fantasy series, the Wheel of Time. No saga since Tolkien's Lord of the Rings has evoked such fervor among readers. In the first Wheel of Time book, The Eye of the World, Jordan introduces a world broken by phenomenal power and threatened by engulfing shadow. In The Great Hunt, our hero, Rand al'Thor, begins his epic journeys with a quest for the lost Horn of Valere, which promises to raise long-dead Heroes of Legend. And in The Dragon Reborn, Rand's destiny begins to take shape as his followers flock to him, and the world descends further into darkness. This box set is a great way to begin exploring the world of the Wheel of Time. But don't stop here, the second set awaits!

The Wheel of Time (Boxed Set #2)

Robert Jordan

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 39 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

News about Jordan, and his Last Book in the series. 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

I enjoyed all his books, I have read all published books to date (Books 1-11) I say keep reading, even though sometimes Jordan rambles on, and such, even what some say is a Average/Poor book from his. It still is head and shoulders about all written Series save a hand full on equal par. HOWEVER, I DO HAVE VERY BAD NEWS, BUT ALSO GREAT NEW FOR WHEEL OF TIME READERS, AT LEAST WITH REGARDS TO HIS FINAL BOOK #12. Please read the following passage all readers need to know both bits of information.

Robert Jordan (this is his publishing name, not his real)....his real name is JAMES OLIVER RIGNEY, JR. Here is a link so you can read it all([...]). James Rigney (aka Robert Jordan) passed away in September of 2007 (last fall)....however there is still good news for all the readers. The whole staff and editors have the notes and spoken ideas Jordan left while in the hospital the last few days before he passed on. The Book will be named A Memory of Light! The family and editors have hired a Fantasy writer to finish the Series and last book. This Writer (Brandon Sanderson) was a personal friend, and was mentored by Jordan too over the years. He will also have Robert Jordan's wife... Harriet.. helping (she edited and helped on all the books with him). They say on their web-site that they are shooting for Late Fall or Early winter (Sept-Nov) in 2009 to have the last book in the Wheel of Time Series on the shelf. This will be called as I said Memory of Light and will be book 12 and will finish the Wheel of Time. This is what they our saying at least, and they know the book might be BIG, and very hard to get all plots and everything in place...... so the Last Battle can be fought....but they will do it, so they say. I really enjoyed all the books, and I know with all the help from his wife (who knows a man better then his wife) this will be worthy of Robert Jordan's Memory and Life.

Ross Hill (who is just a simple man that RJ helped change with getting me to read a lot and that helped me Graduate with a Bachelors of Science in Management)

Editorial Review:

This is the second box set in Robert Jordan's epic bestselling series, the Wheel of Time. The first set included The Eye of the World, The Great Hunt, and The Dragon Reborn. The follow-up includes the next three books of the series. The Shadow Rising, The Fires of Heaven, and Lord of Chaos continue the great saga of Rand, the Dragon Reborn in a world broken in two by unimaginably powerful forces.

Crossroads of Twilight (The Wheel of Time, Book 10)

Robert Jordan

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 2417 Average rating: 1.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

In the tenth book of The Wheel of Time from the New York Times #1 bestselling author Robert Jordan, the world and the characters stand at a crossroads, and the world approaches twilight, when the power of the Shadow grows stronger.Fleeing from Ebou Dar with the kidnapped Daughter of the Nine Moons, whom he is fated to marry, Mat Cauthon learns that he can neither keep her nor let her go, not in safety for either of them, for both the Shadow and the might of the Seanchan Empire are in deadly pursuit.Perrin Aybara seeks to free his wife, Faile, a captive of the Shaido, but his only hope may be an alliance with the enemy. Can he remain true to his friend Rand and to himself? For his love of Faile, Perrin is willing to sell his soul.At Tar Valon, Egwene al'Vere, the young Amyrlin of the rebel Aes Sedai, lays siege to the heart of Aes Sedai power, but she must win quickly, with as little bloodshed as possible, for unless the Aes Sedai are reunited, only the male Asha'man will remain to defend the world against the Dark One, and nothing can hold the Asha'man themselves back from total power except the Aes Sedai and a unified White Tower.In Andor, Elayne Trakland fights for the Lion Throne that is hers by right, but enemies and Darkfriends surround her, plotting her destruction. If she fails, Andor may fall to the Shadow, and the Dragon Reborn with it.Rand al'Thor, the Dragon Reborn himself, has cleansed the Dark One's taint from the male half of the True Source, and everything has changed. Yet nothing has, for only men who can channel believe that saidin is clean again, and a man who can channel is still hated and feared-even one prophesied to save the world. Now, Rand must gamble again, with himself at stake, and he cannot be sure which of his allies are really enemies.

A Crown of Swords (The Wheel of Time, Book 7)

Robert Jordan

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Total reviews: 658 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Slows down 3 out of 5 stars.
8 of 8 people found this review helpful.

3.5 stars. This is the 7th book in the Wheel of Time series, and only a few days have passed since the conclusion of the last book, Lord of Chaos.

At the conclusion of Lord of Chaos, Rand had been freed from the imprisonment by the White Tower Aes Sedai sent by Elaida, the Amrylin Seat of the Tower, to capture him and bring him to her to guide and use as the White Tower chose. It is while on the march to Tar Valon that Rand frees himself, and a great battle is fought there with Rand and his allies being victorious. Due to this event, Rand forces the Aes Sedai there to swear fealty and oaths to him.

It's during this book, A Crown of Swords, where I believe the plot slows down considerably. It doesn't move forward much, but there was enough going on that kept me reading and I did enjoy it overall. Like in the past few books, we get character viewpoints mainly from Egwene, Nynaeve & Elayne, Mat, more from Perrin, and of course Rand the star of the series.

Rand continues to get more insane, he still doesn't believe the voice he hears inside his head is just that, "hearing voices". He still believes it is another person (Lews Therin) talking to him inside his own head. I've always wondered about his denial of the facts, with him refusing to acknowledge the fact that, "Ya know Rand, you *are* going crazy and it is a symptom of channeling tainted saidin!!".

He knows the fate of all male channelers, as he knows the male half of the True Source was tainted by the Dark One's touch during the War of Power thousands of years before. He understands this, yet he still believes that the voice he hears is a separate person from himself (although how he manages to convince himself that a separate person could reside in his own head and converse with him....heh).

Oh well, I don't think it's meant to be rational, Rand's belief the voice is separate from himself. I think in some ways he's desperate to believe Lews Therin's voice in his head *is* a real person, because in his eyes if it's not, he's already insane. Rand has a lot of struggles regarding this, his fate and trying to come to terms with his approaching insanity, not to mention his impending fight with the Dark One and Forsaken at the Last Battle. So, I can almost understand how he may be going insane already. It's already clear he's got some anger management issues (he flies off the handle quite frequently, rages and temper tantrums), and I thought Jordan did a great job over the last few books slowly giving you, the reader, a glimpse of Rand's descent into madness and how it is effecting him already.

Nynaeve & Elayne, with Mat in tow, also continue their search for an object, the Bowl of the Winds, in Ebou Dar that could correct the unseasonably hot weather. Their viewpoints are probably my favorite sections in the book (other than the bits from the Forsaken). Nynaeve & Elayne encounter other women that can channel that may be able to lead them to the Bowl. While Mat is disgruntled and frustrated with having to put up with the 2 women. I enjoyed reading his sections, his thoughts about women, which was hilarious to read about, especially the parts about how horrified he was at the thought of a Queen chasing him. Which was ironically amusing, as Mat's character is very roguish and something of a womanizer. Very funny to be privy to his thoughts concerning what he thought about that!

Egwene struggles to be more than a puppet Amrylin of the rebel Aes Sedai, and succeeds in subtly manipulating the Aes Sedai around her (with the help of the deposed former Amrylin Siuan, who is now an Aes Sedai again after being healed by Nynaeve in Lord of Chaos). One interesting thing with Egwene's section of the book, one of the Forsaken has attached himself (or should I say "herself"?) to Egwene and while it's not clear what his/her orders are, it's obvious the Forsaken was placed with the rebel Aes Sedai and Egwene to cause more trouble for the Light.

That leads me to the roles of the Forsaken in this book. Each book has given more glimpses into the Forsaken, so each new bit of information is like a puzzle piece that fits together into the puzzle of "What is up with the Forsaken?". Like I said before, while their orders aren't entirely clear it isn't hard to piece together what they are doing. Mainly to cause as much chaos and confusion for Rand and his allies. There is also a new Forsaken that appears in this book, named Moridin. It is actually quite easy to figure out who he was before, as Jordan gave clues and if you've paid attention to previous books it's quite easy to solve. Hint hint: the Dark One can bring dead Forsaken back into new bodies to cause more mischief! All the more so because only you, the reader, know this as the characters have no idea about this!

This is one thing I liked about Jordan. He teases with various clues, he doesn't outright explain to the reader, you have to take the pieces he gives you and figure it out. That is what makes this series such interesting reading, you can have many discussions with other readers of the series as there are so many theories, answers, and what if's that you could spend forever musing, "What did Jordan mean by doing it this way?"

Anyways, there is a short fight at the conclusion of this book between Rand and a male Forsaken, but despite the slower scenes and less action I still felt this was a good read. Not my favorite of the books, but not too shabby. There is a lot going on, and it just gets more complex as the series goes on, but IMO, in a good way. It takes patience to read this series, but I think it's worth it. The next book is A Path of Daggers.

Editorial Review:

Robert Jordan has created a rich and intricate tapestry of characters in his Wheel of Time series. In this seventh volume, Rand al'Thor--the Dragon Reborn--draws ever closer to the Last Battle as a stifling heat grips the world.

The Eye of the World (The Wheel of Time, Book 1)

Robert Jordan

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 1693 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Awesome 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

I have read every book, the prequel, the supplement info and have to say, that I wish he was able to write more...I really don't want this series to end...I guess I can't fault anyone who does want it to end wanting closure to something, but this world was so indepth, so detailed where the cut of dress said alot about a person, the women acted like women I know...and the men had issues of their own...it was almost not a fantasy novel but a book that reminded me of my own life at times.

If you want a quick read, this isn't the series for you.

An Eye for Glory 4 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

This is the book that started the Wheel of Time rolling into epic history. It is here we meet Rand, Mat and Perrin, three 'normal' kids in a backwoods village, thrust into danger unexpectadly, and dragged by the neck across the land by the mysterious Moraine, and her warder, Lan; all the while being nagged by Egwene and Nynaeve, and chased by agents of 'the Dark One,' Shaitan.

The Wheel of Time is the name of the central belief of the human race. Each age has come before and will come again, and three thousand years before this writing takes place, a man called the Dragon dealt a telling blow against 'the Dark One,' imprisoning him and his followers for 'eternity.' Prophecy says the Dragon will be reborn when once again 'the Dark One' starts meddling in the affairs of the world.

Yeah, it's all been done before, but rarely so well. The cliche gets turned on its head, old legends are made refreshingly new, and everything you've come to expect from epic fantasy has finally made its way to the printed page.

The writing in the Eye of the World is beautiful, almost poetic saga. There's no other way to describe it. Sometimes description wins out over plot and characterization, but the story flows well from page to page, chapter to chapter. You can see the people and places in your head as if reading Tolkein again for the first time. I had a hard time putting it down when I initially travelled what fans refer to as Randland (Jordan simply calls the continent the Westlands, and never names the world).

From Emond's Field to Shadar Logoth, and from Caemlyn to the Blight, Robert Jordan's world is fully and colorfully realized. Every land has a culture and style all its own, and there has rarely been a series so steeped in lore.

Yes, there are a few soft spots. One, a reliance on prophecy for every central element of the plot. I'm not big on prophecy, myself. Second, is the religion of the land: it's a very large continent, and yet, everyone has the same set of religious beliefs. Two, language: everyone, regardless of being seperated by mountains and other geographical difficulties, speaks the same language.

The setup for magic, prophecy, and other mystical happenings are all cohesive and well-explained as the series progresses. This first book retains alot of mysteries that help submerge the reader into the world of the Wheel of Time. Regardless of what people think of the series as a whole, the Eye of the World is definitely worth the read.

(A note: years ago, I picked up the fourth or fifth book in the series, and tried to start from there. I gave up after the first chapter. If you don't read the series from the start, there is just too much information assumed to be known by the reader. Jordan never went back and explained or re-introduced anything as he went along. That said, a year or two later, I picked up this book, and I've been with the series ever since, for good or ill.)

Editorial Review:

The Wheel of Time turns and Ages come and go, leaving memories that become legend. Legend fades to myth, and even myth is long forgotten when the Age that gave it birth returns again. In the Third Age, an Age of Prophecy, the World and Time themselves hang in the balance. What was, what will be, and what is, may yet fall under the Shadow.

The Path of Daggers (The Wheel of Time, Book 8)

Robert Jordan

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 1708 Average rating: 3.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Robert Jordan's bestselling Wheel of Time epic is one of the most popular fantasy series of all time for a reason. Jordan's world is rich and complex, and he's assembled an endearing, involving core of characters while mapping out an ambitious and engaging story arc.

But with the previous book, Crown of Swords, and now with Path of Daggers, the series is in a bit of a holding pattern. Path continues the halting gait of the current plot line: Rand is still on the brink of losing it, all the while juggling the political machinations around him and again taking to the field against the Seanchan. The rest of the Two Rivers kids and company don't seem to be moving much faster. Egwene continues to slowly consolidate her hold as the "true" Amyrlin (finally getting closer to Tar Valon and the inevitable confrontation with Elaida), and Nynaeve and Elayne keep on wandering toward the Lion Throne, again on the run from the Seanchan. Mat Cauthon is barely mentioned, and fellow ta'veren Perrin keeps busy with politics in Ghealdan. The ending does provide promise, though, that book nine might match the pace and passion of the previous books.

If you're already hooked, you could sooner overcome a weave of Compulsion than avoid picking up a copy of Path of Daggers. But if you're new to the series, start at the beginning with the engrossing, much-better-paced Eye of the World. --Paul Hughes

The Shadow Rising (The Wheel of Time, Book 4)

Robert Jordan

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 270 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

One of my favorite books in the series 4 out of 5 stars.
6 of 6 people found this review helpful.

The Shadow Rising is one of my favorite books in the Wheel of Time series (the 5th book, The Fires of Heaven, is a close second favorite). Note: I am assuming the reader has read up to the third book, The Dragon Reborn.

In the last book, it ended with Rand being proclaimed the Dragon Reborn with the fall of the fortress, the Stone of Tear, in the city of Tear. Rand makes the decision to head into the Aiel Waste, to the city of Rhuidean (with Egwene and Mat tagging along, and of course, Moiraine), Perrin travels back home to the Two Rivers to help his village, Nynaeve and Elayne journey to the dangerous city of Tanchico to obtain an object that could be dangerous to Rand that the Black Ajah is after.

I felt The Shadow Rising was aptly named for this book, as the Dark One's forces (Darkfriends, the Black Ajah, and the Forsaken) are all working behind the scenes to further along the the DO's machinations in the world.

Again, I can't begin to express how amazed I am to see how Jordan foretold future plots and events from his beginning books into later books. Plot lines and events that get introduced here make sense in later books, and when I read this book the 1st time, I didn't catch it, but re-reading it I was able to see how certain events occurred to sow chaos and mistrust between the factions of the Light to prevent them from uniting. Each book has built on past books, but each new book in the series introduces more complexities and also intertwines with the overall story arc in the series.

There is a lot happening in this book, the main stories are told from the point of view of Rand, Perrin, Nynaeve & Egwene with a few from Mat. You learn more about the history of the Aiel, and I really enjoyed the glimpse of the past into the Age of Legends. It was always something I wondered about when I read the 3 books previous to this one, the wonders and amazing feats that were accomplished during the Age of Legends. It was quite interesting to read about, especially the parallels of certain objects in the Age of Legends with our own world (for instance, "jo-cars" being cars, "sho wings" airplanes, "hover flys" helicopters, and the description of "tall, silvery buildings" can be nothing but something similar to a skyscraper).

I also enjoyed how the Forsaken were given more page time in this book, and of course, getting more glimpses of Padin Fain who is still mad with his hatred for Rand and continues to cause trouble for him (sending the fanatical Whitecloaks to the Two Rivers).

If there were any annoyances I had, it was the character of Faile, Perrin's love interest. She got on my nerves with the way she tricked Perrin and tried to manipulate him into allowing her to travel with him back to his home, and she continues to be one of my least favorite characters in the series. I think her traits are something the other stubborn women characters also have, can get irritating to read as well, with their erroneous thinking that certain of the male characters needed guiding by them and were clueless without women.

This is something you see throughout the entire series, and I can understand how the women in this fictional world gained so much power over the men. It makes sense that women would gain the upper-hand, especially the female channelers (the Aes Sedai), as it was those of the male gender that broke the world and with no male channelers to balance out the power of the female channelers, you get a shift in power toward women. I think this thinking filtered down even into the general population, not just those who could channel, and so you get a world that views women as the dominant over men in many ways.

Oh well, I've gotten off-topic of my review of the book.LOL. This book is one of my favorites!

Editorial Review:

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.....

The Great Hunt (The Wheel of Time, Book 2)

Robert Jordan

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 332 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

The hunt for the horn is on! *Spoilers may be included* 4 out of 5 stars.
8 of 9 people found this review helpful.

The 2nd book in the Wheel of Time series, I give this book 4.5 stars. This book picks up about a few weeks later from the ending of the 1st book, The Eye of the World. If you haven't read the first book in this series, I'm warning you now there will be spoilers throughout this review. If you don't want to be spoiled, don't read on.

At the end of the Eye of the World, one of the young men, Rand, realizes he can channel saidin, the male half of the True Source. After using the Eye, a secret chamber was found beneath the Eye that holds several very important objects: the banner of Lews Therin, called the Dragon, the male Aes Sedai that led the forces of Light against the Shadow during the Age of Legends, an object made of cuendillar (or heartstone) one of the 7 seals of the Dark One's prison created by the Aes Sedai of the Age of Legends during the War of the Shadow, and the Horn of Valere, a horn that will bring back the dead heroes tied to the Wheel of Time to fight for whomever blows the horn.

All very important objects, and all signs that lead Moiraine (the female Aes Sedai that led the Two Rivers villagers in the 1st book) to believe that Tarmon Gaidon, the Last Battle with the Dragon Reborn and the Dark One, is fast approaching.

The book starts to pick up the pace when the minions of the Dark One (Trollocs, Fades, and Darkfriends) attack Fal Dara and steal the Horn of Valere and free a very interesting Darkfriend named Padin Fain (he was introduced in the first book and he was the one that caused the villagers to first flee their home in that book). Rand and his friends Mat and Perrin, with escort, ride to hunt for the Horn of Valere (hence, the title of the book) and retrieve it.

In The Great Hunt, the main character Rand struggles with who and what he is throughout this entire book. He also becomes less naive, more wary and suspicious of the motives of the Aes Sedai, and more aware of the heavy duty that lays on his shoulders ("Death is lighter than a feather, duty heavier than a mountain"). Having read the other books in the series, and knowing how his personality changes, it was interesting to read the first seeds of this personality change occur. While he did harbor these suspicions in the 1st book, they really don't start to take root until this book. It is something that doesn't ever go away, it only grows with time throughout the series to the point where it actually hinders Rand and what he has to do (which is save the world!).

You also learn more about Padin Fain, and I won't spoil it, but he becomes an important character later on so you'll see more of him. Rand also encounters a mysterious woman who goes by the name "Selene" and I'll just say she is also a character of importance and Rand doesn't meet her by accident.

Mat and Perrin, important secondary characters, don't get as much page time as Rand. What I mean is, you don't get "inside" their head as much as Rand in this book. There are also some snippets from the viewpoints of Nynaeve, Egwene, Moiraine, and Padin Fain but most of the book is Rand's perspective. The other characters I mentioned have significance as well, they play big roles in the series.

I think my favorite scene out of this book is the ending scene. A lot of tension and action, a battle scene, and finally Rand realizing his fate and being resigned to his destiny. The Great Hunt is a worthy sequel to the Eye of the World, and it only gets better! =)

Editorial Review:

The Wheel of Time turns and Ages come and pass. What was, what will be, and what is, may yet fall under the Shadow. For centuries, gleemen have told of The Great Hunt of the Horn. Now the Horn itself is found: the Horn of Valere long thought only legend, the Horn which will raise the dead heroes of the ages.And it is stolen.

The Fires of Heaven (The Wheel of Time, Book 5)

Robert Jordan

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 242 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Very good 5 out of 5 stars.
10 of 10 people found this review helpful.

4.5 stars. This is the 5th book in the Wheel of Time series, and about 1.5 years have passed since the villagers of the Two Rivers left their home with the Aes Sedai Moiraine and her Warder Lan. Since the ending of The Shadow Rising, about 2 months have passed and it is now late summer in the Wheel of Time world.

The Shadow Rising ended with Rand uniting half the Aiel clans and capturing the Forsaken Amosdean for a teacher so he can learn how to control saidin, the male half of the True Source. This book is told mainly from Rand, Egwene, and Nynaeve & Elayne's viewpoints. There are also some sections told from the perspective of the former leader of the Aes Sedai, Siuan Sanche and her comrades, including another former Aes Sedai, Leane, that was her second-in-command, a man that could channel, and Min (another character, while not given as much page time in the series, does play a somewhat significant role). For those who enjoy reading about Perrin, he does not make an appearance in this book.

I thought The Fires of Heaven moved along at a quicker pace than even the previous book. Nynaeve & Elayne encounter dangers from one of the female Forsaken, Moghedien, who is stalking them in the dream-world and the waking world at the same time. While Nynaeve & Elayne struggle to keep hidden from Moghedien and find the rebel Aes Sedai hiding from the White Tower and their new Amrylin, Elaida, Rand is facing just as many dangers and struggles trying to stay one step ahead of all the Forsaken trying to bring him down, in addition to chasing the Aiel clan that refused to follow him.

What I liked about this book was how everything moved along faster, there always seemed to be something interesting or new occurring. Whether it was learning more about the World of Dreams, the new enemy of the Seanchan, the Forsaken, etc.

I also liked how you get more insight and knowledge about the mysterious Forsaken, especially Amosdean and Moghedien. Up until this book (and a portion of the last book), there wasn't much information given about the Forsaken. All that was given was the Forsaken were the 13 most powerful Aes Sedai of the Age of Legends that turned their backs on the Light and swore new oaths to the Dark One. But in this book, you get snippets of the Forsaken and what they are planning.

There was one big annoyance I had with this book, and that was with one particular character, Egwene. Her character personality wasn't so annoying in the previous books, but it seems that in this book she has gone beyond annoying for me to the point I wished I could put my hands through the pages and literally strangle her for her hypocritical and arrogant ways. Not to spoil, but knowing what is in store for this character, I can see why Jordan had decided to tweak her personality and have her change in this fashion as it becomes apparent later in the series when she becomes something more.

It got very annoying to see Egwene sniff and glare at Rand for what she considered arrogant ways, or to give Nynaeve a thorough scolding for not listening to her about the dangers of the Dream World. Especially when Egwene herself was just as arrogant in her belief she was right and Rand wrong, and the fact she didn't take her own advice to Nynaeve about the dangers of the Dream World (when she was ordered by others, her teachers the Aiel Wise Ones, not to enter the Dream World without a teacher, as she was still learning about the Dream World). I couldn't help but notice those contradictions, and it drove me up the wall to read this character taking the high road while expecting others to listen to her like she was the voice of authority and they mere mortals who had no clue. In this regard, Egwene is becoming more and more Aes Sedai.

The arrogance of *all* the women in the Wheel of Time world can get quite annoying too, so I suppose I shouldn't be surprised that Egwene was thinking so much of herself. All the women surrounding Rand think they can guide him best, and only they know what's best for him in order to see him live to the Last Battle with the Dark One. Like I said, gets real irritating at times to read!

In fact, it's interesting, all the main characters have gone through some personality changes that are noticeable. They have all experienced certain events that have shaped them and changed them in ways that *are* noticeable to the reader (if you have read from the very 1st book).

Rand has become even more hard and cold, as it's the only way he knows how to do what he must do without guilt or remorse for what he is, Egwene more arrogant and lofty, Nynaeve has learned to reign in her famous temper and be more reasonable at times, Siuan & Leane having lost the ability to channel have been brought down a peg or two in Aes Sedai arrogance, Moiraine has been less overt in her prodding of Rand and even listens to him now.

Actually, of all of the main characters, I would say Mat has probably changed the least in personality. He is still the gambler and rogue, who doesn't want to take on any responsibility, although he does become more than he was by the end of the book too.

Anyways, if you can overlook the blatant sexism by the women characters, this book and the series is very good epic fantasy reading.

Editorial Review:

The Wheel of Time turns, and Ages come and go. What was, what will be, and what is, may yet fall under the Shadow.Let the Dragon ride again on the winds of time.