Author: Robert Jordan
Publisher: Tor
Binding: Paperback
Publication Date: 1992
The shadow is rising indeed. The darkness of poor writing is more like it. I have yet to give up on this series. I intend to see it through to the end, despite the pain.
Before you go off and say “I told you so” or start bashing Jordan, let me get a few things out of the way. First, I’m giving this book a low score because it was way too long, even for my own taste. Second, the quality of writing is a little lower than the previous books in the series (and another reason for a lower score). Third, there weren’t many major developments that I could remember. This is likely because of the sheer volume of events taking place and the immense number of CDs I listened to.
Now, aside from the technical aspects being somewhat lacking, let’s talk about the story. And I’ll readily admit right now that I don’t remember everything that happened. But I’ve happened upon a very handy Wheel of Time Encyclopedia. So I will be relying on the chapter summaries here to refresh my memory. And that’s my biggest grip about this book, the size. Thirty four CDs. Fifty eight chapters. How much can a man take before he gets tired?
And already I’m transported back into the story. Just from reading a few chapter summaries. Rand has taken the Stone of Tear, admits his love for Elayne, and leaves for the Wastes. There were a lot of political aspects in Tear that were a bit over my head. The best I could get out of it was that Rand didn’t want to lose the city, didn’t trust the High Lords, and had to trick them into doing what he wanted. Perrin and Faile travel to the Two Rivers to fight Trollocs and White Cloaks then get married. Elayne and Nynaeve (and Thom and Julin) travel to Tanchico. The eventually befriend a Seanchan. Mat, poor Mat, finds himself in more and more trouble. He follows Rand to the Wastes and does his best to keep his head low. Min, an excommunicated (and stilled) Amyrlin Seat, and Logain barely make it out of the White Tower. Civil war has swept through the ranks of Aes Sedai.
So in the end, I’m left tired and a bit drawn out. Rand has developed into a leader (and destroyer) of the Aiel. He has captured a Forsaken as a tutor in using the One Power. Perrin has become an even greater leader and a husband. Elayne and Nynaeve have not done much in Tanchico. Mat, Loial, and everyone else have stayed under the radar, playing backup for the others.
Like I said before, very long, very tiring, and I can now see why people gave up on the series after this. But being a completist, I need to see how it ends, I need to see what happens. So I will be continuing with the series. But I will be hoping it gets better.
