Good. It was a lot like Lord of the Rings, but people tell me the other books go in a different direction. Despite the number of characters, they all feel real and different. Ending was cool, but quick!
Tried to read a few years ago, but couldn't get into it. (Edit: after finishing the series, glad I gave it another chance)

Good. It was a lot like Lord of the Rings, but people tell me the other books go in a different direction. Despite the number of characters, they all feel real and different. Ending was cool, but quick!
Tried to read a few years ago, but couldn't get into it. (Edit: after finishing the series, glad I gave it another chance)

Good. It was a lot like Lord of the Rings, but people tell me the other books go in a different direction. Despite the number of characters, they all feel real and different. Ending was cool, but quick!
Tried to read a few years ago, but couldn't get into it. (Edit: after finishing the series, glad I gave it another chance)

Good. It was a lot like Lord of the Rings, but people tell me the other books go in a different direction. Despite the number of characters, they all feel real and different. Ending was cool, but quick!
Tried to read a few years ago, but couldn't get into it. (Edit: after finishing the series, glad I gave it another chance)

Better than the first one! Things are starting to happen. Really like the Aes Sedai school--wish we saw more of that (and more of Moiraine). Flicker scene was amazing! Ending was pretty cool.

You also get the introduction of Selene, the first meeting of Siuan, and the first glimpse of the Seanchan. It's also a bit heavier, with the whole Sul'dam/Damane episode. Catching a lot more on this readthrough.

Better than the first one! Things are starting to happen. Really like the Aes Sedai school--wish we saw more of that (and more of Moiraine). Flicker scene was amazing! Ending was pretty cool.

You also get the introduction of Selene, the first meeting of Siuan, and the first glimpse of the Seanchan. It's also a bit heavier, with the whole Sul'dam/Damane episode. Catching a lot more on this readthrough.

Better than the first one! Things are starting to happen. Really like the Aes Sedai school--wish we saw more of that (and more of Moiraine). Flicker scene was amazing! Ending was pretty cool.

You also get the introduction of Selene, the first meeting of Siuan, and the first glimpse of the Seanchan. It's also a bit heavier, with the whole Sul'dam/Damane episode. Catching a lot more on this readthrough.

Even better than the last one (except for all of the braid tugging). Another "hunt." Didn't see much of Rand here, but got more from the girls and the Aes Sedai. Mat was less annoying, where Perrin seemed to complain a lot more! There's a new girl following Perrin too... Still wish we had more of Moiraine. Got to see Tear though!

Even better than the last one (except for all of the braid tugging). Another "hunt." Didn't see much of Rand here, but got more from the girls and the Aes Sedai. Mat was less annoying, where Perrin seemed to complain a lot more! There's a new girl following Perrin too... Still wish we had more of Moiraine. Got to see Tear though!

Even better than the last one (except for all of the braid tugging). Another "hunt." Didn't see much of Rand here, but got more from the girls and the Aes Sedai. Mat was less annoying, where Perrin seemed to complain a lot more! There's a new girl following Perrin too... Still wish we had more of Moiraine. Got to see Tear though!

The longest one yet! Got much more background on the Aiel and Aes Sedai. Started slow, but really picked up once they got out of Tear. Everyone split up--first time without everyone coming together at the end. And that ending!

Here we really get into the history of the Aiel. Rhuidean was pretty cool to read about--especially getting into the eyes of Rand's ancestors. Egwene starts her training with with Wise Ones, and so does Avienda (who has to shadow Rand haha). Although I can't stand Perrin, watching him take command of the Emond's Fielders was pretty great. We get the super girls in Tanchico and see them meet some more Seanchan (and foresaken!). And then Rand has a cool show down in front of the Aiel chiefs, and while some more scheming from our favorite crazy ex-girlfriend. Quite a ride.

The longest one yet! Got much more background on the Aiel and Aes Sedai. Started slow, but really picked up once they got out of Tear. Everyone split up--first time without everyone coming together at the end. And that ending!

Here we really get into the history of the Aiel. Rhuidean was pretty cool to read about--especially getting into the eyes of Rand's ancestors. Egwene starts her training with with Wise Ones, and so does Avienda (who has to shadow Rand haha). Although I can't stand Perrin, watching him take command of the Emond's Fielders was pretty great. We get the super girls in Tanchico and see them meet some more Seanchan (and foresaken!). And then Rand has a cool show down in front of the Aiel chiefs, and while some more scheming from our favorite crazy ex-girlfriend. Quite a ride.

The longest one yet! Got much more background on the Aiel and Aes Sedai. Started slow, but really picked up once they got out of Tear. Everyone split up--first time without everyone coming together at the end. And that ending!

Here we really get into the history of the Aiel. Rhuidean was pretty cool to read about--especially getting into the eyes of Rand's ancestors. Egwene starts her training with with Wise Ones, and so does Avienda (who has to shadow Rand haha). Although I can't stand Perrin, watching him take command of the Emond's Fielders was pretty great. We get the super girls in Tanchico and see them meet some more Seanchan (and foresaken!). And then Rand has a cool show down in front of the Aiel chiefs, and while some more scheming from our favorite crazy ex-girlfriend. Quite a ride.

Started off slow, but the ending was intense! Nynaeve was starting to irk me, and I didn't really care for the circus plot. No Perrin. Mat is getting awesome. The love plot with Rand and the three is kind of ridiculous. But lots of cool stuff with the forsaken.

Second time around, and I'm loving Nynaeve. She's funny and doesn't realize what a hypocrite she is, but she cares so much, and her scenes can be pretty funny. Plus she takes on Moghedien again. So much else happens. Lots more in the world of dreams. First appearance of dark hounds, I think. Mat meets Melindhra and has to kill her, which is a bummer. But he has some great scenes when he starts commanding battles, and kills Couladin. You get Rand and Aviendha hilariously getting together. (I wish we got more from her POV). Rand is dumb because he cannot kill Lanfear, but Moiraine gets an awesome death scene as she takes out Lanfear. And at least he gets to take out Rahvin. And we get more from our minor characters. Morgaise wakes up from her spell and starts planning something. Siuan, Leane and Min and Logain are chased by Gareth Bryne and later found out. Birgitte joins the cast. We get to see Salidar and the start of the rebel white tower. And we get the start of Rand's school for male channelers. Lots of stuff going on!

Started off slow, but the ending was intense! Nynaeve was starting to irk me, and I didn't really care for the circus plot. No Perrin. Mat is getting awesome. The love plot with Rand and the three is kind of ridiculous. But lots of cool stuff with the forsaken.

Second time around, and I'm loving Nynaeve. She's funny and doesn't realize what a hypocrite she is, but she cares so much, and her scenes can be pretty funny. Plus she takes on Moghedien again. So much else happens. Lots more in the world of dreams. First appearance of dark hounds, I think. Mat meets Melindhra and has to kill her, which is a bummer. But he has some great scenes when he starts commanding battles, and kills Couladin. You get Rand and Aviendha hilariously getting together. (I wish we got more from her POV). Rand is dumb because he cannot kill Lanfear, but Moiraine gets an awesome death scene as she takes out Lanfear. And at least he gets to take out Rahvin. And we get more from our minor characters. Morgaise wakes up from her spell and starts planning something. Siuan, Leane and Min and Logain are chased by Gareth Bryne and later found out. Birgitte joins the cast. We get to see Salidar and the start of the rebel white tower. And we get the start of Rand's school for male channelers. Lots of stuff going on!

This one is still really exciting, though it starts to drag in some places. Loved the development of Egwene--her training with the wise ones, dream walking, and of course becoming the Amyrlin seat. Gawyn is trash though, and I got tired of reading about her love for him. Nyneave heals Siuan and she and Elayne become full sisters, and they discover that the bowl exists. As always, loved Mat's point of view--especially when he stumbles across Salidar and meets the Amyrlin. Loved Aviendha and Elayne's reunion too--wish we got more of Aviendha because her perspective is so funny. Rand gets more angsty, and btw learns that Tigraine was his mother. He also gets put in a box, which doesn't help the angst. And of course the climax at Dumai's Wells is pretty epic.

This one is still really exciting, though it starts to drag in some places. Loved the development of Egwene--her training with the wise ones, dream walking, and of course becoming the Amyrlin seat. Gawyn is trash though, and I got tired of reading about her love for him. Nyneave heals Siuan and she and Elayne become full sisters, and they discover that the bowl exists. As always, loved Mat's point of view--especially when he stumbles across Salidar and meets the Amyrlin. Loved Aviendha and Elayne's reunion too--wish we got more of Aviendha because her perspective is so funny. Rand gets more angsty, and btw learns that Tigraine was his mother. He also gets put in a box, which doesn't help the angst. And of course the climax at Dumai's Wells is pretty epic.

Like the last one, dragged on a bit. But I enjoyed the parts with the girls and the parts with Mat. Avienda got a chapter--interesting to see things from her POV. And finally someone talked to the girls re: how poorly they've been treating Mat. Overally, enjoyable. But it's getting harder to power straight through the books!

** spoiler alert ** This was the first book in the series where I noticed that the prose was getting much more detailed. I wonder if this would hold up to some kind of analysis.

Rand's storyline in this is so sad: he's going mad, convinces himself that he'll be okay and that he is on a roll (hard to do after Dumai Wells), and promptly gets himself hurt worse than ever.

Egwene really takes off in this book as Amyrlin. Love her storyline.

Honestly rather bored of the Ebou Dar storyline, but I enjoy seeing Nyn and Elayne progress.

Drug on a bit more than the other ones, and there was no big exciting incident at the end. There was no Mat. It mostly just felt like Aes Sedai plotting around and being catty. The Seanchan are back, and there were some cool moments with the gateways. There's a secret Morgase wandering around with Perrin. There's some cool stuff with the Aes Sedai in the white tower and the oath rod. But probably my least favorite of the series so far.

The first "slow" book in the series. Good thing there are only 6 and a half more to go.

This one wasn't as bad as I was expecting. Overall, not too much happened. There were some weird scenes, like Aviendha and Elayne "birth" scene. There's some cool stuff involving the start of engines and electricity. Sexy time with Rand and the three girls (not at once). They finally sorted all that out, and they're all bonded now. And Elayne may be pregnant? And ugh, more Perrin worrying over Faile and being annoyed with Berelain, and Faile...existing. On the other hand, Mat's back! We get some Seanchen viewpoints, daugter of the nine moons, and some more stuff with Tylin. The whole book was kind of just okay, but the ending was exciting. Nyneave and Rand paired up and cleansed the taint in an awesome, kind of confusing scene.

RJ’s world-building continues to impress. However, the scenery comes at a cost, as the book often feels overcrowded with visuals. The pacing in this book is frankly sluggish, marking the first time in the series where the reading feels more like a chore than a pleasure.

The portrayal of the Aes Sedai continues to undergo the a significant transformation that began perhaps two books ago. In earlier books they were depicted as near-flawless paragons of strength. Now they are revealed to be fraught with internal squabbles and emotional vulnerabilities, making them more human and relatable. This shift was and continues to abrupt, lacking the gradual introduction that might have lent it more believability. Again, they were too perfect in earlier books; the indication that they were not should have been telegraphed earlier in the series.

The weakest part of the book is my recurring critique of Jordan's storytelling: the depiction of interpersonal mistrust and the dynamics of power struggle. Early in the series, childish banter between genders hinted at deeper societal divides. Now, with a world expanded to include a broader array of factions, the execution of these themes still remains the same as the petty disputes between genders. This approach undermines the gravity of the legitimate grievances and societal critiques, making significant conflicts seem trivial rather than showdowns of ideology and will.

Not all is bad. Our first true look into Sea Folk culture provides a counterbalance to the Aes Sedai portrayal, hinting at the varied responses to authority and power within the series. We also get increased focus on the Seanchan monolithic culture, though their portrayal is too uniform and lacks the nuanced characterization found in other cultures.

Not much really happens here. Perrin worrying over Faile. More Faile point of view (ugh). A lot of mundane stuff about Elayne running Caemlyn. She can't channel when she's pregnant (with twins). Egwene has aes sedai making cuendillar. They have no idea that the source was cleansed, but see a big 3 mile creator where shadar logoth was. Some stuff with Rand. Mat is with Luca in his circus traveling show. Egwene has been captured maybe? Idk, nothing much seemed to happen here. But I was expecting it.

Even with Jordan's excellent writing chops, this is a slog and a 2-star book.

Earlier in the series the author had focused his writing on rich descriptions of the world paired with putting his characters in close quarters and watching sparks fly. As the series enters its slog he leans ever more heavily into detailed descriptions of character-v-character psychology. By Crossroads of Twilight, this emphasis on the social dynamics has slowed the pace to a crawl, with the reader wading through descriptions of seating arrangements, and having to know who arrived first to an important meeting, and the subtlest of gestures that require a plot reference website to understand not just their significance but indeed who the gestures were intended for. The intense focus in this book on endless small interactions between the countless named characters stalls the story's momentum, and my interest stalls with it.

The circus scenes and the scenes with Egwene and the Sitters encapsulated my frustrations with this book. I wouldn't say I was close to quitting the book entirely ... but these scenes in particular were both a bore and chore.

Cadsuane continues a transition from a background character who was very thoughtless and who relished taking others down a peg. I'll be the first to note that I hated Cadsuane's open rudeness towards every other character (particularly other Aes Sedai!), but I feel like something important has been lost as she becomes more of an advisor to Rand than an agent on her own journey. She becomes a side character of a different sort, but one that is less interesting.

Each of the female leads who gets time in this book (Elayne, Faile, Egwene) are dealing with the same problem: they need to rally allies, cannot trust (to varying degrees) the people around them, and people do not take them seriously (for various reasons). Meanwhile, the male leads who get time in this book are taken very seriously (Rand, Perrin, Mat); their leadership never seriously questioned (even Mat by Tuon). An interesting juxtaposition.

The climax with Egwene's mission turning the harbor chains into cuendillar was a highlight for me. This moment felt like a payoff for the earlier setup and was the one instance where the narrative's slow build felt justified.

Aside from this last moment, Crossroads of Twilight felt less like a heroic journey and more like a test of patience, overshadowed throughout by the slowest pacing yet in a very long series.

Not quite what I expected, but enjoyable nonetheless. Nice change of pace, anyway. Opens with Lan's point of view, and mostly focuses on Moiraine's assent into Aes Sedaidom. The first half or so is Moiraine and Suian as accepted in the tower. Quick for a WOT read. No super long prologues and windy words. Still too many descriptions of dresses, and too many silver pike references, but quicker to get to the point than the main novels. It was fun to see young Moiraine's point of view, and made for some fun, lighthearted reading. Not much happened, but it was more enjoyable to read than other WOT books.

Things happen in this book! Egwene has been captured by the white tower, but is "content with her situation." It's a pretty good few chapters from her POV. I enjoyed watching her slowly trickle away at Eliada's command of the tower. Plus she can still run the rebellion camp from dreamworld. Not much of a setback at all. Some revelations: Beonin was working for Eliada all along. Moridin is Ishamael. Asha'man and Aes Sedai are bonding each other. What else? Aviendha is sent back with the wise ones. Loial is married. Rand loses his hand. False Tuon. Perrin finally reunites with Faile (ugh). Elayne is officially queen. Really enjoyed Tuon's POV. And watching Tuon and Mat finally get hitched. And she's now the Empress. And Mat is a prince. Also, realized that Tuon can channel. Battles, dead people walking, letters from Moiraine. So much is finally happening!

Book 11 ends the "slog" of the Wheel of Time series, but still falls short of redeeming the lackluster pace of the preceding volumes. I am honestly surprised at how exhausted I am at this series, and even after a book where things happen (and quite a lot happens in Knife of Dreams!), I still feel a sense of trepidation about continuing the series.

I loved the battle scenes in this book! The confrontations, including Rand's showdown with the Forsaken Semirhage, Perrin's clash with the Shaido, and the climactic battle involving Mat and the Seanchan are among the book's highlights. These chapters are strong and have an intensity that have been missing from much of the series' recent installments.

I also really, really enjoyed the Loial and Seafolk POV chapters. Robert Jordan is such a good writer, and his world building was so darn impressive.

In contrast to these battles is yet another "rebel hall" scene. We saw a lot of these in the slog, and they exemplify Jordan's tendency to bog down narrative with a bewildering array of named characters, painstakingly detailing the order of arrivals, seating arrangements, and endless descriptions of glances exchanged and what those glances might mean. I hold fast to my description of Jordan as a great writer, but he could also create narrative bloat.

I have strong thoughts about three characters that get a lot of time in this book: Faile, Egwene, and Elayne.

This book cements my changing feelings about Faile. I now really appreciate her. Early in the series she was a spoiled brat of a young girl who treated Perrin like a child and slapped him(!). In this book we see her instead as strong leader, with thoughtful consideration for her followers, a stiff upper lip in the face of adversity, and her final confrontation with Galina. I enjoyed reading her chapters. I wonder if there was any hint of this better portrayal in the earlier books. I don't recall it and frankly don't have the desire to go back and read this series again. Maybe Jordan completely changed her character?

Egwene is also a standout character in this book, brilliantly navigating her captivity within the White Tower to undermine Elaida's rule, while continuing to lead the rebel tower. Again we see a character who has can respond to tough situations, displays resilience to punishment and pain, and has the ability to turn every disadvantage into an opportunity to take another step forward for her cause. Her growth from the innkeeper's daughter to a force of personality solidifies her as my favorite character at this point in the series.

On the other hand, this book cements my feeling that Elayne is the worst character in the series. Elayne continues a long line of questionable and/or laughable actions, including a reckless decision to ride into danger, resulting in her capture by the Black sisters. This is typical for Elayne, who demonstrates a pattern of poor judgment and irresponsibility. This pattern is highlighted by a moment where she is ready to relinquish her claim to the throne in the face of a single moment of mild adversity. This scene was utterly baffling given that she was literally raised to inherit, and has spent the past books working solely towards that cause, and also undermines the considerable sacrifices made by her followers throughout her quest for the throne. Rather than evolving as the book goes on, Elayne appears more and more to be disconnected from the qualities of leadership and resilience that should be core to her character. What a comparison with Faile and Egwene, two characters who were not raised to be the heir of a major kingdom!

Fantastic. WOT is back. This is Egwene's book. Her story has finally reached its highest point. She is finally the Amerlyn, and has finally bested Eliada just by being her best self. Things are happening quickly! Ahviendha is finally a wise one too. That story was spread out a little too long, but I always enjoy reading her POVs. This book has more foresaken: in traditional WOT form, Semerag was spanked. She escaped, but finally met her end. Grendal finally got blasted too. Tuon is officially empress. Some mild frustration in her conversations with Rand. Why can't they just reach a peace. Mat was the only misstep here, and his character definitely felt off. Too pessimistic, too much of a woman-hater. Verin was another highlight. I knew there was something off with her, but I knew she couldn't be evil. Her work was amazing. I knew there were black sisters, but 200 seems like a lot! Likewise, Sheriam surprised me. Finally, Rand is over his dreary self--he finally smiled! That ending on top of dragonmount--beautiful.

With The Gathering Storm (Book TWELVE of the Wheel of Time), Brandon Sanderson steps boldly into Robert Jordan's colossal shoes ... and the fit is noticeably different. And so here we are, in a familiar world, but with a new guide, and Sanderson explicitly says, in the introduction to the book, that he is going to tell us a story in his voice, not the emulated voice of Jordan. And so I think the most important thing to address in this review is authorship, and how the handing of the baton to Sanderson impacted my overall enjoyment of the book.

Let's start with the way of writing. Sanderson's prose is a departure from Jordan's style. I would describe Jordan's style as ornate, a baroque approach not just to details but with a long and drawn out sentence structure. By contrast, Sanderson is straightforward and uses modern terms like "chat" and "carbon" which stand out against the traditional fantasy backdrop of the Wheel of Time. This new vocabulary is more than a mere refresh; it signals a fundamental shift in the narrative voice.

It's not just new words. We see characters thinking about flowers and foodstuffs that they've never thought of before. We also see newly coined phrases, such as Suian’s shift from her typical "Fishguts!" to "By the black seas at midnight!" a phrase which not only feels out of character but inaccurately reflects her background. Sanderson's approach to this book is to introduce new elements ... and to do so without considering whether they fit in the existing narrative fabric.

And not just new words, new catchphrases, and new things. I want to posit that Sanderson did not fully grasp the culture of the world that Jordan was inventing. For example, in Jordan's books, Aes Sedai are seen by the common people as cloaked in distrust. But there's a scene halfway through the book where Nyneave heals a commoner, and is promptly surrounded by people who thank her and quite frankly simper at her. Where's the mistrust? We see something similar when General Gareth Bryne is Delved by Suian. Delving is a very typical Aes Sedai weave, often a precursor of Healing. But in Sanderson's book, Bryne has never been Delved before: "So this must be what delving feels like..." thinks a man who has spent his entire life fighting battles. The thought that a seasoned general and fighting man went his entire life without being delved strains belief.

All these differences aside, the most significant shift in the writing is the openness with which characters now discuss their inner turmoils. A fundamental part of Jordan's approach to writing the wheel of time is that characters are inherently reticent and secretive. It's not just the Forsaken (mistrustful of everyone) and the Aes Sedai (who rarely share their true goals with each other, much less the outside world). It is a rarity when characters share what they are truly thinking; often these moments are pivotal plot points, and the secretiveness ensnares characters to their detriment. Early in this book, Rand begins openly sharing his internal conflicts. Egwene also describes exactly what she wants to accomplish with the Aes Sedai at multiple points. This has the result of reducing the complexity of interpersonal relationships ... but also helps speed the book to its conclusion.

Finally, Sanderson seems to be really into characters who strive to understand themselves. I cannot recall Jordan ever engaging in existential exploration or introspection. Sanderson's Wheel of Time, by contrast, is full of characters who are confronting their identity, their purpose, and their values. Perhaps this is an artifact of Sanderson striving - in real time, on the written page - to understand the characters, and to demonstrate to us that he gets them. And I don't think that his take on the characters is wrong, per se. It's just that this is not how Jordan would have ever written the characters. (Much ado has been made of Sandersons' take on Mat; I think Sanderson wrote that character credibly and truthfully to Jordan's Mat, although it's a bit overdone).

Reflecting on these changes, I wonder if my awareness of the shift in authorship heightens my sensitivity to these alterations. Would I have been as critical if Jordan's name were alone on the cover? Perhaps. Certainly it's good to get out of "The Slump" of books 9-11. For all the changes, perhaps the biggest change in this book is that meaningful things happen, and they happen frequently. But while the book has definitely injected some much needed energy into the series, it also wrestles with the challenge presented by Sanderson full-heartedly embracing the opportunity to refresh Jordan's intricate world. Our new guide's hand, while steady, undeniably alters a world that I thought I knew well.

Concluding this review presents a genuine challenge: deciding whether to award this book three or four stars. On one hand, Sanderson’s fresh energy and significant plot advancements provide a much-needed revitalization following the series' earlier slow pace. And I am thankful for Sanderson's taking up of this burden and carrying the series forward. On the other hand, the changes in narrative style, the introduction of new words and things that have not existed in this world before, and inconsistencies in character behavior contribute to a sense of discontinuity. These issues are significant enough that they might warrant a more cautious three-star rating. Ultimately, the decision teeters on a fine balance between appreciation for Sanderson's contributions to the series and my reservations about the alterations to a beloved world, and a lament for a subtle magic that seems diminished by Jordan's passing.

Just as good as Gathering Storm. Liked the little scenes, like the scene with Rand and the apples. Didn't really care for the scenes with Perrin and Faile, which seemed a large part. But Galad, now leader of the whitecloaks, has become more tolerable, so there's that. Enjoyed our characters finally meeting up again: Rand finally talking to Egwene as the Amerlyn, Mat and Elayne (who now had Andor and Carhien) meeting, Perrin and Elayne meeting, Perrin meeting Egwene in the wolf dream, Morgase and her reunion with all of her children, Egwene and Nyneave (who's finally taken the test). Digging the alliance between the Aes Sedai, the Wise Ones, and the WindFinders. And we have the big climax-- Mat and Thom rescuing Moiraine from the tower of Ghenjei.

It was a good end, but I'm not really into battles or watching battles, and this entire book was one big battle. Super annoyed that the greatest character had to die, and yet every other single main character gets to live.
But Egwene had a great last stand--she really was the best Amerlyn ever. And there were many good moments: Mat, Rand, Nyneave, Lan, even Faile was okay in the end. Sort of.
Anyway, it was a ride. A long, wild ride.