This is the fourth book in the Wheel of Time series and I had kind of hoped the story would be further along. Dragging is the proper term for it. I didn't realize there were more than ten books in this series when I started and I don't think I'll be reading any more after this one. They are just too long and I have many other books I'd rather spend my time with. The one thing I have enjoyed in this series is the interaction between genders and the differences in how boys and girls think and manipulate each other. That said, it's just not enough to keep me interested. ( )

Having taken possession of both Callandor and the Stone of Tear with the help of the Aiel, Rand al'Thor is now publicly declared the Dragon Reborn - but now he must work even harder to stay one step ahead of both his enemies and his followers. The Aiel have been revealed as the People of the Dragon; but they have their own prophecy, that of He Who Comes with the Dawn, the one who will break and unite their tribes and lead them out of the Three-Fold Land. Rand travels to the Aiel Waste, to the mysterious Rhuidean, accompanied by Moraine, Lan, Egwene, and Mat. Perrin and Faile head to Emond's Field with Loial as they seek to save the village from marauding Trollocs and Children of the Light. Nyneave, Elayne, and Thom travel to Tanchico, seeking the remaining Black sisters who got away from them in Tear.

The fourth WOT book deals more with the Aiel and their prophecies and customs. More secrets are revealed and more discoveries are made as all of our heroes grow stronger in and more accustomed to their powers. Each one's path seems to be taking a stronger turn, but surprises are always just around the corner. ( )

I'm not going to review these separately, see book 1. ( )

This has always been my favorite book of the series. That it should never have come to pass and that this series should have ended at three is something I have mentioned in my series of reviews before. The backstory of this particular book, or the set-up takes a full third of the book to get thru.

We have a technique that Jordan has used before, in this book which shows us that often no amount of read and find out, his RAFO term that is a disservice to fans of the series and if he were still being raised you could scold him for it by some authority figure that Jordan might listen to. Instead Jordan's Hubris is such that he would use RAFO often and it is clear at least here, that he does things for which he does not think of the consequence.

Men can channel, so why do we have our male lead hero (we have several by now) lose it with a miasma of the power leaking thru. (If you are afraid of spoilers in these reviews, my reviews are of my many times reread, and this being the fourth book of the series (fifth with the prequel) you should have some idea of what has happened and what will happen.)

Oh the Aes Sedai covers the gaff and says that these things happen. Rand has been able to channel since book 1, and this is the first time it has happened. And it will not happen again. So a better name for the problem and better explanation should have been done.

But why do I think this book is so good... Perrin and the Two Rivers. Here Perrin really develops. In the very first book and the others since, we break up our questers into various groups, once again three as one group is Rand, one is the near Aes Sedai girls searching for the Black Ajah, and Perrin.

The sequence that takes place in the Two Rivers has always been amongst the best best i felt that was written, still (I have read all of it up to the 11th book.) Rand and his walk through the Aiel Waste could have been better I think, why just clan chiefs and a small honor guard. Why not the dream messages to the clan chiefs summoning the entire clans on the move. Rand wants an army to use.

He has learned a little in two years away from being a sheepherder, and he has more to learn. But as he talks to himself he wants to assemble a force. He knows he wants an army, he has delayed the sense of urgency he keeps harking on.

With the third leg of the quest we begin the world is so large I forget who I have whose met who problem. Thom Merrilin spent several days aboard Bayle Domon's boat, and they both know Floran Gelb. It would seem that they should acknowledge each other, why keep it secret, they can trust each other, and a run in with Gelb would surely have been a resolution to that bad person, who is just bad and not a Darkfriend.

Then there is Byar and Bornhold. Perrin emerges as a good leader but he is shortsighted when it comes to these two. Bornhold also is not written convincingly. First he cares about the people he is charged to protect then he doesn't. Certainly does not have any of his fathers genes... These little quibbles are something that Jordan, or someone who could have talked to Jordan, could have made better. Life does have inconsistencies, but not so significant ones.

Overall, the series is still worth constant rereading. and a very good time of it. Worth the price of admission and then some. And now rumors of movies... I hope that transition to the screen is handled as well as Tolkein. It is all worth it. ( )

This has always been my favorite book of the series. That it should never have come to pass and that this series should have ended at three is something I have mentioned in my series of reviews before. The backstory of this particular book, or the set-up takes a full third of the book to get thru.

We have a technique that Jordan has used before, in this book which shows us that often no amount of read and find out, his RAFO term that is a disservice to fans of the series and if he were still being raised you could scold him for it by some authority figure that Jordan might listen to. Instead Jordan's Hubris is such that he would use RAFO often and it is clear at least here, that he does things for which he does not think of the consequence.

Men can channel, so why do we have our male lead hero (we have several by now) lose it with a miasma of the power leaking thru. (If you are afraid of spoilers in these reviews, my reviews are of my many times reread, and this being the fourth book of the series (fifth with the prequel) you should have some idea of what has happened and what will happen.)

Oh the Aes Sedai covers the gaff and says that these things happen. Rand has been able to channel since book 1, and this is the first time it has happened. And it will not happen again. So a better name for the problem and better explanation should have been done.

But why do I think this book is so good... Perrin and the Two Rivers. Here Perrin really develops. In the very first book and the others since, we break up our questers into various groups, once again three as one group is Rand, one is the near Aes Sedai girls searching for the Black Ajah, and Perrin.

The sequence that takes place in the Two Rivers has always been amongst the best best i felt that was written, still (I have read all of it up to the 11th book.) Rand and his walk through the Aiel Waste could have been better I think, why just clan chiefs and a small honor guard. Why not the dream messages to the clan chiefs summoning the entire clans on the move. Rand wants an army to use.

He has learned a little in two years away from being a sheepherder, and he has more to learn. But as he talks to himself he wants to assemble a force. He knows he wants an army, he has delayed the sense of urgency he keeps harking on.

With the third leg of the quest we begin the world is so large I forget who I have whose met who problem. Thom Merrilin spent several days aboard Bayle Domon's boat, and they both know Floran Gelb. It would seem that they should acknowledge each other, why keep it secret, they can trust each other, and a run in with Gelb would surely have been a resolution to that bad person, who is just bad and not a Darkfriend.

Then there is Byar and Bornhold. Perrin emerges as a good leader but he is shortsighted when it comes to these two. Bornhold also is not written convincingly. First he cares about the people he is charged to protect then he doesn't. Certainly does not have any of his fathers genes... These little quibbles are something that Jordan, or someone who could have talked to Jordan, could have made better. Life does have inconsistencies, but not so significant ones.

Overall, the series is still worth constant rereading. and a very good time of it. Worth the price of admission and then some. And now rumors of movies... I hope that transition to the screen is handled as well as Tolkein. It is all worth it. ( )