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Knife of Dreams (Wheel of Time)
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Manufacturer: Tor Books
Author: Robert Jordan
Publisher: Tor Books
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Our Price:
You Save: $ 29.95 ( 100% )
Manufacturer: Tor Books
Author: Robert Jordan
Publisher: Tor Books
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Knife of Dreams (Wheel of Time) Description
Binding: Hardcover
Dewey Decimal Number: 813.54
Format: Bargain Price
Label: Tor Books
Manufacturer: Tor Books
Number Of Items: 1
Book Pages: 1000
Publication Date: 2005-10-11
Publisher: Tor Books
Product Release Date: 2005-10-11
Studio: Tor Books
Dewey Decimal Number: 813.54
Format: Bargain Price
Label: Tor Books
Manufacturer: Tor Books
Number Of Items: 1
Book Pages: 1000
Publication Date: 2005-10-11
Publisher: Tor Books
Product Release Date: 2005-10-11
Studio: Tor Books
Editorial Review of Knife of Dreams (Wheel of Time)
The Wheel of Time turns, and Robert Jordan gives us the eleventh volume of his extraordinary masterwork of fantasy that has captured the imagination of millions.The dead are walking, men are dying impossible deaths, and it seems as though reality itself has become unstable: all are signs of the imminence of the Last Battle, when Rand alThor, the Dragon Reborn, must confront the Dark One as humanitys only hope. But Rand dares not fight until he possesses all the surviving seals on the Dark Ones prison. And he faces other dangersthere are those among the Forsaken who will go to any length to see him deadThe winds of time have become a storm, and things that everyone believed were fixed in place forever are changing before their eyes. Now Rand must ride those storm winds, or the Dark One will triumph.
Customer Reviews of Knife of Dreams (Wheel of Time)
Customer Rating:
Review Summary: Well I guess
Review: Overall I really like the series, but he has been dragging things out a bit. The characters spend a lot of time worrying about the same thing over and over and really just fill pages up. The story and plot is great and I really like the characters (some do change into too sappy of characters though). The series looked to need at least 12 books to finish, but no... he took time off to write Conan then some books that take place before the series and now I guess he is dead (sorry to hear). The first book came out in 1990 and he was writing one book a year for a long time (I started reading before book 4 came out). When he finished 10 (I think) he started wandering to other things and took something like 10 years off from finishing this series. All that is really left is the big battle(s) and a nice reunion/pro log and maybe something to explain a few things (all the prophesies, ancient ruins, and other worlds)... especial with so many years gone by and me loosing about half the books in a flood.
Customer Rating:
Review Summary: The best book in the series in a long time.
Review: After the disappointing and critically-mauled Crossroads of Twilight, Robert Jordan seemed to have a serious rethink about his Wheel of Time series was progressing. He stopped writing the series - taking a six-month break to write the extended version of the prequel novel New Spring instead - and when he came back to it he seemed to have recaptured some of his old fire. The resulting eleventh and then-promised-to-be-penultimate book in the series, Knife of Dreams, is a definite step up from the preceding three or four books, although some of the series' latter problems continue to be an issue.
The Last Battle is drawing near. The fabric of reality itself is breaking down as the seals on the Dark One's prison begin to fail. The dead are reappearing, long-lost towns and cities are flashing in and out of existence and the One Power itself seems to becoming unreliable. Yet Rand al'Thor's task of unifying the Westlands against the Shadow is far from complete. The Seanchan invasion force, now massively reinforced, is continuing to absorb more territory in the south-west of the continent. Whilst Rand's forces are large enough to destroy them, it would only be at a terrible cost in blood. With little choice, Rand extends an olive branch to the Seanchan whilst a Domani general launches a massively ambitious gambit to throw back the Seanchan armies encroaching on his kingdom.
Meanwhile, Perrin has made the fateful decision to ally with a Seanchan general to destroy the Shaido Aiel encamped at Malden who hold his wife Faile prisoner. Inside the camp, Faile is making her own escape plans but is relying on some very dubious partners to pull it off. Elsewhere, Mat Cauthon's flight from Ebou Dar with the kidnapped Daughter of the Nine Moons runs into difficulties when he encounters a huge Seanchan army blocking the way into Murandy, and Egwene al'Vere has been captured by the Tower Aes Sedai, whose plans to break her are foiled at every turn. In besieged Caemlyn Elayne Trakand makes one last throw of the dice to win the Lion Throne of Andor, and the Ogier teeter on the brink of a fateful decision that may have ramifications for the Last Battle.
Knife of Dreams is a much busier, far better-paced book than the ones preceding it. Several major storylines in the overall Wheel of Time series, some of them extending back seven or more volumes, are brought to final conclusions, and long-dangling minor plot threads are finally picked up on and expanded. We also get some tantalising clues as to the origins of the Ogier (one of the least of the series' mysteries, but welcome nevertheless) and, at long last, some major combat scenes. Rand, Mat and Perrin each have a major battle to fight and Elayne also has some skirmishing to do to win the throne of Andor. However, the storyline that possibly most impresses is Egwene's captivity in the White Tower. Jordan deftly avoids falling into the trap of making this a contrived story, and Egwene's quiet method of defiance against her captors is genuinely interesting. Also, the fact he packs virtually the whole story into one chapter is a plus as well.
However, Knife of Dreams is plagued by some of the same troubles as earlier books in the series. An absolutely vast number of minor characters whose import to the series is questionable continues to expand, and the minutiae of Elayne's pregnancy and arguments between different groups of channellers continues to weigh the series down. About halfway through the book, however, these problematic elements recede and the focus on resolution and conflict becomes more apparent, making the second half of the novel far more enjoyable to read, almost as much as the series at its best.
Reaching the end of Knife of Dreams, it is abundantly clear that there is no way that the series could be resolved in just one more book, and the recent confirmation by Brandon Sanderson that A Memory of Light will almost certainly be two volumes strangely comes as something of a relief: after such a huge journey, wrapping everything up in as short a space as possible for the sheer sake of it would have been dissatisfying.
Knife of Dreams (***½) was the best Wheel of Time novel in a decade when it was published and although the series' flaws were not eliminated by it, Robert Jordan's decision to acknowledge the weaknesses of the previous volume and move to counter them was effective. It certainly leaves the reader anxious to leap into the next book as soon as possible, and hopefully less than a year from now that will be possible. The book is available from Orbit in the UK and, with quite possibly one of the worst fantasy covers in history, from Tor in the USA.
Customer Rating:
Review Summary: Book 11
Review: I'm with all the people wondering why there are so many reviews from people who haven't even read the book. You gave up on the series. We get it. Write that as a review for the last book you read.
Knife of Dreams picks up the pace considerably. I liked the past few books, but they had a lot more talk of doing things than actually doing those things. It's good to see plots being resolved(Elayne, Perrin, Mat and Tuon), and it was great to have new surprises(Thom's letter; I can't wait for that adventure in the next book). It's a book that builds toward the final battle. The end is upon us. Only one more book to go, and it can't come soon enough.
Customer Rating:
Review Summary: Almost finished!
Review: After reading the 10th book, Crossroads of Twilight, I was really looking forward to the next book, Knife of Dreams. It's nearing the conclusion of the series, and although the previous book was slow-moving, I felt it was necessary to set up for this book (and the one after it, the final book..woohoo!).
There are a lot of things going on in this book. The plot does move forward, not as quickly, or with as much action, as earlier books, but a vast improvement over the last book. This book was very good. I think what makes this book better is the fact the conclusion is imminent. The Last Battle is coming, all the key players are being lined up, and so I have a feeling the final book, A Memory of Light, is going to be fantastic. It's all building up for a great finale.
A quick re-cap of Crossroads of Twilight: Egwene was getting ready to lay siege against Tar Valon, and was turning the iron chains that surround the harbor into cuendillar when she was caught by the White Tower Aes Sedai, betrayed by one of her own (although she doesn't know who betrayed her...), Rand is in hiding in a remote manor house in Tear, Perrin was contemplating how to rescue Faile having found the Shaido camp where she is being held, Mat was still on the run with Tuon from the Seanchan (not to mention agents of the Shadow), and Elayne was grappling with another claimant for the Lion Throne who had surrounded Camelyn and was laying siege.
Knife of Dreams picks up where all these plot lines left off in Crossroads of Twilight. There are more Rand chapters in this book, and he is now contemplating an alliance with the Seanchan as he doesn't have time to fight them into submission as the Last Battle is nearing. There are several signs (besides his appearance, The Dragon Reborn) that show this: the dead walking the earth again (i.e, ghosts), food and drink that spoil after a few days, the distortion of reality, and the abundance of rats, crows, and ravens (the "eyes and ears" of the Dark One, he uses them as spies).
There are several action-packed scenes in his chapters, one in which the voice inside his head (Lews Therin) actually gained control of the One Power. Basically, Rand was helpless and had no control over saidin and watched as this "voice" wielded the One Power during an attack on the manor. Btw, that scene was great to read, Jordan was able to describe the destruction created very well and my only complaint was that it was too short! LOL.
The voice in Rand's head gaining control raises questions on whether this voice *is* separate from Rand, or only a side effect of the taint on the male half of the Source. While Rand did cleanse the taint back in book 9, Winter's Heart, whatever effect the taint had on him up to that point remains. One theory on this voice I've heard is that Lews Therin never fully integrated into the current reincarnation of Rand in the Third Age. Rand is the reborn soul of Lews Therin, just as Lews Therin was the reborn soul of a previous one. (Note: in WOT world, everything is circular). Perhaps something got mixed up, although if Rand is the creation of the Creator (born to combat the Shadow, the Dark One), then you'd think it wasn't a mistake on the Creator's part. However, I still hold to the theory that the voice of Lews Therin in Rand's mind is only a side effect of the insanity all male channelers were threatened with prior to the cleansing of saidin.
Anyways, I could go on about that, but I'll also mention another new development between Rand, Mat, and Perrin (all three are ta'veren that can shape the Pattern and those around them). It was always obvious reading the series that the three were connected. They were all raised in the same village, Edmond's Field in Andor, and all within the same age range (months apart). Starting from Crossroads of Twilight each of the three "see" the other, they truly *are* connected. For instance, whenever Rand has thoughts of Perrin or Mat, or if someone else mentions their name, he can see in his mind's eye exactly what Perrin or Mat is doing at that moment miles away (and the same goes for Perrin and Mat). I speculate this is only now happening between the three of them because the Last Battle is very close, and this connection has somehow strengthened the ties between them. Rand needs Perrin and Mat in order to win against the Dark One.
Besides Rand, most of the book is told from the perspectives of Mat, Egwene, Elayne, and Perrin (with a few from other characters such as Faile). I had a lot of favorite scenes in this book and to name a few: the opening prologue had a very good scene with a minor character, Elayne's half-brother Galad, the battle scene at the manor house near Tear, Mat learning about Moiraine from Thom, Egwene's defiance and determination in the White Tower, and perhaps my most favorite scene with Nynaeve and her rousing speech of asking men in the Borderlands to ride to Tarwin's Gap with her husband when the Last Battle comes.
In Perrin's chapter, Perrin has decided to make a temporary alliance with a Seanchan general to get rid of the Shaido, as the Seanchan have also faced trouble from the Shaido Aiel. I have to admit, Perrin has never been a favorite character of mine, more so once he married his wife, Faile. While Faile's character could get frustrating, she isn't the worst, and she was always firm in her decisions once they're made so that was admirable. Perrin seems too self-effacing and reluctant to do anything! Of course, except when it comes to Faile and then he's willing to do anything for her. I understand Jordan wrote Perrin's personality that way for a reason, but he never was my favorite character. I even like Rand's character at the present time more than Perrin. Rand's continual self-condemnation over women that died because of him is better than Perrin and his awkwardness. He is always self-conscious and never changes throughout the series from the first book personality-wise. The times he did display some grit and backbone only occurred when he let his temper fly and I'd think, "Finally!".
My favorite character perspectives in this book were Egwene and Mat. I enjoyed reading about Egwene here. In the beginning of the series, she came across as a petulant girl most times, and trying too hard to be Aes Sedai when she wasn't. I didn't find her very likable in the beginning. IMO, Egwene really shines in the later books and I like her character better. Starting in Lord of Chaos, but more so in Crossroads of Twilight and in this one, Knife of Dreams. Egwene is brought back to the White Tower after her capture. Instead of facing execution as an imposter Amyrlin Seat, the Tower Amyrlin, Elaida, puts her in novice white again as Egwene is too talented to waste, with her knowledge of new weaves of saidar being a benefit to the White Tower. Egwene is punished quite frequently for refusing to bend and acknowledge to the Aes Sedai she's only a novice and not Amyrlin.
I loved reading about Egwene's different ways of defiance, all subtle and some outright, and her determination to win the battle to become the leader of all the Aes Sedai. From within the White Tower itself, her machinations may cause Elaida to be deposed and stripped of the Amyrlin's stole, with Egwene and her rebel Aes Sedai winning without having to resort to a more traditional means of fighting. I can't wait to see what happens when she takes Elaida down, not to mention when she faces Rand (in a prophecy noted in a prior book, it was said the Dragon Reborn, that's Rand, would face the anger of the Amyrlin Seat, that's Egwene). That will be interesting to read about!
Another character I really enjoyed reading about was Mat, although I will say I didn't enjoy reading about Tuon as much in those chapters. It was amusing to watch Mat play his little game with Tuon, trying to "woo" her and failing was very funny. Mat even gave a pet name to Tuon, calling her "Precious" in retaliation for her refusing to call him by his name and naming him, "Toy". My favorite part of Mat's chapters was Mat learning from Thom about Moiraine. I won't go further and spoil, but I *really* look forward to how Mat and Thom will go about doing this "thing" for Moriaine in the final book, A Memory of Light.
Before this gets too long, I will say in conclusion that the next book is expected to be the longest in the series. Anywhere from 400,000 words to 600,000 words, which means the final book will probably be split into 2 volumes (similar to Tad William's To Green Angel Tower was split), with one volume published one month and the second volume the next. As of the date of this review, it's too early to tell but Brandon Sanderson has said on his blog that it could be longer than he estimated (which would have been 400,000 words at the most). For those worried the book will not be the book Jordan would have written, it will end the way Jordan wanted. Jordan was able to write the prologue *and* the conclusion of this book and he left behind a tremendous amount of notes and detailed outline to assist Sanderson in exactly what could be written (Jordan didn't want to answer every plot thread, some will be left unanswered on purpose).
I will definitely wait in eager anticipation for this long-awaited conclusion to my favorite epic fantasy series. In the mean time, if you're like me, you can always re-read until the last book comes out next fall!LOL.
Customer Rating:
Review Summary: A Great Comeback
Review: I think that this novel is as good as any of the earlier books in the series. Crossroads of Twilight moved very slowly and this book was the opposite. You can really see things coming together as the last battle approaches. Several long standing plot lines were resolved. Included among them were the Faile rescue arc, the Mat escape arc, and the Andoran succession arc. A long standing prophecy was fulfilled and the events that will surely lead to Moraine's rescue have been put into motion. The last battle is clearly just around the corner. Moreover if you read books 9, 10, and 11 in succession, they flow seamlessly and Crossroads of Twilight works well as a much need transition between the action in books 9 and 11. Personally I can't wait for the next book, A Memory of Light to come out and hope that Brandon Sanderson can meet the lofty expectations that Jordan has instilled in me.
Review Summary: Well I guess
Review: Overall I really like the series, but he has been dragging things out a bit. The characters spend a lot of time worrying about the same thing over and over and really just fill pages up. The story and plot is great and I really like the characters (some do change into too sappy of characters though). The series looked to need at least 12 books to finish, but no... he took time off to write Conan then some books that take place before the series and now I guess he is dead (sorry to hear). The first book came out in 1990 and he was writing one book a year for a long time (I started reading before book 4 came out). When he finished 10 (I think) he started wandering to other things and took something like 10 years off from finishing this series. All that is really left is the big battle(s) and a nice reunion/pro log and maybe something to explain a few things (all the prophesies, ancient ruins, and other worlds)... especial with so many years gone by and me loosing about half the books in a flood.
Customer Rating:
Review Summary: The best book in the series in a long time.
Review: After the disappointing and critically-mauled Crossroads of Twilight, Robert Jordan seemed to have a serious rethink about his Wheel of Time series was progressing. He stopped writing the series - taking a six-month break to write the extended version of the prequel novel New Spring instead - and when he came back to it he seemed to have recaptured some of his old fire. The resulting eleventh and then-promised-to-be-penultimate book in the series, Knife of Dreams, is a definite step up from the preceding three or four books, although some of the series' latter problems continue to be an issue.
The Last Battle is drawing near. The fabric of reality itself is breaking down as the seals on the Dark One's prison begin to fail. The dead are reappearing, long-lost towns and cities are flashing in and out of existence and the One Power itself seems to becoming unreliable. Yet Rand al'Thor's task of unifying the Westlands against the Shadow is far from complete. The Seanchan invasion force, now massively reinforced, is continuing to absorb more territory in the south-west of the continent. Whilst Rand's forces are large enough to destroy them, it would only be at a terrible cost in blood. With little choice, Rand extends an olive branch to the Seanchan whilst a Domani general launches a massively ambitious gambit to throw back the Seanchan armies encroaching on his kingdom.
Meanwhile, Perrin has made the fateful decision to ally with a Seanchan general to destroy the Shaido Aiel encamped at Malden who hold his wife Faile prisoner. Inside the camp, Faile is making her own escape plans but is relying on some very dubious partners to pull it off. Elsewhere, Mat Cauthon's flight from Ebou Dar with the kidnapped Daughter of the Nine Moons runs into difficulties when he encounters a huge Seanchan army blocking the way into Murandy, and Egwene al'Vere has been captured by the Tower Aes Sedai, whose plans to break her are foiled at every turn. In besieged Caemlyn Elayne Trakand makes one last throw of the dice to win the Lion Throne of Andor, and the Ogier teeter on the brink of a fateful decision that may have ramifications for the Last Battle.
Knife of Dreams is a much busier, far better-paced book than the ones preceding it. Several major storylines in the overall Wheel of Time series, some of them extending back seven or more volumes, are brought to final conclusions, and long-dangling minor plot threads are finally picked up on and expanded. We also get some tantalising clues as to the origins of the Ogier (one of the least of the series' mysteries, but welcome nevertheless) and, at long last, some major combat scenes. Rand, Mat and Perrin each have a major battle to fight and Elayne also has some skirmishing to do to win the throne of Andor. However, the storyline that possibly most impresses is Egwene's captivity in the White Tower. Jordan deftly avoids falling into the trap of making this a contrived story, and Egwene's quiet method of defiance against her captors is genuinely interesting. Also, the fact he packs virtually the whole story into one chapter is a plus as well.
However, Knife of Dreams is plagued by some of the same troubles as earlier books in the series. An absolutely vast number of minor characters whose import to the series is questionable continues to expand, and the minutiae of Elayne's pregnancy and arguments between different groups of channellers continues to weigh the series down. About halfway through the book, however, these problematic elements recede and the focus on resolution and conflict becomes more apparent, making the second half of the novel far more enjoyable to read, almost as much as the series at its best.
Reaching the end of Knife of Dreams, it is abundantly clear that there is no way that the series could be resolved in just one more book, and the recent confirmation by Brandon Sanderson that A Memory of Light will almost certainly be two volumes strangely comes as something of a relief: after such a huge journey, wrapping everything up in as short a space as possible for the sheer sake of it would have been dissatisfying.
Knife of Dreams (***½) was the best Wheel of Time novel in a decade when it was published and although the series' flaws were not eliminated by it, Robert Jordan's decision to acknowledge the weaknesses of the previous volume and move to counter them was effective. It certainly leaves the reader anxious to leap into the next book as soon as possible, and hopefully less than a year from now that will be possible. The book is available from Orbit in the UK and, with quite possibly one of the worst fantasy covers in history, from Tor in the USA.
Customer Rating:
Review Summary: Book 11
Review: I'm with all the people wondering why there are so many reviews from people who haven't even read the book. You gave up on the series. We get it. Write that as a review for the last book you read.
Knife of Dreams picks up the pace considerably. I liked the past few books, but they had a lot more talk of doing things than actually doing those things. It's good to see plots being resolved(Elayne, Perrin, Mat and Tuon), and it was great to have new surprises(Thom's letter; I can't wait for that adventure in the next book). It's a book that builds toward the final battle. The end is upon us. Only one more book to go, and it can't come soon enough.
Customer Rating:
Review Summary: Almost finished!
Review: After reading the 10th book, Crossroads of Twilight, I was really looking forward to the next book, Knife of Dreams. It's nearing the conclusion of the series, and although the previous book was slow-moving, I felt it was necessary to set up for this book (and the one after it, the final book..woohoo!).
There are a lot of things going on in this book. The plot does move forward, not as quickly, or with as much action, as earlier books, but a vast improvement over the last book. This book was very good. I think what makes this book better is the fact the conclusion is imminent. The Last Battle is coming, all the key players are being lined up, and so I have a feeling the final book, A Memory of Light, is going to be fantastic. It's all building up for a great finale.
A quick re-cap of Crossroads of Twilight: Egwene was getting ready to lay siege against Tar Valon, and was turning the iron chains that surround the harbor into cuendillar when she was caught by the White Tower Aes Sedai, betrayed by one of her own (although she doesn't know who betrayed her...), Rand is in hiding in a remote manor house in Tear, Perrin was contemplating how to rescue Faile having found the Shaido camp where she is being held, Mat was still on the run with Tuon from the Seanchan (not to mention agents of the Shadow), and Elayne was grappling with another claimant for the Lion Throne who had surrounded Camelyn and was laying siege.
Knife of Dreams picks up where all these plot lines left off in Crossroads of Twilight. There are more Rand chapters in this book, and he is now contemplating an alliance with the Seanchan as he doesn't have time to fight them into submission as the Last Battle is nearing. There are several signs (besides his appearance, The Dragon Reborn) that show this: the dead walking the earth again (i.e, ghosts), food and drink that spoil after a few days, the distortion of reality, and the abundance of rats, crows, and ravens (the "eyes and ears" of the Dark One, he uses them as spies).
There are several action-packed scenes in his chapters, one in which the voice inside his head (Lews Therin) actually gained control of the One Power. Basically, Rand was helpless and had no control over saidin and watched as this "voice" wielded the One Power during an attack on the manor. Btw, that scene was great to read, Jordan was able to describe the destruction created very well and my only complaint was that it was too short! LOL.
The voice in Rand's head gaining control raises questions on whether this voice *is* separate from Rand, or only a side effect of the taint on the male half of the Source. While Rand did cleanse the taint back in book 9, Winter's Heart, whatever effect the taint had on him up to that point remains. One theory on this voice I've heard is that Lews Therin never fully integrated into the current reincarnation of Rand in the Third Age. Rand is the reborn soul of Lews Therin, just as Lews Therin was the reborn soul of a previous one. (Note: in WOT world, everything is circular). Perhaps something got mixed up, although if Rand is the creation of the Creator (born to combat the Shadow, the Dark One), then you'd think it wasn't a mistake on the Creator's part. However, I still hold to the theory that the voice of Lews Therin in Rand's mind is only a side effect of the insanity all male channelers were threatened with prior to the cleansing of saidin.
Anyways, I could go on about that, but I'll also mention another new development between Rand, Mat, and Perrin (all three are ta'veren that can shape the Pattern and those around them). It was always obvious reading the series that the three were connected. They were all raised in the same village, Edmond's Field in Andor, and all within the same age range (months apart). Starting from Crossroads of Twilight each of the three "see" the other, they truly *are* connected. For instance, whenever Rand has thoughts of Perrin or Mat, or if someone else mentions their name, he can see in his mind's eye exactly what Perrin or Mat is doing at that moment miles away (and the same goes for Perrin and Mat). I speculate this is only now happening between the three of them because the Last Battle is very close, and this connection has somehow strengthened the ties between them. Rand needs Perrin and Mat in order to win against the Dark One.
Besides Rand, most of the book is told from the perspectives of Mat, Egwene, Elayne, and Perrin (with a few from other characters such as Faile). I had a lot of favorite scenes in this book and to name a few: the opening prologue had a very good scene with a minor character, Elayne's half-brother Galad, the battle scene at the manor house near Tear, Mat learning about Moiraine from Thom, Egwene's defiance and determination in the White Tower, and perhaps my most favorite scene with Nynaeve and her rousing speech of asking men in the Borderlands to ride to Tarwin's Gap with her husband when the Last Battle comes.
In Perrin's chapter, Perrin has decided to make a temporary alliance with a Seanchan general to get rid of the Shaido, as the Seanchan have also faced trouble from the Shaido Aiel. I have to admit, Perrin has never been a favorite character of mine, more so once he married his wife, Faile. While Faile's character could get frustrating, she isn't the worst, and she was always firm in her decisions once they're made so that was admirable. Perrin seems too self-effacing and reluctant to do anything! Of course, except when it comes to Faile and then he's willing to do anything for her. I understand Jordan wrote Perrin's personality that way for a reason, but he never was my favorite character. I even like Rand's character at the present time more than Perrin. Rand's continual self-condemnation over women that died because of him is better than Perrin and his awkwardness. He is always self-conscious and never changes throughout the series from the first book personality-wise. The times he did display some grit and backbone only occurred when he let his temper fly and I'd think, "Finally!".
My favorite character perspectives in this book were Egwene and Mat. I enjoyed reading about Egwene here. In the beginning of the series, she came across as a petulant girl most times, and trying too hard to be Aes Sedai when she wasn't. I didn't find her very likable in the beginning. IMO, Egwene really shines in the later books and I like her character better. Starting in Lord of Chaos, but more so in Crossroads of Twilight and in this one, Knife of Dreams. Egwene is brought back to the White Tower after her capture. Instead of facing execution as an imposter Amyrlin Seat, the Tower Amyrlin, Elaida, puts her in novice white again as Egwene is too talented to waste, with her knowledge of new weaves of saidar being a benefit to the White Tower. Egwene is punished quite frequently for refusing to bend and acknowledge to the Aes Sedai she's only a novice and not Amyrlin.
I loved reading about Egwene's different ways of defiance, all subtle and some outright, and her determination to win the battle to become the leader of all the Aes Sedai. From within the White Tower itself, her machinations may cause Elaida to be deposed and stripped of the Amyrlin's stole, with Egwene and her rebel Aes Sedai winning without having to resort to a more traditional means of fighting. I can't wait to see what happens when she takes Elaida down, not to mention when she faces Rand (in a prophecy noted in a prior book, it was said the Dragon Reborn, that's Rand, would face the anger of the Amyrlin Seat, that's Egwene). That will be interesting to read about!
Another character I really enjoyed reading about was Mat, although I will say I didn't enjoy reading about Tuon as much in those chapters. It was amusing to watch Mat play his little game with Tuon, trying to "woo" her and failing was very funny. Mat even gave a pet name to Tuon, calling her "Precious" in retaliation for her refusing to call him by his name and naming him, "Toy". My favorite part of Mat's chapters was Mat learning from Thom about Moiraine. I won't go further and spoil, but I *really* look forward to how Mat and Thom will go about doing this "thing" for Moriaine in the final book, A Memory of Light.
Before this gets too long, I will say in conclusion that the next book is expected to be the longest in the series. Anywhere from 400,000 words to 600,000 words, which means the final book will probably be split into 2 volumes (similar to Tad William's To Green Angel Tower was split), with one volume published one month and the second volume the next. As of the date of this review, it's too early to tell but Brandon Sanderson has said on his blog that it could be longer than he estimated (which would have been 400,000 words at the most). For those worried the book will not be the book Jordan would have written, it will end the way Jordan wanted. Jordan was able to write the prologue *and* the conclusion of this book and he left behind a tremendous amount of notes and detailed outline to assist Sanderson in exactly what could be written (Jordan didn't want to answer every plot thread, some will be left unanswered on purpose).
I will definitely wait in eager anticipation for this long-awaited conclusion to my favorite epic fantasy series. In the mean time, if you're like me, you can always re-read until the last book comes out next fall!LOL.
Customer Rating:
Review Summary: A Great Comeback
Review: I think that this novel is as good as any of the earlier books in the series. Crossroads of Twilight moved very slowly and this book was the opposite. You can really see things coming together as the last battle approaches. Several long standing plot lines were resolved. Included among them were the Faile rescue arc, the Mat escape arc, and the Andoran succession arc. A long standing prophecy was fulfilled and the events that will surely lead to Moraine's rescue have been put into motion. The last battle is clearly just around the corner. Moreover if you read books 9, 10, and 11 in succession, they flow seamlessly and Crossroads of Twilight works well as a much need transition between the action in books 9 and 11. Personally I can't wait for the next book, A Memory of Light to come out and hope that Brandon Sanderson can meet the lofty expectations that Jordan has instilled in me.