Paperback, 624 pages
English language
Published Sept. 13, 2002 by Tor Fantasy.
The Dragon Reborn—the leader long prophesied who will save the world, but in the saving destroy it; the savior who will run mad and kill all those dearest to him—is on the run from his destiny.
Able to touch the One Power, but unable to control it, and with no one to teach him how—for no man has done it in three thousand years—Rand al'Thor knows only that he must face the Dark One. But how?
Winter has stopped the war—almost—yet men are dying, calling out for the Dragon. But where is he?
Perrin Aybara is in pursuit with Moiraine Sedai, her Warder Lan, and Loial the Ogier. Bedeviled by dreams, Perrin is grappling with another deadly problem—how is he to escape the loss of his own humanity?
Egwene, Elayne and Nynaeve are approaching Tar Valon, where Mat will be healed—if he lives until they arrive. But who will …
The Dragon Reborn—the leader long prophesied who will save the world, but in the saving destroy it; the savior who will run mad and kill all those dearest to him—is on the run from his destiny.
Able to touch the One Power, but unable to control it, and with no one to teach him how—for no man has done it in three thousand years—Rand al'Thor knows only that he must face the Dark One. But how?
Winter has stopped the war—almost—yet men are dying, calling out for the Dragon. But where is he?
Perrin Aybara is in pursuit with Moiraine Sedai, her Warder Lan, and Loial the Ogier. Bedeviled by dreams, Perrin is grappling with another deadly problem—how is he to escape the loss of his own humanity?
Egwene, Elayne and Nynaeve are approaching Tar Valon, where Mat will be healed—if he lives until they arrive. But who will tell the Amyrlin their news—that the Black Ajah, long thought only a hideous rumor, is all too real? They cannot know that in Tar Valon far worse awaits...
Ahead, for all of them, in the Heart of the Stone, lies the next great test of the Dragon reborn....
And still more of the same. Jordan's style is exciting and immersive, and while he evidently talks too much, this book has such a fast pace (even though it is 640 pages long) that it can never become a real problem.
Now I'm feeling it.
I've finally started consulting the Wikipedia pages for these books that I'm reviewing that I finished a few weeks ago, and so I can say with certainty that this is the one where Rand runs away and we know that he's feeling really angsty and going through some shit but also we're following other characters in the meantime, so we don't have to deal with all the personal growth that takes place during this book directly. At this point in the series I think Perrin has started to grow on me, awoo, but Mat is as annoying as ever because all he ever wants to do is run away sans the personal growth bit. The girls go off to do their thing but they have no idea what they're doing, and it's a wonder they survive. It's a wonder any of them survive, really. How did this series not end …
I've finally started consulting the Wikipedia pages for these books that I'm reviewing that I finished a few weeks ago, and so I can say with certainty that this is the one where Rand runs away and we know that he's feeling really angsty and going through some shit but also we're following other characters in the meantime, so we don't have to deal with all the personal growth that takes place during this book directly. At this point in the series I think Perrin has started to grow on me, awoo, but Mat is as annoying as ever because all he ever wants to do is run away sans the personal growth bit. The girls go off to do their thing but they have no idea what they're doing, and it's a wonder they survive. It's a wonder any of them survive, really. How did this series not end on Book 1?
This book has a cool climax with a cool sword that is depicted on the front of the book, and we get to meet the Aiel, who are fucking badass and oh so very different and hard to understand, something that will brought up every single time we see the Aiel again in this series, which will be a lot. Have you heard about their sense of humor??? And their sense of honor??? What could it all mean??? So weird!!!
We dare not run. Worlds and time rest on Rand, on the Dragon Reborn. This time, we fight.
The sage continues and the story is far from concluding. I enjoyed this book, it carried multiple story lines at once and still helped move the main plot forward. The changing focus on the chapter characters was refreshing and helped me from getting a little tired of always being in the same character's perspective.
All the books I have read in the series have been four stars, so if I had to rank them I think it would go 1>3>2.
Not the best so far. Which is what I've been led to believe. But I'm really excited to move on with the series.
Jeez, this book series is overrated.
Granted, this has been the best book so far, but that really isn't saying much. All of the characters are grating morons, and you can see every plot point coming a mile away. I hate, hate, HATE the annoying way Robert Jordan presents female characters as nagging whorebeasts, and unfortunately they took up most of this book, since Rand basically worked in the background for the whole book.
It was kind of nice having the characters split up so there were some potentially interesting plot lines, but the "interesting" part never really happened. It was basically just characters following each other around to the same locations, so you could read the same town described in the same detail by three different people.
Ugh, but I'm a masochist. I've made it this far, so bring on book four.
Note: I'm breaking my own rules by reviewing a book that I've not read recently. I read these books as they came out, so there's the possibility my opinions might change were I to read them again today, but I doubt it.
I originally expected this book to be the end of the series (I read them as they were published, and had seen no indication that this series would go on even past the death of the author).
The book itself was OK, but the slow progress of the story was rapidly causing me to lose interest in it. Still, I had hope that things would pick up and that the resolution would make it all worthwhile.
Book 3 of the wheel of time series is action packed again. Rand is trying to get his powers under control, meanwhile in my head this is the book where Lan becomes my favourite character in the series, possibly in any book I have read. Top writing again by Robert Jordan.
Very good book, a little different to the first two since this volume doesn't really revolve around Rand but instead focuses on devolping the other main players in the story. Really picks up well toward the end with an excellent climatic scene. I definitely enjoyed my re-read and look forward to the remaining novels in the series. :)
Okay, so Jordan just keeps pulling me in further and further with the Wheel of Time.
Book three continues the epic tale of the lead up to the Dragon's Final Battle with the Dark One. Such an epic story, and put of such a great series.
There is no way I would be able to not continue reading further.
