Much better than I remembered it (and the last book of the series I'd already read in the 90s). At this point it is clear that Jordan's skills do not extend to straight storytelling or development. People are contemplating actions, planning actions, preparing actions; there is a lot of travel and a lot of intrigue - but nothing really happens. It would be possible to condense each of the books to 50 pages without losing any of the actual story. On the other hand, the world is wonderfully rich and colourful, the characters unique and alive. If only there were fewer distractions and sub-plots... I am really quite interested how I will like the upcoming books of the series.