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The Barnes & Noble Review
With only one novel left after Knife of Dreams until Robert Jordan's epic Wheel of Time saga concludes, Rand Al'Thor, the Dragon Reborn, has major obstacles to overcome before he will be ready to do battle against the Dark One in Tarmon Gai'don, the much-prophesized Last Battle that will “break the world.”
As the Seanchan Empire continues its bloody campaign to reclaim ancestral lands, Rand attempts a risky truce with the invaders -- with unforeseen consequences. A desperate Perrin Aybara is also dealing with the treacherous Seanchan, willing to do whatever it takes to finally rescue his wife from slavery. Mat Cauthon, meanwhile, has his hands full with the kidnapped Seanchan princess Tuon, whose ingenious plans have put Mat in a completely unexpected position. And as long-standing traditions and alliances crumble, the Forsaken prepare to compel the world into Shadow…
While few science fiction/fantasy works deserve to be read multiple times -- Tolkien's Lord of the Rings, Herbert's Dune sequence, et al. -- Jordan's Wheel of Time cycle is one of those extremely rare sagas that is so dense, so packed with substance, that it's almost essential to read the novels more than once. Colossal, massive, gargantuan: Everything about Wheel of Time is epic -- the dozens of interweaving plotlines, the hundreds of integral characters, the extensive histories of the realm, the vast settings, etc. But after 11 shelf-bending volumes -- as Tarmon Gai'don looms -- fans can find solace in the thought that after the final installment is released, they can go back to the beginning (The Eye of the World) and start this once-in-a-lifetime fantasy masterpiece all over again. After all: “There are neither beginnings nor endings in the Wheel of Time…” Paul Goat Allen
From the Publisher
Praise for Robert Jordan and The Wheel of Time®
“His huge, ambitious Wheel of Time series helped redefine the genre.” —George R. R. Martin, author of A Game of Thrones
“Anyone who’s writing epic or secondary world fantasy knows Robert Jordan isn’t just a part of the landscape, he’s a monolith within the landscape.” —Patrick Rothfuss, author of the Kingkiller Chronicle series
“The Eye of the World was a turning point in my life. I read, I enjoyed. (Then continued on to write my larger fantasy novels.)” —Robin Hobb, author of the award-winning Realm of the Elderlings series
“Robert Jordan's work has been a formative influence and an inspiration for a generation of fantasy writers.” —Brent Weeks, New York Times bestselling author of The Way of Shadows
“Jordan’s writing is so amazing! The characterization, the attention to detail!” —Clint McElroy, co-creator of the #1 podcast The Adventure Zone
“[Robert Jordan's] impact on the place of fantasy in the culture is colossal... He brought innumerable readers to fantasy. He became the New York Times bestseller list face of fantasy.” —Guy Gavriel Kay, author of A Brightness Long Ago
“Robert Jordan was a giant of fiction whose words helped a whole generation of fantasy writers, including myself, find our true voices. I thanked him then, but I didn’t thank him enough.” —Peter V. Brett, internationally bestselling author of The Demon Cycle series
“I don’t know anybody who’s been as formative in crafting me as a writer as [Robert Jordan], and for that I will be forever grateful.” —Tochi Onyebuchi, author of Riot Baby and War Girls
“I’ve mostly never been involved in any particular fandom, the one exception of course was The Wheel of Time.” —Marie Brennan, author of the Memoirs of Lady Trent series
“I owe Robert Jordan so much. Without him, modern fantasy would be bereft of the expansive, deep worlds and the giant casts which I love so dearly. It's not often I can look at another author and say: that person paved my way. But such is exactly the case with Jordan.” —Jenn Lyons, author of The Ruin of Kings
“You can't talk about epic fantasy without acknowledging the titanic influence Robert Jordan has had on the genre.” —Jason Denzel, author of Mystic and founder of Dragonmount.com
“Jordan has come to dominate the world Tolkien began to reveal.” —The New York Times
“The Wheel of Time [is] rapidly becoming the definitive American fantasy saga. It is a fantasy tale seldom equaled and still less often surpassed in English.” —Chicago Sun-Times
“Hard to put down for even a moment. A fittingly epic conclusion to a fantasy series that many consider one of the best of all time.” —San Francisco Book Review
“The most ambitious American fantasy saga [may] also be the finest. Rich in detail and his plot is rich in incident. Impressive work, and highly recommended.” —Booklist
“Recalls the work of Tolkien.” —Publishers Weekly
“This richly detailed fantasy presents fully realized, complex adventure. Recommended.” —Library Journal
“Jordan has come to dominate the world that Tolkien began to reveal.” —The New York Times
“Jordan is able to take ... familiar elements and make them his own, in a powerful novel of wide and complex scope. Open religious and political conflicts add a gritty realism, while the cities and courts provide plenty of drama and splendor. Women have a stronger role than in Tolkien.... Each character in this large cast remains distinct.... Their adventures are varied, and exciting.... The Eye of the World stands alone as a fantasy epic.” —Locus
“Robert Jordan has created a fantasy world as tangible and credible as history. He has a fine eye for detail and a vivid sense of drama.” —Morgan Llewelyn
“Robert Jordan's The Eye of the World proves that there's still plenty of life in the ancient tradition of epic fantasy. Jordan has a powerful vision of good and evil— but what strikes me as most pleasurable about The Eye of the World is all the fascinating people moving through a rich and interesting world.” —Orson Scott Card
“Jordan's world is rich in detail and his plot is rich in incident. Impressive work, and highly recommended.” —ALA Booklist
