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The Wheel of Time turns, and Robert Jordan gives us the eleventh volume of his extraordinary masterwork of fantasy.
The dead are walking, men die impossible deaths, and it seems as though reality itself has become unstable: All are signs of the imminence of Tarmon Gai'don, the Last Battle, when Rand al'Thor, the Dragon Reborn, must confront the Dark One as humanity's only hope. But Rand dares not fight until he possesses all the surviving seals on the Dark One's prison and has dealt with the Seanchan, who threaten to overrun all nations this side of the Aryth Ocean and increasingly seem too entrenched to be fought off. But his attempt to make a truce with the Seanchan is shadowed by treachery that may cost him everything. Whatever the price, though, he must have that truce. And he faces other dangers. There are those among the Forsaken who will go to any length to see him dead—and the Black Ajah is at his side....
Unbeknownst to Rand, Perrin has made his own truce with the Seanchan. It is a deal made with the Dark One, in his eyes, but he will do whatever is needed to rescue his wife, Faile, and destroy the Shaido who captured her. Among the Shaido, Faile works to free herself while hiding a secret that might give her her freedom or cause her destruction. And at a town called Malden, the Two Rivers longbow will be matched against Shaido spears.
Fleeing Ebou Dar through Seanchan-controlled Altara with the kidnapped Daughter of the Nine Moons, Mat attempts to court the woman to whom he is half-married, knowing that she will complete that ceremony eventually. But Tuon coolly leads him on a merry chase as he learns that even a gift can have deep significance among the Seanchan Blood and what he thinks he knows of women is not enough to save him. For reasons of her own, which she will not reveal until a time of her choosing, she has pledged not to escape, but Mat still sweats whenever there are Seanchan soldiers near. Then he learns that Tuon herself is in deadly danger from those very soldiers. To get her to safety, he must do what he hates worse than work....
In Caemlyn, Elayne fights to gain the Lion Throne while trying to avert what seems a certain civil war should she win the crown....
In the White Tower, Egwene struggles to undermine the sisters loyal to Elaida from within....
The winds of time have become a storm, and things that everyone believes are fixed in place forever are changing before their eyes. Even the White Tower itself is no longer a place of safety. Now Rand, Perrin and Mat, Egwene and Elayne, Nynaeve and Lan, and even Loial, must ride those storm winds, or the Dark One will triumph.
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
The sun, climbing toward midmorning, stretched Galad's shadow and those of his three armored companions ahead of them as they trotted their mounts down the road that ran straight through the forest, dense with oak and leatherleaf, pine and sourgum, most showing the red of spring growth. He tried to keep his mind empty, still, but small things kept intruding. The day was silent save for the thud of their horses' hooves. No bird sang on a branch, no squirrel chittered. Too quiet for the time of year, as though the forest held its breath. This had been a major trade route once, long before Amadicia and Tarabon came into being, and bits of ancient paving stone sometimes studded the hard-packed surface of yellowish clay. A single farm cart far ahead behind a plodding ox was the only sign of human life now besides themselves. Trade had shifted far north, farms and villages in the region dwindled, and the fabled lost mines of Aelgar remained lost in the tangled mountain ranges that began only a few miles to the south. Dark clouds massing in that direction promised rain by afternoon if their slow advance continued. A red-winged hawk quartered back and forth along the border of the trees, hunting the fringes. As he himself was hunting. But at the heart, not on the fringes.
The manor house that the Seanchan had given Eamon Valda came into view, and he drew rein, wishing he had a helmet strap to tighten for excuse. Instead he had to be content with re-buckling his sword belt, pretending that it had been sitting wrong. There had been no point to wearing armor. If the morning went as he hoped, he would have had to remove breastplate and mail in any case, and if it went badly, armor would have provided little more protection than his white coat.
Formerly a deep-country lodge of the King of Amadicia, the building was a huge, blue-roofed structure studded with red-painted balconies, a wooden palace with wooden spires at the corners atop a stone foundation like a low, steep-sided hill. The outbuildings, stables and barns, workmen's small houses and craftsfolks' workshops, all hugged the ground in the wide clearing that surrounded the main house, but they were nearly as resplendent in their blue-and-red paint. A handful of men and women moved around them, tiny figures yet at this distance, and children were playing under their elders' eyes. An image of normality where nothing was normal. His companions sat their saddles in their burnished helmets and breastplates, watching him without expression. Their mounts stamped impatiently, the animals' morning freshness not yet worn off by the short ride from the camp.
"It's understandable if you're having second thoughts, Damodred," Trom said after a time. "It's a harsh accusation, bitter as gall, but--"
"No second thoughts for me," Galad broke in. His intentions had been fixed since yesterday. He was grateful, though. Trom had given him the opening he needed. They had simply appeared as he rode out, falling in with him without a word spoken. There had seemed no place for words, then. "But what about you three? You're taking a risk coming here with me. A risk you have no need to take. However the day runs, there will be marks against you. This is my business, and I give you leave to go about yours." Too stiffly said, but he could not find words this morning, or loosen his throat.....
Anonymous
Posted September 29, 2008
Yes, book 12, the final installment, is coming out. Robert Jordan had a large portion of the book written when he passed away, and before he died he dictated all the major events to his family. His wife is making this material available to fantasy writer Brandon Sanderson 'Mythborn series', who will complete the novel using Jordan's partial manuscript, story notes, and what he narrated to his family.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Posted November 21, 2011
I haven't been disappointed yet with one of these books. Some people would say it gets slow rightaround this part of the series. After reading for the second time, I can only disagree. I recommend this book and all other WoT books, it's by far one of the best serie I've had the pleasure of reading.
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Posted September 7, 2011
I loved it!
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Posted May 12, 2011
For those of you who have lost hope in Robert Jordan during the last handful of novels do not lose heart! Knife of Dreams is a brilliant return to the quick and exciting writing style that we all fell in love with during the first few books. Don't get me wrong, there are a few slow parts, but that is to be expected. I like to consider slow parts not really "slow parts", but more of a section in the novel that gives us more depth into this world of the Wheel of Time. Many, many, many plot lines get tied up in this novel. I won't give any spoilers here, but I will say that you will finish this novel and feel a sense of relief. I often found myself gasping one moment and sighing the next in relief. Knife of Dreams is a brilliant novel, and I am glad that the last part of the story put out by Robert Jordan himself was a blockbuster hit. Go buy Knife of Dreams
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Posted December 9, 2010
if you thought it couldnt get darker you were wrong
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Posted August 31, 2009
Overall another fine product put out by Robert Jordan.
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Posted September 23, 2008
I loved all the priors of his work. I agree with all the accolades this book has garnered. Fine detail and vivid view of expression to no fault. Maybe the story has turned to a direction, perhaps, unexpected, but what a fine story indeed. Truly a must read. My only disappointment is to the fact there will be no more.
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Posted August 27, 2008
The many fans of this series are hoping that the late great Robert Jordan left the conclusion to the series at least in a rough form. Had he not the time, I really wish his estate would appoint a good fantsey writer to finish it!!!
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Posted May 12, 2008
I started the series when I was fourteen in early 1991 with the first book 'Eye of the World' and this one, though not as good as the first, is better than most in this series. Jordan should have kept the series simpler and more focused on the three primary male characters. The three primary female characters are very well developed but Jordan seems much more in his element in discussing the male characters and trolloc/one power warfare. The female narratives of the middle volumes tend to be tedious. There is only so much braid twisting that one can take. The struggle of the three male characters to survive in a female-power dominated world always facinated me. I think Jordan should be given more credit for successfully exploring gender power relations through fantasy writing.
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Posted March 28, 2008
Before I talk about the book I just wanted everyone to know that the last book of the series will be finished and for sale by Fall 2009. Robert Jordans wife passed the torch the the author Brandon Sanderson. He is great and I think he will due justice to the series. As many of you said I fell Robert gave us a book that needed to have some conclusions to the many plot lines going on. Best book since Lord of Chaos, but the best book in the seires for me will always be book 4. The battle of Emonds field is one of my favorite litarary moments...ever.
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Posted February 23, 2008
Jordan's Wheel of Time series started out with five or six awesome books, but the quality declined as he wove way too many plot threads and spent way too much time on insignificant secondary characters. The series ground to a halt with The Crossroads of Twilight. Thankfully, Knife of Dreams is light years ahead of CoT. The plot cranks us as the characters swiftly move toward the Last Battle. A few things almost happen too fast as Jordan tries to regain the series' lost pacing, and a couple of happenings are a bit improbable, but this is a very satisfying book the best since Lord of Chaos.
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Posted December 29, 2007
I was checking to see if Robert Jorden's 12th book was out and imagine my surprise to find he had passed on. I loved the whole series, the characters fully fleshed out, the plot lines that kept us wondering what Rand, Mat and Perrin were going to do next. I seriously had doubts that he could even finish the series in just 12 books. Maybe there are enough notes so that someone can finish the series, only time will tell. Still Robert Jordan wrote a great set of books and I would recommend them to anyone, just be forewarned that when you get to number 11 you may have a very long wait indeed.
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Posted November 28, 2007
I have read many books and loved many of them but R. Jorden is by far the best. This book was great. Actioned packed, I love Matt Cauthorn and cant wait for the out come of his fate. This book leaves you wanting more. I heard a rummor that Robert Jordan has passed away and that there will be no more. I hope that his family comissions another great auther to finish this fantastic adventure that Jorden started. I surly hope he is alive and well.These books have been on hell of a ride.
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Posted October 28, 2007
I had the unfortunate luck of discovering this series eleven years ago i was in highschool since then I have read each book in the series at least five times waiting for the next one. This book series is the greatest I ever read and I have read many. It seems like he is headed in a direction of another tarmon gaden that leaves the world without saidar or saidin the male and female source of yes MAGIC!! resulting in a mad max like world lets hope not please keep the magic.Slay the dark one keep mat gambling,darken the children of light some more and yes Rand woes all three of his wives and lets not forget that their were many hints to the return of Moraine sedai and we all know lanfear will be back! this is a great series and I would love it if jordan didnt totally take it in a new direction and continued on the current path wich to me is very close to epic.
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Posted December 5, 2007
Knife of Dreams sets the stage well for the final book. Yet, will there be a final book? Robert Jordan recently passed away, and I send my condolences to his family, he is was a great writer, and human being. Call me selfish, but I have invested hundreds of dollars and countless hours over the past decade and a half to this series. I would at least like to find out if a final book is even possible. I guess time will tell, but I think the fans, and Robert Jordan deserve to have the series completed.
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Posted December 14, 2007
I've loved this series from the very beginning. Robert Jordan was an excellent writer and will be sorely missed. I wish there was some way to carry on the last of this story. I would love to see where his characters end. He may have passed on but his works will be with us forever. My condolences to his family and friends.
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Posted November 17, 2007
I seem to be one of the only people who read through the books ,all of the books, quickly, and enjoyed them all. Later, I looked online and saw all of these reviews complaining about the length and slowed down plot of the books. I seriously hadn't noticed, and it kind of ruined part of my view on the books. The little things that happened in this book are interesting to me, and honestly I don't mind not that much happening in the plot. But to the review of the book, I must say it wasn't my favorite, but I still liked it. I enjoyed reading about the reactions of all the characters who could channel to Rand and Nynaeve's channeling at Shadar Logoth. My favorite characters in this book are Mat and Elayne, they just have the most interesting parts. What I didn't like about the book: Perrin and Faile. I really do not like Faile as a person ,but she's a very interesting character. The parts when she has been captured are interesting, but not just because I don't like her. Perrin always annoyed me, but I still like him. I was also disappointed by the lack of Rand,the main character...hello?, in this book.
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Posted September 18, 2007
great series, enjoyed this book though it didn't have the action of the others. waiting on the next (final?) book in the series. lets get it out there
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Posted August 5, 2007
10%Great, 90%Boring-Fluff. The first of the series where I actually had to skip pages and did considered throwing the book away. The only thing that saved it was the 'Toy's romance'..and I don't even like romance. I would feel bad letting this book get published with my name on it. I did love the first 10 though.
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Posted July 8, 2007
it is time to call it quits. the first few were so good, i would swear by them. i have come to swear at the last few. i see no end in sight. why tell us of expected children so near what should be the end of a story. it seems that all we are getting (empty pages with lots of words). the series is turning into a bad version of harry potter. but then harry potter is a great childrens story. this story is better told in his childrens books. the writer has clearly lost his touch. at one time i thought this was the 'ALI' of the book world. maybe it still is, i hear 'ali' has lost his punch too.
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Overview
The Wheel of Time turns, and Robert Jordan gives us the eleventh volume of his extraordinary masterwork of fantasy.
The dead are walking, men die impossible deaths, and it seems as though reality itself has become unstable: All are signs of the imminence of Tarmon Gai'don, the Last Battle, when Rand al'Thor, the Dragon Reborn, must confront the Dark One as humanity's only hope. But Rand dares not fight until he possesses all the surviving seals on the Dark One's prison and has dealt with the Seanchan, who threaten to overrun all nations this side of the Aryth Ocean and increasingly seem too entrenched to be fought off. But his attempt to make a truce ...