Rating:  -
Remember the days when the Wheel of Time was printed in small type with small margins and little line spacing? When the timeline was moving at a pace that could be measured in weeks or months instead of hours? Well, if you have a hard time remembering any of those things, pick up The Shadow Rising, one of the last truly great Wheel of Time books. Now, as much fun as I'm having at the series's expense, I did enjoy the rest of the series and think that the most recent book, Knife of Dreams, was the best book in the series for a long time. However, The Shadow Rising is one of the last that really cooks. From the story of Emond's Field and Perrin to Rand and company's journey through the Aiel Waste there is tons of adventure, tons of answers, and tons of new questions. We see the Aelfinn and the Eelfinn for the first time, we see some of the Forsaken in greater detail, we learn the history of the Aiel (a fantastic sequence, perhaps the best moment of the series so far), we meet a whole host of new characters that are interesting, and by the end of the book we've finally taken care of a nagging problem: How is Rand going to get better at yielding saidin? Plot aside, Jordan is really at the top of his form in this novel, weaving enticing story lines without getting too lost in the details. As I said at the beginning, I'm still a fan of the series as a whole and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys fantasy fiction, but be warned, the next book is the end of the fast pace and from there they just continue to slow down until Knife of Dreams.
Rating:  -
My thoughts about this book can be summed up by a quote by Lanfear herself: "you don't use one tenth of your potential". The most frustrating element of this book (and the series as a whole, for that matter) is the wasted potential. The world of this series was so vividly realized and the plot was complex and engaging. Now, it is difficult not to sit back and wonder where exactly Jordan went off track.
Most other reviewers commented on the fact that all the characters did not "miraculously" end up in the same place for the last battle. Personally, I found it very disapointing. Three of the four plot lines are resolved satisfactorally (even the Nynaeve/Elaine one...though I will admit it wrapped up too neatly and had me hoping at the end that the Black Ajah would come back at the last minute and wipe the self satisfied smile off Nynaeve's face). Even so, I was left wondering whether the weeks I'd spent reading this book were worth it.
What this book lacked most was direction. It was very much a filler book for the characters/readers to take a breather in between major plot movements (at least I think that was what the original idea was). Readers can debate about whether the book was a success or not until they turn blue in the face (as I know they will) but for me, the book (and the series a sa whole) has fallen very flat.
Rating:  -
In response to the Publishers Weekly Report. It is a FANTASY EPIC! It is not something you would want to read if you have the patience of a newt. I think the book is awesome and the way he seems to put everything into a cause and effect, helps a lot. Also, Jordan has an amazing sense of detail. More accurate than most history. I love this series and reccomend it to everyone.
Rating: -
The seals of Shayol Ghul are weak now, and the Dark One reaches out. The Shadow is rising to cover humankind. In Tar Valon, Min sees portents of hideous doom. Will the White Tower itself be broken? In the Two Rivers, the Whitecloaks ride in pursuit of a man with golden eyes, and in pursuit of the Dragon Reborn. In Cantorin, among the Sea Folk, High Lady Suroth plots the return of the Seanchan armies to the mainland. In the Stone of Tear, the Lord Dragon considers his next move. It will be something no one expects, not the Black Ajah, not Tairen nobles, not Aes Sedai, not Egwene or Elayne or Nynaeve.
Against the Shadow rising stands the Dragon Reborn.
There are many masters in high fantasy. J.R.R. Tolkien would certainly be lauded highest when it comes to development of the world in which the events he illustrates transpire. Robert Jordan, for all the criticism leveled against him for what appears to be a marketing ploy - stringing the series out as long as humanly possible to generate greater book sales - would certainly have to rank near the top for character development. His series is filled with various interesting folk with varied viewpoints and motivations. While most (decent) authors go well into detail in describing the motivations and quirks of their heroes, Jordan doesn't stop there. Even his villains are thoroughly detailed. Moghidien, for example, one of the wickedest of the fallen, has a history and personality that influences how she reacts, as well as insecurities and frailties. Good, evil, benevolent or malign, all of Jordan's characters are fully fleshed out, and we get a fair view into their minds and motivations as the drama unfolds. Yes, the world is on the simple side, and yes, the plot, of late, has lost its pace; but it's a world and plot filled with only the most fascinating of folks. At a series currently juggling over 50 characters, all unveiled over the last 10 volumes, it's a commendable and laudable feat, indeed.
Fans of Jordan's epic series of many volumes of many pages have been whinging since book six that the series seems to have no end in sight. Unfortunately, it's now a race against the clock for Jordan and his publisher, whose decision to prolong the series as long as they have may result in the work never being finished. Ironically, Rand, the hero destined to die on the slopes of the Dragonmount, may outlive his creator. Full sympathies to Jordan, and I, for one, hope he holds out long enough to complete the story he began.
Rating:  -
The fourth book of The Wheel of Time, The Shadow Rising, is certainly not for those who can't read more than a 100 pages not knowing where the hell is story going. The plot, though well conceived, has been made so complicated that reader looses track and well as concentration.
At certain places where the story gets interesting, a sudden shift of focus to other sections of the story can boil your blood. An example of it is when the defences of Two Rivers were being strengthened and Perrin had stepped in a new phase of his life, the story suddenly shifts to Tanchico and spoils all the interest that had been developed. This happens many times in the book and is quite irritating.
The author seems to be quite Displeased with men, and for unknown reasons a lot of focus is being given to the women of the storyline, with situations if picturised would be rated above 16 and if you include violence, then R with above 18. The feminist qualities and appearances are being constantly highlighted, not just through text but also through characters, such as Avieda's constant bickering of Elayne's beauty in half of the book (though what can we say, she's an Aiel, but author should have taught her some manners).
With lots of fantasy about Rheudean and 20% more story than the previous installments, this is a hard to finish book. It is certainly larger than the first 3 books of Harry Potter put together and too tiresome.
One thing is for sure. You wouldn't want to read this book more than once :)
|
