At last the consistent narrative push that kept this
series going falters some. I’m not declaring this a bad book, not at all. It’s
a very good seventh book to the Wheel of Time. But this is the one that left me
feeling like Mr. Jordan was starting to stall and stretch out the development
of the story so to begin a building point to a satisfying ending that is still
far out there. He had such a handle on these characters and this world but it
is here that I wonder if he’d bitten off more than he could chew, at least
without the story slowing down. Rand al’Thor takes a romantic interest in Min
while planning his attack on the Foresaken Sammael. Eqwene al’Vere continues
her role as the Amyrlin Seat in a section with Aes Sedai politics that kind of
meanders. Elayne Trakand and Nynaeve al’Meara struggle to find the Bowl of the
Winds in Ebou Dar and must reluctantly ask for Mat Cauthon’s help. When I
finished the book I just felt it was too long, especially the events with
Eqwene. The best part of the book deals with Mat and his adventure in Edou Dar.
Still to think how ambitious this story is and where it is leading, it’s an
incredible achievement. I can’t really complain too badly with a book that’s
only slightly less entertaining than the ones before it. When it comes to the
fantasy genre this saga is still a special one worth celebrating. Grade: B+
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