This third installation of the Wheel of Time series has been one heck of a read. With the same engaging characters becoming more in touch with who they are and converging in one area to fufill a major part of the story, Jordan has done it again. It tends to drag in a few parts and doesn't contain a lot of information early in the story of the main character of the saga. That is the only thing that holds me from giving it the highest marks.

It is a good book, no doubt, though the plot does not live up to the first two. The entire book was essentially Jordan making excuses why everyone ended up in Tear for the last six chapters. The absence of Rand is disappointing, though understandable, since the other characters were very much in the backround in the first two books. The women's complaining doesn't bother me, It's not what I would call funny, but it gives the book a slightly lighter texture.

Does he really have to use the word 'pretty' to describe EVERY single girl in the book?! I mean, attractive, good looking, sensuous, seductive, beautiful, gorgeous, the list goes on! BUY A THESAURUS!!

Anyway, my main complaint about the book is that the movement of the plot is so glacial. It takes him about sixteen chapters to tell, essentially, Egwene, Nynaeve, Elayne and Mat arriving at the White Tower, then leaving. Not a lot happens at all! It's something I would have wrote in about five, leaving more time for Rand.

On the positive side, the characterisation is good and the world the book occurs in is virtually flawless in all respects. Thematically the book is deep and thought provoking.

In conclusion, I think Jordan could learn from the other masters of the Genre, that being 'concise' and 'deep' at the same time IS possible. But in all other respects, he puts in the effort of invention and skill that fantasy novels require, and deserves the name he has made for himself.

This book was fairly decent in that the plot followed a logical sequence and character developement went into great depth. However, I am getting a bit sick and tired of the man-bashing by ALL and when I say all I mean ALL of the women in the book. What's the go? Is RJ homophobic so bad he writes about women hating them? come on. Also, the Wheel of Time is about Rand, the Dragon Reborn. This fairly large novel devoted not even an eighth to him, the main character. I want to see more of Rand while cutting out how he can feel the taint like an oil-slick when ever he touches Saidin. The main reason I gave it a 3 is because Rand is not in the book enough, and all the women do is bitch about him and all men. That is all.