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The Wheel of Time #8
The Path of Daggers
The Wheel of Time is now an original series on Prime Video, starring Rosamund Pike as Moiraine!
In The Path of Daggers , the eighth novel in Robert Jordan’s #1 New York Times bestselling epic fantasy series, The Wheel of Time®, Rand al'Thor engages in battle wearing the Crown of Swords and wielding Callandor against a force unprepared for the wrath of the Dragon Reborn.
The Seanchan invaders are heading for Illian―and Rand's army of Asha'man soldiers. When they meet in battle, some of the Asha'man are afflicted by madness, unable to control their channeling and unleashing raw power.
The madness extends to Rand himself. He has been hearing the voice of a man believed to have been the previous Dragon Reborn. Besieged by visions and debilitated whenever he uses the One Power, Rand chooses to attack the Seanchan with Callandor. The sword consumes him with a berserker rage, felling ally and enemy alike. And when he regains his senses, Rand finds himself less trusted by those who were once the most loyal.
Since its debut in 1990, The Wheel of Time® by Robert Jordan has captivated millions of readers around the globe with its scope, originality, and compelling characters. The last six books in series were all instant #1 New York Times bestsellers, and The Eye of the World was named one of America's best-loved novels by PBS's The Great American Read.
The Wheel of Time®
New The Novel
#1 The Eye of the World
#2 The Great Hunt
#3 The Dragon Reborn
#4 The Shadow Rising
#5 The Fires of Heaven
#6 Lord of Chaos
#7 A Crown of Swords
#8 The Path of Daggers
#9 Winter's Heart
#10 Crossroads of Twilight
#11 Knife of Dreams
By Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson
#12 The Gathering Storm
#13 Towers of Midnight
#14 A Memory of Light
By Robert Jordan and Teresa Patterson
The World of Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time
By Robert Jordan, Harriet McDougal, Alan Romanczuk, and Maria Simons
The Wheel of Time Companion
By Robert Jordan and Amy Romanczuk
Patterns of the Coloring Art Based on Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time
In The Path of Daggers , the eighth novel in Robert Jordan’s #1 New York Times bestselling epic fantasy series, The Wheel of Time®, Rand al'Thor engages in battle wearing the Crown of Swords and wielding Callandor against a force unprepared for the wrath of the Dragon Reborn.
The Seanchan invaders are heading for Illian―and Rand's army of Asha'man soldiers. When they meet in battle, some of the Asha'man are afflicted by madness, unable to control their channeling and unleashing raw power.
The madness extends to Rand himself. He has been hearing the voice of a man believed to have been the previous Dragon Reborn. Besieged by visions and debilitated whenever he uses the One Power, Rand chooses to attack the Seanchan with Callandor. The sword consumes him with a berserker rage, felling ally and enemy alike. And when he regains his senses, Rand finds himself less trusted by those who were once the most loyal.
Since its debut in 1990, The Wheel of Time® by Robert Jordan has captivated millions of readers around the globe with its scope, originality, and compelling characters. The last six books in series were all instant #1 New York Times bestsellers, and The Eye of the World was named one of America's best-loved novels by PBS's The Great American Read.
The Wheel of Time®
New The Novel
#1 The Eye of the World
#2 The Great Hunt
#3 The Dragon Reborn
#4 The Shadow Rising
#5 The Fires of Heaven
#6 Lord of Chaos
#7 A Crown of Swords
#8 The Path of Daggers
#9 Winter's Heart
#10 Crossroads of Twilight
#11 Knife of Dreams
By Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson
#12 The Gathering Storm
#13 Towers of Midnight
#14 A Memory of Light
By Robert Jordan and Teresa Patterson
The World of Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time
By Robert Jordan, Harriet McDougal, Alan Romanczuk, and Maria Simons
The Wheel of Time Companion
By Robert Jordan and Amy Romanczuk
Patterns of the Coloring Art Based on Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time
544 pages, Paperback
First published October 20, 1998
5725 people are currently reading
51415 people want to read
About the author
Robert Jordan
658books16.8kfollowersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the ŷ database with this name.
Robert Jordan was the pen name of James Oliver Rigney, Jr., under which he was best known as the author of the bestselling The Wheel of Time fantasy series. He also wrote under the names and Jackson O'Reilly.
Jordan was born in Charleston, South Carolina. He served two tours in Vietnam (from 1968 to 1970) with the United States Army as a helicopter gunner. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross with bronze oak leaf cluster, the Bronze Star with "V" and bronze oak leaf cluster, and two Vietnamese Gallantry Crosses with palm. After returning from Vietnam he attended The Citadel where he received an undergraduate degree in physics. After graduating he was employed by the United States Navy as a nuclear engineer. He began writing in 1977. He was a history buff and enjoyed hunting, fishing, sailing, poker, chess, pool, and pipe collecting.
He described himself as a "High Church" Episcopalian and received communion more than once a week. He lived with his wife Harriet McDougal, who works as a book editor (currently with Tor Books; she was also Jordan's editor) in a house built in 1797.
Responding to queries on the similarity of some of the concepts in his Wheel of Time books with Freemasonry concepts, Jordan admitted that he was a Freemason. However, "like his father and grandfather," he preferred not to advertise, possibly because of the negative propaganda against Freemasonry. In his own words, "no man in this country should feel in danger because of his beliefs."
On March 23, 2006, Jordan disclosed in a statement that he had been diagnosed with cardiac amyloidosis, and that with treatment, his median life expectancy was four years, though he said he intended to beat the statistics. He later posted on his Dragonmount blog to encourage his fans not to worry about him and that he intended to have a long and fully creative life.
He began chemotherapy treatment at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, in early April 2006. Jordan was enrolled in a study using the drug Revlimid just approved for multiple myeloma but not yet tested on primary amyloidosis.
Jordan died at approximately 2:45 p.m. EDT on September 16, 2007, and a funeral service was held for him on Wednesday, September 19, 2007. Jordan was cremated and his ashes buried in the churchyard of St. James Church in Goose Creek, outside Charleston.
Robert Jordan was the pen name of James Oliver Rigney, Jr., under which he was best known as the author of the bestselling The Wheel of Time fantasy series. He also wrote under the names and Jackson O'Reilly.
Jordan was born in Charleston, South Carolina. He served two tours in Vietnam (from 1968 to 1970) with the United States Army as a helicopter gunner. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross with bronze oak leaf cluster, the Bronze Star with "V" and bronze oak leaf cluster, and two Vietnamese Gallantry Crosses with palm. After returning from Vietnam he attended The Citadel where he received an undergraduate degree in physics. After graduating he was employed by the United States Navy as a nuclear engineer. He began writing in 1977. He was a history buff and enjoyed hunting, fishing, sailing, poker, chess, pool, and pipe collecting.
He described himself as a "High Church" Episcopalian and received communion more than once a week. He lived with his wife Harriet McDougal, who works as a book editor (currently with Tor Books; she was also Jordan's editor) in a house built in 1797.
Responding to queries on the similarity of some of the concepts in his Wheel of Time books with Freemasonry concepts, Jordan admitted that he was a Freemason. However, "like his father and grandfather," he preferred not to advertise, possibly because of the negative propaganda against Freemasonry. In his own words, "no man in this country should feel in danger because of his beliefs."
On March 23, 2006, Jordan disclosed in a statement that he had been diagnosed with cardiac amyloidosis, and that with treatment, his median life expectancy was four years, though he said he intended to beat the statistics. He later posted on his Dragonmount blog to encourage his fans not to worry about him and that he intended to have a long and fully creative life.
He began chemotherapy treatment at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, in early April 2006. Jordan was enrolled in a study using the drug Revlimid just approved for multiple myeloma but not yet tested on primary amyloidosis.
Jordan died at approximately 2:45 p.m. EDT on September 16, 2007, and a funeral service was held for him on Wednesday, September 19, 2007. Jordan was cremated and his ashes buried in the churchyard of St. James Church in Goose Creek, outside Charleston.
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August 10, 2022
The slog is a lie!
I was extremely worried going into this book, as it's considered by many to be where the plot really starts to hit a low point in terms of plot progression. So I put off reading this and really went in with low expectations. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find out that this was one of my favorite Wheel of Time books, and a wonderful addition to this series.
I think part of the problem people had with this was when they were reading these books as they were coming out. Yes, this book is slower than the previous ones - and if you had to wait years before reading the next one it would be a bit frustrating. But reading these after they have all come out fixed this problem and it allows Robert Jordan to really take a deeper dive into the characters and slow things down without sacrificing reader attention span.
Without spoiling anything, I thought the beginning 1/3 of this book was fantastic, and the drama that surrounded these characters interacting with the Seanchan invasion is incredibly tense and exciting. This book is the shortest one yet, and as such the pacing is wonderfully done throughout the whole book.
Like pretty much everyone I am a huge Mat fan - and he is a total non-factor in this book which was a disappointment. But when you have so many characters it makes sense that you will have to move some characters to the background each book so I painfully understand that it's his turn this time.
All-in-all I had an absolute blast reading this book and I highly encourage everyone who is afraid to start this book due to the reviews to just jump on in.
November 16, 2024
This review is a copy of the transcript of my video review on Path of Daggers
This was a bit surprising. The eighth volume and the second infamous slog novel of The Wheel of Time, Path of Daggers, was not as bad as A Crown of Swords.
Without going into too many details of the previous book, A Crown of Swords was a big downgrade for the series for me. I went into that book prepared for the beginning of the slog, and even then, I was still shocked by how significant the downgrade was from Lord of Chaos, my favorite book in the series so far. Compared to that, with repeated tempered expectations, I went into Path of Daggers after taking a five-month break from the series. And hey, unexpectedly, Path of Daggers was good enough. I will even go far enough to say... there were some scenes here that were straight-up incredible. But this isn’t to say the issues from the seventh book have disappeared. I do have mixed feelings about Path of Daggers. The reality is not that pleasant. But several factors, like Path of Daggers being the smallest novel—not counting New Spring prequel—in the entire series, I ended up finishing Path of Daggers faster than I expected. 18 days! A Crown of Swords took me 35 days to read. The longest I ever spent on reading a single book. I am thankful that slow reading time is not replicated here. For this review, I will share my thoughts regarding Path of Daggers by sharing my opinion on each main POV character’s storyline.
Elayne dominated the first quarter of Path of Daggers. Come to think about it, I am pretty sure she statistically has the most POV chapters in this book. And the first half of this book is where I struggled the most. Your miles may vary. But I could not bring myself to like Elayne. Not yet. In comparison, Nynaeve is one of the most thick-headed and infuriating characters I’ve ever read, but even then, I can still assess it as a distinct part of her character. But for Elayne, there hasn’t been anything about her personality that felt likable or distinct to me. It is so weird to me that she constantly blamed and ridiculed Nynaeve’s and Lan’s relationship, and yet there were moments in The Fires of Heaven where she wanted Thom Merrilin for herself. I don’t think she has the right to judge Nynaeve for her genuine feelings for Lan. But besides that, the majority of her POV chapters are filled with the weakness of the series. And that is the lack of distinct female characters. There were so many inconsequential names and female characters, and once again, all they did was bicker and mock each other all the time. Like always. It is a pattern of the series. That said, I must admit the battle that transpired in Elayne’s POV chapter at the end of the first quarter of Path of Daggers was quite tense.
Picture: Path of Daggers by Chris Rahn
If the first quarter of Path of Daggers is filled with Elayne’s POV chapters, why did I say the first half of this book was difficult and boring? Well, because after Elayne, we have to read Perrin’s portions. We are eight books into the series now, and I genuinely have no idea whether I will ever feel fully invested in Perrin Aybara. Certainly not yet, or maybe ever. We will see how it goes by the time I reach the end of the series. His relationship with Faile is a massive pain and slog to read, and he ceaselessly and immediately cowers or follows everything Faile says. This transforms Perrin into a weaker character than he already was spiritually. His mentor even told him he needed to stand up for himself here! It has been 8 books long, and although it is possible there is a rewarding character development waiting behind this, I have a feeling this is not going away anytime soon. Out of the Ta’veren, Perrin is the one that feels the least developed. His character's development has been stagnant since The Shadow Rising. His storyline with the Prophet did not turn into something interesting until his last two POV chapters in Path of Daggers. I remember The Fires of Heaven sparked my interest to continue the series again, and I must say, one of the reasons why that book worked so well for me is because it has no Perrin's appearance.
As I said, Path of Daggers was a mixed baggage for me, and although I have been (mostly) negative about my thoughts so far, Egwene somehow became the biggest pleasant surprise of the novel. Some of the issues I mentioned in Elayne’s POV chapters, such as the uninteresting and incomprehensible Aes Sedai's politics, are evident. I do not know whether any of you experienced this, but I was reading this book with my co-bloggers, and they agreed with me. Sometimes, when reading Robert Jordan's prose, the writing style can make English feel like reading a new language. It is not even because the words are difficult. I read the English words, I know what they meant, and somehow, they are not registered in my head. This happened a lot in A Crown of Swords and Path of Daggers, mainly during Elayne and Egwene's chapters. But thankfully, in the case of Egwene's POV chapters, they are balanced with great moments. Egwene pulled off an impactful move in Path of Daggers, and it highly raised her rank in my list of likable Wheel of Time characters. After everything that happened, I am curious to see where her story will lead. Although I still think her character development proceeded relatively quickly because the events in this book are done in a matter of weeks, I still found her character development satisfying.
Lastly, as expected, Rand al'Thor's POV chapters are my favorites. It was starting to test my patience that we got two chapters of Rand in chapters 13 and 14, and then after that, none of him until the last 35% of Path of Daggers. So yes, patience is needed if you are a fan of Rand and Mat like I am. Even more so if Mat is your favorite character because he did not appear in Path of Daggers. Not even once. It was unfortunate because I have no doubt his presence would've made this book more engaging. But anyway, back to Rand. Unlike many of the characters in The Wheel of Time, with the exception of the three wives plotline, I am fully invested in Rand's storyline. His constant internal struggle with Lews Therin never felt uninteresting, and in the battles against Seanchan in Path of Daggers, we get to witness the blazing power of The Dragon Reborn. Lightning, flame, destruction, and death were conjured. The Prophecies of the Dragon demanded blood, and he fulfilled it. The dead bodies accumulated will stamp his name in history, for better or worse. And there is also the matter of Aes Sedai and Asha'man that Rand has to juggle. I loved it. And I wish we had more of Rand's story here. Rand al'Thor and Matrim Cauthon, and Sanderson finishing the last three books, are the strongest motivators for me to conquer the slog of The Wheel of Time.
There aren't too many things left to say. I know this is the smallest book in the entire series, but it still felt bloated, and somehow, there was minimal plot progression and character development. However, as far as the slog installment was supposed to go, Path of Daggers was not as underwhelming as I expected. There were some pivotal and epic moments that were crucial to the narrative. And even though it is true the magnificent and epic moments needed patience and perseverance to reach, the overall reading experience did not make me want to give up like it did in A Crown of Swords. I cannot believe I am more than halfway through the series now. And that means I still have two more slog novels to go before the series allegedly returns to being great again. I will endure and persevere. It is very likely I will read the ninth book in the series, Winter's Heart, either in December or January. The wheel weaves as the wheel wills.
You can order this book from: |
You can find and the rest of my reviews at | I also have a
Special thanks to my Patrons on for giving me extra support towards my passion for reading and reviewing!
My Patrons: Alfred, Aliysa, Andrew, Andrew W, Annabeth, Arliss, Barbara, Biskit, Brad, Cade, Chris, Cullen, Dan, David, Dernerror, Donna, Donuts, Dylan, Edward, Elaine, Elias, Ellen, Frank, Garrick, Gary, Gregory, Hamad, Helen, Jenn, Jesse, Jimmy Nutts, Joie, Kristina, Lara, Luis, Melinda, Michael, Michael, Mike, Miracle, Mordie, Nicholas, Norbert, Radiah, RCT, Samuel, Sarah, Sarah, Scott, Shawn, Tori, Tracy, TS, Wendy, Wick, Xero, Yuri, Zoe.
This was a bit surprising. The eighth volume and the second infamous slog novel of The Wheel of Time, Path of Daggers, was not as bad as A Crown of Swords.
“On the heights, all paths are paved with daggers.�
Without going into too many details of the previous book, A Crown of Swords was a big downgrade for the series for me. I went into that book prepared for the beginning of the slog, and even then, I was still shocked by how significant the downgrade was from Lord of Chaos, my favorite book in the series so far. Compared to that, with repeated tempered expectations, I went into Path of Daggers after taking a five-month break from the series. And hey, unexpectedly, Path of Daggers was good enough. I will even go far enough to say... there were some scenes here that were straight-up incredible. But this isn’t to say the issues from the seventh book have disappeared. I do have mixed feelings about Path of Daggers. The reality is not that pleasant. But several factors, like Path of Daggers being the smallest novel—not counting New Spring prequel—in the entire series, I ended up finishing Path of Daggers faster than I expected. 18 days! A Crown of Swords took me 35 days to read. The longest I ever spent on reading a single book. I am thankful that slow reading time is not replicated here. For this review, I will share my thoughts regarding Path of Daggers by sharing my opinion on each main POV character’s storyline.
“Words could hurt as hard as fists, the wrong words, words you never meant, let loose in a temper.�
Elayne dominated the first quarter of Path of Daggers. Come to think about it, I am pretty sure she statistically has the most POV chapters in this book. And the first half of this book is where I struggled the most. Your miles may vary. But I could not bring myself to like Elayne. Not yet. In comparison, Nynaeve is one of the most thick-headed and infuriating characters I’ve ever read, but even then, I can still assess it as a distinct part of her character. But for Elayne, there hasn’t been anything about her personality that felt likable or distinct to me. It is so weird to me that she constantly blamed and ridiculed Nynaeve’s and Lan’s relationship, and yet there were moments in The Fires of Heaven where she wanted Thom Merrilin for herself. I don’t think she has the right to judge Nynaeve for her genuine feelings for Lan. But besides that, the majority of her POV chapters are filled with the weakness of the series. And that is the lack of distinct female characters. There were so many inconsequential names and female characters, and once again, all they did was bicker and mock each other all the time. Like always. It is a pattern of the series. That said, I must admit the battle that transpired in Elayne’s POV chapter at the end of the first quarter of Path of Daggers was quite tense.
Picture: Path of Daggers by Chris Rahn
If the first quarter of Path of Daggers is filled with Elayne’s POV chapters, why did I say the first half of this book was difficult and boring? Well, because after Elayne, we have to read Perrin’s portions. We are eight books into the series now, and I genuinely have no idea whether I will ever feel fully invested in Perrin Aybara. Certainly not yet, or maybe ever. We will see how it goes by the time I reach the end of the series. His relationship with Faile is a massive pain and slog to read, and he ceaselessly and immediately cowers or follows everything Faile says. This transforms Perrin into a weaker character than he already was spiritually. His mentor even told him he needed to stand up for himself here! It has been 8 books long, and although it is possible there is a rewarding character development waiting behind this, I have a feeling this is not going away anytime soon. Out of the Ta’veren, Perrin is the one that feels the least developed. His character's development has been stagnant since The Shadow Rising. His storyline with the Prophet did not turn into something interesting until his last two POV chapters in Path of Daggers. I remember The Fires of Heaven sparked my interest to continue the series again, and I must say, one of the reasons why that book worked so well for me is because it has no Perrin's appearance.
“No plan of battle survives first contact,�
As I said, Path of Daggers was a mixed baggage for me, and although I have been (mostly) negative about my thoughts so far, Egwene somehow became the biggest pleasant surprise of the novel. Some of the issues I mentioned in Elayne’s POV chapters, such as the uninteresting and incomprehensible Aes Sedai's politics, are evident. I do not know whether any of you experienced this, but I was reading this book with my co-bloggers, and they agreed with me. Sometimes, when reading Robert Jordan's prose, the writing style can make English feel like reading a new language. It is not even because the words are difficult. I read the English words, I know what they meant, and somehow, they are not registered in my head. This happened a lot in A Crown of Swords and Path of Daggers, mainly during Elayne and Egwene's chapters. But thankfully, in the case of Egwene's POV chapters, they are balanced with great moments. Egwene pulled off an impactful move in Path of Daggers, and it highly raised her rank in my list of likable Wheel of Time characters. After everything that happened, I am curious to see where her story will lead. Although I still think her character development proceeded relatively quickly because the events in this book are done in a matter of weeks, I still found her character development satisfying.
“A secret spoken finds wings.�
Lastly, as expected, Rand al'Thor's POV chapters are my favorites. It was starting to test my patience that we got two chapters of Rand in chapters 13 and 14, and then after that, none of him until the last 35% of Path of Daggers. So yes, patience is needed if you are a fan of Rand and Mat like I am. Even more so if Mat is your favorite character because he did not appear in Path of Daggers. Not even once. It was unfortunate because I have no doubt his presence would've made this book more engaging. But anyway, back to Rand. Unlike many of the characters in The Wheel of Time, with the exception of the three wives plotline, I am fully invested in Rand's storyline. His constant internal struggle with Lews Therin never felt uninteresting, and in the battles against Seanchan in Path of Daggers, we get to witness the blazing power of The Dragon Reborn. Lightning, flame, destruction, and death were conjured. The Prophecies of the Dragon demanded blood, and he fulfilled it. The dead bodies accumulated will stamp his name in history, for better or worse. And there is also the matter of Aes Sedai and Asha'man that Rand has to juggle. I loved it. And I wish we had more of Rand's story here. Rand al'Thor and Matrim Cauthon, and Sanderson finishing the last three books, are the strongest motivators for me to conquer the slog of The Wheel of Time.
“He needs to be strong, and makes himself harder. Too hard, already, and he will not stop until he is stopped. He has forgotten how to laugh except in bitterness; there are no tears left in him. Unless he finds laughter and tears again, the world faces disaster. He must learn that even the Dragon Reborn is flesh. If he goes to Tarmon Gai’don as he is, even his victory may be as dark as his defeat.�
There aren't too many things left to say. I know this is the smallest book in the entire series, but it still felt bloated, and somehow, there was minimal plot progression and character development. However, as far as the slog installment was supposed to go, Path of Daggers was not as underwhelming as I expected. There were some pivotal and epic moments that were crucial to the narrative. And even though it is true the magnificent and epic moments needed patience and perseverance to reach, the overall reading experience did not make me want to give up like it did in A Crown of Swords. I cannot believe I am more than halfway through the series now. And that means I still have two more slog novels to go before the series allegedly returns to being great again. I will endure and persevere. It is very likely I will read the ninth book in the series, Winter's Heart, either in December or January. The wheel weaves as the wheel wills.
“When you die, people begin to forget, who you were and what you did, or tried to do. Everybody dies eventually, and everybody is forgotten, eventually, but there’s no bloody point dying before your time comes.�
You can order this book from: |
You can find and the rest of my reviews at | I also have a
Special thanks to my Patrons on for giving me extra support towards my passion for reading and reviewing!
My Patrons: Alfred, Aliysa, Andrew, Andrew W, Annabeth, Arliss, Barbara, Biskit, Brad, Cade, Chris, Cullen, Dan, David, Dernerror, Donna, Donuts, Dylan, Edward, Elaine, Elias, Ellen, Frank, Garrick, Gary, Gregory, Hamad, Helen, Jenn, Jesse, Jimmy Nutts, Joie, Kristina, Lara, Luis, Melinda, Michael, Michael, Mike, Miracle, Mordie, Nicholas, Norbert, Radiah, RCT, Samuel, Sarah, Sarah, Scott, Shawn, Tori, Tracy, TS, Wendy, Wick, Xero, Yuri, Zoe.
April 18, 2018
These books hold a special place. It's just that simple.
February 23, 2016
Usually my reviewing style includes a plot synopsis at the beginning, but through experience I’ve come to the realisation that it’s most often a huge advantage when the book actually has a plot.
This was essentially Interlude: the Book. No plot development, no character development, no setting development, no... development. At all. And you don't need to tell me it gets worse. I know.
The chapters written from the viewpoint of the main protagonists are downright boring. Quite the opposite is true for the chapters written from the viewpoint of minor characters, like the Forsaken, the Seanchan and the Black Ajah. But unfortunately, there are so depressingly few of them.
Then we have people being stupid, other people being incomprehensibly stupid, the development of what has the potential to be the worst love plot in fantasy, and Faile being Faile (that’s the worst part).
And the only real redeeming quality of the book is called Cadsuane Melaidhrin.
The only reason this doesn't get two stars is because it's a Wheel of Time book and it allows me to spend more time in this wonderful world. But if I were to be objective, it's definitely closer to two stars than three.
At least I read most of the book in less than twenty-four hours. That must count for something. Though the book was only 672 pages, which is barely even a novella by Robert Jordan’s standards.
Fortunately, I still love the series a lot more than when I was reading the first three books. And this changes nothing.
Wheel of Time reviews:
#1 The Eye of the World
#2 The Great Hunt
#3 The Dragon Reborn
#4 The Shadow Rising
#5 The Fires of Heaven
#6 Lord of Chaos
#7 A Crown of Swords
#8 The Path of Daggers
#9 Winter's Heart
#10 Crossroads of Twilight
#11 Knife of Dreams
#12 The Gathering Storm
#13 Towers of Midnight
#14 A Memory of Light
This was essentially Interlude: the Book. No plot development, no character development, no setting development, no... development. At all. And you don't need to tell me it gets worse. I know.
The chapters written from the viewpoint of the main protagonists are downright boring. Quite the opposite is true for the chapters written from the viewpoint of minor characters, like the Forsaken, the Seanchan and the Black Ajah. But unfortunately, there are so depressingly few of them.
Then we have people being stupid, other people being incomprehensibly stupid, the development of what has the potential to be the worst love plot in fantasy, and Faile being Faile (that’s the worst part).
And the only real redeeming quality of the book is called Cadsuane Melaidhrin.
The only reason this doesn't get two stars is because it's a Wheel of Time book and it allows me to spend more time in this wonderful world. But if I were to be objective, it's definitely closer to two stars than three.
At least I read most of the book in less than twenty-four hours. That must count for something. Though the book was only 672 pages, which is barely even a novella by Robert Jordan’s standards.
Fortunately, I still love the series a lot more than when I was reading the first three books. And this changes nothing.
Wheel of Time reviews:
#1 The Eye of the World
#2 The Great Hunt
#3 The Dragon Reborn
#4 The Shadow Rising
#5 The Fires of Heaven
#6 Lord of Chaos
#7 A Crown of Swords
#8 The Path of Daggers
#9 Winter's Heart
#10 Crossroads of Twilight
#11 Knife of Dreams
#12 The Gathering Storm
#13 Towers of Midnight
#14 A Memory of Light
March 31, 2009
ORIGINALLY POSTED AT .
The best thing I can say about The Path of Daggers is that it is significantly shorter than the last few novels have been -- only 700 pages (mass market paperback) compared to the 900-1100 page novels that have preceded it. There is much less of the repetitive backstory. I guess Mr. Jordan finally realized that new readers aren't jumping in at this point.
However, that's not to say that there are 700 pages of plot here, either. For again, most of the pages are devoted to minutia such as nearly every word spoken during one of Elayne's 3 hour long rides, every thought that Perrin has while walking around his camp, etc. Most of the significant action is squeezed into the last couple of chapters. The story is still interesting, but The Path of Daggers doesn't advance it far enough.
But what's annoying me most is that the female WOT characters are the cattiest bunch of women I've ever encountered. Supposedly the Aes Sedai are dignified, cool-headed, and calm, but yet we see them constant bickering, back-biting, squabbling, thinking about their positions relative to others, and worried about what everyone else is thinking. For such powerful women, they are continually showing their shock, getting into petty disagreements, trying to out-wit each other, widening their eyes, adjusting their shawls, and smoothing their skirts (apparently this is an indication of uneasiness, though I have never actually seen an uneasy woman smoothing her skirt). And why the heck are adult women SPANKING each other?!?
I find it irritating that women leaders are portrayed this way while the powerful men are portrayed as hard, reserved, and distinguished. I'm sure that Mr. Jordan meant for his female characters to seem strong, but they just come across as bitchy. I really can't figure out why they all take each other so seriously.
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The best thing I can say about The Path of Daggers is that it is significantly shorter than the last few novels have been -- only 700 pages (mass market paperback) compared to the 900-1100 page novels that have preceded it. There is much less of the repetitive backstory. I guess Mr. Jordan finally realized that new readers aren't jumping in at this point.
However, that's not to say that there are 700 pages of plot here, either. For again, most of the pages are devoted to minutia such as nearly every word spoken during one of Elayne's 3 hour long rides, every thought that Perrin has while walking around his camp, etc. Most of the significant action is squeezed into the last couple of chapters. The story is still interesting, but The Path of Daggers doesn't advance it far enough.
But what's annoying me most is that the female WOT characters are the cattiest bunch of women I've ever encountered. Supposedly the Aes Sedai are dignified, cool-headed, and calm, but yet we see them constant bickering, back-biting, squabbling, thinking about their positions relative to others, and worried about what everyone else is thinking. For such powerful women, they are continually showing their shock, getting into petty disagreements, trying to out-wit each other, widening their eyes, adjusting their shawls, and smoothing their skirts (apparently this is an indication of uneasiness, though I have never actually seen an uneasy woman smoothing her skirt). And why the heck are adult women SPANKING each other?!?
I find it irritating that women leaders are portrayed this way while the powerful men are portrayed as hard, reserved, and distinguished. I'm sure that Mr. Jordan meant for his female characters to seem strong, but they just come across as bitchy. I really can't figure out why they all take each other so seriously.
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January 13, 2022
NOTICE: this reread is in preparation for finally biting the bullet and reading book 14. That means I HAVE NOT read book 14 yet. Please be mindful of this in the comments, both for me and for others who may or may not have progressed past this point in the series. Thank you.
Reviewed by:
So . . . I debated long and hard about how to rate THE PATH OF DAGGERS, book 8 in Robert Jordan's WHEEL OF TIME . . . I think by now it's pretty obvious that I love this series, but . . .
1. No Mat.
Like NONE.
About halfway through, I got super impatient, b/c #7 ends with him getting conked on the head, lights out, and, yeah, I know what happens next (b/c rererereread), but still, where the blood and bloody ashes is he? So I started flipping through the chapters, checking out the icons, looking for the tell-tale dice, and I FOUND THEM.
So I relaxed, and I put on my patient hat . . . Only to discover it was a LIE.
Don't get me wrong, I like Talmanes as much as the next person, but Talmanes is NOT Mat.
2. Aes Sedai shenanigans.
There are two types of shenanigans, as far as I'm concerned: the good kind that mean FUN, and the Aes Sedai kind that mean NEGATIVE FUN.
I've already explained which type these are.
Aes Sedai shenanigans mean scheming and machinations. They mean HUBRIS. They mean ignoring the obvious b/c they know better, even when what they "know" has been definitively proven wrong over and over again.
Things Aes Sedai know:
1. The Black Ajah is a filthy rumor.
2. Being Stilled or Severed from the Source cannot be healed.
3. No more than a handful of men develop the ability to Channel every year.
4. Abilities like Traveling and creating new ter'angreal have been lost since the Age of Legends.
5. Only an Aes Sedai can inhibit another's ability to channel.
FALSE, one and all.
And admittedly, there are few Aes Sedai who are privy to ALL the contradictory information, but most know at least half, and still, when confronted with undeniable evidence of yet another falsely assumed belief, they refuse to acknowledge the possibility that they're mistaken until concrete proof is waved under their noses, and even then they pick it apart, b/c not convinced.
It's maddening.
Even more so when the logical and inevitable conclusion of the actions they've taken results in physically becoming sick and wails and denials.
"We've divided the Tower b/c usurper and blatant abuse of the spirit of the law, gathered over 30k soldiers for our army, and acquired one of the most respected Generals in our world, but actually returning to the Tower with our army and our General to start the war we've been planning . . .?" *throws up messily in corner*
#GTFO
And those are just the Aes Sedai that Egwene's stuck with.
The Aes Sedai/Kin/Windfinders with Elayne and Nynaeve's group are a whole separate irritation.
But in that case, Elayne is the bigger annoyance. Whether she's doingthething she shouldn't be doing, b/c if Aviendha can do it, the Daughter Heir of Andor can do it, too, or making meaningless connections while missing the obvious and IMPORTANT ones, I wish this red-haired future queen was a Red Shirt, and good riddance.
BUT.
There is more to THE PATH OF DAGGERS then a lack of Mat, Aes Sedai shenanigans, and Elayne-whom-I-hate-loathe-despise-and-abominate.
There's also:
1. A bevy of formidable women-whom-I-LOVE: Alise, Cadsuane, Sorilea, Cadsuane, Cadsuane, Cadsuane.
2. The reappearance of Elyas, who gives Perrin some much needed insight into the minds of Saldean women.
3. Egwene out Aes Sedai-ing the Aes Sedai.
4. TWO revelations:
So not all bad. But no Mat and too much stupid Aes Sedai nonsense, so not my favorite, either. Read it b/c it's necessary, then move on, is my advice.
My other reviews for this series:
The Eye of the World (Wheel of Time, #1) by Robert Jordan
The Great Hunt (Wheel of Time, #2) by Robert Jordan
The Dragon Reborn (Wheel of Time, #3) by Robert Jordan
The Shadow Rising (Wheel of Time, #4) by Robert Jordan
The Fires of Heaven (Wheel of Time, #5) by Robert Jordan
Lord of Chaos (Wheel of Time, #6) by Robert Jordan
A Crown of Swords (Wheel of Time, #7) by Robert Jordan
Winter's Heart (Wheel of Time, #9) by Robert Jordan
Crossroads of Twilight (Wheel of Time, #10) by Robert Jordan
New Spring (Wheel of Time, #0) by Robert Jordan
Reviewed by:
So . . . I debated long and hard about how to rate THE PATH OF DAGGERS, book 8 in Robert Jordan's WHEEL OF TIME . . . I think by now it's pretty obvious that I love this series, but . . .
1. No Mat.
Like NONE.
About halfway through, I got super impatient, b/c #7 ends with him getting conked on the head, lights out, and, yeah, I know what happens next (b/c rererereread), but still, where the blood and bloody ashes is he? So I started flipping through the chapters, checking out the icons, looking for the tell-tale dice, and I FOUND THEM.
So I relaxed, and I put on my patient hat . . . Only to discover it was a LIE.
Don't get me wrong, I like Talmanes as much as the next person, but Talmanes is NOT Mat.
2. Aes Sedai shenanigans.
There are two types of shenanigans, as far as I'm concerned: the good kind that mean FUN, and the Aes Sedai kind that mean NEGATIVE FUN.
I've already explained which type these are.
Aes Sedai shenanigans mean scheming and machinations. They mean HUBRIS. They mean ignoring the obvious b/c they know better, even when what they "know" has been definitively proven wrong over and over again.
Things Aes Sedai know:
1. The Black Ajah is a filthy rumor.
2. Being Stilled or Severed from the Source cannot be healed.
3. No more than a handful of men develop the ability to Channel every year.
4. Abilities like Traveling and creating new ter'angreal have been lost since the Age of Legends.
5. Only an Aes Sedai can inhibit another's ability to channel.
FALSE, one and all.
And admittedly, there are few Aes Sedai who are privy to ALL the contradictory information, but most know at least half, and still, when confronted with undeniable evidence of yet another falsely assumed belief, they refuse to acknowledge the possibility that they're mistaken until concrete proof is waved under their noses, and even then they pick it apart, b/c not convinced.
It's maddening.
Even more so when the logical and inevitable conclusion of the actions they've taken results in physically becoming sick and wails and denials.
"We've divided the Tower b/c usurper and blatant abuse of the spirit of the law, gathered over 30k soldiers for our army, and acquired one of the most respected Generals in our world, but actually returning to the Tower with our army and our General to start the war we've been planning . . .?" *throws up messily in corner*
#GTFO
And those are just the Aes Sedai that Egwene's stuck with.
The Aes Sedai/Kin/Windfinders with Elayne and Nynaeve's group are a whole separate irritation.
But in that case, Elayne is the bigger annoyance. Whether she's doingthething she shouldn't be doing, b/c if Aviendha can do it, the Daughter Heir of Andor can do it, too, or making meaningless connections while missing the obvious and IMPORTANT ones, I wish this red-haired future queen was a Red Shirt, and good riddance.
BUT.
There is more to THE PATH OF DAGGERS then a lack of Mat, Aes Sedai shenanigans, and Elayne-whom-I-hate-loathe-despise-and-abominate.
There's also:
1. A bevy of formidable women-whom-I-LOVE: Alise, Cadsuane, Sorilea, Cadsuane, Cadsuane, Cadsuane.
2. The reappearance of Elyas, who gives Perrin some much needed insight into the minds of Saldean women.
3. Egwene out Aes Sedai-ing the Aes Sedai.
4. TWO revelations:
So not all bad. But no Mat and too much stupid Aes Sedai nonsense, so not my favorite, either. Read it b/c it's necessary, then move on, is my advice.
My other reviews for this series:
The Eye of the World (Wheel of Time, #1) by Robert Jordan
The Great Hunt (Wheel of Time, #2) by Robert Jordan
The Dragon Reborn (Wheel of Time, #3) by Robert Jordan
The Shadow Rising (Wheel of Time, #4) by Robert Jordan
The Fires of Heaven (Wheel of Time, #5) by Robert Jordan
Lord of Chaos (Wheel of Time, #6) by Robert Jordan
A Crown of Swords (Wheel of Time, #7) by Robert Jordan
Winter's Heart (Wheel of Time, #9) by Robert Jordan
Crossroads of Twilight (Wheel of Time, #10) by Robert Jordan
New Spring (Wheel of Time, #0) by Robert Jordan
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March 4, 2023
Of course, now that I like Mat, he is absent from the narrative (*smh*). So let me get this straight: Mat‘s fate is uncertain and we have to wait an entire book to find out what happened to him. Reading WoT when it came out must have been torture! I already feel it is torture and I at least can dive into the next book right away.
Talking of major viewpoint characters not getting (enough) page-time: it was really weird (not bad weird, just weird weird) to only get to Rand‘s PoV in Chapter 13, about 300 pages (46%) in and then only for 30 pages; only to then go another 110 pages until his PoV chapters resume. The later ones leading up to the battle were a little tiring, with so many names and nations (impossible) to keep track of: 41 names in one 16-page chapter!
Spoilers below!
__________________
Let’s talk about magic for a bit. In general, magic having a cost makes for a more compelling read. While madness is a steep cost to using saidin, I have been grateful that frequent use doesn’t hasten it; it would have sucked having to deal with a constant inner monolog whether channeling really was worth it this time. BUT now that a greater cost to the magic arises and Rand’s competence has a major setback because of it, I’m really bummed out. Saidin behaving even more unpredictably and erratically, as well as Rand getting dizzy and nauseous (why??), was bad enough, but finally seeing Callandor at work again and having it backfire, to the point that the Light does not win as a result for the first time? That felt really crappy!
As for the plot, the overall structure felt a bit like that of a TV show. Bringing closure to the Bowl of the Winds plot, Path of Daggers sees one loose end from the previous book finally resolved in the first five chapters � so the book begins with the first “episode" of the new season. To be honest, I feel like Crown of Swords should have seen the weather plot resolved; it would have made for an even better ending. Maybe that could have made some room for Mat?
Still, I have been repeatedly warned that getting through books 7/8-10 can be a bit of a slog. I want to sincerely thank everyone one of you who did! After so many brilliant books, moderating my expectations was, like so often, probably the key to enjoying myself. Was it as good as the predecessors? No. Did I still love it? Yes. Among other things, there were payoffs I really enjoyed, such as
� not picturing so many sweaty, stinky people everywhere
� Maighdin and Perrin meeting
� Egwene tricking those hags of Aes Sedai
� Elayne finally making it to Caemlyn
� Logain throwing in with Rand
� and even small things like the sequence in the first chapter, showing events as the wind passes, reminding me of the Stormfather.
Mat, here I come! Onward!
Talking of major viewpoint characters not getting (enough) page-time: it was really weird (not bad weird, just weird weird) to only get to Rand‘s PoV in Chapter 13, about 300 pages (46%) in and then only for 30 pages; only to then go another 110 pages until his PoV chapters resume. The later ones leading up to the battle were a little tiring, with so many names and nations (impossible) to keep track of: 41 names in one 16-page chapter!
Spoilers below!
__________________
Let’s talk about magic for a bit. In general, magic having a cost makes for a more compelling read. While madness is a steep cost to using saidin, I have been grateful that frequent use doesn’t hasten it; it would have sucked having to deal with a constant inner monolog whether channeling really was worth it this time. BUT now that a greater cost to the magic arises and Rand’s competence has a major setback because of it, I’m really bummed out. Saidin behaving even more unpredictably and erratically, as well as Rand getting dizzy and nauseous (why??), was bad enough, but finally seeing Callandor at work again and having it backfire, to the point that the Light does not win as a result for the first time? That felt really crappy!
As for the plot, the overall structure felt a bit like that of a TV show. Bringing closure to the Bowl of the Winds plot, Path of Daggers sees one loose end from the previous book finally resolved in the first five chapters � so the book begins with the first “episode" of the new season. To be honest, I feel like Crown of Swords should have seen the weather plot resolved; it would have made for an even better ending. Maybe that could have made some room for Mat?
Still, I have been repeatedly warned that getting through books 7/8-10 can be a bit of a slog. I want to sincerely thank everyone one of you who did! After so many brilliant books, moderating my expectations was, like so often, probably the key to enjoying myself. Was it as good as the predecessors? No. Did I still love it? Yes. Among other things, there were payoffs I really enjoyed, such as
� not picturing so many sweaty, stinky people everywhere
� Maighdin and Perrin meeting
� Egwene tricking those hags of Aes Sedai
� Elayne finally making it to Caemlyn
� Logain throwing in with Rand
� and even small things like the sequence in the first chapter, showing events as the wind passes, reminding me of the Stormfather.
Mat, here I come! Onward!
November 3, 2018
Slow like it's predecessor but few major events happened in this book which in turn make the story in next book look very exciting.
September 11, 2016
Month 8 and Book 8 go hand in hand with my buds at Buddies Books & Baubles
This will forever be THE BOOK WITHOUT MAT....
When The Wheel of Time began there was Rand, Perrin and Mat. I didn't even like Mat very much. It wasn't until maybe book 3 or 4 (seriously they start to run together) that his character became semi interesting. Now he is one of my favorites and he is missing the entire book.
Instead we have Aes Sedea shenanigans. Really I'm still of the opinion that if you can channel the one power if you are a man you slowly go mad, but if you are a woman you loose all common sense. Most of the Aes Sedea plot line drives me crazy and so since we spend so much time with it this time I just spent most of the book frustrated.
I'm not going to spend a ton of time on this review because this was my least favorite installment.
For Rand there are some good developments or reveals. Hopefully he won't go traipsing off without Min or the Maidens again. But chances are he is a woolheaded fool and will make that same mistake again.
Perrin might have finally figured out his wife with a little outside help. I'm glad because that meant I figured her out too and now some of the confusing bits of the last books make more sense.
Finally!!! Finally we have meetings and do things with the Sea Folk. I feel like I have been waiting forever for them to enter the story.
And last but not least (it was actually one of my favorite things of the story) there is the reunion of Lan and Nynaeve. THANK YOU!!! I feel like they have been apart for 5 books *grumbles* probably because they have.
All in all it didn't seem like a lot actually happened in this book until the last 80 pages as usual and it actually ended on a few cliff hanger situations. But I'm marching forward and so I'm on to book 9 for September.
This will forever be THE BOOK WITHOUT MAT....
When The Wheel of Time began there was Rand, Perrin and Mat. I didn't even like Mat very much. It wasn't until maybe book 3 or 4 (seriously they start to run together) that his character became semi interesting. Now he is one of my favorites and he is missing the entire book.
Instead we have Aes Sedea shenanigans. Really I'm still of the opinion that if you can channel the one power if you are a man you slowly go mad, but if you are a woman you loose all common sense. Most of the Aes Sedea plot line drives me crazy and so since we spend so much time with it this time I just spent most of the book frustrated.
I'm not going to spend a ton of time on this review because this was my least favorite installment.
For Rand there are some good developments or reveals. Hopefully he won't go traipsing off without Min or the Maidens again. But chances are he is a woolheaded fool and will make that same mistake again.
Perrin might have finally figured out his wife with a little outside help. I'm glad because that meant I figured her out too and now some of the confusing bits of the last books make more sense.
Finally!!! Finally we have meetings and do things with the Sea Folk. I feel like I have been waiting forever for them to enter the story.
And last but not least (it was actually one of my favorite things of the story) there is the reunion of Lan and Nynaeve. THANK YOU!!! I feel like they have been apart for 5 books *grumbles* probably because they have.
All in all it didn't seem like a lot actually happened in this book until the last 80 pages as usual and it actually ended on a few cliff hanger situations. But I'm marching forward and so I'm on to book 9 for September.
July 20, 2022
*** 4.44 ***
A buddy read with the WoT fanatics at BB&B!
This book was a bit slower, a bit shorter and all together the book that felt most as a set-up, transition book of all up to now... The action was a bit choppy, which is not very typical for Jordan, but the banter made the book - all the characters with their quirks and the intricate games of hierarchy and politics, are deliciously masterful, but still, this book suffered form the lack of one of the main characters - Mat was MIA.... The horror!!! He is a total pain in the ass, but without him, the world of WoT is just not quite right...
Even with the flaws, the quality and magnitude of this book as part of the series is above most of the books that are out there... The text is full of clues and more questions are raised all the time, as we discover some of the answers that we had encountered previously. Rand is getting crazier, the Black Tower men are becoming more and more suspicious, and the White Tower is a mess of power plays, distrust, and the Black Adja is running rampant in its halls ... The Daughter-Heir finally got to where she should have been since her mother's demise, and two of our favorite characters who got married at the end of the last book, are driving everyone insane by acting like love-sick teenagers... There are bad guys everywhere and we could not trust anyone!
So, this book did a good job to show what was going on on all fronts and where things are about to go. Now I expect with the next book we will start getting there:):):) And we want Mat back!!!
I wish all of you happy reading and Happy Olympic Games to you all!!!
A buddy read with the WoT fanatics at BB&B!
This book was a bit slower, a bit shorter and all together the book that felt most as a set-up, transition book of all up to now... The action was a bit choppy, which is not very typical for Jordan, but the banter made the book - all the characters with their quirks and the intricate games of hierarchy and politics, are deliciously masterful, but still, this book suffered form the lack of one of the main characters - Mat was MIA.... The horror!!! He is a total pain in the ass, but without him, the world of WoT is just not quite right...
Even with the flaws, the quality and magnitude of this book as part of the series is above most of the books that are out there... The text is full of clues and more questions are raised all the time, as we discover some of the answers that we had encountered previously. Rand is getting crazier, the Black Tower men are becoming more and more suspicious, and the White Tower is a mess of power plays, distrust, and the Black Adja is running rampant in its halls ... The Daughter-Heir finally got to where she should have been since her mother's demise, and two of our favorite characters who got married at the end of the last book, are driving everyone insane by acting like love-sick teenagers... There are bad guys everywhere and we could not trust anyone!
So, this book did a good job to show what was going on on all fronts and where things are about to go. Now I expect with the next book we will start getting there:):):) And we want Mat back!!!
I wish all of you happy reading and Happy Olympic Games to you all!!!
July 9, 2019
The plot is very good, but I missed Mat...
June 27, 2021
Full video review here:
I've really enjoyed WoT up to this point. This book ain't it.
I've really enjoyed WoT up to this point. This book ain't it.
June 28, 2010
Book 8 of the Wheel of Time really gets a bad rap. Contrary to common wisdom, plenty happens in this book. The problem, I think, is that nothing gets resolved. (Not having any Mat, especially after the cliffhanger at the end of book 7, doesn't help either.) Is it ridiculous for a fantasy series to still be setting things up 8 books in? Especially when that series was supposed to be 6 books long? OK, yeah, it is. But taken by itself, The Path of Daggers isn't a bad story.
Oddly enough, the story begins with an event that could easily have been used instead as a climax in book 7. It makes some sense for this event to happen in this book, however, since it has broad implications affecting every other plotline. The core plotlines of the book follow Rand and Egwene, who I'm beginning to notice are actually paired off quite often despite a lack of specific plot crossover. I guess that Jordan guy knew what he was planning after all.
The biggest issue with book 8 isn't the fact that it doesn't resolve existing plotlines, it's that it doesn't resolve the plotlines introduced during the book. The stage is set for book 9, where things mercifully do begin to resolve, but the sheer number of cliffhangers in this book is staggering. Without going into details, the book ends after setting up a siege, a succession, a betrayal, and a capture. Add in Mat's cliffhanger, and that's six times the usual frustration. Just be glad you don't need to wait for the next book anymore!
All that said, this is an enjoyable and well-written story. We have epic battles, surprise appearances by objects of Power, even some amusing light shed on a few relationships. But the three Aes Sedai-related stories really take the spotlight here (perhaps another reason the book isn't all that popular). Egwene finally begins openly asserting her power, while Elayne sets into motion significant events on both sides of the world. Best of all, seemingly minor Aes Sedai begin an important and long overdue witch hunt that is completely satisfying.
There is one particular theme of this book that really changed the series for me. I didn't like book 8 any more than most people the first time I read it, but I have since come to actually like the much-maligned Aes Sedai, and the reason starts here. So far they've proven arrogant, often incompetent, and rarely live up to their reputation. When Egwene proposes a major change in their philosophy, I think most readers would agree with her. However, it is at this point that you really begin to respect the Aes Sedai compared to the various other groups of channelers. They have been humbled at every turn, but they are the ones who've held the world together for 3,000 years, and that's no coincidence. Not only does their fate begin to change here, it's become increasingly clear that their largest problems aren't actually their fault.
What it comes down to is that book 8 is a lot more palatable now that book 9 (and 10, 11, and 12) are readily available. Reading a book filled with cliffhangers, even if it does have a few "holy shit!" moments, is not something you want to do a year before the next one arrives. In many ways, book 8 breaks the implied promise of the author, that the story will be further along at the end than at the beginning. In truth it is, but it certainly doesn't feel like it without the context of later events. But stick with it, because the series is finally hitting its peak, and things are about to start changing.
Oddly enough, the story begins with an event that could easily have been used instead as a climax in book 7. It makes some sense for this event to happen in this book, however, since it has broad implications affecting every other plotline. The core plotlines of the book follow Rand and Egwene, who I'm beginning to notice are actually paired off quite often despite a lack of specific plot crossover. I guess that Jordan guy knew what he was planning after all.
The biggest issue with book 8 isn't the fact that it doesn't resolve existing plotlines, it's that it doesn't resolve the plotlines introduced during the book. The stage is set for book 9, where things mercifully do begin to resolve, but the sheer number of cliffhangers in this book is staggering. Without going into details, the book ends after setting up a siege, a succession, a betrayal, and a capture. Add in Mat's cliffhanger, and that's six times the usual frustration. Just be glad you don't need to wait for the next book anymore!
All that said, this is an enjoyable and well-written story. We have epic battles, surprise appearances by objects of Power, even some amusing light shed on a few relationships. But the three Aes Sedai-related stories really take the spotlight here (perhaps another reason the book isn't all that popular). Egwene finally begins openly asserting her power, while Elayne sets into motion significant events on both sides of the world. Best of all, seemingly minor Aes Sedai begin an important and long overdue witch hunt that is completely satisfying.
There is one particular theme of this book that really changed the series for me. I didn't like book 8 any more than most people the first time I read it, but I have since come to actually like the much-maligned Aes Sedai, and the reason starts here. So far they've proven arrogant, often incompetent, and rarely live up to their reputation. When Egwene proposes a major change in their philosophy, I think most readers would agree with her. However, it is at this point that you really begin to respect the Aes Sedai compared to the various other groups of channelers. They have been humbled at every turn, but they are the ones who've held the world together for 3,000 years, and that's no coincidence. Not only does their fate begin to change here, it's become increasingly clear that their largest problems aren't actually their fault.
What it comes down to is that book 8 is a lot more palatable now that book 9 (and 10, 11, and 12) are readily available. Reading a book filled with cliffhangers, even if it does have a few "holy shit!" moments, is not something you want to do a year before the next one arrives. In many ways, book 8 breaks the implied promise of the author, that the story will be further along at the end than at the beginning. In truth it is, but it certainly doesn't feel like it without the context of later events. But stick with it, because the series is finally hitting its peak, and things are about to start changing.
April 22, 2025
RATING BREAKDOWN
Characters: 4⭐️
Setting: 4⭐️
Plot: 2⭐️
Themes: 3⭐️
Emotional Impact: 3⭐️
Personal Enjoyment: 2⭐️
Total Rounded Average: 3⭐️
Woof, this installment definitely dragged. There was some interesting setup for Egwayne as she poises herself to go to Tar Valon to ultimately settle the rift in the Ai Sadai. And there is some insane stuff going on with Calandor, plus a cliffhanger with Faile, but ultimately, it felt like a bridge book and not much happened for a decent-sized book.
I'm ready to make more progress!
Characters: 4⭐️
Setting: 4⭐️
Plot: 2⭐️
Themes: 3⭐️
Emotional Impact: 3⭐️
Personal Enjoyment: 2⭐️
Total Rounded Average: 3⭐️
Woof, this installment definitely dragged. There was some interesting setup for Egwayne as she poises herself to go to Tar Valon to ultimately settle the rift in the Ai Sadai. And there is some insane stuff going on with Calandor, plus a cliffhanger with Faile, but ultimately, it felt like a bridge book and not much happened for a decent-sized book.
I'm ready to make more progress!
February 12, 2020
The Path of Daggers offers a few epic moments, but they are few and far between. The intervening chapters are clogged with long-winded descriptions of the same caravans trekking through one gateway after another. Breathtaking at its finest moments; tedious at its worst.
Flows of saidin spun across the sky, Wind and Water and Fire. Fire. The sky truly did rain lightning. A hundred bolts at once, hundreds, forked blue-white shafts stabbing down as far as he could see. The hills before him erupted. Some flew apart under the torrent of lightning like kicked anthills. Flames sprung up in the thickets, trees turning to torches in the rain, flames raching through olive orchards.
August 31, 2016
This was another fun instalment in the WoT series. Just like the last book plot advancement was moving at a snails pace but we did get a few interesting developments and the story was always entertaining. It is the characters, Jordan's storytelling, and the sheer size of the world that make this such a great fantasy series.
So what actually happened in this 8th WoT book?
SPOILERS AHEAD!!!!!!!
Most of our favourite characters went on much as the have been doing for the last few books!
Egwene - She edged closer to the White Tower with her rebels and continued to grow into her role as Amyrlin Seat. I thought this was a good book for her character.
Nynaeve and Elayne - They are still stuck at the hip but the pair did have an eventful book. Finally using the Bowl of the Winds and then heading back to Andor for Elayne to make her claim on the Lion Throne.
Rand - It was another action packed book for Rand. As well as dealing with the usual political manoeuvrings he had to repel another Seanchan invasion and survive numerous assassination attempts. His chapters were probably the most exciting of any character in this book.
Perrin - He got started on his mission to deal with Masema, the Prophet, and his own group merged with Morgase's group. Which provided a ton of amusing moments as she is travelling in disguise.
Mat - OK the guy was totally missing in this instalment. Weirdly I never even realized he was gone until I read in a friends review that he had not featured at all in this 8th WoT book. Obviously I never missed him. That said, things did end in a bit of a cliffhanger in the 7th book with him so I hope he features heavily in the next book.
The Love Interests - Min, Aviendha, and Faile had little to do in this book and at this point in the story their whole reason for being is simply to be love interests for their guys. Min actually had a good book. She seems a great fit for Rand and was fairly helpful to him throught the story. Faile was Faile. Aviendha really just tagged along a bit with Elayne and Nynaeve. Jordan very much seems to have her character on the shelf for now.
Minor Characters - There were a few but the ones who were the most memorable were Morgase and Siuan.
The Villains - There POV segments are usually short and super interesting and it was no different in this book as we got a glimpse into what the likes of Greandal, Moridin, Sevanna, Eladia, Alviarin, and a few others were up to.
All in all I thought this was a good addition to the series and I seemed like the story flew by while I was reading it which is always a very positive sign.
Rating: 4.5 stars.
Audio Note: Another great performance from Krammer and Reading.
So what actually happened in this 8th WoT book?
SPOILERS AHEAD!!!!!!!
Most of our favourite characters went on much as the have been doing for the last few books!
Egwene - She edged closer to the White Tower with her rebels and continued to grow into her role as Amyrlin Seat. I thought this was a good book for her character.
Nynaeve and Elayne - They are still stuck at the hip but the pair did have an eventful book. Finally using the Bowl of the Winds and then heading back to Andor for Elayne to make her claim on the Lion Throne.
Rand - It was another action packed book for Rand. As well as dealing with the usual political manoeuvrings he had to repel another Seanchan invasion and survive numerous assassination attempts. His chapters were probably the most exciting of any character in this book.
Perrin - He got started on his mission to deal with Masema, the Prophet, and his own group merged with Morgase's group. Which provided a ton of amusing moments as she is travelling in disguise.
Mat - OK the guy was totally missing in this instalment. Weirdly I never even realized he was gone until I read in a friends review that he had not featured at all in this 8th WoT book. Obviously I never missed him. That said, things did end in a bit of a cliffhanger in the 7th book with him so I hope he features heavily in the next book.
The Love Interests - Min, Aviendha, and Faile had little to do in this book and at this point in the story their whole reason for being is simply to be love interests for their guys. Min actually had a good book. She seems a great fit for Rand and was fairly helpful to him throught the story. Faile was Faile. Aviendha really just tagged along a bit with Elayne and Nynaeve. Jordan very much seems to have her character on the shelf for now.
Minor Characters - There were a few but the ones who were the most memorable were Morgase and Siuan.
The Villains - There POV segments are usually short and super interesting and it was no different in this book as we got a glimpse into what the likes of Greandal, Moridin, Sevanna, Eladia, Alviarin, and a few others were up to.
All in all I thought this was a good addition to the series and I seemed like the story flew by while I was reading it which is always a very positive sign.
Rating: 4.5 stars.
Audio Note: Another great performance from Krammer and Reading.
June 30, 2020
The dullest instalment??
Honestly the more times I reread the series, the gladder I am that Sanderson finished it. RJ would have fluffed it for sure. Fight me...
Honestly the more times I reread the series, the gladder I am that Sanderson finished it. RJ would have fluffed it for sure. Fight me...
January 20, 2022
And so we come to book eight. That's right, it's slump time.
A lot happens in this book, except when it doesn't. When it does, it provides some very good series moments (I hesitate to say "great" series moments). When it doesn't, UGH.
The last hundred pages are great. They're action-packed, impactful, and a great relief after the book up to that point. But before then, well. The irritation sets in immediately with the prologue, whose first section introduces ten brand new named characters and brings up yet another grouping of thirteen Aes Sedai. Does this scene come back into play any time later in the book? It does not.
Then comes a chapter from Elayne's point of view in which we see that Aes Sedai have feelings about the Kin and the Atha'an Miere, the Kin have feelings about the Aes Sedai and the Atha'an Miere, and the Atha'an Miere have feelings about the Aes Sedai and the Kin. Then, a chapter from Nynaeve's point of view in which we see that Aes Sedai have feelings about the Kin and the Atha'an Miere, the Kin have feelings about the Aes Sedai and the Atha'an Miere, and the Atha'an Miere have feelings about the Aes Sedai and the Kin. Then a third chapter in which . . . you start to see a pattern here. A little later, Perrin has thoughts and scents about Mayeners, Tairens, Cairhienen, Faile's young followers, Aiel, Wise Ones, and more. Even later, there is series of chapters which reveal Tairens' feelings about Cairhienens and Illianers, Cairhienens' feelings about Tairens and Illianers, Illianers feelings about Tairens and Cairhienens, and all of the above's feelings about Asha'man.
The first three chapters could easily have been just one chapter. Several other "feelings" chapters could have been cut or easily summarized in another context.
I think this book will be most frustrating for first-time readers. Having read the series previously, I find the few major events particularly thrilling as significant turns in the larger plot. But if I lacked this context, the impact would be muted. The book was undoubtedly most frustrating for publication-current readers; after a blistering annual release rate for the first six books, to then endure two year waits for books seven and eight (and then two more years to book nine, then three years after that . . .) the dearth of plot advancement was maddening.
My now-usual complaint about these books is on prominent display here: they lack volume-specific story arcs. The opening scene in the prologue goes nowhere. The Bowl of the Winds situtation started two books ago. Heaven knows how many books ago the Atha'an Miere were first waiting to talk to Rand, and the Aes Sedai negotiations with them continued off-screen until well into this book. Padan Fain has only tiny little appearances; it's no wonder by the time I first finished the series I had forgotten all about him. Perrin had only two story beats. Mat, last seen in a cliffhanger at the end of the prior book, doesn't appear at all. At least Elayne and Egwene's individual arcs made suitable steps forward. Rand's extended battle against the Seanchan left me wondering just what was the point of all those pages; what they accomplished didn't seem worth the effort.
And seriously, what's with the torture porn? And the sharp rise in Aes Sedai bottom switching?
I'm hesitantly giving this three stars (EDIT: dropped to two on reconsideration), but sincerely hope never to find myself in a position to read it again.
A lot happens in this book, except when it doesn't. When it does, it provides some very good series moments (I hesitate to say "great" series moments). When it doesn't, UGH.
The last hundred pages are great. They're action-packed, impactful, and a great relief after the book up to that point. But before then, well. The irritation sets in immediately with the prologue, whose first section introduces ten brand new named characters and brings up yet another grouping of thirteen Aes Sedai. Does this scene come back into play any time later in the book? It does not.
Then comes a chapter from Elayne's point of view in which we see that Aes Sedai have feelings about the Kin and the Atha'an Miere, the Kin have feelings about the Aes Sedai and the Atha'an Miere, and the Atha'an Miere have feelings about the Aes Sedai and the Kin. Then, a chapter from Nynaeve's point of view in which we see that Aes Sedai have feelings about the Kin and the Atha'an Miere, the Kin have feelings about the Aes Sedai and the Atha'an Miere, and the Atha'an Miere have feelings about the Aes Sedai and the Kin. Then a third chapter in which . . . you start to see a pattern here. A little later, Perrin has thoughts and scents about Mayeners, Tairens, Cairhienen, Faile's young followers, Aiel, Wise Ones, and more. Even later, there is series of chapters which reveal Tairens' feelings about Cairhienens and Illianers, Cairhienens' feelings about Tairens and Illianers, Illianers feelings about Tairens and Cairhienens, and all of the above's feelings about Asha'man.
The first three chapters could easily have been just one chapter. Several other "feelings" chapters could have been cut or easily summarized in another context.
I think this book will be most frustrating for first-time readers. Having read the series previously, I find the few major events particularly thrilling as significant turns in the larger plot. But if I lacked this context, the impact would be muted. The book was undoubtedly most frustrating for publication-current readers; after a blistering annual release rate for the first six books, to then endure two year waits for books seven and eight (and then two more years to book nine, then three years after that . . .) the dearth of plot advancement was maddening.
My now-usual complaint about these books is on prominent display here: they lack volume-specific story arcs. The opening scene in the prologue goes nowhere. The Bowl of the Winds situtation started two books ago. Heaven knows how many books ago the Atha'an Miere were first waiting to talk to Rand, and the Aes Sedai negotiations with them continued off-screen until well into this book. Padan Fain has only tiny little appearances; it's no wonder by the time I first finished the series I had forgotten all about him. Perrin had only two story beats. Mat, last seen in a cliffhanger at the end of the prior book, doesn't appear at all. At least Elayne and Egwene's individual arcs made suitable steps forward. Rand's extended battle against the Seanchan left me wondering just what was the point of all those pages; what they accomplished didn't seem worth the effort.
And seriously, what's with the torture porn? And the sharp rise in Aes Sedai bottom switching?
I'm hesitantly giving this three stars (EDIT: dropped to two on reconsideration), but sincerely hope never to find myself in a position to read it again.
February 12, 2020
We tend to root for anti-heroes, but every now and then, authors dare to set a real stinker at the centerpiece of their stories. Sometimes it works.
Logan Mountstewart from William Boyd's Any Human Heart comes to mind. Henry Miller's Tropic of Cancer qualifies, I think. And before we certify all shepherds as pure-at-heart heroes, check out Halldor Laxness's Bjartur in Independent People.
But these are all examples drawn from the literary canon. What happens when fantasy, a genre often prone to portraying the righteous struggles of angelic heroes against twisted villains, tries to create a real jerk who is also supposed to be not only a hero but a savior?*
Well, that should be pretty interesting.
Believe it or not, I've heard people complain that they abandoned "The Wheel of Time" because Rand al'Thor became a jerk. To be honest, Robert Jordan has laid extensive groundwork in order to prepare his audience for Rand's corruption of character. He is "tainted," he hears voices, and there is tangible evil literally festering in his stomach. But Rand is also the Dragon Reborn.
It's a conflict that comes to a head in (eighth book) Path of Daggars.
Having just won Illian's crown, Rand launches a counter attack on the invading Seanchan forces that have taken over the southwest corner of Randland. By now, Rand has conquered a considerable amount of territory, but his prophesied mandate is to unite as many countries as he can before he attacks the Dark One's prison in the Blight. Unfortunately, it's easier to defeat a Forsaken than it is to gain legitimate and stable authority over conquered territories. Chosen One or not, Rand is surrounded by vassals that plot against him.
Diabolically, Rand not only launches his invasion of Seanchan territory but also surrounds himself with his most powerful "enemies." Rand is sacrificing lives that indirectly serve him in order to weaken the nobles these soldiers directly strengthen. If nothing else, this is an unusual play for a fantasy author, and I have encountered more than one fellow WOT fan that couldn't take it.
To some extent, Rand is a contradiction. He may be a savior figure, but he is also a conqueror. And a politician. Rand wears a laurel leaved crown of prickly swords, which should recall Christ, but also Caesar. What if Rand ends up a tiger, burning bright, rather than a little lamb?
So while Path of Daggers suffers from all of what we might call Robert Jordan's "obsessive writing disorders," I find it a notable entry in "The Wheel of Time."
*We could argue that Frodo gets a little impatient with Sam now and then. However, if his gig with the One Ring doesn't work out, Frodo could probably still fall back on a career in Santa's workshop.
Logan Mountstewart from William Boyd's Any Human Heart comes to mind. Henry Miller's Tropic of Cancer qualifies, I think. And before we certify all shepherds as pure-at-heart heroes, check out Halldor Laxness's Bjartur in Independent People.
But these are all examples drawn from the literary canon. What happens when fantasy, a genre often prone to portraying the righteous struggles of angelic heroes against twisted villains, tries to create a real jerk who is also supposed to be not only a hero but a savior?*
Well, that should be pretty interesting.
Believe it or not, I've heard people complain that they abandoned "The Wheel of Time" because Rand al'Thor became a jerk. To be honest, Robert Jordan has laid extensive groundwork in order to prepare his audience for Rand's corruption of character. He is "tainted," he hears voices, and there is tangible evil literally festering in his stomach. But Rand is also the Dragon Reborn.
It's a conflict that comes to a head in (eighth book) Path of Daggars.
Having just won Illian's crown, Rand launches a counter attack on the invading Seanchan forces that have taken over the southwest corner of Randland. By now, Rand has conquered a considerable amount of territory, but his prophesied mandate is to unite as many countries as he can before he attacks the Dark One's prison in the Blight. Unfortunately, it's easier to defeat a Forsaken than it is to gain legitimate and stable authority over conquered territories. Chosen One or not, Rand is surrounded by vassals that plot against him.
Diabolically, Rand not only launches his invasion of Seanchan territory but also surrounds himself with his most powerful "enemies." Rand is sacrificing lives that indirectly serve him in order to weaken the nobles these soldiers directly strengthen. If nothing else, this is an unusual play for a fantasy author, and I have encountered more than one fellow WOT fan that couldn't take it.
To some extent, Rand is a contradiction. He may be a savior figure, but he is also a conqueror. And a politician. Rand wears a laurel leaved crown of prickly swords, which should recall Christ, but also Caesar. What if Rand ends up a tiger, burning bright, rather than a little lamb?
So while Path of Daggers suffers from all of what we might call Robert Jordan's "obsessive writing disorders," I find it a notable entry in "The Wheel of Time."
*We could argue that Frodo gets a little impatient with Sam now and then. However, if his gig with the One Ring doesn't work out, Frodo could probably still fall back on a career in Santa's workshop.
June 7, 2023
I liked but I missed Mat...
December 24, 2023
So so good. I don’t understand why this book is considered part of “the slog�. It was better than book 7.
4.75/5⭐️
4.75/5⭐️
October 2, 2023
2023 reread time!
I found this quite a drag at times,understandably, being smack bang in the middle of the molasses that is this part of the series. That said, some good stuff still in here.
-------------------
The epic Buddies Books & Baubles reread of the Wheel of Time is still in full swing as number 8 is moved to the DONE pile. As with the last book, this one was a sloooooooooooooooooower paced read, but there was some stuff to enjoy. Except for the lack of Mat. Why Robert Jordan, why?!?!?
The stuff that went down:
On to Winter's Heart where one of the BIGGEST events of this series happens!
I found this quite a drag at times,understandably, being smack bang in the middle of the molasses that is this part of the series. That said, some good stuff still in here.
-------------------
The epic Buddies Books & Baubles reread of the Wheel of Time is still in full swing as number 8 is moved to the DONE pile. As with the last book, this one was a sloooooooooooooooooower paced read, but there was some stuff to enjoy. Except for the lack of Mat. Why Robert Jordan, why?!?!?
The stuff that went down:
On to Winter's Heart where one of the BIGGEST events of this series happens!
January 8, 2021
Rating: Very Good
Genre: Epic Fantasy
The Path of Daggers is the eighth book in the Wheel of Time series. The story despite being shorter than the previous book is somehow slower in pace in some parts. At times I felt nothing was happening and at other times I felt a lot was happening. So there is definitely some problem here and there with the pacing.
The previous book (A Crown of Swords) had a cliffhanger in regards to Matt’s story and there is no resolution to that here because Matt is completely missing from this story. This book has even more cliffhangers than the previous one! Faile & Morgase both have a new fate, The army that is led by Gareth and Egwene going to Tar Valon has an unknown outcome, yet Robert Jordan ended the book brilliantly with the rumors in the last chapter making the reader more excited about the next book.
“Perrin suspected Lini was one of those women who saw her “place� as being in charge. Come to think of it, most women did. That was the way of the world, it seemed, not just the Two Rivers.�
Elayne, Nynaeve, Aviendha, and their group use the Bowl of the Winds to counter the Dark One’s manipulation of the climate. The Amrylin Seat of the rebel Aes Sedai figures how to manipulate The Hall especially those who were opposing her into giving her more control in order to lay a siege to the white tower. Rand finds traitors among Asha’men who tried to kill him. Perrin needs to bring Massima the prophet to Rand.
There are POVs of side characters too. Some were interesting and others were just OK. I think Toveine’s side story who went to attack the Black Tower as ordered by Elaida to be very interesting. It excited me to know about Logain’s new ability. It was short though. I hope there will be more of that in the next book. Rand’s POV comes in the second half of the book. His relationship with Cadsuane is still not settled. I enjoy how the two seem to be at each other’s throats!
“Whether or not what you do has the effect you want, it will have three at least you never expected, and one of those usually unpleasant.�
The Path of Daggers is not as excellent as the previous books but it is still an entertaining read that creates the ground for more storytelling for all the different groups of characters. And as I mentioned earlier it excites you more to get to the next book.
Genre: Epic Fantasy
The Path of Daggers is the eighth book in the Wheel of Time series. The story despite being shorter than the previous book is somehow slower in pace in some parts. At times I felt nothing was happening and at other times I felt a lot was happening. So there is definitely some problem here and there with the pacing.
The previous book (A Crown of Swords) had a cliffhanger in regards to Matt’s story and there is no resolution to that here because Matt is completely missing from this story. This book has even more cliffhangers than the previous one! Faile & Morgase both have a new fate, The army that is led by Gareth and Egwene going to Tar Valon has an unknown outcome, yet Robert Jordan ended the book brilliantly with the rumors in the last chapter making the reader more excited about the next book.
“Perrin suspected Lini was one of those women who saw her “place� as being in charge. Come to think of it, most women did. That was the way of the world, it seemed, not just the Two Rivers.�
Elayne, Nynaeve, Aviendha, and their group use the Bowl of the Winds to counter the Dark One’s manipulation of the climate. The Amrylin Seat of the rebel Aes Sedai figures how to manipulate The Hall especially those who were opposing her into giving her more control in order to lay a siege to the white tower. Rand finds traitors among Asha’men who tried to kill him. Perrin needs to bring Massima the prophet to Rand.
There are POVs of side characters too. Some were interesting and others were just OK. I think Toveine’s side story who went to attack the Black Tower as ordered by Elaida to be very interesting. It excited me to know about Logain’s new ability. It was short though. I hope there will be more of that in the next book. Rand’s POV comes in the second half of the book. His relationship with Cadsuane is still not settled. I enjoy how the two seem to be at each other’s throats!
“Whether or not what you do has the effect you want, it will have three at least you never expected, and one of those usually unpleasant.�
The Path of Daggers is not as excellent as the previous books but it is still an entertaining read that creates the ground for more storytelling for all the different groups of characters. And as I mentioned earlier it excites you more to get to the next book.
September 8, 2020
Robert Jordan really believed in drawing out a story! Here I am, just finished book 8 of this series, just past the halfway mark through the tale. It makes me a bit weary, honestly, knowing that I still have six thick volumes ahead of me before things are resolved.
In this fantasy world, men & women believe that clear communication is impossible. Everyone seems to completely lose the ability to think when they fall in love. And people do fall in love, despite the hostility between the sexes. It makes me wonder what Jordan's marriage was like!
I'm used to backstabbing and double crossing in fantasy fiction, but usually the perpetrators have better reasons than these folks seem to. Its unclear what many of them seek to achieve. It's fascinating (like a car accident at the side of the road) to watch Egwene assert herself as the Amerlyn Seat, to wonder what will become of Elaida the pretender to that office, the state of various factions of Aes Sedai, Elayne's arrival in Camelin to claim her throne, and the alliance with the Windfinder women (and the team which used the Bowl of Winds). And that's not even mentioning what's happening with the men in the book!
This was a very female-centric book, staying largely focused on the many, many women involved in this tale, with short diversions to look in on Perrin and Rand. You would never guess Rand's central role from this installment! Over 600 pages, and we didn't get a sniff of what Mat is doing either.
Once again, I am left at the end of this novel with enough unresolved story lines that continuing is unquestionable. Despite the feeling that reading it was like wading through molasses! On to book 9 next year!
Book number 378 of my Science Fiction & Fantasy Reading Project.
Cross posted at my blog:
In this fantasy world, men & women believe that clear communication is impossible. Everyone seems to completely lose the ability to think when they fall in love. And people do fall in love, despite the hostility between the sexes. It makes me wonder what Jordan's marriage was like!
I'm used to backstabbing and double crossing in fantasy fiction, but usually the perpetrators have better reasons than these folks seem to. Its unclear what many of them seek to achieve. It's fascinating (like a car accident at the side of the road) to watch Egwene assert herself as the Amerlyn Seat, to wonder what will become of Elaida the pretender to that office, the state of various factions of Aes Sedai, Elayne's arrival in Camelin to claim her throne, and the alliance with the Windfinder women (and the team which used the Bowl of Winds). And that's not even mentioning what's happening with the men in the book!
This was a very female-centric book, staying largely focused on the many, many women involved in this tale, with short diversions to look in on Perrin and Rand. You would never guess Rand's central role from this installment! Over 600 pages, and we didn't get a sniff of what Mat is doing either.
Once again, I am left at the end of this novel with enough unresolved story lines that continuing is unquestionable. Despite the feeling that reading it was like wading through molasses! On to book 9 next year!
Book number 378 of my Science Fiction & Fantasy Reading Project.
Cross posted at my blog:
Read
July 8, 2021“Fire and ice, and death was coming. But he was steel. He was steel.�
This book has all the advantages and disadvantages of the earlier instalments in the Wheel of Time series, of course, there are more of the former, but personally, I felt a little less excited than in the previous volumes. Hope it gets better in the next one keeps me going.
If you have come here, you know what the Wheel of Time is and you know what demands. You know that there are more protagonists than ants in the anthill, that the main plot drags on mercilessly, and that the author does not always strive for fireworks in the final scenes. Furthermore, you know how many more volumes are waiting ahead and you know how far along you are. And I will tell you honestly: this volume does not bring the action closer to the grand finale in any meaningful way. The plot unmercifully loiters, and instead of making advances in the tales we have, new characters appear every now and then, and probably only Robert Jordan is able to grasp the maze of names, places and stories that he created.
Unfortunately, all the problems I flagged up in my previous reviews are confirmed if not reinforced here. True, some important and interesting things are happening, but this development is lost by diluting it in a veritable ocean of verbosity which has an overall silting effect on the main tale. It is a pity. I have the impression that Mr Jordan so much wanted to discount the success of his series that he began to write in order not to finish too early which crippled his masterpiece (imagine if LOTR was not a trilogy but was thrice as long instead!).
Even though The Path of Daggers is relatively modest in length (not even 700 pages), I felt weary. In this part of the series, we mostly accompany Rand, Egwene, Elayne, Nynaeve, Min and Perrin (Do you want to know what happens with Mat? I’m sorry, not in this volume!). I didn’t think I’d miss Nynaeve’s moods, but without them, this character is simply insipid. Elayne has some strong moments, but little comes of it. Perrin has POVs so short and sandwiched between other tales that they get lost. The plot of our chosen one, despite the action, is written in such a way that we do not really know what happened and what it was for (except for convincing us that he is simply mad and not an infuriating prima donna). The Forsaken, the Black Ajah, and the Darkfriends conspire and interfere in affairs in a very predictable way. Shortly thereafter several epic events follow (that includes the Seanchans). Sadly, in order to get there, you need to tear down through hundreds of pages of extremely annoying shenanigans, the epicness effect is meagre despite the sheer genius of the Law of Unintended Consequences.
Most of the time, the characters are either travelling or thinking and plotting. As usual, in the end, the author prepared a bomb to push the action forward. The last chapter is significantly titled “Beginnings�
For the disappointed hopes, only three stars because otherwise it still is quite a fantasy, albeit without the earlier brilliance. Just like the previous part, The Path of Daggers offers some dissatisfaction and mixed emotions. In this case, it results from simulations and dissimulations. Although the action seems to take place quickly, is similar to foggy weather, and it is difficult to say unequivocally what is missing here to make this volume equal to the first four.
Also in the series:
1. The Eye of the World ★★★★�
2. The Great Hunt ★★★★�
3. The Dragon Reborn ★★★★�
4. The Shadow Rising ★★★★�
5. The Fires of Heaven ★★★★�
6. Lord of Chaos ★★★☆�
7. A Crown of Swords ★★★☆�
9. Winter's Heart ★☆☆☆�
10. Crossroads of Twilight ★★☆☆�
11. Knife of Dreams ★★★★�
12. The Gathering Storm ★★★★�
13. Towers of Midnight ★★★☆�
14. A Memory of Light ★★★☆�
This book has all the advantages and disadvantages of the earlier instalments in the Wheel of Time series, of course, there are more of the former, but personally, I felt a little less excited than in the previous volumes. Hope it gets better in the next one keeps me going.
If you have come here, you know what the Wheel of Time is and you know what demands. You know that there are more protagonists than ants in the anthill, that the main plot drags on mercilessly, and that the author does not always strive for fireworks in the final scenes. Furthermore, you know how many more volumes are waiting ahead and you know how far along you are. And I will tell you honestly: this volume does not bring the action closer to the grand finale in any meaningful way. The plot unmercifully loiters, and instead of making advances in the tales we have, new characters appear every now and then, and probably only Robert Jordan is able to grasp the maze of names, places and stories that he created.
Unfortunately, all the problems I flagged up in my previous reviews are confirmed if not reinforced here. True, some important and interesting things are happening, but this development is lost by diluting it in a veritable ocean of verbosity which has an overall silting effect on the main tale. It is a pity. I have the impression that Mr Jordan so much wanted to discount the success of his series that he began to write in order not to finish too early which crippled his masterpiece (imagine if LOTR was not a trilogy but was thrice as long instead!).
Even though The Path of Daggers is relatively modest in length (not even 700 pages), I felt weary. In this part of the series, we mostly accompany Rand, Egwene, Elayne, Nynaeve, Min and Perrin (Do you want to know what happens with Mat? I’m sorry, not in this volume!). I didn’t think I’d miss Nynaeve’s moods, but without them, this character is simply insipid. Elayne has some strong moments, but little comes of it. Perrin has POVs so short and sandwiched between other tales that they get lost. The plot of our chosen one, despite the action, is written in such a way that we do not really know what happened and what it was for (except for convincing us that he is simply mad and not an infuriating prima donna). The Forsaken, the Black Ajah, and the Darkfriends conspire and interfere in affairs in a very predictable way. Shortly thereafter several epic events follow (that includes the Seanchans). Sadly, in order to get there, you need to tear down through hundreds of pages of extremely annoying shenanigans, the epicness effect is meagre despite the sheer genius of the Law of Unintended Consequences.
Most of the time, the characters are either travelling or thinking and plotting. As usual, in the end, the author prepared a bomb to push the action forward. The last chapter is significantly titled “Beginnings�
For the disappointed hopes, only three stars because otherwise it still is quite a fantasy, albeit without the earlier brilliance. Just like the previous part, The Path of Daggers offers some dissatisfaction and mixed emotions. In this case, it results from simulations and dissimulations. Although the action seems to take place quickly, is similar to foggy weather, and it is difficult to say unequivocally what is missing here to make this volume equal to the first four.
Also in the series:
1. The Eye of the World ★★★★�
2. The Great Hunt ★★★★�
3. The Dragon Reborn ★★★★�
4. The Shadow Rising ★★★★�
5. The Fires of Heaven ★★★★�
6. Lord of Chaos ★★★☆�
7. A Crown of Swords ★★★☆�
9. Winter's Heart ★☆☆☆�
10. Crossroads of Twilight ★★☆☆�
11. Knife of Dreams ★★★★�
12. The Gathering Storm ★★★★�
13. Towers of Midnight ★★★☆�
14. A Memory of Light ★★★☆�
July 23, 2021
3.6/5
As I have come so far in this series it has become tolerable and I have come in peace with the series, that I have to accept as it is.. it seems that ROBERT JORDAN tried very hard to keep the motion going and in doing that he did some incredulous things without any strong explanation.. the thing with callandor and Jahar Narishma need explanation..
As I have come so far in this series it has become tolerable and I have come in peace with the series, that I have to accept as it is.. it seems that ROBERT JORDAN tried very hard to keep the motion going and in doing that he did some incredulous things without any strong explanation.. the thing with callandor and Jahar Narishma need explanation..
September 11, 2023
Path of Daggers is a perplexing follow-up to an excellent book. On the one hand, it delivers some of the most emotional and evocative scenes concerning Rand delving deep into themes of balance, power, war, fate, and trust, yet on the flip side, we get Perrin's and the majority of Elayne's plotlines being very dull and meandering. Even structurally, this book is a complete mess. You thought Jordan's POV allocation was bizarre and bad in the other books, this genuinely takes it to a whole other level (for the worse). Whiplash is the best term to describe it. Do I think this book is a slog? Well, in part, it's absolutely a slog, as I've mentioned above, but not at the same time. This is absolutely due to its structure, most specifically the first 42% of the book. Without delving into spoilers, it's puzzling why chapters 1-6 couldn't have served as the climactic conclusion to A Crown of Swords? I agree chapter 1-4 would need serious editing, but chapters 5�6 would have been a great way to end A Crown of Swords alongside Rand’s plotline in that book.
In conclusion, Path of Daggers is the definition of Whiplash, it contains some of the best moments in the series while experiencing the worst that Wheel of Time has to offer. I will say this book makes me sad, because there's a good, even great, novel here, yet Jordan's priorities hinder him immensely. I’m not sure how in the same novel the prose can be overwritten,dull ,unengaging, to exciting, immersive, and meticulously written. I'm not sure what my overall thoughts are besides, it's a solid book with some high highs and low lows. As I'm writing this review, the pros and cons become even more prominent. I can't say I'm excited for Winter's Heart, but I will read it.
6/10
In conclusion, Path of Daggers is the definition of Whiplash, it contains some of the best moments in the series while experiencing the worst that Wheel of Time has to offer. I will say this book makes me sad, because there's a good, even great, novel here, yet Jordan's priorities hinder him immensely. I’m not sure how in the same novel the prose can be overwritten,dull ,unengaging, to exciting, immersive, and meticulously written. I'm not sure what my overall thoughts are besides, it's a solid book with some high highs and low lows. As I'm writing this review, the pros and cons become even more prominent. I can't say I'm excited for Winter's Heart, but I will read it.
6/10
June 23, 2022
We're deep into the so-called slog in the series. And yet... and yet... I'm still having a blast.
Why? Because the Seanchan are here in full force and battle is upon all of Rand's uneasy allies. What better way to weed out the ones who would stab you in the back than to pit them against implacable, monstrous enemies?
So delicious. When the battle begins, it's endless, sickening brutality. And that's not just the battle, but using Saidin, as well. The taint overflows.
And it's not only destruction that we have to look forward to... but failure as well. This is one of the pure big-force wars in all the novels. The Wheel Weaves... and everyone must be woven into the big tapestry. No one sits out Tarmon Gai'don.
Other than that, I've been enjoying how Egwene is managing all her sitters, more than enjoying how Rand manages Lews, and I loved how the Sea Folk run ram-shod over everyone else.
The people I want to see most of -- ahem Matt -- are sadly at an all-time low.
But now I'm thinking of the next book in the series. I cannot WAIT. It holds a very special place in my heart. My Winter's Heart. :)
Why? Because the Seanchan are here in full force and battle is upon all of Rand's uneasy allies. What better way to weed out the ones who would stab you in the back than to pit them against implacable, monstrous enemies?
So delicious. When the battle begins, it's endless, sickening brutality. And that's not just the battle, but using Saidin, as well. The taint overflows.
And it's not only destruction that we have to look forward to... but failure as well. This is one of the pure big-force wars in all the novels. The Wheel Weaves... and everyone must be woven into the big tapestry. No one sits out Tarmon Gai'don.
Other than that, I've been enjoying how Egwene is managing all her sitters, more than enjoying how Rand manages Lews, and I loved how the Sea Folk run ram-shod over everyone else.
The people I want to see most of -- ahem Matt -- are sadly at an all-time low.
But now I'm thinking of the next book in the series. I cannot WAIT. It holds a very special place in my heart. My Winter's Heart. :)
October 16, 2017
My crawl through this series continues. To be honest, I'd optimistically hoped that I'd be able to finish it by the end of 2017. I was in a good position to, having already read the first five books. Nine books in twelve months? Easy peasy. Except . . . each book has gotten progressively harder to get through. Less and less happens. The flaws stand out more as the plot thins. I've gotten through three of these books in ten months. Even if I manage to do one per month from here on out, I won't be getting to A Memory of Light until April 2018 (though I anticipate my enjoyment increasing when Sanderson takes over, so maybe let's say March instead).
What's really frustrating about this series is that Jordan was clearly a gifted worldbuilder. Even as my enjoyment in these books decreases, it's clear that an incredible amount of thought and planning went into their creation. The level of detail on each culture, their histories, traditions and behaviors. The ways each nation interacts with another. The ways the current situation with Rand and the Forsaken and the approaching last battle have created a complicated interlocking game of cause and effect, each player trying to seize control. But the problem here is that none of that makes for a compelling narrative. A story should not be an excuse to show off your worldbuilding. The worldbuilding should be there as support to the story, not the focus. So, so many times in this book, I found myself overwhelmed and bored by the sheer amount of superfluous characters with no arcs and no bearing on the story. So many times characters just sit around musing on things that have happened or aren't happening or are going to happen, while nothing actually happens for hundreds of pages on end because Jordan wanted to make sure we really got that the Aes Sedai argue a lot.
So what actually happened in this book? Not much. Much more in the second half than in the first, certainly. We've got:
I didn't leave anything important out. This book was 672 pages long. At least it wasn't longer. I wish he would stop treading water and stop wasting precious narrative time on petty feuds and layovers and status updates, and give us the real goods: character development, characters actually talking about stuff that matters, forward progress. Unfortunately, I've been reliably informed that I've got two more books of meandering before the pace (supposedly) picks up again in book eleven.
Lastly, I just want to talk about Rand for a sec. He was a harmlessly likable main character in book one, and only mildly irritating in book two, but since then, he has just descended into this heartless, cruel, anger-ridden character who is so incredibly uninteresting to read about. He is a TERRIBLE leader. I have never before read a book where the main character is so utterly unheroic*, and the text doesn't really take him to task for it. He doesn't seem to be learning, and no one is telling him (in a competent, human way) that he is terrible. Take this exchange, between Rand and Narishma. Narishma is one of his Ash'aman, and he has just come back from a perilous errand to retrieve the sword Callandor, an errand that Rand sent him on. This is how he treats Narishma upon his return:
Okay, so let's break this down: Narishma, who has given Rand no indication of being untrustworthy (in fact, Rand must have trusted him to give him such an important mission, out of hundreds of Ash'aman) has just come back, giving Rand what he asked for, and he has done so letting Rand know there were extra wards that Rand did not tell him about. Instead of thanking him for risking his life and succeeding despite unexpected peril, Rand berates him, disbelieves him. He immediately distrusts his comrade, instead of thinking that someone else might have added wards on top of his own as a trap for anyone retrieving the sword. He then dismisses Narishma seemingly without thought, parting by threatening to kill him. He has taken a moment in which he could have built solidarity with his subordinate, inspired loyalty, and instead dismissed and humiliated and threatened him. There is absolutely no reason Rand could not have expressed the same practical sentiments, even the part about secrecy being worth Narishma's life, in more appreciative terms, in terms an actual leader would use, a leader who inspires his troops rather than rules them from a place of fear, as Rand is doing now. I kind of despise him.
*Never mind, I thought of one. Richard Rahl from the Sword of Truth (I've read through book five as of now). Total and utter dictator. Cruel, stupid, overbearing. And while I still hold out hope that Rand will learn to effectively lead and rehumanize himself in future books, I fully expect Richard to become even worse over time, as the author clearly believes his actions noble, and has no intention of criticizing them.
Anyhoodle, Winter's Heart is up next, and TBH I'm a little spoiled. I don't foresee it changing my opinion about the book one way or the other. At least I know two things that will happen, even if almost nothing else will.
[2.5 stars, rounding up to three, because it just isn't two star worthy. I think there is still more dull to come]
What's really frustrating about this series is that Jordan was clearly a gifted worldbuilder. Even as my enjoyment in these books decreases, it's clear that an incredible amount of thought and planning went into their creation. The level of detail on each culture, their histories, traditions and behaviors. The ways each nation interacts with another. The ways the current situation with Rand and the Forsaken and the approaching last battle have created a complicated interlocking game of cause and effect, each player trying to seize control. But the problem here is that none of that makes for a compelling narrative. A story should not be an excuse to show off your worldbuilding. The worldbuilding should be there as support to the story, not the focus. So, so many times in this book, I found myself overwhelmed and bored by the sheer amount of superfluous characters with no arcs and no bearing on the story. So many times characters just sit around musing on things that have happened or aren't happening or are going to happen, while nothing actually happens for hundreds of pages on end because Jordan wanted to make sure we really got that the Aes Sedai argue a lot.
So what actually happened in this book? Not much. Much more in the second half than in the first, certainly. We've got:
I didn't leave anything important out. This book was 672 pages long. At least it wasn't longer. I wish he would stop treading water and stop wasting precious narrative time on petty feuds and layovers and status updates, and give us the real goods: character development, characters actually talking about stuff that matters, forward progress. Unfortunately, I've been reliably informed that I've got two more books of meandering before the pace (supposedly) picks up again in book eleven.
Lastly, I just want to talk about Rand for a sec. He was a harmlessly likable main character in book one, and only mildly irritating in book two, but since then, he has just descended into this heartless, cruel, anger-ridden character who is so incredibly uninteresting to read about. He is a TERRIBLE leader. I have never before read a book where the main character is so utterly unheroic*, and the text doesn't really take him to task for it. He doesn't seem to be learning, and no one is telling him (in a competent, human way) that he is terrible. Take this exchange, between Rand and Narishma. Narishma is one of his Ash'aman, and he has just come back from a perilous errand to retrieve the sword Callandor, an errand that Rand sent him on. This is how he treats Narishma upon his return:
Springing from the cot, Rand snatched the bundle before Narishma could proffer it. "Did anyone see you?" he demanded. "What took you so long? I expected you last night."
"It took me a while to figure out what I had to do," Narishma replied in a flat voice. "You didn't tell me everything. You nearly killed me."
That was ridiculous. Rand *had* told him everything he needed to know. He was sure of it. There was no point in trusting the man as far as he had, only to have him die and ruin everything. Carefully he tucked the bundle beneath his cot. His hands trembled with the urge to strip the wrapping away, to make sure they held what Narishma had been sent for. The man would not have dared to return if they did not. "Get yourself into a proper coat before you join the others," he said. "And Narishma . . . " Rand straightened, fixing the other man with a steady gaze. "You tell anyone about this, and I *will* kill you."
Okay, so let's break this down: Narishma, who has given Rand no indication of being untrustworthy (in fact, Rand must have trusted him to give him such an important mission, out of hundreds of Ash'aman) has just come back, giving Rand what he asked for, and he has done so letting Rand know there were extra wards that Rand did not tell him about. Instead of thanking him for risking his life and succeeding despite unexpected peril, Rand berates him, disbelieves him. He immediately distrusts his comrade, instead of thinking that someone else might have added wards on top of his own as a trap for anyone retrieving the sword. He then dismisses Narishma seemingly without thought, parting by threatening to kill him. He has taken a moment in which he could have built solidarity with his subordinate, inspired loyalty, and instead dismissed and humiliated and threatened him. There is absolutely no reason Rand could not have expressed the same practical sentiments, even the part about secrecy being worth Narishma's life, in more appreciative terms, in terms an actual leader would use, a leader who inspires his troops rather than rules them from a place of fear, as Rand is doing now. I kind of despise him.
*Never mind, I thought of one. Richard Rahl from the Sword of Truth (I've read through book five as of now). Total and utter dictator. Cruel, stupid, overbearing. And while I still hold out hope that Rand will learn to effectively lead and rehumanize himself in future books, I fully expect Richard to become even worse over time, as the author clearly believes his actions noble, and has no intention of criticizing them.
Anyhoodle, Winter's Heart is up next, and TBH I'm a little spoiled. I don't foresee it changing my opinion about the book one way or the other. At least I know two things that will happen, even if almost nothing else will.
[2.5 stars, rounding up to three, because it just isn't two star worthy. I think there is still more dull to come]
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