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TWO revelations: gholam are most likely part Aelfinn/Eelfinn (b/c human blood has the sweetest "savor," and Mistress Anan is almost certainly a former Aes Sedai who was burned out, specifically, Martine Janata, the last Aes Sedai to make a study of ter'angreal. 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." East the wind blew across Tremalking, where the fair-skinned Amayar farmed their fields, and made fine glass and porcelain, and followed the peace of the Water Way. The Amayar ignored the world beyond their scattered islands, for the Water Way taught that this world was only illusion, a mirrored reflection of belief, yet some watched the wind carry dust and deep summer heat where cold winter rains should be falling, and they remembered tales heard from the Atha'an Miere. Tales of the world beyond, and what prophecy said was to come. Some looked to a hill where a massive stone hand rose from the earth, holding a clear crystal sphere larger than many houses. The Amayar had their own prophecies, and some of those spoke of the hand and the sphere. And the end of illusions. 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.
Egwene meets the Andoran leaders on a frozen lake. Some Murandians, and Talmanes (of the Band of the Red Hand), are present as well. The Andorans don’t want the Aes Sedai to enter Andor, fearing that war will take place on their soil. Egwene announces her plan to remain in Murandy for one month then head directly to Tar Valon to remove Elaida. She adds that the novice book is now open to all women regardless of age. I'm not going to spend a ton of time on this review because this was my least favorite installment. Jordan’s writing is so amazing! The characterization, the attention to detail!” —Clint McElroy, co-creator of the #1 podcast The Adventure Zone 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.The Seanchan invasion force is in possession of Ebou Dar. Nynaeve, Elayne, and Aviendha head for Caemlyn and Elayne's rightful throne, but on the way they discover an enemy much worse than the Seanchan. Robert Jordan had earlier done the same for Perrin Aybara, who had been absent from Book 5, The Fires of Heaven.
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. 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.Why are you scowling, Aviendha?" Elayne asked, giving her a pat on the arm and a smile. "Don't worry. You know the weave; you will do just fine." Moridin is an indistinct stature whose past is knotty because he is linked to Dark One’s dealings. Mattrim Cauthon The walk up on the tower stood empty. Aviendha felt no relief. He could be anywhere. Making his way down to the stableyard. Whoever he was, whatever he was, he was dangerous; this was not a dust-funnel dancing in her imagination. The last four Warders had formed a square around the gateway, a guard who would be last to leave, and much as she despised their swords, she was grateful that someone there besides herself knew the use of sharp metal. Not that they would have any more chance against a gholam, or worse, one of the Shadowsouled, than the servants waiting with the horses. Or than she herself.
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. Robert Jordan's The Eye of the World proves that there's still plenty of life in the ancient tradition of epic fantasy. Jordan has a powerful vision of good and evil-- but what strikes me as most pleasurable about The Eye of the World is all the fascinating people moving through a rich and interesting world.” — Orson Scott Card Special thanks to my Patrons on Patreon for giving me extra support towards my passion for reading and reviewing! 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? It's at this point in the series where the plot progression starts to slip. The most significant event of the book happens pretty early on, and while we get to see its impact over the rest of the book, those events don't really seem all that significant. Egwene's story line could have been streamlined quite a bit, and the caravan of women gets so little accomplished traveling, when they could have just Traveled and spared us all the drawn-out details.
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The title of the book is a reference to a Seanchan saying: "On the heights, all paths are paved with daggers." Egwene manages to speak with Talmanes alone, who tells her the Band of the Red Hand have been invited by King Roedran of Murandy to pretend to be an invading foreign army in an attempt to consolidate his rule. Egwene accedes to this plan despite wanting the Band to join the march to Tar Valon.
The Amyrlin does," Elayne cut her off. From Nynaeve, a firm tone was a fist shaken under your nose; from Elayne, it was calm certainty. "They will have their chance to try again, and if they fail, they still will not be sent away. No woman who can channel will be cut off from the Tower again. They will all be a part of the White Tower." As they travel, Elayne goes through their angreal and ter’angreal stash. Aviendha stuns everyone by unweaving a gateway to prevent others from following them. Moridin watches Aviendha’s unweaving as a servant tells him about the ter’angreal stash, which includes the Bowl of the Winds. Moridin, furious at the thought that the Aes Sedai might fix the weather, accidentally kills the servant before Traveling away. The gholam arrives, feeds on the body, and plans to follow the women, having been commanded to kill them and Mat. 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). 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 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. 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.
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