Lord of Chaos by Robert Jordan
My review from 2010.
My latest thoughts:
The last 10 chapters or so of this book saved it. There is so much time spent maneuvering and preparing for action, that it feels starved for action, but at the end of the book things really pick up. Don't get me wrong, I'm still enjoyed this story, and I can appreciate a lot of the build up as necessary stepping stones to where Jordan is taking us, but this is what makes the series challenging for many. If you are looking for a direct plot line to the end, this is not the series for you. Even the action that does take place is largely meant to shape and build the characters. What Rand goes through at the end of this book has to shape his actions going forward. The same goes for Egwene.
I don't like the conflict between Perrin and Faile. It may just be that I don't like marital discord, or maybe I just can't believe that two people could be so stubborn, or less communicative. I don't know, but I find it annoying. I think part of what bugs me is that it is totally disconnected from the larger conflict. It isn't going to affect the dark vs light struggle, and it is annoying, so why include it? You may argue that it humanizes Perrin and gives him an opportunity for growth as a character in his own right, but other conflicts could have done the same thing. As I think about this, I compare Perrin to Mat and his conflict with the Aes Sedai, which also bugs me. I think they bother me for the same reason. They feel like distractions, where personal conflicts more tied into the main conflict could have still provided some of the same opportunities to growth.
Then again, I'm not in the emotional love story crowd. There are probably some fans who are eating up the inter-marital drama.
I'm still enjoying this journey more than I thought I would. Maybe it is because I am older, or more patient? On to book seven!
Monday, November 16, 2015
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