Series: Wheel of Time (Book 3)
Audio CD
Publisher: Macmillan Audio; Unabridged edition (November 27, 2004)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1593975317
ISBN-13: 978-1593975319
Product Dimensions: 5.3 x 2.7 x 5.8 inches
Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1,117 customer reviews)
Best Sellers Rank: #974,969 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #12 in Books > Books on CD > Authors, A-Z > ( J ) > Jordan, Robert #463 in Books > Books on CD > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Science Fiction #550 in Books > Books on CD > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Fantasy
After finishing the latest release in the Game of Thrones series last summer (A Dance With Dragons), I began searching for something to fill the fantasy void in my life. One series kept popping up: The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan. Despite the glowing reviews (at least for the early books), I was nervous for three reasons.1) Robert Jordan passed away before being able to complete the series. While the series has been picked up by a seemingly worthy successor, it was hard for me to imagine investing myself in an author's world for 10+ books only to not that author deliver the payoff.2) The reviews for the books later in the series (starting at book 7 or 8) are absolutely horrific. The long-time readers appeared to be extremely unhappy with the direction of the series. On the plus side, the reviewers did unleash some really excellent sarcasm in their reviews for books 8-10 on . Good stuff if you can avoid the spoilers.3) The covers to these books are awful. Books 1-2 are among the worst, but they don't get much better. Reading book 6 on an airplane last month provided me a healthy dose of embarrassment when I was asked why I was reading a romance novel.So why did I dig in? First, I read some of the reviews for the Brandon Sanderson authored books in the series (12 & 13 thus far, with 14 to be released in January). Against all odds, they are actually seen as an improvement over the later Robert Jordan books. Second, despite the poor reviews for the middle books in the series (the trough seems to be books 7-10), this improvement suggested any struggles would be worthwhile. Third, I decided to take a chance - if the books were really as bad as their covers, I could always cut my losses and move on to another series.
Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series is legendary in its length (11 books, so far, and still not over), so why care about what happens in lowly Book 3? Because ee have some neat plot points, the overall story arc starts to crystallise, and mainly, it is the most enjoyable read of the first three books. I was reminded of Star Wars Ep. 1 - the book has a resolution of it's main plotline, but it is obvious that there is lots more of the saga to go, especially since we know that, at the end of the book, certain baddies are still on the loose.After bringing most of the main characters together for the climax of Book 2, Jordan cleaves the group again for separate journeys to the city of Tear. Prophesy says that only the Dragon Reborn can wield the magic sword stored in the vault of that city's fortress. Some have complained that it takes a series of unbearable coincidences to get everyone to the final battle, which would be a valid complaint except that Jordan's world is designed in such a way that unbelievable coincidences can (and often do) occur, because of the overriding "will" of the Wheel of Time. This is a standard literary device, well-known to the ancient Greeks (the Fates) and Arabs (Kismet). It could potentially become a crutch, but in this book Jordan convincingly brings the threads of a number of seemingly diverse storylines together. The reason everyone ends up in Tear? - they all know (or are chasing people who know) that the Dragon Reborn will show up in Tear to claim the magic sword. It's only a matter of timing (they all arrive at the final battle simultaneously) that needs invocation of the Wheel's influence.
The Dragon Reborn: Book Three of The Wheel of Time The Dragon Reborn (The Wheel of Time, Book 3) Three Tales of My Father's Dragon: My Father's Dragon; Elmer and the Dragon; The Dragons of Blueland Time Reborn: From the Crisis in Physics to the Future of the Universe Dancing with the Wheel: The Medicine Wheel Workbook Minecraft Superheroes: Book 1 - Reborn [An Unofficial Minecraft Book] (Minecraft Tales 85) Photography Reborn: Image Making in the Digital Era (Abrams Studio) Israel: A Concise History of a Nation Reborn How to Fight a Dragon's Fury: How to Train Your Dragon, Book 12 Rise of the Earth Dragon: A Branches Book (Dragon Masters #1) Secret of the Water Dragon: A Branches Book (Dragon Masters #3) Song of the Poison Dragon: A Branches Book (Dragon Masters #5) Flight of the Moon Dragon: A Branches Book (Dragon Masters #6) Saving the Sun Dragon: A Branches Book (Dragon Masters #2) Power of the Fire Dragon: A Branches Book (Dragon Masters #4) The Complete Book of Dragons: A Guide to Dragon Species (How to Train Your Dragon) Bearded Dragons : A Guide From A Veterinarian On Caring For Your Bearded Dragon How To Make Your Dragon Live For 12 Years Or More Dragon of the Lost Sea (Dragon Series) How to Train Your Dragon: How to Fight a Dragon's Fury How to Train Your Dragon: How to Betray a Dragon's Hero