Knife of Dreams

5.00/5.00 “My name is Nynaeve ti al'Meara Mandragoran. Lan told me once that Malkier lives so long as one man wears the hadori in pledge that he will fight the Shadow, so long as one woman wears the ki'sain in pledge that she will send her sons to fight the Shadow. I wear the ki'sain, Master Aldragoran. My husband wears the hadori. So do you. Will Lan Mandragoran ride to the Last Battle alone?”

Knife of Dreams is a testament to Robert Jordan's legacy. The Wheel of Time is weaving closer, some threads nearing the end, some ending to bring us to Tarmon Gai'don. The most perfect way to bring Lan's story to the end was exceuted in this book. Plot threads laid in the early books, world building done in early books and characters from earlier books all come together at various points to weave this story. How wonderful. Never again will we see a story as grand as the Wheel of Time.

This book is one of fantasy's finest. One of the longest and most complex story in fantasy is finally maturing some characters and is bringing character development close to the end, which is so satisfying to see.

This book is not perfect. One of the storylines (we know who this is) is not good as the other and takes away from this book.

“My name is Rand al'Thor. I'm the Dragon Reborn.” And they wailed at hearing his name.

Emotional Impact -> Egwene's story, rebel aes sedai story, Mat's battles, Perrin's battle, Rand's battle, Rand's loss, Lan's legacy. Knife of Dreams is a dream come true. While the book is packed with so many good stories. We have to suffer through Elayne's nonsense. This takes away from this book being perfection. As you command, Mother. Characters -> Egwene!!! "She comes! She comes! The Watcher of the Seals, The Flame of Tar Valon, the Amyrlin Seat."The Amyrlin Seat indeed. When Egwene was made Amyrlin seat back in book 6, I was unconvinced. Now I understand. 11 books of character development has led to this. Chained by the Seanchan, Trained by the Aiel, Flamed by the Rebels, Egwene al'Vere will lead the Aes Sedai to the Last Battle. Matrim Cauthon!!! A man of many layers ? Matrim Cauthon made an onion look like an apple!" Robert Jordan is right. Mat is a complicated man. Brave but not too brave, rapscallion and an unwilling hero. Mat's reactions to some things infuriate me. But I get it. He is the flawed human that he is. He smiles at Tuon's beauty while condemning her desire to enslave. A wife for an enemy, and enemy for a wife. It's time to toss the dice. I hate Tuon. I hope she dies a slow painful death. But I care.. that says a lot. I don't like Mat's relationship with Tuon. I think all of Mat's relationships are bad. I hate Elayne. I hope she dies a slow painful death. And I don't care. This is a problem. Elayne is the weakest character in the Wheel of Time. She is a blunder, a walking talking channeling and pregnant catastrophe. She got hundreds of people killed and shamelessly claimed that it wasn't her fault. It is totally her fault!!! Vandene died because of Elayne's stupidity. I really hope we acknowledge how useless she is, but I don't think that is going to happen. I think RJ wrote Elayne as a severely flawed character who managed to luck into things with the help of more competent friends. Egwene, then Nynaeve, then Rand, and now Dyelin and Birgitte. Rand and Logain are great, but not much development. Lan and Nynaeve almost do a guest appearance in this book but they rock the few pages they feature in. If it wasn't for Elayne, I would give a better score here. Still pretty high. Plot -> To say the wheel of time has great plot is a gross understatement. The wheel weaves so well . So complex, intricate and beautiful. Lan takes the gold, followed closely by Egwene. So many battles, such an unpredictable story. Where is it going ? Elayne sucks but everything else is amazing. That moment when lewis therin unleashes on the Shadowspawn, that moment when Nicola calls Egwene "Mother". All those battles! Moiraine's Letter ! Seanchan and Rand!Prose -> So much better. Some poetic writing, some beautiful lines, some amazingly immersive chapters, some crazy battle visuals! Second only to the Great Hunt!Worldbuilding -> Burn me, Light burn me! AelFinn and EelFinn, the colors, Lewis Therin, Tinker-Seanchan, Aes Sedai Ajah heads, Malkier, Aviendha's Talent, the signs of Tarmon Gai'don! The crazy horror style touch of darkness, Aes Sedai-Ashman interaction, so much so much. Please gimme more.