The Shadow Rising

4.5/5

The Shadow Rising felt like the fruition of previous efforts, and continues Jordan's trend of each book being better than its successor in the Wheel of Time series. Despite the overall story actually finishing up as a set-up for future events, I was moved by both the scope and successful payoff within this book's events.

Read my full review on Life of Karrot.

Book 4 is something like book 3. There are hints of what's to come (referring to the tedium warning I mentioned in book 1 review). The plot and storyline advance at different paces in the book. The number of characters that are now present as well as the number of plot lines that are going on at the same time is starting to become difficult to juggle, for both the reader and, seemingly, the author. There have been hints of that in book 3 and it's more obvious here - resolutions to critical problems just so happens to present itself conveniently. It's like a cheap surprise plot twist. Once in a while is ok, but it's starting to become rather often - felt like the author suddenly had to tie certain things together and didn't plan far ahead enough. Anyway, aside from the sometimes slow pacing and the jumping around the plot lines, there has been great character development for the main male characters - interesting stuff that makes for a good read; it just needs to be read with a little patience.

It's the fourth in this big fat Turkey leg of a fantasy series. I'll keep listening to em (40 hours gets my money's worth from that there Audible)

Cool stuff in the Wheel of Time:

- The way magic works (sort of dangerously pull from the essence of the Earth)
- varied cultures
- hangout-style pacing
- main characters are compelling
- the character Perrin

Bad Stuff in the Wheel of Time:

- prudish
- villains feels a big mustache-whirly and “disposable-henchmany”
- the female characters are very much written by a man. it's not always awful but it's not not always awful