Lord of Chaos, The Wheel of Time #6
People have often remarked on my, ahem, remarkable patience: whether in dealing with difficult people, difficult books, or with those annoyances that others don't want to put up with anymore. One of those annoyances has rereading the first six books of the Wheel of Time Series. This will be my third time.
I first read them my Freshman year of high school, the second run-through was a refresher for 'Knife of Dreams' my Freshman year of college. Most of the criticism of this series is spot-on: the endless descriptions, the cookie cutter citizens of the various nations, bosoms and how women are so hard to understand, am I right guys? I do object to this novel being dismissed as a Tolkien retread though, I'll never pick those books up for a second time. But in every novel, in-between slogging through yet another 'showdown' that brings Tarmon Gai'don one inch closer, the plot propels you through 100 pages without you noticing at all.
The Lord of Chaos is right in the middle of the six book slump that marks the worst moments of the series overall, there are important developments and the introduction of key elements - such as the Asha'man - but, for being the longest book in the series, the least amount happens chronologically.
Robert Jordan is a capable if sometimes tedious writer. Once I finish with the last of the Sanderson books I will never read this series again but the point of Fantasy like this is to serve as an escape and there is no arguing that one gets utterly lost in these books. With proper warning of what they're getting themselves into, I won't hesitate to recommend 'The Wheel of Time' to any Fantasy fan.
