The Path of Daggers, The Wheel of Time #8
This is my least favorite so far. It has some fantastic scenes in it, but for the most part it has a lot of frustrating tangling of plot-threads and very little progress.
The new cover art was changed here, too, but it was an improvement this time. The oddly posed scene of Aviendha, Elayne and Nynaeve using the Bowl of the Winds is replaced with the fight during the flight from the Kin's Farm through a gateway.
Rand al'Thor is unquestioned master of his domain and orchestrates a campaign against the Seanchan in Altara, taking along many of his followers with questionable loyalty as war fodder. Min reads.
Egwene continues her rise as pupper Amyrlin to legitimate ruler, taking advantage of the currents within Aes Sedai politics, with the help of Siuan and Leane and others.
Nynaeve, Aviendha and Elayne finally use the bowl in spectacular fashion at the opening of the book. The Sea Folk, the Kin, and other Salidar Aes Sedai often don't make things easy. Birgitte and Lan provide moral support.
Loial has been shuffled off somewhere, while Perrin and Faile and Three Aiel, followed by Berelain are sent to Ghealdan to bring the Prophet to heel.
Morgase and co....are out of the woods for a brief, shining moment.
In many ways this book was a slog. Mat is out of the picture, and everyone's plot-lines seem full of trudging and failure.
The Wheel of Time
Next: 'Winter's Heart'
Previous: 'A Crown of Swords'
