Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ

3 stars
**Although this is a spoiler free review (spoilers are hidden), there may be spoilers for previous books in the series (scroll down)**

*braid-tugging intensifies** After finishing The Great Hunt, I was dying to get into this. The ending wit the Battle of Falme, the blowing of the Horn, the Seachan, oh it was so perfect. I could not wait to see where the follow up would take me because WOW I felt exhilarated and hyped up. Although I still think The Dragon Reborn is a good novel, but compared to its predecessors, it shines a little weaker. After a hard winter, following the events on Almoth Plain, Rand, Perrin, Lan, Min and the Shienar company camp in the mountains waiting for a good time to proceed with Moiraine's plans for Rand as the Dragon reborn. Rand, though, is going through a mental breakdown not knowing if he really is the Dragon, or just the Aes Sedais' puppet. When he runs off to Tear in the attempts to raise the great sword Callandor and prove to himself if he really is the Dragon, Perrin, Lan, Moiraine and company soon follow in pursuit. What they find in Rand's wake is a path of very peculiar occurrences. On the other hand, Elayne, Nynaeve, Egwene, Verin, and Mat finally make it back to Tar Valon to get Mat healed and separated from the Shadar Logoth dagger. What the three young novices/Accepted find, though, is a Tower in shambles crawling with Soulless and terrifyingly, Black Ajah. As new weaves in the Pattern are formed, events all start tumbling down to a final showdown... but what will happen then?

"Always plan for the worst, child, that way all your surprises are pleasant ones."

I really should have listened to Verin when she said this. Again, not that I disliked this book, compared to many it is still good, but I think I set my expectations way too high. I know this is a very controversial opinion as I heard many people proclaiming that this is where The Wheel of Time gets phenomenal. It didn't for me. I felt like all our Two Rivers gang decided to channel Tobey Maguire in Spiderman 3:



Rand in the last book was losing it. Sure. But when this book begins he is in full on brooding-emo mode. I did not like this. Later on he also does some pretty shady stuff that I felt totally distanced us from what I came to love about him in book 2. He doesn't get that much screen time in this book. Maybe a total of 50-pages (POV-wise). Perrin and Egwene both started having intense anger issues. Perrin, sure I understand what spending 6-months in the mountains alone feels like... It's quarantine after all, but Egwene?? She just turns so anti-everyone. If she lived now she'd probably go through a goth phase while silently making heart eyes at Galad and posting on Instagram fake-deep quotes. As for Perrin, he just kinda seems to go through a rebellious teen phase, Moiraine and Lan being his parents. I wasn't really into that. Nynaeve tries to hold it together but OHHHH MAN she really has to get that braid tugging together. Mat in the beginning is a whiny twat. I know he is frustrated, but darn, I just couldn't take it. The Mat situation really did start improving later on and I am starting to see why so many people love him. He just isn't at that point for me yet.

Overall, Jordan really did stick the landing in the end. I had shivers. Great ending that really made up for most of my frustrations along the way. I hate to compare this once again to The Great Hunt, but I gotta. The reason I don't think I loved it as much as I could have is because this book follows almost the exact same formula as book 2. I did not like that at all. Once again the party is separated just to accidentally form up in the end for a battle. Variation was needed. And the execution wasn't as good as in book 2. I hated that the Tar Valon squad kept getting caught. They are so powerful, yet so utterly helpless. Not gonna lie, it got on my nerves a tad. At the end of book 2 Egwene was caught by the Seanchan, at the end of book 3, all of them are caught by Be'lal. Come on! In book 2 there is a huge showdown with a spectacular army brought on by the Horn of Valere. Now there is an army of Aiel fighting alongside the People of the Dragon. Rand and Ba'alzamon have an intense fight in book 2 and in book 3, but this time it is more confusing. Still a good ending, but a bit formulaic and less fun. I really hope that the next book in the series varies up the formula a bit. This one was so similar to book 2 but without the intrigue, and less wonder than book 1. Still good though.

Looking forward to book 4, I cannot wait to find out more about the Aiel. If we will follow the prophecies, that means that we are journeying to the Three Fold Land. Can't wait. The Aiel culture holds a lot of promise, so I really want to spend more time exploring it. The Dragon Reborn is a solid book but a tad formulaic... kinda like the emo version of its predecessor.

-----------------------------------
Books in series:
#0 New Spring: ★★.75
#1 The Eye of the World: ★★�.5
#2 The Great Hunt: ★★�.75
#3 The Dragon Reborn: ★★�
#4 The Shadow Rising: ★★★★.25
#5 The Fires of Heaven: ★★★★
#6 Lord of Chaos: ★★★★.25
#7 A Crown of Swords: ★★�.75
#8 The Path of Daggers: ★★.25
#9 Winter's Heart: �.25
#10 Crossroads of Twilight: �.5
#11 Knife of Dreams: ★★�.5
#12 The Gathering Storm: ★★★★.5
#13 Towers of Midnight: ★★�
#14 A Memory of Light: ★★�.5