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Jessica � � Silverbow � � 's Reviews > Crossroads of Twilight
Crossroads of Twilight (The Wheel of Time, #10)
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Jessica � � Silverbow � � 's review
bookshelves: fantasy, cover-whore, best-series, favorite-secondary-characters, buddy-reads-are-the-best, not-your-ordinary-creatures, here-be-slaves, rabid-reads-reviews, some-kinda-magic
Aug 31, 2012
bookshelves: fantasy, cover-whore, best-series, favorite-secondary-characters, buddy-reads-are-the-best, not-your-ordinary-creatures, here-be-slaves, rabid-reads-reviews, some-kinda-magic
Read 6 times. Last read January 15, 2022 to January 17, 2022.
Reviewed by:
NOTICE: this reread is in preparation for finally biting the bullet and reading book 14. That means I HAVE NOT read book 14 yet. Please be mindful of this in the comments, both for me and for others who may or may not have progressed past this point in the series. Thank you.
3.5 stars
CROSSROADS OF TWILIGHT is notoriously many WoT fans' least favorite book in series. It's been years since I last read it, so I let all the negative hype get to me, and I started dreading my revisit, but it wasn't half as bad as people made it out to be.
I think the main problem is that for more than half of the book, we're reliving how the previous installment ended from numerous alternate POVs. It doesn't help that the key event we're reliving took up less than 10% the first time around.
So we spend five times as long on a less exciting version of events.
BUT.
The fact that we've already experienced this time period is unrelated to all the new things. New things that are important to the End Game, and if you focus on the new material, rather than the lack of forward motion in the timeline, it's still a good installment.
I PROMISE.
Important/Cool stuff, or all the reasons why CoT doesn't suck:
1. Noal Charin--who is he really?
We meet this old guy in WoT #9, and if you're like me, you were quickly smitten with his tales of grand adventures past . . .
Then CROSSROADS OF TWILIGHT opens with the usual snippet of prophecy, except in the notation, the translation is attributed to one Jain Charin, also known as . . . wait for it . . . JAIN FARSTRIDER.
Is Noel really the famous traveler, originally from Malkier?
I don't know, but I'm hopeful.
2. That smarmy Captain in Elayne's guard . . .
Gets the set down of his life, from (the usually useless) Elayne no less, and the varying reactions of three Aes Sedai in question give us our first solid lead on the identity of the Black Sister.
3. Egwene figures out how to make cuendillar.
Which may not sound like a big deal, but it is. Trust me. Egwene's got a plan.
4. Aes Sedai are bonding Asha'men all over the place.
Asha'men are bonding Aes Sedai too, and I predict CHAOS. If for no other reason than the Warder bond doesn't work the same way on men who can channel as it does on men who can't.
5. Halima disappears long enough for Egwene to get her Dream on.
And not only does she have a second Dream that suggests Mat will be successful in his endeavor to blow shit up, but she has a dream about a Seanchan woman with a sword and a shifting face who will help her.
No specifics on how this mystery woman will help Egwene yet, but I'm hopeful that the shifting face means that she's another Hero attached to the Wheel, spun back into world for Tarmon Gai'don.
6. The Dark One made flesh . . . sort of.
*waves at Shaidar Haran*
Fair warning, this particular scene suggests that rape is being used as punishment. It's left at insinuation, but still . . . FYI.
7+. All the Big Deal stuff I need to spoiler tag.
(view spoiler)
Once again, there are a multitude of interesting questions raised, the foremost being, who is Norla from the Black Hills? And once again, I heartily recommend this series. #cantstopwontstop
My other reviews for this series:
The Eye of the World (Wheel of Time, #1) by Robert Jordan
The Great Hunt (Wheel of Time, #2) by Robert Jordan
The Dragon Reborn (Wheel of Time, #3) by Robert Jordan
The Shadow Rising (Wheel of Time, #4) by Robert Jordan
The Fires of Heaven (Wheel of Time, #5) by Robert Jordan
Lord of Chaos (Wheel of Time, #6) by Robert Jordan
A Crown of Swords (Wheel of Time, #7) by Robert Jordan
The Path of Daggers (Wheel of Time, #8) by Robert Jordan
Winter's Heart (Wheel of Time, #9) by Robert Jordan
New Spring (Wheel of Time, #0) by Robert Jordan
NOTICE: this reread is in preparation for finally biting the bullet and reading book 14. That means I HAVE NOT read book 14 yet. Please be mindful of this in the comments, both for me and for others who may or may not have progressed past this point in the series. Thank you.
3.5 stars
CROSSROADS OF TWILIGHT is notoriously many WoT fans' least favorite book in series. It's been years since I last read it, so I let all the negative hype get to me, and I started dreading my revisit, but it wasn't half as bad as people made it out to be.
I think the main problem is that for more than half of the book, we're reliving how the previous installment ended from numerous alternate POVs. It doesn't help that the key event we're reliving took up less than 10% the first time around.
So we spend five times as long on a less exciting version of events.
BUT.
The fact that we've already experienced this time period is unrelated to all the new things. New things that are important to the End Game, and if you focus on the new material, rather than the lack of forward motion in the timeline, it's still a good installment.
I PROMISE.
Important/Cool stuff, or all the reasons why CoT doesn't suck:
1. Noal Charin--who is he really?
We meet this old guy in WoT #9, and if you're like me, you were quickly smitten with his tales of grand adventures past . . .
Then CROSSROADS OF TWILIGHT opens with the usual snippet of prophecy, except in the notation, the translation is attributed to one Jain Charin, also known as . . . wait for it . . . JAIN FARSTRIDER.
Is Noel really the famous traveler, originally from Malkier?
I don't know, but I'm hopeful.
2. That smarmy Captain in Elayne's guard . . .
Gets the set down of his life, from (the usually useless) Elayne no less, and the varying reactions of three Aes Sedai in question give us our first solid lead on the identity of the Black Sister.
3. Egwene figures out how to make cuendillar.
Which may not sound like a big deal, but it is. Trust me. Egwene's got a plan.
4. Aes Sedai are bonding Asha'men all over the place.
Asha'men are bonding Aes Sedai too, and I predict CHAOS. If for no other reason than the Warder bond doesn't work the same way on men who can channel as it does on men who can't.
5. Halima disappears long enough for Egwene to get her Dream on.
And not only does she have a second Dream that suggests Mat will be successful in his endeavor to blow shit up, but she has a dream about a Seanchan woman with a sword and a shifting face who will help her.
No specifics on how this mystery woman will help Egwene yet, but I'm hopeful that the shifting face means that she's another Hero attached to the Wheel, spun back into world for Tarmon Gai'don.
6. The Dark One made flesh . . . sort of.
*waves at Shaidar Haran*
“Do you think Hand of the Shadow is just a name?� The Myrddraal’s voice no longer grated. Hollow, it seemed to boom down caverns from some unimaginable distance. The creature grew as it spoke, swelling in size till its head brushed the ceiling, over two spans up. “You were summoned, and you did not come. My hand reaches far, Mesaana.�
Fair warning, this particular scene suggests that rape is being used as punishment. It's left at insinuation, but still . . . FYI.
7+. All the Big Deal stuff I need to spoiler tag.
(view spoiler)
Once again, there are a multitude of interesting questions raised, the foremost being, who is Norla from the Black Hills? And once again, I heartily recommend this series. #cantstopwontstop
My other reviews for this series:
The Eye of the World (Wheel of Time, #1) by Robert Jordan
The Great Hunt (Wheel of Time, #2) by Robert Jordan
The Dragon Reborn (Wheel of Time, #3) by Robert Jordan
The Shadow Rising (Wheel of Time, #4) by Robert Jordan
The Fires of Heaven (Wheel of Time, #5) by Robert Jordan
Lord of Chaos (Wheel of Time, #6) by Robert Jordan
A Crown of Swords (Wheel of Time, #7) by Robert Jordan
The Path of Daggers (Wheel of Time, #8) by Robert Jordan
Winter's Heart (Wheel of Time, #9) by Robert Jordan
New Spring (Wheel of Time, #0) by Robert Jordan
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Reading Progress
Finished Reading
Finished Reading
Finished Reading
Finished Reading
August 31, 2012
– Shelved
October 24, 2016
–
Started Reading
October 24, 2016
–
10.53%
"“I will start at the beginning, Davram. And go slowly, so you can understand,� she added with a small smile . . . “I returned from my ride to find two strange men ransacking our tent. They drew daggers, so naturally, I hit one of them with a chair and stabbed the other.�
Naturally. *giggle snorts* I bloody LOVE Saldeans."
page
66
Naturally. *giggle snorts* I bloody LOVE Saldeans."
October 28, 2016
–
Finished Reading
January 15, 2022
–
Started Reading
January 17, 2022
–
Finished Reading
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Vinay
(new)
Sep 29, 2019 09:33AM
Have you reviewed knife of dreams? I just finished it and I love coming to your reviews right after I finish one of these books.
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Have to ask...you reading these because of the fantastic rendition they have done in the show? Not only are the books fantastic but they have done such a great job on the show.
David wrote: "Have to ask...you reading these because of the fantastic rendition they have done in the show? Not only are the books fantastic but they have done such a great job on the show."Are you serious?? Have you watched the finale?? It’s AWFUL. But I am rereading b/c of the show. I have tons—TONS—of issues with it, but it reignited my love of the books. I might finally read the last book this time. Aaaaaand as much as I hated the finale and the first episode, the middle episodes were pretty good. Especially the one focused on Moiraine and Siuan.
Vinay wrote: "Have you reviewed knife of dreams? I just finished it and I love coming to your reviews right after I finish one of these books."I just reread Knife of Dreams, but I didn’t review it, b/c I’m listening to it rather than reading a hard copy, so I don’t have any notes or highlights. That being said, it reinforced my hatred of Elayne. If I did review it, it would probably mostly be a rant about her insufferable attitudes. “Min said my babies would be healthy, so I can do whatever fool thing I want until they’re born, the hell with everyone else I drag down without such protection,� OMG I HATE HER.
I might go back and read the last several books again when I finish the full reread. I’ve read the last five books way fewer times than the rest of them. If I do, I’ll write reviews.
It has been so long ago that I read the books maybe I have to go back and read them. I really enjoyed the show because I love a good fantasy story. I had better check it out before posting again.
