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rebelbelle13's review against another edition
3.0
Robert Jordan, you and I have a tumultuous relationship. On the one hand, I love your worlds and your characters, and their development through your books. On the other hand, your novels are SO much longer than they need to be. The Fires of Heaven could have been easily cut down by 300 pages and wouldn't have suffered for it. We don't need to read about every single outfit and conversation and nuance and tree and bush and fountain... you get the picture. It felt like half of the book was spent in Tel'aran'rhiod. Every time one of the girls went to sleep, we knew about it. Every time Rand had a chat or arguement with the Aiel, it was shown in the story. This bogged it down tremendously to the point where I was really weighing whether or not I wanted to continue. As per usual, the last 100 pages or so were the best of the whole novel, and I really had trouble putting it down. If only the whole book was like the last 1/8, I really think more people would love the series. As it stands, it's not very accesible to most when you have to slog through 700 pages to get to the good stuff. If you stick with it though, no one does characterization better. Rand, Nynaeve, Mat, Elayne, Egwene, Perrin and many others have grown tremendously since the beginning of this series, and it is just awesome to see them progress and change as people- accepting that their lives aren't as they wanted them, but responding to the call and being what the world needs them to be. Rand's perspective really was the most interesting here, and I loved seeing his relationship with Aviendha progress. He also led several battles, so the pace picked up plenty during those sections. Even with the traveling circus and the dream world, Nynaeve and company were my least favorite perspective, especially since the girls spent most of the time bickering and being nasty to each other. We saw just enough of Min and Suian to keep it interesting, and the Morgase perspective was an added bonus. I could have taken or left the Forsaken gathering and plotting. On the whole, the story was just okay, way too bloated, with a fabulous last 100 or so pages.
Listening to this on audiobook might be the way to go- and speeding up the pace. One word of warning, though, the man's voice gets quite annoying, as he continuously sighs after almost every single line.
Listening to this on audiobook might be the way to go- and speeding up the pace. One word of warning, though, the man's voice gets quite annoying, as he continuously sighs after almost every single line.
thol's review against another edition
5.0
Wow, this book has it all. From a much improved arc for Mat, Moiraines ending and forsakens everywhere!
pmiller1208's review against another edition
5.0
What an incredible read. Robert Jordan has become a master at his craft. Can’t wait to read the next one.
triseke's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
linseypinsey's review against another edition
3.0
The ending was fantastic, and, as usual, left me wanting more, but GOOD GOD it was a drag to get there. What's that Nynaeve, you hate men? I'd never have guessed! Some things are reiterated a bit much, like the author thinks we've forgotten what characters personalities are like and needs to reinforce them every time it's their chapter.
hope97's review against another edition
3.0
5/10
Unlike many others, I feel like The Fires of Heaven had a strong start. I really enjoyed getting back into the world of The Wheel of Time after a short break and felt it welcoming and comforting to be back.
I really enjoyed the first half of this book. The prologue was strong and I really loved reading through The Foresaken point of view. It's safe to safe this prologue intrigued me and I thought we were off to a great start.
I quite enjoyed Min, Siuan and Leane's journey but it was a little slow for my liking with not much happening for the majority of the time.
I was invested in Nynaeve and Elayne's journey and actually found the famous "circus" section I see quite a few people talking about, really enjoyable.
I feel like the book started to go downhill after the halfway point. The pace slowed. There was a lot of travel and conversations with little reward. I am still really struggling to care for Rand and the Aiel. I'm not sure it's the Aiel in particular, they're a really interesting people, but it might be how the plot is written that surrounds them. The pacing is super slow and sometimes I do struggle to grasp the characters, culture, places and intentions that surround the Aiel people.
I felt quite disjointed from many characters in this book, including Rand, Lan, Moraine and Egwene and felt their personalities became quite dull in this book.
The climax was satisfying, but I really do thing my energy deteriorated towards the end of the book and my detachment with some certain characters reduced my enjoymemt of such a climatic, powerful ending.
I struggled with The Shadow Rising too so I'm really hoping Lord of Chaos is going to be more enjoyable for me after two slow books in a row.
Unlike many others, I feel like The Fires of Heaven had a strong start. I really enjoyed getting back into the world of The Wheel of Time after a short break and felt it welcoming and comforting to be back.
I really enjoyed the first half of this book. The prologue was strong and I really loved reading through The Foresaken point of view. It's safe to safe this prologue intrigued me and I thought we were off to a great start.
I quite enjoyed Min, Siuan and Leane's journey but it was a little slow for my liking with not much happening for the majority of the time.
I was invested in Nynaeve and Elayne's journey and actually found the famous "circus" section I see quite a few people talking about, really enjoyable.
I feel like the book started to go downhill after the halfway point. The pace slowed. There was a lot of travel and conversations with little reward. I am still really struggling to care for Rand and the Aiel. I'm not sure it's the Aiel in particular, they're a really interesting people, but it might be how the plot is written that surrounds them. The pacing is super slow and sometimes I do struggle to grasp the characters, culture, places and intentions that surround the Aiel people.
I felt quite disjointed from many characters in this book, including Rand, Lan, Moraine and Egwene and felt their personalities became quite dull in this book.
The climax was satisfying, but I really do thing my energy deteriorated towards the end of the book and my detachment with some certain characters reduced my enjoymemt of such a climatic, powerful ending.
I struggled with The Shadow Rising too so I'm really hoping Lord of Chaos is going to be more enjoyable for me after two slow books in a row.
makaroni_reads's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
willia4's review against another edition
3.0
I'm refraining from writing reviews for each book in this series. They all sort of blend together and it doesn't seem fair to try to separate them. A series like this stands or falls as a whole.
Still, I'm now five books in to the Wheel of Time and I have some impressions.
This is definitely not high literature but it's fun and entertaining and it has wizards* battling things out. I can overlook a lot of things (like Jordan's disturbing characterizations of women...) for wizards battling things out.
But I'm starting to become concerned at the sheer number of villains in this story. There's the Dark Lord, of course. And then there are his Forsaken. And then there are however many Black Ajah sisters. And then there's the Children of the Light. And then there's the Seanchan. And let's not forget Padan Fain. And I have no idea if the Aes Sedai currently occupying the Tower are villains or not yet; but it certainly seems like it.
At any rate, I can't keep them straight. Forsaken keep plotting and dying and plotting some more and I can't remember which ones are dead and which ones are still kicking. Combined with the fact that they all have funny names, and they all just sort of blur together. Same with the Black Ajah. Same with the Tar Valon usurpers. And on and on.
My best guess is that Jordan was trying to make the story more epic by having lots of plots (as in the crafty kind) going simultaneously all weaving together. But, in my head at least, it's just a big mess.
Which doesn't mean I'm not enjoying the ride, of course. There are wizards battling things out. I'm for it.
*I'm using "wizards" as a gender neutral term here. I would've used the term "caster", but "wizard" seemed to flow a little bit. Most of the casters in this series are females, of course.
Still, I'm now five books in to the Wheel of Time and I have some impressions.
This is definitely not high literature but it's fun and entertaining and it has wizards* battling things out. I can overlook a lot of things (like Jordan's disturbing characterizations of women...) for wizards battling things out.
But I'm starting to become concerned at the sheer number of villains in this story. There's the Dark Lord, of course. And then there are his Forsaken. And then there are however many Black Ajah sisters. And then there's the Children of the Light. And then there's the Seanchan. And let's not forget Padan Fain. And I have no idea if the Aes Sedai currently occupying the Tower are villains or not yet; but it certainly seems like it.
At any rate, I can't keep them straight. Forsaken keep plotting and dying and plotting some more and I can't remember which ones are dead and which ones are still kicking. Combined with the fact that they all have funny names, and they all just sort of blur together. Same with the Black Ajah. Same with the Tar Valon usurpers. And on and on.
My best guess is that Jordan was trying to make the story more epic by having lots of plots (as in the crafty kind) going simultaneously all weaving together. But, in my head at least, it's just a big mess.
Which doesn't mean I'm not enjoying the ride, of course. There are wizards battling things out. I'm for it.
*I'm using "wizards" as a gender neutral term here. I would've used the term "caster", but "wizard" seemed to flow a little bit. Most of the casters in this series are females, of course.
tammys_take's review against another edition
3.0
After four books, returning to this world feels cozy and a bit nostalgic having so much time with these characters this year. There were some moments I chuckled, rolled my eyes or felt annoyed by the characters, but isn’t that what happens as you get to know people in more depth? I think the thing that knocked this book a star, was the over played, exaggerated male/female barbs that seem a little outdated. I don’t mind some of that, but there was so much of it in this story I found it distracting and annoying. I will be continuing on, some shocking things happened in this book!
maddie_summers's review against another edition
5.0
Favorite of the series so far! I hope all of the political scheming is a consistent element moving forward