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A review by fobi_wan_kenobi
Knife of Dreams by Robert Jordan
5.0
A message to Robert Jordan
Since this review does contain some slight spoilers for books 1-10 I want to put this here, just so more people can read it.
After more than a year reading the wheel of time I've become intimately familiar with Robert Jordan's writing style, characters, passion for culture and storytelling and his overly descriptive yet oddly compelling clothing descriptions (seriously, wouldn't be surprised if someone wanted to become a fashion designer after reading them). And that's why, putting the knife of dreams back onto the shelve I was left quite sad.
For those who don't know, Robert Jordan sadly passed away on the 16th of September 2007 due to cardiac amyloidosis. At that time he was working on what was to be the final book in the wheel of time. Hindsight 2021, we didn't have anything to worry about because the then up-and-coming author Brandon Sanderson would finish off his series in a trilogy of critically acclaimed books, but it isn't hard to imagine how distraught fans must have been to hear this news.
With just 11 books Robert Jordan cemented himself as one of the genres most prolific writers, it isn't hard to imagine how many amazing books he still had in his pen. 14 years after his passing I read what was the final wheel of time book to be 100% Jordan, and it is with sadness in my heart that I have to thank him for giving me these amazing characters, cultures, villains, battles and of course Loial.
Even 14 years later you have touched one man's fantasy and I sure won't be the last.
Thank you.
4.5*
Knife of dreams - Robert Jordan
Book 11 of the wheel of time
After three divisive entries with a slower and less eventful pace, Robert Jordan came back for one last hurrah. This book pretty much finished off all of the bigger side plots the previous books spend pages upon pages telling and left me completely and utterly satisfied. A steady stream of twists and character moments are building up to a big finally that is now finally somewhere in sight.
This book really did a great job fleshing out all of the big conflicts going on in Randland. The inner workings of the white tower are visibly reaching fever pitch, the seanchan invasion is becoming a bigger threat and not only on the opposing sides, the war for succession in Andor has split the country to pieces and Tarmon Gai'don looms over everything. The final battle has never been more threatening then in this book.
All of our main cast get time to shine and not a single character is underserved. Rand makes big moves in a bit to finally create a united offensive against the armies of the dark and has to learn to trust those within his inner circle. Perrin puts all on the line for the one he loves and makes unlikely allies on the way. Matt faces destiny and becomes the leader the world will need at the final battle. Egwene faces the enemy from within and tries to save the white tower from destruction and Elayne learns what it means to be a queen. And that's only the big outlines, the way all the side character intertwined with each characters storyline was never not entertaining and had me hooked throughout.
While the ending wasn't one of the big bombastic set pieces the first books had, this one properly sets up the final three books in the series.
Since this review does contain some slight spoilers for books 1-10 I want to put this here, just so more people can read it.
After more than a year reading the wheel of time I've become intimately familiar with Robert Jordan's writing style, characters, passion for culture and storytelling and his overly descriptive yet oddly compelling clothing descriptions (seriously, wouldn't be surprised if someone wanted to become a fashion designer after reading them). And that's why, putting the knife of dreams back onto the shelve I was left quite sad.
For those who don't know, Robert Jordan sadly passed away on the 16th of September 2007 due to cardiac amyloidosis. At that time he was working on what was to be the final book in the wheel of time. Hindsight 2021, we didn't have anything to worry about because the then up-and-coming author Brandon Sanderson would finish off his series in a trilogy of critically acclaimed books, but it isn't hard to imagine how distraught fans must have been to hear this news.
With just 11 books Robert Jordan cemented himself as one of the genres most prolific writers, it isn't hard to imagine how many amazing books he still had in his pen. 14 years after his passing I read what was the final wheel of time book to be 100% Jordan, and it is with sadness in my heart that I have to thank him for giving me these amazing characters, cultures, villains, battles and of course Loial.
Even 14 years later you have touched one man's fantasy and I sure won't be the last.
Thank you.
4.5*
Knife of dreams - Robert Jordan
Book 11 of the wheel of time
After three divisive entries with a slower and less eventful pace, Robert Jordan came back for one last hurrah. This book pretty much finished off all of the bigger side plots the previous books spend pages upon pages telling and left me completely and utterly satisfied. A steady stream of twists and character moments are building up to a big finally that is now finally somewhere in sight.
This book really did a great job fleshing out all of the big conflicts going on in Randland. The inner workings of the white tower are visibly reaching fever pitch, the seanchan invasion is becoming a bigger threat and not only on the opposing sides, the war for succession in Andor has split the country to pieces and Tarmon Gai'don looms over everything. The final battle has never been more threatening then in this book.
All of our main cast get time to shine and not a single character is underserved. Rand makes big moves in a bit to finally create a united offensive against the armies of the dark and has to learn to trust those within his inner circle. Perrin puts all on the line for the one he loves and makes unlikely allies on the way. Matt faces destiny and becomes the leader the world will need at the final battle. Egwene faces the enemy from within and tries to save the white tower from destruction and Elayne learns what it means to be a queen. And that's only the big outlines, the way all the side character intertwined with each characters storyline was never not entertaining and had me hooked throughout.
While the ending wasn't one of the big bombastic set pieces the first books had, this one properly sets up the final three books in the series.