The Fires of Heaven: 5/12 (Wheel of Time)

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There have certainly been changes, some for the better, some I'm iffy on, but I'll ultimately accept them it means seeing this story unfold. The best thing I can say about Robert Jordan is that he has an interesting story to tell, but he's a poor storyteller. The old Amyrlin Seat has been stilled, a new Amyrlin Seat has been raised, and the Aes Sedai of the Blue Ajah are preparing for war against the Tower.

As is becoming usual with these books, the storyline with Nynaeve and Elayne isn't all that interesting. Reading became something I dreaded, something I forced myself to do in an enclosed area with no distractions because, if given the opportunity, I'd rather do literally anything other than read this book. The bloody lord Dragon Reborn will be with us as soon as he flaming takes care of one bloody little matter!

The Fires of Heaven is the book where a lot of things happen, and by that I mean this is the book where I am continually surprised that a particular thing occurred here. Siuan, Leane and Min make way to Salidar, where the Aes Sedai who have escaped the Tower after Elaida's coup have made a temporary base.

There is a moment where he glances at a map and instantly comes up with pretty much the same battle plan that Lan and another general had already worked out and which all leads into what is generally a fun storyline of Mat becoming one of the Great Generals of the era. Unwilling to accept an outsider as their prophesied hero, the Shaido and their allies follow Couladin across the Dragonwall to conquer the “treekillers” and wetlanders. I have little idea what was going on between Nyanaeve and Elayne, and they seemed to be fighting and angry over…. Everything revolves around Rand, but he is the cipher being pushed and pulled while digging in his heels until he is ready to make whatever move he thinks will get him closer to uniting the world behind his banner and against the Dark One. Egwene al'Vere continues to chafe under the instruction of Aiel Wise Ones, eager to learn faster than they think is wise, and Moiraine Damodred grows increasingly desperate to find her way into Rand's circle of trust.Mat rides south, dodging Shaido in an attempt to escape the battlefield, but circumstances conspire to keep him in the thick of things. However, most of this is bogged down by details you don't really want or need to know, like the fact that Nynaeve doesn't get on with many of the other performers and gets into fights with them. The seventh volume of Jordan's bestselling high fantasy series carries on the tradition of colossal, dauntingly complex storytelling established by the previous entries (Lord of Chaos, 1994, etc. Thom and Juilin report rioting in Samara, apparently started when the Whitecloaks and the Dragonsworn began fighting over a boat at the docks. Elayne, Egwene, and the Wise Ones discuss the Seanchan; the s’redit trainer Cerandin took an a’dam with her when she left Falme.

Stuck in cities that are occupied by the Whitecloaks and with Elaida's agents trying to capture Elayne, they disguise themselves and join a travelling circus menagerie, performing acts through villages and towns. And like the line, while blame can be shifted, the hurt remains and the result is ultimately the same — it's over. Rand forgot his dinner meeting with Colavaere since he was busy planning the battle with the clan chiefs and Wise Ones. While there's not that much story here, you do get an insight into how manipulative Siuan really is.Into the Amyrlin's study in the White Tower, where the Amyrlin, Flaida do Avriny a'Roihan, is weaving new plans. She reveals that she knew how events would play out at the docks, and that she knows who “Natael” really is.

Here we focus on Rand himself as he tries to invade Caemlyn and prevent the Great Lord of the Dark from freeing himself. Lan solicits Mat’s thoughts on the coming battle, and Mat reflexively draws on the other men’s memories inside his head while studying the problem. Eventually Moghedien traps Nynaeve and Birigitte in the world of dreams, and the pair narrowly escapes, however at the cost of Birigitte being pushed into the waking world severely injured. Nynaeve had her Crowing Moment of Awesomeness in the previous book, The Shadow Rising, when she straight up beat and captured Moghedien, one of the Forsaken. Rand must try to master his powers as a man who can channel, while eluding the concomitant madness, as two groups of women attempt to come to his aid.Even the little things wore me down — it's like how the quietest of faucet drips can drive you crazy after hearing it for long enough. Maybe I’m picking the wrong books at the wrong time for the wrong reasons, but even books I expect to love are a struggle right now.