The Dragon Reborn
Plot summary:
After defeating the bad guys at Falme it is now time for the party to split up once more. Egwene, Nynaeve and Elayne (hereafter known as the Daft Trio) go back to the White Tower with Verin, and bring Mat along since he needs to be cured from the effects of the evil dagger-macguffin. Perrin, Rand and Moiraine sit up in the mountains waiting for... well, it's not really clear. Something. Finally Rand gets enough of sitting there and runs off. According to the prophecy the Dragon Reborn will wield the magic sword Callandor, which is in the fortress the Stone of Tear, so naturally that's where he's headed.
The Daft Trio get to Tar Valon where Mat is healed, and then gets a mission from the Amyrlin Seat to find thirteen Black Ajah who have escaped from Tar Valon. (One of whom is Liandrin, surprise surprise.) This means they have to travel again... to Tear. Of course. Elayne also give a letter to Mat that he will deliver to her mother Morgase, the Queen of Andor. This he does, and discoveres that Morgase's advisor is one of the Forsaken and plots to kill the Daft Trio. So of course he's off to Tear to warn them.
Anyway. Everyone gets to Tear after a while. Perrin works here as a blacksmith for a few days. Moiraine thinks. Loial reads. The Daft Trio gets captured by the Black Ajah. Then Rand (whom we have barely seen before in the book) steals into the Stone of Tear (we are given no real explanation HOW, just that he climbed it and got in) the same night that Mat sneaks in (better explanation, he used fireworks to blast a hole) AND a bunch of Aiel also sneaks in...
Cue an end-of-the-book battle of which half takes place in dreams, and at the end Rand grabs Callandor and kills the Dark One... OR? No, of course he didn't, it just appeared that way. Come on, we have ten more books! Mat saves the Daft Trio and gets no thanks. Perrin dreams of wolves and Moiraine uses balefire. In the morning the Dragon banner flies from the top of the Stone, proclaiming the Dragon Reborn to all.
General thoughts:
This is the best book in the series (not that that says a lot...) with a plot that moves forward toward the inevitable conclusion, more in-depth characters, more interesting baddies and not that many dull passages. We get to see more of Perrin and Mat and get to know more about how they reason. The plot thickens with the Black Ajah now showing themselves (well, at least to the readers). We get to know now about the World of Dreams and the first hint of the rules that govern that world. The three ta'veren finally seems to accept what they are and use it to their advantage (especially Mat, who absolutely ABUSES his luck). We also barely see Rand in it except at the beginning and end... which is just as well since he's as dull as wood. Dull wood. Unfortunately, this book has one HUGE problem... you might have noticed in the summary that I did not talk a lot about Perrin. That's because I don't want to think about his parts,because this is the book where Faile makes her entry. AGGG.
Funniest moment:
Every scene where Mat eats a lot. I don't know why, but it's hilarious.
Most annoying thing:
Faile. Oh goddess, Faile. I did not remember that she made her entry this early in the series, but there she is. And OH GOD is she annoying! And she will get worse... much worse. *cries*
After defeating the bad guys at Falme it is now time for the party to split up once more. Egwene, Nynaeve and Elayne (hereafter known as the Daft Trio) go back to the White Tower with Verin, and bring Mat along since he needs to be cured from the effects of the evil dagger-macguffin. Perrin, Rand and Moiraine sit up in the mountains waiting for... well, it's not really clear. Something. Finally Rand gets enough of sitting there and runs off. According to the prophecy the Dragon Reborn will wield the magic sword Callandor, which is in the fortress the Stone of Tear, so naturally that's where he's headed.
The Daft Trio get to Tar Valon where Mat is healed, and then gets a mission from the Amyrlin Seat to find thirteen Black Ajah who have escaped from Tar Valon. (One of whom is Liandrin, surprise surprise.) This means they have to travel again... to Tear. Of course. Elayne also give a letter to Mat that he will deliver to her mother Morgase, the Queen of Andor. This he does, and discoveres that Morgase's advisor is one of the Forsaken and plots to kill the Daft Trio. So of course he's off to Tear to warn them.
Anyway. Everyone gets to Tear after a while. Perrin works here as a blacksmith for a few days. Moiraine thinks. Loial reads. The Daft Trio gets captured by the Black Ajah. Then Rand (whom we have barely seen before in the book) steals into the Stone of Tear (we are given no real explanation HOW, just that he climbed it and got in) the same night that Mat sneaks in (better explanation, he used fireworks to blast a hole) AND a bunch of Aiel also sneaks in...
Cue an end-of-the-book battle of which half takes place in dreams, and at the end Rand grabs Callandor and kills the Dark One... OR? No, of course he didn't, it just appeared that way. Come on, we have ten more books! Mat saves the Daft Trio and gets no thanks. Perrin dreams of wolves and Moiraine uses balefire. In the morning the Dragon banner flies from the top of the Stone, proclaiming the Dragon Reborn to all.
General thoughts:
This is the best book in the series (not that that says a lot...) with a plot that moves forward toward the inevitable conclusion, more in-depth characters, more interesting baddies and not that many dull passages. We get to see more of Perrin and Mat and get to know more about how they reason. The plot thickens with the Black Ajah now showing themselves (well, at least to the readers). We get to know now about the World of Dreams and the first hint of the rules that govern that world. The three ta'veren finally seems to accept what they are and use it to their advantage (especially Mat, who absolutely ABUSES his luck). We also barely see Rand in it except at the beginning and end... which is just as well since he's as dull as wood. Dull wood. Unfortunately, this book has one HUGE problem... you might have noticed in the summary that I did not talk a lot about Perrin. That's because I don't want to think about his parts,because this is the book where Faile makes her entry. AGGG.
Funniest moment:
Every scene where Mat eats a lot. I don't know why, but it's hilarious.
Most annoying thing:
Faile. Oh goddess, Faile. I did not remember that she made her entry this early in the series, but there she is. And OH GOD is she annoying! And she will get worse... much worse. *cries*