First of all, let me apologise for the distinct lack of posts in recent weeks. It’s been the exam period, and I’ve struggled to make time to write posts. The exams are all over, and I think they went reasonably well, so I should have more time to keep this blog up-to-date.
It horrified me to realise that it’s taken me a month to read my last book. But then again, it is the Wheel of Time, and my exams did get in the way of reading for pleasure.
Title: Winter’s Heart
Author: Robert Jordan
ISBN: 978-1-84149-071-7
Published: Orbit, 2000
Blurb:
Rand al’Thor, the Dragon Reborn, is slowly succumbing to the taint that the Dark One has placed upon saidin – the male half of the True Source. His Asha’man followers are also showing the signs of the insanity that once devastated the world and brought the Age of Legends to an end.
Winter's Heart, by Robert Jordan
And as Rand falters, the Shadow falls across a stricken land. In the city of Ebou Dar the Seanchan, blind to the folly of their cause, marshal their forces and continue their relentless assault. In Shayol Ghul he Forsaken join together to destroy the Dragon.
Rand’s only chance is to hazard the impossible and remove the taint from saidin. But to do so he must master a power from the Age of Legends that none have ever dared to risk – a power that can annihilate Creation and bring an end to Time itself.
Review:
Winter’s Heart is the ninth book in Robert Jordan’s epic fantasy series. As each novel comes in between 500-1000 pages long, that means I’ve spent a considerable amount of time reading the series. But I love it.
For me, Winter’s Heart has more pitfalls than the other novels in the series. Perhaps it was because there was a gap of about a year between me reading the eighth and starting the ninth, or maybe my memory is just appalling, but one glaring problem with the series as a whole is simply remembering what’s happened. There are so many characters in such an expansive world, and Jordan concentrates so much prose on the politics on his world, that it’s easy to get lost. Whilst the detail of the series is what makes me adore it, it can complicate things for a reader.
The biggest issue with Winter’s Heart is that it’s very slow. Not a lot happens. But that isn’t strictly true. If you list down all the events in the novel, it would be quite extensive, but the significance of such events remains mysterious. Perhaps Jordan is foreshadowing what he planned to write in later books, in which case I highly commend him. However, it does feel a bit frustrating when he apparently drops a storyline without a conclusion, even after 680 pages.
I’ve had similar problems with pacing with other books in the series, but one thing Jordan does without fail is brings a fantastic, thrilling ending. Of course, it isn’t the end (so far, there is no end to the Wheel of Time, even after twelve books), but there is a satisfying sense of closure coupled with an intense need to read what will happen next. This is the brilliance of the series. Whilst it is easy to get bogged down in the immense detail that puts even Tolkien to shame, you physically need to know what will happen. Despite this, I couldn’t help feeling a bit cheated that it took 680 pages to get to that ending. At least I got my money’s worth.
As usual, Jordan incorporates an enormous cast of characters. They all have distinctive traits, even the ones who only appear for a page or two. I do, however, have one or two gripes. There are so many names to keep up with that it’s very easy to get lost as to who is who. And all the women hate men, and none of the men understand women. Whilst humorous at times, it gets old quite quickly, especially when every woman thinks the same about every man, and every man thinks the same about every woman. Still, it showcases excellent skill that he can keep up with his characters himself, and it lends great depth to the world. It isn’t just populated with characters; it is populated with people.
Still, my love for Robert Jordan’s work knows no bounds, and I will definitely be buying the tenth book, and the eleventh, and the twelfth, and as many are published when the series finally comes to an end. I wouldn’t recommend reading Winter’s Heart if you haven’t read the novels leading up to it, since it requires a lot of prior knowledge. However, I would definitely suggest picking up The Eye of the World and getting absorbed in the expansive world of Robert Jordan’s The Wheel of Time.
Ratings:
Character: 9/10
Plot: 7/10
Style: 9/10
Overall: 8/10
The Ninth Word 
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