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

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Mat lets slip Rand’s plans in front of Melindhra, who tries to kill him with a dagger marked with Sammael’s sigil. Nynaeve and Elaynes characters get a lot of plot time, and there are some very good bits, esepcially the circus bit, although thom seems to be being underwritten and slightly boring, and julein the thief catcher even more so. As much as i have enjoyed the series up until this book, i cant really say that the standard of story telling has been flawless, until now.

The woman has known Rand since childhood and disciplined him when necessary, so for her to see him as the man he is today is very touching. Moiraine gives Rand two letters—one for him to read later, the other for Thom Merrilin—and claims he needs to see something down at the docks.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. His relationship with Aviendha is also less strained after they spent a romantic night in a snow storm in Seachan country. When future books start reincarnating some of the bad guys and we never see Moraine’s body, maybe she is only Mostly Dead as Miracle Max once said. The men always think the women are trying to control them, and the women always think the men are buffoons who constantly need to be directed.

I should have walked away after reading about 100 pages and realizing that I wasn't enjoying myself at all.It starts with the battle for Cairhien which feels climactic at the time, but once it is over, the real ending begins with a very surprising fight with Lanfear. While Moiraine packs Rhuidean’s Power-related treasures into wagons, Rand meets with six of the Aiel clan chiefs. She and Aviendha grow closer and they both help Rand in battle by wielding the Power to aid their side. If you don’t know, even vaguely, what the characters are heading towards and reaching for, it just makes the book feel like a little ramble through the world with the odd attack from faceless monsters here and there.