Review: Crossroads of Twilight - Robert Jordan (10 of 14)

Just a quick warning before I start. This review will contain spoilers from the previous books! So if you do not want to know until you have read it I suggest you put off reading this for a little bit.

Having cleansed the taint from Saidin Rand al'Thor must now unite a world that has been torn in half. With the Seanchan holding the half he does not will he be able to forge an alliance with them, or will he have to defeat them on the battlefield. Perrin Aybara begins laying his plans to rescue his wife, Faile Bashere, from the Shaido but with such a small force will he be able to find the allies he needs to bring his plans to fruition? Mat Cauthon flees Ebou Dar with Tuon, the Daughter of the Nine Moons, in tow and her own Empire out to kill her. Elayne Trakand continues her quest for the Lion Throne of Andor. Pregnant with Rand's children can she take the throne and keep them safe, or will the Shadow prevail in preventing both? Egwene al'Vere begins the rebel Aes Sedai's siege of the Tar Valon and the White Tower with the eyes of the world awaiting the outcome.

Crossroads of Twilight is the tenth of fourteen books in Robert Jordan's fantasy series The Wheel of Time. Upon its release the book immediately rose to the number one position on the New York Times Bestseller List and remained on the list for three months. The prologue, named Glimmers of the Pattern, was released six months before the release of the book. Many of the events in this book take place simultaneously with events in the previous book, Winters Heart. There is a great slowing of the pace in this book with not many of the story lines moving on very far. The lack of plot advancement can be at times frustrating but it does serve as a good book for setting up the events of the next book. As usual one of the good points of the book is the humour we see through Mat's story line, with him and Tuon clashing in often hilarious circumstances. After making an early appearance we see a lack of progress in Rand's story line, with nothing really even being set up for the next book.

Publicly the book did not get good reviews and is widely considered to be the worst book in The Wheel of Time series. However I personally found it an easy read and, although at times I was frustrated with the lack of movement, I was able to invest myself in the story lines of the main characters to the point that the book did not disappoint me as much as some have claimed it did them.

Ashley