Others say...

"A step down from its predecessors"
I begin to get the sensations that many other reviewers have outlined from my reading of book 5. The pace seems to be slowing down, apart from the obligatory speed-up in the last 100 pages, there seems little in the way of action in this book. My interest level is ebbing, and book 12 looks a long way away from here. I start wondering if its time to quit, while Im ahead, so to speak.

I believe around 500 pages could be cut from this volume.
100 pages cut from Nynaeve's introspection / anger
50 pages cut from Aes Sedai gossiping
70 pages - the entire "circus" episode cut
50 pages from Rand's repetitive thought processes
50 pages from Elayne
50 pages from Egwene
The remaining 130 pages could be cut from random clothing descriptions / minor characters who serve no plot purpose.

This is not a good book. There, I've said it. Books 1-4 were good, but this is the first truly bad one. I will read book 6... but the jury is out.


"Very good"
4.5 stars. This is the 5th book in the Wheel of Time series, and about 1.5 years have passed since the villagers of the Two Rivers left their home with the Aes Sedai Moiraine and her Warder Lan. Since the ending of The Shadow Rising, about 2 months have passed and it is now late summer in the Wheel of Time world.

The Shadow Rising ended with Rand uniting half the Aiel clans and capturing the Forsaken Amosdean for a teacher so he can learn how to control saidin, the male half of the True Source. This book is told mainly from Rand, Egwene, and Nynaeve & Elayne's viewpoints. There are also some sections told from the perspective of the former leader of the Aes Sedai, Siuan Sanche and her comrades, including another former Aes Sedai, Leane, that was her second-in-command, a man that could channel, and Min (another character, while not given as much page time in the series, does play a somewhat significant role). For those who enjoy reading about Perrin, he does not make an appearance in this book.

I thought The Fires of Heaven moved along at a quicker pace than even the previous book. Nynaeve & Elayne encounter dangers from one of the female Forsaken, Moghedien, who is stalking them in the dream-world and the waking world at the same time. While Nynaeve & Elayne struggle to keep hidden from Moghedien and find the rebel Aes Sedai hiding from the White Tower and their new Amrylin, Elaida, Rand is facing just as many dangers and struggles trying to stay one step ahead of all the Forsaken trying to bring him down, in addition to chasing the Aiel clan that refused to follow him.

What I liked about this book was how everything moved along faster, there always seemed to be something interesting or new occurring. Whether it was learning more about the World of Dreams, the new enemy of the Seanchan, the Forsaken, etc.

I also liked how you get more insight and knowledge about the mysterious Forsaken, especially Amosdean and Moghedien. Up until this book (and a portion of the last book), there wasn't much information given about the Forsaken. All that was given was the Forsaken were the 13 most powerful Aes Sedai of the Age of Legends that turned their backs on the Light and swore new oaths to the Dark One. But in this book, you get snippets of the Forsaken and what they are planning.

There was one big annoyance I had with this book, and that was with one particular character, Egwene. Her character personality wasn't so annoying in the previous books, but it seems that in this book she has gone beyond annoying for me to the point I wished I could put my hands through the pages and literally strangle her for her hypocritical and arrogant ways. Not to spoil, but knowing what is in store for this character, I can see why Jordan had decided to tweak her personality and have her change in this fashion as it becomes apparent later in the series when she becomes something more.

It got very annoying to see Egwene sniff and glare at Rand for what she considered arrogant ways, or to give Nynaeve a thorough scolding for not listening to her about the dangers of the Dream World. Especially when Egwene herself was just as arrogant in her belief she was right and Rand wrong, and the fact she didn't take her own advice to Nynaeve about the dangers of the Dream World (when she was ordered by others, her teachers the Aiel Wise Ones, not to enter the Dream World without a teacher, as she was still learning about the Dream World). I couldn't help but notice those contradictions, and it drove me up the wall to read this character taking the high road while expecting others to listen to her like she was the voice of authority and they mere mortals who had no clue. In this regard, Egwene is becoming more and more Aes Sedai.

The arrogance of *all* the women in the Wheel of Time world can get quite annoying too, so I suppose I shouldn't be surprised that Egwene was thinking so much of herself. All the women surrounding Rand think they can guide him best, and only they know what's best for him in order to see him live to the Last Battle with the Dark One. Like I said, gets real irritating at times to read!

In fact, it's interesting, all the main characters have gone through some personality changes that are noticeable. They have all experienced certain events that have shaped them and changed them in ways that *are* noticeable to the reader (if you have read from the very 1st book).

Rand has become even more hard and cold, as it's the only way he knows how to do what he must do without guilt or remorse for what he is, Egwene more arrogant and lofty, Nynaeve has learned to reign in her famous temper and be more reasonable at times, Siuan & Leane having lost the ability to channel have been brought down a peg or two in Aes Sedai arrogance, Moiraine has been less overt in her prodding of Rand and even listens to him now.

Actually, of all of the main characters, I would say Mat has probably changed the least in personality. He is still the gambler and rogue, who doesn't want to take on any responsibility, although he does become more than he was by the end of the book too.

Anyways, if you can overlook the blatant sexism by the women characters, this book and the series is very good epic fantasy reading.

"The Fires of Heaven"
This is the second go around in the series. It's amazing how much I seem not to remember or missed the first time. RJ had not gotten too tedious at this point in his tendency for over doing his descriptive narrative. The readers, Kate Reading and Michael Kramer are excellent.

"Jordan continues to dazzle"
This book picks the pace back up after a slower fourth volume. Several subplots advance satifactorily here and the cast of characters continues to progress--familiar characters keep developing and new characters enter the story in ways that add to the overall narrative. If you feared that Jordan was beginning to stretch things out a bit in "The Shadow Rising" (as I was), this volume will allay those fears. Highly recommended to all who have read the first four books in the series.

"The years could have been kinder"
FIRES OF HEAVEN IS A GREAT BOOK
I started reading The Wheel of Time when I was fifteen years old. I got a partial copy of The Eye of the World for free at Walden's. I threw it in my closet and picked it up a few months later thinking what the heck. I soon became enthralled. It was exciting, complex, and a little bit spooky. So much better than the D&D junk I had been reading since I was twelve. It was the best fantasy I had ever read. I read and loved all the books up to book 6 and then I ran into a wall. From this point on the books get slower and more difficult to get into. There is a lot of sitting around doing nothing and idle conversation. The writing becomes very over descriptive (I really don't need to know what color the drapes are but thanks for the info) and there is a very noticeable lack of action. Action and suspense were what drew me to these novels, but with each installation there is less and less. It starts to get repetitive also. Reading these later books now 11years since the 1st book I have discovered that you have to read them very slow and try to picture the the setting in your mind. Otherwise you just won't enjoy them. If you're going to read or listen to any of these books I suggest the first one Eye of the World. I think it's the best.