Crossroads of Twilight
Book Ten of the Wheel of Time
Robert Jordan
Hardcover, R160
Reviewed by Gail Jamieson, 2003
The Saga continues. It seems to have been a long time between the
publication of Book Nine - Winter's Heart and this
current book. One has to pick up the story again as one reads as it would take
too long to reread the previous books. (I have an ambition to, one day,
have the complete set and about a month with nothing else to do but to read
them.) However, as I got into the novel the pieces fell quickly into
place and I was once again drawn into the narrative.
Rand al'Thor, the Dragon Reborn, has cleansed the Dark One's taint from the
male half of the Source but he himself is still at odds with Lew Therin who
whispers continually inside his head. Lolial, the Ogier, has returned to aid
him and he has Min to keep him company as well but he still doubts his ability
to remain sane until the Final Battle.
Egewene al'Vere, the Amyrlin Seat of the rebel Aes Sedai lays siege to Tar
Valon in an attempt to gain control over and unite the Aes Sedai. Her fear
is that unless she can do so there will only be the Asha'man, the men who can
channel the Source, to help Rand al'Thor to defeat the Dark One.
Perrin Abara still seeks to free his wife Faile who has been kidnapped by
the Shaido and is willing to do almost anything to get her back. However she
fears that he will find her too soon to allow her to accomplish her own
agenda.
In Andor, Elayne Trakand tries to win support for her fight for the Lion
Throne so that she will also be able to offer her support to Rand al'Thor,
but there are enemies and Darkfriend aplenty. Her struggle is complicated by
the fact that she carries the unborn twins of Rand al'Thor.
Mat Cauthon flees from Ebou Dar with the kidnapped Daughter of the Nine
Moons who treats him as an underling and humiliates him constantly. They are
pursued by the Shadow and the mighty Seanchan Empire. He is also accompanied
by the enigmatic tinker, Thom Merrilin. They travel slowly under the
protection of a travelling circus who believe him to be avoiding an aggrieved,
betrayed husband.
There is little contact between the protagonists who have been separated by
great distances and for a long time. The Final Battle does not seem to be
appreciably closer. As usual the story flows quickly and I read this 680 page
novel over a long weekend, anxiously wanting to know what would happen next.
Robert Jordan has been writing since 1977. He published the first volume of
the Wheel of Time in 1990. He says he will not stop writing until they
nail his coffin shut. I truly hope that he completes this Saga before then.
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