The Fires of Heaven
The Wheel of Time, book 5
by Robert Jordan
Rand battles the Shaido Aiel as he pursues the Forsaken Rahvin, Nynaeve and Elayne deal with the Forsaken Moghedien, and a new Amyrlin Seat is raised.
Although this book has a lot going for it, it wasn’t my favorite. Much of this story is divided between Rand and Nynaeve. Plot-wise, there is plenty to be excited about, however perspective-wise, I really struggled to connect with Nynaeve’s half of the story.
Rand’s half of the story has plenty of battles, which benefit greatly from Mat’s replaced memories. Both Rand and Mat’s past actions lend a hand to the way some things unfold in this book, which is something I really like to see in stories of this scale. There are character deaths, some close calls,
I loved Nynaeve when she joined the cast – she’s bold, protective, and strong-willed. However, while everyone else has shown a great deal of growth since we left the Two Rivers at the start of the series, Nynaeve has been left feeling a bit flat in my opinion. She definitely gets a big shining moment at the end of this book, but I’m really hoping we get to see some actual development from her as the series goes on. Or maybe you’d disagree with me and she has shown growth that I just haven’t clicked with.
With the Two Rivers safe for now and Perrin on his honeymoon, there wasn’t as wide a range of places and perspectives as the previous book. I definitely prefer when the story shifts around more, especially when there is such a large cast of interesting characters. It can at times feel slower paced when we stay focused on only one or two, leaving us wondering what’s going on with our favorites.
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LessthanThreeD 