Spoilers.

If I had to pick a book in the series that I would consider my favorite, this would definitely be it. I don’t even know why – it’s not something that I can put my finger on, although I’m gonna make a couple of wild stabs at it, mostly cause I like wild stabbing.

First off, I can honestly say that it’s the only book that’s ever made me weep. Just to note: weep sounds a lot more manly than cry, so I’m going with it. I was much young and reading it through the first time: what happens to Siuan really got to me. Death, I can handle. A half-life that she and Leane were going to be forced into seemed so much more terrible. Of course, I’ve no read far worse. But, at the time, I could not imagine a much worse fate – save for being turned forcibly.

It is interesting to note that TSR follows an opposite pattern from the other novels so far: everyone starts in the same place and then disperses to three separate climaxes. The result is that Jordan juggles three different storylines (four, counting Min and the White Tower), but he does it well enough to make it enjoyable. Focuses are shifted right at pivotal moments, making the reader want to continue the story. The only downside is that the endings seem a bit rushed – despite the paperback weighing in at over 1000 pages.

This is also the first time that we see characters start to come into their own. Nynaeve and Elayne handle Tanchico without much guidance – Aes Sedai guidance, that is. Nynaeve actually holds her own against a Forsaken, showing just how strong she will be. Perrin wanders off to the Two Rivers, becomes a lord, marries Faile, and fends off thousands of Trollocs. Not too shabby for a guy who spent part of the last book in a blacksmithy. Rand begins his dance with the Aiel, and Mat gets set up for his role in future books.

So what is it that makes this book so enjoyable? I think that it could be the fact that we’ve been properly introduced to most of the major characters now, and we can simply enjoy their adventures. Things are not bleak yet: Rand doesn’t have voices in his head, the Dark One is not affecting the weather, there are no other male channelers to really worry about. The Forsaken are still just the Forsaken, and they don’t come into play much. We see Rand get passed between Egwene and Elayne (chalk that up to “never happens in real life.”) In short, Jordan has made us familiar enough with the background to really concentrate on the adventure – that is the key. With thousands of pages already of material, Jordan can draw upon reader experience while weaving together new information.

And we’re not overloaded. Yet. That comes later.

1. The World of Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time
2. New Spring: The Novel by Robert Jordan
3. Eye of the World by Robert Jordan
4. The Great Hunt by Robert Jordan
5. The Dragon Reborn by Robert Jordan
6. The Shadow Rising by Robert Jordan
7. The Fires of Heaven by Robert Jordan
8. Lord of Chaos by Robert Jordan
9. A Crown of Swords by Robert Jordan
10. Path of Daggers by Robert Jordan
11. Winter's Heart by Robert Jordan
12. Crossroads of Twilight by Robert Jordan
13. Knife of Dreams by Robert Jordan