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A Crown of Swords (Wheel of Time #7)

3.91 of 5 stars 3.91 · rating details · 41,698 ratings · 598 reviews

The eagerly awaited sequel to Lord of Chaos, The New York Times bestseller that swept the nation like a firestorm.

In this volume, Elayne, Aviendha, and Mat come ever closer to the bowl ter'angreal that may reverse the world's endless heat wave and restore natural weather. Egwene begins to gather all manner of women who can channel--Sea Folk, Windfinders, Wise Ones, and so...more

Hardcover, 684 pages

Published May 15th 1996 by Tor Books (first published January 1st 1996)

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Oct 29, 2010 Ryan rated it 2 of 5 stars

If someone ever wanted to make the case against men writing women, they would probably find Robert Jordan's "The Wheel of Time" a treasure trove.*

In fact, perhaps one of the biggest problems in this series is the way that Jordan writes his "strong female characters."

To be honest, I think we're supposed to find all this description of temptation and modesty initially cute and amusing -- if nothing else, it's a balance for all that high level world-building suspense. Yes, Rand and the Aes Sedai ar...more

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Mar 31, 2009 Kat Hooper rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

ORIGINALLY POSTED AT Fantasy Literature.

My reviews of The Wheel of Time novels are getting just as repetitive as the actual books. There's really not much more to say. A Crown of Swords is another long slow installment in which there are too many detailed descriptions of clothing, references to spanking, concerns about bosoms, and people blushing. There are pages and pages which chronicle secondary characters' extensive internal thoughts. But what bugs me most, though, are the constant depiction...more ORIGINALLY POSTED AT Fantasy Literature.

My reviews of The Wheel of Time novels are getting just as repetitive as the actual books. There's really not much more to say. A Crown of Swords is another long slow installment in which there are too many detailed descriptions of clothing, references to spanking, concerns about bosoms, and people blushing. There are pages and pages which chronicle secondary characters' extensive internal thoughts. But what bugs me most, though, are the constant depictions of people and places as if they have a corporate personality:

"Men strutted arrogantly along the streets with often ragged vests and no shirts, wearing great brass hoops in their ears and brass finger rings set with colored glass, one knife or sometimes two stuck behind their belts. Hands hovering near knives, they stared as though daring someone to give the wrong twist to a look. Others skulked from corner to corner, doorway to doorway with hooded eyes, imitating the slat-ribbed dogs that sometimes snarled from a dark alleyway barely wide enough for a man to squeeze into. Those men hunched over their knives and there was no way to tell which would run and which stab. By and large, the women made any of the men appear humble, parading in worn dresses and twice as much brass jewelry as the men. They carried knives too, of course, and their bold dark eyes sent ten sorts of challenge in every glance ... Children darted from every second door with chipped pottery cups of water, sent by their mothers in case the Wise Women wished a drink. Men with scarred faces and murder etched into their eyes stared openmouthed at seven Wise Women together, then bobbed jerky bows and inquired politely if they could be of assistance, was there anything that required carrying? Women, sometimes with as many scars and always eyes to make Tylin flinch, curtsied awkwardly and breathlessly asked whether they might supply directions, had anyone made a bother of themselves to bring so many Wise Women?"

If I found myself in this place, I'd think it was The Twilight Zone!

I will say, however, that someone must have told Mr Jordan to quit with the braid yanking, because Nynaeve seems to be attempting to stop the habit. Now, if we could just get all of those ladies to stop adjusting their clothes every time they feel any sort of negative emotion... and I'll be happy on the day that an Aes Sedai can walk down the street without making someone flinch, cringe, jump, squeak, drop something, or run away.

With all this detailed description, there's not much time for action. There are only a few significant plot developments. The most important one is an event which we've been waiting for for the last 3 books (at least) which finally occurs very quickly and anti-climatically in the last chapter of this book. But, if you've read this far into The Wheel of Time, that's no surprise, is it? And, if you've read this far, you feel like it's too late to stop now, don't you?

I'm listening to this on audiobook (no patience for the print versions) and I should mention that Michael Kramer and Kate Reading are amazing readers. After all this time, I suppose these characters are almost like family to them, and they've got the personalities down perfectly. Their voices and additions of droll humor really instill some much-needed life into these novels.
Read more Robert Jordan book reviews at Fantasy literature. (less)

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Dec 17, 2012 Ala rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Stop number seven along the Wheel.

So many damn stops.

I wish there was an express lane...

Anyway, if you've read the ones up to this point, you'll know what you're in for here. Repetitive, over wordy, over written, over detailed writing. Sloggy pacing. Stupid battle-of-the-sexes bullshit. Meandering storytelling. Decent to badass fights which are few and far between.

Y'know...the usual.

Highpoints:
Min! Love her. Feisty and Fierce.
Mat! The rogue. The badass. The reluctant hero.

Lowpoints:
Everyone els...more

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Gunner McGrath You know.. I've been thinking a lot about this "battle of the sexes" complaint that I hear a lot, and I don't really get it. Is there such a battle? A...more
Dec 21, 2012 07:41am

Ala When I talk about the 'battle of the sexes', I'm referring mainly to the way the main characters behave, and the rather juvenile attitudes they seem t...more
Dec 21, 2012 04:34pm

Aug 25, 2012 Scarlet rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I think this book is better than the last, perhaps not so much but defiantly more action in less pages, and since I'm a huge fan of Mat, I enjoyed the fact that the book follows him (view spoiler)...more

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Jan 06, 2009 Terran rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: to-be-forcefully-thrown

Is there a rating below 1 star I can give?

I think this is about where I gave up on this bloody series. (And I only got this far because I was on a long road trip/camping trip, and I picked them up cheap at a used book store in Anchorage, IIRC.) But I have to admit that I can't tell them apart. I honestly have no idea what happened where after about book 1. Which is, in large part, why I gave up on this atrocious pile of overwritten, paid-by-the-word crap.

A friend of mine said, at the time, of Bo...more

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Sep 16, 2010 Jen rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: my-own-books, the-best-of-the-best, favorites, scifi-fantasy, read-in-2010, read-in-2012

Last readings:
April 9-20, 2010

The english version has been translated into finnish as 2 parts: Keulakuva (16) and Miekkakruunu (17)

I don't know why but all books from Wheel of time has been translated into 2 or 3 different books, of which usually the first book has the same name as the "motherbook" of those few separate books.
Wheel of time has been my favorite past time reading ever since I did read the first book (translated "Journey of Dangers") at around age of 10 and ever since I have been w...more

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Jan 11, 2013 Luisa rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: jordan-robert

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Apr 10, 2013 Jocelyn rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, oh-my-goodness-amazing

Rand al’Thor has a lot riding on his shoulders. As the Dragon Reborn, his destiny is tragic and complex: culminating in his probable death as well as either the end of the world or its salvation. As a male Aes Sedai: a man who can Channel, his fate is to be driven mad by the corrupting taint of the power he must use. And as a man trying to bring nations together in spite of their territorial and political differences to face a much greater common foe, his lot is to maneuver, negotiate and when n...more Rand al’Thor has a lot riding on his shoulders. As the Dragon Reborn, his destiny is tragic and complex: culminating in his probable death as well as either the end of the world or its salvation. As a male Aes Sedai: a man who can Channel, his fate is to be driven mad by the corrupting taint of the power he must use. And as a man trying to bring nations together in spite of their territorial and political differences to face a much greater common foe, his lot is to maneuver, negotiate and when necessary overwhelm them into compliance. In A Crown of Swords, Rand must unseat an extremely powerful servant of the Dark Lord who has seized control of a country.

This is only one of many distinct plots evolving in a Crown of Swords. The Aes Sedai of the White Tower are broken into two opposing factions, and the question of a war between Aes Sedai is now not if, but when. A small delegation of Aes Sedai hasten to the city of Ebou Dar to find a long-lost artefact of great power that they hope may be able to restore the seasons to their natural course, bringing an end to the year-long summer that grips the land. The Aiel, a foreign people tied to the fate of the Dragon Reborn, have also fractured. Not all the Aiel can accept the change Rand al’Thor gives rise to, and while some choose to follow him, others are now wreaking havoc.

It’s difficult to explain the scope of the Wheel of Time universe. There are well over a hundred main characters, and that’s not even taking into account the rich secondary cast. The sheer number of different agendas Jordan imbues within his characters is awe-inspiring. Every single person is angling for something specific, and their goals are constantly shifting to align or clash with others’. Jordan’s notes on the series encompass more than 37,000 pages, according to Brandon Sanderson.

If you’re a fan of any sort of political machinations, then my goodness: this series will leave you gasping. If you love properly multi-faceted characters, who are selfish and altruistic by turns, looking to help their own ends and wondering how they can help or thwart others along the way, then the Wheel of Time could not be more perfect. If you adore truly elaborate plots that all must eventually converge either in a dove tail or a ball of flames, then Robert Jordan’s world is something you need to experience.(less)

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Feb 14, 2013 Jeffrey Grant rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is another one I liked without being able to pinpoint exactly why, especially since the book barely moves the plot forward at all. Mostly what happens is tieing up loose ends from the previous book and reestabishing and redefining all of the relationships and interactions that were thrown for a loop in the previous book. Most of the time in the book is spent in Ebou Dar with Mat, Nyaneve, Elayne and a few of the secondary characters, with a bit of time devoted to Egwene and Rand in about eq...more

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Dec 09, 2012 Richard Bray rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

To this point in the Wheel of Time series, I’ve primarily been a fan of Perrin Aybarra, enjoying the books in which he has a larger role and generally finding the books that don’t feature him to be ultimately forgettable. A CROWN OF SWORDS doesn’t include much Perrin at all, as the two major plots focus on Elayne, Nynaeve and Mat searching for the Bowl of Winds and Rand preparing for and ultimately attacking Sammael.
Somehow, even though I haven’t been a fan of the Bowl of Winds plotline and Rand...more To this point in the Wheel of Time series, I’ve primarily been a fan of Perrin Aybarra, enjoying the books in which he has a larger role and generally finding the books that don’t feature him to be ultimately forgettable. A CROWN OF SWORDS doesn’t include much Perrin at all, as the two major plots focus on Elayne, Nynaeve and Mat searching for the Bowl of Winds and Rand preparing for and ultimately attacking Sammael.
Somehow, even though I haven’t been a fan of the Bowl of Winds plotline and Rand’s plotting makes his storyline slow until the book’s final 75 pages or so, I enjoyed this chapter in the saga. I feel like I’ve analyzed the hell out of The Wheel of Time by this point, so here are just some random thoughts at this point in the series:

Of Rand’s three women, to this point I like Min the best. That relationship seems the least complicated, and Min seems the only one who actually likes Rand as he is.

I’ve complained at length previously about the way Nynaeve and Elayne treat Mat, and in this book Jordan appears to have taken some steps to try to correct it. Of course, he counters that progress by the inexplicable Tylin-Mat storyline, which is wildly uncomfortable because Mat was basically raped and most of the characters in the book think it’s funny. I can just imagine how well that one would go over if Mat was a girl.

Sometimes it seems like whenever Jordan gets bored, he decides to add another group of women who, unbeknownst to the Aes Sedai, can also channel. First it was the Wise Women, then the Sea Folk, now the Kin. It has become one of Jordan’s go-to moves, right up there with the Seanchan attacking to fill in slow parts of the story or, even more commonly, one of the Ta’veren wishing he knew as much about women as the other two.

Mat is growing on me once again. When I picked the series up again, I’d remembered liking Mat, so I was shocked to discover that I actively disliked him through the first handful of books. But since he’s taken a leadership role, I’ve found him a lot more humorous and his storyline far more interesting. His ascendance in this book helped to make up for how little we saw Perrin.

I think the search for the Bowl of Winds is where people really start turning on this series for stalling. They know the bowl is in the city, they know what part of the city and they know what the building looks like. Nonetheless, the search takes more than an 800-page book. It wasn’t a deal-breaker for me, but I can see why some people got frustrated. I’m at a point where I’ve only read two books past this, and I don’t remember much about them. Hopefully the story’s pace will pick up a bit.(less)

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Nov 11, 2012 Kyle rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The Wheel of Time series represents, for me, the perfect example of a guilty pleasure in the world of fantasy.

This series is not actually written very well. Robert Jordan was not a very good wordsmith, and he really only knew how to say and describe things one way. His characters are generally unbelievable, and have ridiculous dialogue. The plot is tremendously predictable, and is heavily influenced (close to the point of being unoriginal) by the fantasy works that came before. The whole story i...more

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Sep 01, 2012 Arminion rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. A tear fell down my cheek. It was both a tear of happiness and one of sadness. I was happy that finally, after months of torture, I have finished reading Crown of Swords. But at the same time, I was sad for all the trees that were cut down to make printing of this book possible.
After book 4, I started noticing certain things about Jordan prose (if you can even call it that). Here, this things were so obvious and so over the top, that they burned my eyes and consumed my soul every time I saw them...more

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Jun 25, 2012 Ward Bond added it · review of another edition

Amazon.com Review

Robert Jordan has created a rich and intricate tapestry of characters in his

From Publishers Weekly

The seventh volume of Jordan's bestselling high fantasy series carries on the tradition of colossal, dauntingly complex storytelling established by the previous entries (Lord of Chaos, 1994, etc.). In a richly woven post-holocaust world where magic is normally a woman's monopoly and a man who can use it is a menace, Rand al'Thor, a sheepherder, discovered that he could "channel

...more

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May 01, 2012 Charlie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Mar 19, 2012 Bryan Larsen rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I feel like I may be out of my league with a book when I have to consult the Glossary to figure out who a character is, and even more humiliating when I can't figure out how to pronounce someone's name. I can let it slide when the character is written about on an extremely limited basis, but let's discuss the name Nynaeve. Really Jordan? Were you on acid when you thought up that brilliant, still-can't-say-it-even-when-I-know-the-pronunciation name? Have you ever tried to say it out loud? It's no...more

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Mar 01, 2012 Michael Y. Patuwo rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

There is absolutely nothing remotely enjoyable about this dreck. Rand, Mat and Perrin continued to act like incredibly stupid brats who had lost whatever friendship they once had with one another. Elayne acted like a twelve year old girl, with a head as big as a blimp and a mind completely unhinged from reality. Nynaeve should be in a mental hospital. Egwene made a completely ineffectual Amyrlin Seat and her secret-keeping was doing more harm than good.

Aside from the horrible characters (both ma...more

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Jan 04, 2012 John rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I read a lot of comments about Jordan's epic which mention (or outright complain) about its pace and staging. As far as I'm concerned, it's deliberate pace and intricate staging are pluses. It's not often that one finds such thoroughly realized visions of epic stories. This series is a genuine throw-back in story-telling style. Instead of going the route of non-stop, breathless action, Jordan spends a good deal of time taking his readers through the sometimes withering grind of day-to-day existe...more

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Nov 19, 2011 celestialchild rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

It is often difficult to reconcile how much I love the adventure of this series with the blatant sexism that pervades nearly every chapter involving a woman interacting with a man. In the first four books, it wasn't as much of an issue, because I saw it mostly as an in-world problem rather than something inherently problematic with Jordan's perspective that was interfering with his ability to tell a good and believable story. This changed in book five, where the ridiculousness exploded to such a...more It is often difficult to reconcile how much I love the adventure of this series with the blatant sexism that pervades nearly every chapter involving a woman interacting with a man. In the first four books, it wasn't as much of an issue, because I saw it mostly as an in-world problem rather than something inherently problematic with Jordan's perspective that was interfering with his ability to tell a good and believable story. This changed in book five, where the ridiculousness exploded to such an extent that it didn't read like and in-world problem, but rather just a bad decision on the part of the author. It made all of his female characters look possessed.

The good news was that the horrid portrayals of all of the main women in the story spouting sexist lines between each breath dissipated somewhat, partially because Min got so much POV time, and Birgitte and Aviendha were not caught up in it either, which was a relief. Not that it was not there, but the forced ridiculousness was less prevalent in this regard than in previous books.

But then chapter 29 happened, and was followed by the rest of the book, and this was by far the worst thing out of all that had happened in the series thus far, mostly because it was the author's storytelling blunder.

(view spoiler)[Mat was raped by Tylin. More times that I could count, or would bother. This after being starved, stalked, and held at knife-point. This after being sexually harassed for several chapters prior. I remembered the rape from my first time reading the book many years ago, but I could not remember how it was that Jordan delt with it.

I was somewhat heartened in the beginning of the book, after Morgase has been raped (repeatedly) by Valda that nothing about that fact was taken as funny or silly or excused away by this or that. In spite of what has happened to Morgase (and the effects are obvious), she still manages muster inner strength to fight back and lead her party away from the Children of the Light. I could deal with that.

What happened with Mat was another story. I was disgusted with the behavior of Tylin and the enthusiastic support she received from palace hands and other Ebou Dari women, but even that I was able to understand as an in-world problem rather than a problem with how the author was presenting the story. When Tyling raped Mat the first time, and times after, I was furious, disgusted, and sick, but I was still able to understand it as an in-world problem. It was also clear to me from the way in which Mat was responding to the whole thing that even if he didn't call it "rape", the very definition of it is what he has in mind when he thinks of what Tylin has done to him. I also that that his response to the whole thing--too ashamed to tell others, wanting to cry at various moments--was extremely realistic. And up until Elayne finds out about it, I was quite certain that Jordan was taking the whole thing seriously, and that it was no laughing matter--Ebou Dari women be damned.

And then Elayne found out, and her response--to laugh, even when believing that Mat was indeed a victim--just crumbled everything. The rape went from an in-world problem to a problem with Jordan's presentation. The minute Elayne laughed, deciding that Mat was "getting a taste of his own medicine" was the minute I wanted to put the book through the shredder. It was one thing for the Ebou Dari women to laugh, but is another for a POV Heroine, one of the supposed "good guys" to make a mockery of rape.

I have never cared for Elayne, only particularly being thrilled by her character when she first met Rand, and when she took control of the Aes Sedai in Ebou Dar, but this just ruined it. Although we never see Nynaeve's immediate reaction upon hearing the news, she was at the very least furious with Tylin, not at all amused. But Elayne?

It was a poor, poor move on Jordan's part. Just when I thought he was actually taking the whole thing seriously he destroys the "good" image of one of the characters. If I wanted to read about the moral atrocities of even the best of people, I would have been reading A Song of Ice and Fire. It's one thing for them to have faults and biases, but at the very least I hope that I still give a damn about the fact that they are trying to fight the Shadow--and in Elayne's case, I really don't. She might as well laugh at what Rahvin or Valda did to her mother. And honestly, when the hero laughs at rape, it is very difficult not to interpret that as the author's personal feelings.
(hide spoiler)]

That extreme atrocity aside, this was mostly a book of smaller, world-building discoveries rather than huge plot developments. The revelation of the Kin, Egwene's realization of Gareth Bryne's loyalties, the increasing presence of Moridin and Shadar Haran and their powers and interests, as well as more insight into the Asha'man and their abilities---if you're a person who likes these little things, the book as much to offer. If you prefer the large plot-altering events of the previous books, ACOS will seem mostly lackluster.

(less)

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May 25, 2011 Jenna St Hilaire rated it 4 of 5 stars

My sincere amusement to Tor. They’re a great SFF publisher, and I dream like a fangirl of writing a book for them someday. But I have to laugh at the cover for this book, which I am almost embarrassed to be seen with. I guess I’m lucky that the ugly but super-buff image of Rand isn’t cradling a swooning, big-busted Min.

At this point, after reading sometimes until my sight blurs over, I’m starting to get a touch frustrated with the story. For starters, I don’t like being made to want characters t...more My sincere amusement to Tor. They’re a great SFF publisher, and I dream like a fangirl of writing a book for them someday. But I have to laugh at the cover for this book, which I am almost embarrassed to be seen with. I guess I’m lucky that the ugly but super-buff image of Rand isn’t cradling a swooning, big-busted Min.

At this point, after reading sometimes until my sight blurs over, I’m starting to get a touch frustrated with the story. For starters, I don’t like being made to want characters to wind up in unchaste relationships. But I’m so tired of the suspense between Rand and Min and Elayne and Aviendha that I want to put the four of them in a house together, make all their feelings known, get the Wise Women to set them all up in Aiel polygamy, and be done with it. And polygamy is chaste compared to the general direction things seem to be going. At least Jordan fades to black.

For seconds, this book left me in suspense on too many other points as well. Nynaeve and Lan? The Seanchan and Mat (will the Daughter of the Nine Moons come around in book eight?) Perrin, leading the explosive Faile and Berelain and a handful of Aes Sedai into who knows what? Why did Professor Fel die? And would somebody please take down both Alviarin and Elaida, because I can’t stand either of them any longer?

For thirds, Rand actually was arrogant in this book. And that simply must change. I’ve loved him--he’s the first and foremost of what keeps me reading. I can live without knowing the answers to cliffhangers, but not with an unlikeable protagonist. And while I might put up with Rand having three wives, or even three concubines, he simply cannot go on being arrogant. Can. Not. Happen.

All right, I’ve blown off my steam. On to the good stuff.

The Atha’an Miere, whose name--to my amused annoyance--is given two different pronunciations in the glossary, showed up with more frequency in this book. (For now, I think I’ll stick with ah-thah-AHN mee-EHR.) I enjoyed getting a further sense for their culture, although I wince at the very thought of wearing a chain between an earring and a nose ring. That has to hurt at first, and it’s just asking to get caught on things. But their strict egalitarianism and equally strict rank, their bright colors and big ships and Windfinders all fascinated me.

Egwene is handling her role as rebel Amyrlin with admirable strength and grace. I generally enjoy a turn in her head.

Cadsuane fascinated me. I’m not sure yet that I trust her, but Rand needed her to do what she’s done. He also needed Min to counteract that, of course, although Min got Rand into some of his mental distress in the first place. As for Min, I like her a lot now--most of the time.

Tylin and Mat drove me nuts. Just nuts. They’re both horrible to the opposite sex, and what Tylin did was unthinkable.

Nynaeve and Lan have my heart and sympathy. And I’m curious about that Atha’an Miere wedding--cautious and amused, but curious. Post-wedding, what is Lan feeling, really? And what about Nynaeve? I can guess, but that’s not nearly as much fun as reading about it.

I wonder if Jordan intentionally chose Asha’man for the channeling men because it reads a shaman. That’s an odd little mystery that distracts me every time I see the word.(less)

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May 06, 2011 Ryan rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, own, sci-fi-fantasy

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. My summary:

Seventh book in the wheel of time series, it begins with Rand's victory at Dumani Wells over the Shaido and Elaida's Aes Sedai who had captured him. Sevanna begins planning on how to capture Rand again with the help of Samuel and Graendal who promise to give her something to control him with once she succeeds. Elaida continues to plan on how she will use Rand once he arrives until she finds out her mission failed. Then she submits to Alviarhin (who is Black Ajah) in order to keep the...more My summary:

Seventh book in the wheel of time series, it begins with Rand's victory at Dumani Wells over the Shaido and Elaida's Aes Sedai who had captured him. Sevanna begins planning on how to capture Rand again with the help of Samuel and Graendal who promise to give her something to control him with once she succeeds. Elaida continues to plan on how she will use Rand once he arrives until she finds out her mission failed. Then she submits to Alviarhin (who is Black Ajah) in order to keep the rest of the tower from finding out and stilling her. Rand continues to face problems in Cairhen where he must retake the throne and reassert his power. He sends Perrin away as a result of a fake argument designed to throw everyone off. He sleeps with Min after he realizes he is in love with her and wants to send her away so she will not be hurt (but she refuses to leave). He meets Cadsuane, the oldest living Aes Sedai, and she begins working on his confidence in order to bring him under her control. Rand finally meets with the Sea Folk and obtains their allegiance to the Coramoor. He then goes into the heart of the Rebel Cairhens and Tairhens to try to get them to follow him as well. While he is there a bubble of evil appears and Padan Fain (now Mordeth) tries to kill him with his dagger. He cuts the same spot where Rand's old wound from the Dark One is and almost kills him except for the help of Cadsuane and one of the Asha'man. Meanwhile, Mat continues to watch over Elayne and Nynaeve in Ebou Dar where they are looking for the Bowl of Winds. While there, they discover "the Kin", a group of women who were made to leave the tower because they could not pass the test to become Aes Sedai. They also make an alliance with the Sea Folk so that together they could come together in order to use the Bowl of Winds once it is found. On the way to see the Sea Folk, Nynaeve is almost killed by Moghedian and is saved by Lan (who is now Myrelle's warder). She demands that he become her warder as soon as possible and they are married by the Sea Folk once they reach the ship. Once they find out where the Bowl of Winds is, they get there the same time as a number of darkfriends and a golam. Elayne is almost killed, but Mat gets the gholam to run away after using his medallion on it. They retrieve the Bowl of Winds and prepare to leave the city at the same time it is being attacked by the Seanchan. Before this, Morgase is transferred from being a prisoner to the Whitecloaks to being a prisoner of the Seanchan. She manages to escape, however, and heads for Andor. The book ends with Rand taking an army into the heart of Illian and confronting Samuel. He takes Illian easily and faces Samuel in Shadar Logath. He sees Samuel being enveloped by the fog of death and shoots balefire at him as well so he assumes he is dead. When he returns to Illian he is crowned with the Crown of Swords and becomes king of Illian.(less)

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Dec 23, 2010 Chariti King Canny rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This series is brilliant. There is just the right balance of fantastical detail and speed of reading. The way the author writes, as I get more and more involved in the story, the more plausible everything seems... the perfect fantasy novel. There are rare moments where he gets a little too tied up in detailing the scene environment, but overall, this is an excellent story.
He does follow the story formula, which probably is what adds to the simplicity and readability of the storyline. However, t...more

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Oct 13, 2010 Kent Mcdonell rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

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Aug 18, 2010 Chad rated it 3 of 5 stars

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Jun 28, 2010 James rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Wait, what's going on here? I'll tell you what's going on: sex, and lots of it. Never directly mentioned, but then, that's not Jordan's style. But the amount of obliquely referenced hanky-panky in book 7 of the Wheel of Time is quite an increase from previous books. It's not really relevant to anything, but it was something I couldn't help but notice.

That said, this isn't some sappy book about relationships or anything. This is a book about getting things done. Assuming all goes well, the end of...more Wait, what's going on here? I'll tell you what's going on: sex, and lots of it. Never directly mentioned, but then, that's not Jordan's style. But the amount of obliquely referenced hanky-panky in book 7 of the Wheel of Time is quite an increase from previous books. It's not really relevant to anything, but it was something I couldn't help but notice.

That said, this isn't some sappy book about relationships or anything. This is a book about getting things done. Assuming all goes well, the end of book 7 marks the halfway point of the series. Oddly it also marks the ending point of most of the obvious plotlines. Sure, there's plenty to do after A Crown of Swords, and it's all well foreshadowed, but there isn't really anything urgent waiting at the end of the book. (Except for the fate of one fan-favorite character who doesn't even appear in book 8. Something tells me that doesn't endear too many fans to that book.)

A Crown of Swords has an oddly disappointing ending. It's a cool scene and a fun read, but the final resolution is somewhat ambiguous, and despite being the culmination of the main plot of two books, it somehow feels anti-climactic. Perhaps this is because Mat (who else?) does his best to steal the show in book 7's big non-Rand storyline. Or maybe we've reached the point where Rand is getting less interesting. To make up for it, the book introduces several characters around Rand that are more dynamic and unpredictable. I love Cadsuane in particular, but she is an understandably divisive character.

The book picks up during (and in fact a bit before) the dramatic climax of Lord of Chaos, and touches on a wide variety of storylines, perhaps too many. We see a bit of Perrin, a bit of Egwene, and some of the Forsaken, but most of the secondary storylines involve the many groups of female channelers. Hell there's one group that contains not two but three independent factions of Aes Sedai within it. I hope you have a good head for names!

But despite those issues, I really love this book. The Mat plotline is great, and not just because of Mat. The combination of characters and events, especially two involving Warders, makes for a great read, and as I mentioned the climax is spectacular. (I don't want to name specific characters so as to completely avoid any appearance of spoiling anything, but suffice it to say, even characters I don't like are compelling here.) And even if you're a Mat supporter, and who isn't, it is hilarious to see him get a bit of comeuppance here.

The other main plotline, involving Rand, is a bit less of a clear-cut favorite. The combination of pretty much every possible organization of channelers, of both genders, makes for some good tension, if that's your thing. The frustrating bit is that little of what's dealt with resolves anything in the grand scheme of things, and the climax comes a bit out of nowhere. It is, in short, a better plotline in the context of the series than within a single book.

Perhaps I've overcompensated for not really liking this book (largely due to hating most of the Aes Sedai) the first time I read the series, but I found little not to enjoy here. Sure, I have a lot of time on my hands at the moment, but it takes a special Wheel of Time book for me to want to finish it within 48 hours. There's no awesome plot payoff like you saw early in the series, though there are a few memorable scenes, but the plot cruises along and kept me reading. What else can I really ask for?(less)

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Apr 15, 2010 Mark rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review stands for the entire Wheel of Time series.

The Wheel of Time appears to be in good hands with Brandon Sanderson penning the last Book (in three parts) of Robert Jordan's epic.

Although I have been reading these books for as long as I have been reading Katherine Kerr's Deverry novels, and will be reading them at least until 2012 when the final book is due out, I have enjoyed them so much that I am willing to ignore the length of time it has taken. It must be almost 20 years from first...more

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Jan 08, 2013 Arjun rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: cant-put-it-down, character-driven-fantasy, epic-fantasy, girl-power, magic-n-romance, overpowered-magic, save-the-protagonist-save-the-world, we-re-gonna-need-a-bigger-bookshelf

I don't see how this is the beginning of the series going downhill. This book was great. I was more engaged for this one compared to the last one. People are crazy. Onward and upward!

Also, I heart Nynaeve "The Hulk" al'Meara (You wouldn't like her when she's angry!) and Elayne "Don't make me go queen on your ass" Trakand.

I totally get how people say these books have a ton of gender issues. The interaction women have with each other are a bit comical. The male characters do seem to have more dept...more

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Nov 28, 2010 Tanabrus rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. La ruota del tempo è senza dubbio una delle mie serie preferite.
Pubblicata da Fanucci assieme alla serie di Goodkind La spada della verità, le avevo cominciate praticamente insieme prendendo il primo libro delle due serie. Poi queste serie ho preso a seguirla finendo rapidamente gli arretrati disponibili in economica e attendendo un anno per ogni nuova uscita, mentre la saga di Goodkind era già quasi tutta disponibile e purtroppo me la sono letta tutta a cavallo della fine dello scorso anno.

Perc...more

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Feb 20, 2012 Martin Davey rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Reading this book was a little like taking a pair of rose-tinted glasses off. This was the one where I realized this series was never actually going to get anywhere. I did go on to read up to book ten but this was the one where I fell out of love with the series.

Sure enough, things happen in this (eventually) the Seanchan turn up, Mat gets some action and Lan and Nynaeve get it on and Rand has another end of level boss to battle. But really in the overarching plot of the series, you can hear the...more

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Sep 15, 2008 Ron rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

The reader who has stuck with Jordan is either completely INTO his world, and angry that Jordan seems to have lost control of himself. I am among the latter.

I kept reading, hoping he would redeem himself. Sadly, he didn't. There's a message there for all of us. If something's worth doing, do it. Don't draw it out just for the fun (and profit) of drawing it out. I hope--but don't expect--his literary successors to tie this all together at the end.

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May 10, 2012 Marcus rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I for one very much enjoyed this enstallment of the Wheel of Time. I have come to appreciate the characters and the varied going's on in the world that Robert Jordan has created. Other readers seem to be critical of the slow pace of the storyline at this point in the series but I think that if you approach the series with the right mindset, it's really enjoyable. I am very excited to arrive at the end of the series and have many of my questions answered but like most things in life, it's more ab...more

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topics	posts	views	last activity
Fantasy Book Club...: CROWN of SWORDS - Finished SPOILERS	9	59	May 19, 2013 02:43pm
South African Boo...: Book 7: A Crown of Swords	7	42	Apr 09, 2013 12:44pm
Fantasy Book Club...: CROWN of SWORDS - Planning to Read? First Impressions? NO SPOILERS	7	61	Mar 18, 2013 09:19am
Fantasy Book Club...: CROWN of SWORDS - Prologue through Chapter 10 SPOILERS	17	55	Feb 24, 2013 07:10pm
Fantasy Book Club...: CROWN of SWORDS - Chapters 33 through 41 SPOILERS	8	65	Jan 18, 2013 01:12pm
Fantasy Book Club...: CROWN of SWORDS - Chapters 22 through 32 SPOILERS	5	32	Jan 18, 2013 01:07pm
Fantasy Book Club...: CROWN of SWORDS - Chapters 11 through 21 SPOILERS	9	46	Jan 18, 2013 01:02pm

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About Robert Jordan

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Robert Jordan was the pen name of James Oliver Rigney, Jr., under which he was best known as the author of the bestselling The Wheel of Time fantasy series. He also wrote under the names Reagan O'Neal and Jackson O'Reily.

Jordan was born in Charleston, South Carolina. He served two tours in Vietnam (from 1968 to...more Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Robert Jordan was the pen name of James Oliver Rigney, Jr., under which he was best known as the author of the bestselling The Wheel of Time fantasy series. He also wrote under the names Reagan O'Neal and Jackson O'Reily.

Jordan was born in Charleston, South Carolina. He served two tours in Vietnam (from 1968 to 1970) with the United States Army as a helicopter gunner. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross with bronze oak leaf cluster, the Bronze Star with "V" and bronze oak leaf cluster, and two Vietnamese Gallantry Crosses with palm. After returning from Vietnam he attended The Citadel where he received an undergraduate degree in physics. After graduating he was employed by the United States Navy as a nuclear engineer. He began writing in 1977. He was a history buff and enjoyed hunting, fishing, sailing, poker, chess, pool, and pipe collecting.

He described himself as a "High Church" Episcopalian and received communion more than once a week.[7] He lived with his wife Harriet McDougal, who works as a book editor (currently with Tor Books; she was also Jordan's editor) in a house built in 1797.

Responding to queries on the similarity of some of the concepts in his Wheel of Time books with Freemasonry concepts, Jordan admitted that he was a Freemason. However, "like his father and grandfather," he preferred not to advertise, possibly because of the negative propaganda against Freemasonry. In his own words, "no man in this country should feel in danger because of his beliefs."

On March 23, 2006, Jordan disclosed in a statement that he had been diagnosed with cardiac amyloidosis, and that with treatment, his median life expectancy was four years, though he said he intended to beat the statistics. He later posted on his Dragonmount blog to encourage his fans not to worry about him and that he intended to have a long and fully creative life.

He began chemotherapy treatment at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, in early April 2006. Jordan was enrolled in a study using the drug Revlimid just approved for multiple myeloma but not yet tested on primary amyloidosis.

Jordan died at approximately 2:45 p.m. EDT on September 16, 2007, and a funeral service was held for him on Wednesday, September 19, 2007. Jordan was cremated and his ashes buried in the churchyard of St. James Church in Goose Creek, outside Charleston.
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Books by Robert Jordan

The Eye of the World (Wheel of Time, #1)

The Gathering Storm (Wheel of Time, #12; A Memory of Light, #1)

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“In a cruel land, you either learned to laugh at cruelty or spent your life weeping.” — 57 people liked it

“If you don't know everything, you must go on with what you do know.” — 28 people liked it

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A Crown of Swords (Wheel of Time #7)

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