Yeah. This is where I stopped reading Jordan's Epic series. Why? It probably had to do with the fact that I was reading them as they came out on paperback--which I was at a rate of about 1 a year until after book #6, then it was once every other year. I have a short attention span, and an even shorter memory. In the middle of this book, I realized that I had so forgotten which characters were which--and what plot line in which they were involved--that I could not identify with them anymore. I did not care about their actions or feelings. One of my friends commented that that the glossary was helpful in reminding who was who. It was not for me. A glossary, "glosses" over each characters' history in the previous novels--that is not enough for me to create an imaginary bond. Finally, the gender rage was really beginning to irritate me. Yes, men and women are different, and we can be confounding to each other, but damn, I am thinking that the world divorce rate was near 100%--no one got along. I did not identify with that gender angst at all.

I will say that the first three books are fantastic, pure fantasy. I reread all three of them semi recently (2003ish), in an effort to refocus myself and possibly try to get through the entire series. I stopped in book #4--for the reasons described, above.