October 19, 2005

Knife of Dreams

Which it certainly was, because I stayed up until like 4:30 am to finish it.

Your discerning Robert Jordan reader what hasn't read the book yet might want to skip this one, as well as you lot what don't read the books. Thar's spoilers in them thar hills. You have been warned.

Yes, I realize that means more or less nobody will read this ever. But it's my blog, and I'll rant if I want to, rant if I want to, rant if I wa...sorry.

So I read the whole thing in one sitting, which is like 800 pages in hardcover. It's been a pretty long time since I could say I've done that, probably as far back as 1997 and A Crown of Swords. I think both 8 and 9 were two day reads, and 10 took a while, because, and let us be brutally honest, 10 is one of the worst things I've read EVER. Nothing happened.

But stuff happens in this one. Lots of stuff. And on that note, let me just say one thing:

PERRIN, YOU TOTAL FUCKING LOSER. IT'S ABOUT GOD DAMN TIME, DAMMIT. I NEVER WANT TO READ ABOUT YOU AGAIN. DAMN YOU FOR TURNING FROM AN AWESOME CHARACTER INTO A WHINY LITTLE LOSER.

Ok, I'm done now. But he deserved that, doing the same plot for THREE FREAKING BOOKS NOW...sorry, I'm calm, really.

And a big giant huzzah for everyone in Andor shutting the hell up already.

Mat is totally the Man, and has never not been the Man.

And I like how Rand has seemingly reached that level where he just sort of leaps out and owns people at random. Few thousand Trollocs? No problem. Clean right up. Semirhage? No problem. Hand stings a bit, but.

I wish we didn't have to wait another book for the sure to be awesome Moiraine rescue. But we do, so that kinda sucks.

But definitely it's the best book in like, 4 or 5 books. So rabbits are pleased.

Posted by Dwip at October 19, 2005 11:09 AM
Comments

I read the first book and a half of that series. I couldn't stand it. It was like I was living it in real time he had so much detail, just bored me to tears. I commend you for making it through them all, but I'm certain a different author could have done as much story in less than half as many pages as he's used up, and I wouldn't have missed a word of it.

To cut that to a readable length, I have no right commenting on this subject.

Posted by: Tim at October 19, 2005 6:31 PM

I read a book once where there were some bad guys, and some good guys. And the bad guys were really good at being bad, while the good guys were just mediocre at even staying alive. But the good guys won anyway.

We need more books that may or may not be just like that in different ways.

Posted by: Whir at October 20, 2005 12:54 AM

I liken this series to an aged aunt, whom you love dearly and have many fond memories of, but who's now 110, bedridden, toothless, incontinent and senile. You don't really mind paying to keep her alive, and you know it's not up to you to decide when it's her time, but it will be a relief to everyone when she finally dies.

(ps. speaking of books, I'd still love to borrow Old Man's War next time you're in Corvallis)

Posted by: suz at October 20, 2005 10:22 AM

The likeness is a good one. It really is. Me, well, I've been reading since...what, 1994? 1995? Something like that. Because once you get used to the wordiness, damn what a series. Until he systematically strangles the life from it 3 books running. But I keep reading anyway, because, well, you gotta hold out that hope. Which was ALMOST paid off in this book. Very close.

And you're in luck, because I am in CV pretty much all the time. Hit me up on ICQ, we'll figure something out.

Posted by: Dwip at October 20, 2005 1:02 PM