Reactions to The Crossroads of Twilight

[Fifth of Daybreak he/him]

Well, after all the references to how weak this novel was in the series, I can say that I agree with most of the assessment, but mostly because there was so much more that the book could have been. 

 

It was very hard to get into the core of the book. I've read online before about the prologue and how important it is to keep it as short as possible, or even dis-include it completely if possible, and I completely understand after this. It makes me thankful for Brandon's interlude chapters. In fact, I think the way he's organized the SA so far shows how much he learned from tWoT. The continuous perspective chapters work well about three quarters as often as it frustrates me. Having the seperate sections of the book, and knowing whose perspective will be explored was comforting, and kept the story flowing even when the action wasn't necessarily present. 

 

I'm less convinced in this book that the events that took place necessarily needed to happen. There are key points that needed to be hit, but at the same time, there was a lot of filler too. I definitely can understand why Brandon is planning on having a gap in time between the two halves of the SA after slogging through the last couple novels. I feel like that could've streamlined it just a bit. Granted, the time lapse couldn't be as significant as Brandon is planning, but just a small lapse in time between CoT and WH would have shortened a few storylines. 

One that I remain unconvinced of its necessity in this book was Elayne. I felt like after the huge expanse in scope this story has taken, turning our attention into Andor was disappointing, and almost a step back. She's gotten a very large amount of screen time, and it continues to chafe that Aviendha continues to be overlooked as far as seeing from her perspective. Although, while I say that, Elayne's pregnancy and internal struggle with the effects were a highlight of the book, at least as far as comic relief went. 
 

One thing that truly goaded me was seeing her discussion with the Seafolk when making the second bargain. Her bargaining power was so much greater when bargaining for the Bowl of the Winds, so how did that end in such disaster when she obviously is an accomplished stateswoman? 

Mat's story arch was fairly interesting. Tuon intrigues me, and at the end of the arch, when Renna ran off, I thought there was a good amount of excitement coming, and I raced ahead to catch the action....only to be disappointed. There was an inordinate amount of buildup that culminate in a three page horse chase, with an ending that I felt was very anticlimactic. 

 

Perrin...oh Perrin. "The abyss also gazes into you." I think the entire book was worth it just for that one moment. Not because I liked it, but because I hated it so much. It was out of character, but completely justified by the events leading up to it. The emotional reaction that I endured when reading that scene was incredible, and illustrates that Jordan truly is a spectacular author, no matter how much I bash some of his decisions  . My heart fell to floor when Perrin's ax took the Aiel's hand, and I felt something akin to what I'm sure Perrin was feeling afterwords. 

So.....is there just not going to be anything explained about So Harbor? 

Rand destroyed the Taint...but he still gets channeling sickness? Very confusing and frustrating to get no further information on that. 

On that note, I think my biggest disappointment in the book was how much it was stressed that events happened simultaneously as the cleansing, but for no well established reason. When Aes Sedai and Asha'man were reacting to it happening my thought was "oh cool, characters are reacting to events as they happen. Most are assuming wrong as to what this is. There's going to be some sort of fallout from this only because no one knows what's going on. (Yes, I know it prompted the Aes Sedai to decide to reach out to the Asha'man, but nobody asked you hypothetical response to my statement.)" As each character had responses to the 'beacon' I got more and more excited, as soon there'd have to be someone doing something because of it. 

 

Then, it was gone, and the only ones who even batted an eye were the Aes Sedai. What the????? We get no reactions from any of the Asha'man that the taint was gone? No weird magical residue affecting Saidar and Saidin? So when a circle of thirteen women use a ter'angreal, without any men, there results a channeling disruption effect, but when two of the strongest channelers in the world link, and use the most powerful Sa'angreal ever made, destroy the taint on the one power, and take out Shadar Logoth to boot, nothing happens? That was MADDENINGLY disappointing. The taint has to have been more closely tied to the Dark One than his control of the weather, but still, pretty much nothing. 

 

Also, no reactions from the Forsaken after their crushing defeat, in which one of them is killed? I just felt like there could have been so much more to this book that was overlooked. While it was slightly interesting to learn about winnowing, as I'd never heard of the practice before, the point that the Dark One's corruption was causing havoc was more than well illustrated by the Aes Sedais' preservings failing during the march to Tar Valon. Events like this could have been glossed over, and more time could have been spent moving forward some of the side plots, especially as more and more of them are added without sufficient progress on the ones that exist already. 

After reading through ten books, I think that an equally appropriate title for the series would be 'The Wheel of Incompetence." Especially when it comes to the Forsaken. At first it was intriguing to watch them scheme against each other, but now it seems that even the Forsaken who left themselves out of those struggles are just as incompetent. Mesaana sends Alviarin away from the tower, lets Elaida get out of hand, does absolutely nothing about the army camped outside, and ignores summons. Right. Great job there.

 

Then Shaidar Haran showed up. Making hints that Shaidar is literally the Dark One's hand in the world was a cool revelation, as I had figured it was more a title, like the Mouth of Sauron. Then his armor came off. The casual use of rape for the second time in the series is a serious problem for me. I think at this point, we know the Dark One is evil, and this revelation, that he uses rape as a punishment, doesn't add enough into the story to justify its usage, especially along the sexism that's prevalent throughout the series.

 

The last feeling I've had that I want to illustrate is that I really felt the tragedy of Jordan's death reading this novel. I cannot imagine having set up the incredibly intricate story that he did, and not being able to see my vision come to fruition. From what I've read, he was supposed to have only one book left after the Knife of Dreams, and that is heartbreaking. While my posts may have been filled with nitpicks and complaints, I hope that it is understood that I only analyze and criticize so closely because it is something that I've truly enjoyed and to help develop my skills as a writer, by seeing the techniques he employs that both work and don't. Even after reading several arguably weaker books, I still finished with an excitement to keep going, and a fervor to see the strands of the pattern woven into a conclusion. Having that feeling as a reader, it only stresses how much more elevated that disappointment must have been for him. I may not have known your works while you were still with us Robert Jordan, but I grieve for your loss, and for our loss of you. 

[cem he/him]

Rand destroyed the Taint...but he still gets channeling sickness? Very confusing and frustrating to get no further information on that.

That is confusing, isn't it. Almost as if there is something else going on. Hmm. 

[king of nowhere]

rand getting channeling sickness will be explained eventually, if i remember correctly.

 

the part is so habor... it's probably my least favourite section in all the series. yes, the story would not have suffered by omitting it completely.

 

I also was disappointed by the fact that nothing happens because of the cleansing. BY the way, it would have been nicer if rand, after the fact, had announced that the big disturbance in the power was him using the choedan kal. would have saved a lot of time and worry and allowed for better planning. but, well, that's hardly the only time someone is omitting important information from his own allies and friends.

 

I liked the ealyne arc. Oh, I agree that after the scope of the story seeing the andor succession in such painstaking detail is anticlimatic, but I grew quite fond of elayne over time - as the only main character who is open minded enough that I could actually like talking with her - and I like seeing her interaction with the other characters, so I enjoy pretty much every arc centered on her. By the way, in later books she meet again with mat, and there are some absolutely fantastic scenes.

 

For perrin, I never liked much all the "faile kidnapped by the shaido" arc. I have to say, however, that when he cut the shaido's hand I was thinking of similar ways to make them talk, and in fact it worked. I was furious with him but not for moral reasons (ii believe the shaido lost any right to a civil treatment with what they were doing) but because it was clearly pointless. it's obvious those five guys could not tell anything about the camp more than your scouts could already, and they certainly knew nothing of faile. I'm also quite disturbed by the amount of effort he's putting into recuing one person who's not in any immediate life danger - and may well manage to escape on her own - when the fate of the entire world is at stake. that he does it because it's her wife makes it favoritism in my book. a leader exerting his autority cannot treat his family and loved ones differently than others. he would not divert the army if one random camp follower got kidnapped, he should not divert the army if his wife get kidnapped either. Perrin himself recognizes that at some point, but I won't spoiler chull to whether he will change about it or not.

For the rest, mat is awesome as always, and I don't even remember if egwene does anything meaningful except for getting captured.

 

Yeah, it's a pity jordan died without completing wot, but I think sanderson did a wonderful job with it.