Shadow Rising

Rating:
Summary: One of my personal favorites
Review: if you liked the first three you'll love this book- it is action packed and i read it in two days. A great read.
I think that if you have not read any of his previous books that there is no better place to start than from the beging.

Rating:
Summary: The start of a new theme in the series, and started well.
Review: This book marks the beginning of a change in the characters that, so far, have been shown as naive and somewhat timid youngsters. As they have more responsibility and duty laid upon them, they adapt into stronger, more forceful personalities, and by the end of the book, are all quite different to what they were at the end of book 3.
Jordan does a very good job of carrying this out, the characters still act in a familiar way, they just reveal a stonger side to themselves. He has avoided the pitfalls in this area which would have led to botched characters that are completly different people to those followed in the first 3 books. TSR is a very strong book aside from the skilful character develepment too, it introduces the Aiel properly, who are always extremely refreshing and entertaining to read about. And we see Rand finally beginning to get to grips with the One Power, which has so far proven a very fickle gift. It also is split neatly into 3 separate plots, with their own separate climaxes, interspaced by sub-plots that are all entertaining to read. Jordan has done well with this book; it takes bold strides forward from the last one, and ends on a note which promises more in books to come.

Rating:
Summary: An amazing novel
Review: This novel is where the series begins. I think the first three novels could be read independently, similar to Tolkien's Hobbit, and still be enjoyed. However, The Shadow Rising, offers no real conclusion and begins the torture known as the Wheel of Time. I like the overall plot of this novel; I gave it five stars. The focus on Rand is good, but I don't understand how he has become so knowledgable and wise over the course of a year. The side story with Perrin and Faile has great potentail and the ending is awesome, but they way it is written makes me cringe when I read parts of it. Nynaeve and Elayne are my least favorite part of the novel. I honestly consider skipping all chapters concerning their part of the plot. And once again, Mat is my favorite character. Robert Jordan has created some annoying characters, but Matrim Cauthon redeems them. And the action in the White Tower is also well done, if not believable.

What happens. The novel begins with Rand holding the Stone of Tear. He becomes involved with Elayne before leaving the stone for the Aiel Waste. One of the best parts of the novel occurs when Rand and Mat enter Rhuiden. He is marked as the chief of chiefs, and begins the unification of the Aiel. Rand also finds a teacher to help learn Saidin. Mat journeys with Rand to Rhuiden and stays with him after they leave. Mats memories return and his luck continues. Perrin leaves Tear to return to the Two Rivers to save his people from the Whitecloaks. Instead he fights Trollics and becomes lord of his people. In the wolf dream Perrin learns a lot about those twisted doors. From a child's game, "Courage to strengthen, fire to blind, music to daze, and iron to bind." After reading this novel for the third time, I noticed that whenever Mat enters those doors, the snake people always make sure he was no musical instruments, iron, or devices to make light. Nynaeve and Elayne go to Tanchinco to find something that might hurt Rand and meet a forsaken. Egwene and Moraine accompany Rand to Rhuiden.

This novel, as I remember it, is one of the last real good ones by Robert Jordan. I like the next ones, but I haven't waited years for them. I am rereading them on my way to Crossroads of twilight, and if book 10 is disappointing, I will understand why many readers complain about the later novels. But Book 4 is still fantastic, and while it is not imperative to read the first three before starting the fourth, the first three are the best, so I encourage you to read them first.