If you think the Tuesday Next books are too gimmicky, then you’re going to want to avoid this one as I believe it blows that series out of the water gimmick-wise.

While I did enjoy some of the events of the ending, I really had to force myself to get there, and honestly that’s not something I really like to do when I read these days. Yes, I used to be a “have to finish everything I start” reader but now I’m an “hey I’m old and there isn’t that much time and I don’t want to die not having gotten to read as much GOOD stuff as possible so if it sucks, I’m stopping” reader.

This is a society based on color and the color that you can see is therefore the color that you “are” and the amount (percentage) of that color you are able to see determines your prestige, and both those items determine your EXACT position in society. What jobs you can have, who you can marry, etc. The world is ruled by a certain book of rules and infractions/demerits are cumulative. So what’s the obvious thing right? Time for a revolution.

A lot of really obvious metaphor here. I remember I loved the first two Tuesday Nexts, didn’t care for book 3, thought book 4 was OK…and just did not need to read more. (He could have stopped at one and had a really original book out there. Did he have to play it out?)

This series I am going to stop at book 1 as it’s already boring me… In addition, at least the Tuesday Next books made you think about other great books, or google names that you couldn’t place to figure out where in literature they were from. None of that extra in this one. (And it’s definitely going to be a series, the names of the next two books were listed in the back.)

The first part of Book 12 of the Wheel of Time series, which will be split into three (I call it 12a). For however much these later books cover such small amounts of time, and how at least one main character always seems to vanish for a book (in this one, Elayne and Lan do not actually appear although they are of course talked about), and how much you fear that the ending won’t live up to that great end of days that’s been talked about the whole series long… I still really love a lot of these characters and still enjoy reading about them and thinking about their interrelationships. Still love the Aiel and their crazy ways. Enjoying Suian Sanche more than I would have thought. Mat! is all over this one. You know I love Mat! Some nutty Black Friend reveals! There’s a lot to enjoy. Now 12b, hurry up.

p.s. I thought Sanderson did a fine job of writing both in his own and in Jordan’s voice. There were a couple instances of “huh didn’t he just use that exact phrase to describe someone a chapter ago” but other than that, I thought it flowed just fine and all the pivotal characters still felt “right.”

Not badly written. The stuff with the little brother is poignantly told. Some of it is quite spooky.

On the other hand, this felt like a book in which very little happens other than the reveal of the ancient curse/prophecy…and it just…ENDS. Very much a “book 1” but even in a series, shouldn’t each book have its own purpose? I felt like this one really tailed off at the end in setup for book 2.

There’s something to be said for cliffhangers.

I really had to force myself through this one. It’s a bit cold and most of the characters I found extremely difficult to connect with (or even to want to).

However, I absolutely adore (ADORE!) her next book “The History of Love” and I would highly recommend you read that one (instead of this OR any other book!). (Search this page for the title or author to hear my enthusiasm. It was one of my very favorite reads of 2005.)