Crossroads of Twilight by Robert Jordan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I, like the rest of ya'll who've read WoT multiple times, always kinda shudder when we get to this one. It's not like there are truly momentous things going on here. (There isn't.) And it's not like we get some major character development. (We don't.)

What we DO get, and this isn't precisely a bad thing, is the concurrent events that led up to or immediately followed the grand glorious action that took place at the end of Winter's Heart.

The whole world quivered and quaked and everyone freaked out. Not bad. Actually, it's entertaining for being exactly what it is and it's even still a good read and a necessary read as a setup for the End Battle.

It ISN'T up to the standards of all the rest of the series, however. A whole lot of bathing happened. And politics. And consequences for poor choices.

And then, there's also Matt. He may not fully redeem an otherwise below-par WoT novel, but he sure as hell shone with his interactions with Tuon. And I laughed my head off. I laughed harder when he broke down into laughter, too. So sweet. :)

So why did I give this a five-star? Because it's like poo-pooing one of Terry Pratchett's worst novels. It's still wildly entertaining even through all its flaws.

It's a RELATIVE slog compared to the rest of the series.

And I should also point out that I know what's coming since this is a re-read. I know how much of this is foreshadowing, how much of it appears to be innocuous but certainly isn't. And I also know how freaking great all the later action will be after we get through the slow build-up.

One can't always judge a book alone. Even single books have a wider context. :)

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