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Crossroads of Twilight (The Wheel of Time, Book 10) | 
 enlarge | Author: Robert Jordan
Publisher: Amazon Remainders Account
Category: Book
List Price: $29.95
Buy New: $4.43
You Save: $25.52 (85%)
New (16) Used (27) Collectible (4) from $3.95
Avg. Customer Rating:  2417 reviews
Sales Rank: 8457
Format: Bargain Price
Media: Hardcover
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 704
Shipping Weight (lbs): 2.2
Dimensions (in): 9.4 x 6.1 x 2
ASIN: B000FFJRI6
Publication Date: December 31, 2002
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
In the tenth book of The Wheel of Time from the New York Times #1 bestselling author Robert Jordan, the world and the characters stand at a crossroads, and the world approaches twilight, when the power of the Shadow grows stronger.Fleeing from Ebou Dar with the kidnapped Daughter of the Nine Moons, whom he is fated to marry, Mat Cauthon learns that he can neither keep her nor let her go, not in safety for either of them, for both the Shadow and the might of the Seanchan Empire are in deadly pursuit.Perrin Aybara seeks to free his wife, Faile, a captive of the Shaido, but his only hope may be an alliance with the enemy. Can he remain true to his friend Rand and to himself? For his love of Faile, Perrin is willing to sell his soul.At Tar Valon, Egwene al'Vere, the young Amyrlin of the rebel Aes Sedai, lays siege to the heart of Aes Sedai power, but she must win quickly, with as little bloodshed as possible, for unless the Aes Sedai are reunited, only the male Asha'man will remain to defend the world against the Dark One, and nothing can hold the Asha'man themselves back from total power except the Aes Sedai and a unified White Tower.In Andor, Elayne Trakland fights for the Lion Throne that is hers by right, but enemies and Darkfriends surround her, plotting her destruction. If she fails, Andor may fall to the Shadow, and the Dragon Reborn with it.Rand al'Thor, the Dragon Reborn himself, has cleansed the Dark One's taint from the male half of the True Source, and everything has changed. Yet nothing has, for only men who can channel believe that saidin is clean again, and a man who can channel is still hated and feared-even one prophesied to save the world. Now, Rand must gamble again, with himself at stake, and he cannot be sure which of his allies are really enemies.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 2412 more reviews...
 Not as bad as I thought it'd be August 27, 2008
7 out of 9 found this review helpful
3.5 stars. The events in the beginning of this book, told from Mat, Perrin, and Elayne's perspective, occur simultaneously with the ending scene of the previous book, Winter's Heart. The last several books, beginning with A Crown of Swords, have slowed down time-wise considerably with events occurring a few days to a week after the conclusion of a prior book. Therefore, the plot also slows down, and it is still winter in the WOT world. Probably 2 years since everything unfolded in the first book, The Eye of the World.
Now, that said, what did I think of this book? I agree with many others that the plot slows to a crawl in this book. In fact, not much action occurs, not much plot development takes place (of what has been introduced already in the series) in Crossroads of Twilight.
However, that doesn't meant there isn't anything going on in this book. There are several plot threads introduced that cause interest and speculation** (**Note: I will discuss this further at the end of the review). As there are only 2 books left, (well, possibly 3 books if the final book is split into 2 volumes, but as B. Sanderson is currently at work on the final book, I can't say for sure), you can be sure that major plot-lines will be tied up in the next book or the final book. I look at the 10th book, Crossroads of Twilight, as the lull before the storm.
Everything seems boring and you can't see anything big happening that's obvious, but what new developments *does* occur is behind the scenes. It's subtle, and you have to be patient, as this book provides more clues about various characters. Sure, I love action-filled scenes as much as the next reader, but the political intrigues and twists are a big part of this world and its characters. Depicting such matters can be slow-moving, as all the players have to be set up on the chess board in such a way that will come together at the end.
If you've reached this book and haven't realized by now that this was one of Jordan's intentions for this world (that people, even when they *know* the end could be coming, they're still looking out for # 1), well I'm saying it now.LOL. The scheming, changed loyalties, questionable motives, the insular nature of people to mention a few, are all what make this fictional world fascinating to read about. For example, something called "The Game of Houses" (manipulation, plotting, and scheming of noble houses) is played to a large extent in one country, Cairhien, but to a smaller extent everywhere else as well. Saying one thing, meaning another, all in subtle tones. At one point or another, *every* character in this series has engaged in some form of manipulation and scheming, and hiding of a secret or two. Every character has a secret. Every character is more than he or she appears on the surface.
The twists and turns are intentional on the author's part, and in order to get from point A to C, you'll have to navigate the murky waters of point B to get there. That's how I view this book, it's set up and geared toward major stuff going down later on, so that is what I meant when I said this book is like the lull before the storm.
A brief summary of where the previous book, Winter's Heart, left off: An incredible feat was struck against the Shadow, with Rand and Nynaeve cleansing the Dark One's taint from saidin and the Forsaken unable to prevent this from happening, slinking away in defeat. Mat sneaks out of Seanchan-controlled Ebou Dar with his group, which includes the kidnapped heir to the Seanchan throne, Tuon (who also happens to be his future wife, not that he's pleased about that!), Perrin is on the rampage to locate his wife Faile held by the Shaido, and Elayne is in Camelyn securing her claim on the Lion Throne.
In Crossroads of Twilight most of the chapters are devoted to Perrin, Elayne, Mat, and Egwene with little of Rand (there are brief chapters told from his perspective). Winter's Heart leaves you on a cliff-hanger, after all that happened, you expect Rand to be in the front and center as you learned in Winter's Heart there were Darkfriends in the Black Tower, and that his second-in-command, Taim, in charge of the Black Tower could be a Darkfriend as he ordered Asha'man to kill Rand in book 8, The Path of Daggers. Not to mention, the fact Rand cleansed saidin.
With the other characters, Perrin is still searching for Faile, Elayne is still trying to secure the throne of Andor for herself, Egwene is still on the march with her army and trying to figure out how to get control of the White Tower and Tar Valon, and Mat has escaped from Ebou Dar and is hiding out at a traveling circus (this group will be familiar, as Nynaeve & Elayne hid in this group in book 5, Fires of Heaven).
**Despite the fact there weren't any forward developments of the plot in each of the character perspectives, I still enjoyed this book. While it's not the best book in the series, there were several plot-lines that caused me to wonder what will happen next. I love figuring out puzzles, trying to understand what the answer to various character motives, basically, what is the agenda or goal here?
For instance, a new character is introduced in the prologue chapter (he was given a brief scene in a prior book, but I didn't find importance in this character at the time), and it made me wonder what role he will or might play in the future. Another character seen before, Logain, another false Dragon, is seen planning "something" and I'm very curious to know where that plot thread will go. One of Rand's generals, Bashere, seems to have something going on the side, a secret that maybe Rand doesn't even know and makes me question his loyalties to Rand when I didn't before. He seemed to be solidly with Rand, but now it seems up in the air how loyal he is to Rand.
Those are just a few unanswered questions, new ones that have cropped up, so I don't think this book is the bust that so many are making it out to be. Yes, compared to earlier books (The Shadow Rising or The Fires of Heaven), the book is *very* slow-moving but I do think it was needed. It is the book that sets up what will come in the later books. So while the book can drag in some places, overall I enjoyed the book. One more book to go, Knife of Dreams, and then it's a long wait for the final book to be published!
 Flaming awful August 5, 2008
4 out of 5 found this review helpful
Is it bad that I now keep a highlighter in my hand as I read the WoT books? I go through and highlight every time someone gets their coat, cloak, shawl, dress, skirts, or stole described, is tall for a Cairhienen, is short for an Aiel, fingers their weapon, or adjusts anything. No joke, in one of the books one of the characters stops herself in mid-thought to ask herself "Who cares about dresses?" Even better than describing someone's coat, I just read a passage where he said someone wasn't wearing a coat! Hardly a page goes by that I don't have a passage to highlight. I'm actually re-reading the series just to see if it's really as bad as I've complained...and it looks like it is. I hear 11 is good. I sure hope so.
My ever-so-detailed story about the book August 3, 2008
8 out of 10 found this review helpful
The rubber soles of my shoes had touched the dusty hardwood floor of the bookstore when I had walked into the bookstore. I took one step. I took another step. And finally, I was at the white bookshelf, when I found an ounce-thick book called Crossroads of Twilight.
My fingers and the soft palm of my hand had touched the book and all the dust flew off the book as I had moved the book from the shelf all the way over to the counter. I had taken the money I needed to pay and placed it onto the wood counter. When I had gotten home, I sat down on the dark red leather couch and I opened the book and the first chapter. I had began reading all the words on the page because it was part of a story.
A week later, I had finished the book and all the thoughts were in my mind about how awful this book was. I had placed the book down on the shelf, and my mouth moved as the words came out of it about how awful it was. Then my feet had touched the floor as I walked over to the chair where my laptop was, and I placed my rear on the chair as I began to sit down and use it. Then I placed my hand on the mouse, and my fingers had touched the keys on the keyboard which typed in the adress to a website called Amazon. Words poured out onto the screen as I then began writing this review.
Quite an eye workout July 14, 2008
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
Worth reading, but only to appreciate these reviews, the majority of which are infinitely better written and more entertaining than the primary source.
When will it end?! June 17, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I have read the entire series of the Wheel of Time and I have to say I look forward to the end. So why read it at all you ask? I do like the story, but the books are getting monotinous in the telling. I picked up The Eye of the World in 2005 out of curiousity (since I love fantasy) and got hooked on the story. I began reading the books in sequence and am about to finish Crossroads of Twilight shortly. I honestly feel that if Mr Jordan had ended the series two books ago he would have done a justice not only to his fan base but also to the story. The beginning of the last three books have been very well done, capturing the readers interest and drawing them into the plot of the book. Unfortunatly the story takes a turn for the mundane about chapter five or so in each book and doesn't pick back up until the last four or five chapters. Everything inbetween is pretty useless and could be edited down into a few chapters that keep the reader on edge and interested instead of a lot of empty filler about who is doing what and wearing which dress with what hair piece and so on and so on. Also the inner thoughts of who has the hots for who and what it makes them feel is pretty far from the original premise I found in the first three books. I guess to sum it up, this is a good book if you can muddle through the middle and concentrate on the beginning and the end. I have about three or four chapterts to go and the story is picking up as I expected. I expect the next two books (the story is supposed to end with book 12 I hear) will read much the same. I only hope the conclusion is exciting and unexpected. I can dream can't I??
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