04.05.09
The Dragon Reborn by Robert Jordan
This is the third novel in the soon-to-be-completed “Wheel of Time” series. Much like the first two books in the series, the narrative is extremely detailed, almost to the point of being overly so. Jordan writes from the perspective that almost every single possible moment of a character’s life should be conveyed in exacting detail. It can be overwhelming, but there’s no question that it serves to create a deep and believable fantasy world.
After the previous novel went to great lengths to draw parallels with Arthurian legend, it felt natural for the story to turn towards a riff on the Excalibur lore. I thought that would mean that the book would focus on Rand, but I was pleasantly surprised. Rand is barely in the book, and when he is, he’s barely maintaining control. Instead, the story focuses on the Tar Valon Trio, Perrin, and Matt, all engaged in their own subplots while sliding towards a common resolution with Rand.
Considering how often the characters have mentioned that a potential Dragon Reborn must be “stilled” if he gets too far out of control, it’s interesting to note that none of the rather disturbing effects of Rand’s barely-restrained power qualifies as “too far out of control”! I suppose it’s somewhat less than the breaking of the world, when one gets down to it.
I can already see where future books could get bogged down in the details and maddening subplots. In a way, these novels remind me of the fantasy equivalent of a Tom Clancy novel. As long as there’s a sense that the extreme detail and meandering story will arrive at a logical (if temporary) resolution, then all is well. But it’s very easy to stray into territory where several hundred pages will go by without much narrative progress.
Thankfully, I’m a relatively patient reader, so my threshold for such meandering is high. This book, however, is quite straightforward and managed to hold my interest throughout. Hopefully I’ll feel the same way when I resume my journey through the saga!
Rating: 8/10
