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I consider The Fires Of Heaven to be the beginning of the truly complex volumes in the Wheel of Time series. So much of interest happens that it's nearly overwhelming: the Far Snows dance, the accidental forming of the Band of the Red Hand, Birgitte thrown out of Tel'aran'rhiod, Nynaeve capturing Moghedien with an a'dam, Moiraine tackling Lanfear into the twisted doorway, Rand giving Rahvin a taste of the ol' balefire, Asmodean's murder, Galad and the Prophet starting a war in Ghealdan over a riverboat, Gareth Bryne catching up to the girls in Salidar and discovering how thick the molasses really was... That's just a taste, really, the highlight film of the highlight films. In The Fires of Heaven, Jordan laid the foundation for a dozen subplots, all of which he would develop in the ensuing books, and it's all we can do to keep track of what's going on.

I have been known to comment that I would often skip the Elayne/Nynaeve thread whenever reading through the series, as I usually found it far less interesting than the other threads. This time, I made a determined effort to give that thread as much of my time as the others, and I'm pleased to conclude that there is much to recommend it. Despite my feeling that Nynaeve's absurd reaction to Birgitte's fate was unnecessary and detrimental to her character's development, she gets a chance for redemption. When Nynaeve corrals Uno, waxes insolence with the Prophet, and gives Galad what-for, that was probably one of Jordan's best-written scenes in the book, and it shows us that Nynaeve is capable of more than just losing her temper and pulling her braid.

There are plenty of surprises in The Fires of Heaven, and Jordan rolls them out with the expectant glee of a proud father. It felt like he was reading over my shoulder, and every time I got to another plot twist, I could hear him say, "Didn't see that one coming, did you?" There was even Jordan's first big outdoor battle scene, which was a surprise in itself, as it wasn't the big book-ending climax. Now, I'll admit that when it comes to battle scenes, I don't know flanking from sorties. I've never been into strategy and war games, so when Jordan talks about various maneuvers, I'm a bit lost. However, Jordan does a smart thing - he flips between Rand and Mat's point of views, giving us the moments before or after battles. We don't actually get any scenes where he describes a conflict in detail, which is a decision I totally agree with. When I write 'Buffy The Vampire Slayer' stories, the hardest parts to write are the action sequences, because they'll always look better than they read.

The only real complaint I have is that we see absolutely nothing of Perrin. Granted, there wasn't much to tell, but at least one scene of the burly youth and his new bride would have been nice. Jordan does make up for this in Lord of Chaos, of course, and in Winter's Heart, he did the same for Mat.

Well, let's begin breaking down The Fires Of Heaven:

  • Plotting - There were two main plot threads (Elayne/Nynaeve and Rand/Aiel), and a handful of minor threads (Siuan/Leane/Min, for example). As I said above, Jordan laid the foundation for a bunch of subplots, everything from Egwene's eventual ascent to the Amyrlin Seat to Mat's journey south with the Band of the Red Hand. I liked how Jordan brought the two main threads together at the end by using Tel'aran'rhiod; it brought both to a satisfying conclusion.

  • Characterization - Rand's character at this point is already so strongly established that Jordan uses him as a way to flesh out other characters; his interactions with Aviendha, for example, tell us more about her than about him. Jordan sets up Moiraine's departure with a subtlety and class that makes readers miss her all the more, and Mat's attempts at leaving Cairhien serve to illustrate both his unfortunate attraction to battle and his intense desire to avoid it completely. However, the most developed character in the book is probably Nynaeve, who grows into a real leader of men (while still needing to learn much about leading women).

  • Pacing - As always, the beginning was slow, but things picked up, especially once Rand and Aviendha got jiggy with it. As his plots grow more complex, it will become more difficult for Jordan to keep an even pace, and I suppose it was inevitable that 'Path of Daggers' was a bit of a disappointment in that area, but that's another review. :)

  • Best Scene - There are some who might think I would choose the Far Snows scene. Heh. For me, the best scene was Moiraine's last meeting with Rand, the day before her sacrifice. After you've read the book once, when you get to that scene again, you know what's going to happen, and her calm acceptance of what will happen still stuns me with its power. Runner-up: Gareth Bryne arriving in Salidar and setting terms for his leadership.

  • Best Quote - He pulled open a small door, intending to find his way to the pantry. There should be some decent wine. One step, and he stopped, the blood draining from his face. "You? No!" The word still hung in the air when death took him. (Probably the most debated paragraph in the series)

  • Most Screen Time - Rand and Nynaeve split time fairly evenly, with Elayne, Mat, Egwene, and Siuan getting a few paragraphs here and there. I think from this book onward, Jordan tries hard to keep the POVs even between the sexes, so that the women get as much screen time as the men do.

  • Overall - Highly entertaining, especially in the second half, and full of surprises, The Fires of Heaven builds on the positives of The Shadow Rising. Another outstanding volume. 5 out of 5 angreals.

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