The Shadow Rising by Robert Jordan: Book Review

My Review

My Rating: 5/5

The Shadow Rising Book Review – Spoiler Free

I was wrong in my review of The Dragon Reborn, book 3 in Robert Jordan‘s The Wheel of Time fantasy series– The Shadow Rising is now my favourite entry in the series! And wholly because of Perrin’s arc.

In The Shadow Rising, Rand’s life becomes EVEN more complicated, we learn a few new things but there are even more questions to be answered.

Perrin’s storyline is by far the best in this one.

I said in my review of The Dragon Reborn that I wanted to see more of him – well I got it!

His storyline in The Shadow Rising is exactly what I wanted to see. I’m interested in where his character is going to go now though as there are so many books and I feel so satisfied with his arc already!

I wouldn’t say “no” to more though!

Rand’s storyline felt a little slow in this one but I’m sure it’ll pick up eventually, likewise with Mat. Having said that, a lot happens when they meet the Aiel.

The Aiel are an incredible addiction to a world already brimming with life and fascinating places and cultures to explore. I loved meeting them in The Shadow Rising and hope to learn more about their way of life and see their culture develop with the new things that are happening around them, in future books.

My only criticism of this series would be that whenever Robert Jordan wants his characters to move on to somewhere else, he attacks them with Trollocs. Those scenes are exciting, but they are used so much as a plot device that I just don’t care anymore.

In the first book, The Eye of the World, that was fine, as it was an introduction to the enemy ranks, but now, with everything that’s happening, there must have been a more satisfying way to get the characters to start moving again.

Overall, I did enjoy The Shadow Rising and I am loving The Wheel of Time series so far.

(Possible) SPOILER SECTION – No spoilers for this review – I might come back to it in the future, or possibly start writing some discussion posts on the books and characters of the series.