Lord of Chaos (Book Six, The Wheel of Time)

Lanfear is dead. During her attack on Cairhien, Rand's Aes Sedai advisor and mentor, Moirane Damodred, sacrificed herself to defeat the powerful Forsaken. Now ruling Tear, Cairhien, and Andor, Rand must balance the needs of three nations while trying to fulfill his destiny as the Dragon Reborn. When an unexpected visitor arrives on his doorstep, Rand enlists him to begin the "Black Tower," a sanctuary where men who can channel can be transformed into perfect weapons known as Asha'man. Meanwhile, as Egwene is summoned to the Rebel Tower in Salidar, Rand sends Mat, Aviendha, and Mat's army, known as the Band of the Red Hand, to bring her back. When Elaida, the Amyrlin usurper, sends an emissary to Rand to convince him to come to the White Tower to begin a "partnership" between Rand and Elaida, he realizes that every move he makes could be fatal. When a heinous treachery is unveiled, it will take all of Rand's allies to right the wrong committed.

I enjoyed Lord of Chaos greatly. However, there were swaths of pages that I just found to be slow and difficult to get through. Aside from those troublesome sections, I the was book full of intrigue and a compelling read. For all of those WoT enthusiasts like me, and for those who are just starting the series, Lord of Chaos is a fantastic installment in Robert Jordan's fantasy epic. And by the way . . . Dumai's Wells!

(If you haven't read the book DO NOT look those last two words up. It will ruin the novel)

The Fires of Heaven (Book Five, The Wheel of Time)

The White Tower has split and the Amyrlin Seat, Siuan Sanche, has been stilled and deposed. Elaida, an Aes Sedai, a female channeler of the One Power, and the leader of the uprising, has become the new Amyrlin and those who think her a usurper have escaped to form their own Tower. After their battle in Tanchico against the Forsaken Moghedien and the Black Ajah, Aes Sedai who serve the Dark One, Nynaeve al'Meara and Elyane Trakand, both also Aes Sedai, search for those same rebels while, at the same time, flee from Moghedien's wrath. With the help of the Forsaken Lanfear, Rand al'Thor has defeated the Forsaken Asmodean, has ventured into the ruined city of Rhuidean and has been proclaimed the Car'a'carn, the Chief of Chiefs and the chosen one of the Aiel people. However, there are those who would rather die than serve. The Shaido Clan, led by their leader and self-proclaimed Car'a'Carn, Couladin, have fled the Aiel Waste in search of richer lands to pillage. With the help of Mat, Egwene, and the Aiel that follow him, Rand must pursue the Shaido across the Waste and into the Westlands, where the final showdown between Car'a'carns will take place on the doorstep of the great city of Cairhien.

Personally, The Fires of Heaven is one of my favorite in this series by Robert Jordan. My all-time favorite is Book 7. Full of twists, The Fires of Heaven has at least a dozen moments where I threw the book on the floor in fury and then immediately picked it up again to continue reading. It is full of action, Rand and his continuous Forsaken-balefiring, tons and tons of Aiel, and, most importantly, it finally gives Mat a time to shine. Go Mat!

The Shadow Rising (Book Four, The Wheel of Time)

The siege of the Stone of Tear has ended. Rand, along with Moirane's help, has erased the Forsaken Be'lal from the Pattern, killing him. Using the Sa'angreal Callandor to finally kill Ba'alzamon, who was actually the Forsaken Ishamael in another form, Rand has proven himself to be the Dragon Reborn. However, in the wake of the victory, strange things begin to occur. Perrin's axe flies across his room and tries to kill anyone around him, Mat's playing cards come to life and try to slay him as well. As for Rand, all of his reflections from mirrors or other objects emerge and try to assume his place, by killing him. All three overcome their obstacles, but are bewildered by the sudden ominous occurrences. What had just happened, and why not to anyone else? Moirane, however, understands what has occurred. She explains that, as the seals on the Dark One's prison weaken, small "bubbles' of evil will escape. These bubbles are attracted to Ta'veren and, Moirane believes, more will soon appear. When the Stone of Tear comes under attack from Trollocs, and Rand's former traveling partner, Selene, reveals herself to be Lanfear, one of the Forsaken, Rand must do everything in his power to stop the destruction of the Stone. Using Callandor, Rand repels the invaders, but at a heavy cost.  Now, Rand must travel to the Aiel Waste, to discover the truth behind his heritage to to realize his destiny as being far more than the Dragon Reborn.

The Shadow Rising is, so far, my favorite book in the series (I am up to book 5). First and foremost, it is filled to the brim with Aiel, the hearty, ninja-like people who remind me of the Freeman from Dune, but with spears! Previously, there were only a few Aiel characters. Now, the author  finally shows us what the Waste is like. I highly recommend this book for fans of the series, and for fans of the Aiel.

Darkwing (Prequel to the Silverwing trilogy)

Dusk is a young Chiropter, a prehistoric bat, son of the leader of his colony. However, Dusk is regarded as a mutant and a freak for one simple reason, while most Chiropters have simple gliding sails to move between trees, Dusk has wings. He can fly. Even though he tries to suppress his urges to fly, for fear of being tormented by others even more, sometimes the impulses become too great. One fateful day, Dusk's colony is attacked by Felids, a prehistoric feline, and many, including his mother, are killed. Shade, the only Chiropter in the clan who can echolocate, must use his skills to find his colony a new home. Along the way there are many trials, desertions, death and loss that push Shade and his vigilant followers to the limit. However, while the costs are great, the rewards are greater. The fate of Shade's colony hangs in the balance. Will Shade be able to find a home for the rag-tag group of survivors, or will the creatures and the barren landscape of the wilds beyonds destroy them all? 

Darkwing is the Prequel to the Silverwing Trilogy. Full of actual prehistoric creatures, Darkwing is sure to entice prehistory lovers and Oppel fans as well. Kenneth Oppel is also the author of the Airborn Trilogy. I loved this book for its realistic portrayal of the prehistoric world and what prehistoric life could have been like, cruel but hopeful. 

Firewing (Book Three, Silverwing Trilogy)

It has been years since Shade's adventures in Sunwing. Goth is dead, slain in the explosion that stopped Cama Zotz, the bat god of death (actually from Mayan myth and spelled Camazotz), from returning to this world. Shade has taken Marina as a mate and they have one son, Griffin. All seems to be at peace. However, Griffin is shunned for being a Silverwing-brightwing hybrid. To make matters worse, Griffin is a coward, and believes that, because of his cowardice, his father hates him. In an attempt to 'gain' Shade's favor, Griffin attempts to steal fire from humans and sets his only friend, Luna, ablaze, killing her. Griffin seeks solace at the base of Tree Haven, but is sucked into the ground by a massive fissure. Shade, sensing the disturbance, hurtles after him. Little do either realize that the fissure leads to a world neither could have imagined, a world where vampire bats, like Goth, rule. This is a world where the only way out is through a glowing white tree and every vestige of life gives you power, but even the slightest wrong movement could end in certain death. This is the world ruled by Cama Zotz, the Underworld. Cast into this bleak and desolate land, Griffin must stay alive, and escape, but with the spirit of Goth chasing him, will he manage to free himself, and Shade, before the beast of a bat, a shadow of his former self, slays him and banishes him to an eternity of misery?

At the end of Firewing, I cried. There is no use in denying it, I did! However, I cried with good reason. If I tell you why, however, it will ruin the book. Enjoy the novel, I know I did. 

P.S. If a book can make you cry, in a good way, you know that it is a great book.

Sunwing (Book Two, Silverwing Trilogy)

It has been weeks since the events in the book Silverwing and Shade, now a respected member of the colony, still has some questions he needs to have answered. The first and foremost is the truth about his father. Shade, along with Marina and other bats from the colony, set out in search of Shade's long missing, possibly dead, parent. When the group find themselves inside a strange man-made forest, Shade fears the worst. When bats in the group begin to mysteriously disappear, he realizes that his nightmare has become a reality. The journey will be long and hard, filled with treachery and betrayal, death and hope. Flung into a plot that involves the gods themselves, and the fate of all bats, including Shade's father, Shade must make a decision, one that will decide the fate of all, and the possible return of darkness. Will Shade find his lost lineage, or will his past be lost to him, forever? 

Sunwing is my personal favorite in the series. It is filled with suspense, action, drama, and bat romance. Throughout the novel, Shade does some incredible things with his echo-location, like opening doors, and deflecting projectiles. Fans of the series will love this book, just as I did.

Silverwing (Book One, Silverwing Trilogy)

Millions of years ago, there was a war between birds and beasts. Bats, who didn't take a side, were condemned by the other animals to an eternity of night, to never be able to go in the sunlight again. Shade is a young Silverwing bat, the runt of his colony. One day, when he dares another bat to go into the sunlight, Shade is caught by an owl and is brought to the Silverwing Elders for punishment. When the Elders decide not to reprimand shade, the owls burn down the Silverwing's home, Tree Haven, and its inhabitants are forced to migrate to their winter roost, Hibernaculum. On the way, however, the Silverwings are caught in the middle of a storm and Shade is separated from the rest of the colony. He is found by Marina, a Brightwing bat. When Shade tells her of his story, she agrees to help him find his family. Along the journey they meet new allies and dark enemies, an albino bat with the ability to see the future, a cannibalistic vampire bat who has an agenda of his own, and a strange bat colony that wishes  to become human. Despite these challenges, will Shade and Marina make it to the Hibernaculum, and will the journey change them both, forever?

Silverwing is the first book in the series, creation-wise that is. Chronologically, Darkwing takes place first, set in prehistoric times. This book is filled with mystery and suspense. I loved the series as a whole and cried at the end of the last book, long story.