Average Rating: 
Rating:  - More setup for what is sure to be an excellent conclusion
Much like the previous two books in the series Crossroads of Twilight is mostly a set up for things to come. As I've read the reviews by other posters it seems that there's one common thread, people are sick of the set up with this series and ready for things to happen. I went into COT sharing that sentiment and fearing that I'd just spent two years waiting for another set up novel. Well my fears proved true. Nothing much happens to advance the plot, most of the story revolves around reaction to what happened at the end of Winter's Heart, things continue to build, and I absolutly loved the book. Now don't get me wrong, I'm just as ready as everyone else for something to happen but I think a clever reader can read between the lines on this one and see that things will start happening very very soon. There's so much getting ready to happen for the climax of the series. Things are beginning to be brought back together and I believe we're finally seeing the beginning of the end of WOT, something that's bittersweet to me. COT doesn't have the quick pace of the early novels, the suprising plot twists of the middle novels, or the grand developments that happened in WH. But what it does have is incredible potential for book 11. Even if book 11 turns out to be yet more set up I believe that by book 12 things will for sure be happening and I'd say this series has no more then 3 or 4 more books (Jordan's said he thinks only 2 more but quite frankly I'm not sure anyone believes that:) My reccomendaiton to those who don't think they can stomach another set up novel is to stick with it and realize they are in the hands of a master story writer who is going to give us a magnificent conclusion in just a few books. Have patientce and you'll be glad you did.
Rating:  - Winter is cold...and 10,000 other things you already knew.
Winter is Cold.
All men think all women are crazy.
All women think all men are crazy.
Women constantly fiddle with their clothes.
All Aes Sedai think they should be the boss.
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.And thousands of other things you already knew (and very little else) are what await you in this yawner. I have completely lost interest in this series and am ready to see this entire world Jordan has created throughly glazed with atomic weapons. I'm actually rooting for the bad guys now, they'd be doing us all a favor if they win. This series has grown so immense and the characters so numerous that it's nearly impossible to develop an affinity with any of them (heck, I don't even remember who half of them are). Two books back I would have been sitting on the fence...but now I'm more and more convinced that these books are just being churned out to line JR and his publishers pockets. About 700 pages of this book (hardback) could have been tossed out without any loss to the overall plot. It's *that* full of filler. I'm tired of reading two pages dissertations every time a woman adjusts and article of clothing (and trust me, not 5 pages go by without this happening...if the characters spent as much time fighting the bad guys as they do wanking around we'd be done and back in Two Rivers, eating pie and talking about old times by now). I'm tired of reading two paragraph descriptions of each snowflake that falls from the sky. I'm 29 years old and fairly well read...I'm quite aware that winter is cold. I'm done with this series, at least until it's done and I can buy the rest used in paperback for a dollar or two each.
Rating:  - ...and how could nothing come to pass in 600+ pages?
I started reading this series at the beginning of high school, now I am about to finish college, and I think I will have completed grad school, a postdoc, and gotten tenure by the time this series is finished. After finishing the first 6 books, I was mesmerized. They were outstanding; fantastic characters, cool story, etc. I started getting disappointed with book 8, and it has only gotten worse. Even after book 8, I defended the series to all of my disappointed friends who had thoughts of abandoning WOT, explaining away their criticisms saying that the recent unremarkable additions to the series were merely foreshadowing awesome events to come. But after reading book 10, I am going to have to side with them, my patience has worn thin. I don't think I will be able to abandon the series entirely, but I keep getting excited for the new releases only find myself frustrated and annoyed after finishing them. As stated by many others, the plot goes absolutely nowhere in book 10. Nowhere! I still don't know how that is possible considering the size of the book, but it's true. As I pushed on through the book, I began to get worried because it didn't seem like anything big was going to happen, and that feeling climaxed to disappointment as I reached the end. Unfortunately, you can summarize this entire book in about five lines. Also, as previously stated by other reviewers, Rand, the main character mind you, barely plays a role and the other characters progress at a turtle's pace. I am talking about the slowest turtle that has ever been or will be on the face of the earth. Robert Jordan needs to realize that he doesn't need to explain every little detail if he has already explained it before, multiple times. If you're reading book 10, chances are you have heard of Aiel, know what an Ajah is, and are familiar with the Seanchan. I like details, but I don't need them repeated to me just to fill up space. Considering that the cover price of this book was more than any of the others, I suggest the next one be free to all who purchased this one. I don't know how many more chances I can give Mr. Jordan to redeem himself.
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