The Fight Against the Darkness Continues, Review of *The Wheel of Time: Lord of Chaos"

Things continue to get bleaker for our heroes in Lord of Chaos: Book Six of The Wheel of Time saga. In the book, Rand al-Thor, the Dragon Reborn, struggles with political intrigues that try to undercut his authority. He also deals with the growing madness from the Dark One's taint on saidin, the male half of the True Source that gives a channeler his or her power. This madness manifests in primarily three areas: hearing his previous self's (Lewis Therin Telamon's) voice in his head, a near manic depression over any female harmed, and a dangerous (as Rand learns in the book) cockiness that could prove deadly.

Meanwhile, Matrim Cauthon deals with the manipulations of his childhood friends among the Aes Sedai, and Perrin Aybarra contends with the knowledge that he must quickly reach Rand, or his friend could be lost forever.

This book was simultaneously the strongest and the weakest of the books in the series so far. The character development and more personal angles that I had wanted I got in spades. I think that maybe it was a case of getting what I want and regretting it. The ta'veren's allies also had strong storylines, with Nynaeve, Elayne, and Egwene having their own discoveries/breakthroughs, and journeys. Even some of the secondary characters, like my one of my favorites, Loial, had proper focus for the first time in books.

Also introduced was Rand's new school for male channelers, called the "Black Tower" to differentiate it from the White Tower of Aes Sedai. These male channelers, called Asha'man by Rand, are introduced, and will play a vital role in future events.

Yet for all of this improvement, the story felt like so much filler. A huge "door stopper" sized book for a couple of (admittedly quite important) plot points that could have been condensed to a shorter book, or put in with a future volume. It just was both interesting, and tedious. Never a good combination.

The one major caution that I must give is that this book was extremely, graphically violent in a way that previous books have not been. That alone has made the book drop in how I rate it. It is a suitable read, but the intense violence is just too much, and really brushes up near the intolerable.

All in all, the book was a fun read, but sadly little more, and a sad volume in the series of so much promise so far. Recommended to get through the series, or if you are bored. Otherwise, don't bother with it.