The Dragon Reborn

September 16, 1991
Jordan continues his Wheel of Time saga (after The Eye of the World and The Great Hunt ). Three thousand years ago the Dragon led the male mages of the world into entrapping the Dark One, but the cost was high: all male mages, then and thereafter, were driven mad. Now the Dark One is breaking free, and the only salvation may come through Rand al'Thor who may be a reincarnation of the Dragon and who must obtain the sword Callandor, held in the city of Tear. All of Rand's companions from the previous books find themselves, willing or not, moving toward Tear for a confrontation with evil traps. Jordan's fast and absorbing adventure novel will keep the reader too entranced to worry about plot inconsistencies, numerous coincidences, lack of character development and Rand's inexplicably infrequent appearances. As light fantasy, however, it proves an enjoyable diversion.

Book Three of the Wheel of Time series finds the wheel of time continuing its journey toward the confrontation of Rand Al Thor, the dragon reborn, and the Dark One. Kate Reading is narrator for one strand of the story; Michael Kramer, for the others. Reading and Kramer are familiar to the series and bring back their distinct and nuanced characterizations of the major characters. The plot and characters are complex, but the book is still able to stand alone. In the hands of these two versatile narrators the audiobook is a good choice, accessible and never dull. J.E.M. (c) AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine