 |
New Spring | Rating | |
| B | |||
| Robert Jordan | |||
| Series | Related Books | ||
| The Wheel of Time | The World of Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time, New Spring, The Eye of the World, The Great Hunt, The Dragon Reborn, The Shadow Rising, The Fires of Heaven, Lord of Chaos, A Crown of Thorns, The Path of Daggers, Winter's Heart, Crossroads of Twilight, Knife of Dreams | ||
When I first learned that Robert Jordan had written a prequel to his bestselling Wheel of Time series, I was more than a little skeptical. The story begins in Two Rivers, I though, exactly where The Eye of the World opens, and any story that might have gone into a prequel was taken care of via explanations and exposition in it and its sequels. There was no need for a prequel; it would end up either redundant or irrelevant.
But, much to my surprise, New Spring is neither. It doesn't tell the tale of the Dragon Reborn's birth and childhood, which was about the only thing I could imagine a prequel could possibly cover. Instead, Moirane is the star. This is the story of her being raised to the stole of an Aes Sedai, and how she met and bonded her Warder. Far more importantly, it details the beginnings of her hunt for the Dragon Reborn. None of this had been more than hinted at in the other books of the series. Most of it hadn't even been revealed that much, making this almost entirely new material. Only the broad outline and a few individual details would be known to those who have read the other books.
Another shock is the novel's length, or rather its lack of it. It's not much more than three hundred pages long, which renders it practically a pamphlet by Wheel of Time standards. Readers will have little to fear regarding Jordan's infamously slow pace, either. This may be no The Eye of the World, crammed full of chases and fights and encounters with fascinating people or creatures in fascinating locations, but there is certainly enough in here to hold one's interest. This is perhaps a bit less true for those who chose to read this before the first book of the main series, though, I admit. Those readers might find it a bit slow, focusing a bit too much on Moirane's everyday activities inside the White Tower. This book is concerned mostly with politics and plots, stealth and scheming, and it might not appeal to newcomers.
For series veterans, though, it should be an intriguing look at Moirane and her good friend, Siuan. I always had been disappointed in just how little we learned about them, especially the former. Combined with the lure of seeing the real begining of the saga, New Spring has definite appeal. This book isn't necessary to enjoy the mainline books of the Wheel of Time, not by any means. But it does enhance the series, rather than detract from it. Fans should enjoy checking it out.
| By Title | By Author | By Rank |