first novel, with its Terry Brooks-style purple prose and stock heroes, the series developed noir-fantasy themes and increasingly complex plot structures that I absolutely love. Mixed with a sprinkle of allusions to Norse mythology, Arthurian legend and a quiet acknowledgment of the fantasy canon, this series contains some of the best novels I've read.

Unfortunately, as a series I think the Wheel of Time struggles to maintain both focus and forward progress as its axles groan under its own weight. Since the Source has become cleansed and the Final Battle has yet to occur, what should feel like suspense is more like a feeling that Jordan is getting paid by the word: the storyline has become so bloated with characters and subplots as to make the 18 month wait between books to require an eidetic memory or a user-created reference sheet, the text's glossary being nearly worthless after the second novel.