Wheel of Time #3 - The Dragon Reborn
Of the first three books in the series, I think this one is my favourite, and that's largely because we get so much of Perrin's point of view here. His relationship with the wolves (and especially dream-Hopper) is one of my favourite things about the whole series, and it really starts to emerge properly here in book three. There's so much complexity to his character and his relationship with this ability that he's discovered, and his desire to simply be left alone to be a blacksmith is maybe the most relatable part of the series for me, and I could read about him all day.
I find it fascinating that Jordan chose to keep Rand out of this book for the most part. It's about him - of course it is, it's called The Dragon Reborn - his presence is felt on nearly every page, but we only really see him in glimpses, and when we do it's very rarely through his own eyes. I think that's a really bold decision at this point in the series, but it's also one that I think works really well.
This is a really well executed book. It very much feels like the final book in the trilogy, like we're wrapping up all these plotlines that have been converging onto this point, but at the same time it's also neatly setting up a lot more spinning plates that are going to drive the next few books in the series. It feels like the end of Act 1 of the larger narrative. It also struck me as I was reading this that these really don't feel like 6- or 700 page books. Jordan's prose can be dense at times but it's always a joy to read (with the exception of when his characters are swearing and I just want it to end because it's so ridiculous). He's got a very soothing style that it's easy to wrap yourself up in, and I think that might be why I enjoy revisiting these books so much.
I have absolutely no memory of what happens in the next book in the series, so I'm excited to get to it.