Rate: 4/5

Medium: Audiobook

Overview (No Spoilers): For the past year I’d been methodically working my way through the Wheel of Time series as my reading New Years Resolution. Unfortunately, since July I’d been trapped in a library black hole. Despite there only being eight other card carrying members in queue ahead of me, Path of Daggers failed to show up in my inbox month, after month.  Although I’d been slightly dreading this read as I’d been forewarned that it involved much pawn positioning and hand waving resulting in the story line to experience some drag, I’d still been eager to continue with the adventure. After almost breaking down and buying the Path of Daggers, the much anticipated title finally came available for me to read. As quite a long time had elapsed since I’d last picked up this literary trail I needed a reminder with each new POV to refresh to where I had last left these familiar characters. I was surprised and relieved that I did not experience the nagging mid series lull that I’d been warned of, as I was entertained throughout this long read. Perhaps my unintentional break happened at just the right time in this series, allowing dialogue that would have otherwise come across as an annoyance to be delightful quibbles.  I even felt unexpected waves of nostalgia regarding character traits that had previously irked me to no end such as Nynaeve’s extreme swings in temperament and Faile’s black jealousy.  While I enjoyed my foray back into this fascinating literary world, I couldn’t help but be slightly disappointed in Mat, Loial, and Thom’s absence from this novel although it has happened to almost all of the key characters at some point throughout this series.I assume we will catch up with them in the following installment. To make up for it Jordan treats us with even more POVs, especially shedding light on the mysterious Seanchan and their motivations. Overall, Path of  Daggers was a fast paced continuation of an already much beloved series, especially as Jordan continued to develop this already borderline overwhelming world.

• The opening scene of the book has the rulers of the borderlands forming a pact. When will this come into play and who will they support?
• Why was Verin using her strange form of Compulsion on the prisoners and what is her end goal?
• What treasures will Nynaeve and Elaine find with the other trinkets they recovered with the bowl? Will using the bowl have unexpected consequences other than the rain and flooding we experienced in this book?
• Who murdered Ispan and Adeleas?
• It was interesting to see Morgase as a servant. Who will rescue Faile and Morgase from the Shaido? How will Faile handle being kept as a servant?
• Logain shows up again unexpectedly leading a group of Asha’man. What did he do to Toveine? Did he bind her like a warder? How did Taim figure out how to do that? Why has he not told Rand? Is a rebellion in the works?
• What will happen when Masema and Rand are reunited? How will Masema’s dealings with the Seanchan come into play?
• I was intrigued by the story line of Seaine and Pavara working together to discover the assistance of the Black Ajah, however I found the story going sour as they discovered one of the rebels that Egwene sent among the Aes Sedai of the White Tower.  How will they hinder Egwene?
• Were the Asha’man that attacked Rand actually sent by Taim? Why is connecting to the power making Rand so sick? Honestly, he was the most tiresome aspect of this whole read.