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Crossroads of Twilight

Crossroads of Twilight

Epic FantasyFantasy
Pages
832
Published
2003
Language
English

Synopsis

In the aftermath of an event that shook the Pattern itself, the people of the world struggle to grasp what has changed and what it means for the war to come. Perrin pushes to the edge of his principles to free his captured wife from the Shaido. Mat continues his slow, perilous courtship of the Seanchan heir while hiding in plain sight. Egwene tightens her siege of the White Tower with patience rather than force, and Elayne fights an uphill battle for the throne of Andor. The tenth volume of The Wheel of Time is its most debated, in part because much of its action runs parallel in time to the previous book, showing how scattered characters react to the same world-changing moment rather than advancing past it. It is a novel of waiting and positioning, where pieces are carefully arranged for the resolutions that follow, and it marks the close of the series' slower middle stretch.

Prose complexity
7/10

Vibe

DarkTenseComplexMelancholic
Multiple POVsCourt IntrigueQuestSurvivalBetrayal

Genres

Epic Fantasy Fantasy High Fantasy Adventure

About the author

R
Robert Jordan

Born in Charleston, South Carolina, James Oliver Rigney Jr. (1948-2007) wrote under the pen name Robert Jordan and became best known for the epic fantasy series The Wheel of Time. He served two tours as a U.S. Army helicopter gunner in Vietnam, earning the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Bronze Star, then took a degree in physics from The Citadel and worked as a nuclear engineer for the Navy. A fall and a long convalescence in the late 1970s turned him toward writing full time. Before fantasy...

Characters

Perrin AybaraProtagonist

Tests the limits of his own principles in his desperate effort to free Faile from the Shaido.

Egwene al'VereProtagonist

Wages a patient siege of the White Tower, choosing strategy over open assault.

Matrim CauthonSupporting

Continues his wary, slow-burning courtship of Tuon while keeping his band hidden.

Elayne TrakandSupporting

Battles rival claimants and shrinking support in her bid for the Lion Throne of Andor.

Rand al'ThorSupporting

Reckons with the aftermath of his great working as enemies reassess the new balance.

All characters in Crossroads of Twilight

Frequently asked questions

  • Why is Crossroads of Twilight considered the weakest book?

    Much of it runs parallel in time to the previous volume, so it shows characters reacting to an event readers already witnessed rather than moving the story forward. Combined with a slow pace, this gives it the lowest reputation and ratings in the series for many readers.

  • Why do so many events happen at the same time as the previous book?

    Jordan chose to depict how scattered characters experienced the climax of Winter's Heart during the same timeframe, rather than picking up after it. The overlapping structure is the single choice most blamed for the book's reception.

  • Should I skip Crossroads of Twilight?

    Most readers advise against skipping it, since it quietly sets up resolutions that arrive in the following books. It rewards patience more than excitement, and it closes out the slower middle of the series.

  • Is this the end of the so-called slog?

    Yes. Crossroads of Twilight is generally regarded as the last book of the slog, the slower mid-series stretch beginning around book seven. The pace picks up sharply in the next volume.

  • What does the title Crossroads of Twilight mean?

    It echoes an in-world prophetic verse about mankind arriving at a crossroads where all that is, was, and will be balances on the point of a sword. The image fits a book poised between the war's long buildup and its coming climax.

  • Was the prologue sold separately before release?

    Yes. The prologue, titled 'Glimmers of the Pattern,' was sold as an e-book several months before the hardcover, continuing the early-release pattern from the previous book.

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