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Winter's Heart

Winter's Heart

Epic FantasyFantasy
Pages
640
Published
2000
Language
English

Synopsis

Rand al'Thor grows colder and more guarded, trusting fewer people as enemies close in from every side, and he sets in motion a plan so audacious that even his allies would try to stop it if they knew. Mat Cauthon, recovering in occupied Ebou Dar, plots an escape that will entangle him with the heir to the Seanchan throne. Perrin drives himself toward the Shaido who have taken his wife, willing to cross any line to get her back. Elsewhere, old enemies and hidden dangers maneuver in the shadows. The ninth volume of The Wheel of Time threads its quieter storylines toward a single shattering climax: an attempt to cleanse the male half of the One Power of the taint that has driven men mad for three thousand years. Widely regarded as one of the most significant turning points in the entire series, that final sequence reframes what is possible in the war against the Shadow and pays off a thread laid down in the very first book.

Prose complexity
7/10

Vibe

DarkTenseAtmosphericAdventurous
Chosen OneQuestMultiple POVsSacrificeSurvival

Genres

Epic Fantasy Fantasy High Fantasy

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

Matrim CauthonProtagonist

Engineers a daring escape from Ebou Dar that binds his fate to the Seanchan heir.

Perrin AybaraSupporting

Hunts the Shaido who hold his wife, pushed toward darker choices than he ever imagined.

Min FarshawSupporting

Remains close to Rand, her viewings shadowing the risks he takes.

Cadsuane MelaidhrinSupporting

The veteran Aes Sedai positions herself to guard the great working from the Shadow.

All characters in Winter's Heart

Frequently asked questions

  • Can I read this book without reading the previous ones in the series?

    This novel is the ninth installment in a long-running epic fantasy series and relies heavily on established character arcs and complex political developments from all preceding volumes. It is not designed to be read as a standalone story.

  • Is there a specific way to read the prologue?

    The prologue, titled Snow, was originally released as a standalone ebook prior to the full novel's publication. It is now included as the opening section of the book itself.

  • What is the cleansing of saidin?
  • Is Winter's Heart's ending one of the best moments in the series?

    Many readers and the official Tor re-read single out the climactic cleansing as one of the most important and thrilling sequences in the entire saga. It is frequently cited as a high point amid the slower middle books.

  • What does the title Winter's Heart refer to?

    It points both to Rand's hardening, emotionally frozen state and to the literal return of winter after the unnatural heat is reversed. The dual meaning runs through the book's imagery.

  • Who is Tuon and why does Mat take her?
  • Was the prologue released early as an e-book?

    Yes. Jordan released the prologue separately as an e-book ahead of the hardcover, a practice he repeated with later volumes to give eager readers an early taste.

  • Did Winter's Heart debut at number one?

    Yes. It debuted at number one on the New York Times hardcover fiction list, continuing the bestseller streak the series had established.

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