Lord of Chaos (The Wheel of Time, Book 6) (Mass Market Paperback)

by Robert Jordan (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
While Jordan's prose is sometimes bloated, he rises above his Tolkien-influenced contemporaries (Brooks, Eddings, et al.) with his skill at narrative pacing and his ability to create fully realized characters (though his treatment of sexuality will appeal primarily to adolescents). In this sixth volume in the immensely popular The Wheel of Time series (The Fires of Heaven), Rand al'Thor consolidates his power base and attempts to come to a rapprochement with the Aes Sedai, the female mystics who channel the One Power and whose schism lends tension to his meetings with them. The schism has unexpected consequences for three young women: determined Egwene al' Vere, precocious Elayne Trakand and braid-tugging Nynaeve al'Meara. Centering upon that trio's exploits and discoveries, and on Rand's further adventures, this volume offers several major turns of events while laying the groundwork for future intrigues. It may be be several more volumes before Rand al'Thor confronts the Dark One in Tarmon Gai'don ("the last battle"), yet, as Jordan demonstrates here, he's likely to keep his fans interested throughout the long and winding journey. 250,000 first printing; major ad/promo; author tour.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Library Journal
While the armies of Rand al'Thor, a farm boy cast by destiny into the world-changing role of the Dragon Reborn, continue their progress toward the Last Battle against the forces of the Dark One, other powers seek to exert control over the reluctant hero. Panoramic in concept, yet always focusing on the individuals whose actions make up the unfolding drama, the complex interweaving of plots and counterplots continues to gain momentum. Jordan's talent for sustaining the difficult combination of suspense and resolution, so necessary in a multivolume series such as this one (which includes The Fires of Heaven, LJ 11/15/93), is nothing short of remarkable. Libraries should anticipate considerable demand for this title.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 1011 pages
• Publisher: Tor Fantasy (November 15, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0812513754
• ISBN-13: 978-0812513752
• Product Dimensions: 6.5 x 4.2 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (308 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #8,826 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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• This is item 6 in The Wheel of Time Series.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Read for the Enjoyment of Reading!, August 9, 2000

By	A. Doweyko "Observer Of All That I See" (Ft. Lauderdale, FL USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I am an avid reader - I read close to 2-3 books a month. Ever since I laid my hands on the Eye of the World, though, I have been wrapped up in this amazing story. However, I feel that I need to say something about the reviews I have been reading of the Wheel of Time series, and I have to say that some of these reviewers are only in for the "quick fix". I only have one thing to say to them - "If you don't like reading, don't". This is by far one of the most fantastic and imaginative series I have ever read. Robert Jordan is a creative individual who has done an exquisite job of relating his story to the reader. He uses the descriptive voice like no other that I have read. "When something can be described by 10 words, he uses 250". So what? Do you think he enjoys writing these long books? He's trying to paint a picture of this world of his, and it's fascinating. Keeping track of the characters in the book is really not that hard if you pay attention, especially when there's a "glossary" in the back of the book to remind you if you do forget. Savor each page, each word, because it is truly a beautiful story.

I have just finished Book 6, and I have to say that this story just gets better and better. Questions are answered, while new ones spring up. Mysteries that are solved only lead to deeper mysteries that you had no idea were there. The compliment of characters gives this series every possible point of view you can get. I started this series only a few months ago, and I have been obsessed by it. The descriptions of Jordan's world are almost at enjoyable to read as the interaction between the characters. Reviewers complain that the series is too long - that's because they must not enjoy reading. Me, I hope this series goes on for a while. I have never truly gotten this much enjoyment from a series of books ever. If you read this series, please have the mind set that this is not something to rush through. Lose yourself in it, get whisked away to the Aiel Waste or to Andor and enjoy the great work of this extremely imaginative author.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the Best in an Already Great Series, February 22, 2004

By	Erin M. Waller (Buford, GA) - See all my reviews

There are tons of reviews out there that will tell you that this is a horrible book, slow, verbose, and dull, and just as many that will tell you this book is the best they've ever read, etc. The truth lies somewhere in between. If you like Robert Jordan's previous works (which, seeing as you're considering reading the sixth, you probably do) then you are going to love this book. The conclusion of this book (which the cover - horribly drawn as it is - alludes to) is arguably the best of all those in the Wheel of Time series. It's dramatic, frought with tension, and rather chilling. Personally, I feel that the 600+ pages that get you there aren't that bad either; they are also some of the best Jordan has written. If you don't like his style or his story, though, you won't like it and I don't recommend it. It's as simple as that. But for any Jordan fan - well, what are you waiting for?

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A lot going on in this book, July 31, 2008

By	L "fairytales&dreams" (Where unicorns and fairies play) - See all my reviews

This is the 6th book in the Wheel of Time series, Lord of Chaos, and several months have passed since the end of 5th book, The Fires of Heaven and it is now nearing winter or what should be winter but the land is going through an unnatural heat wave (in which many characters suspect is the Dark One's doing). Almost 2 years have passed since The Eye of the World.

The Lord of Chaos can be slow-going, there isn't much action (not until the very end), but there is a lot going on with the various characters. Rand gets the most page time in this book, as well as Egwene, with portions told from Nynaeve & Elayne's viewpoint, as well as more page time devoted to some of the Forsaken. Mat and Perrin are given some chapters devoted to them, but not much.

At the end of The Fires of Heaven, Rand has conquered two nations, Nynaeve has captured one of the Forsaken, Moghedien and both Nynaeve & Elayne have found the gathering place of the rebel Aes Sedai, and Moiraine perished with one of the Forsaken Lanfear (or did she?).

In Lord of Chaos, Rand divides his time between the 2 nations he conquered and dealing with the politics that come with it, Nynaeve & Elayne make strides in the One Power and discover an object that could alleviate the weather problems facing the world and head off to Ebou Dar to find it, Egwene is summoned to Salidar, where the rebel Aes Sedai are gathered, and Mat now is commander and general of a unit of soldiers called the Band of the Red Hand.

Throughout the previous book, Rand had glimpses of a past life and memories of a man more than 3,000 years dead, a man that was called Lews Therin, the Dragon. In Lord of Chaos, this manifests as a "voice" inside Rand's head and he struggles with his approaching insanity that comes with wielding saidin, the tainted half of the True Source. Of course, Rand believes this voice is a separate person from himself, but well there are all sorts of theories out there on Rand's sanity. IMO, it is a symptom of touching and wielding tainted saidin.

I feel Lord of Chaos is a turning point for Rand in how he will view all female Aes Sedai from now and into the later books. Rand has never been very trusting of Aes Sedai, but after an event that occurs in this book toward the end, any inkling of trust he may have had has disappeared. In fact, I think he has more hatred and contempt for the Aes Sedai in this book than he has had in previous books. To counter the female channelers, he forms a school devoted to gathering and training male channelers. A false Dragon named Mazrim Taim is given the task of over-seeing the school, and Rand distrusts him immensely (there are also theories on Taim as well, but that is a discussion for later books).

Egwene continues to become more Aes Sedai and I think this character also reaches an important turning point here. She becomes something "more" in this book, and you get a glimpse of Egwene in transition, but you can be sure in the later books she becomes more confident of herself and her position. Besides Rand, Mat, and Perrin I think she is the next most significant character in the series.

Even more so than the previous book, you get more page time devoted to some of the other Forsaken we haven't seen as much, such as Sammael and Graendal. You also learn that 2 Forsaken previously thought dead have been given new life by the Dark One, and no one knows they are alive, not even the other Forsaken as they have been given new bodies. I found it very interesting to read the schemes and intrigues each Forsaken used against the other. Although they all are loosely allied, in that they are all against Rand, they continue to plot against each other because there will be only one that will stand below the Dark One when he breaks free from his prison. And all the remaining Forsaken want the job.

Anyways, from reading the various viewpoints of the Forsaken, it was obvious they were getting conflicting orders from the Dark One on what their orders were in the world in combatting Rand and his allies, and you as the reader are privy to it all. The Dark One enjoys pitting his underlings against the other, and so it made sense in a way they'd squabble, but yet were still able to fulfill their orders. You see more of the work of the Dark One's hand in affairs of the world in creating the chaos (title of the book, Lord of Chaos, some believe the title refers to Rand, others to the chaos the Dark One creates) that is supposed to keep the forces of Light divided so as not to present a unified front of strength to oppose him in the Last Battle. Basically, he's trying to make it as difficult as possible for Rand to gather the people of the world together. So he gets his agents, the Forsaken and other strategically placed Darkfriends to counter Rand.

Like I said before, this book has a lot of events occurring and can be slow-moving, and I have only mentioned a small portion of the whole of this book.LOL. I still enjoyed this book despite the slow pace. If you've reached this far, you still have a long way to go. The next book after this one is A Crown of Swords.