Knife of Dreams – Robert Jordan - When the Wheel of Time Finally Turns Again

  Knife of Dreams by Robert Jordan - When the Wheel of Time Finally Turns Again

By: a.d. elliott | Take the Back Roads - Art and Other Odd Adventures

A Rite of Fancy Book Recommendation and Review

The falcon is freed, but the Dragon's hand is stolen by Semirhage; meanwhile, the Band of the Red Hand celebrates a wedding.

A short summary:

In Knife of Dreams, storylines that have been building for several books finally break open. Perrin’s lengthy, desperate hunt for Faile reaches its climax as the “falcon” is at last freed, bringing closure to a storyline that has shaped Perrin’s character for volumes.

At the same time, Mat’s path continues to entwine with Tuon, the Daughter of the Nine Moons. Their dynamic sharpens, deepens, and begins to resemble the strange, prophecy-driven partnership the series has long hinted at.

While the Band of the Red Hand pauses to celebrate a long-awaited marriage, joy exists only briefly. Far darker events unfold elsewhere: Rand faces one of his most devastating confrontations yet. Semirhage’s attack not only costs him a hand but forces him to confront the emotional and prophetic burdens that have haunted him since the beginning.

Across the world, alliances shift, threats grow bolder, and the Last Battle feels nearer than ever. After several slower installments, this book finally pushes the Wheel of Time toward its true endgame.

My favorite quote:

"A beautiful battle is one you don't have to fight."

-Robert Jordan, Knife of Dreams

Questions to ponder while reading:

Can you become too confident?

Are you haunted by your past?

My review:

Book 11! The end is finally in sight!

After a few volumes that felt more like groundwork than forward motion, Knife of Dreams snaps the Wheel of Time series back into momentum, delivering long-promised payoffs that fans had been waiting years to see.

The storyline of “The Daughter of the Nine Moons” — Tuon — finally reaches its turning point. Mat’s rescue and his strange, fated dynamic with Tuon is one of the most compelling parts of the book, and I found myself genuinely liking her. She’s sharp, disciplined, unexpectedly charming, and one of the few characters who can keep pace with Mat’s chaos. Their relationship finally clicks here, and it adds a spark the series needed.

Meanwhile, Rand’s arc takes a darker, more painful turn. Semirhage’s attack is brutal and symbolic; the Dragon losing a hand feels like the physical manifestation of everything he has been carrying: guilt, prophecy, trauma, and the impossible expectations of the world. It makes sense that Rand, more than anyone, feels “haunted by the past.” This book makes that literal.

And yet, between the battles and foreboding, there are still flickers of joy. The Band of the Red Hand celebrating a marriage feels like a rare breath of hope, a reminder that life continues even as Tarmon Gai’don creeps closer.

Altogether, Knife of Dreams is the moment the entire series shifts. After eleven books, the pieces finally begin snapping into their endgame positions, and for the first time, the Last Battle feels near.

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About the Author
a.d. elliott is a wanderer, photographer, and storyteller based in Tontitown, Arkansas.

She shares her journeys at Take the Back Roads, explores new reads at Rite of Fancy, and highlights U.S. military biographies at Everyday Patriot.

You can also browse her online photography gallery at shop.takethebackroads.com.

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