As Jordan writes more books, the action has decreased. Pages of minor, inconsequential characters' thoughts, descriptions of their clothing, meaningless conversations and other related trivia do not make an engrossing read. Let's face it, fantasy literature requires action, this book lacks it, and was boring. This series desperately needs things to happen. Next one that comes out, I'm going to wait for one of my friends to read it first, and if they tell me nothing happens in it either, I'll skip it even though I've invested alot of time reading 10 prior, long volumes. That's how dull this series is getting.