To start off, please do not begin the series anywhere other than the first book (The Eye of the World); starting anywhere else is pointless.

As to the current book, how you feel about it after reading it will probably depend on your stance with regards to the series as a whole: if you're looking for it to stride quickly towards its finale, you'll be disappointed with this installment; if, however, you simply enjoy the series for what it is and are thirsting to know more about Randland, you'll most likely feel somehwat appeased.

With this book, you'll have to take the bad with the good. I'll start with the negatives. The main plot really doesn't go anywhere here. It's almost as though it were one long prologue, truncated to provide cliffhanger endings. Whereas most of the books in the series have a couple of definitive climaxes (and resolutions), this one most certainly does not. Rand's plotline is barely touched. Also, for those of you pining for the usual meaty 900-page novel, this one will feel a bit short (like POD).

Now the good. The writing hasn't change, they are still Jordan's eloquent, detailed words guiding us through this world he has created. Mat's dealings with Tuon are funny and enjoyable. Dealings in the Aes Sedai and Asha'man circles are moving forward. In fact, everything actually IS moving forward, it's just that there was a lot of catching up to do, a lot to put in place before the story could credibly move on. The title is apt enough, as most of the characters are faced with quite heady decisions at several points in the book.

Verdict: if you're this far, you have to keep going, anyway, so go ahead and read it. This book is less than satisfying, but, justified, I would think, considering the broad contexts Jordan has to deal with at this point. He now has some of the dirty work out of the way and can move on with what I'm predicting will be a great book 11.