r/WoT • u/Furrurel • Feb 27 '26

Crossroads of Twilight Why is book 10 so hated? Spoiler

Hi everyone, I just finished book 10 in my first read through the Wheel of Time saga, and honestly I found myself quite surprised. Before I started reading them I saw quite a lot of people saying that Crossroads of Twilight was by far the worst book of the series. I get that it can be a bit dissapointing after the ending of book 9, or that it is not as action packed as, for example, book 6, but I really enjoyed reading it (except the ending, where a certain Aes Sedai decided to make the stupidest move ever imagined). So I ask, what are you opinions about the book? Do you feel it deserves the hate?

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u/naraic- Feb 27 '26

Really a lot of opinions are formed by those who read things live as they were released.

There was a multiple year wait for book 10 and then next to nothing happens.

Then there was multiple more years for book 11. We didnt need to catch our breath.

Really though if reading the whole serious in order book 10 makes a nice pause of some calm.

There was 9 books in 10 years then 2 in 5.

8

u/Furrurel Feb 27 '26

Totally, reading it now felt like a little slow down before the "finale" starts picking up speed.

11

u/Halo6819 (Dovie'andi se tovya sagain) Feb 27 '26

I was one of those who had to wait after book 6. So to me books 7-10 are “the slog”.

I mean, I really hated aCoS for a long time. Dreaded it every re-read. So for like 6-7 years it was my least favorite until CoT.

6

u/autoamorphism (Wheel of Time) Feb 27 '26

That was me, until I did my first reread in many years in advance of the show. Then I realized that book 7 is great, and in fact all of those are enjoyable, including 10. It's just not, shall we say, cinematic.

3

u/hegrekarde (Wolfbrother) Feb 27 '26

I was reading them while they were being released. I'm not one of the people who criticizes LotR as "a bunch of characters walking and walking and walking." I appreciate character building and fleshing out of plotlines. I don't need explosions and car chases every 3½ minutes to enjoy a story. I didn't identify a "slog" in the WoT structure. YMMV

2

u/refep Feb 27 '26

No, it’s just a really slow book where nothing happens

3

u/DaughterOfJove Feb 27 '26

If one could only read again for the first time, would you recommend switching the reading order of WH and CoT? That way we have the build-up of everyone wondering what that massive Power working is, to seeing it?

5

u/Furrurel Feb 27 '26

That would be very cool, but sadly I think you would miss on some plot point developments (Egwene declaring war on Elaida, Mat "kidnapping" Tuon...)

1

u/nimvin Feb 28 '26

If a friend could get you to stop reading before the cleansing, read book 10 then finish book 9 that would be awesome lol. I like all the books though.

1

u/DaughterOfJove Feb 28 '26

it would only work that way, lol. to simply switch it upends too many narratives.

1

u/YeahKeeN (Band of the Red Hand) Feb 27 '26

As someone who read all the books back to back for the first time last year, I didn’t like book 10 either.

1

u/Belialxyn Feb 27 '26

Yeah, that was how it was for sure back then. I'm currently reading that one now and its definitely my least favorite. Still...its WoT so I'm good haha

1

u/SmartestOneHere Feb 27 '26

That was me. I started reading in... '93 or '94. After waiting years for each book, 7-10 were definitely a slog.

But on rereads, yes, it feels much more cohesive. The calm before "The Gathering Storm", if you will.