I honestly went back and forth with how to rate this book, and I settled on three stars. Was this original? Absolutely not. Robert Jordan, like others before and after him, have enterprised on the epic fantasy adventure tale Tolkien made famous, with some slight changes.

We’ve heard the story before: orphan country boy, given a magical sword by his “father” that definitely makes him stand out even when he doesn’t fully understand why, guided by a mage of some sort, and on the journey with his friends from back home to escape the clutches of evil. I definitely said to myself “am I reading LOTR right now?”

But I set that aside and am judging it for what it is, not what it may have been trying to be. And that’s the story of Rand al’Thor, who is a likable character, and his friends Mat, who can’t keep his mouth shut to save his life and makes horrible mistakes because he is a little dim witted, and Perrin (who happens to be my favorite of the three boys) who has a pretty rad gift that he hasn’t quite accepted.

Unlike Tolkien, and what sets Jordan apart, are the strong female characters. Unwavering Moiraine, steadfast Nynaeve, and the upstart Egwene. These women don’t take no for an answer and are a driving force throughout the book. Nynaeve especially caught my eye because she is so confident in who she is, even when she is given reasons to have doubts (or rather encouragement for becoming more than what she accepts.)

What I liked most was the detail. I felt like I was there walking with them, was on the edge of my seat when things went awry, and even felt a pang of sadness when the time was right for it.

Did I find it entertaining? Absolutely, and I know the characters and the world are expanded throughout a large series that I will definitely be reading.