i enjoyed it, but there definately isn't quite as much going on as in some of the other books. appearantly Jordan himself has commented on that, blaming it on trying to start all the separate plot threads on the same day...

the way the book is put together, it does tend to read slowly as you go back through the same brief time span in different geographical locations. still, i'm told that this is now seen as a necessary 'calm before the storm' and that things get great again by book 10 or 11. not even done with the prolouge to book 9 yet, so no opinions on it thus far.

i think book 8 didn't strike me as so disappointing as it might have merely because i've been reading them in one steady push, and its not like i had a two year wait followed by a let down.

i remember when i'd been reading these things back in the 90's and had to wait impatiently for A Crown of Swords to come out... it just didn't seem worth the wait, but it fitted just fine and was a very satisfying book when i re-read it recently.