the end of book 9 is epic in several senses.
That's makes me feel a glimmer of hope. I'm just reading New Spring in between finishing The Path of Daggers and starting Winter's Heart. Thank you for the hope. I, unlike most of you here, actually liked The Path of Daggers. I thought there was some really great stuff here, though it could definitely have had some stuff cut out. I agree with all of you guys on perrin and Faile. I like Perrin in books 1-4, but then he just got so whipped it wasn't even funny. I would have much preferred more scenes from Maighidin (Morgase) and Tallanvor to portray life in his camp. I like their PoV much better. Also Elayne continues to grate on me. But besides those facts and a few more I still really like The Path of Daggers, especially when there was the battle with the Seanchan I though that was amazing. I'm looking forwards to reading book9 now. Though book 10 sounds like it's going to be one of the books that you have to get through. Kind like how the second half of book 6 was for me.