Joe - Sorry to hear about your friend. I really don't know what to say about that. It's a really hard thing to deal with.
On a WoT note, thanks for the update. It was fun to read even if your heart wasn't in it. And ya, it was kind of obvious you weren't quite your normal self when you wrote that.
I agree that Path of Daggers wasn't as good as the previous books. I don't mean to say that I didn't like it. I did. But I LOVED some of the previous books. Fires of Heaven is AWESOME! And most people REALLY enjoy reading from Matt's point of view, and there isn't any Matt in Path of Daggers at all! No wonder it's not as exciting!
Masema is crazy. I also hope to see Rand lay into that crazed loon one of these days. I won't comment on Faile, because I can't think anything to say that wouldn't potentially lead to a slight spoiler.
I'm currently at the beginning of The Dragon Reborn on my own re-read of the series. I love the foreshadowing that Jordan drops about different characters. Every time someone teases Egwene about rising as far as the Amyrlin Seat is great! She is an awesome Amyrlin. Artur Hawkwing wouldn't have had any channelers when he laid seige to Tar Valon. It will be very interesting to see how that goes.
Ya, you'd think Elayne would just walk in and take the Lion Throne. She's the Daughter Heir and her boyfriend is the freaking Dragon Reborn, who already controls Andor. I kind of see her point, but I also think she's a little stubborn. She wants to jump through every tiny hoop to prove to everyone that she is the Ruler of Andor because she deserves it and not because Rand handed it to her on a silver platter. Kind of makes sense, but a little frustrating she has to go through all the politics anyway.
I don't recall when Logain joined the Black Tower, but yeah, he's there. When he kissed Toveine he did something to her with the Power. You'll probably find out exactly what shortly after starting the next book. Elaida is such an incompetent person. Everything she does ends up blowing up in her face. Sending those sisters to the Black Tower ends up introducing some very interesting twists in the relationship between Ashaman and Aes Sedai.
It's been a long time since I read Path of Daggers. I can't remember much of Rand using Callandor in a battle with the Seanchan. Cleansing Saidin is an interesting idea. That would be pure crazy talk though.
Dashiva and the other Asha'man haven't gone mad. They're just finally showing their true colors. Looks like there are some darkfriends mixed in with the Asha'man. Now they have to keep an eye out for "Black Asha'man" as well as ones going mad.
So yeah. Path of Daggers isn't as great as some of the other WoT books, but I think it still carries the plot forward and sets up more exciting things for later books.
Good luck Joe!