New Spring

Book 0 of the Wheel of Time series. It deals with how Moiraine met Lan (no, it's not a romance). Obviously, if you haven't started reading the series, don't start here (even though it's a prequel of sorts). It is only recommended for readers of the long-running series.

This was published around Book 8 - at a time when the plot lines were going at a snail's pace - so the pacing's a little slow too. It starts off well and interesting, but it drags towards the end, although the end itself was wrapped up pretty quickly.

The plot explores the younger days of Moiraine, Siuan, and Lan. Quite a few Aes Sedai characters from the series make their appearance as well. It features many strong and commanding female characters, and as was Robert Jordan's style, lots of details on mannerisms, thoughts, and repeatedly mentioned flaws/traits.

There are hints of romance, a little of intrigue, and a small bit of action, but overall, very little tension. It's a nice read to find out more about a few characters of the Wheel of Time series, but it's not much more than that.