Knife of Dreams recap

The long threads begin to pay off. Perrin Aybara, allied with the Seanchan, storms the Shaido stronghold at Malden, poisons their channelers' water with forkroot, and at last frees his wife, Faile, along with the other captives. Mat Cauthon, still traveling with Tuon, is finally accepted by her: she speaks the words that make them husband and wife by Seanchan custom, then leaves to rejoin her own people, becoming both his wife and a rival. Elayne, imprisoned in Caemlyn by servants of the Shadow, is rescued and secures the Lion Throne to become Queen of Andor. Egwene, a prisoner in the White Tower, endures daily punishment while quietly turning sister after sister against the usurper Elaida. Rand arranges a meeting to make peace with the Seanchan, but it is a trap sprung by the Forsaken Semirhage, and in the violence Rand's left hand is destroyed. As the book ends, the heroes discover that the ancient seals on the Dark One's prison are crumbling, and the Last Battle can no longer be far off.

Rand al'Thor of the Two Rivers was revealed as the Dragon Reborn, the champion prophesied to fight the Dark One at the Last Battle and to break the world again. Drawn out of hiding by the Aes Sedai Moiraine with his ta'veren friends Mat and Perrin, he claimed the sword Callandor, was accepted by the Aiel as their foretold leader, conquered Cairhien and Illian, killed several of the Forsaken, and founded the Black Tower to train men who can channel. The Aes Sedai split between the White Tower under Elaida and rebels who raised the young Egwene as a rival Amyrlin. The invading Seanchan seized coastal cities and enslaved women who can channel. More recently, Rand achieved the impossible, cleansing the male One Power of the Dark One's taint so men may channel without going mad. Mat escaped Seanchan-held Ebou Dar carrying off Tuon, the Daughter of the Nine Moons prophesied to marry him, and courts her on the run. Perrin, hunting the Shaido Aiel who captured his wife, Faile, allied with the Seanchan against them. Elayne fights for Andor's throne in Caemlyn. And Egwene, having besieged Tar Valon and choked its harbors with cuendillar, was captured and taken prisoner inside the White Tower, where she now works secretly to bring down Elaida from within.

Knife of Dreams brings several long arcs to a head and drives the story toward its climax. Perrin frees Faile at Malden and comes into his own as a commander. Mat and Tuon are wed by Seanchan law, though she departs at once to take up her imperial role, leaving their futures entangled and opposed. Elayne wins the throne of Andor. Egwene remains a captive but is winning her hidden war inside the Tower. The gravest developments belong to Rand: his attempt to negotiate peace with the Seanchan is ambushed by the Forsaken Semirhage, and his left hand is burned away in the fighting, a wound prophecy had foretold. Worse still, his allies find that a seal on the Dark One's prison has grown brittle and begun to break. Time is running out, and Tarmon Gai'don, the Last Battle, looms over everything.