Re:Some thoughts on the series (Score 1)

Survive 10... somehow.

Read the Prologue. Read the last two chapters. You missed ABSOLUTELY NOTHING in between. At least, that's how I did it.

I actually would disagree with your summary. The first book was excellent and fast paced. 2-4 strike me as similarly paced and 5-8 start to really drag, mostly because there are 1-2 excess plot lines. Drop the threads you aren't enjoying (I drop Perrin, ZZZZ) and the pace tightens up. 9 isn't action packed, but it's well set up and interesting things happen. Ten, read the Prologue and last two chapters. 11 is well paced. 12 is paced like the first.