The first chapter is online to read on his site and it is fantastic.
I have to admit I was a bit disappointed in the last book. Donaldson is a fantastic writer, and the book is better than most I read, but it was nowhere near as good as the last two Chronicles, nor was it as good as his Gap series (IMHO).
But he may have just been laying the groundwork. This is supposed to be a four book story. If the preview chapter is any indication, he might be hitting his stride.