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Should I start The Wheel of Time series?

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Should I start The Wheel of Time series?

Old 10-29-04, 10:51 AM
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Should I start The Wheel of Time series?

I took out the first book, Eye of the World and am tempted to start reading it.

I have heard mixed things about the series, and people have been slamming the 10th book wherever I look.

Is it worth investing time into the series or should I just move on to something else?
Old 10-29-04, 01:06 PM
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Most people I know love it up through the 4th or 5th book, and then all start to either get bored, or to actively hate the series. I don't think I even finished the 4th one. Jordan has this uncanny ability to write 1000 pages where absolutely nothing happens.
Old 10-29-04, 01:27 PM
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I could think of better ways to spend my time.
Like dental work.
Or banging my thumb repeatedly with a hammer.
Or scooping out my eyes with a melon-baller.
But that might just be me.
Old 10-29-04, 04:54 PM
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So Willie, have you actually read the books?
Old 10-30-04, 01:25 AM
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Honestly I would wait until he finishes it, which God knows how long that will take. I say that mainly because there is nothing as frustraiting as investing all of that time (which will be a lot of time), reading this series only to have to stop because it isn't done.

I really enjoyed the series up unitl the 7th book. I've only read the first 9, and books 7-9 got progressively worse, whereas I thought the first 6 got progressively better.
Old 10-30-04, 08:24 AM
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I've only read the first. I thought it was enjoyable enough. I purchased 2-7, just haven't gotten around to reading them. I know I will need lots of time to just read one of them.

I have a friend that has read them all, and he despises the last couple as well. I think it was book 10 he said is over 1000 pages and whole story only advances a day.
Old 10-30-04, 10:27 AM
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Wheel of Time is the fantasy equivalent of the Star Wars movies in that the first chunk is great (original trilogy) and the last chunk is tripe (prequels).

I'd say read them, but be prepared to be totally hooked up through book four, and then to slowly have your soul crushed from there on out as each book gets worse. Someone once described book 10 as being the literary equivalent of chewing your way through a pile of soggy drywall. I thought that was pretty generous, considering.
Old 10-31-04, 09:52 AM
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I've read up to four, Eric. I liked the first couple, but then it started to become really obvious cut-and-paste epic high fantasy and I lost interest...
Old 11-01-04, 04:09 PM
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Originally posted by MrBob
Honestly I would wait until he finishes it, which God knows how long that will take. I say that mainly because there is nothing as frustraiting as investing all of that time (which will be a lot of time), reading this series only to have to stop because it isn't done.
I concur. I began this series in 1993 I think (the third book was published as I finished book 2). I adored the series, and had never loved a story more. Waiting for book 4 was torture, even worse for book 5 because the wait just kept getting longer and longer and longer....Book 6 wait was just brutal. By the time 7 came out I felt the need to reread the first six, so I did.

The first six were great, seven was ok, haven't read eight or nine because I was sick and tired of getting all geared up just to have years to wait between books (plus everyone I know who has read them told me not to bother, so I'll wait). I'll reread the first seven when the series is done, and read 8-10 (assuming the next one is the last one) then. What kills me is that the first six books have so many interesting ideas in them that were just BEGGING to be explored further, so filler like eight and nine were just unneccessary. All he had to do was follow through with the fantastic series he set up in the first few books. My biggest literary disappointment, though I will keep buying the books (in hardback but on clearance) until he's done. I'm stubborn that way, and optimistic enough to think he might find the magic in his writing that he used to have as he finishes up this once-great series.
Old 11-01-04, 04:58 PM
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They are better than 90% of the crap out there. I think the criticism on the last few books is a little overdone. They aren't bad. I think it became cool to dislike them. I do have to agree that when it takes that long to write something it should be better. I have been hoping that RJ doesn't die or anything since I saw him at a book reading a couple years ago. He didn't look bad... he just kind of looks like one of those guys you expect to have a heart attack
Old 11-02-04, 12:50 PM
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Originally posted by Nighthawk
They are better than 90% of the crap out there. I think the criticism on the last few books is a little overdone. They aren't bad. I think it became cool to dislike them. I do have to agree that when it takes that long to write something it should be better. I have been hoping that RJ doesn't die or anything since I saw him at a book reading a couple years ago. He didn't look bad... he just kind of looks like one of those guys you expect to have a heart attack
While I don't vehemently attack the last few books, I have to say that I feel the quality has severely dropped since book six. For god's sake, nothing HAPPENED in the last book. Every character was in the practically the exact same situation as when the book started. It's driving me nuts. I am starting to think that he could have condensed this series into about half the number of books and it would have been better.

Having said that, I keep buying and reading them to find out what happens and in the hopes that it will get better. I think the first six are an excellent example of good fantasy writing. He just really seems to be dragging things out.

X
Old 11-05-04, 03:32 PM
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No absolutely do not read the book, the series started out ok to good and went downhill rapidly. *IF* not when but if he ever finishes it then read it if you want but not until then IMO.
Old 11-24-04, 02:58 PM
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I'm another of those stalwarts who started reading the series in the early 90s and have continued with every book since. Truth be told, I really wasn't sold on the first few books and things haven't gotten much better over the years. So why then do I continue to read the series? Because some of the ideas and characters that Jordan lays out are insanely intriguing. If he could have just compressed this "epic" into three or four books I think the story would stand alone among contemporary fantasy tales. As it is, Jordan's writing is overly verbose and ultimately unsatisfying but so far I've been willing to plow through it for the handful of nuggets each book offers up. I've actually taken to skimming the stories since so little of actual interest ever happens.
Old 12-01-04, 12:44 PM
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Read as far as you can. I thoroughly enjoyed the ¨possibilities¨ that were promised to come, but in the end was waiting for these crazy things to happen (and if they did it was anti-climactic).

The first one was great though, by the 6 or 7th I realized that the characters had nothing to do, so they just got moved around the world.

Also, he repeats SO MUCH STUFF OVER AND OVER! I say start it, but don´t try to finish it. Maybe I will read the last one when it comes out, I am kinda curious how it will end, but don´t give a shit what happens on the way there.

They are better then the piss poor writing of Dan Brown, which isn´t saying much I suppose.
Old 12-02-04, 04:22 PM
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I agree completely with the concensus.

The world-building is really excellent, and the first few books make you think you're in fantasy heaven. Great characters and situations, and intelligent prose.

Then it all turns into meaningless filler, and you begin to realize nothing interesting has happened for the last three thousand pages. (At least you won't have to wait for years between installments of meaningless filler, like so many did.)

Either start and decide you don't care when it turns to crap, or don't bother starting.

Like darkessenz, the only book I'll bother to read is the final wrap-up book... if there ever is one.

Last edited by adamblast; 12-02-04 at 04:25 PM.
Old 12-07-04, 02:15 AM
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ditto and ditto.

Read to the middle of book 8. Regretted reading past book 5.

First four were fantastic though.
Old 02-11-15, 06:30 PM
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Re: Should I start The Wheel of Time series?

With the talk of the possible new show, wanted to see if anyone else has read this recently or would recommend checking it out?
Old 02-12-15, 11:52 AM
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Re: Should I start The Wheel of Time series?

I'm currently reading it. about 6 or 7 books in (crown of swords or something like that). There are a lot of times where nothing happens for 1000 pages and then a ton of stuff happens in like 4 pages. there are also like a million characters; some only mentioned like every 1000 pages and I usually cant remember who they are and the author doesnt always tell you. it makes learning all the characters from Song of Ice and Fire or Lord of the Rings seem easy.
Old 08-15-15, 10:26 PM
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Re: Should I start The Wheel of Time series?

I "read" them all via Audible within the past year. The last few books by Jordan sucked for reasons stated above, but the Sanderson books were all great IMO. I highly recommend the series overall.
Old 08-16-15, 12:22 AM
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Re: Should I start The Wheel of Time series?

One thing to be prepared for - especially if you are male - is the uber bitchiness of virtually every female character in the WOT universe. Every female in every book thinks that every male - father, son, husband, lover or complete stranger - is a complete retard who can't be trusted to successfully piss his pants without detailed supervision by a woman. Every woman in love in the story hates the fact that she's in love and abuses her lover, usually both emotionally and physically. Every man in the story takes endless abuse from some woman while shaking his head and muttering "Just can't understand those mysterious women" while crawling back for more. You won't get a single female POV where that woman, if she's thinking about men in general or a particular man - again even her lover - in which she doesn't think or say out loud to his face what a stupid asshole men are or that particular man is. It wouldn't be so bad if that attitude wasn't so relentless and universal among the women or if even one man would tell the women to go fuck themselves. So be prepared for nonstop misandry - it's apparently what makes STRONG WOMEN. The actual story itself is not bad although is drags in the later books alot and the ending is a bit unsatisfying. One major criticism for the plotting is that not a single character - on the side of good or evil - will willingly share important information with their friends and allies unless absolutely necessary and then often so incompletely and misleadingly that it's worth than useless. If Jordan had the core good guys - all of whom grew up together or profess to love each other - cooperate, trust each other and share info, the book series would have been much shorter.
Old 08-18-15, 11:41 AM
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Re: Should I start The Wheel of Time series?

I only have 3 books left of this series. i think i'm on the last Jordan book. There must be an equation that represents the increase in the amount of times he uses the word "bosom" directly related to which book in the series it is. I would not recommend these books to anyone who doesnt read a crap ton. In my opinion, there is much better stuff to waste this much reading time on. I'm going to finish the series to see what happens, though
Old 08-25-15, 11:40 AM
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Re: Should I start The Wheel of Time series?

Be prepared to be disappointed. I love Sanderson on his own work but this ended badly. I'm not sure how much is his fault, probably did as well as anyone could.
Old 08-25-15, 12:11 PM
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Re: Should I start The Wheel of Time series?

I actually liked the Sanderson WoT novels, maybe I had been beat-down after 15 years of reading the series and was just ready for it to be over but I enjoyed them. Now to see what is to come with Martin's final book in the SoIaF series...
Old 12-14-15, 11:45 AM
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Re: Should I start The Wheel of Time series?

I finally finished the series. I like the last book
Old 12-14-15, 09:02 PM
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Re: Should I start The Wheel of Time series?

I love WOT for the most part. I think the first few books are some of the best fantasy ever written, but it has become hip to bash the entire series because after book 6 or 7 depending on your perspective the quality really dips and it is not exaggeration that you can read several hundred pages where literally nothing of interest happens. But there are so many great moments, and so many great images it is worth it. They are extremely visual books and unlike some other authors, Jordan was really really good at the climaxes of his books. I loved the main characters. That said it could have been written in maybe 6-8 books total and been completely awesome. The first Sanderson (and I like Sanderson) book was OK but got progressively worse as less and less Jordan was in the books. I kind of hate the final book. It is the most literal, paint by numbers conclusion possible, where it was hinted at being so much more. I still am not convinced that outside a couple elements it is what Jordan would have written.

For me the series was really irreparably hurt when M
Spoiler:
oiraine and Lanfear fell through the Aelfinn door.


The story was never as interesting after.

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