The Wheel of Time

[Joe Falco]

Anyone a fan of the deceased Robert Jordan's epic work. The Wheel of Time? I recently found out that the last novel he was working will be separated into the three novels now with the first being entitled "The Gathering Storm".

Here's the writer for the books explaining in his blog why it was decided that way.

Here's hoping that the next three books will remain as close as possible to Robert Jordan's vision.

[lamguin]

That's funny, as RJ said something like, "AMOL will be in one volume, even if we have to research new binding methods and sell it with a companion wheelbarrow."

EDIT: Read the link. He has good reasons for splitting it.

I've flipped through his blog before, right after he was announced to finish WoT. I like his style, in so much as it pertains to speaking to his audience. Assuming he does a good job finishing AMOL, I'll likely pick up some others of his books.

[Chox]

Haven't read his blog until now. It is extensive, but with info in it. I have best wishes for the dude since he is taking on such a huge project, and a lot of people have A LOT of different expectations from him and the book.

On the matter of the series, I like it a lot, started reading it when book 5 was out. Got from book 1 to book 5 in less then a month, and that is with going to school. Was a little disappointed in how he dealt with book 7 and 8, but 9, 10 and 11 where OK. RJ has (had ) a brilliant way of evolving a world and characters in it, I think that it is the most extensive character developed book series. If you know a better one, please point me to it, so that I may experience new heights.

[depricated]

A friend of mine just got me to read the first book. Well, start reading. I'm on like...the fifth chapter I think.

So far it's alright. Personally I'm a George R.R. Martin fan first.

[Allandaros]

Jordan's not my thing - I find the books in dire need of editing and pruning down. That said, I don't think that he tells a good story - but my GOD does he do a hell of a job worldbuilding.

[redtophat]

I've only read the first book, and that was about 5 years ago. Should I go back and go for the full series?

[lamguin]

It's certainly not for everyone.

RJ's writing style tends toward purple prose, but there's a fairly solid story under it all. Keep in mind that The Eye of the World is ... different. He didn't have a solid grasp on the mechanics of his 'verse yet, so if a later book contradicts things, just go with that.

Book 1: Farmboy saves the world.
Book 2: Darker and Edgier.
Book 3: Nowhere near as dark as Book 2.
Book 4: One of the best in the series.
Book 5: Also very good.
Book 6: I loved the ending to this one.
Book 7: See book 8.
Book 8: See book 7.
Book 9: HOLY CRAP, STUFF STARTS HAPPENING AGAIN AND IT'S GREAT!
Book 10: ... And stuff stops happening again.
Book 11: Plotlines get tied up, fluff is kept to a minimum.
Books 12-14: Forthcoming, by a different author thanks to Author Existence Failure.

[Neuronin]

Erg. I stopped reading around (spoilertext) the time they cured Saidin of its taint (/spoilertext). Jordan's worldbuilding kept me around THAT long, but, there're only so many ways anyone can write "He wore a fancy coat" or "She was a knight/wizard, but I don't use the terms knight or wizard, so I'm going to throw a bunch of impenetrable made-up crap at you and we'll pretend this is original" before you realize the shallowness of the story.

PLUS, I remember that every book or so there would be a new Greatest Ultimate General, Legendary Across All Lands who we'd never heard of...and the sexism! Noy jitat![

[dragonus45]

I've read all the books so far, but i guess they felt a bit to over worded. I do hope that they finish with his vision and all that jazz, but if i had to chose between long unfinished series i would want Song of Ice and Fire first.

[Prometheus]

I'll likely pick up some others of his books.

I just did that earlier this month. Both the Mistborn series and Elantris were excellent. When I heard that Robert Jordan died, I was worried for WoT, as well, but having read those books, my fears have been put to rest. The third book in the Mistborn trilogy (Hero of Ages) now ranks among my favorite books of all time.

[Zantor456]

I would definitely suggest the series to anyone who has enough time. Judging from the fact that you're reading this, you have enough time.

[Prometheus]

I would definitely suggest the series to anyone who has enough time. Judging from the fact that you're reading this, you have enough time.

No offense, but it would take most people several months to burn through the Wheel of Time series... and this forum doesn't approach that level of time-consumption (not yet, anyways).

[Secret]

I love The Wheel of Time series!
Although I haven't ever gotten around to reading all of it....
I'm a really slow reader so it will take me about 2 weeks to read through one.(If I'm trying hard!)
The books are still probably my favorite books ever though.(Though I don't read too often. lol)

So anyone ever play the RPG of it?
I have the books but I'm not a DM type and the person I know who is won't touch it because he doesn't know anything about the series....

[Kendaric]

So anyone ever play the RPG of it?
I have the books but I'm not a DM type and the person I know who is won't touch it because he doesn't know anything about the series....

I love the RPG It's all of the very best things about the books, but without the super....long windedness?
It's very fun to play, and fairly easy to run as a DM! As far as your friend goes, to run the rpg all he really needs to do is read the stuff in the book. It would give him an idea as to how the world works. It was actually the RPG that got me hooked on the books!

[Sethram]

I love The Wheel of Time series!
Although I haven't ever gotten around to reading all of it....
I'm a really slow reader so it will take me about 2 weeks to read through one.(If I'm trying hard!)
The books are still probably my favorite books ever though.(Though I don't read too often. lol)

So anyone ever play the RPG of it?
I have the books but I'm not a DM type and the person I know who is won't touch it because he doesn't know anything about the series....

Never played the RPG, though I have the discs for an FPS style PC game based on the series somewhere. I liked the series, but around book 7 or 8 I think I lost my steam and just started reading other things. I love the series and eventually want to get back into it, but I'm not sure if I want to start at book 1 again or just find out which one I left off at.

[Wiseguy]

I've read the whole series (in Swedish and English) and I don't really know why... because frankly after a while page up and page down of descriptions of someone's morning slippers get kinda boring...

While I'm on the subject I might as well bash the Balefire... they guy invented a spell that gave him an instant correction tool, making the stories go over and over again "ooh a few of the important characters die... horrible fate, oh wait here comes Rand with his Balefire, everything is OK again." Which makes the books highly undramatic and in fact terribly boring.

Speaking of terribly boring... 3 women, one complain about the weather, one is pregnant and whines the other is simply boring. The only characters I found interesting was Perrin and his relationship to Faile, and Matt... but we get so god damned little of the both that I just gave up. Was not worth buying the books to read 3 chapters and then buy the next.

[Bobby Archer]

Wiseguy, after all that vitriol, I have to say, I don't know why you read them all either.

They're definitely not for everyone. I started out really enjoying them and found myself cooling on some of the later ones, mostly because they got a bit heavy with multiple "main" characters in different places having unrelated plots. There's only one or two chapters from one viewpoint at a time and then you go a third of a book before you hear from that side again. All the same, I still find myself drawn into the emerging plots, so I'll read them through to the end.

Also, I only recall one time that Balefire was used as a retcon-character-death tool, and that was in the same book as it was introduced. Most of the characters use it so seldom (due to the whole possibility of destroying the world with it) that I never had a problem with it.

[Prometheus]

I love The Wheel of Time series!
Although I haven't ever gotten around to reading all of it....
I'm a really slow reader so it will take me about 2 weeks to read through one.(If I'm trying hard!)
The books are still probably my favorite books ever though.(Though I don't read too often. lol)

So anyone ever play the RPG of it?
I have the books but I'm not a DM type and the person I know who is won't touch it because he doesn't know anything about the series....

Never played the RPG, though I have the discs for an FPS style PC game based on the series somewhere. I liked the series, but around book 7 or 8 I think I lost my steam and just started reading other things. I love the series and eventually want to get back into it, but I'm not sure if I want to start at book 1 again or just find out which one I left off at.

The ninth book is very good (at least, the end of it is fantastic). The tenth spends a lot of time on side plots away from the main characters, so it's not too great. In the eleventh book, things start to pick up again, as the Last Battle draws close.

[kefkakrazy]

Big fan of the series. RJ was one of my favorite authors; I have a picture or two on my Facebook of me with him at a book signing. He looks bored as hell but I was giddy because IT WAS ROBERT FREAKING JORDAN. He was pretty cool in person, had this dry wit.

Anyway, when I heard Sanderson got fingered to finish the series, I went out to Half-Price Books and bought all of them I could find with his name on it (Elantris and the first two Mistborn books). I haven't finished Elantris, I keep getting sidetracked, but the Mistborn books.... hellz yes! If you get a chance, go pick them up, great reads. I'm planning on cutting class on the 10th of November to go and see Sanderson at a book signing; he'll be going on tour. And I hope I can get him to sign my copy of Hero of Ages (final book of Mistborn; Prometheus is totally right, it was Hero of Ages that showed me that WoT was in good hands!)

[Prometheus]

I just finished up the twelfth book, The Gathering Storm, yesterday. It was fantastic.

Buy it. Read it. Love it. Then love it again.