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Posted: 5/16/2015 5:13:52 AM EDT
[#1]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
I discovered Wheel of Time in 1995 and got through the released books pretty quick. Then the waiting began, two or three years between books. When the new one came out I would read it, then re-read the whole series including the new book. By the time I found out RJ had died they had already announced Sanderson would finish the series. I read one of Sanderson's books "Mistborn" to try him out and it was meh. The last three WOT books a lot of stuff happens really quick to tie up all the loose ends. Very glad he could step in and give us all closure at least. Read Tolkien in grade school, the standard by which all others are judged. My favorite part is the Mines of Moria. Love Game of Thrones on TV, but after hearing the book people talk I'm kind of intimidated to jump in on that series. A song of Ice and Fire series is like a novella compared to WoT. Daes Dae'mar "The Game of Houses" parts of WoT, which is imo where the books slow down is still better than Game of Thrones, and its only like 20% of the story. Still worth the read, but if you can read WoT multiple times, there is nothing intimidating about Thones. Especially if you consider both series have 2-3 books which arent that great, although one series has 14 books and one has 5. |
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Posted: 5/16/2015 12:17:51 PM EDT
[#2]
I'd be willing to bet that Wheel of Time has more words dedicated to either braid tugging or pointlessly detailed descriptions of local variations in clothing than are in the entire Game of Thrones series.
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Posted: 5/16/2015 12:29:44 PM EDT
[#3]
I've read the entire series. It started out so promising and really hooked me. Then it started to really drag with very little happening in the middle to later books. Once Robert Jordan died and Brandon Sanderson took over it got much better again. Jordan simply lost his way and lost control of the story. I'm just glad the whole thing is over now.
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Posted: 5/16/2015 12:31:45 PM EDT
[#4]
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I think I got through book 8. I could revisit it. Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile It was okay through book 3. I started grinding and gave up halfway through book 9. He is quite original with names the naming 
And it doesn't hold a candle to Tolkien. Tolkien did it first and did it better. |
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Posted: 5/16/2015 12:32:40 PM EDT
[#5]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
I'd be willing to bet that Wheel of Time has more words dedicated to either braid tugging or pointlessly detailed descriptions of local variations in clothing than are in the entire Game of Thrones series. And i'd bet you couldnt read 2 pages in Thrones without pointlessly detailed descriptions of food. 
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Posted: 5/16/2015 3:29:55 PM EDT
[#6]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
And i'd bet you couldnt read 2 pages in Thrones without pointlessly detailed descriptions of food. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
I'd be willing to bet that Wheel of Time has more words dedicated to either braid tugging or pointlessly detailed descriptions of local variations in clothing than are in the entire Game of Thrones series. And i'd bet you couldnt read 2 pages in Thrones without pointlessly detailed descriptions of food. True, all of the epic fantasy series do that sort of thing as world building. I think Jordan just took it to an extreme. |
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Posted: 5/16/2015 4:26:07 PM EDT
[#7]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
I'd be willing to bet that Wheel of Time has more words dedicated to either braid tugging or pointlessly detailed descriptions of local variations in clothing than are in the entire Game of Thrones series. 
but yeah |
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Posted: 5/16/2015 4:34:51 PM EDT
[#8]
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This. It seemed like Robert Jordan lost his focus in Books 7 to 11. There are dozens of smaller side stories he started and then just kind of let sputter out. After Jordan died, I figured the story would remain unfinished. When Harriet brought Brandon Sanderson in to finish it, I was concerned. I like Sanderson, but his writing is very different from Jordan's. Even though he changed some traits of the main characters, I thought Brandon Sanderson did a really good job wrapping up the saga. I have first prints of all the books. Sanderson has inscribed several of them. IMO, the WoT saga is well worth the read. I really enjoyed Eddings' Belgariad, but I found the rest of Eddings' stuff to be a rehash of that first story. I'll just leave the heretical Tolkein comment alone. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
Great up through Book 6. Slows massively down. Ramps back up for the last couple of books. This. It seemed like Robert Jordan lost his focus in Books 7 to 11. There are dozens of smaller side stories he started and then just kind of let sputter out. After Jordan died, I figured the story would remain unfinished. When Harriet brought Brandon Sanderson in to finish it, I was concerned. I like Sanderson, but his writing is very different from Jordan's. Even though he changed some traits of the main characters, I thought Brandon Sanderson did a really good job wrapping up the saga. I have first prints of all the books. Sanderson has inscribed several of them. IMO, the WoT saga is well worth the read. I really enjoyed Eddings' Belgariad, but I found the rest of Eddings' stuff to be a rehash of that first story. I'll just leave the heretical Tolkein comment alone. I've never gotten into Eddings' Belgrade series but I love his Elenium and Tamuli trilogies. |
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Posted: 5/16/2015 4:36:11 PM EDT
[#9]
Tried it. Didn't like it. Didn't stick it out.
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Posted: 5/16/2015 4:37:40 PM EDT
[#10]
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I started reading them when I was in middle school. Would read the whole series again when a new book came out. All those years of my life and the ending was a huge letdown. How would you have preferred the series to end? |
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Posted: 5/16/2015 4:41:51 PM EDT
[#11]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
the books blow the tv series out of the water Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
I discovered Wheel of Time in 1995 and got through the released books pretty quick. Then the waiting began, two or three years between books. When the new one came out I would read it, then re-read the whole series including the new book. By the time I found out RJ had died they had already announced Sanderson would finish the series. I read one of Sanderson's books "Mistborn" to try him out and it was meh. The last three WOT books a lot of stuff happens really quick to tie up all the loose ends. Very glad he could step in and give us all closure at least. Read Tolkien in grade school, the standard by which all others are judged. My favorite part is the Mines of Moria. Love Game of Thrones on TV, but after hearing the book people talk I'm kind of intimidated to jump in on that series. the books blow the tv series out of the water A fucking men to that. Though admittedly, the TV show does a very good job at casting people for the right roles. |
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Posted: 5/16/2015 4:48:29 PM EDT
[#12]
Quote HistoryQuoted: How would you have preferred the series to end? Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: I started reading them when I was in middle school. Would read the whole series again when a new book came out. All those years of my life and the ending was a huge letdown. How would you have preferred the series to end? Rand staying in the same body and banging all three of his women at the same time. |
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Posted: 5/16/2015 5:03:29 PM EDT
[#13]
I think I stopped around book 9 or 10. It was dragging on and I hated waiting so long for books. I keep wanting to read them again.
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Posted: 5/16/2015 5:09:34 PM EDT
[#14]
I got the first Wheel of Time book on a road trip to Six Flags over Texas so I would have something to read in the car. While reading it, I was listening to Bel Biv Devoe on my walkman. That should tell you how long I dealt with that goddamn series. Here's a cheat sheet: Read books 1 - 6 Read Wiki Articles for everything up to where Sanderson takes over. Read Sanderson books. |
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Posted: 5/16/2015 5:21:00 PM EDT
[#15]
yup. 1-5 are great, but the quality starts falling off pretty sharply thereafter--a LOT of self-indulgent filler, mixed in with vital plot points. sanderson does a very good job with the last 3 books, and the last battle itself was written by jordan before he died. it's nice knowing that the series concludes as jordan intended, rather than someone else's interpretation.
EotW is what got me into the fantasy genre to begin with--i used to actively mock it. once you get done with jordan, step into the best fantasy series ever written: the malazan book of the fallen. |
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Posted: 5/16/2015 5:25:37 PM EDT
[#16]
Are these the ones abut Thomas covenant and his leprosy hand? If so I read some of them 20 years ago
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Posted: 5/16/2015 5:43:21 PM EDT
[#17]
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Are these the ones abut Thomas covenant and his leprosy hand? If so I read some of them 20 years ago no. aes sedai, one power, rand al'thor, etc. 3 farmboys from a rural village become heroic figures for different reasons while powerful women bitch to and about them and how woolheaded they are and tug braids furiously. the powerful men have been hunted and killed because matriarchy and bitches be crazy. along the way he learns to use the force and battles loki and his minions who are armed with ancient futuristic technological magic. |
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Posted: 5/16/2015 5:44:33 PM EDT
[#18]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
yup. 1-5 are great, but the quality starts falling off pretty sharply thereafter--a LOT of self-indulgent filler, mixed in with vital plot points. sanderson does a very good job with the last 3 books, and the last battle itself was written by jordan before he died. it's nice knowing that the series concludes as jordan intended, rather than someone else's interpretation. EotW is what got me into the fantasy genre to begin with--i used to actively mock it. once you get done with jordan, step into the best fantasy series ever written: the malazan book of the fallen. MrsCheShirt has been pimping Malazan pretty heavily. Should I fo? |
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Posted: 5/16/2015 5:49:09 PM EDT
[#19]
Haven't read any of them, but...
when The Fires of Heaven came out in 1993, rec.arts.sf.written went berzerk. There were hundreds of posts per day from guys saying "It's out! Yay!" This clogged up the group for everybody else and it became necessary to use your KILL file to get rid of posts with "Jordan" in the title. Shortly thereafter Jordan got his own usenet group and order was restored to rasfw. |
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Posted: 5/16/2015 5:50:14 PM EDT
[#20]
So am I going to be the first to say that Jordan was heavy into BDSM and his books reflect that? All those pretty girls spending so much time naked, tied up, and spanking each other? All that crap about masters, servants, and becoming dominant?
Jordan was a dirty old man. |
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Posted: 5/16/2015 5:51:50 PM EDT
[#21]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Great up through Book 6. Slows massively down. Ramps back up for the last couple of books. this. the series made me swear off anything longer then a trilogy. slight spoiler most of the bazillion plots never resolve. edit: and i just realized i backslid and have read GOT, although GRRM is reminding me constantly of why i dont like longer then 3 book series. also this doesn't include series where the characters from one book carry on into another book for a more different adventure. |
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Posted: 5/16/2015 5:56:47 PM EDT
[#22]
One of my football coaches gave me WoT when I was a sophomore in HS around 96, I've read the series cover to cover more than once. Some of those long drawn out details add to the enjoyment of reading it more than once. (No sarcasm). I have a fantasy novel collection in the hundreds, thanks to this book.
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Posted: 5/16/2015 5:59:01 PM EDT
[#23]
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Are these the ones abut Thomas covenant and his leprosy hand? If so I read some of them 20 years ago The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever were written by Stephen R Donaldson. |
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Posted: 5/16/2015 6:00:54 PM EDT
[#24]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
So am I going to be the first to say that Jordan was heavy into BDSM and his books reflect that? All those pretty girls spending so much time naked, tied up, and spanking each other? All that crap about masters, servants, and becoming dominant? Jordan was a dirty old man. You may be thinking of Goodkind's Sword of Truth series, or Conan the Libertarian as I've heard it described. Some parts of those books are essentially just softcore bdsm porn. |
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Posted: 5/16/2015 6:15:33 PM EDT
[#25]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
You may be thinking of Goodkind's Sword of Truth series, or Conan the Libertarian as I've heard it described. Some parts of those books are essentially just softcore bdsm porn. Mmmm, nope. |
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Posted: 5/16/2015 6:17:32 PM EDT
[#26]
Negative "The Sword of Truth" series is the best fantasy series.
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Posted: 5/16/2015 6:22:28 PM EDT
[#27]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Haven't read any of them, but... when The Fires of Heaven came out in 1993, rec.arts.sf.written went berzerk. There were hundreds of posts per day from guys saying "It's out! Yay!" This clogged up the group for everybody else and it became necessary to use your KILL file to get rid of posts with "Jordan" in the title. Shortly thereafter Jordan got his own usenet group and order was restored to rasfw. Wow, someone else who remembers rasfw. |
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Posted: 5/16/2015 6:25:00 PM EDT
[#28]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Negative "The Sword of Truth" series is the best fantasy series. I'm not arguing for or against its quality, merely pointing out the fact that Goodkind really seems to get off on leather clad chicks torturing his protagonist. |
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Posted: 5/16/2015 6:25:49 PM EDT
[#29]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
I'm not arguing for or against its quality, merely pointing out the fact that Goodkind really seems to get off on leather clad chicks torturing his protagonist. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
Negative "The Sword of Truth" series is the best fantasy series. I'm not arguing for or against its quality, merely pointing out the fact that Goodkind really seems to get off on leather clad chicks torturing his protagonist. True, but the story itself is still good. |
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Posted: 5/16/2015 6:32:22 PM EDT
[#30]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
True, but the story itself is still good. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Negative "The Sword of Truth" series is the best fantasy series. I'm not arguing for or against its quality, merely pointing out the fact that Goodkind really seems to get off on leather clad chicks torturing his protagonist. True, but the story itself is still good. Seriously dude, I literally never said anything about the quality of the story. Unwad your fangirl panties. |
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Posted: 5/16/2015 6:41:39 PM EDT
[#31]
Quote HistoryQuoted: So am I going to be the first to say that Jordan was heavy into BDSM and his books reflect that? All those pretty girls spending so much time naked, tied up, and spanking each other? All that crap about masters, servants, and becoming dominant? Jordan was a dirty old man. John Norman Gor |
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Posted: 5/16/2015 6:41:49 PM EDT
[#32]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
MrsCheShirt has been pimping Malazan pretty heavily. Should I fo? Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
yup. 1-5 are great, but the quality starts falling off pretty sharply thereafter--a LOT of self-indulgent filler, mixed in with vital plot points. sanderson does a very good job with the last 3 books, and the last battle itself was written by jordan before he died. it's nice knowing that the series concludes as jordan intended, rather than someone else's interpretation. EotW is what got me into the fantasy genre to begin with--i used to actively mock it. once you get done with jordan, step into the best fantasy series ever written: the malazan book of the fallen. MrsCheShirt has been pimping Malazan pretty heavily. Should I fo? oh yes! start with the second book, 'deadhouse gates,' and read from there. 'gardens of the moon' is really tough to get into, but important in the overall scheme of things. DG is a much more linear story. truly, it's like an arfcommer wrote a fantasy series. |
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Posted: 5/16/2015 6:46:18 PM EDT
[#33]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever were written by Stephen R Donaldson. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
Are these the ones abut Thomas covenant and his leprosy hand? If so I read some of them 20 years ago The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever were written by Stephen R Donaldson. Thanks, my bad. |
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Posted: 5/16/2015 6:49:46 PM EDT
[#34]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Negative "The Sword of Truth" series is the best fantasy series. I'll check it out! |
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Posted: 5/16/2015 6:54:04 PM EDT
[#35]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I'll check it out! Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: Negative "The Sword of Truth" series is the best fantasy series. I'll check it out! First Book GREAT Second book great Third book good Fourth book...hey isnt this just the third book repackaged? Fifth..dunno stopped. |
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Posted: 5/16/2015 7:04:48 PM EDT
[#36]
I've been a fan of WoT since the 90's. Waiting for the next books to come out sucked. There were still times when I had to put the books down and come back to them because they were just dragging on. I read a lot of Eddings as well. I'll have to check out Feist.
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Posted: 5/16/2015 7:14:28 PM EDT
[#37]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Seriously dude, I literally never said anything about the quality of the story. Unwad your fangirl panties. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Negative "The Sword of Truth" series is the best fantasy series. I'm not arguing for or against its quality, merely pointing out the fact that Goodkind really seems to get off on leather clad chicks torturing his protagonist. True, but the story itself is still good. Seriously dude, I literally never said anything about the quality of the story. Unwad your fangirl panties. i never said you did, nor did i attack you, unwad your own. 
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Posted: 5/16/2015 7:16:41 PM EDT
[#38]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Great up through Book 6. Slows massively down. Ramps back up for the last couple of books. I think that was about where I gave up. I released I had just read a 400 page stretch where the characters had managed to ....leave a town... |
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Posted: 5/16/2015 7:23:36 PM EDT
[#39]
I made it through the first 3-4 and gave up. One of the most boring "highly recommended" series I've ever read. That's one reason I was almost scared to start the Sword of Truth, but I ended up reading that whole series straight through and loved it.
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Posted: 5/16/2015 7:23:51 PM EDT
[#40]
Wow....you're young as fuck, aren't you OP? Or did you just start reading fantasy?
Lots of stuff beats Tolkien. But Tolkien was, and will always be, the master who shaped the genre, and he set a high bar. And JRR Tolkien fucking slays Raymond Feist. |
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Posted: 5/16/2015 7:31:12 PM EDT
[#41]
I think I made it through 8 books and I believe he started writing Conan books instead of finishing the series.
I tried his Conan books and it was no where near as good as Howards and Decamps. |
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Posted: 5/16/2015 7:39:37 PM EDT
[#42]
Love it. Still have to read the last couple of books, which really means I have to start from the beginning again. I started the series when I was a junior in college. I worked at a bookstore and the second one had just come out. 1990 or so. Fell in love with them.
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Posted: 5/16/2015 7:50:41 PM EDT
[#43]
Quote HistoryQuoted: The Hobbit what? Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: Quoted: <snip> Don't get me wrong, I just finished Tolkiens Hobbit trilogy which was pretty decent I guess, it just does not seem as epic as the other series we are speaking of by a long shot, to each their own. You need to read Raymond E Feist, you're welcome ! The Hobbit what? |
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Posted: 5/16/2015 7:54:08 PM EDT
[#44]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Wow, someone else who remembers rasfw. Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: Haven't read any of them, but... when The Fires of Heaven came out in 1993, rec.arts.sf.written went berzerk. There were hundreds of posts per day from guys saying "It's out! Yay!" This clogged up the group for everybody else and it became necessary to use your KILL file to get rid of posts with "Jordan" in the title. Shortly thereafter Jordan got his own usenet group and order was restored to rasfw. Wow, someone else who remembers rasfw.  Yep, spent a lot of time on usenet in those days. Remember all the arguments about Piers Anthony? |
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Posted: 5/16/2015 8:08:56 PM EDT
[#45]
Maybe it is just me but after the second to last book came out I decided to do a full re-read in preparation of the last book. I found in rereading a lot of the time there was a "slow section" on my previous read throughs was partially due to waiting years between books. In rereading it was less that it was slow and more than the books were focusing on characters or setting up events when i really wanted them to be moving forward with other characters. Except Jordan was really working to establish the characters locations chronologically and books 8,9 and 10 seem to deal with the aftermath of a large event and serves to bring all the characters timelines together. Up through 7 you have a large number of main characters operating in the world working on their own ends each stuck in various periods of working on their own agendas and there was very little, if any, way for the reader to establish just how much time has passed. I see those books as closing up a lot of the side stories that have been pulling our heroes in divergent directions and from there we end up with an established "here is where all the characters are at this shared point in time. Here is everything the have gone through. Now all the pieces have fallen into place and it is time for the big battles to begin." Matt, Perrin, Rand, Egwene, Nynaeve and everyone else all suddenly drop back into a single time line with everyone moving toward the big goal of fighting and winning the last battle. I did not consider them slow on my read through because i could see the setup in a lot of those scenes because i knew the payoff that was coming later.
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Posted: 5/16/2015 8:11:22 PM EDT
[#46]
I'm about 3/4 of the way through the first book. Sister-in-law hassled me for years to read it, and I finally gave in after she bought it for me. I'm hooked.
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Posted: 5/16/2015 8:20:40 PM EDT
[#47]
Quote HistoryQuoted: yup. 1-5 are great, but the quality starts falling off pretty sharply thereafter--a LOT of self-indulgent filler, mixed in with vital plot points. sanderson does a very good job with the last 3 books, and the last battle itself was written by jordan before he died. it's nice knowing that the series concludes as jordan intended, rather than someone else's interpretation. EotW is what got me into the fantasy genre to begin with--i used to actively mock it. once you get done with jordan, step into the best fantasy series ever written: the malazan book of the fallen. Click To View Spoiler |
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Posted: 5/16/2015 8:21:35 PM EDT
[#48]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Tried to get into it, couldn't. Concluded that it was derivative, repetitive crap that could have been summed up in, at most, a couple of books. I remember thinking "This is what James Michener would have been like, had he written fantasy... Now, if you want a really good super-lengthy series, try the Malazan Book of the Fallen. That bastard at least has the benefit of keeping your attention, and having some great characters, not a bunch of damn Mary-Sues walking around forever. Not to mention, some of the best combat scenes that have ever been put to paper. I'll grant you that the first book does drag a little, but by the time you get into it, you'll be binge-reading the whole series. Steven Erikson is a hell of a writer, and since he's an archaeologist/anthropologist, his writing about fantasy cultures is coming from a very well-researched, carefully conceived place that most other fantasy authors only wish they could reach. this. i think the reason malazan series and the riftwar series (mentioned earlier) are so good imo is because they were both based on paper d&d games the writers played with their worlds in their college years i believe. as said, gardens of the moon is a little slow but still decent. i just finished re-reading the 2nd malazan book deadhouse gates and it was still had me blazing thru it. im currently re-reading the series to pick up on details i missed the first time around since the entire storyline is massive. already read thru the riftwar series multiple times since its my fav childhood series i grew up reading (and playing the old dos game). the later books arent nearly what he first wrote but still very entertaining and actually finish the entire story without the writer dying or giving up. dont waste your time with the sword of truth series. great first couple books but just terrible after that. |
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Posted: 5/16/2015 8:31:13 PM EDT
[#49]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
First couple books are great, then a vast wastelands of many many thousands of pages of intensely boring nonsense. This. The series started out well but quickly got ridiculous. He's definitely not in the same league as J.R.R. Tolkien or even George R.R. Martin. |
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Posted: 5/17/2015 5:06:54 AM EDT
[#50]
The first couple of books were OK. The 3rd book was pretty slow. I couldn't even finish the 4th book. Did the author get paid by the word or something? these books are just MASSIVELY THICK.
I remember reading OVER100 pages where absolutely NOTHING happened. Might as well put in 100 blank pages. Thats when i quite reading that shit. I've been reading Science Fiction and Fantasy for over 50 years now. The Wheel of Time was a HUGE waste of time, for me. |
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