Wheel of Time Discussion - Spoilers(with book spoilers)

[Mercurius]

Right. Plus, I don't want the same story. We already have the books.

This is a retelling, like any myth, and parts of the story are always different depending on who is telling it, and when.

Me? I'm just going to enjoy it (like Foundation) for what it is. Not in comparing it and judging what it isn't.

If possible, I recommend not thinking about how it is different than the books while watching it. That almost ruined the new Dune movie for me, until I remembered it was a different telling of the same story, and it should be different.

I agree, although with the caveat that I think it should honor the spirit of the original author, especially in the case of Tolkien, which has a special spot in fantasy history.

(This is why I'm a bit leery of the upcoming Amazon series, which I fear might be "sexy Middle-earth"...evidently the cast were asked if they were OK with being nude on film. Nothing wrong with nudity, but this would really clash with Tolkien's vision).

 

[payn]

I agree, although with the caveat that I think it should honor the spirit of the original author, especially in the case of Tolkien, which has a special spot in fantasy history.

(This is why I'm a bit leery of the upcoming Amazon series, which I fear might be "sexy Middle-earth"...evidently the cast were asked if they were OK with being nude on film. Nothing wrong with nudity, but this would really clash with Tolkien's vision).

How so?

 

[Demetrios1453]

I'd find it much more interesting not to be Rand. But we all can tell it will be. I'm watching with 2 who have not read they book, and they knew from the first moment.

Rafe has already confirmed it anyway ("Book readers will know who the Dragon Reborn is."), so that bit was just added to give a bit more extra mystery, and to show just how vague prophesies can be (something that's explored thoroughly in the books, just not this particular situation). It's almost certainly not have any implications down the road after the Dragon Reborn is revealed, but that's not stopping a certain subset of the book fans from frothing at the mouth over it...

 

[Mercurius]

How so?

Because Tolkien didn't really touch upon sexuality. LotR--and his stories in general--were more mythic, and less about gritty realism.

 

[Parmandur]

Because Tolkien didn't really touch upon sexuality. LotR--and his stories in general--were more mythic, and less about gritty realism.

The tale ofTúrin Turambar disagrees with both dichotomies, and strongly: mythic and gritty realism, also touching on sexuality.

 

[Mercurius]

The tale ofTúrin Turambar disagrees with both dichotomies, and strongly: mythic and gritty realism, also touching on sexuality.

Sort of. And of course that's one tale. I'm not saying that sexuality is totally absent, or that there aren't elements of gritty realism in parts of his overall work, just that those are de-emphasized, and including them more than in an implied and/or secondary way would seem gratuitous.

And the larger point: What is the spirit of Tolkien? It isn't Game of Thrones in Middle-earth. I doubt the new series will be that, but I wouldn't put it past them to try to bring in the GoT crowd by including such elements.

 

[Gadget]

Sanderson spent a lot of time sitting with Jordan and going over the books and what Jordan's vision was. He has probably the best understanding of anyone alive. And I disagree with you on his characters. He MIGHT be just shy of George RR Martin with characters, but even if he is, he's still very, very good. I don't know if you've read the Stormlight archive, but if you haven't, you should.

Sanderson was not selected to finish WOT until after RJ died, when RJ's widow selected him in part due to his tribute/eulogy to RJ, so I don't know where this 'sitting with Jordan and going over the books' stuff comes from. Sanderson may have met RJ (I don't really know), but if he did it was more in the setting of at a fan convention or some such. What Sanderson did have is access to RJ's notes, assistants, and editors (including RJ's wife). And I would second that Sanderson is not as good at writing characters or dialog as either RJ or Martin. He can move along an action scene like no one else though.

 

[Mordhau]

I think it depends how clear the writers vision for the series is. I think RJ knew where he was going, he just meandered a little between books 8-9 before picking the pace up. The vision was so strong even a different writer could pick up he left off, almost seamlessly.

I suspect it’s much easier to write fast when you feel that way.

He may have kept writing, and it may have actually gotten finished, but it suffered from a lot of the same problems Martin's attempt has. The narrative got to big and he lost control of it.

There's a good reason there's so many people in these threads saying they read up to a certain point and no further.

 

[Parmandur]

He may have kept writing, and it may have actually gotten finished, but it suffered from a lot of the same problems Martin's attempt has. The narrative got to big and he lost control of it.

There's a good reason there's so many people in these threads saying they read up to a certain point and no further.

Big difference is that the ending is great. Like, really great. Everything pays off. The anti-GoT.

 

[Mort]

Big difference is that the ending is great. Like, really great. Everything pays off. The anti-GoT.

To be fair, Martin didn't finish his work. Weis and Benioff did for the TV series (working from an outline? not 100% sure).

Jordan expressed a huge fear of his was "pulling a Lost," ie not sticking the landing/finale of the series, so it's sad that's exactly what happened (well IMO and many other people's).

Edit: Ack, Martin not Jordan! Martin expressed great fear of sticking the landing!