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Wheel of Time
- Thread starter Desdichado
- Start date
Read book 9. Winter's Heart is quite good. On the other hand, I'm quite confident that even if the rest of the series is worth reading, you'll be able to skip Crossroads of Twilight without noticing that you missed it.
I don't know that there's much to say about a 10-novel series where 8 books have been very good to excellent, two have been awful, and the awful two are two of the last three. I mean, I'll buy the last two or three books in hardcover mostly because I'm a completist, and if they're okay, it'd still be one of the better series out there.
I don't know that there's much to say about a 10-novel series where 8 books have been very good to excellent, two have been awful, and the awful two are two of the last three. I mean, I'll buy the last two or three books in hardcover mostly because I'm a completist, and if they're okay, it'd still be one of the better series out there.
atom crash
First Post
In the fall of 2000 my brother handed me paperback copies of the first 8 books, which I read voraciously. I finished those just in time for the release of Winter's Heart in hardcover. It was a slow read compared to most of the others, but it really picked up in the last 50 pages.
Waiting 3 years for the next book to come out really killed my excitement for the series. Plus now I feel like the series isn't going anywhere; I don't think it will end anytime soon. Tarmon Gaidon could be decades away at this rate.
Seven or 8 books into a series is NOT a good time to keep introducing major characters. There are so many characters now that it is difficult to remember who's who. And characters tend to disappear for several books at a time, which is annoying as all hell if they're among your faves (Perrin is a major focus of earlier books then disappears for three books in a row so we can focus on Mat and Rand). And waiting 3 years between installments sucks. Especially when the author decides to write a PREQUEL instead of writing the next part of the story.
RJ has said before in interviews that the final scene, how it all ends, was the first scene he wrote for the series. I really think now that he has no idea how to get there. He knows how it started and how it ends but got lost along the way.
I also think he wrote himself into a tight spot with such a convoluted story. Can you imagine how much backchecking he has to do while he's writing? Consider how closely all his loyal readers will scrutinize and nitpick every little bit of foreshadowing (like Min's visions) and character interaction, in light of hints he's dropped in the past of what will happen with the meta-story.
Now I feel like I have to read the rest of the books as a matter of course, since I have already invested so much time into them, rather than from any love of them I once had. And that's an awful way to think about books. But if I ever meet RJ I'll beg him to just please wrap it up! And soon!
Waiting 3 years for the next book to come out really killed my excitement for the series. Plus now I feel like the series isn't going anywhere; I don't think it will end anytime soon. Tarmon Gaidon could be decades away at this rate.
Seven or 8 books into a series is NOT a good time to keep introducing major characters. There are so many characters now that it is difficult to remember who's who. And characters tend to disappear for several books at a time, which is annoying as all hell if they're among your faves (Perrin is a major focus of earlier books then disappears for three books in a row so we can focus on Mat and Rand). And waiting 3 years between installments sucks. Especially when the author decides to write a PREQUEL instead of writing the next part of the story.
RJ has said before in interviews that the final scene, how it all ends, was the first scene he wrote for the series. I really think now that he has no idea how to get there. He knows how it started and how it ends but got lost along the way.
I also think he wrote himself into a tight spot with such a convoluted story. Can you imagine how much backchecking he has to do while he's writing? Consider how closely all his loyal readers will scrutinize and nitpick every little bit of foreshadowing (like Min's visions) and character interaction, in light of hints he's dropped in the past of what will happen with the meta-story.
Now I feel like I have to read the rest of the books as a matter of course, since I have already invested so much time into them, rather than from any love of them I once had. And that's an awful way to think about books. But if I ever meet RJ I'll beg him to just please wrap it up! And soon!
Me too post...
I really enjoyed them up to the book before Winter's Heart... not sure which one it was. Dagger of Death...something... Whichever one it was where a huge part of the story concerned an army camped out for an extended period of time. Now that was real fantasy! Bleh. I tried Winter's Heart and lost all interest.
I really enjoyed them up to the book before Winter's Heart... not sure which one it was. Dagger of Death...something... Whichever one it was where a huge part of the story concerned an army camped out for an extended period of time. Now that was real fantasy! Bleh. I tried Winter's Heart and lost all interest.
Starman
Adventurer
ragboy said:
That was Path of Daggers.
Books 7, 8, and 9 for me became "Wow, there was a few scenes in each book that I really liked. The rest was just kind of 'blah.'" Book 10 was just...painful.
I think Jordan does have a lot of talent. I rank the best parts of the series as some of the best fantasy I've read. I just think he needs someone to help keep a tight rein on his writing. Obviously, his current editor (read: wife) isn't the one to do it.
Starman
Desdichado
Hero
What, and not squeeze the cash cow for all it's worth?Starman said:
Actually, unlike many, I don't think Jordan's after the cash cow, because he's doing more harm than good in the long run, and I'm (believe it or not) just not that cynical.
I think he's just written himself into a Gordion knot that he doesn't know how to get off.
Mystery Man
First Post
I stopped at book number six. I will never read the completed series even if he ever does actually complete it.
howandwhy99
Adventurer
Back in High School this series was recommended to me. Someone loaned me the first book and the second was just out in hardback. I must admit the first was really good, but it was a tale all about future expectation. You are expecting the story to really take off for a few more grand books with a big finish. But as I read 2, 3, then 4, and with a last whimper 5, I had to admit all of that promise was failing miserably. So, as others were just entering the world I gave them fair warning about "how will it end?" complications with the series. My position was I would read all the books once the author managed to publish them all. Now I doubt I will even do that given the testimony of others on the quality of the current books.
One of my friends in college said his dad read the entire decology (the author's own term) or 10-book series by L. Ron Hubbard. After 10 books each 800-1000 pages long he said he learned one thing: GARBAGE IN, GARBAGE OUT. Thankfully I read Dianetics before reading the first 2-300 pages of book one of that series. The proselytizing was so thin, I almost believed the books were a mockumentary. But then why waste 10,000 pages of your life writing them? IMO, there is a serious mental condition involved there. And mixing with it with pseudo-psychological, pseudo-intellectual religion is a lowpoint in the history of fiction writing.
I guess my advice for reading unfinished book series is .... look before you leap.
One of my friends in college said his dad read the entire decology (the author's own term) or 10-book series by L. Ron Hubbard. After 10 books each 800-1000 pages long he said he learned one thing: GARBAGE IN, GARBAGE OUT. Thankfully I read Dianetics before reading the first 2-300 pages of book one of that series. The proselytizing was so thin, I almost believed the books were a mockumentary. But then why waste 10,000 pages of your life writing them? IMO, there is a serious mental condition involved there. And mixing with it with pseudo-psychological, pseudo-intellectual religion is a lowpoint in the history of fiction writing.
I guess my advice for reading unfinished book series is .... look before you leap.
Dagger75
Epic Commoner
I loved the first 3 books, got through book 4 and stopped at book 5. Most of my friends have read the entire series, one guy multiple times. Some stuff started happening and in book 4, I asked how they turned out and they would say they don't know. They were 6 books ahead me and stuff in book 4 hasn't been resolved in book 10.
Then you got a guy who is all powerful, can do almost anything. His best friends wife has been kidnapped and he can't find 10 minutes out of his busy day to help save her. I am so done with the books.
Then you got a guy who is all powerful, can do almost anything. His best friends wife has been kidnapped and he can't find 10 minutes out of his busy day to help save her. I am so done with the books.
Gentlegamer
Adventurer
Wow, I experienced almost exactly the same thing. Wheel of Time was recommended to me, and I read the first 7 books. Up through book 4 I felt it was pretty good but by the time I got to book 6, I wanted to scream everytime a chapter opened with "Nynaeve woke up feeling grumpy" or something to that effect.
I haven't read any Stephen King novels, but from all accounts, both King and Jordan need an editor to stand up to them and omit about 1/2 to 3/4 of each book . . .
I haven't read any Stephen King novels, but from all accounts, both King and Jordan need an editor to stand up to them and omit about 1/2 to 3/4 of each book . . .
