I don't know what to say. I love Robert Jordan's books and would love to meet him.
SPOILERS AHEAD!!!!!
Basically The Wheel of Time is an epic fantasy series in the vein of War and Peace. The story follows dozens of different characters and their lives as war and conflict rage across the world.
Eons ago, the Dark One was imprisoned by the Creator of the world. In his absence the world prospered for millenia under the rule and guidance of benevolent "sorcerers" known as "Aes Sedai". The sorcerers could channel the One Power, the energy that moves time forward. This energy also had two parts. A yin and a yang. A male half and a female half.
Then some of these channellers inadvertantly discovered the Dark One's extradimensional prison and freed him. Immediately his corrupting influence began to bring evil and war to the world as he and those who pledged their allegiance to him began a war of conquest.
Finally, the greatest male Sorcerer, Lews Therin Telamon, also known as The Dragon led about 100 of the most powerful male channellers to the breach in the Dark One's prison and together they sealed it. But before they did so the Dark One retaliated and tainted the male half of the power.
All male channellers were now doomed to go mad as the Dark One's taint corrupted their minds and bodies whenever they used their power. For a long time, insane male channellers ran amok, wreaking havok. This time was called "The Breaking" since their power was such that they could literally level mountains and cities.
Eventually most of them died from their madness and the poison of the taint. Others were hunted down by the female sorcerers who weren't tainted. It now became a crime for men to channel and any male channellers found were either executed or they had their abilities permanently blocked via a sort of magical castration. This also left the man somewhat permanently mentally crippled and most "gentled" men committed suicide.
But there were prophecies that the Dark One would break free from his prison again and that the Dragon would be reborn and would be the only one who could defeat him.
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Now, fast forward a couple thousand years. The world has changed dramatically. To most people the Dark One is a myth. Over the centuries there have even been a few false claimants to the title of The Dragon Reborn.
The female Aes Sedai have established themselves as an elitist and secretive female only organization that often pulls the strings of most nation's politics. Men who can channel are ruthlessly hunted down. Civil unrest is everywhere.
And now several friends from a remote village are discovered by a member of the Blue Ajah, a political faction of the Aes Sedai devoted to finding the true Dragon Reborn and helping him prepare for the Last Battle. Little do they know that they are all destined for greatness in their own way....
The books go on about the characters coming of age and coming into their own. The books become progressively darker and the politics more labyrinthine.
There is war, conflict, love, betrayal, friendship and kickass cinematic battles. Epic duels between blademasters, armies clashing, and the most powerful channellers in the world square off!
I could go on but you really should read them.
Yes, there are slow parts and some times the series seems like it could go on forever. But I really love it.
