The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan

The new Wheel of Time book, Crossroads of Twilight, will be released on November 12.

What do you think of this monumental book series? Jordan is on book 10 already, and there exists too many plot lines to resolve in one book. How many do you think there should be? How will Rand deal with saidar being cleansed? Will Mat lose an eye?
Is Moiraine dead, or has she been reborn as one of the Forsaken?

Mastadge edit: Just changing the title

 

I'm getting the "Nobody cares vibe from everyone." Hmmmm....I might if I actually read fantasy. Robert Jordan, to me, is just another McDonald's writer, just another guy that keeps writing and writing. Serial stuff makes me mad.

 

You can actually buy the prologue to Crossroads of Twilight on Amazon.com, in e-book format. It contains an interview with Jordan, in which he states that there will be 2 books after this one. I'm hoping Tarmon Gaidon is in the book before the finale, and the final book resolves it all.

JMA

 

JMA: How long is the eBook? Is it another 80-page prologue? And does the inclusion of the interview make it worth the price?

 

Mastadge:

Everyone on the e-book, including a summary, can be found at WoT Mania

JMA

 

Hmmmm....I might if I actually read fantasy. Robert Jordan, to me, is just another McDonald's writer, just another guy that keeps writing and writing.

So you have not read Jordan, but you do not like serial novels? On the basic premise I agree, and I have found most authors who attempt to write broad storylines fall short of their goal and the result is an uninspired disaster. However, as I have read Jordan's work, I find that he has been able to keep the storyline interesting and compelling, although the two year wait between books is a tad bit annoying.

 

I do think that Robert Jordan is an author of McBooks. I accept that, and enjoy his books anyways. I do occasionally get cravings for bacon double cheeseburgers, large fries, and large root beer, and as fast food goes, McDonalds is pretty good. As McFantasy goes, The Wheel of Time is pretty good.

 

It wasn't always that way, at least for me. While the series has always had some clumsy descriptions and plot points, the first several books were vibrant, full-blooded, and powerful, epics that would be seen as American classics.

The first three books are very gripping and bolstered by the consistency of the storytelling and arc of the characters. His magic system had elaborate rules, and his use of myth is staggering. Book four The Shadow Rising was poised to elevate the series. The scenes in Rhuidean were phenomenal.

Then I don't know what happened. Starting with Book Five, he started going in a totally different direction altogether. It was still very good, but had some very questionable detours. Book 6, instead of eliminating the detours, only elaborated them, and the series has been bogged down ever since, becoming McFantasy.

It's a real shame, because it could have been something transcendent for the fantasy field. I'm still addicted enough to buy the rest of the series, if only to know how it ends, but the thrill I used to get is gone.

For my money, George R.R. Martin has more than earned the mantle that grew too heavy for Jordan. His series goes places most books (of any genre) are afraid to go.

 

George R.R. MArtin is indeed the best fantasy writer today. He can craft stories that actually have some meaning to the overall storyline while still keeping the reader's interest.

I agree that Jordan's books 4-6 were tedious reads. Hopefully, now that Rand has killed most of the Forsaken in Book 9, and cleansed saidar(n) the story line will now pick up.

 

I disagree that Martin is the best Fantasy writer now. He is, IMO, the best epic fantasy writer -- but there's more than just the "Big Fat Fantasy" out there. People like Gene Wolfe, Jeff VanderMeer, Richard Calder, Graham Joyce and so on write fantasy that's every bit as good as what Martin puts out. Oh yeah. And Stover.

 

I actually plan on reading some more of Stover's work. I really enjoyed his writing style in Traitor.

And I should have included IMHO on the statement about Martin.

 

Robert Jordan sucks. While he wrote and wrote and wrote and wrote..... the rest of the world lost interest. I say he should just cut his loses and have a 2hr made-for-tv movie that wraps it all up.

 

Robert Jordan, one word comes to mind. Overrated. Despite popular belief, he's not carrying the world of epic fantasy. That would be another bearded chap, who goes by the name of G.R.R Martin. I just hope Martin has Tolkien's restraint, already he's changed his original outline from four books to six, hopefully it doesn't end up becoming thirteen or whatever magical number that designates when a series of fiction becomes trite.

 

Um. . .since when is Lucas a good writer?

 

He's a visual genius, I already forgot how I worded the sentence, but I edited it anyways.

Mastadge your probably right, there's likely more worthwhile stuff in the genre than "Big Fat Fantasy". I just hope it's not Harry Potter your talking about. By the way ever notice that most 'adults' who read Potter and claim it the best fantasty ever, really haven't read that much fantasy to know what their talking about? Now I just need a stack of large hardcover edition of Rings and tons of free time so I can stand atop a really really high place and drop it on their pointy heads as they walk by.

 

I haven't read any of Jordan's work yet, but have "Eye of the World" or some such name sitting on my desk at home. How many of you think I should read it?

EDIT: Hey! I like Harry Potter and LOTR! Is that a crime?

 

Read it! You won't be disappointed.

As for me, I read Wheel of Time a few months ago, and loved it! Funny coincidence, because today I just started The Great HUnt. As you can see, I am a bit behind...

 

At the rate you are going, perhaps you will be finished with reading them the same time that Jordan is finished writing them.

 

The prologue to the new book can be purchased in e-book format at the site below. You'll have to cut and paste. Apparently there is a limit to how long links can be for the markup codes to work. http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00006CXOG/br_ts_sh_b_1//102-0278221-2327364?v=glance&s=ebooks&n=551440] [/link]

 

Just providing a link, so you don't have to copy and paste.

 

Well, I myself am a fan of the WoT series. In fact, I'm reading Eye of the World for the third time at the moment, hoping to review the basics again before CoT comes out. (Ha. It took me from July to the November that Winter's Heart came out to read the series the first time, what makes me think I can catch up again in two months less? Oh well, maybe I just won't read the book right when it comes out.)

As for him being 'McFantasy'.. so maybe his plot is recycled somewhat. You might as well call many parts of Eye of the World 'FotR II', but I'll say this: Jordan is an awesome world-builder. From Saldea to Seanchan to the Aiel Waste, the world and all the nations and differences in it keep me hooked. Many of the characters are some of my favorites in fantasy, including Faile, who happens to be the most hated to *fans* of the series.

Yes, it drags on. Yes, you have to read the series again.. sometimes twice.. to keep it fresh in your mind before Jordan finally comes out with the next one. But I think it's worth it.

Now, for the initial questions at the beginning of this thread. First of all, wasn't it saidin not saidar that has been cleansed? Anyway, I think it will be quite interesting, to see how the Asha'man handle it.

As for the number of books, I believe Jordan wants there to be 13. That should be enough (hopefully) to wrap it up, but ironic since originally the series was supposed to be a trilogy.

Will Mat lose an eye? I don't know, it might be symbolic somehow, but it was mentioned more than once, wasn't it? First by Min.. did those weird creatures in Rhuidean talk about it too?

I think Moiraine may come back.. possibly pull a Gandalf. I also don't think we've seen the last of Lanfear..

 

to see how the Asha'man handle it.

I think a better question is: why should anybody else believe it's actually been cleansed?

Also, I think the scenes I'm looking forward to most are:

The Battle for Tar Valon

Mat & Dof9M

Anything with Perrin

 

Oh yeah. Daughter of the Nine Moons. Can't wait.. I laughed so hard when he found out.

'She's my wife.'



Poor Mat.

* Oh yeah, and what do you make of the Berelain 'man in white' thing? Galad, maybe? I read somewhere that white is the color of mourning in the Westlands, or maybe just the Two Rivers. And mixing that with the whole 'If something happens to me, I want you to be happy' thing from Faile.. I don't like it.

 

Thanks for pointing out my error in saidan/saidar. I have not read the series since the last book came out two years ago. I would like to reread them all, but I find my reading list much too long to devote time to do so.

 

I don't think CoT is being released until January now.

I'm currently on The Path of Daggers and I have to say that I love the series.