The Wheel of Time

SquareC · Oct 16, 2013

For those who enjoy fantasy novels, this series is one of the best I have ever read. It's original, without the typical sword-and-sorcery take on the world. But it is a series for those who are serious about their reading, there is no doubt about that. It is a fourteen book series, I believe the shortest book in it is about 700 pages. The longest is over a thousand pages. I've enjoyed rereading the first books every time a new one has come out, and now I just got the fourteenth and final book in the series, so I am finally getting to read the entire series from start to finish.

Sadly, the author, Robert Jordan, passed away before he could finish the last three. Luckily, he left very thorough notes. The author who was chosen to finish those last three novels did an excellent job though. I haven't been able to tell the difference, he was very successful in using Jordan's notes to flesh out and complete the series. It would have been crushing to a fan like me for a series this good to have never been completed.

I suppose it is exactly what he would have wanted. The last line of the About the Author at the end of each book reads: "He has been writing since 1977 and intends to continue until they nail shut his coffin." If the last book of the series lives up to the thirteen before it, then that is a fitting tribute to an excellent author of a phenomenal series. I recommend this series to anyone who doesn't mind the challenge of that much reading (or even better, relishes the challenge like me)!

keith99 · Oct 16, 2013

Not another thread on the neverending story, and I do NOT mean that in a good way.

SquareC · Oct 16, 2013

keith99 said:
Not another thread on the neverending story, and I do NOT mean that in a good way.

Well, I didn't hunt more than the second page for another thread on this subject, but I'm sorry to hear you say that. The fourteenth book is, in fact, is the last and final book in the series. I don't know if you read my post instead of just responding to the title, but you might notice that I pointed out it is definitely not a series for anyone other than a serious reader who enjoys the challenge of long books and a major and extensive series.

You are entitled to your opinion and I'm not trying to change your mind on the subject, I just wanted to reach out to any others who share my own views on the series and the fact that it has reached it's conclusion, not to mention the tragedy of the author's death before seeing his epic concluded. I also hoped to hear the opinion of anyone either agreeing or disagreeing with my assessment of Brandon Sanderson's continuation and conclusion of the series based on Robert Jordan's notes.

If no one wants to discuss this now, that's fine. And also if someone would be kind enough to provide me links to any previous threads on the series, I would be grateful. But please understand that I just wanted a serious discussion and opinions, not to rehash anything I apparently missed during my long absence from the forum. I'm sorry that my thread bothered you.

walkingxshadow · Oct 19, 2013

Its the greatest fantasy series hands down. My all time favorite. As the wheel wills!

SquareC · Oct 20, 2013

walkingxshadow said:
Its the greatest fantasy series hands down. My all time favorite. As the wheel wills!

The Wheel weaves as the Wheel wills. The Light shines on all with faith, and the Dark One tempts with false promises, the Father of Lies. I find this simple faith to be a wonderful example of the basis of all that is good and true in reference to the great Divine Being we all worship.

I have only finished up to book 13, I have 14 and I am rereading the whole series, partially just from pure pleasure, partially to refresh my memory on details to make it a better experience when I get to the point of reading 14. I'm currently on the Crossroads of Twilight, book 10. I am loving 14 books of nice, long books to read, it's a challenge I relish! Most books are too short for me, I finish them in a day or two. I've been reading adult books since I was 9, so I read really fast! I love it and hate it at the same time.

I have enjoyed the Wheel of Time series for well over 20 years now and I think I have read The Eye of the World about 17 or 18 times now, lol. I know it's been 13 times for sure, because I reread the entire series each time a new book in the series came out, but I know I've read the series a few times just for pure enjoyment of having nice, long books to read that I love. So who knows how many times? It's just that good of a series!

walkingxshadow · Oct 20, 2013

SquareC said:
The Wheel weaves as the Wheel wills. The Light shines on all with faith, and the Dark One tempts with false promises, the Father of Lies. I find this simple faith to be a wonderful example of the basis of all that is good and true in reference to the great Divine Being we all worship.

I have only finished up to book 13, I have 14 and I am rereading the whole series, partially just from pure pleasure, partially to refresh my memory on details to make it a better experience when I get to the point of reading 14. I'm currently on the Crossroads of Twilight, book 10. I am loving 14 books of nice, long books to read, it's a challenge I relish! Most books are too short for me, I finish them in a day or two. I've been reading adult books since I was 9, so I read really fast! I love it and hate it at the same time.

I have enjoyed the Wheel of Time series for well over 20 years now and I think I have read The Eye of the World about 17 or 18 times now, lol. I know it's been 13 times for sure, because I reread the entire series each time a new book in the series came out, but I know I've read the series a few times just for pure enjoyment of having nice, long books to read that I love. So who knows how many times? It's just that good of a series!

I started reading the series ten months before the 13th came out in paper back. I know it was tens months because I started eye of the world in dec and 13 came out the following oct. Had a wait a few weeks. Didnt want to spend so much money on a hard back when the paper back was so close. And then I had to wait almost two years for 14! Which I was not waiting for the paper back!

SquareC · Oct 21, 2013

walkingxshadow said:
I started reading the series ten months before the 13th came out in paper back. I know it was tens months because I started eye of the world in dec and 13 came out the following oct. Had a wait a few weeks. Didnt want to spend so much money on a hard back when the paper back was so close. And then I had to wait almost two years for 14! Which I was not waiting for the paper back!

I stopped being able to wait on paperbacks in the series by 10! I would have been willing to beg and plead if necessary to get enough money to afford the hardbacks, and some of them I got for birthday or Christmas presents! Those came from my husband, after 4 years of friendship, 2 1/2 years of dating and 18 years of marriage (as of today that's exact!), you better believe he knows me well enough to know that is precisely what I want as a present! From any one else, I just ask them to order from my Avon website, then they get something and I get money off of my personal orders! I urge my friends to get inexpensive Christmas presents that way. It's a win-win situation. I don't mean that as a sales pitch though, so please don't take it that way (not that I would object if anyone pm'd me to ask for the address, LOL).

I just feel that it's taken all this time for the series to reach it's conclusion, it's both an accomplishment for the writer(s), and for the patience of us as fans and readers. Reading the whole series from start to finish is an accomplishment in it's own right, it takes time and is not for the faint of heart! You have to be a serious reader and dedicate a lot of time to finish. We run the marathon version of reading and we are champions!

GenetoJean · Oct 21, 2013

I hope it is ok to say it is my second favorite and am sad to see it end. I know it has to but still am sad. I think it was a wonderfull story.

SquareC · Oct 22, 2013

I'm sad to see it end too. I am so looking forward to reading #14, but at the same time it feels like the end of an era. Over 30 years of patience (and impatience, too, I'll admit it) and here it is.

keith99 · Oct 22, 2013

Here are some of the threads that have come before.

http://www.christianforums.com/t7705374/
http://www.christianforums.com/t7638470/
http://www.christianforums.com/t6927956/
http://www.christianforums.com/t6818793/
http://www.christianforums.com/t5515117/

I excluded any threads with no replies (there were a couple) and the 3 RIP threads from when he died, which seemed to not be about his works.

This is not a see how many there were post. Honestly I was surprised how hard to find these were. Searching for Wheel of Time came up empty for 2 or 3 pages (except for this thread). BUT I had an advantage. I remembered 1 and I was pretty sure 2 threads.

Searching for Robert Jordan fared much better. No idea why. That is where I found these 5.

Oh and I did not find the one I was sure of. But I did find enough to make me pretty sure the posts in the thread I could not find that criticized WOT from a literary standpoint were written by Janethebane.

SquareC · Oct 24, 2013

keith99 said:
Here are some of the threads that have come before.

http://www.christianforums.com/t7705374/
http://www.christianforums.com/t7638470/
http://www.christianforums.com/t6927956/
http://www.christianforums.com/t6818793/
http://www.christianforums.com/t5515117/

I excluded any threads with no replies (there were a couple) and the 3 RIP threads from when he died, which seemed to not be about his works.

This is not a see how many there were post. Honestly I was surprised how hard to find these were. Searching for Wheel of Time came up empty for 2 or 3 pages (except for this thread). BUT I had an advantage. I remembered 1 and I was pretty sure 2 threads.

Searching for Robert Jordan fared much better. No idea why. That is where I found these 5.

Oh and I did not find the one I was sure of. But I did find enough to make me pretty sure the posts in the thread I could not find that criticized WOT from a literary standpoint were written by Janethebane.

Thank you very much for finding those for me! I didn't think to search under Robert Jordan instead of Wheel of Time, that's why I was so confused by your first response. I imagine over the many years since the series began, there were a lot of threads on it. After all, it's been just over thirty years since the Eye of the World was first published.

For anyone who is interested, I'm now about a quarter of the way through with Knife of Dreams. The closer I get to A Memory of Light, the more conflicted my emotions get. I am both extremely excited to reach the conclusion of the series and very depressed that it's going to be over. No more will I have the anticipation of when the next book will finally come out. I won't have the challenge of a good, long new book ahead of me. I started reading the series with the very first book, Eye of the World . I was only twenty. Now, I'm forty-three and it's been a part of my life longer than almost anything I can think of off hand. I missed the publication of this one because I had neck surgery last year (a three-level fusion but it went very well and solved a lot of physical problems). It's the first one I missed in years, but I think I had a good reason, LOL! I feel like I missed my mother's birthday or something like that though!

Even if no one else replied until I finished, I would have to post in this thread once I was done, so expect to hear my opinion when I finish.

Signing off to dive back into the world I know and love so well! I'm happy to chat a bit along the way, but when I'm reading this series, I don't poke my head out of these books for long, at least not willingly.

keith99 · Oct 25, 2013

At first I didn't understand why one search worked and the other pretty much did not.

I think I now know why.

Threads seem to be displayed in order based on thread start date and hits mean getting any word in the search.

Wheel and Time are pretty common words. Most likely all there threads I found also show up when searching 'Wheel of Time" but on page 100 or so.

Gailerina · Oct 27, 2013

So after reading this I went and looked up the series to see if it would be interesting. I might give it a try....but 14 books?? It might be hard....I barley survive watching tv series (I actually fail at that).

walkingxshadow · Oct 27, 2013

Gailerina said:
So after reading this I went and looked up the series to see if it would be interesting. I might give it a try....but 14 books?? It might be hard....I barley survive watching tv series (I actually fail at that).

Its an amazing series. Itll be a great journey.

Gailerina · Oct 27, 2013

Hmmm I'll search it on my kindle.

SquareC · Oct 29, 2013

Gailerina said:
Hmmm I'll search it on my kindle.

Just be prepared. Like I said at the beginning, it is a serious undertaking and will take a very long time for someone reading at an average speed to finish. I read considerably faster than average and it still takes me a few months. I haven't done the math, but I'd say 800 - 900 pages is about average, depending on format. I haven't seen one in ebook form, but I have a combination of paperback and hardback books and the shortest of them is just shy of 700 pages. I find it well worth it, and I have re-read the entire series each time a new one has come out over the years. But I have a serious reading addiction, and I see a book that long as a treat. It means I won't be finished in a day or two and looking for my next "fix."

I'm not saying this to scare you off, it is a wonderful epic that I am truly sad to see the end of, but it's the kind of thing you should go into with your eyes open to the challenge before you.

I hope that you do read it, it has been a wonderful journey for me, seeing the characters grow, mature and change as time goes by. The life challenges they face have the inevitable consequences they would in real life, some they don't expect, naturally. They are not static figures, the characters are as realistic as any I have ever seen. I feel as if they could have been taken from life.

If you decide to take on this challenge, I hope you enjoy it as much as I have. At least you won't have to wait a few years between books like we have, lol!

maelysmaci · Nov 9, 2013

nice post

Regards
Business Bounce

Rebecca Sue · Nov 9, 2013

I have been listening to The Wheels of Time on audiobook and really enjoy it. I am an avid reader but must admit I would never dedicate the time to read it as it is soo long, so I chose to listen instead and am certainly glad I did. I started with The Gathering Storm and now wish I would have began at the beginning. Should I purchase the first book and start there? Any thoughts would be appreciated. Its fairly complicated. I understand it, but wonder if it would be easier if I started at the beginning. Would love to, my problem is as always, so many books, so little time! I know this doesnt pertain to this thread, but am currently reading Night Circus and Love it!! Blessings

walkingxshadow · Nov 9, 2013

Rebecca Sue said:
I have been listening to The Wheels of Time on audiobook and really enjoy it. I am an avid reader but must admit I would never dedicate the time to read it as it is soo long, so I chose to listen instead and am certainly glad I did. I started with The Gathering Storm and now wish I would have began at the beginning. Should I purchase the first book and start there? Any thoughts would be appreciated. Its fairly complicated. I understand it, but wonder if it would be easier if I started at the beginning. Would love to, my problem is as always, so many books, so little time! I know this doesnt pertain to this thread, but am currently reading Night Circus and Love it!! Blessings

I honestly don't see how you have any idea what's going on. Jordan packs more in one book than most authors do in entire careers. Most definitely start at the beginning.

SquareC · Nov 11, 2013

maelysmaci,

Thank you!

Rebecca Sue said:
I have been listening to The Wheels of Time on audiobook and really enjoy it. I am an avid reader but must admit I would never dedicate the time to read it as it is soo long, so I chose to listen instead and am certainly glad I did. I started with The Gathering Storm and now wish I would have began at the beginning. Should I purchase the first book and start there? Any thoughts would be appreciated. Its fairly complicated. I understand it, but wonder if it would be easier if I started at the beginning. Would love to, my problem is as always, so many books, so little time! I know this doesnt pertain to this thread, but am currently reading Night Circus and Love it!! Blessings

I agree with walkingxshadow 100% and then some! I don't know how you could possibly understand anything but the basics of what is truly going on (absolutely no insult intended!), but most especially the underlying structures that have built over the time the characters and the world itself have spent growing and learning from the experience of their first days in The Eye of the World. You very much need to go back and start from the beginning. You will discover just how much you have missed by not reading those first 11 books. There is just too much to the story that you have not read and you really need that understanding to grasp the entirety of the story. The last three books are technically the final book, it was just too big to be published as one book. So you started at the end of the story. I would put off reading any (and every) other book in the world in order to read these. And from a bibliophile such as myself, that is a very, very strong statement. Please, for your own sake, stop right now, wherever you are and whatever you are doing, and begin from the very beginning. I cannot emphasize this enough. You are missing too much and depriving yourself of too much of the depth of this story, this epic. I ask this of you for your own benefit. Obviously, I have nothing to gain in the matter, so you know this to be true. Please, please follow our advice in this. Do not lose the experience of reading the whole story, it is well worth the time.

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