The Wheel of Time

  • After Iowa State won the Big 12, a Cyclone made a wonderful offer to We Will that now increases our match. Now all gifts up to $400,000 between now and the Final 4 will be matched. Please consider giving at We Will Collective.
    This notice can be dismissed using the upper right corner X button.

knowlesjam

Well-Known Member
Oct 21, 2012
4,279
4,691
113
Papillion, NE
Well, there definitely is not a lack of material...these are Stephen King length novels. Robert Jordan was a visionary on many things...and I hope that the screenwriters can plow through the massive amount of support material to give us a decent show. I'll give it a try...
 

CloneIce

Well-Known Member
Apr 11, 2006
36,499
19,291
113
I made it through the first 5 or 6 books way back in the day but never finished. I heard the series got really good again towards the end. I will definitely try to catch the show.
 

BWRhasnoAC

Well-Known Member
SuperFanatic
SuperFanatic T2
Apr 10, 2013
24,797
21,748
113
Dez Moy Nez
I love Sanderson who finished the series after the original author died but i haven't actually read the Wheel of Time books yet. Love Sanderson's Storm light series though.
 
  • Agree
Reactions: Cyclonepride

OtownClone

Well-Known Member
SuperFanatic
SuperFanatic T2
Mar 23, 2021
160
250
63
ok what's it about

A few smaller spoilers included:

Think a more modern Lord of the rings. Swords, magic, etc. Several teenagers who are all friends in a small farming village. A strange woman is in town. Some evil orc-like creatures (trollocs) show up and attack the 3 boys homes. The woman tells the 3 boys the Trollocs are after them and convinces them to leave with her. She can use magic (the one power). Says they are important for some reason. Adventures and challenges ensue.

The cool parts of the story are the impressive world building (lots of locations described beautifully), diverse cultures, likable and interesting characters (not 100% of them), rich history/mythology that is uncovered, epic plot (ancient hero that went crazy will be reborn to save the world), unique magic system (only women can safely use magic - Men who “channel” are affected by the taint on male magic and eventually go crazy and are super dangerous), some interesting matriarchal societies, cool fighting scenes, humor, and the overall creativity of the author. The books are long, but for at least the first several novels, I remember wishing there were more. Super long page turners.

The author get a little sub plot happy for a bit but finds his way again. Worth the read if you are at least somewhat interested in fantasy books.
 
  • Like
Reactions: BurgundyClone

Cytasticlone

Well-Known Member
Mar 22, 2012
1,366
1,234
113
Ames, IA
Just thought I'd stop back in and say I just finished book one and enjoyed it a lot. Now I'm deciding if I'll wait for the copy at the library to be available or go ahead and buy book two.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Cyclonepride

simply1

Rec Center HOF
SuperFanatic
SuperFanatic T2
Jun 10, 2009
36,309
24,303
113
Pdx
I read all of the books, at some point I just felt I had to since I'd already invested so much time into them. Unlike GoT, the dialogue will need to be better in the show than the book I think. Golly, Rand is so good with the girls. Gee whiz, Mat is sure good with the girls.
 
  • Agree
Reactions: Bader and CloneIce

NorthCyd

Well-Known Member
SuperFanatic
SuperFanatic T2
Aug 22, 2011
17,172
26,762
113
Reviews are out. Some positive, some really negative. Definitely not universally praised.
 
  • Like
Reactions: isutrevman

Bader

Well-Known Member
SuperFanatic
SuperFanatic T2
Jul 25, 2007
7,208
3,954
113
Ankeny
Just thought I'd stop back in and say I just finished book one and enjoyed it a lot. Now I'm deciding if I'll wait for the copy at the library to be available or go ahead and buy book two.
The initial trilogy and the end trilogy are where the series is at its best. Some of the middle books really start to drag.

My one and a half shelves on my bookcase being weighed down by all 15 hardcovers have their own opinion about going out and buying your own copy. I imagine library copies have started seeing a lot more traction the last few months, and it'll pick up more now.

Since you mentioned the library I'll also throw out there the Libby app is awesome, if you're willing to read e-books (can check out audiobooks as well). I have it on my iPad and have enjoyed working through a long list of books in my backlog.

Edit: ope that post was from September, carry on
 

HFCS

Well-Known Member
Aug 13, 2010
67,145
54,198
113
LA LA Land
I always thought about reading the series but haven’t, Amazon has put out some surprisingly good series (fleabag, the boys, picking up the expanse) so I won’t be shocked if it’s great.
 

BryceC

Well-Known Member
SuperFanatic
SuperFanatic T2
Mar 23, 2006
25,686
18,420
113
Before I ever watch it, I'm going to assume those who gave negative reviews are a bunch of morons who don't know what they're watching.

I’ve read the first 6 or 7 books and just gave up. Like it or not this will be compared to GoT and I have a hard time believing it will be up to that standard.

I’m actually going to try the show because I’d be curious to see if I think it’s better as a TV show. I think as a book series it was never that good and got worse. Just my opinion of course.
 

Mr Janny

Welcome to the Office of Secret Intelligence
Staff member
Bookie
SuperFanatic
Mar 27, 2006
40,948
28,669
113
I read the first book, and while I enjoyed it, it didn't inspire me to read any more, despite the urges of friends. I'm going into the tv series with an open mind.
 

Cj_cy

New Member
Nov 15, 2021
8
4
3
27
Before I ever watch it, I'm going to assume those who gave negative reviews are a bunch of morons who don't know what they're watching.

I've only read the first book (finished it last week) but most of the negative reviews are people that don't know the source material and are saying it's too similar to LOTR and then I saw a couple more that were complaining about how much money was spent on it, which is kind of an odd way to review something and it more seemed like they just wanted to take a shot at Bezos.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Cyclonepride

BryceC

Well-Known Member
SuperFanatic
SuperFanatic T2
Mar 23, 2006
25,686
18,420
113
I read the first book, and while I enjoyed it, it didn't inspire me to read any more, despite the urges of friends. I'm going into the tv series with an open mind.

The 90s were rough for fantasy. It was basically Wheel and the Weis/Hickman Dragonlance stuff. I read it all but it doesn’t hold up IMO.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Mr Janny

houjix

Well-Known Member
Jul 21, 2021
1,492
1,519
113
I’ve read the first 6 or 7 books and just gave up. Like it or not this will be compared to GoT and I have a hard time believing it will be up to that standard.

I’m actually going to try the show because I’d be curious to see if I think it’s better as a TV show. I think as a book series it was never that good and got worse. Just my opinion of course.
The comparison will always be there. They have been more or less intertwined since the books series both debuted close to each other. Neither book series are literary masterpieces despite my enjoyment of both of them. WoT is a world of much more overt magic than GoT and decidedly less rapey, so it has that going for it at least. I'm still in for the series unless they start at full on S8 GoT bad.
 
Last edited:

JCity

Well-Known Member
SuperFanatic
SuperFanatic T2
Mar 9, 2009
348
309
63
Seems like many of the negative show reviews can't get past comparing it to GOT, which while both are fantasy they are very different. As far as the book series generally fantasy fans, myself included, hold WOT in higher regard, but if GOT ever gets finished, it won't, that may change.
 

NorthCyd

Well-Known Member
SuperFanatic
SuperFanatic T2
Aug 22, 2011
17,172
26,762
113
The 90s were rough for fantasy. It was basically Wheel and the Weis/Hickman Dragonlance stuff. I read it all but it doesn’t hold up IMO.
Hey, I loved the Dragonlance series! I mean, it wasn't great writing or anything, but Raistlin has to be one of the all time best fantasy characters.