Wheel of Time - Giving It Another Spin (Har Har)

[YellowKing]

I'm a fairly vocal critic of Robert Jordan and his braid-tugging skirt-smoothing silliness.

However, I found myself in the position of being knee-deep in the middle of his gargantuan epic (Book 8 to be exact). I'm not the type of person who can cut and run in the middle of a series - call it obsessive-compulsiveness or whatever, but leaving a story unfinished will nag at me persistently until I finally give in.

I've had Book 8 sitting on my nightstand for close to a year now. On very rare occasions I'd pick it up and read a chapter. I've read many, many books while it has sat there, but I always noticed it crouching there out of the corner of my eye. Taunting, saying, "I beat you. It took eight books but I finally got you to quit a series. Haha. Looser." (Yes, I know 'loser" is misspelled, but in my mind the voice of the book sounds like some jackass who would spell it exactly like that.)

So the other day I said, "Enough, foul tome! I've had enough of your scathing mockery! I shall read you and break your hold on me forever!" I went online and read a chapter-by-chapter summary of every book in the series I had already read, just as a refresher. Then I got down to brass tacks, and vowed to read at least one chapter a night.

The moral of this long-winded tale is that.....I find myself sort of liking the series again. I think part of my problem was having so many interruptions - reading a chapter here and there over the course of literally years - that the story became less about a flowing narrative and more about constant bite-sized chunks of characters I couldn't remember, politics I didn't understand, and passages that did nothing to advance the plot.

Reading the summary and then really focusing on the one book to the exclusion of all else helped me see past a lot of Jordan's flaws. Yes, I still find his pacing sluggish, his prose too wordy, his constant obsession with the battle of the sexes tired - but somewhere under there I rediscovered the fantasy world I loved in the first three books.

Of course, this may all be subject to change when I hit books 9-12, as I often hear of 8 being the last of the "good" books.

[Arcanis]

i'm not quite there yet i'm almost done with book 4 but have only been reading about a chapter a month and im the same boat you were in. When life settles down a bit i think i'll review the books and start where i left off again just to get through it as i love the world and want to know what happens in the end.

[Remus West]

Part of the problem is that the middle books really bogged down. The early ones and the late ones seem better to me.

[farley2k]

I knew I wouldn't have the heart to finish so I read the Wikipedia pages on the books and it was weird. Each book seemed to introduce new characters, new problems without any continuity with old stuff. There are whole books that the major characters don't appear in, and whole plots which seem to come from nowhere and go right back again a book later.

It just seemed like a horrible mess. When even the plot synopsis's don't make sense I can't imagine what it would be like to read the actual books.

[coopasonic]

8 years ago (this month even), A new book came out the day before I moved to Texas. I bought it and have read approximately 12 pages of it. I think 2 or 3 books have come out since then and I may have even bought one when I was being optimistic. it's been so log I would probably have to re-read the series to get back in the groove.. that wouldn't be bad for the first 3 books, but after that... bleh.

When it's all over I'll look for a nice synopsis on the net.

[Poleaxe]

I complain, but really I think the last WoT book was better than A feast for Crows.

[RunningMn9]

I found the latest volume to be much better than the previous three or so. I've also found that when I re-read the books, the writing style isn't nearly so annoying. My brain automatically screens out skirt smoothing, lip licking and braid tugging now so that I don't even notice it.

He seems to be battling his illness with some limited success, but I don't know where he stands on the next book (A Memory of Light?) - other than he said he would finish it.

[xenocide]

I found the latest volume to be much better than the previous three or so. I've also found that when I re-read the books, the writing style isn't nearly so annoying. My brain automatically screens out skirt smoothing, lip licking and braid tugging now so that I don't even notice it.

This fits me as well. I thought the last book was excellent. I never believed that the series could be wraped up in a couple of books, but after the last one I think it is possible.

[Dirt]

His editors are as much to blame. They should be reigning him in when he goes off tangent too much.

[coopasonic]

I complain, but really I think the last WoT book was better than A feast for Crows.

Well, a feast for crows is only half a book missing a lot of the more interesting characters and storylines. I havea feeling the other half will have all of the action.

[Crux]

A timely topic. I'm in the middle of book 9 right now. I have to say having started over from scratch and read them one after the other things really flow pretty gosh-darn well. Even the books I remember people complaining about for 'nothing' having happened, quite a bit does in fact take place. The only section that really drags for me is the

Spoiler:

Traveling Menagerie, but even that picks up when they finally make a run for the ship with Galad.

And then of course you hit Dumai's Well, the entire section of which stands out to me as one of the finest passages in fantasy, perhaps only rivalled by a few section from Erikson's writing.

In all, it's been a while since I read them, but I'm thoroughly enjoying this run through and eagerly anticipating the new book which is arriving for my birthday.

[Pyperkub]

I found the latest volume to be much better than the previous three or so. I've also found that when I re-read the books, the writing style isn't nearly so annoying. My brain automatically screens out skirt smoothing, lip licking and braid tugging now so that I don't even notice it.

He seems to be battling his illness with some limited success, but I don't know where he stands on the next book (A Memory of Light?) - other than he said he would finish it.

I agree that the latest stepped a little out of the "nothing is happening" rut, IMHO it stepped a little too much out of it. Allegedly the next book will be the final book in this cycle of the Dragon, but if that is the case, there are a lot of threads yet to be woven together.

So, the end is in sight.

[Massena]

I tend to agree with the general forum theme. Rereads make the braid pulling and nothingness of the last few books easier. For me, they all start to drift around book 6, get badly off course between 7 and 10, and back on track with this latest.

I still think that the cast has gotten out of control, though, and what could have been one of the best fantasy series period is now just something I'll finish because I have so much time invested in it. When Jordan is "on" he's amazing, but when he's not, he makes Bill O'Reilly and Al Franken seem like JRR Tolkien.

[Zaxxon]

ARISE, YE OLDE THREADE OF DESPAIRE!!!

Despite the fact that it will probably torpedo my chances of meeting this year's resolution goal of 26 books, I'm planning to read WoT, starting post-haste. I read the first [6-8, can't remember] back in the 2000ish timeframe and got bored with the middle books. I'm glad to see from this thread and the 'current' WoT discussion that folks are generally finding the flow to be better and the annoyances to be muted on re-read. Looking forward to being able to hit the series start to finish in one go.

Will try to update this thread with impressions as I go.

PS - Awesome thread title, YK.

[PLW]

It says right there in the first couple lines that there is no ending. I don't know why everyone was so surprised.

(actually... I just finished the finale, and I thought it was quite well done.)

[$iljanus]

Sigh, since I started this damn series after graduating college I guess I should wrap it up. Bummer that I've lost the first couple of books (stopped after finishing The Shadow Rising) but since I forgot most everything I might as well buy is all again. Kindle for the space saving win! Would like to hear more impressions of the final book before jumping in because if it sucks, I can think of better uses for my $$$.

[Cortilian]

1. Are these out on audiobook?
2. Can they be had for cheap?

I don't think I could dedicate 3-4 months of reading to re-read the entire series (I stopped at book 5 or so). However, I could listen to it as an audiobook.

[Odin]

The USPS kindly delivered my copy of A Memory of Light two days ahead of schedule, so I've had my nose in it most of the weekend. So far, I have to say that I LOVE it and find it hard to put down. I also really, really enjoyed the entire series during my re-read, and I'm actually a little tempted to go back to book 1 and read it all over again once I finish AMoL. I probably won't, but for the first time ever I really feel like I get a sense of who's who, where stuff is, etc. Also, as the stories progress you learn secrets about different characters and I'd love to go back and "meet" them again for the first time knowing the truth so I can see them in that light and look for hints that I overlooked or didn't understand before.

At some point, I'd love to engage in a spoiler-ful discussion of the entire series. I don't know if there's an existing thread for that or not. If I can't find one and one hasn't been created by the time I finish AMoL, I may create one.

[Zaxxon]

At some point, I'd love to engage in a spoiler-ful discussion of the entire series. I don't know if there's an existing thread for that or not. If I can't find one and one hasn't been created by the time I finish AMoL, I may create one.

Please do. Getting into those full-on spoiler discussions has been great fun for ASoIaF. Maybe in many moons when I finish my WoT read I'll join you.

[Odin]

At some point, I'd love to engage in a spoiler-ful discussion of the entire series. I don't know if there's an existing thread for that or not. If I can't find one and one hasn't been created by the time I finish AMoL, I may create one.

Please do. Getting into those full-on spoiler discussions has been great fun for ASoIaF. Maybe in many moons when I finish my WoT read I'll join you.

Boy, that's no exaggeration, either. I read at a moderate pace - not fast by any means, but average, I think. I started The Eye of the World back in August 2012, and have been reading the series straight through ever since (minus the three days last week when I was waiting for AMoL to arrive). At the rate I'm going, I'll finish the series (not including A New Spring, which I also plan to re-read, definitely prior to starting any potential re-re-reads of the series as a whole) sometime in the next 3-4 days, for a grand total of five months, or about 2.5 books a month.

I also have "The World of Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time" which I'd like to read through at some point, even if it's incomplete, having been published about halfway through the series.

[Blackhawk]

I'm a little tempted. I read Eye of the World shortly after it came out. A year or so later, when the second book hit, I re-read the first, then went straight into the second. I missed the third, but when the fourth came out, it had been a long time since I'd read them, so I started again with the first and read straight through. I believe I did that again with the sixth, then read the seventh without going back. I never picked it back up after that, and that's been oh, 17 years.

It may be time - I just don't know that I want to read just one story for the next XX months, or if my brain can maintain interest for that long. The last few 'big' series I tried to read saw me bailing out halfway through when my interest changed.

[Zaxxon]

I never picked it back up after that, and that's been oh, 17 years.

Dude, I want to use your time machine, too!

[Biyobi]

I finished A Memory of Light over the weekend. Bittersweet for me. I'm glad I finally got to find out what happens to everyone, and disappointed that there won't be any WoT books for me to look forward to.

[Isgrimnur]

You could always start reading Sanderson's Stormlight Archive. He's done one book of a planned 10-book saga. Book 2 is due out this year, three years after the first.

[Biyobi]

You could always start reading Sanderson's Stormlight Archive. He's done one book of a planned 10-book saga. Book 2 is due out this year, three years after the first.

I actually picked up the first one at the bookstore over the weekend.

[Zaxxon]

You could always start reading Sanderson's Stormlight Archive. He's done one book of a planned 10-book saga. Book 2 is due out this year, three years after the first.

It's high on my list after several friends have raved about book one. But I just can't do the big-fantasy-series-that-won't-possibly-be-done-soon thing anymore. I need to re-read a series if I go too long before reading the latest book, and ASoIaF is enough for me on that front. When it's finished, I'm in.

[Odin]

You could always start reading Sanderson's Stormlight Archive. He's done one book of a planned 10-book saga. Book 2 is due out this year, three years after the first.

It's high on my list after several friends have raved about book one. But I just can't do the big-fantasy-series-that-won't-possibly-be-done-soon thing anymore. I need to re-read a series if I go too long before reading the latest book, and ASoIaF is enough for me on that front. When it's finished, I'm in.

Yeah, after getting "burned" by Jordan and Martin, I'm inclined to take the same approach. The frustration I feel at the long wait between books - which would happen even if the waits were reasonable - detracts too much from my overall enjoyment of the novels.

[Zaxxon]

You could always start reading Sanderson's Stormlight Archive. He's done one book of a planned 10-book saga. Book 2 is due out this year, three years after the first.

It's high on my list after several friends have raved about book one. But I just can't do the big-fantasy-series-that-won't-possibly-be-done-soon thing anymore. I need to re-read a series if I go too long before reading the latest book, and ASoIaF is enough for me on that front. When it's finished, I'm in.

Yeah, after getting "burned" by Jordan and Martin, I'm inclined to take the same approach. The frustration I feel at the long wait between books - which would happen even if the waits were reasonable - detracts too much from my overall enjoyment of the novels.

For me it's not just frustration, it's forgetfulness. Even The Name of the Wind and Kingdoms of Thorn and Bone series have burned me through no fault of their authors. I read the available books, and 6 months later have forgotten 60% of the plot. A couple years later? No chance.

[Odin]

You could always start reading Sanderson's Stormlight Archive. He's done one book of a planned 10-book saga. Book 2 is due out this year, three years after the first.

It's high on my list after several friends have raved about book one. But I just can't do the big-fantasy-series-that-won't-possibly-be-done-soon thing anymore. I need to re-read a series if I go too long before reading the latest book, and ASoIaF is enough for me on that front. When it's finished, I'm in.

Yeah, after getting "burned" by Jordan and Martin, I'm inclined to take the same approach. The frustration I feel at the long wait between books - which would happen even if the waits were reasonable - detracts too much from my overall enjoyment of the novels.

For me it's not just frustration, it's forgetfulness. Even The Name of the Wind and Kingdoms of Thorn and Bone series have burned me through no fault of their authors. I read the available books, and 6 months later have forgotten 60% of the plot. A couple years later? No chance.

That's part of it for me as well - and part of why it's so frustrating. As much as I may like a series of books, I don't always want to re-read the first book 7 times, and the second book 6 times, and so on, just to be reminded what the story's about as each subsequent volume is released.

[Blackhawk]

That's exactly why I haven't touched Jordan since '96, and why I haven't read Martin yet. I prefer to wait until they're done, then tackle the whole shebang as one long, awesome experience.

[Jaymann]

What if you just read a synopsis + the last book?

[Odin]

What if you just read a synopsis + the last book?

I'm only halfway through the last book, so I can't really say 100%, but what I'm seeing so far is that the book is finally bringing ALL the different characters and threads from the series together. I don't think a synopsis would be able to explain who all the different characters - good and bad - were and it would be pretty confusing. There's not even a glossary in A Memory of Light. They expect by this point that you know what's going on.

[PLW]

What if you just read a synopsis + the last book?

There's not even a glossary in A Memory of Light. They expect by this point that you know what's going on.

Yeah.. that surprised me, especially considering the "Everyone back for the finale" feel to it. I guess they figured there is an online glossary known as "the internet". In any case, it was a pleasant surprise for once to finish a Robert Jordan book at the very back of the book, instead of 80 pages from the back.

[Odin]

FYI - there's an anthology coming out sometime soonish that includes a deleted character arc from AMoL. You can (pre-) order it here. I'm feeling like $35 is too rich for my blood, but I may pick it up if it ever comes out in a less-expensive format.

Also, FYI, there's a background story that Jordan wrote back in 1996 called "The Strike at Shayol Ghul," detailing the sealing of the bore by Lews Therin and the 100 Companions, as written by the court historian to the Queen of Kandor (or one of the Borderlands. I think it's Kandor. I already closed that tab). It's hosted on Dragonmount.com, if you want the absolute most complete dose of The Wheel of Time possible.

[Arcanis]

For those in need of a cliffs notes here are the sites I use for reference: FAQ with some good theory explanation, Great searchable wiki my primary source for reference, Encyclopedia WoT is a decent quick reference and often lists every instance of what you looked up through all books, Dragonmount as already mentioned as well but that is more of a WoT community than a reference (FAQ is there).

[Odin]

Holy, holy crap. I'm now about 60% of the way through the book, and I don't think it's a spoiler to say that I just hit a chapter - a CHAPTER - that is about 200 pages long. Holy crap. A single chapter the length of many novels.

I really need to finish this book. I can't put it down at night and end up staying up reading it FAR too late, then being groggy the whole next day. Geez.

[Zaxxon]

Update: starting book 3! Only another 6 months and I may be joining the series spoiler thread.

[Kelric]

Started book one yesterday. This is going to take a while.

[Odin]

Started book one yesterday. This is going to take a while.

I started in August and finished in mid-January (including the New Spring prequel, which I read after finishing A Memory of Light (the final novel)). So figure about five months if you're a fairly average reader (which I consider myself to be, though around here I think I'm a bit on the slow side).

[Blackhawk]

About halfway through book 1. I haven't had time for recreational reading in a couple of weeks.