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Posted By: Avi Nov 08, 2000 - 07:44 am

I enjoy reading WOT because it gives me a break from this world. I agree that the characters are believable. the books are long but they have a lot of detail I love the sub plots and the twists and turns in this series My ONLY complaint is that he will introduce a character and then forget about them but he is just a human author writing a book, mistakes can be made and you just laugh about it and read on. I was VERY reluctant to start this series because to me it looked like just another long winded author who would bore me to death and I would end up "reading because I started and now I have to finish" I was surprised at his Imagination in coming up with so Many characters and so many types of characters, I love how he plays the characters against each other.

Posted By: Cantorion Nov 10, 2000 - 10:37 am

He has great characters and personally I cant wait to read the Winter Heart, the 9th vol. in the series. So far he has kept me fairly engrossed in his work.

Posted By: Sindatur Feb 09, 2001 - 09:58 pm

Hi all,

Wonderful comments, all of you. Please don't throw stones, I don't mean to be insulting.

Being a Grey owl Wizzard myself, I love fantasy and Scifi. I inherited about 50 books from my brother when he passed away, all 6 of the Thomas Covenant (which I've read 3 times, Donaldson is a major favorite, The Gap series, has gotta be my fave series of all time) and many others. The only Wheel of Time he had was book 3 The Dragon Reborn. I got about 150 pages into it, which was difficult to go even that far. I spent almost the entire time flipping back and forth to the glossary trying to figure out what's what and understand what was going on. I finally gave up and lost interest 'cause I couldn't keep up.

Anyway, for those of you who are great fans, If I lost interest trying to start on book Book 3, is it worth my time trying to find the first two. BTW, I had the same problem with Piers Anthony's Xanth (and I have Visual World of Xanth) and Eddings Belgariad

Posted By: Robert J. Ferguson Mar 28, 2001 - 03:34 am

I just started path, (Having found the first seven books in a used book store, and whoa, did I get hooked.) and have no complaints as yet. I do pick up on some pretty forced foreshadowing, but compared with the fairly rich characters and generous amount of them,

I can't complain.

The only other series that has attracted me so quickly was George Martins Song of Ice and Fire.

As far as I'm concerned, some stories just need to be developed slower. Jordan has an easy to read and quick witted style that I enjoy immensely, (Sorry bout the spelling, half awake here.)

... Course, I've always preferred the ensemble cast over the lone, 'know he's gonna win' perfect hero, sometimes even perfectly flawed. Yeech.

Oh, well, before I develop a neverending rant, let me end this with the fact that he is doing a better job in this series that certain, unamed, space opera movies that have thrown away their own histories for new flashy ideas, when it's the stories and characters that matter, not the most unique idea or wild new names and whatnot...

Ahhh, well.

Take it easy.

Posted By: glow16 Apr 01, 2001 - 02:49 pm

Okay, I love long books, the longer the better and I loved the first five or so books in the WOT, but come on now the Path of Daggers was insufferable. Do we need lists of every standard and device, every attendents outfit and head gear, every horse's rank and serial number? It gets a little tedious with so many characters to keep track of already, I understand that you need lots of description to set the tone but POD was boring. I could barely finish it and I could read the back of a tube of toothpaste or something very close to it just to have something to read.
What about those stereotypes? I think the female characters are the worst. It's not that they rule the world it's just that they complain about it incessantly and about men interminably. I know that men can be "wool-headed goats" I married one but you'll never get anywhere reminding them of it all the time.
And when will Rand stop railing against his fate? Okay it sucks, you're the Dragon Reborn now get on with it. Torment would be fine if it seemed to change at all but for 8 books it's the same old song. I wish the characters would evolve not just magically but also emotionally.
Yeah, alright I'm ranting.
But unlike the Master I don't know if I can go on. I loved the first books soo much that I'm not sure which would be worse finishing the next however-many books and being utterly disappointed or just quitting while I'm ahead.

Posted By: glow16 Apr 09, 2001 - 08:38 am

I take it back. Not all of it but alot. I just reread Path of Daggers (I figured if I was going to dis it so badly I should be really sure)it wasn't as bad as I remembered. There is actually some plot developement and I must say that Jordan really has created one of the coolest systems of magic out there. The stuff about the female characterization still holds true for the main characters, but the secondary females are more interesting. I think the women just bother me because they're always so high and mighty, self-righteous and stiff. Anyway, I liked it much better this time and I,ve started on Winter's Heart. I still hope there're not that many more to go a twenty book series at 700+ pages a book would be a little much.

Posted By: glow16 Apr 12, 2001 - 12:39 pm

Finished Winter's Heart it was pretty spectacular. It's got much more of Mat in it than the previous one, lots of revelations and the end rocks. Welcome me back into the fold.

Posted By: Aslan Jun 02, 2001 - 08:50 am

I very much enjoyed the first several books in WOT, but gave up after Crown of Swords. One of the things I liked most about the early books was that it really felt like the series was GOING SOMEWHERE. It was somewhat suspenseful, there seemed to be a time limit of some sort, and it also seemed like Jordan had everything planned out nicely.

After about book three or four, that sense disappeared. The series lost cohesion and slowed down. The list of main characters grew to a bewildering size. If I remember right, one book didn't even have Perrin (was that the wolf guy?) in it at all. I heard a rumor that Jordan had intended for it to be a seven book series, but when it became a bestselling series his publisher offered him a very lucrative 13 book deal, which he signed. I have no idea if this is true or not, but I almost believe it and that says something in and of itself.

Basically, I loved the first few books. I thought I'd stumbled onto something special. But in the end I became disappointed and even felt a little betrayed. Jordan decided to become a money writer instead of following his original dream. Regardless of whether he signed the fabled Big Contract or not, this has become a neverending series rather than a series with a beginning, middle and end. It really ticked me off... thus the rant. I apologize to the big fans, and believe me... I understand where you're coming from. If it didn't have so much potential, I wouldn't have been so mad at the way it has turned out.

Posted By: Bmat Jun 02, 2001 - 01:35 pm

I kept falling asleep during the first book of WOT, found it painful to get through, and gave away the others I'd bought, unread.

It's just not my kind of story.

Posted By: Teutonic_Ranger Jun 08, 2001 - 04:40 pm

I was rather speculative about the WOT series before I began, because I read some of Jordan's Conan books, which were very slow and boring. When I did begin I was pleased to see that Jordan had improved his writting...even though the first book was rather slow. I really enjoy a vast amount of characters myself, adds alot more color and character.

I was, however rather displeased with the sex that Lan had had, and Rand was having out of wed lock. My main reason for this, is that is disagrees with the theme of honor that Rand and Lan have as Heron mark swordsmen.

And I think that this series would be incredibly cool if it had some 13 books. Conan and Gor had far more than that anyways, and they are legendary books.

Posted By: CMark Jun 09, 2001 - 10:24 pm

I read the first 3 books right after they came out, and was very hooked. I couldn't wait for the rest of the series to come out. After about the sixth book I re-read the first three and started into the fourth thru sixth ones. I never finished the sixth one though. I'm all for long books, as long as they are entertaining. I didn't find these entertaining.

One of my friends described Robert Jordan as having a "my type-writer will explode if I don't type 50 words a minute" attitude while writing WoT.

As for the characters, I began to not care if the women got killed or not, and when that happened, I just couldn't finish one of those books. Actually, it might have been nice if they would get killed off, just so I wouldn't ever read "wooly headed" again. The three original boys are still some of my favorite characters from any series, but I just can't make myself read through 800 pages just to find that one of them isn't even in the book, and the other is barely in it.

I think Jordan is a great writer, but he's lost me on WoT. Seems like he has gotten his cash-cow of a series, and he's going to stretch it out as much as he can. Good luck to all of you that read all these books, I wish I were as strong as you.

Posted By: Lamasu Jul 30, 2001 - 01:40 pm

I loved the first 5 books. Lord of Chaos was a bit of a drag but I persevered because I was already hooked. Crown of Sword was great so I waited impatiently for the nest book. When Path of Daggers came out I started reading it immediately only to realize that I need to use the glossary virtually for any character that is not the main one. Too much time elapsed for me to remember the entire intricate plot.

I gave up half way because I realized that I would have had to re-read the whole series to properly enjoy it. so I don't really know if there is any of Mat in there (very frustrating considering how the previous book ended).

I now posse Winter's Heart and will continue to buy any future book of the series but I'll be damned if I will start reading any of them until the last book of the series is published.

Jordan takes about two years to write each book and rumors have it that there are plans for at least 12. I guess I have a long wait...

Posted By: fabian Aug 31, 2001 - 01:35 am

Jordan ..... what a sorry, traumatized, pathetic looser!
I have read 8 of the WOT books, because I think you should finish what you start. But the sheer dullness and Norman Bates-like traumas are so incredibly frustrating, that it is best for my own health to never lay eyes on his books again.

Posted By: Simon Jan 26, 2002 - 12:41 pm

I clearly like Jordan, I think he's got interesting characters and a complex and fascinating wiew of the magic, the "channeling". But of course I agree that he's lost a great deel of his original spirit among with the 7th and 8th books, which he retained a bit in the 9th. For those having the patience of reading this far. But I am still waiting and will be buying the 10th.

Posted By: Netherworld Jan 27, 2002 - 10:08 am

I loved The Eye of the World - despite the weak ending - but found The Great Hunt to be a bit of a drag - for me it just took way too long to get going and there was too much boring info about those raj things and the seat thing, and it just got weird ...I wil try to start it again, because the first book was so good.

I understand the need for background information but I just felt there was too much all in one place.

Posted By: yosho_worshiper Mar 05, 2002 - 10:16 pm

WOT is the best!! I just have one problem. How do i get the books without those flamen advertisements?!! You know, the ones that say "The Nework Times Bestseller" , and a bunch of drivel on the back along with that big glaring bar code surounded by a white box.

Yosho_Worshiper

Skuld: I am not a kid!! Knweee!!

Posted By: sirshaun Oct 12, 2002 - 06:27 pm

I love WOT.

I think it has to be one of the greatest fantasy series ever.

I love long books and details, details, details.

HOwever, I did find the 4th book a bit too long.

Posted By: Kotsumon Dec 14, 2002 - 08:00 pm

Ok, let me just state that while Robert Jordan knows how to write, and i do occasionally enjoy his writing, i cant stand the man. He is a complete man-hater and it makes me sick, there are so many derogatory remarks in his books insulting men coming from all the characters, some of the characters are interesting, but there are so many statements on how men are inferior to women that it makes me want to send a letter bomb to Jordan.

Posted By: ShadowStar Dec 15, 2002 - 10:04 am

The Aes Sedai are feminests, no matter what light you cast on it. Look at the red Sisters. I'm a girl, and frankly, I'm a little annoyed that every female in the series is given that same, stupid attitude! Robert Jordan isn't a man-hater, he just has no idea how girls think. I figure sooner or later the Aes Sedai are going to have to wake up and learn how to share, it's one of the few reasons I keep reading.

Posted By: Shanko9 Jan 21, 2003 - 06:40 am

What about the greens? They can't get enough ...you know. Which is besides the point that Aes Sedai are not all feminists (not feminests, which i would assume to be some sort of nest for a strange bird variety).

The tradition of distrust of men is just a legacy from dogma and tradition, and mostly given to the reds, all though not many of the others would trust them with the power.

Posted By: skitsofrantic dude May 02, 2003 - 09:27 am

hey ppl i just got on this thing great comments on the books most are true. i love his WoT series it is my personal favorite. the only thing is he needs to write faster and hurry the plot along the last few books have drug along when i thought it was over now there is mat having to fall in love, perrin still doing things and for the moment rand has not done anyhting but fakll in love with the 3 girls and need to DO SOMETHING and the new tower needs to take over the old tower offically
i have recently read somewhere that there will only be 12 books so it almost done it will be by the time a graduate i read the first 7 books in a month cus i just fuond them and each after has taken a day or two he is a great author the only series i have read that was this good was the dragon lance series and is much better than tolkin ha