Wheel of Time Discussion Thread

I didn't see any threads dedicated to The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan so I thought I would start one. I am currently on my second read through of the books (The Lord of Chaos) and would love to discuss theories and thoughts about the books with other fans of the series on CAG. I thought I would post links of some cool WoT sites as well as information about the series and the final book coming in 2013.

A Memory of Light, the 14th and final book of The Wheel of Time series, is coming out in January 8, 2013.

Here is a transcript from the beginning of Chapter 1 as well as a link to Sanderson's reading at ComicCon 2012-

Link

Here is the Prologue, Part 1 from A Memory of Light-

Link

Here's BrandSanderson reading the opening of A Memory of Light at LibertyCon 25 http://t.co/Rg2e5vPg

Here are a few site dedicated to The Wheel of Time:

Dragonmount

Wheel of Time Wiki

Tar Valon

TV Tropes- Wheel of Time

Honestly - I really want to know is it actually going to end here? Or will there be another "last entry."

I enjoy them. Sad about Jordan though. I figure the same thing will happen to Martin before he finishes ASOIAF.

I think it will be the end of this part of the series, but as I am reading The Lord of Chaos, Sammael says that Ishamael told him that Lews Therin is the Creator's surrogate in the fight against the Dark One. His quote is "Al'Thor was not Lews Therin, but Al'Thor was Lews Therin's soul reborn, as Lews Therin himself had been the rebirth of that soul." It also says that "this struggle had gone on since the Creation, an endless war between the Great Lord and the Creator using surrogates." He goes on to say that "the Great Lord would almost as soon have turned Lews Therin to the Shadow as have broken free."

With all of that, there totally could be more stories about the battle between the Creator and the Dark One or even about the 2nd Age or the Age of Legends about the life of Lews Therin and the other forsaken before they turned to the Shadow.

I think that this will be the end of the 3rd Age and there could be a new Breaking, but the Age will definitely end. I am not sure if Harriet (Jordan's wife & editor) will allow Sanderson to keep writing or allow another writer to pick up where the last book ends. It would definitely be interesting.

I hope Sanderson starts to focus his writing on his own series, The Stormlight Archive. I really enjoyed A Way of Kings.

I got up to book 6, maybe book 7 of this and then stopped. Been slightly tempted to pick up the books again where Sanderson started, but I've moved on and realized I can live without it.

I started reading these in my early teens and gave up in my mid-twenties. The whole thing fell apart for me when Rand started having his fits around book 5.

[quote name='nasum']I started reading these in my early teens and gave up in my mid-twenties. The whole thing fell apart for me when Rand started having his fits around book 5.[/QUOTE]

He gets better by book 13, lol. It's funny to hear that people are having trouble getting through the books. On one of the WoT forums that I am on, people said they had the same trouble with The Sword of Truth series. I really liked those books too, but not as much as WoT.

Can't wait for the finale, and I really hope the series doesn't continue. I think there has been enough.

I am also not sure the next time I will pick up a long series since this and GRRM's Fire & Ice / Game of Thrones have just gone on for so long that I find that I forget 1/2 of what happens.

I originally picked up the WoT randomly from the B&N when I needed something to read at work when I was 15 during summer break (2002ish). Got the next two books and thought that was going to be it (Dragon Reborn seemed like it was going to be a finale book). I guess I was wrong on that one by a little.

Tor Books has just released Chapter 1 on their web site. I bought the prologue and it was great. I am hoping that they will release A Memory of Light early instead of waiting till Jan. 8, 2013. I would have thought that Christmas would be a great time to release a book.

Here is the link:

A Memory of Light- Chapter One

You can also buy the prologue from Dragonmount for $2.99 (it is DRM-Free and comes in either .epub, .mobi or .prc):

A Memory of Light Prologue

I liked the first book. I read the 2nd and the third. The fourth I stopped about halfway through. It's like in all of the 800 pages, only about 200-300 of those actual stuff happens. The books moved way too slow, and having each character re-introduced the same way for the 3rd or 4th time was really annoying as well. I couldn't even think of reading up to the 9th (at the time of my reading).


[quote name='nasum']I started reading these in my early teens and gave up in my mid-twenties. The whole thing fell apart for me when Rand started having his fits around book 5.[/QUOTE]

This too. The main character could be such a prick sometimes. I can't remember her name but that girl that's been traveling with him for at the point where I just about stopped years now and he still doesn't trust her. He still thinks she is using him even though she's risked her life multiple times to save him. He was just too selfish and annoying.

I gave up on them, which was not an easy decision because I really loved the first four or five. The first was good. The second was clunky, but showed potential. And the next few were pure gold, with a vibrant world and dynamic characters and lots of incredible stuff happening.

And then the pace slowed and nothing would happen for hundreds of pages. I detested the endless Mat marches, Egwene at camp doing nothing, and characters going through the motions looking for the newest McGuffin. Bowl of the Winds, was it? I had resisted the criticisms that it was padded or he was writing his retirement, but it really did seem bloated and aimless and no longer even interesting to me. With some books, the more time you spend with the characters, the more you love them or love to hate them. Here, I found how much they grated on me, and a seemingly endless supply of 'more' is not necessarily better.

After the stunt with Mat, where the book ended on a cliffhanger and the next gargantuan book didn't even bother to check in on him, I hung up my hat. I don't even like Mat, but that was ridiculous. It crystallized in my mind that it was no longer about the character or the story or, for that matter, the readers.

I was actually just about to order the first book on ebay so it's funny that I should come across this thread. I'm a big fan of LOTR, so would I probably love these books?

[quote name='Eagle3ye']I was actually just about to order the first book on ebay so it's funny that I should come across this thread. I'm a big fan of LOTR, so would I probably love these books?[/QUOTE]

What did you love about LOTR?

In terms of imagination, world building, and realization of a fantasy environment, I think Wheel of Time is amazing. The first book will have a lot of things that feel familiar, and yet there are fresh, inventive spins on them. The characters are compelling and the pace is good. It's a worthy successor to LOTR, at least for awhile.

I can't in good conscience recommend starting it if you're a completionist. If you can let go if it gets too boring for you and be okay with that, then you'll be fine. If I had stopped after The Shadow Rising (aka Book 4), I would have left on a real high point and would have nothing but fond memories. Continue past that point (or whatever your breaking point is) at your own peril.

21 more days till the final book and I can't wait. I am so stoked to read it. Just finished Towers of Midnight and I am reading A New Spring right now. Reading the Prologue and Chapters 1 then listening to Chapter 2 has me biting my nails in anticipation. AMoL can't come soon enough. It is sad to think that Jordan never got to see his masterpiece finished.

Nine more days till A Memory of Light! I can't wait. I think I am going to take the day off work to read it without interruption.

Can't wait for the finale, and I really hope the series doesn't continue.

I stopped around the 6th book. Tempted to pick up Memory of Light, just to see how it ends. Supposedly with Sanderson writing the pace has picked up.