Rating: Summary: Outstanding Review: This is the beginning of the Wheel of Time series. I must say, its one of the best fantasy series' i've ever read! My review title says it all.
Rating: Summary: Man, I liked this book. Review: I thought this book was a great adventure. The pacing was quick. The descriptions were vivid. And I liked how many things seemed familiar and strange at the same time. I enjoyed it when Robert Jordon hinted at the meaning of things in the beginning, like Aes Sedai, only to reveal more later. I think the characters are nicely developed: some change over the course of this book; others are more fully disclosed.I liked that this book wasn't simply good vs. evil. I felt the struggle was more complex. The forces of good and evil seem to have more in common with each other than the forces in between. The book also has a huge background story with it's own mythology. The setting is detailed, and the societies are distinct. I liked this book better than the Fellowship of the Rings.
Rating: Summary: Not the best, but certainly worth reading. Review: A fantasy epic based in a fully realized world, it has at times been compared to J.R.R. Tolkien's "Lord of the Ring" saga. Though he has also been accused of taking too much from Tolkien's work for his own purposes, it still seems clear that Robert Jordan is working out a master plan of his own design (no matter what he is borrowing from). At times it seems as if the reader is looking into a fantasy soap opera. It is easy to become quickly wrapped up in the story with his descriptive writing style. The reader will find themselves wanting more at the end of the book, keeping them in suspense until the next book comes out.
Rating: Summary: A titan among fantasy authors Review: I think this book is a prime example of Robert Jordan's expertice in writing. I am impressed by the amount of charcter development that is present in just this first book. His settings are very real to the reader. Each country has it's own customs, styles of dress and accents. The detail that is used to describe everything from the characters to the twists of the plot has the right level of detail, enough without being boring. He builds the complexity of the story piece by piece, and never overwhelms the reader with information. It starts with two characters, a father and son, and is constantly building. Over all I am very impressed with his writing.
Rating: Summary: Perfect chance for a cheap start with a terrific series Review: This is the first book of the still growing 'Wheel of Time' series (book 8 is out and the end is still not in sight). And what a series! I was 'forced' to start in it because a Finnish bookstore only had this book in store in its English department. Two weeks later (back from Finland) I bought all 7 additional volumes and I'm working my way through them as fast as my sparce free time allows. The story is about a farmer boy destined to be king of the known world. Often against their will, he and his companions discover their powers and their destiny. Sure, that sounds a lot like other fantasy but Jordan has written so much detail, humor and intricate story line in his books that you almost see the characters around you (I at least dreamt of them). You must be willing to keep track of complex story lines (more than five can be intertwined at any given time), and accept that, as in real live, characters are not necessarily just 'bad' or 'good'. It makes the stories all to more real in my opinion. You have to read the books in sequential order, so this is a good chance at a cheap start with book one.
Rating: Summary: Eye of The World Review: The stuff that new worlds are made of! Rich with detail, Jordan painted an adventure that kept me reading straight through the book!
Rating: Summary: Eye of the World Review: This is the beginning of one of the best science-fiction/fantasy series I have ever read. Robert Jordan has a gift for writing.
Rating: Summary: A start of better things to come. Review: Let's face it. Eye of the World, despite its several shortcomings, is still an intriguing and enjoyable read. I do agree that it has some similarities to Tolkien, but these are seen only in the first book and later Jordon begins to spin his own world, which, to me, is far more intricate, complex, and original. For those who complain about his annoying or frustrating characers, LIVE WITH IT. It's part of his writing style and the rest of the book more than makes up it. For those who claim the book moves slowly and he is far too long-winded, switch to Harry Potter. His details and imagery create a world which is far more real than any other I have encountered in my reading. Also, for those of you who don't pay attention, many important and explanatory things happen in those middle pages, so maybe that's why you have become lost and don't understand why others like the series. Even more, the slow buildup which takes place throughout the book is what allows for such exciting endings. On another note, I disagree strongly with the vast majority of you who think that starting around book four or five the series takes a turn for the worse. After book three, Jordon begins developing the story to give it more depth. Each book, he introduces new characters and concepts, as well as resolving old issues. This development makes the books seem dull and fading to the less attentive, but they still have the same rich detail and plots as before. In short, I am a true fan of the series and have no complaints about it. Anybody who takes the time to really read the books and doesn't get scared away by length will realize how good the series is. As long as Jordan keeps writing them, I'll keep reading them.
Rating: Summary: A wonderful, widespanning exciting read Review: This is the first in an ongoing series (currently eight)called the Wheel of Time series. The Eye of the World introduces to us the main characters and plots, no mean feat for such a wide-spanning series. Don't be discouraged by the fact that this is only the first part, its quite self-contained in its story arc, and therefore quite satisfying as a book. If, like many you do find yourself yearning for more,the Eye of the World is a great introduction in to the mythical landscape of Robert Jordan's imagination. The author mentioned in an interview long ago (in other words I don't remember where I read it but it is available on the Web somewhere!) that he got the idea for the Wheel of Time when he contemplated what it would be like to be told that you were mankind's saviour. This idea overshadows the whole series as the main character, Rand al'Thor, struggles to unite mankind against the forces of Shai'tan, the Dark One, before he breaks free from his prison at Shayol Gul. According to prophecy, the most feared and hated man in history, a man named Lews Therin Telamon, known as the Dragon, will be reborn to fight the Dark One and shed his own blood for the world in the Final Battle. To his horror, and the horror of his friends, Rand finds out that he, an 18 year old shepherd, is in fact the Dragon Reborn. The Eye of the World traces Rand's slow discovery of his true nature in an un-putdownable manner. Rand and his friends Mat, a chancer, and Perrin, the dependable one, find themselves forced to flee their village in the middle of the night with a woman they cannot trust. She is Moiraine, an Aes Sedai, that is, one trained to touch the True Source of the One Power. Ordinary people fear Aes Sedai, not only for their awesome power, but for their reputation for manipulation. Only women can now touch the True Source safely as, three thousand years ago when the Dark One first broke free, the male half of the taint was contaminated by the evil of the Dark One as he struck back at the male Aes Sedai, led by the Dragon, who were trying to re-imprison him. This taint led to madness for the male Aes Sedai, and their powers ran amok, destroying the world. As the Dragon, Lews Therin Telamon, was responsible for leading the men against the Dark One, he was blamed for the destruction of the world. Worse, in his own madness, he destroyed those he loved, and was named Lews Therin Kinslayer. And so this is the legacy that the reincarnation of Lews Therin, Rand al'Thor, must inherit and deal with as he can. In the Eye of the World, he is a young lad running from the minions of the Dark One, who is chasing him and his two male companions. Robert Jordan creates a terrifying, exciting world in the Wheel of Time, avoiding the bombastic tendencies of most fantasy writers, and writes with wry humour and affectionate observations of the relationships between men and women. Highly recommended to all readers of all genders.
Rating: Summary: Addictive! Review: Jordan's "Eye of the World" is simply phenominal. The story is grand and epic, and filled with so much excitement and intrigue that I find myself reading it over and over to pick up every nuance. The plot is fantastic, but Jordan's best assets are his characters. I've never read a book where the characters were as richly developed as these! Eye of the World, and the rest of the Wheel of Time series is the BEST fantasy ever written.
|