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The Eye of the World : Book One of 'The Wheel of Time'

The Eye of the World : Book One of 'The Wheel of Time'

List Price: $59.95
Your Price: $37.77
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Good but not great!
Review: First off I should say this book did capture my interest (after the 4th chapter though)and that the writing is pretty well done. However, I found a serious lack of realism throughout the story in that a) noone dies except the bad guys b)the good guys escape the dark ones minions constantly and c)the ending of the book takes on a dreamlike quality that just isn't believeable. For example when Rand and Matt are in a tavern room they become surrounded by dark ones with literally no way out. The author solves this problem by allowing a lightning bolt to strike the building thus killing/injuring the dark ones and allowing Rand and Matt a save exit. One example of many. As I neared the end of the book it became apparent that a nicely wrapped ending was in store since 9/10 of the book was finished and no resolution had occured. What followed was a dreamlike sequence that leaves the reader confused as to what exactly happened. Now I feel like I need to read the next book to explain the ending of this one. Maybe that was the authors intent. Personally I enjoyed Raymond Feist's Riftwar series more and found the characters more compelling.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: There is so denying it!
Review: I don't think anyone can deny that we hardly know any more in the end of this book than we did in the beginning. I'm sorry all you Jordan fans, but this is not even close to being the best fantasy ever written. I admit that the characters are well described (THAT DOES NOT MEAN WELL DEVELOPPED!), but the plot didn't exist. The people who recommended this book to me told me that the plot was so intricate that it was hard to follow. Let's get one thing straight: a plot is not intricate if nothing actually happens. If you think that the plot is intricate just because the company gets seperated and travel in different groups for a couple hundred pages, then you are more lemming-like than I thought!

I just don't understand how an Author could write 800 or more pages in which nothing significant actually happens.

I cannot recommend this book, it was a disapointment, but I can however recommend anothe book by another author. The Elfstones of Shannara is probably the best book I have ever read, and I garantee that you will not be disappointed if you decide to accept my recommendation.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: I like to be different
Review: Yes, I'm one of the few who disliked this book. I read it a few years ago but stopped just short of finishing it, all the way to page five-hundred and sixty seven. Yep, I had invested that much but could not take it anymore. Recently I tried it again after coming across some more rave reviews, maybe it was me? Did I possibly miss something in this classic? No, I didn't. Jordan's monstrously descriptive writing style was spirit crushing. I knew more about a pair boots than I did about the character who wore them. I'm not saying he's bad at describing inanimate objects, actually he's quite vivid. But ugh it's gets old after 567 pages of it. I guess the positive reviewers here are okay with it. I can't comment on the story because I don't remember what happened. That's because noting did happen. Contrast that with books I read ten years ago that I still remember some details. Also I agree with some others, I recall how the female characters came off as shallow stereotypes. Some will laugh at this comparison, but the first chapters of The Sword of Shannara by Terry Brooks and The Eye are strikingly similar in content. Both have a character/s walking through an ominously silent and chilly woods. In both a hooded and mysteriously cloaked stranger appear on the trail (among other similarities). Here's the difference though. In Brooks book, we find out who the brooding figure is in the FIRST chapter, and it's exciting. I'm not sure, but in Jordans book you probably don't find out who it was until book FIVE. If I'm mistaken, I don't care, this book stunk in plain English. That's plain English, something Robert Jordan doesn't know about.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Let's not get carried away...
Review: This is NOT the best fantasy every written. I read this book a few years ago. It did not change my life. Well, I did find it interesting and fairly enjoyable. I applaud Jordan for his immense imagination. His descriptive powers are acute and powerful. But, this is not original fantasy here, folks. His themes and ideas have been used as the basis for fantasy since "The Worm Ouroboros" by E.R. Eddison appeared in 1926, which became the "recipe book" of most modern fantasy, including Tolkien. And that re-use of ideas is just fine. Themes and ideas are commonly shared by writers, and should be. After all, they generally are the themes and ideas humans are interested in. Hence, why we read novels. I'm sick of hearing that this writer stole Jordan's ideas and that writer is copying Jordan. Many years ago, the same statements were being made, except you substituted Tolkien's name for Jordan's (as in, "jeez, this guy ripped off Tolkien.") As the saying goes, "There is nothing new under the sun." What were the problems with this novel? The characters were all the same, at least, to me. I couldn't tell them apart, nor could I relate to them- though that is truly a personnal thing, I know people who did relate. The story was incredibly padded...I think the editor must have nodded off and forgot to mark a few hundred pages as redundant. The story moved slow, plodding through hundreds of needless pages of exposition. I thought, perhaps, this being the first in a series, that Jordan was concerned about his new creation and wanted to ensure people would get a good "look" at his world. Well, I read the next book, too. "The Great Hunt" was exactly the same- almost the same book. After reading 2000 pages of this series, i had enough. I went on to other interesting novels. One day, I may read a few more books from the series. For people wary of committing to such a long book, or series of books, let me make some suggestions: LeGuin's "Earthsea" trilogy, Moorcock's "Elric" series, Donaldson's "Thomas Covenant" series. These novels are all great works, explore oft neglected themes and are all very rewarding (and, specifically, are paced much better- read "can't be used as doorstops.") Jordan's books ARE noteworthy, but they are no more rewarding, inventive, or meaningful than many other fantasy novelists' works.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: All I can say is WOW! 6 STARS!
Review: Oh, so I can say little bit more I guess! Robert Jordan is the best fantasy writer, since J.R.R Tolkien! There is no denying it! This book has the best plot, which continues throughout the series, the characters are very interesting, and you want to get to know them even more, it has humour, action, adventure and romance! This book was a dream come true for me!

The plot is that there is a village called Emonds Field in the two rivers, where three boys called Rand, Mat and Perrin live! The village is attacked by trollocs, and Moiranine, an Aes Sedai(female wizard), comes and tells the boys that the trollocs and the Dark One is looking for them and that they must come with her. They are pursued through the countryside, by the Dark On's followers, and later the Whitecloaks! The plot just flys through the book, always keeping you hooked, and always bringing new surprises! The end is wonderful, bringing you a battle between Rand and Shai'tan, the Dark One, where Rand makes a stunning discovery about himself! Congratulations Mr. Jordan, you are brilliant!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Wow
Review: This book just kept me reading and reading. The story is brilliant..Try i

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: What a read!
Review: This book pulled me in right at the beginning and kept me on the edge of my seat all the way through the next book, and I'm STILL on the edge of my seat, and will be until the next book arrives. I highly recommend it to any lover of fantasy, or any lover of any literature. The 800 pages go by so fast you'll hardly know it was 800 pages. One of my favorite books.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Eye of the World
Review: The Eye of the World, by Robert Jordan, is a good fantasy adventure novel exploring the complexities of a brand new universe and combining it with all the familiarities of this one. He delves deep into the areas of the male/female rivalry and good/evil rivalry. The character development that takes place in the book is almost as good as the character growth Jordan puts them through before our eyes. The plot is truly rich in detail and screams for branch novels to be written. The novel lends itself to the imagination very readily and paints pictures that aren't soon to be forgotten.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Robert Jordan's THe Eye of the world
Review: When RAnd Al'Thor leaves his small out-of-the-way village, he has no idea haw great he is to become. He grew up as a sheephearder and never believed in the Trollocs that ravaged his and two other farms. When a mysterious Aes Sedi leads him to beilieve that the Trollocs were after him, he and his two friends travel as far away from his village as possible. But there are other surprises along the way. Robert Jordan has made his fictonal world come alive for readers old and young and cane make the oddest of circumstances feel as if they were happening.The characters are superbly made and their personalities are realistic.The whole world is not solely filled with mutants and strange people (though there is an abundance of them) but exiting and interesting cultures waiting to be explored.This is and extraordinary book and I reccomend it to anyone who likes science fiction or just a good read.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Impressed
Review: I heard about the Wheel of Time series from a friend. Since we are interested in the same type of reading material, I usually have pointed him out towards some of my favorites (ie, Tolkien, Redwall). However, this time he returned the favor. Using a amazon gift card, I bought Eye of the World. And, boy was I impressed! It exceeded my expectations a hundred fold. Not only did Jordan maintain the atmosphere of suspensful, mysterious grandeur that any really good fantasy book should contain, but he also created a unique world, with its own history, religion, and customs. Although Tolkien's influence is obvious in some places, personally, I don't consider that a bad thing! Take heart, fantasy readers, and readers of any kind. "Eye of the World" will fulfill your wildest expectations and leave you coming back for more.


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