Rating: 
Summary: The first six books represent my favorite all time series.
Review: Robert Jordan's talent for telling an entertaining story is unsurpassed. After reading the current eight books in the Wheel of Time series, the first six have no equal. After the sixth book, though, too many sub-plots are developed in the seventh and eighth books, and the series becomes harder to follow. The necessary review of earlier material takes away from the pure enjoyment of reading, because the reader cannot always remember which chapter of which book contains the desired information that needs to be reviewed. Otherwise, the series is an excellent read for a lazy afternoon. The characters come alive with personalities that are not only believable, but that are also dependable. Nynaeve is full of surprises; Rand remains unpredictable; Mat always does what he thinks is right. And even though Robert Jordan occasionally gives extensive detail that borders upon dry reading, such background detail helps the reader to better picture the characters, lands, and events. Then, just when the reader thinks he has figured out what will happen next, Robert Jordan springs yet another surprise (or two). I can hardly wait for the next book or two.
Rating:
Summary: Amazing!
Review: When i first read this book, I was somewhat recalcitrant given some of the criticism levied at the Wheel of Time. However, as I got into it, I realized how enjoyable it was. My favorite characters include Perrin, Loial, and Egwene. Jordan has done as much work as Tolkein, Martin, and Brooks in creating a truly fascinating world. For those who do not know, Red Eagle Entertainment has purchased the rights to make this book into a movie. While I do not doubt that it will be fascinating, I wonder how they're going to convert a book this big into a movie.
Rating: 
Summary: Gave It 2 Chances, but Never Again
Review: Jordan, like many other writers, has created yet another epic fantasy that falls far short of greatness. The conceptual ideas and mythos are intriguing and initially piqued my interest. Jordan promises a lot, beginning the story with a visionary description of the way time moves, like a wheel, "memories...become legend. Legend fades to myth, and...myth is long forgotten when the Age that gave it birth comes again." Whatever hope the reader has for what follows is quickly dispelled.The underlying problem in this book is its characters. The Aes Sedai (something of a sorceress) and her trusty henchman serve not as characters, but as a device. Certainly one can ascribe characteristics to Moiraine (snobbish, proud, etc.) but really she serves only as a fountain of facts. And then she gives this information haltingly, revealing only bit by bit what the other characters might have liked to know long ago. The Aes Sedai explains complainingly: "You all want explanations, but if I explained my every action to you, I would have no time for anything else." While that may serve Jordan's purposes, not wanting to reveal too much too quickly to the reader, it doesn't seem very believable and can be outright annoying. Other reviews have already pointed out that almost none of the female characters seem to hold the men (or "wool-headed witlings" as they're called) in any high regard, but the men themselves stand in such awe of the women that they sound like 13-year-old boys on their first day of school experiencing the shock of realizing that all the girls have grown up over summer break. I guess that's okay, but it's so often mentioned or alluded to that it becomes repetitive. This ragtag group of country bumpkins and their haughty help garrishly clashes. In short, over three hundred pages into the book and I was still looking for a believable character. The villains seem to want to inspire fear, but the trollocs sounded too much like mindless Sasquatch freaks, the Myrddraal like a cheap imitation of Tolkein's ringwraiths, and the other 'badies' like contrived attempts to keep it all action-packed and ominous. Moraine growing Gulliver-size to intimidate a few religious fanatics was bad enough, but when the evil Mordeth uses the same trick in Shadar Logoth I had to laugh. Less is more. Subtlety always works better than fireworks. Two attempts and 330 pages later I, sadly disappointed, put down this book. The tragedy is that something seemingly so promising ultimately lets the reader down.
Rating: 
Summary: read this review!!!!
Review: first of all let me say that overall the wheel of time series is a series u dont want to pass by. the books are for the most part well written however i have some things i need to say about it.first of all jordan can be very frustrating at times. the way he develops the male and female characters is just irritating. to clarify, all women think men are "wool headed fools" and they voice this very often. the men are the perfect steriotype of either heroes or reluctant heroes. Also most women are extremely beautiful and for some reason have "big eyes".second thing, nynaeve al' meara. most readers agree this character just irritates them. you will understand what i mean soon enough.third of all, jordan like many other authors, often seems unable to wrap up a story. as a result some may find his books drawn out and at times boring. now on to the good stuff. the plot is fantastic. it is intricate and will keep you turning the pages. many of the characters, though they are at times predictable will warm your heart. the battles are epic and real page turners. Throughout the series you will follow the characters including three "ta'veren", Rand, Mat and Perrin, as well as Egwene, Elayne and Nynaeve (to name a few). if you can make it pass some annoying character quirks and some unnecessary material you will revere this series.
Though i did not go at all deep into character development or plot, this review will give you a very good general idea of what to expect from the series. Happy reading!
Rating:
Summary: Great, not Perfect.
Review: Wheel of Time is a series that I consider well-worth what I payed for them. Eye of the World is the first and I finished it in a day. The world evolves from the eys of Rand Al' Thor, a country-bred sheepherder and the world is thankfully not one of the poorly undeveloped ones that seem so popular these days. It's a vivid place and though most people seemed to find it monotonous, I've always loved just reading about other worlds in fantasy books. My main attraction to this book was it's close attention to detail and character development. Not all conversations are necessary for the plot or plot-driven, Jordan's content with showing some of everyday life. Even the minor characters have their own personalities. Another bright point with the characters over the course of the books is that their views constantly change as they're exposed to new things. As well as those, Jordan combined the two common aspects of fantasy which is questing and more political battles. My main dislike in the series is that Jordan seems to attached to his characters, they've all begun to seem immortal. But onto what the book was about: Rand Al' Thor and hs closest friends are forced to flee from their home town of Emond's Field after it's raided by trollocs. Assisted by one of the manipulative Aes Sedai, they travel towards Tar Valon to discover why the trollocs seeked to end Rand Al' Thor. In retrospect I would have to say that Eye of the World is sort of a massive prologue for the Wheel of Time, an opening to Jordan's world. Note to the Curious: This series is nothing like his Conan or Fallon series, they're completely different from eachother so don't condemn Jordan for those.
Rating:
Summary: The Wheel of Time Turns¿
Review: The wheel of time turns, and ages come and pass, leaving memories that become legend. Legend fades to myth, and even myth is long forgotten when the Age that gave it birth comes again. From the moment I read that line written by Robert Jordan, I knew this was going to be something special. I admit I am very new to Robert Jordan's Wheel of time series. But it is not hard to get lost in Jordan's world within the first few pages. I started Eye of the World in August 2003 and have not stopped yet (except for a small break with Stephen King's release of the Dark Tower V). It was at the time I recently picked up book nine of Jordan's masterpiece, I decided, after reading countless of poor reviews, it was time to share my most memorable moments and of course the low points of the series. Eye of the World is hands down the best book of the series. Like Fellowship of the Ring is to Tolkien or The Gunslinger is to King, this is where all the magic begins. Jordan is brilliant when it comes to revealing his vast world to the reader a little at a time. As if transported into this realm as a stranger, you begin to feel like going out and exploring the vastness of this new world. Nothing is left to the imagination as Jordan's descriptions weave stunning color and overwhelming detail to this beautiful complex land. The greatest part of a good epic fantasy series is to have a great coming of age story. In this story we get to see several characters grow as they are ripped away from the small village they have always known and thrown into a world full of adventure. The three main characters are Rand Al'Thor, Matrim Cauthon and Perrin Aybara. These three are the ones you really fall in love with. Jordan's cast of characters is immense and it continues to grow as each new volume is added to the saga. The characters, like the highly detailed world, are all complex and different in their own special way. Most of the characters are very enjoyable and as always the selected few you love to hate. A lot of things happen in Eye of the World. As compared to later books in this series, for just under 800 pages long, this one moves at a quick pace with an exciting climax that leaves you ready to jump to the next book. The story grabs you right away as the three main characters and their friends are driven out of their village and find out that their lives play an important role in saving the world. Eye of the World is a great read and an excellent start to a saga that is destined to be remembered as a classic.
Rating:
Summary: Very good fantasy and well worth a read
Review: I am a fan of fantasy, and finally decided to pick up the first in this series. As of yet, Eye of the World is all I have read. I was hooked very quickly and found the characters to be believable and well-developed gradually. Like most epic fantasy, it does take a few chapters to become familiar with the world, but Jordan does a good job of making the map referencing and mental note taking worth while. Characters are not always predictable (though some are) and you will find some pleasant shifts throughout. Writing is descriptive and eloquent, with just the right amount of prose. There are no sick twists that will turn off parents or the weak of heart, but it is serious fantasy. By the end, I wished I had also purchased the next installment. I will certainly now purchase the sequel and hope that the story continues to develop nicely.
Rating:
Summary: Memorable.
Review: I remember this book had me on my heels all night long and longer. Beautiful and vividly created worlds and magical things endlessly filled me with hungry awe. The struggle of the main characters so excitingingly formidable. After finishing this book, I knew I wouldn't be able to stop from reading more. An extraodinary, breathtaking long adventure.
Rating:
Summary: One of the best books I have ever read
Review: When I first picked up the Eye of the World it had been sitting on my bookshelf, untouched, for almost a year. A friend had recommended it to me, but, when I recieved it as a Christmas present, I noticed its length and decided that I would pick it up some other time. When I finally got around to it, I found it was amazing. The Eye of the World is the kind of book that you plan on reading for 30 minutes, but end up putting it down 4 hours later. A well written saga about a young farm boy and two of his friends who find out they are ta'veren, or people who are destined to be important somehow. They are all sought after by good and evil, causing them to leave their village after the Dark Lord attacks their home. Their story unfolds as they travel across the land, knowing that one of them is the fabled Dragon Reborn, the man destined to save not just the world, but the Wheel of Time itself, from the Dark One. I highly recommend this to anybody that enjoys fantasy or science fiction. And also, when you finish it, read the next one, another awesome tale.
Rating:
Summary: Finally!!!!! Don't think, just buy!
Review: I've been waiting for this book to be released on unabridged audio cd for years, and it was worth the wait. I've read the novel many times, and this recording lives up to the high expectations that the book requires. The readers are WONDERFUL, and I'm glad that they've used the same readers for this audiobook as the other "Wheel of Time" audiobooks. It really drives home the fact the you're hearing the "Wheel of Time" when you hear the readers' voices. WONDERFUL! I especailly love how the "female" POV's of the book are read by a woman, and the "male" by a man. It just enhances the quality. Plus they do voice changes, accents, and inflections for different characters. WONDERFUL! I mostly listen in the car (I commute and drive a lot) and these cds are so wonderful that I go for drives just to listen to more! And it's not like any of it is new to me, but I still enjoy it! I guess to sum it up, I LOVE (and have read many times) ALL of Jordan's "Wheel of Time" books, own all the unabridged audio cds, and I can't get enough. For me, there is NO better fantasy series. P.S. If the size of the book has ever been a deterrent, then try this! Pop a cd in and soon you'll be hooked! This is the first book of the series, by definition the best & only place to start.
|
