The Eye of the World (The Wheel of Time, Book 1)

Rating:
Summary: The Eye of the World. . . It just MIGHT be worth it. . .
Review: In the Eye of the World, Robert Jordan writes a very good story. I must admit, however, that the story is far better than the four stars that I have given it, yet in all honosty, compared to the second and third book, the only reason that I'd give to read it is so that you wont get hopelessly lost latter on. . . Still. . .it's a good read.

Rating:
Summary: Deeply involving fantasy world, system of magic
Review: "Eye of the World" is an excellent beginning to one of the better epic fantasies I've read. Jordan excels at creating a complex, involving world with a real feeling of history. Contributing more to this distinction than perhaps any other aspect of the world is the highly systematized and endlessly fascinating type of "magic," explored very successfully and at great length throughout the series. Battle scenes are also very well written. Characters are somewhat less compelling, especially later in the series, where they often speak and act according to simplistic gender stereotypes. These books can also be stylistically tedious at times, covering and re-covering the same ground; Jordan displays little metaphorical and descriptive inventiveness. But these faults aren't really apparent in "Eye of the World;" just be prepared to deal with them in the later volumes, because once you read "Eye," you'll probably be hooked for good.

Rating:
Summary: Great book, but it took some time before it got addictive
Review: Well, the book is well written and all that, but I think it took just a little bit too long before I was unable to put it down. So I give it 4 stars instead of 5. Hope the next books are more addictive. I also missed either humor or tension. I've read all of Eddings and alot of Brooks, and they have either humor or tension. Jordan has neither.

Rating:
Summary: An excellent fantasy novel, with charecters that come alive!
Review: The Eye of the World is the first in a whole series that grips you and never lets go. From the first page to the last page, I was rivited to the edge of my seat with daring escapes, and epic battles. The charecters came alive with their own problems and fears.

Rating:
Summary: An okay book
Review: Being the fantasy lover that I am I feel that I need to check out every book under that catagory. this book, while good, is hardly great. It has a good plot and story but lacks the qualaties that I found in a series like Dragonlance. I find that I have truble with a book that requires its own dictonary. A good book but If you want something great, try Dragonlance

Rating:
Summary: !
Review: Three years ago a friend of mine gave me the first book, The Eye of the World. Since then I have ransacked libraries and bookstores, looking for Jordan's writing. I now own all 8 books and have read and reread each volume at least three times. Jordan's book even have bettered my writing. If you have not read this series, you have missed out.

Rating:
Summary: A great first book - Riveting read
Review: Although it starts slowly (I believe this may have dicouraged some readers), the immense depth and detail of Jordans world leaves you wanting more at every page.

Rating:
Summary: Don't judge the Author!
Review: I think this book is the best book I have ever read. Don't compare this book to anything other authors have written. There is no need to think that Jordan is just a rip-off artist of Tolkien. People worship Tolkien too much. Old news. Get into the present and read new books! Tolkien was great in his time, but so was the chariot. New and better things have come along and it is time to recognize Jordan's skill and talent. This book stands alone as an introduction to a GREAT series. I have read the entire series five times and I still understand more every time. This book, and the rest that follow are captivating. I read the entire book in one day. It is that good.

Rating:
Summary: Go on with the series
Review: I bought this book and put it down originally, because of difficulty with the beginning, but forced myself to continue and am glad I am. The characters become like trusted friends. Jordan brings you into his world so that you don't want to leave. I don't like the comparison with Tolkien, as that I don't particularly like tolkien and wasn't impressed when I read it. A very good series, I hope that it won't end in recent days.

Rating:
Summary: A fantastic first book, but . . .
Review: This first installment in Jordan's Wheel of Time series richly deserved the praise it has received. Jordan's world-building is staggering in concept and in execution. The characters were intriguing, and the concept of a magical power safely accessible only by women was a novel one that I enjoyed. That being said, there were a few minor problems with this book that, unfortunately, became more magnified in later installments. First, the primary activity of the female characters seemed to be berating men. The constant references to men acting like children, and the apparent willingness of the men to accept this treatment, was annoying. Second, however good Jordan is at creating an exciting story, his ability to pen a believable romance is abysmal. The most interesting male character, Lan, is the rightful king of a lost realm that has been swallowed by the Shadow. He exudes dignity, nobility, and maturity. For some ungodly reason, he falls in love with Nynaeve, the incredibly annoying and immature "Wisdom" of the village from which most of the characters hail. While Nynaeve's fascination with Lan is certainly believable, Lan's attraction to Nynaeve cannot be explained. It actually made me lose respect for his character. Third, the false climax. Without giving away a spoiler, let's just say that I got to a point in this book where I thought "The good guys won", and then found out that they really hadn't. This problem gets much worse in later books. Why 5 stars? The story is so good that it still rises above the rest of the dreck saturating the market. Later installments, however . . .