Home :: Books :: Teens  

Arts & Photography
Audio CDs
Audiocassettes
Biographies & Memoirs
Business & Investing
Children's Books
Christianity
Comics & Graphic Novels
Computers & Internet
Cooking, Food & Wine
Entertainment
Gay & Lesbian
Health, Mind & Body
History
Home & Garden
Horror
Literature & Fiction
Mystery & Thrillers
Nonfiction
Outdoors & Nature
Parenting & Families
Professional & Technical
Reference
Religion & Spirituality
Romance
Science
Science Fiction & Fantasy
Sports
Teens

Travel
Women's Fiction
The Eye of the World (The Wheel of Time, Book 1)

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

List Price: $15.30
Your Price: $10.40
Product Info Reviews

<< 1 .. 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 .. 141 >>

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: THE BEST BOOKS EVER PUBLISHED
Review: Good reading to all the viewers. My name is ... from israel so you will have to excuse any spelling mistakes.
If you are reading this preview i must assume that you are thinking, or may have even bought this book. I have but one advice for you:
DO NOT STOP THERE!!!

The wheel of time are the best books ever written. I have read them 5 times already, and i am reading them now for the 6th time, i just can not stop!

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Fun fantasy read
Review: Its been a long time since I've have read this book, but it started me on the WoT never ending series. I feel that it was a fun read and explained just enough of the series plot to make me want to read the next book in the series. This first book was about a group of friends that leave home for the first time to escape danger and to embark on a journey that will change their lives forever. The series will tell each character's story in vivid detail. I have read all of his books published up to date; and I will admit I've read better. Some of his books in the middle get a little dull and it becomes obvious that he is drawing it out to make more money. If you can't stand authors that draw out a plot over way too many books, then do not even start this series. But if you like lots of detail and side stories in a book, then this is the book/series for you. If you are looking for a good fantasy story series with less books, try Terry Brooks Magic Kingdom Series.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: I Wanted to See What the Fuss Was About
Review: I have been reading fantasy novels since 1976. By 1986 I had read much of what was still in print - even Robert Jordan's Conan books up to that date. I then stopped reading fantasy for awhile (due to school and other things). Now, I have recently begun reading fantasy once again and several friends recommended that I read Jordan's "Wheel of Time" series. Having read many of the reviews here at Amazon for "The Eye of the World" and other works in this series, I decided I needed to see what all the 'fuss' was about these books.

I just finished "The Eye of the World" and must say that I was very impressed. It was slow at first, difficult to 'get into' the intricate detail and plot that Jordan was weaving (I must admit that I almost quit reading several times due to all the detail, etc), but once I got adjusted and settled into the storyline and characters, the book just took off.

Jordan, at least in this volume (I am about to start vol. 2 and read on) has really put together a complicated story with characters that have substance. This work is much different than some of the hackneyed garbage I have read in this genre in the past. I can see that this work has an intricate history already worked out, a history that is revealed piece by piece as one reads through this volume. Moreover, Jordan has taken the time to develop personalities to his characters. Often times I will pick up a fantasy story and the characters seem to be there merely to fill page space. This is not the case in this work.

Also, Jordan is careful in the way he tells his story using foreshadow and other grammatical tools to his advantage in order to help the reader not only anticipate what is about to occur in the storyline, but to also throw the reader off so not to be too predictable. This is hard to do, especially in a genre where so much has been written that all the books begin to read like Tolkien, or each other (i.e. the same hackneyed garbage).

This first volume was a grand story and has me impatient to begin the second volume. If you are patient and willing to work your way through this story and then let it take hold of your imagination (once you get the detail straight), it makes for a great and entertaining read!

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: An unoriginal yet satisfying read
Review: For those readers starting into the fantasy genre, this is a great book. If you are in junior high, this book would be considered "deep". However, for those past the age of twenty and have experienced other authors work will soon realize that the Young-boy-from-a-small-village-who-dreams-of-adventure-but-is-too-practical-to-leave-until-a-stranger(s)-comes-to-town-and-something-happens-forcing-him-to-leave-with-a-few-friends-and-he-may-or-may-not-be-the-lost-heir-or-savior-or-a-weidler-of-an-ancient-but-lost-power has been approached much more effectively by Terry Brooks and Terry Goodkind. The characters are interesting, but they don't grow. After 700+ pages, reading about the near misses and overwhelming dangers pursuing our heroes, you would figure that the wisecrack of the group would learn to shut his mouth. The author, however, is able to keep the story moving and the reader interested. Jordan is also good at throwing the reader into confusion, only to explain the actions later. Something of a cheap trick, but one of the more enjoyable aspects of the book. You can tell also that the "grand scheme" is not going to be explained in this first volume, and it is interesting enough to make this reviewer want to pick up the second book. If you have this on your shelf, or if a friend gives this to you (such as mine did) read it. But those looking to buy, there are better authors out there.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: WoT The books of wonder and length
Review: I must admit that it took me several tries to finish this book.. There is a very long and I mean long character building chapter er chapters that is.. But, once you settle in and say I am going to tackle this beast it is worth it.. there is tons and tons of information and subplots loaded into this one book.. And then just as you are nabbed.. it ends.. Ohh well guess you gotta be caught for the next book no?

Overall the whole series is well written and worth the read if you like epic adventures.. On the other hand if you are looking for characters that leap off the pages and join your life.. You may want to look at some other authors.. For although the characters are well written that is all they are characters in an ongoing adventure.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: If "Lord of the Rings" Was A Blockbuster...
Review: This book was awesome, exciting, page-turning...whatever. The way that Jordan describes the evil guys almost makes you want to join the armies and help whoop him.

Some reviewers complained that the book was TOO long and expansive. I personally enjoyed all of the unnecessary parts... it probably made the book all the more better!

The end/climax was very short, it kind of confused me.
Yet, like "Lord of the Rings," its a cliff hanger& makes you want to go run and buy it. Speaking of which.........

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Not the work of a Master
Review: I began reading WoT several years ago, and at first, I really liked it - it was suspenseful, the characters were funny, and the action sequences which wrapped up each of the books were especially exciting. At the time, I thought it was one of the best series I'd ever read. But now, with a little more experience under my belt, I've noticed a lot of defects in these books.
For one, Jordan, although he is a skilled writer, seems to be unable to create anything new. Every aspect of his story has been copied somewhere else. All right, I know that every author does this - but not to the extent Jordan does, and not as blatantly. Even the Lord of the Rings took its inspiration from Norse literature, and from epics like the Iliad and the Odyssey. Every author does this to some extent. But perhaps an author's skill lies in how well he can take the great body of literature that has preceded him, and create something new from the old bones.
Jordan has not been able to do this. His basic storyline - a gifted young man who saves the world - is amazingly stale. His world is an uninteresting mishmash of petty kingdoms, without even a striking geographical feature among them. Worst of all, his characters belong in a cartoon.
Which is unfortunate, because the Wheel of Time revolves around the characters instead of the plot. And unfortunately, Jordan cannot create realistic people. Every last one of his characters is a cardboard cut-out. It's as someone had taken a collection of robots, slapped some personality traits on them - like "noble" or "snooty" - and set them loose. No one ever changes!
And the women! Good Lord! Is Jordan a foaming-at-the-mouth feminist? Is his wife hovering behind him as he writes? These women may be most annoying gaggle of harridans to ever fill the pages of a book! Especially Nynaeve - she reminds me of Elizabeth Taylor in a particularly nasty mood. And then there are the obligatory warrior women, like Aviendha. Even the better ones are constantly belittling the men, who, for the most part, deserve it. Unfortunately, this merely reflects a growing trend in literature. Authors seem to be unable to create gentle, yet strong, female characters, who would be much more accurate reflections of real women, than the current "she-man" stereotype. When will they realize that women don't need to be men to be respected?
These flaws are tragic, because Jordan isn't a bad writer. He simply doesn't have the soul to write truly good fantasy. I think that a true fantasy writer must have a longing for the golden "other" - something indescribable, yet desperately needed. Maybe that sounds a little strange, or even high-flown, but I believe it is the truth. The best fantasy gives the reader that same sharp stab of longing for something "different", whatever that may be. And it can come from a thousand sources - maybe even from Jordan. But I find that he confines himself too much to the small and petty things in life. Maybe that is what is wrong with his books. We don't read fantasy just to be entertained - we want to go higher, to escape from the pettiness of the world that we now live in. But he has brought the world back to us, merely in a different shape.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: A fantastic first novel...but.....
Review: I always thought that Jordan's Wheel of Time series to be the best of modern fantasy...that is, until I read George R.R. Martin's "A Song of Ice and Fire" series. The WOT series is brilliantly paced (at least for the first three-four books) but Jordan eventually becomes his own worst enemy. His style really works for the first three books, but he goes on overkill...and some of his character's quirks that were interesting at first get rather dull as all of his new characters seem to be exactly the same as everyone else. George R.R. Martin has done the best job at writing character development I have ever seen. If you like Jordan's books (and I do!!!!) you will LOVE George R.R. Martin!!! Jordan himself called Martin's books "brilliant!" You MUST give the Martin books a try!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Wow
Review: This book is amazing! It is so realistic and has amazing detail. I was hooked when I read the introduction. I was so impressed that I bought four other books in the series instantly! This book is a definate must buy.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Excellent beginning
Review: At the time of writing this review, I have read the entire series to date (9 books) and I must say enjoy this standard while you can. The series gets progressively worse at the series continues. Back to this book; simply put, its excellent. Good characters, brilliant plots, intriguing creatures and overall a good combination of ideas. Just don't expect as much from the rest.


<< 1 .. 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 .. 141 >>

© 2004, ReviewFocus or its affiliates