Rating: Summary: Don't read this series Review: If you are looking to read a well written fantasy series then stay away from anything with Robert Jordan's name on it. I won't dwell on what everyone else already agrees on. Even most of the loyal Jordan fans have to admit that the last five books of the series were subpar to the earlier volumes. NOTHING HAPPENS. Over half of the books are filled with boring descriptions and stock phrases (not to mention stock characters). RJ doesn't understand that you might not want a highly detailed description of every thread of a woman's dress every single time you encounter her. He doesn't need to constantly remind you that certain characters have mannerisms. There is no point in reading something that starts out good if you know that it ends up crap. RJ is a hack. Don't waste your time with him. Read George RR Martin if you want to see what good fantasy is.
Rating: Summary: Best Fantasy Collection Ever Written Review: I have been reading the Wheel of Time series since the first book came out and this is my favorite series ever. However, it's not for everyone. Jordan is probably the most descriptive writer I have ever read and he will describe everything he possibly can in one situation in order to set the mood properly. This makes his books, and the chapters, very long. Some people don't like long and descriptive, elaborate writing like this, I do, and I believe that Robert Jordan is the best author I have ever read. Read the series in order, starting from the first book, and it will make a lot more sense and be much more enjoyable reading. I've gone back and read all of them over again at least twice.
Rating: Summary: Fun and worth reading Review: Let me make it brief...this is a great book. Although a bit long, and though some of the characters aren't very well formed...well..there are 10 more to do it. So yeah, read this one. If you don't like it, return it and dont' read the rest. But if you liked Tolkien (I'm a LOTR fan) you'll love this.
Rating: Summary: Take it from me. I'm no fanboy... Review: If you like fantasy or epic tales or stories set in detailed worlds--this is the first in a series of novels for you. If you like Lord of the Rings or Star Wars or Star Trek then there is a chance you'll like this book.The author's writting style is good, but not as renown as some of these reviewers would have you think. Sometimes things can seem cliche or trite. The pace of the book is great until the end. The ending is poor. Fortunately it is only a small part of a larget series. I like epic tales, some fantasy novels and stories set in detailed worlds. Hence, 4 stars. I've not quite finished the 2nd in the series.
Rating: Summary: Jordan creates a vivid world, populated with flat characters Review: Robert Jordan creates a vivid and meticulously detailed world, and then populates it with flat, predictable characters. Jordan excels at rich, descriptive prose, which he uses to describe his world in minute, occasionally excessive detail. In addition, Jordan often narrates the reader through intricate descriptions of things irrelevant to the plot, like Rand's farm chores or the river voyage. Jordan's opposing forces of farcically pure good and cartoonishly wicked evil ring a bit silly, especially given the hackneyed ground he retreads with minions of evil [e.g. bat-winged creatures howling aflight] and the forces of good [e.g. innocent farm boys destined to save the world]. The middle third of the book bogs down after the party becomes separated, as Jordan includes too many irrelevant scenes of their separate journeys [the Tinkers, the Princess's garden, etc.], and his scene breaks inconsistently track time between the different parties. The final third of the book felt tacked on, with a new character tossed in and the goal of the quest changed to some new thing never before mentioned. The utterly predictable climax vanquishes the wicked evil, though certainly only temporarily enough to allow the next book. Jordan's deeply textured prose brings alive his rich world, barely sustaining the trite characters and plot in a worthwhile read.
Rating: Summary: 1st in a Great Series Review: This book, this series is great. (In the beginning) The Eye of the World sets us in a world where the only people who can safely use magic are women. (the first in a pattern of Jordan sharing his views the relationship between men and women in this series.) One of these women arrives in the Two Rivers where the book starts and swifts our main characters off on a adventure. Rand, Mat, and Perrin are the main fella's and the women are Egwene, Moiraine, and Nynaveave (who, if you continue the series, you will grow to hate). They are on the run from Trollocs and Half-man when they get split up and then the book gets really good. When they get split up, their own POV are revealed (Rand has been the main POV so far) You learn the thoughts of Mat and Perrin who become very important later in the series. Mat and Rand are continually persued by Dark Freinds, humans who help the Trollocs. Rand gets into a lot minor prediciments (sp?) but always weasles his way out. Mat is sick through a lot of this book and it is sad because he is the coolest character in this series and his unique and hillarious personality is covered up by his sickness. Perrin and Egwene go running off and Perrin discovers something special about himself...I'll leave the summary there.... This book is great. I would give it 6 stars if I could. It is the best in the series (close behind the next two, The Great Hunt and The Dragon Reborn) The 3 main characters don't make use of magic until the very end. They use other skill fighting, stragey, running...The only person who really uses magic is Moiraine. So, if you like the Lord of the Rings, because of magic not being or GREAT use to the main character, (Besides Gandalf) you will love this. Jordan creates a great world, you can feel the tension and suspese. The battle scenes are incredebly written. The evil characters are evil, the good character are good. (Which changes over the corse of the seris..) So if you like the black and white, good vs. evil battle, read this book. I have read all these books so far and am axiously awaiting Crossroads of Twilite. You could read this book and consider it a one book series or read the next two (though that might leave you hanging) "Why ,Klown," you may ask, "why not read all the books in the Wheel of Time series?" Well reader the answer is simple, the books after The Dragon Reborn are not the same books that the 1st 3 are. They are good, but as great as the 1st three. The 4th and 5th books are also pretty good but after that the character quarks get annoying. Also magic takes a more active role, so if you don't like characters who can blow up whole cities at will, then stop after the 3 book, or better the 1st. If you read the 4th, you will be addicted... Remember, this a great series, but later books just don't measure up to the first three. Thank you for your time.
Rating: Summary: Boring Review: I struggled to finish this dog of a book. Nothing original here, or interesting. Save your time and money, or just re-read a good series like the Lord of the Rings or the old Thomas Covenant books.
Rating: Summary: A GREAT BEGINNING! Review: you must read this book and this series! it will change your life forever. ok so i was exaggerating, but it is very exciting and fun to read. I got so involved into this book that i read it in one week as well as the second and third book.I highly recomend this book to anyone who has enjoyed any other fantasy titles.
Rating: Summary: DO NOT BUY THIS BOOK! Review: My grandmother always had trouble maintaining a stream of continuity when telling stories. She would begin with some simple event in mind (I ran into that Jones girl today...), but in a matter of moments she would be off onto a tributary (...you remember her, you went to school with her brother...), and each tributary would take on a life of its own (...he had a teacher who grew the most amazing tomatoes...) until it was impossible to find the original thread, let alone bring it to conclusion. Such is the problem with Robert Jordan. There is nothing wrong with his writing, or with his richly imagined world. The problem lies in the fact that he has lost the ability to bring a story to closure. I don't know if it's greed, or the fact that his editors abandoned him (allowing books of a thousand pages which should truly be a third that size), or if he simply lacks the skill. I require a world where stories find completion, where at the end of a book you feel as if you know a little more about the fate of the players involved. What I do not like, is a story that continues to expand, sometimes leaving key characters adrift, and never finds the time or energy to close the loopholes that were left open. If you read this book you will be drawn into the series (9+ books now), and will eventually find you have wasted many precious nights on this material that could have been spent on a much more rewarding pursuit. You will become angry and spiteful, and you will wish you had followed my advice. Do yourself a favor...skip this author entirely.
Rating: Summary: A good book beginning a great series but . . . Review: There is very little to not like about this book or any of the succeeding books in the series. Yes, the description can sometimes get exhaustive, yes, the plots and characters can be stereotypical--regardless, I like the books. Actually, considering how much I like them, I'm going to say a weird thing. You shouldn't read them . . . at this time. You see, if I could do it again, I would want to wait until the entire series is finished before I began the first book, because it is horribly frustrating waiting two years for each new book. Now with most series it wouldn't be so bad, but the extremely complex plots and characters in The Wheel of Time nearly demand that you are up-to-date, and as much as I like these books, I don't relish the idea of reading them over again. So wait the years (don't ask me how many) until the series is complete (if ever ;) and then read these fantastic books.
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