[Dominus]

As I have been reading posts in this forum, I have come across post after post saying how Robert Jordan is too long and "bubblegummish."

Although I have only finished Book 4 and am waiting for Barnes & Nobles to get the 5th book (why they have 1,2,3,4,6,7,8&9, but not 5 I don't know) I rather enjoyed them.

I do agree that they are too "bubblegummish", i.e. hasn't killed even any important minor characters (the worst thing was the Amyrlin Seat being stilled), and hasn't introduced any "evil" character that has made me cringe. However, I still liked the books, and by the way people talk, there are going to be at least 12 in all, plenty of time to get really gritty.

But, what I do have a problem with is when people say he is too long. If the books are good and he keeps a consistent level of quality, I have no problem with him making the series 50 books long as long as they are good. Why would you want a good series of books to end?

P.S. Please, will you try not to post anything that will capture any sense of wonderment I might possibly have for the rest of the books, thanks.

[Songwind]

Book 6 is where I began flagg. By 1/2 way through book 7 was bored silly. Book 8 is just ramblings.

I think destiny is supposed to be ominious enemy.

I agree if the story remains interesting, the series can't be too long. The problem is he begins spinning out the same idea's over and over. (I couldn't stand being hit over the head anymore.)

I think he's squeezing a 6 book series into 12 books.

[This message has been edited by Songwind (edited November 07, 2001).]

[Alucard]

I actually loved books three and four. But after that, it started to decline. I will still read jordan, but the story has slowed to a crawl...

[ChrisW]

The books are not too long and in my opinion the quality has stayed the same since book one.

Oh and the frequent posters in this forum tend to be anti jordan so I wouldnt say by just reading this forum you are getting a fair and balanced opinon of Jordan. If you are enjoying them why care what other people think?

[mundanemies]

Excactly. If you like something, go for it. Other people's opinions are just that, other people's opinions and not the Word of Ghod.
Listening to what other people has to say, on the other hand, can be both educational and interesting. You may learn something.

I don't care about Jordan one way or the other. I've read the first one (well, actually only half of it, but that's the way such a big book was published in Finnish) and it was mediocre fat fantasy. And at the time already going into sixth book in English. To me it sounds like a very basic high fantasy idea with all the tropes of the genre. I'll pass.

[Bardos]

"If you are enjoying them why care what other people think? "

I'll third that opinion.

Now, as far as Jordan is concerned, I've read up to 300 pages of book six. It was too slow and I left it unfinished, to read somthing else; but I'll get back to it... someday. http://www.sffworld.com/ubb/wink.gif

[allanon]

Yup,Jordan is really boring in his last books.
I'll be strongly disapointed if GRRM make something like WoT with aSoIF

[lacorte]

I have to agree with the common view that Jordan did did bog everyone down with the silly detail and dead end plots from the sixth book on. However he has made a real turn around in the last one and I believe that he has brought the story back on track. I would say that he needs 2-3 books to finish off the story, but I have a feeling that we could be looking at a finished set closer to 15 than anything.

I did hear that he signed up for a 10 book series, was this just a rumour? Obviously he is going to pass 10 now but does anyone know if there has been a limit set, or is it going to be a matter of finishing the series when we all stop buying it?

[Louis]

Personally, I love WoT. Admittedly it has major problems and RJ is a money grabbing miserable old man, but I don't care. Admittedly Path of Daggers, book 8, was nowhere near as good as the rest, but Winter's Heart, book 9, redeemed that somewhat. Lord Of Chaos, book 6, is just about the best book I have ever read. Certainly one of them anyway, and WoT is about my favourite series, which is not to say it is the best of course.

Anyway, I just wanted to chirp in with my view that although WoT is not the best written series ever, or has the best characters, it is still exceptionally good despite it's problems. The world is very complex, the detail is very good, the magic system is interesting, and he is constantly improving on things. Lastly, WoT just has a certain something that makes me want to read it more than anything else I have ever read.

As for GRRM, I strongly suspect he is going down the same road of ever lengthening series, endless reincarnation, as we have started to see, and all the other faults that people perceive RJ to have. Which is part of the reason my hackles rise everytime GRRM is cited as everything RJ is not.

Louis

[James Barclay]

Thank heavens a couple of people have squeezed GRRM into this thread. Wouldn't it be awful to see one on this forum without that name mentioned. That'd be the end of civilisation as we know it...