Reading Wheel of Time for the first time

Ok, so up to chapter 25 now...

I'm still enjoying it, one thing I will say though is that it seems quite "drawn out". I can't put my finger on it but it seems like not a great deal has happened yet I'm quite a way into the book, I think I could have got as far as I am in the half the amount of pages...

I really like the world building and I definitley am getting the epicness and history...I'm finding it very difficult to not look up charaters in the multitude of wiki's out there...I had a quick look and got a few minor spoilers so won't be doing that again!!

Don't forget you're in for the long haul here - this isn't really an 800 page book, it's more like the first part of a 10,000-odd page book :)

Finally some spoiler free discussion.

I've also finally taken the leap of faith into the world that is The Wheel of Time. I finished Eye of the World over the weekend and have just started The Great Hunt.

I am interested in seeing how our opinions compare as I'm also in a similar boat to you Doggles, I'm in my late 20's and have always been interested in WoT but always felt it was geared towards younger readers, that and with no end in sight to the books, I always thought what’s the point.

Eye of the World was drawn out however the pace really picked up towards the end, especially the last 100 or so pages. I will wait until you have finished EotW before I post anymore thoughts on it.

cheers for the input Harry, yeah I plan to get some serious reading done over the wknd so maybe able to catch you up.

be good to discuss with someone reading at the same time!!

Exactly what I was thinking and it will be great to have some motivation, especially during the widely talked about slog through books 8 and 9?

After further reflection while EotW could have been condensed somewhat I don't know if there was much I would have actually removed given the choice. You should notice the story does pick-up from chapter 25 onwards. I much preferred the second half of the book.

I am thinking about starting the series as well. Have been on the fence for a long time due to some of the more negative reviews but it seems like I am missing out on one of the "classics" of the genre.

This thread has made me toy with the idea of a reread. I've only ever read through Book 7, so there would be a lot of new material.

One thing that interests me would be rereading it as an adult. I first read EotW in middle school. I didn't feel like it was geared towards younger readers then (in fact I have a distinct memory of a snobby librarian handing me TGH and saying, "Now this is an adult book..." I thanked her for her input and asked if she wanted my opinion on what she was reading.)

So I'd be very interested if adults reading it for the first time (or adults rereading it) think it is geared more towards younger readers or not. Or if they think it speaks differently to them now than it did 20 years or so ago.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Whitleyrr

This thread has made me toy with the idea of a reread. I've only ever read through Book 7, so there would be a lot of new material.

One thing that interests me would be rereading it as an adult. I first read EotW in middle school. I didn't feel like it was geared towards younger readers then (in fact I have a distinct memory of a snobby librarian handing me TGH and saying, "Now this is an adult book..." I thanked her for her input and asked if she wanted my opinion on what she was reading.)

So I'd be very interested if adults reading it for the first time (or adults rereading it) think it is geared more towards younger readers or not. Or if they think it speaks differently to them now than it did 20 years or so ago.

---

I started reading this series as an adult and I never had the notion that it was geared toward a younger audience. Seems to me to have very adult themes to it.

I picked it up for the first time in my mid thirties, and I guess my answer would be "yes and no". It does have a sort of PG13 feel to it compared to a lot of modern fantasy (it's not the "swearing, shagging and stabbing" sort of thing that Joe Abercrombie does so well) but thematically it's definitely an adult work.

I suppose you could say it is an adult book that it's safe to let older children read, in the same way that LOTR is. The violence cranks up a few notches in some of the later books, but that's about it.

Just an FYI if you want guys. When I read WoT, I found these threads and actually started my own for a bit.

http://www.dragonmount.com/forums/to...aders-journey/
Be careful not to read past where he mentioned he is.

http://www.dragonmount.com/forums/to...he-first-time/
Not much here, but a little about reading Book 6 for the first time.

http://www.dragonmount.com/forums/to...winters-heart/
book9

http://www.dragonmount.com/forums/to...10-crossroads/
book 10

I have to say this is probably my favourite series ever. The depth of the world its history and plot make up for me all the negatives. I do not find it all that drawn out and filled with filler as it were but i'm what you call a die hard fan.

I'm about to start my 5 or 6th re-read (or listen as the case is now) with the final book due out soon. Theres a lot of things you pick up on or your re-reads that you miss on the first time through.

I just finished the third book of the series, The Dragon Reborn. I think it is good that the discussion is being kept spoiler free in here, so all I will say is 'Wow'. Books 2 and 3 were absolutely amazing. The last half of Dragon was especially intriguing and stacks up with almost anything I have read in the fantasy genre in terms of suspense.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by chris777

First of all, I envy you and your fresh start to a great series. Let me give you two links that will save your life with this series!

Tor Re-Read. This is great for getting some different POV on exactly what you are reading, right when you are reading it.
http://www.tor.com/features/series/wot-reread

---

Thank you so much for the links and enthusiasm you bring for the series. I knew from reading in other areas you were a big WoT fan and I appreciate you trying to help us first timers.

I will note that the link above though can contain spoilers. Since I just finished Dragon, I decided to check out the commentary on the ending. There are several future events referenced and I only checked out the first couple of commentaries. I only mention this for those that want no spoiler information (good or bad) at all. I will definitely come back to these once I finish the series though, as I enjoy seeing chapter by chapter commentaries like this.

I didn't read nearly as much as I hoped I would over the past couple days. I'm only 200 pages into The Great Hunt but already I feel it stands head and shoulders over EotW.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Harry Hoo

I didn't read nearly as much as I hoped I would over the past couple days. I'm only 200 pages into The Great Hunt but already I feel it stands head and shoulders over EotW.

---

I completely agree with that assessment. The good news is, if we continue to be in agreement, your opinion will not change for the rest of the book, or with the next one.