The Wheel of Time series

[Iain]

From what I've heard The Wheel of Time has the second biggest fan base after Lord of the Rings, and most of the fans find the show disappointing.

I can imagine it does, certainly sold a huge number of copies - not close to Lord of the Rings (but then what is?). A huge series with an incredibly well realised world and some pretty deep characters you can see learn and develop. I actually re-read it all last year (2nd time), pretty much the only fiction I had time to read.

It hits on many of the same themes as Tolkien too, just with a different fantastical feel - more magical renaissance than pseudo-dark age/medieval. Many themes about the extremes of dark vs light, good vs evil, male vs female etc and the shades of grey in between as well as the nature of 'true' evil.

The entire theme is of destiny and the heroes journey and how to cope with great power and responsibility while battling evil and trying to remain in touch with your humanity. A classic pseudo-mythological story that I am sure resonates with many.

The shear length of the series is daunting and Jordan's writing style is very detailed which can make it slow going at times. The final three books were written by Brandon Sanderson after Jordan's death and I found his style to be much easier, even though his books are even longer.

I really don't see how the scale of the series could be captured on TV - it would require something the length of an old 1990's series like the X-files to come close to having enough time…

 

[Jacques]

I really don't see how the scale of the series could be captured on TV - it would require something the length of an old 1990's series like the X-files to come close to having enough time…

It is so complex that I really don't think that it would be possible to capture it on a movie or a TV show.

By the way, the only thing that I find unfortunate is that the author died before finishing his series. Although he had made a lot of notes about the last books, it is sad that he was not able to finish it.

 

[loreta]

For me, The Wheel of Time is easily up there with Lord of the Rings and Memory, Sorrow and Thorn (Tad Williams) for me.

Hi Iain, which book of Tad Williams do you recommend to start with this author?
Thanks!

 

[Iain]

By the way, the only thing that I find unfortunate is that the author died before finishing his series. Although he had made a lot of notes about the last books, it is sad that he was not able to finish it.

He did, but at least he had his wife as his editor who new his story almost as well as he did - and they were able to select an author in Brandon Sanderson who would finish the series in the best way possible without Jordan himself being able to.

Hi Iain, which book of Tad Williams do you recommend to start with this author?
Thanks!

The only series I have read by Tad Williams so far is Memory, Sorrow and Thorn:

• The Dragonbone Chair
• Stone of Farewell
• To Green Angel Tower (parts I & II in paperback)

I also read the prequel short story, Brothers of the Wind, that gives the history of the Sithi and Norns (essentially the elves of the setting), along with a short story set just after the events of the series, The Heart of What Was Lost.

Tad Williams has almost completed a follow up series which I have not yet started, The Last King of Osten Ard, involving the many of the same characters and set around 20 years later:

• The Witchwood Crown
• Empire of Grass
• Into the Narrowdark
• The Navigator's Children (to be published 2024)

The Memory, Sorrow and Thorn series was very well received when first published (late 80's - early 90's) but seems to have been a little forgotten these days. It had a huge impact on many of the fantasy authors to come. Today it reads like fairly traditional heroic medieval fantasy with a true hero's journey plot line, though it does feature many more shades of grey than most fantasy of the time, it clearly influenced George RR Martin's Song of Ice and Fire for example - but is no where near as dark.

 

[tschai]

I read the books over almost a ten-year time period since I read them as they came out. All y'all who ain't read 'em yet are darn lucky you can down them in one go!! But I won't watch the series. The only books I've read that were made into movies and it WORKED, for me, was LOTR.

BTW on favorite fantasy book series, I enjoyed Stephen R. Donaldson's "The Chronicles Of Thomas Covenant" series, especially the first three books...though looking back on them (and other books he wrote), the author seemed to have a fascination with rape and incest. It sure made for a memorable story.

I enjoyed the Thomas Covenant series also, read every book.
I have not read the Wheel of Time series, so had no preconceived notions of the story or characters, so enjoyed the series so far.
Not so the Shannara Chronicles, which is loosely based on the Sword of Shannara novels by Terry Brooks. Absolutely disappointing.
Still waiting for someone to do the Drizzt Do’Urden the Lone Drow (Dark Elf) as live action, but that would take a masterful director and perfect cast to pull off.

 

[Turgon]

After having watched the first two seasons and recently picking up the first book, I can see what y'all are saying. The books are far more interesting and engaging. I'm actually quite happy there are so many books. It'll be a real adventure. The show was a disappointment and even though had its moments, a lot of the main characters in the first season were relegated to side roles with no real direction in the second season. The feminist slant and identity politics was overbearing and took so much away from what could have been a good series. All the sexual innuendo added in was often entirely out of place and made some of the dialogue rather juvenile. But, I guess that highlights the maturity level of the people who wrote the show. And with so much good source material to draw on that's too bad.

 

[Yas]

After having watched the first two seasons and recently picking up the first book, I can see what y'all are saying. The books are far more interesting and engaging. I'm actually quite happy there are so many books. It'll be a real adventure. The show was a disappointment and even though had its moments, a lot of the main characters in the first season were relegated to side roles with no real direction in the second season. The feminist slant and identity politics was overbearing and took so much away from what could have been a good series. All the sexual innuendo added in was often entirely out of place and made some of the dialogue rather juvenile. But, I guess that highlights the maturity level of the people who wrote the show. And with so much good source material to draw on that's too bad.

When the fist season came out, I thought it had the hint of a very good story and I started reading the book right away, I thought it was very engaging and interesting, I really enjoyed it, so much that I finished the first two books before continuing to watch the series and then, when I watched the the episode when Moiraine and Siuan are portrayed as lesbians in the TV show I just stopped watching it. I had already realized they were changing quite a lot of the story but that was just too much. So, whenever someone asks me about the TV show, I say it's not worth it. I quoted that post above because that's exactly what I noticed, although I didn't see the whole show.