Have you stopped reading Wheel of Time?

[Storm Centurion]

I've only stopped because there isn't one to read right now.

I am reluctantly going to finish the series, if it ever really finishes. It just gets so bogged down in detail, useless detail like braid pulling and button and silk jacket descriptions. He needs to advance the plot. The last book was a step in the right direction but only a step.

However, I love too many of the characters to give up on them. For now.

 

[Memnoch]

I have forgotten which book I got up to and reading the blurbs of the more recent of the snoreries, I genuinley believe he's lost the sense of direction and finds closure a difficult concept to grasp and plot progression is like wading through a literary swamp after swallowing a pot of sleeping tablets!!

The worst part of the writing is the repetitive nature such as, the group travelled toward a town and the plodding step by step descrption of each day travelling, each night in an inn, with bugger all happening!!! Who cares!?

So yep gave up and wouldn't re-read as I have to many exciting new or established unread authors to get my teeth into, instead of wasting months with this DREARY messy over elaborate yawn fest series!!! Such wasted potential for some great characters and when condensed a good general plot.

 

[jackokent]

I have just finished book three. I own books 4 and 5 and I really not that bothered about starting them.

I am soooooo bored of braid pulling, 1 dimentional characters, hearing that Rand / Mat / Perrin is so much better with women, etc etc. I am deeply frustrated by thier patent inability to communicate anything useful or meaningful to eachother. I also can't stand any of the ungrateful women in it. Yawn Yawn Yawn.

However, I kind of want to know what happens. Maybe someone who's read them all could post up a helpful summary of the next 500 or so book (maybe it just feels like 500) so we don't have to actually read them!

 

[Pyan]

I have just finished book three. I own books 4 and 5 and I really not that bothered about starting them.

I am soooooo bored of braid pulling, 1 dimentional characters, hearing that Rand / Mat / Perrin is so much better with women, etc etc. I am deeply frustrated by thier patent inability to communicate anything useful or meaningful to eachother. I also can't stand any of the ungrateful women in it. Yawn Yawn Yawn.

Well, Jacko, if you feel like that after only three books, you can save yourself a lot of wasted reading time right now!
Be assured, you already know the main points of the next six or so .....

BTW, they make excellent doorstops!

 

[jackokent]

BTW, they make excellent doorstops!

I'm not sure I have that many doors in my house

 

[knitteratheart]

The first time I read it, I couldn't get past the sixth book. And i practically skimmed the first five. But I started rereading it a few months ago and it's making more sense now. Though I still skim a bit when he starts getting preachy and repetitive...

 

[Talysia]

Recently started reading the WoT again, after finding a bargain copy of Winter's Heart.

 

[C Of K]

All stories are made to end in their own time. It is sad when they carry on far longer than is necessary -- than is warranted, in fact.

Unfortunately, I believe RJ has carried his beyond the brink of sleepy hollow eyes. He's introduced too many relatively unimportant characters in the last four books. Their names are often difficult to pronounce, and are often too similar to differentiate and keep track of.

This facilitates confusion, and is bad writing. I don't care who you are.

Jordan created a full, engaging world in the 1st three books. He had no need to print 6000 pages of filler.

Brutally Honest Example: People sitting around drinking ale in the Inn. Armies sitting around watching each other out in the field. Forsaken sitting around the world of dreams, discussing beating the DR, discussing beating the DO, discussing beating each other...

The series could have been over six books ago, but it's long and drawn out, like this post -- Still I must knows the end

 

[Niolani]

I"ve stopped re reading it now for a couple of years as I just got the yits with it. I think what will happen with Moiraine, Mat and Thom is a total cop out. What I thought started off brilliantly now wallows in dross which is such a pity. The last release felt to me like a start to a quick tying up of ends before the last book. I will read the last book but the experience has been ruined.

 

[kitsune_boy389]

I started reading the first book, but then after discovering that there was like another 10 or so books after it all around the same size, I decided not to read it. I'm not a slow reader but It would just take me too long. (I was sort of hoping it was just a trilogy, stupid me not noticing the other 10 books on the shelf with the exact same style of cover.

 

[C Of K]

Hey, man. Don't worry about that. At least you're not liek the rest of us who got pulled into the first 11 books

 

[perrin]

when is the next book comin out, if anyone knows please?

 

[C Of K]

I've heard as late as 2009. RJ isn't in the best of health these days... Hopefully this forum picks up before then.

 

[femdynamite]

I admit I am thinking about stopping to read these books. I am on book six towards the end and I find Rand al thor to be so very sanctimonious and irritating, I am partly enjoying his awful situation. (Sad I know).

I also dislike how the Aiel are portrayed as so superior. The entire race seems to be composed of mary sues. I am so sick of hearing how they can run as fast as horses even the elderly people in the warband.. Right.....

I am not liking the relationship between Rand and his harem particularly either. It hasn't been realized yet, but the vibe is begining to bug me...I think I may be just about done with these books.

 

[Gregor>Sandor]

Needing something to read while i awaited A Dance With Dragons I decided to start with Jordan's first book (The Eye of Whatever; and that's pretty bad because I remember the books I read in pre-K). I chose Jordan because in every review I read about George R R Martin's asoiaf series Jordan's name seemed to pop up. Some of it good; some bad. I said "what the hell" because A Feast for Crows recieved some very bad reviews and that was my favorite book in the series.
Well lets just say this:
Prologue: Took me 3 days to finish

Chapter One: Read half a page took a week break and read some more.

I made it to where I am now, page 67, in the office for refusing to do my Trigonometry work.

I don't know it just didn't do it for me. It portrayed every woman to be tougher and wittier than just about every man. The only character that I was interested in was Tam, Tom, whoever that kid's "father" was, but I can already tell from the cover that he's going to die.

So here I am 1 month removed from RJ's first book and preparing to reread asoiaf.

 

[C Of K]

Prologue: Took me 3 days to finish

Really, stop where you're at. Over the course of RJ's next ten books, he gets into the habit of writing prologues over 100 pages long.

There is a reason why men aren't viewed as equals with women in his books.

it's not a good reason, but it is a reason.

 

[etburyan]

I loved his first books, but it seems as if he can't advance the plot and figure out where he is going. He created characters that you can like and then decided to add tons more. He just keeps adding stuff and I have the feeling that the last book, even if it is 1500 pages long, is going to fly through what should have been written in the past three booksss. Anyway, I like his stuff, but he definitely does make it move much more slowly than it could.

 

[Talysia]

I agree about the last book. Seems like it's going to be at least a thousand pages long (if only to get the barest plot down) and I get the feeling that even then it might be a bit condensed. That said, though, it could be one of the best books in the series, if it's done right.

Oh, and welcome to the Chronicles, Etburyan!

 

[C Of K]

Yes. Welcome.

And i agree. If it's done right, it will be spectacular. I loved the first three books. I wasn't too big on the climatic battles at the end of any of those, however. they were too unbelievable, save for the battle in the Stone of tear.

That was different and imaginative

Spoiler

and no one was flying around -- fighting with a sword, caught on fire (like the sun) or any of that rubbish

the next three books I thought were ok. They did have a fare share of great moments. It just seemed as though they started to lack direction a little more. Everything after the first 6 books has very little direction.

RJ gives berth to new plots, and gets away from the already established storyline.
RJ gives birth to 100 new characters, and takes away from already established personalities.

Guess I will forever blame him for that. But I hate myself for craving to be there at the end.

 

[Dexter]

I stopped reading after #6. Was it Lord of Chaos? You know the one where absolutely nothing happened at all until the last couple of pages in a thousand page book. I did like the part leading up to Rand making a few of the Aes Sedai kneel to him, though.