Does anybody actually enjoy these books? (Spoilers)

bp, you spotted the major weakness of tGS (which nobody has missed). Sanderson hasn't got Mat Cauthon yet. I hope he works this out. Except for the bit with Verin, Mat's chapters could have been totally chopped, and the book would have been better for it.
 
Well, I hope that's what he works on for the next one then. Mat was always my favourite character, I was so disappointed when I read that cheesy zombie town (Hinderstap?) shambles of a chapter.
 
Yeah, Mat came off as more of an anxiety-ridden guy trying to be funny, instead of the happy-go-lucky guy able to deal with just about anything that comes his way. He was, well, shrill, for lack of a better word.
 
I'm sure he's heard enough complaints about Mat to realize that he has some work to do on those chapters.

Especially since Mat has to go rescue Moiraine in the next book.
 
I hope so, and also especially because up until The Gathering Storm I wanted to marry Mat Cauthon ;) I can't wait to read about Moiraine's rescue! I think I'm almost looking forward to that bit more than the Last Battle.
 
Hahaha I know, but that's assuming I gave him the choice! Besides, I'm sure I'm much nicer than Tuon. For a start I don't keep other women on leashes!
 
i was just wondering did you guys feel the difference between the writing styles of Jordan and Sanderson? i personaly think that the latest book was pretty good but still...there was noticeable difference from the rest of the book. (not complaining, just curious to what others think)
 
Yeah it was different. I thought he managed to keep the 'feel' of the books right though. As I said above, I think he did a really good job considering (can't be easy to take over 11 books into a series!) and the only complaint I have is the Mat Cauthon chapter. But I'm sure he'll have that sorted in the next book. I think that's the only thing I've heard anyone moan about. And I thought he resolved some of those story lines quite well that had been limping along for ages. I especially love Verin's Black Ajah revelation and the fact that Elaida is damane. If anyone deserved that, she did!

(Welcome to the time consuming Chrons forums ;))
 
thank you (and btw you got that time consuming part down spend over 3 hours on the forum when i found it)
i wonder if Verin being black is part of what Sanderson made up or was it Jordan original's intent.
 
I've wondered that about a few things. I imagine the really important bits (like Verin) would've been in Jordan's plan all along. Seems like the sort of thing he would've had in his head from the start.
 
I think Jordan had the books all outlined and the plot points already determined before Sanderson took over. Sanderson is definitely working from RJ's notes.
 
Books 1 thru 4 were brilliant! Everything that came after that was ridiculously slow paced. Thankfully, The Gathering Storm has officially become the 5th book of the series that makes significant progress telling the story.

Ultimately, every twist and turn we get from Sanderson is really Robert Jordan's twists and turns in Sanderson's words. You can bet the farm that anything significant that happens in the last three books was without exception Robert Jordan's idea all along. And the very end of the series was already written wholy and completely by Jordan before he died. As a result, Sanderson really has no room to diverge from where Jordan was going with things.

Books 5 through 11 get increasingly painful and infuriating. The New Spring was like a giant kick in the nuts. Who writes prequels before finishing the original series anyways??
 
I'm about 3/4 way through book 5 and I have to say - I'm struggling.
I'm not really a big fan of people who page skim, but I've found I *have* to do it with these books or I'm going to end up like a person who's been stilled - lose the will to live! ;)

I love the premise of the books, the wheel of time, lives being threads in the tapestry the wheel weaves etc - very zen! " The wheel weaves as the wheel wills", and "blood and bloody ashes!" are now firm sayings in my house.
They are just far too long-winded for me (kind of like this reply! hehehe), and although that is "epic fantasy", at least some authors throw in a little humour to lighten the books a little. I am sure these books are intentionally "dark" - perhaps to reflect the mood of the people in the book - but it has really felt like a chore, especially book 5.

I'm still going to read them all though, because I am a stubborn woman and perhaps a little over-optimistic. I mean, I did read the entire "Dreamers" series of David Eddings! LOL
 
X'Nedra here's my take on it. I recently finished book 12 and realized that I'd forgotten a TON of the background story. Books 1 thru 4 and the very beginning of Book 5 sees the storyline progression slow WAAAY down.

The short version: Rand is supposed to unite humanity in preparation for the Last Battle. By the end of Book 12, he's still a long ways from accomplishing that little task.

If you think that Robert Jordan gets some sadistic pleasure out of prolonged torturing main characters, you ain't seen nothing yet! LOL. Book 5 is the beginning of descent into slow motion. Some fascinating things happen. Some amazing side plots and side stories happen. There's a lot of good material. But you will ask yourself over and over "why doesn't the author just get on with it already???"

The light at the end of the tunnel is just a tiny bit sadistic: The original author is dead and he left behind extensive, extensive notes for the remainder of the story. His widow has asked Brandon Sanderson to finish the series, and that's where Book 12 comes from. The storyline is numbingly slow until you hit the first book by Sanderson: Book 12 (The Gathering Storm). TGS speeds things up considerably.

This is probably my all-time favorite series, even with the massive slow-down included. Hope you enjoy it too!
 
I kind of see books 5 - 11 as background info in a way. I assume all the politics and intrigue and stuff will be relevant to the end of the story. And doesn't Siuan get stilled in book 5? That's pretty important, so I'd say book 6 onward is where it gets slow. But before TGS was released I listened to all the audio books to refresh my memory (I have a very dull job so audio books get me through the day ;)) and I'll probably do the same before ToM comes out. Oh, and all the bits with Birgitte, and Nynavae losing her block, Rand sorting things out (kind of) with the three girls. A lot of it was important to the story, just a bit long winded maybe.

I liked New Spring because it explained why Moiraine was in the Two Rivers in the first place, and without her being there none of the books would've happened. And it was fun to read about Sheriam etc as Accepted. But I agree RJ should've been focusing on finishing the series in the right order, not writing prequels. Unless something in New Spring is very important, but if so then why not work it into the main story? Have a flashback chapter or something, NS could blatantly have been summed up in one chapter somewhere in those 4 or 5 slow books in the middle if it had to be.

I'm very optimistic about the last two, I cannot wait for Towers of Midnight, I need my fix! There's all sorts of things I'm desperate to know (which two women will use Callandor with Rand? Elayne and Aviendha? And how will they stop the Seanchan and their leashing people?) and I want to know it nowwwww. My all time favourite series though, I love knowing every irrelevant detail about characters :) sorry it's a bit of a rambling post, 3am after a night out is not the best time to be posting detailed replies on here...
 
And doesn't Siuan get stilled in book 5?
Click to expand...
That was book 4 (The Shadow Rising.) Easiest to remember it this way: Rand heading into the Waste, same Amrylin. Rand returns from the Waste to a world with a new Amrylin already in place.

The thing that I'm most interested to see: After torturing Rand Al'Thor for 12 books straight (so far) it just seems to me that he should be allowed to survive the Last Battle somehow. Live a peaceful life and take a well deserved break from all that he's been through. I'll be a bit disappointed if we see:
1.) The Last Battle begins.
2.) Dark One's prison re-sealed and/or rebuilt.
3.) Rand dies.
4.) The end.

That is what all foreshadowing points to, but I think it'd make for a crappy ending. We'll see how it goes.
 
Yeah, I've found Siuan's story interesting, and really looking forward to seeing Logain come into his glory. I've felt kinda sorry for the poor bugger so far... I hope that happens soon....

I hope the ending isn't similar to the dreamers of Eddings where the entire story is obliterated from living memory and never happened. That would be a pain in the arse!
I would definitely like to see Rand have a happy ending, but I'm not getting my hopes up on that one! As long as Mat and Perrin (who's my fave at the moment) make it through I'll be happy.
I've considered perhaps Rand will knock one of his wives up (I know the weddings haven't happened yet but my partner told me it does) and if he carks it, he will have a son who keeps the balance and all his descendants will do the same... anyway, I haven't read enough to really develop any spectacular theories yet.
 
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