George R. R. Martin v. Robert Jordan

[Elyas MACHERA]

No contest is right. When you read aSoIaF, you hang on to every word. When you read WoT, you skim over half the book just to get through the skirt-smoothing and braid-tugging bits.

I agree with Clansman that a comparison between GRRM and Wurts would be more apt. And this Malazan series.. hmm.. I guess I'm gonna have to give it a go now..

- Dreir -

Sorry, but this comment just proves why tWoT is vastly superior. Why not just read The Last Battle in the Narnia series and skip the other books. As for hanging on every word of aSoIaF, there is more waffle in a single book of that series than in the entire tWoT series!!!

 

[Elyas MACHERA]

Martin is so far ahead of WOT it's not even funny...

No not funny. Just plain wrong. Jordan's writing is far superior and more gripping.

 

[Koopa]

i don't care for where this thread is going, instead of pointing out reasons why he should pick either jordan or GRRM books, your just going at each other. The conclusion to that is already known: we all have different tastes. And to continue on the path some have taken will just end up in (more) trolling, in which a couple of you are already getting entrenched.

More importantly, I dislike seeing the delete post comments though. Dare i say this stuff barely happens cause most remain civil, unlike on many other sites. So asking so rapidly for deleting someone else post, or insinuating your own post would be deleted for you preference to jordan left a bad taste in mouth. Leave that stuff for other forums pls.

Can't believe i just made myself sound like a mod, or a lurking policing grandaddy of this forum...

@Dany, the comments about it where prob. made long ago. But should what happened to her, happen today in Europe or North-America it would constitute as rape. she's 14, he's mid-twenties. Plus, she may have never told him no, but (to me) she was never given a genuine choice in the matter. By the laws found within the books it probably wasn't. But for those living in the present day, it definitely was.

 

[Brian G Turner]

Sorry but why wasn't this post deleted. Surely one of the requirements was not to be insulting about fellow posters - or doesn't it matter because it wasn't aimed at a single person?

I think some of the intended humour of some of the earlier posts is being misinterpreted - but after seven years some of the original posters may not be around to clarify that.

The comment about WoT fans being unable to read was obviously meant as a joke - there are over 4.4 million words to that main series.

 

[Elyas MACHERA]

I think some of the intended humour of some of the earlier posts is being misinterpreted - but after seven years some of the original posters may not be around to clarify that.

The comment about WoT fans being unable to read was obviously meant as a joke - there are over 4.4 million words to that main series.

Thanks Brian.

I'm sorry I came over as ultra defensive of tWoT and I understand people have different tastes. I think some of the defensiveness stems from the fact that James Oliver Rigney Jr never lived to see the completion of his vision and people trashing the series - some who haven't even read the first book - feels like trampling on his grave somewhat.

I suppose one of the things I love about tWoT that other people (certainly most aSoIaF posters) seem to detest is the in depth development of the characters. I can almost predict any main characters reaction to an arbitrary set of circumstances because I understand their nature. The same cannot be said for many of the cast list of the aSoIaF books where Martin appears to eschew character development instead reaching for physical disfigurement of some description to produce differences between characters.

I am determined to read the complete aSoIaF series as I am not defeatist and don't like starting something and not finishing it. I just hope the ending produces some satisfaction. I don't want everything neatly tied off but on the other hand I don't want a gaping black hole sitting at the end and I'd prefer a few, not so obvious, twists along the way. (Basically everything that the final couple of tWoT books brought me).

Please nothing like Stephen King's books where I don't think I've read one of his and thought , "Yes that's a satisfactory ending". (I've loved each of his books but found the endings have been a let down).

 

[Brian G Turner]

You may find yourself especially at home in the Jordan or Sanderson boards we have here:
https://www.sffchronicles.com/forum/robert-jordan/
https://www.sffchronicles.com/forum/brandon-sanderson/

The problem with our ASoIaF board is that so many of the discussions are full of spoilers. Honestly, you're better off keeping out of them if you want to remain surprised by any of the twists you want to see.

 

[Narkalui]

I tried the first Wheel of Time about 15 years ago and got to the page 3 before putting it down. I must admit that, perhaps, I still had a very bitter taste in my mouth after the disappointment of reading the first three Shannara books (I tried so hard to like them but they just wouldn't let me).

Perhaps it's time I gave the late Mr Jordan another try...

 

[soulsinging]

Sorry but why wasn't this post deleted. Surely one of the requirements was not to be insulting about fellow posters - or doesn't it matter because it wasn't aimed at a single person? Is it Ok for me to respond then that any aSoIaF luvvy who prefers that to tWoT has obviously not reached puberty and should be more concerned with doing their homework?
I first picked up tEotW when my two eldest sons had just finished tLotR and my brief was to find the largest fantasy book available as a follow up. At the time I didn't realise that this was the start of a series and book 6 had just been released.
Both of my sons have thoroughly enjoyed tWoT but neither have enjoyed the aSoIaF book series and have given up reading it and taken to the GoT TV series instead.
I'm sure this reply will be deleted which will obviously prove my point.

Just one post earlier you implied that anyone that likes GRRM must be incapable of reading anything other than children's stories like Harry Potter. I get it... you love WoT. Good for you. There's no need to denigrate people that don't, or people that prefer GRRM, or people that like Harry Potter.

 

[Koopa]

i quite like harry potter , rowling quidditch matches had me cracking up so often.

 

[Elyas MACHERA]

Just one post earlier you implied that anyone that likes GRRM must be incapable of reading anything other than children's stories like Harry Potter. I get it... you love WoT. Good for you. There's no need to denigrate people that don't, or people that prefer GRRM, or people that like Harry Potter.

No, you are quite correct. I reacted inappropriately. I should have taken a step back and counted to 10 before posting my comment.

I'm a newbie to this site and have unfortunately realised that I have carried over the style I have got used to using when responding to the completely blinkered posters on the BBC sports forums!

I promise it won't happen again. After all it would be incredibly boring if everyone enjoyed the same things.

 

[GOLLUM]

No not funny. Just plain wrong. Jordan's writing is far superior and more gripping.

Well that's a matter of opinion I would have thought, a right I would like to think all of us are equally entitled to...

To place my comment into context it was made 7 years ago at which point I had just completed Book 9 Winter's Heart. My opinion of the series at that time was that it had suffered like a lot of EPIC series do. the infamous' mid stage sag'. What had started off as a really excellent series had begun to loose a degree of momentum for me by (as best as I can recall) Books 6 and 7. Things did begin to pick up a little after that but comparing it to GRRM's EPIC series (to that date) I felt that Martin's series was overall the better plotted and paced and contained the better overall prose.

Since then I have now completed the WOT and overall enjoyed it quite a lot with the final few books lifting the series to the level of the earlier books. I'm glad Brandon Sanderson was selected to complete the series as I think he did an excellent job guided as he was by Mr. Jordan's detailed notes.

Having said all of that I still like the ASOIAF series (to date) more than the completed WOT. Like yourself I am also something of a completist and have also read Jordan's original 'Conan Chronicles' (Conan The Invincible, Conan The Defender, Conan The Unconquered) which are amongst the best tribute works to Robert E. Howard I've come across. I can also recommend his story Cheyenne Raiders writing under yet another pen name of Jackson O'Reilly.

Above both Jordan and Martin however, I place Steven Erikson's EPIC 10 volume Malazan series. I don't know if you have tried this before but it is my favourite EPIC series of all time and comes highly recommended.

Cheers and welcome to the forum.

 

[Elyas MACHERA]

i quite like harry potter , rowling quidditch matches had me cracking up so often.

Hi Koopa,

Have you read all of the Harry Potter series? If so, I wonder if you could answer a question for me.

A friend of mine had a number of the series and I picked up the first book and read a few chapters. To me it read like a children's fantasy story. I then looked briefly at one of the later books in the series - not sure which one and to me the style had altered and it appeared that the intended audience age had changed with it. I queried this with my friend and she agreed which is why I haven't read the series.

I have no issue with children's fiction. If I want a light read for a fortnight or so, I'm quite happy to reread the Narnia series again.

I would just be interested in your opinion - or any other Harry Potter experts. If I'm correct in my opinion, do you think this was a deliberate change by JKR as if you are somehow meant to be growing up with the characters?

 

[Elyas MACHERA]

Well that's a matter of opinion I would have thought, a right I would like to think all of us are equally entitled to...

To place my comment into context it was made 7 years ago at which point I had just completed Book 9 Winter's Heart. My opinion of the series at that time was that it had suffered like a lot of EPIC series do. the infamous' mid stage sag'. What had started off as a really excellent series had begun to loose a degree of momentum for me by (as best as I can recall) Books 6 and 7. Things did begin to pick up a little after that but comparing it to GRRM's EPIC series (to that date) I felt that Martin's series was overall the better plotted and paced and contained the better overall prose.

Since then I have now completed the WOT and overall enjoyed it quite a lot with the final few books lifting the series to the level of the earlier books. I'm glad Brandon Sanderson was selected to complete the series as I think he did an excellent job guided as he was by Mr. Jordan's detailed notes.

Having said all of that I still like the ASOIAF series (to date) more than the completed WOT. Like yourself I am also something of a completist and have also read Jordan's original 'Conan Chronicles' (Conan The Invincible, Conan The Defender, Conan The Unconquered) which are amongst the best tribute works to Robert E. Howard I've come across. I can also recommend his story Cheyenne Raiders writing under yet another pen name of Jackson O'Reilly.

Above both Jordan and Martin however, I place Steven Erikson's EPIC 10 volume Malazan series. I don't know if you have tried this before but it is my favourite EPIC series of all time and comes highly recommended.

Cheers and welcome to the forum.

Thanks for that recommendation. That is the next thing on my shopping list then.

Sorry for the over zealous start to my forum membership. You must all have been looking at my posts thinking something like "bull in a china shop".

Anyway, I'm normally much more laid back and reasonable so expect far less combative posts from now on!

 

[Brian G Turner]

Anyway, I'm normally much more laid back and reasonable so expect far less combative posts from now on!

We're a moderated forum, so you shouldn't need to feel defensive here.

 

[GOLLUM]

Thanks for that recommendation. That is the next thing on my shopping list then.
Sorry for the over zealous start to my forum membership. You must all have been looking at my posts thinking something like "bull in a china shop".
Anyway, I'm normally much more laid back and reasonable so expect far less combative posts from now on!

No problem. You realise if you stick around here long enough you'll find yourself scaling an insurmountable To-Read-List with empty pockets as company ...from one who knows.

 

[soulsinging]

No, you are quite correct. I reacted inappropriately. I should have taken a step back and counted to 10 before posting my comment.

I'm a newbie to this site and have unfortunately realised that I have carried over the style I have got used to using when responding to the completely blinkered posters on the BBC sports forums!

I promise it won't happen again. After all it would be incredibly boring if everyone enjoyed the same things.

No worries, I'm over in another thread working on getting kicked out of here because of my own rage-posting!

Sports debates are definitely more heated. We're all a bunch of bookish academics here... right guys?

 

[Elyas MACHERA]

No problem. You realise if you stick around here long enough you'll find yourself scaling an insurmountable To-Read-List with empty pockets as company ...from one who knows.

Sheesh! What do all you guys (I don't mean just men when I use that expression) do then? Do you all go out robbing banks or are you managing to live in some fantasy utopia where books hang from trees? I guess there's always the local library!

 

[Narkalui]

Until Dave closes them all...

 

[Anushka Mokosh]

Hi Koopa,

Have you read all of the Harry Potter series? If so, I wonder if you could answer a question for me.

A friend of mine had a number of the series and I picked up the first book and read a few chapters. To me it read like a children's fantasy story. I then looked briefly at one of the later books in the series - not sure which one and to me the style had altered and it appeared that the intended audience age had changed with it. I queried this with my friend and she agreed which is why I haven't read the series.

I have no issue with children's fiction. If I want a light read for a fortnight or so, I'm quite happy to reread the Narnia series again.

I would just be interested in your opinion - or any other Harry Potter experts. If I'm correct in my opinion, do you think this was a deliberate change by JKR as if you are somehow meant to be growing up with the characters?

Yes. Rowling maintained a pretty steady publishing schedule. She couldn't continue in the same tone when her cast and core readership both aged several years between book 1 and book 7.

 

[Elyas MACHERA]

Yes. Rowling maintained a pretty steady publishing schedule. She couldn't continue in the same tone when her cast and core readership both aged several years between book 1 and book 7.

That's interesting. That seems just fine for those growing up alongside the books characters but for someone reading these back to back now they are all released I wonder how that feels.

As I have said previously, I don't mind children's fantasy and still love rereading the Narnia series every now and then but I can't say I'd particularly enjoy the style changing during a series. Maybe I'm odd, or old and too set in my ways.