I've been a fan of his for close to a decade now, and have been running a Wheel of Time Messageboard since 2001. While I loved the series at the outset, I really feel that it slowed down after Lord of Chaos. Crown of Swords was good, but Path of Daggers was boring. Winter's Heart was Good.. and Crossroads of Twilight was a complete waste of time. I am really hoping that the next one picks up a faster and more interesting pace.. more akin to the second, third and fourth books of the series.
I couldn't agree more about Crossroads. I mean 800 pages to tell us what happened int wo days.
Is it just me or are the books getting longer and the time frame within the books getting shorter? Cause Eye of the World was like over the course of months.
I don't think the books are actually getting longer.. they just feel like they are longer due to the way they drag along. You are right about the period of time though, that is shrinking, to make way for fantastic descriptions of what Elayne is wearing while sitting at the palace doing nothing.. and what the drapes look like while some girl is smoothing her skirt or tugging on a braid.
It honestly does seem like people were right when they said Jordan was prolonging the series for the sake of milking cash out of his dedicated fans. But after Crossroads, that is not going to stand. I think that's why he said he was going to finish the series in two more books. He knows if he takes much longer than that, his fan base will be gone and all his work up to this point will have been for nothing.
I still haven't finished Path of Daggers and I still may never. Jordan just prattles on a wee bit too much for my liking. If he had the chance, he'd describe every feather on every hat of every woman in a ballroom. I'm just saying it's excessive.
He could quite conceivably die before finishing. In any case, you are very correct about the descriptions. I don't need an entire chapter dedicated to the feel of the silk of the Sea People.
Path of Daggers was as awful as it was because it was "the book without Mat". Push on, finish PoD and read Winter's Heart. Stop there and wait until book 11 is out. I promise you that is the best way to go.
In reply to Auriellis, #6: Not only that, but he spends too much time on characters that I just don't want to read about. I hate Faile.. and I hate Sevanna. I don't want to read about either of them, so Faile chapters in the last few books have just bothered the hell out of me. I also hate Elaida, yet I don't mind reading her chapters because I am waiting to hear what stupid thing she has done next to dig herself deeper. But if Jordan would just cut down on the millions of POVs and the description some, the series would pick up pace and be much more enjoyable.
Damn straight, as well as all the countless number of Aes Sedai he keeps writing about. I know they add to the suspense of the series, but in the long run he isn't going to have time to finish explaining the subplots he keeps coming up with. Such as the Slayer character.
The only characters that I've been really giving a damn about are Min and Perrin and his wife. So yeah... I might... gotta read summore of the Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, Tong Lashing (the third Apropos of Nothing book), and Naked Empire (Sword of Truth series) before I go back to that.
I love the series. I used to make fun of my friend who read them because I thought they sucked, and ironically I am now more addicted than he. I just wish Robert Jordan would hurry up and finishing the next fucking book. How long has it been since the last came out? God, I can't handle it. When is it coming out?!
After Winter's Heart I swore off that series until it's concluded.....if it ever concludes that is. When I first started with it in '94 I was drawn to the intricate plot and the well rounded characters but after book 7 it got so bogged down in its own mythology it became impossible to read. I found myself skipping over chapters, knowing that nothing interesting would happen for another 50-100 pages. Reading this series now is like calculating the square root of pi: it's tedious and it goes on forever....
I found that the series sort of dragged on in the middle but picked up again later on, except for Perrin and his wife. What happened to Perrin saddens me, he was my favorite character but now all he ever thinks about or talks about is his wife and how much of a screw-up he is. That's pretty much the same reason Rand is bugging me too. Mat is the only sane one left in my opinion
Great books, but as otehrs have said, they are being too drawn out as of late. I mean, I don't mind description, but if your going to go description crazy, don't go and make 20 viewpoints for your novel. Seriously, I gritted my teeth through the Elayne, Faile, and Nyaneve parts, waiting for another Mat appearance. I would be perfectly happy if the book was only told from the point of view of Mat Rand, Elaida, and the bad dudes.
About this novel: The eleventh book in the Wheel of Time series is entitled Knife of Dreams. Robert Jordan sent us this information after we heard the rumor: "That is the title I've given [to Tor Books]. Knife of Dreams. It came to me much earlier in the writing than usual. Wait until you see the epigram I've written for it."
When is it due out? Knife of Dreams is due out in October, 2005. This is the date that Robert Jordan is telling everyone anyway. What's interesting about this release is that RJ will probably finish the book in the Spring of 2005, but will request that Tor Books do a full editorial cycle on the book before releasing it. For the previous 3 or 4 novels, Tor published his book just a short 6 weeks after it was complete. This time, he wants there to be more time for editing.
As he has in the past, it is highly likely that Robert Jordan will go on book tour in the U.S. when this book is released. He will probably do some overseas events as well, but we're not sure where or when.
What will happen in this book? Right now, you're guess is as good as ours. Besides the usual speculation, Robert Jordan has teased us with this info that was found on Tor's website.
At ComicCon in San Deigo, CA, Robert Jordan said the following about one of the events in Knife of Dreams:
"Something that has previously happened in the series is going to be revealed to have a terrible cost.... When you read it your reaction will be, "Gasp. How horrible!" When RJ was asked for more info about the origins of Mat's ancient memories, RJ replied with:
"... At least a partial answer will be coming up in the next main sequence book... " hmmmm.... Also, the way Robert Jordan is talking, this next book seems like it may start to deliver on a lot of exciting events:
"I think [Knife of Dreams] will have enough incident to satisfy anyone, certainly." In April 2004, Amazon UK published a general summary of the book. It's an unofficial summary, and nothing that came from Robert Jordan or his team. In other words, it was written by somebody who had no special inside information about the next plot.
Robert Jordan's epic fantasy saga The Wheel of Time is now firmly established as a classic of the genre and a world- wide bestseller. Now the series continues with the eagerly-awaited eleventh volume ... The Seanchan Empire has primed their invading armies and they are advancing rapidly. The people look to the Aes Sedai sisterhood for protection, but the Aes Sedai have grown complacent after generations of authority. Yet as their numbers have dwindled, a secret society has been hiding under the White Tower's very nose. A society rich in power that could make all the difference in the final conflict ... Yet Rand Al'Thor, the Dragon Reborn, is the only one who can triumph against the Dark One, and he will have to battle against the Seanchan, the White Tower and betrayal before the last battle.
I've been a fan since high school, but it is true that the recent books have been a dissapointment. He leaves too meny characters half developed, hes too mysterous sometimes. I realize some suspence is good but when you don't understand a character's motivations by the end of the book the whole 'oh, I guess he'll explain in the next book' is really bad.
Hopefully he'll make amends with his next book, which he is taking Forever to write.
Also, my favorite main character would be Mat and secondary character would be Lan
Ive read books 1-7 and 9 (i skipped path of daggers on a friends suggestion) and started 10 but couldnt get into it at all. I agree with everyone here that it started to become extremely sluggish around Lord of Chaos. He needs to just finish the damn series. He probably could have ended it about 3 books ago.
I've always expected her to come back, kinda like Gandalf. I've always thought Thom and the letter he has has got something to do with it. At least, I think, it's been a while.
Can someone explain to me what the hell was going through Egwene's mind at the end of the last book? Why did she decide that she was the one that had to go into Tar Valon? (I wanted to reach into the book and slap her, HARD!)
because like all of the girls in the book they are all fuggin morons and think they are the only ones who can do something right. However, unlike Moraine and Cadsuane who aren't morons, they always screw up and get caught. Anyone want to make a bet that when she gets rescued (from Rand or Mat somehow) she'll just slap him and go off about how she was going to get out on her own, even if she was about to be stilled/executed?
While I like reading Mat's chapters in the books because he brings a fun perspective to the whole deal, my fav characters would probably be Suan and Rand. After all, everyone respects fireballs.
You know, looking at it, these people are nearly creative enough with their power. Only Rand uses the Power to do neat stuff, like grab tings from across the room, but come on, that has to be better things to do with it.
You know, like unfortunate breezes that lift women's skirts. Or flying cows . . .
