Trying to get into Wheel of Time

[Zionite]

Im trying my best to get into the book everyone seems to like to no avail.The first book struck me as being so mediocre and derivative that I quit after a few chapters.I picked up the comic series and read it all and Im scratching my head on whats great about it.Not only is it freaking slow,its derivative farmboy turned hero-I mean Really.

Please tell me what book those this series get better,so I can skip to it instead.

[Argent]

You can't just skip a few books and get to where it "gets better." The Wheel of Time is very much about momentum - books 4-6, which are usually considered the best (if you don't count Brandon's contribution to the series), are half-meaningless if you don't know how the characters have changed in books 1-3. So no can do, I am afraid you will either have to suck it up and force yourself through the first book or two, or give up on the series as a whole. Because without 1-3, 4-6 will feel almost as bad to you.

[Gamma Fiend]

Eh, the Wheel of Time is a little bit more than just "farmboy turned hero". It starts of mostly focusing on Rand, because he's the main character. Where The Eye of the World starts off seeming like 'the typical' set-up, it quickly becomes so much more than that.

If you can't get through it, and it really is that unbearable for you, I don't really know what to say. I would not recommend jumping forward books, though. I really don't see how that would make anything better, for you. You would just drop in the middle of things, with a whole cast of characters that you'd have no idea who they are or what they're doing, you'd be in unknown locations, and generally would most likely just be left feeling lost and even more disconnected from the story.

Either you like it or you don't, but there are no shortcuts for this one, unfortunately. Remember, Journey before Destination. The best parts of the Wheel of Time aren't the action and fighting scenes where magic is just being flung around. It's the world-building, the small subtle details that paint the grand scope of things. And yes, those beginning chapters in The Two Rivers are actually quite important. It shows you where Rand comes from, and how that influences the man he becomes.

[Zionite]

So in short the good stuff is 4-6 yet I have to force myself through 1-3.

Cant do.Already forced myself thru book 1...if 2 and 3 are the same quality as 1 then I guess this series isnt for me.

Thanks

[Argent]

Eh, 2 is better than 1, and 3 is better than 2. The problem you are having is that Jordan doesn't quite the "in late, out early" thing - especially the "in late" part. So you don't get to see Rand, Mat, Perrin, and Egwene be awesome off the bat (and become even more awesome throughout the books), you start with them not be awesome, but embarking on a journey to become awesome (spoiler alert: they become awesome). Which happens at different times for all of them, but generally 1-3 are about them discovering what they can do and what they are good at, and 4-6 (maybe 7 too) are about them use those skills they've acquired / developed. Journey before destination indeed.

[Zionite]

Eh, 2 is better than 1, and 3 is better than 2. The problem you are having is that Jordan doesn't quite the "in late, out early" thing - especially the "in late" part. So you don't get to see Rand, Mat, Perrin, and Egwene be awesome off the bat (and become even more awesome throughout the books), you start with them not be awesome, but embarking on a journey to become awesome (spoiler alert: they become awesome). Which happens at different times for all of them, but generally 1-3 are about them discovering what they can do and what they are good at, and 4-6 (maybe 7 too) are about them use those skills they've acquired / developed. Journey before destination indeed.

I have no problem with the Journey before destination.I question why the journey has to be so darn Boring,predictable,cliche and slow.

Im starting to see why there has been no live adapatation of Wheel of time despite fanboy popularity.

Ill howver take your word and try book 2.Thanks

Edited April 23, 2014 by Zionite

[Argent]

You also have to keep in mind, The Wheel of Time is kind of an old series - it's what pioneered the fantasy genre into the not-Tolkien era, and ultimately inspired authors like Brandon. So, yea, if you've read some more (good) modern fantasy, you will already be familiar with a lot of the elements WoT introduced some 20 years ago, so they will feel, well, stale. So yea, don't expect much originality unless this is pretty much your introduction into the genre.

[Zionite]

You also have to keep in mind, The Wheel of Time is kind of an old series - it's what pioneered the fantasy genre into the not-Tolkien era, and ultimately inspired authors like Brandon. So, yea, if you've read some more (good) modern fantasy, you will already be familiar with a lot of the elements WoT introduced some 20 years ago, so they will feel, well, stale. So yea, don't expect much originality unless this is pretty much your introduction into the genre.

U are Breaking my balls Argent.Breaking my Balls

[Argent]

Hey, I call 'em like I see 'em. 10 years ago I would've called Jordan the best fantasy author out there. I was calling Jordan the best fantasy author out there. Having read Brandon, this is no longer the case. It's how this stuff works - if you stand on the shoulders of giants, you are taller than those giants. Doesn't mean they are not tall. Means you are just taller.

[Gamma Fiend]

Very well put. Whether people enjoy the series or not, it basically is the Standard for Epic Fantasy now. In comparison to some of the newer fantasies, yes, WoT is a bit 'slower', especially in the beginning. But hey, it's no where near as bad as beginning chapters just rambling on about Hobbits and Hobbit politics.

The Wheel of Time really is a fantastic and exciting series, you just have to expect a little bit more than non-stop action or endless magic fights. But, it all just comes down to personal tastes, I suppose.

[Quiver]

If it's any consolation Zionite, I feel you're pain. I really disliked Eye of the World, and it took me a while to make myself start the next book. That being said, while there are some moments in The Great Hunt that aren't great

 

WOAH, HOLD ON A MINUTE, YOU MEAN THE MYSERIOUSLY BEAUTIFUL WOMAN OF MAGICAL MYSTERY WAS EVIL?!

 

 

I did think it was a big step up from the first one, particularly towards the end. It has some interesting ideas, and really epic moments.

 

The Dragon Reborn was great. Like you, I'm not a fan of Rand, but his role in this book is pretty awesome. I would suggest reading the first three; the ending of TDR leaves stuff for the rest of the series, but it seems more-than-possible to just tinker with some things and consider it a capstone to a trilogy.

[Matrim Bloody Cauthon]

books 4-6 were the best written by Jordan but 7-10 written when he was dying were just boring and hard to get through. when Brandon picked up the series it got instantly better. I used to think like argent and think that Jordan was the best fantasy author until last September when I read steelheart and WoK.

[Topomouse]

Just for completedness sake, I'd would like to say something in favour books 7-11 that are so much mistreated by many people.
 I'll start by saying that this series is to be regarded as a whole, it isn't completely fair to jugde one book separeted from the others, it's like judging every ten minutes of a movie by themselves: some parts are going to be more engaging and some more transitional and boring(and even then it partially depends from personal opinions) but you can't have the former without the latter.

 

The Eye of the World starts really slow, you see very little of the world and setting, and the viewpoint is almost always Rand, that makes it kinda boring at times. Books 2 and 3 are already a step forward, and conclude what I kind of consider the prologue of the story(a nice 1500+ pages prologue).

 

Book 4(which is actually my favourite) is where things get interesting, the main characters start goind their separete ways, each with his own story and some don't meet again till the very end.

 

Over the course of the following books the story slows down exactly because there are so many characters and plot lines to follow, a significative factor in the personal opinion of each book becames whether or not your favourite character/plotline is in the splotlight. For exemple I liked book 4 because Perrin is given a lot of space but wasn't really taken by book 5 since he doesn't show up at all.

 

To conclude, this is a Brandon Sanderson forum, so it's natural that there is some bias for the books he wrote, but IMHO part of the reason they are so appreciated is that they are the end(or an end, since there ar no beginnings nor endings) and all the plotlines come to an end and all the tension created over countless pages gets resolved relatively quickly. I have the feeling that had Jordan been able to continue writing we would have ended up with a couple more books before the end.

 

Sorry for the rant but I thought this stuff many times after reading many posts around here.

[flinn]

 Yeah, like others have said, Jordan was the trailblazer in this type of epic fantasy. Others have learned from his mistakes and improved on his techniques.  Without Jordan it may have been another 50 years + for someone to make the leaps he made. I have told people, read the prologue, if you like it then you most likely will enjoy reading the series. Books 4-6 are definitely great, but I liked 1-3 as well.

[Zionite]

Well just finished Greathunt.  liked it not loved it. Not happy that the 3rd book is Randlessbut ill read.Also not happy tht Thom is alive.I supect Jordan must be averse to killing main characters and tht sucks.Also VERY bored with the girls

[Argent]

Well, not entirely Randless. What little you see of him should be interesting, and the ending is mostly his. 

[Lightsworn Panda]

Wheel of Time is a very long series. Took me about a quarter of a year to finish (and find all of them in my local library). 

Yes, it will get boring, particularly from book 7-10. But trust me, once you've finished the series, you'll want to read it again.

[king of nowhere]

Well, it's a matter of tastes.

And now that you offer criticism, I'm not really sure what brings me to like it. There are several clichès, and I dislike many characters. The story is compelling at times, but in other places rambles too much. Still I love it, despite not being sure why. Maybe it's the scope of it. Maybe I like to see a huge story with all things interconnecting. Not sure. The detailed worldbuilding is certainly part of it, I like worldbuilding and I even like related info dumps, despite authors being told to avoid them.

Anyway, if you don't like it, no one is focing you to, and you shouldn't feel obliged to. If you don't like it, so be it. as others pointed out, it is possibly because fantasy moved on from that. Just as I don't like tolkien, despite acknowledging that  his stuff seem clichè only because he invented it and lots of people basically copied him. I certainly prefer the stormlight archive to the wheel of time (note that tsa would never have existed without wot). But wot still makes a good read.

[Zionite]

Liked Dragon reborn.Mats getting interesting,love Perrin and Rand is walking the patth of the badass.I however hate anything Aes Sadai related.HATE IT.

So im going for the good stuff now books 4-6

[Argent]

Mat, perhaps even more than Rand, will only get more and more interesting. Perrin will have his stale moments. Aes Sedai are... an acquired taste. 

[Topomouse]

Aes Sedai are... an acquired taste. 

That's a very good definiton for them, I like it!

[Left]

Ugh, Aes Sedai. These are the reason that there is always a Old Wise Wizzard, not a Witch. If they just could have been more like Verrin then I would have been so happy. Luckily you can really skim read the Aes Sedai heavy parts such as the later Egwene, Suane, Elayne, and not really miss much. Speaking of Luck, there is always Mat. He stays good through the whole series, and honestly is probably my favorite because he's the most consistent.

[Zionite]

So Ive finished Book 4 and 5.Book 4 was pretty sweet with Rand becoming the Carcann and Matts Transformation,Perrin was actually quite awesome in this book.Lanfear was also interesting.

Book 5 was a problem.The plot plods on and on and on.

Also I have to say the Forsaken are disppointing so far with the obvious exception of Lanfear and Ishmaeal.

I dint care for the Aes Sadai and now I dont care for the Wise ones.

 

Rands romance is very eyeroll inducing.I howver really like Rands character development.Matt annoys me with his selfishness at times but hes cool

 

So whats my view on the series so far?Well it started off very cliche but its gotten very interesting mythos wise.If a tv series was adapted they would do well to reinvent the beginning so as not to bore viewers straight off.That is reinvent the Book 1 and 2 plot to not be so cliche  and plodding-book 1 especially

 

I also noticed that GOT seems very inpired by WOT.Wargs=Wolfbrother,Dragon(Rand/Dany)leading a Middleeastern warrior tribe(Dothraki/Aiel)etc

[Argent]

Eh, I wouldn't call either one inspired by the other. You can draw parallels between almost any two books in the same genre. 

[Gabriele]

Well just finished Greathunt.  liked it not loved it. Not happy that the 3rd book is Randlessbut ill read.Also not happy tht Thom is alive.I supect Jordan must be averse to killing main characters and tht sucks.Also VERY bored with the girls

 

Tell me. I can read Dostoyevsky and Erikson's Malazan monster without once looking at the character sheet, but I got confused about that whole Eglaiweneda high school cabal of Aes Sedai all the time. Eventually gave up on the series at book 3 or 4, don't even remember. Also, I lost respect for the male characters taking crap from that silly Nynsomething women - she's just an immature girl no matter she's Wisdom (she certail has none).