r3v07u10n's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
waxingquixotic's review against another edition
4.0
March 2023 - Third time reading this one, and you may be thinking, “Wow! Justin really loves The Wheel of Time Series!” Well, I guess I just really love this book (and the next two in the series) because that’s as far as I’ve made it. I’ve consistently said I’ll finish the series, and I never do. So I won’t commit to it, but I will say this will be the year I actually finish the series, probably, maybe.
Also, it was interesting to read this right after reading The Fellowship of the Ring. There are definitely some major comparisons between the two, but I know this series very quickly becomes its own thing. I’ll have more to say on that later. On to The Great Hunt, possibly, who knows.
————-
Second time through this thing, and I will actually continue this series this time around. Here’s my 2020 review:
———-
Well, ladies and gentlemen, gleemen and Aes Sedai, Darkfriends and Wisdom, boy did this book hit me at the right time.
I was bumbling around town like I always do. I was in this weird time in my life just wandering around thinking about books and what I should read next. I was parading down the cold streets with a warm beverage, wearing a sweater, considering my options, sipping my latte, letting the heat warm my bones and the caffeine electrify my brain.
I had a lot of demands for whatever book I would read next. I was like a rock star passing off my rider to a sold out venue. I wasn’t playing unless all of my requests were accommodated. Well, Robert Jordan delivered for me. And now I have to read 13 more long, winding books to finish this epic journey I’ve begun.
At the top of my list was some kind of epic fantasy book that was kind of like Lord of the Rings but different. This book apparently gets a lot of negativity because it copies so much from Tolkien, but I didn’t care. When I look for a new book, or movie, or band, or whatever, aren’t I always looking for comparisons? Isn’t every book now compared to Gone Girl because it was popular and people wanted something similar to read for the rest of their lives? It’s the same thing here. He does borrow a lot from Tolkien, but he also has a lot more story to tell and my guess is his story is going to veer off into many other directions. So I didn’t care, and I wasn’t upset about it.
Next up on my list was a story with lots of inns and innkeepers. Man, I just loved every time these guys wandered into a new town, found that town’s inn with its fun little name, talked to that inn’s hospitable and maybe sinister innkeeper, met more townsfolk, rested, strategized, etc. I couldn’t give enough of all of these towns and the people inhabiting them. I loved every time they reached s new destination and the story unfolded more and more. I wanted inns and innkeepers, and I got a daggum plethora of them.
Those were the only two requirements, really.
I would love to rate this book five stars. I really had a blast reading and following Rand and his crew on their wild adventures. I loved meeting new people and learning more about the history and setting of the story. My only complaint is that there are a ton of people! There are so many words and concepts I just don’t get yet! I have so much to learn! So as epic and fun as this book is, it’s also challenging and not easy to keep up with at times. I had to stop and remind myself who people were sometimes, and I still have a lot of questions. I also have a lot more to read so I’m sure things will work themselves out.
If you love fantasy books and books with innkeepers, boy do I have the book for you! If you like Lord of the Rings, boy so I have a carbon copy of that story to give to you! I’m kidding. Stop. What’s the hunt for the Great Horn anyway? I’m about to find out! I’m all in on this adventure. Can’t wait to keep truckin’ along with these guys.
I just hope there are even more inns and innkeepers in the next book.
Also, it was interesting to read this right after reading The Fellowship of the Ring. There are definitely some major comparisons between the two, but I know this series very quickly becomes its own thing. I’ll have more to say on that later. On to The Great Hunt, possibly, who knows.
————-
Second time through this thing, and I will actually continue this series this time around. Here’s my 2020 review:
———-
Well, ladies and gentlemen, gleemen and Aes Sedai, Darkfriends and Wisdom, boy did this book hit me at the right time.
I was bumbling around town like I always do. I was in this weird time in my life just wandering around thinking about books and what I should read next. I was parading down the cold streets with a warm beverage, wearing a sweater, considering my options, sipping my latte, letting the heat warm my bones and the caffeine electrify my brain.
I had a lot of demands for whatever book I would read next. I was like a rock star passing off my rider to a sold out venue. I wasn’t playing unless all of my requests were accommodated. Well, Robert Jordan delivered for me. And now I have to read 13 more long, winding books to finish this epic journey I’ve begun.
At the top of my list was some kind of epic fantasy book that was kind of like Lord of the Rings but different. This book apparently gets a lot of negativity because it copies so much from Tolkien, but I didn’t care. When I look for a new book, or movie, or band, or whatever, aren’t I always looking for comparisons? Isn’t every book now compared to Gone Girl because it was popular and people wanted something similar to read for the rest of their lives? It’s the same thing here. He does borrow a lot from Tolkien, but he also has a lot more story to tell and my guess is his story is going to veer off into many other directions. So I didn’t care, and I wasn’t upset about it.
Next up on my list was a story with lots of inns and innkeepers. Man, I just loved every time these guys wandered into a new town, found that town’s inn with its fun little name, talked to that inn’s hospitable and maybe sinister innkeeper, met more townsfolk, rested, strategized, etc. I couldn’t give enough of all of these towns and the people inhabiting them. I loved every time they reached s new destination and the story unfolded more and more. I wanted inns and innkeepers, and I got a daggum plethora of them.
Those were the only two requirements, really.
I would love to rate this book five stars. I really had a blast reading and following Rand and his crew on their wild adventures. I loved meeting new people and learning more about the history and setting of the story. My only complaint is that there are a ton of people! There are so many words and concepts I just don’t get yet! I have so much to learn! So as epic and fun as this book is, it’s also challenging and not easy to keep up with at times. I had to stop and remind myself who people were sometimes, and I still have a lot of questions. I also have a lot more to read so I’m sure things will work themselves out.
If you love fantasy books and books with innkeepers, boy do I have the book for you! If you like Lord of the Rings, boy so I have a carbon copy of that story to give to you! I’m kidding. Stop. What’s the hunt for the Great Horn anyway? I’m about to find out! I’m all in on this adventure. Can’t wait to keep truckin’ along with these guys.
I just hope there are even more inns and innkeepers in the next book.
kahlan_2891's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
tuila95's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
tatabontz's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
colourmeread's review against another edition
2.0
The Wheel of Time series is known as one of the most daunting fantasy series to sink your teeth into. It consists of 14 books with each one well over 500 pages. As someone who loves reading fantasy, it was more the commitment vs. the page count that intimidated me.
I’ve read mixed reviews on the Eye of the World and a few have said it has similarities with J. R. R. Tolkien’s the Lord of the Rings. Having read and loved LOTR as a teen, I was almost confident I’d love TEOTW. So with an open mind and low expectations, there was just no way I wasn’t going to like this book.
100 pages… 200… 300…
When you read a book and start asking yourself ‘Is it over yet?’ repeatedly, that’s a bad sign. Worldbuilding is one of my favourite things about fantasy books so I’m all for reading it at the author’s pace. That being said, I could not get into this world! The more I read, the more it sounded like a LOTR knock-off. It was predictable with flat characters who were barely interesting. TEOTW was also littered with terms you’ll get lost in, so I almost recommend writing them down and keeping track of them.
Everything that happened in this book could have been told in half the amount of pages. It’s unfortunate when you’re left wanting so much more after 814 pages. It’s worst when after reading that much, you didn’t feel like you read anything original, different, or exciting (well, maybe the last page).
I’ve read mixed reviews on the Eye of the World and a few have said it has similarities with J. R. R. Tolkien’s the Lord of the Rings. Having read and loved LOTR as a teen, I was almost confident I’d love TEOTW. So with an open mind and low expectations, there was just no way I wasn’t going to like this book.
100 pages… 200… 300…
When you read a book and start asking yourself ‘Is it over yet?’ repeatedly, that’s a bad sign. Worldbuilding is one of my favourite things about fantasy books so I’m all for reading it at the author’s pace. That being said, I could not get into this world! The more I read, the more it sounded like a LOTR knock-off. It was predictable with flat characters who were barely interesting. TEOTW was also littered with terms you’ll get lost in, so I almost recommend writing them down and keeping track of them.
Everything that happened in this book could have been told in half the amount of pages. It’s unfortunate when you’re left wanting so much more after 814 pages. It’s worst when after reading that much, you didn’t feel like you read anything original, different, or exciting (well, maybe the last page).
missintermediatemilk's review
4.0
After reading this I realise how much the tv series changed the story….
unravelanelephant's review against another edition
5.0
Everything. Just everything I needed in an epic fantasy.
ninjakiwi12's review
3.0
Fun(ny) fact(s): Summer reading challenge Bingo with the Dayspring youth #21: a novel of any genre! Big thanks to Sam for the recommendation, talking about the book almost every day as I read, and sending me memes of every chapter. Also shoutout to Justin for embarking on this journey with me.
Favorite quote/image: "You see, the Wheel of Time weaves the Pattern of the Ages, and the threads it uses are lives. It is not fixed, the Pattern, not always. If a man tries to change the direction of his life and the Pattern has room for it, the Wheel just weaves on and takes it in. There is always room for small changes, but sometimes the Pattern simply won't accept a big change, no matter how hard you try..But sometimes the changes chooses you, or the Wheel chooses it for you. And sometimes the Wheel bends a life-thread, or several threads, in such a way that all the surrounding threads are forced to swirl around it, and those force other threads, and those still others, and on and on." (pg. 549)
Honorable mention: "You'll use it [a weapon], boy, and as long as you hate using it, you will use it more wisely than most men would. Wait. If you ever don't hate it any longer, then will be the time to throw it as far as you can and run the other way." (pg. 436)
Why: As a clarification, I would give this book 3.5/5 stars, 3 feels to low, but 4 is reserved for the first two LOTR books, and I found the first book of the epic Wheel of Time series to be just a half-step below Tolkien's legendary Middle Earth. Jordan clearly draws a lot from LOTR, but still makes the world his own with a wide cast of intriguing characters (telling the story through many different POVs). In addition to the deep commitment to world building, I am also quite impressed by his nuanced treatment of fate and destiny, but I must confess to sometimes being frustrated at the slow pacing and daunting size of the book (and rest of the series).
Favorite quote/image: "You see, the Wheel of Time weaves the Pattern of the Ages, and the threads it uses are lives. It is not fixed, the Pattern, not always. If a man tries to change the direction of his life and the Pattern has room for it, the Wheel just weaves on and takes it in. There is always room for small changes, but sometimes the Pattern simply won't accept a big change, no matter how hard you try..But sometimes the changes chooses you, or the Wheel chooses it for you. And sometimes the Wheel bends a life-thread, or several threads, in such a way that all the surrounding threads are forced to swirl around it, and those force other threads, and those still others, and on and on." (pg. 549)
Honorable mention: "You'll use it [a weapon], boy, and as long as you hate using it, you will use it more wisely than most men would. Wait. If you ever don't hate it any longer, then will be the time to throw it as far as you can and run the other way." (pg. 436)
Why: As a clarification, I would give this book 3.5/5 stars, 3 feels to low, but 4 is reserved for the first two LOTR books, and I found the first book of the epic Wheel of Time series to be just a half-step below Tolkien's legendary Middle Earth. Jordan clearly draws a lot from LOTR, but still makes the world his own with a wide cast of intriguing characters (telling the story through many different POVs). In addition to the deep commitment to world building, I am also quite impressed by his nuanced treatment of fate and destiny, but I must confess to sometimes being frustrated at the slow pacing and daunting size of the book (and rest of the series).
yunbin0714's review against another edition
4.0
I had heard a lot about this book, but couldn’t be bothered. But for some reason, I suddenly felt an urge to read an epic fantasy novel. So here I am, writing a review of this book.
-Writing
Well, writing wasn’t bad. Ok, I’ll be honest. It was bad. Not bad in a sense of childish scribbling, but in a sense of lack of literary experience. I don’t know the author’s background but I got the feeling that he didn’t train himself hard to write a so-called “literary” book. But since English isn’t my first language and I, myself have no experience in literary criticism at all, I rest my case here.
But I have to point some things that bothered me while I was reading this book just to help others to get a grasp of what this book is like, when it comes to writing style. Firstly, there are too many “drawing a breath” going on, if you know what I mean. “He drew a deep breath.” I think this sentence appears at least 3 times per chapter and every chapter, and it’s really annoying. I have no idea what’s going on with the breathing and fantasy writers, but I almost always see that sentence in every fantasy book. It’s driving me nuts! Maybe it’s just me who’s overreacting to this, but I think this sentence is futile. I even stopped reading Name of the Wind because of it. Even if the author really imagined the character drawing a breath while writing, he doesn’t have to say it every time.
Secondly, there are too many “He thought ……”, “She thought…….”. It’s not a bad thing to write them. What I’m trying to say here is you don’t always have to say exactly what the character thought in a book. It’s more natural to just show us the characters’ behaviour to understand how they’re feeling. Maybe he did it because it’s written in 3rd person narrative. But it’s still a point which makes the general writing style of this book bad.
And I think I have to mention good points of the writing. The voices of the characters are very consistent.(The voice of the narrator isn’t, though. But I will not mention it here because it would make me look like a posh lady who finds faults with everything). You can actually guess whose voice it was by just looking at a dialogue. And the visual imagery is quite good.
-Characters
Why, do I have so much to talk about the characters. There are many of them, but my main interest rests on (of course) the protagonists.
Rand : He’s the main protagonist, and yet I don’t feel for him. I don’t care him at all. His voice lacks characteristics. He’s too plain. And I think that’s his voice, being plain. I hate to say this but I don’t like him even if he’s the MAIN protagonist.
Mat : At least, he’s got his own voice like everyone else (except for Rand), and quite a bad one. He’s mischievous, vile, and feeble on the inside. I really hated him through the reading. I just wanted to punch him in the face every time he made things worse or complained about things. But Wikipedia says he’s going to turn into a general and a commander of armies. So I can’t wait to see how he’s changing over the course of battles and adventures in other books of the series.
Perrin : He’s my favourite. He’s the ONLY one who goes through a dramatic change in his life in this book. Fictions are supposed to have catalyst, ups and downs, conflicts(inner or outer) and last a transition in them. But in this book, there’s no one but Perrin who goes through that. I know it’s because this book is the first book of the whole series. But still, I loved to see someone struggles and finally accepts himself through adversities and pain.
Egwene : Well, I’ve got no feelings for her, like I do with Rand, but in a different way. I don’t care about her not because of a lack of characteristics but because of the state she’s in. She’s still going through a transition even after the ending of this book. Well, so do the other protagonists but her change is subtle and quite well managed. She seemed ingenuous and ignorant of the world at first. But she realises the world is not full of adventures and worlds that stories tell you. It’s full of darkness and hatred. And she generally feels it and acknowledges it and adapts herself. But the her inner conflict(which I want to see more of) is less depictive than other features of the book. So I can’t find more signs of her whole self but the mere transition of her state.
Moiraine : She’s the most consistent character in the book. She never shakes with emotion. She’s calm and mother-like figure. And she’s my second favourite. The moment I met her through the book, I knew she will be the most firm character. As far as Moiraine is concerned, I think the author did a wonderful job of making her likable and admirable. She goes through no change at all and it quite fits. She probably went through it before or while or after she came to be an Aes Sedai. And it makes me wonder what her history would be like. Will that be revealed in the other books? I don’t know, but I can’t wait to find out.
Well, there are more. Lan, Thom, and so on. But I think this is enough to make my point about characters.
-Settings
I still don’t know the whole setting since this is an EPIC fantasy book. It’s hardly probable for a writer to reveal the whole settings in the first book. But general settings are quite generic. Medieval kind of surroundings, places which can be hardly pronounced correctly without the help of Wikipedia, hustle and bustle of the inns and the Blight where darkness lurks. That’s pretty much about it. It’s too fantasy-like, I don’t have an opinion on it.
This book certainly lacks some elements of fiction as some might say. But I really enjoyed reading it and planning to read the second book right away. And that’s what matters in fictions, right? To draw a reader into the world and make the reader wanting more. For that, I give this book a 4 star.
-Writing
Well, writing wasn’t bad. Ok, I’ll be honest. It was bad. Not bad in a sense of childish scribbling, but in a sense of lack of literary experience. I don’t know the author’s background but I got the feeling that he didn’t train himself hard to write a so-called “literary” book. But since English isn’t my first language and I, myself have no experience in literary criticism at all, I rest my case here.
But I have to point some things that bothered me while I was reading this book just to help others to get a grasp of what this book is like, when it comes to writing style. Firstly, there are too many “drawing a breath” going on, if you know what I mean. “He drew a deep breath.” I think this sentence appears at least 3 times per chapter and every chapter, and it’s really annoying. I have no idea what’s going on with the breathing and fantasy writers, but I almost always see that sentence in every fantasy book. It’s driving me nuts! Maybe it’s just me who’s overreacting to this, but I think this sentence is futile. I even stopped reading Name of the Wind because of it. Even if the author really imagined the character drawing a breath while writing, he doesn’t have to say it every time.
Secondly, there are too many “He thought ……”, “She thought…….”. It’s not a bad thing to write them. What I’m trying to say here is you don’t always have to say exactly what the character thought in a book. It’s more natural to just show us the characters’ behaviour to understand how they’re feeling. Maybe he did it because it’s written in 3rd person narrative. But it’s still a point which makes the general writing style of this book bad.
And I think I have to mention good points of the writing. The voices of the characters are very consistent.(The voice of the narrator isn’t, though. But I will not mention it here because it would make me look like a posh lady who finds faults with everything). You can actually guess whose voice it was by just looking at a dialogue. And the visual imagery is quite good.
-Characters
Why, do I have so much to talk about the characters. There are many of them, but my main interest rests on (of course) the protagonists.
Rand : He’s the main protagonist, and yet I don’t feel for him. I don’t care him at all. His voice lacks characteristics. He’s too plain. And I think that’s his voice, being plain. I hate to say this but I don’t like him even if he’s the MAIN protagonist.
Mat : At least, he’s got his own voice like everyone else (except for Rand), and quite a bad one. He’s mischievous, vile, and feeble on the inside. I really hated him through the reading. I just wanted to punch him in the face every time he made things worse or complained about things. But Wikipedia says he’s going to turn into a general and a commander of armies. So I can’t wait to see how he’s changing over the course of battles and adventures in other books of the series.
Perrin : He’s my favourite. He’s the ONLY one who goes through a dramatic change in his life in this book. Fictions are supposed to have catalyst, ups and downs, conflicts(inner or outer) and last a transition in them. But in this book, there’s no one but Perrin who goes through that. I know it’s because this book is the first book of the whole series. But still, I loved to see someone struggles and finally accepts himself through adversities and pain.
Egwene : Well, I’ve got no feelings for her, like I do with Rand, but in a different way. I don’t care about her not because of a lack of characteristics but because of the state she’s in. She’s still going through a transition even after the ending of this book. Well, so do the other protagonists but her change is subtle and quite well managed. She seemed ingenuous and ignorant of the world at first. But she realises the world is not full of adventures and worlds that stories tell you. It’s full of darkness and hatred. And she generally feels it and acknowledges it and adapts herself. But the her inner conflict(which I want to see more of) is less depictive than other features of the book. So I can’t find more signs of her whole self but the mere transition of her state.
Moiraine : She’s the most consistent character in the book. She never shakes with emotion. She’s calm and mother-like figure. And she’s my second favourite. The moment I met her through the book, I knew she will be the most firm character. As far as Moiraine is concerned, I think the author did a wonderful job of making her likable and admirable. She goes through no change at all and it quite fits. She probably went through it before or while or after she came to be an Aes Sedai. And it makes me wonder what her history would be like. Will that be revealed in the other books? I don’t know, but I can’t wait to find out.
Well, there are more. Lan, Thom, and so on. But I think this is enough to make my point about characters.
-Settings
I still don’t know the whole setting since this is an EPIC fantasy book. It’s hardly probable for a writer to reveal the whole settings in the first book. But general settings are quite generic. Medieval kind of surroundings, places which can be hardly pronounced correctly without the help of Wikipedia, hustle and bustle of the inns and the Blight where darkness lurks. That’s pretty much about it. It’s too fantasy-like, I don’t have an opinion on it.
This book certainly lacks some elements of fiction as some might say. But I really enjoyed reading it and planning to read the second book right away. And that’s what matters in fictions, right? To draw a reader into the world and make the reader wanting more. For that, I give this book a 4 star.