Starting Wheel of Time book 9

[vivdunstan]

Started reading The Wheel of Time #9 today, worryingly my Kindle estimates 1 hour 26 minutes to read just the prologue. Chapter 1 starts 77 pages in. Robert Jordan is bombarding me with new characters. I'm adopting my usual "If they're important I'll encounter them later!" not remembering strategy. Am still enjoying this mammoth series, though I've been forewarned that I'm going into a really poor run of books. But I'm enjoying it in spite of the writing more than because of it. Though I still admire the ambition of the large scale writing. Even if I wish it was maybe not quite so large scale!

Comments

[watervole]

I'll be interested how you get on with it. I have an ebook copy (came free with a convention membership once), but I've never dared start it...

[vivdunstan]

I got the cumulative ebook free from the 2014 London Worldcon, but am rebuying it a book at a time at the moment, finding that more manageable and less off-putting as a whole.

Embarking on it is a huge undertaking. There are just so many books, many over 1000 pages long, and so much plot and characters to encounter. Robert Jordan tends to over hit with you with too many characters frequently, but many of the details can be skipped. The storytelling also feels over padded at times. However against that I really admire the epic high level scale of the storytelling. It's unlike anything I've ever read, including other fantasy series. And I'm engaged enough to keep reading. Though I'm glad I was aware of the challenge of the task before, and the likely trickier bits (books 9 and 10 are among the worst, seemingly!). I know of some folks who have read it all through in a run, but I find I can only keep going spacing it out. But not so much I forget too much stuff! So in a nutshell I'd recommend it to fantasy fans, but beware it's a gargantuan undertaking, and you will need to read the whole thing, and there will be many low points as well as highs.

I've been reading the Wheel of Time books slowly since October 2021, very spread out, and have just started book 9 out of the main 14. Hoping to get it finished before 2030 at this rate!

[goodbyebird]

We did the whole run of books at tar_valon, starting in 2021. The discussion posts are still up, if you'd like some "company" while reading the books ;)

[vivdunstan]

Thank you! That sounds great. Will check out now.