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Germany2896 Posts
IMO Gathering Storm was a bit better than Towers of Midnight. But at least since Book 11 the series is fun to read again, unlike most of books 6-10.
and @Warpath In WoT prophecies only represent possibilities, not absolute truth. And I hope that future can be averted.
@Igakusei + Show Spoiler +As I understand it Lanfear hasn't been reborn, but got weakened by the snakes&foxes consuming her power. And currently Moridin has imprisoned her using a soul-trap. So I found that scene consistent with what we know.
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On January 19 2011 06:30 Warpath wrote:Sanderson is definitely doing a great job finishing the WoT. I don't read a wide variety of books so I'm more complacent to some things other people find upsetting with the book (Mainly the 'longness' of books ~4-11, I liked reading, i wasn't so worried about knowing the conclusion RIGHT NOW). Some of the scenes with Mat in them actually have me laugh out loud + Show Spoiler +Talmanes line to Mat before visiting Elayne "You sure you dont wan't to roll around in the mud a little before we leave?" But the one part of the book that REALLY disappointed me was + Show Spoiler +Aviendha seeing the world after the last battle. did anyone else see this as a huge spoiler and kinda ruin the anticipation?
+ Show Spoiler +Well (1) it was a future of her own descendants, and (2) she left Rhuidean with conviction that she wasn't going to let that happen to the Aiel; so I felt like that aspect of it is certainly going to change. I may be remembering wrongly, but it also seemed like it implied Rand lived through the last battle. If true, that's certainly a huge spoiler that ruins some of the anticipation. By the way, I still think he's an ass for destroying the Choedan Kal.
He should have used it to nuke the Senchean before destroying it, if nothing else. Screw those guys.
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I loved reading WoT but stopped a few years ago after completing Winter's Heart. It is funny that I saw this thread today because I was just walking through my university bookstore and saw Towers of Midnight on the shelf (I can't believe I am so far behind!)
My only complaint is how drawn out and uneventful the Aes Sedai chapters were. I can't stand 100 pages at a time that are only concerned with feminine political maneuverings, frosty glares, and low necklines.
Dying to read some of the new author's work after I graduate and have a little more time to read for relaxation.
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United Kingdom16710 Posts
After abandoning the series after book 6 (lord of chaos), i suddenly have this desire to go back to the start and read through it again since the conclusion is near. The reason i stopped reading in the first place was because the series was getting quite tedious and flat. I want to ask those who've read through all the books whether it'll be ok to skip over the 'stale books' or will i be missing out on critical details and plotlines? Do you think just reading online summaries will be suffcient enough for me to not get lost or should i just tough it out and read through them all? Thanks in advance.
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After abandoning the series after book 6 (lord of chaos), i suddenly have this desire to go back to the start and read through it again since the conclusion is near. The reason i stopped reading in the first place was because the series was getting quite tedious and flat. I want to ask those who've read through all the books whether it'll be ok to skip over the 'stale books' or will i be missing out on critical details and plotlines? Do you think just reading online summaries will be suffcient enough for me to not get lost or should i just tough it out and read through them all? Thanks in advance. TBH, books 7-9 are one giant blur of, as Beirut so aptly put it, feminine political maneuverings, frosty glares, and low necklines. You should be good with the summaries, I think Tor.com has some.
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On January 19 2011 06:42 Igakusei wrote:Show nested quote +On January 19 2011 06:30 Warpath wrote:Sanderson is definitely doing a great job finishing the WoT. I don't read a wide variety of books so I'm more complacent to some things other people find upsetting with the book (Mainly the 'longness' of books ~4-11, I liked reading, i wasn't so worried about knowing the conclusion RIGHT NOW). Some of the scenes with Mat in them actually have me laugh out loud + Show Spoiler +Talmanes line to Mat before visiting Elayne "You sure you dont wan't to roll around in the mud a little before we leave?" But the one part of the book that REALLY disappointed me was + Show Spoiler +Aviendha seeing the world after the last battle. did anyone else see this as a huge spoiler and kinda ruin the anticipation? + Show Spoiler +Well (1) it was a future of her own descendants, and (2) she left Rhuidean with conviction that she wasn't going to let that happen to the Aiel; so I felt like that aspect of it is certainly going to change. I may be remembering wrongly, but it also seemed like it implied Rand lived through the last battle. If true, that's certainly a huge spoiler that ruins some of the anticipation. By the way, I still think he's an ass for destroying the Choedan Kal.
He should have used it to nuke the Senchean before destroying it, if nothing else. Screw those guys.
+ Show Spoiler + Exactly, killed a lot of the emotion behind the book for me. The only thing that we can be left with is Rand living and proclaiming peace, or doing the same in noble sacrifice. But it's evidently clear to the outcome of the last battle =[
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Just discovered I had the books up to number 6 in the series. I might of read them before but that was a while ago, so I just started to read them.
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On January 19 2011 07:00 Telcontar wrote: After abandoning the series after book 6 (lord of chaos), i suddenly have this desire to go back to the start and read through it again since the conclusion is near. The reason i stopped reading in the first place was because the series was getting quite tedious and flat. I want to ask those who've read through all the books whether it'll be ok to skip over the 'stale books' or will i be missing out on critical details and plotlines? Do you think just reading online summaries will be suffcient enough for me to not get lost or should i just tough it out and read through them all? Thanks in advance. You might want to consider audiobooks. Or you could try, e.g. Leigh Butler's re-read - I've had a good laugh with some of her snide remarks. But, all in all, I don't think the books are actually quite as bad as one tends to remember them. But no, skipping over books just won't work.
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I love WOT, and when I reread them I just make sure to skip Elayne, Egwene's and Perrins parts (at least while he's trying to rescue Faile). I just wish the cover art was a little less awful.
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I read the first tome four years ago and bought the second but never got to read it, just began reading them again and i am at the end of 2nd, and got tomes 3 and 4 to keep on reading.
I'm a huge David Eddings fan (was my first real fantasy series after Tolkien) and i prefer Edding's style as far as entertainement goes (he himself used to say he writes for people's enjoyment), i've not been able to laugh nearly as much as I did reading the belgariad. Does it get better as the story processes or will it stay interesting but shallow ?
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On January 19 2011 16:25 Rowa wrote: I read the first tome four years ago and bought the second but never got to read it, just began reading them again and i am at the end of 2nd, and got tomes 3 and 4 to keep on reading.
I'm a huge David Eddings fan (was my first real fantasy series after Tolkien) and i prefer Edding's style as far as entertainement goes (he himself used to say he writes for people's enjoyment), i've not been able to laugh nearly as much as I did reading the belgariad. Does it get better as the story processes or will it stay interesting but shallow ? Belgariad and, subsequently, the Mallorean are some of my all time favorite fantasy novels of all time, however, Eddings DOES tend to rehash scenes that can get pretty annoying considering how fast paced and quick his books are. That being said, he makes you fall in love with the character like no one else I've read. Prince Kheldar is STILL the one guy I'd want to have as my wingman if I could have anyone for one night in Vegas xD
And Belgarath is probably the most hilarious "epic" sorcerer ever.
You ever read The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant by Stephen R. Donaldson?
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On January 19 2011 06:55 Beirut wrote: My only complaint is how drawn out and uneventful the Aes Sedai chapters were. I can't stand 100 pages at a time that are only concerned with feminine political maneuverings, frosty glares, and low necklines.
Oh god, so true. Don't forget "raised eyebrows" and tea.
Still, though, the series is fun again now.
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I havent read Donaldson's books, but i have heard of them before, are they worth the read ?
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On January 19 2011 15:49 dr.mayco wrote: I love WOT, and when I reread them I just make sure to skip Elayne, Egwene's and Perrins parts (at least while he's trying to rescue Faile). I just wish the cover art was a little less awful.
Egwene in KoD and TGS is probably one of my favourite parts of the entire series. I do hate most of Elayne's chapters though.
On January 19 2011 16:25 Rowa wrote: I read the first tome four years ago and bought the second but never got to read it, just began reading them again and i am at the end of 2nd, and got tomes 3 and 4 to keep on reading.
I'm a huge David Eddings fan (was my first real fantasy series after Tolkien) and i prefer Edding's style as far as entertainement goes (he himself used to say he writes for people's enjoyment), i've not been able to laugh nearly as much as I did reading the belgariad. Does it get better as the story processes or will it stay interesting but shallow ?
Shallow? One of the last words I would use to describe the WoT and probably one of the first I would use to describe Belgariad/Mallorean, although admittedly I read them ~8 years ago when I was 14.
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On January 19 2011 16:59 brain_ wrote:Show nested quote +On January 19 2011 06:55 Beirut wrote: My only complaint is how drawn out and uneventful the Aes Sedai chapters were. I can't stand 100 pages at a time that are only concerned with feminine political maneuverings, frosty glares, and low necklines. Oh god, so true. Don't forget "raised eyebrows" and tea. Still, though, the series is fun again now.
Almost half of book 11 consists of "Aes Sedai" chapters, but for once they're actually fun to read (if a little bit over-the-top).
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On January 19 2011 13:13 Warpath wrote:Show nested quote +On January 19 2011 06:42 Igakusei wrote:On January 19 2011 06:30 Warpath wrote:Sanderson is definitely doing a great job finishing the WoT. I don't read a wide variety of books so I'm more complacent to some things other people find upsetting with the book (Mainly the 'longness' of books ~4-11, I liked reading, i wasn't so worried about knowing the conclusion RIGHT NOW). Some of the scenes with Mat in them actually have me laugh out loud + Show Spoiler +Talmanes line to Mat before visiting Elayne "You sure you dont wan't to roll around in the mud a little before we leave?" But the one part of the book that REALLY disappointed me was + Show Spoiler +Aviendha seeing the world after the last battle. did anyone else see this as a huge spoiler and kinda ruin the anticipation? + Show Spoiler +Well (1) it was a future of her own descendants, and (2) she left Rhuidean with conviction that she wasn't going to let that happen to the Aiel; so I felt like that aspect of it is certainly going to change. I may be remembering wrongly, but it also seemed like it implied Rand lived through the last battle. If true, that's certainly a huge spoiler that ruins some of the anticipation. By the way, I still think he's an ass for destroying the Choedan Kal.
He should have used it to nuke the Senchean before destroying it, if nothing else. Screw those guys.
+ Show Spoiler + Exactly, killed a lot of the emotion behind the book for me. The only thing that we can be left with is Rand living and proclaiming peace, or doing the same in noble sacrifice. But it's evidently clear to the outcome of the last battle =[
+ Show Spoiler +Actually, Rand might still die. I think he said at the end of ToM that he was going to give Egwene and the others his demands when he met with them at the Field of Alyurssa(idk?). Aviendha's visions mention something about Rand "leaving the Aiel out" of his proclamation, and they also mention the "Peace of the Dragon." My guess is that he demands that all the nations have peace once he is gone but he forgets to include the Aiel in that agreement leaving them free to fight with the Seanchan and get smacked about.
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Well I just started reading book 1... It was basically a fantasy story exactly like any other, + Show Spoiler +little boy, mysterious father, hometown gets burned down, he happens to be the chosen one, and there is magic.
I hope something will happen soon to set it even a little apart. I haven't read much fantasy and still it's too many clichés for me.
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^It soon surpasses whatever you think it's copying IMO. 1) more like a man 2) hometown is just fine after the fires 3) there's more than one "chosen one" etc...
Anyone else crack a smile when Day9 saw DeMaNdReD on his funday Monday? I was like...yep I finally get a username.
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On January 19 2011 23:55 osten wrote:Well I just started reading book 1... It was basically a fantasy story exactly like any other, + Show Spoiler +little boy, mysterious father, hometown gets burned down, he happens to be the chosen one, and there is magic. I hope something will happen soon to set it even a little apart. I haven't read much fantasy and still it's too many clichés for me.
My sister-in-law stopped halfway through book 1 for the same reasons, and I agree. It changes after the first book, though. The jury is still out on whether the series as a whole is worth reading all 13, but since I've been keeping up with the series since Lord of Chaos it's too late to stop now!
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