I'm about 3/4 way through book 5 and I have to say - I'm struggling.
I'm not really a big fan of people who page skim, but I've found I *have* to do it with these books or I'm going to end up like a person who's been stilled - lose the will to live!
I love the premise of the books, the wheel of time, lives being threads in the tapestry the wheel weaves etc - very zen! " The wheel weaves as the wheel wills", and "blood and bloody ashes!" are now firm sayings in my house.
They are just far too long-winded for me (kind of like this reply! hehehe), and although that is "epic fantasy", at least some authors throw in a little humour to lighten the books a little. I am sure these books are intentionally "dark" - perhaps to reflect the mood of the people in the book - but it has really felt like a chore, especially book 5.
I'm still going to read them all though, because I am a stubborn woman and perhaps a little over-optimistic. I mean, I did read the entire "Dreamers" series of David Eddings! LOL