26th February 2006, 05:48 PM
| #1 (permalink) |
| Registered User Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 5
| Later on in the series Hi Ive just brough the first book in this series and am going to start reading it soon. However I have read in many different reviewsthat from book 5 onwards the story seems to dip quite a bit and drags on. Anyway I was just wondering a few things. Firstly I would not mind the story not progressing much as long as its still fun to read and that the characters are fun to read about even if entire chapters are just about them travelling from point A to B or sitting round a fire or whatever. So ARE these things fun to read about, or is it just a case of the author trying to get in as many words as possible? Sorry if theres a similar thread like this but I dont really want to risk seeing any spoilers. |
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26th February 2006, 05:53 PM
| #2 (permalink) |
| Sick and Tired  Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 808
| Re: Later on in the series I'm afraid the camp is divided on this one. Personally, I think it is still enjoyable to read. It's more bearable when the next book is already out on the shelves though, I have to admit. |
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27th February 2006, 04:58 AM
| #5 (permalink) | |
| Registered User Join Date: Jan 2005
Posts: 341
| Re: Later on in the series Quote:
I would make the argument that Jordan gets into a rut with the characters, a rut in which he describes them the same way again and again, and they interact the same way again and again, making the later slowing of the plot even worse than it needs to be. However, as you can see, many fans remain, well, fans. My suggestion? Read until you get bored, and when you get bored, stop. Don't keep going out of obligation. | |
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27th February 2006, 04:28 PM
| #6 (permalink) |
| Moderator  Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 817
| Re: Later on in the series I'd say it's just a case of Jordan trying to get as many words in as possible. I haven't read book 11, Knife of Dreams, but for books 7 - 10 there's not a lot of plot for 3000 pages. Particularly, Crossroads of Twilight was a completely unnecessary novel. I've seen it said elsewhere that to know what happens in CoT - read the title, read the blurb, read the epilogue. Because it covers only a few days of the story. Are they fun to read? For me, certainly not. The characters become more cliched as the series progresses, and sometimes it's very repetitive. Read book 1 - if you like the characters/plot/writing style, continue to book 3. If you still like it, continue to book 5/6. Then decide whether you think it's good enough to have some very similar books but with a much slower pace. Alternatively, wait until the last book is published and skip all of books 7 - 10 and read a synopsis of them. ***Spoiler *** eg one plotline is about Faile being captured and Perrin trying to rescue her. He tries to do that for 3 books, and even at the end of CoT he hasn't yet done it. Hundreds of pages are spent on this plotline, but it's simple repetition of what happened before - Perrin agonises over Faile being captured, decides to organise a rescue mission, 100 pages later he's still chasing her captors and hasn't really tried to rescue her. Repeat indefinitely. Or in the case of CoT - look at that massive use of the one power. Repeat for 800 pages. |
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27th February 2006, 09:22 PM
| #7 (permalink) |
| Moderator  Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 7,357
| Re: Later on in the series Have to agree with Brys, characters have become very repetitive and the plot line is almost glacial in nature with an extraordinary amount of padding in the later books. Still it's an EPIC series and started off quite well, so I'm certainly going to complete the current series but probably not continue with Jordn's next project. |
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27th February 2006, 10:27 PM
| #9 (permalink) |
| Moderator Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 817
| Re: Later on in the series I have some sort of peverse respect for Robert Jordan - I know I'd be completely unable to write 800 pages without a plot or any literary devices or proper description in. It's impressive from a technical view - he manages to do absolutely nothing of worth in 800 pages, and that takes a type of stamina of its own. |
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28th February 2006, 10:45 AM
| #12 (permalink) | |
| Unreg. Mutant Moderator  Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 3,036
| Re: Later on in the series Quote:
I also agree with the Faile/Perrin stuff above. If he was going to focus on a secondary character for the best part of a book, at least focus on Matrim Cauthon - he's fun!  | |
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28th February 2006, 06:48 PM
| #14 (permalink) | |
| Moderator Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 817
| Re: Later on in the series Quote:
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20th April 2006, 03:02 AM
| #15 (permalink) |
| Rowesdower saves us  Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 99
| Re: Later on in the series I think hes just drawing it out to thirteen books to fit his little scheme. Thirteen of this, thirteen of that, why not thirteen books. The problem is that he doesnt have enough actual plot for thirteen books. If you are looking to devote time into reading a long series i would HIGHLY recommend George R. R. Martin's series, A Song of Ice and Fire. It blows Jordan out of the water. With Jordan I find myself completely indifferent to the characters, meaning I have no particular attachment to the protagonists and I don't really love to hate the antagonists. Also, in Jordan's work it seems that the characters are invincible, sure they get hurt but soon enough they are back on their feet, this takes away any suspense. Martin on the other hand is not afraid to off a main, and likeable, character. In fact there was a point in a book, i wont spoil anything, where i threw down the book in anger. I was pissed but the thing with Martin is that he makes you have such strong feelings about his characters. This is never true with Jordan, Rand, Mat and Perrin could all die doing some noble act and i really wouldnt feel anything for them. |
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