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Militant Conservative Bad@ss
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RE: Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time Series
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Posted:
9/18/2009 10:47:42 AM
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Having listened to it (audible.com) I can say it sounds like it is all Jordan. Chapt 1 on the other hand definately sounds like Sanderson.
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RE: Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time Series
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Posted:
9/18/2009 9:21:30 PM
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Book 13 has also been given a new name: TOWERS OF MIDNIGHT.
This is a reference to the Towers of Midnight located outside the city of Imfaral in Seanchan. The significance is that the Towers is a fortress complex with thirteen spires, and was the place where the a'dam was created (or at least handed over to the first Seanchan Emperor). This to me suggestions that the book will resolve the Seanchan plot thread ahead of the Last Battle in the finale book which is, as it should be, A MEMORY OF LIGHT.
Visit The Wertzone for reviews of science fiction and fantasy!
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Militant Conservative Bad@ss
Joined:
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RE: Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time Series
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Posted:
9/19/2009 3:24:44 PM
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This is a reference to the Towers of Midnight located outside the city of Imfaral in Seanchan. The significance is that the Towers is a fortress complex with thirteen spires, and was the place where the a'dam was created (or at least handed over to the first Seanchan Emperor).
Wow, how did you know all that? People on dragonmount.com are all pissing sideways trying to guess what it means.
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Joined:
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RE: Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time Series
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Posted:
9/19/2009 7:45:42 PM
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I only did a reread of the series about a year ago, and at the time was contributing to the Wheel of Time Wiki page. The Towers of Midnight came up because it was an element that Robert Jordan, somewhat unexpectedly, went into a lot of detail about during his KoD book tour (the thirteen spires thing, for example, doesn't come from any of the books). I guess it was more significant than we thought at the time.
I'll be surprised if there is a lot of activity in Seanchan in the book though. I think it's more a clever reference to '13' and if the Seanchan align with Rand, that will symbolically probably mean the beginning of the end of the damane/sul'dam system (which after revelations in the later books is probably doomed anyway), which was born in the Towers of Midnight.
Visit The Wertzone for reviews of science fiction and fantasy!
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Joined:
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RE: Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time Series
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Posted:
9/20/2009 9:59:46 PM
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Just a couple of weeks more and then we can finaly read and find out what is going to happen in the world of the wheel of time. I am curious what Brandon Sanderson will have done with this book though I am hoping that for the most part it will be Robert Jordan's book. Strange to read a book by my two of my favorite authors. I can't help wonder what Jordan would think of this book.
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Shaping Kurald Thyrllan
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RE: Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time Series
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Posted:
9/24/2009 8:35:32 AM
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Militant Conservative Bad@ss
Joined:
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RE: Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time Series
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Posted:
9/24/2009 10:12:32 AM
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don't forget to mention, it is free! i am listening now.
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Militant Conservative Bad@ss
Joined:
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RE: Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time Series
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Posted:
10/15/2009 10:19:01 AM
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I am revitalizing this thread simply beause TGS is getting closer and dang it I am excited.
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Joined:
10/11/2006
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RE: Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time Series
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Posted:
10/15/2009 11:26:12 AM
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12 days and counting until the official release date.
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2/4/2009
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RE: Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time Series
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Posted:
10/16/2009 5:50:19 PM
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I am in the process of a massive re-read of the series, and I am really enjoying it. Of course, the somewhat childish behavior of the women in the stories gets a little old...
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Militant Conservative Bad@ss
Joined:
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RE: Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time Series
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Posted:
10/16/2009 5:59:56 PM
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I am in the process of a massive re-read of the series, and I am really enjoying it. Of course, the somewhat childish behavior of the women in the stories gets a little old...
As am I. I really enjoyed it through book 8. Book 9 begins to get a bit slow at parts but of course has one really great thing happen. Book 10 was the slowest by far - nothing really happened other than some small progression of various plot lines. Book 11 is going great. All in all a great series - though I can understand why some people are put off by unneeded detail regarding garments and rehashing of past events for benefit of the casual reader.
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Militant Conservative Bad@ss
Joined:
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RE: Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time Series
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Posted:
10/16/2009 6:02:23 PM
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Of course, the somewhat childish behavior of the women in the stories gets a little old...
Even this I got over. Some of my least favorite characters (Nynaeve and Egwene) do things to make their characters very likable:
Nynaeve - SPOILERassisting Rand at the cleansing, sticking by his side as a "trusted Aes Sedai", setting Lan up for leading an army of Malkieri
Egewene - SPOILERMaturing under training by the Aiel, how she manipulates the tower of the rebel Aes Sedai, how she sticks up to her mistreatment after her capture, and how she is swaying many in the tower.
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Joined:
7/16/2009
Total Posts:
260
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RE: Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time Series
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Posted:
10/22/2009 7:35:18 PM
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Mixed reviews coming in from those who have the book: it leaked early in the USA but not so much in the UK for once.
Well, everyone else says it's great but Pat from Pat's Fantasy Hotlist is less enthused.
It sounds like there is a decent amount of plot progression and several major plot arcs stretching back to the start of the series are concluded. It also sounds like there is more of a cost being paid for the victories this time as well:
SPOILERi.e. relatively major characters get killed off.
Overall, the assessment seems to be that Sanderson has done a good job.
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Shaping Kurald Thyrllan
Joined:
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RE: Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time Series
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Posted:
10/22/2009 9:17:51 PM
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I'm terribly shocked that Pat is raising eyebrows with early negative impressions of the novel. I guess we'll all just have to rush over to read his review when he can finally post it.
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Black Staff Admin
Joined:
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RE: Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time Series
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Posted:
10/22/2009 11:30:19 PM
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I have a feeling there is a truth to all of this:
No matter how the recent the Wheel of Time books have been a bit better than those in the terrible middle, I doubt anything Brandon or Robert could do would make these last three books "great."
That story was destroyed long ago.
Therefore, people are going to question how good they are based on that basic premise. And sadly, I think Brandon might take the brunt of it despite it being Jordan who erred years and years ago.
We'll see what you Wheel of Time fans think. I'm curious what Badd has to say.
Visit my website and read Chapters 1-5 of The Dark Thorn!
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Shaping Kurald Thyrllan
Joined:
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RE: Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time Series
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Posted:
10/23/2009 11:19:34 AM
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I've got a round-up of all the early reviews/impressions from the major names of the blogosphere, if anyone's interested.
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Militant Conservative Bad@ss
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RE: Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time Series
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Posted:
10/23/2009 1:51:39 PM
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Well Shawn, I am a fanboy (of Brandon and WOT) so I will probably really like it. That being said, the reviews aren't all that suprising that they are so mixed. For the most part most fantasy authors would elicit that sort of diverse reviews. There are few authors that nearly everyone agrees writes well and tells a great story (Martin and Williams are two). Everyone else gets praised by some and bashed by others (Erickson would be a good example).
The one thing that does strike me though is that the blogger they reference who gave KOD a 10 and seems to be aiming at a 7.5 on this one.
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Black Staff Admin
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RE: Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time Series
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Posted:
10/23/2009 5:49:27 PM
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There are few authors that nearly everyone agrees writes well and tells a great story (Martin and Williams are two).
Jordan used to be in this camp. Until those dreadful middle books that advanced the story nowhere. 
Visit my website and read Chapters 1-5 of The Dark Thorn!
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Joined:
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RE: Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time Series
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Posted:
10/25/2009 2:50:19 AM
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No matter how the recent the Wheel of Time books have been a bit better than those in the terrible middle, I doubt anything Brandon or Robert could do would make these last three books "great."
That story was destroyed long ago.
That is the sad truth. I have read all of Jordan's books and I will finish this series but for a long time the wheel did turn but the story was the same. The last four or five books never advanced. The last book was a bit better so we can still hope but if there is one series thas has dragged on to long it is this one. Perhaps it is unfair to say that Jordan did this for the money but one does wonder.
Even know there are rumours that the last battle will not mean that the series is finished. The so called out rigger novels could (and probably will) still see the light of day.
Perhaps by that time Kevin Anderson and Brian Herbert will have free time to write those books. Because somewhere there most be a forgotten vault containing extra notes by the late Robert Jordan.
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Joined:
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RE: Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time Series
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Posted:
10/25/2009 10:06:57 AM
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Because somewhere there most be a forgotten vault containing extra notes by the late Robert Jordan.
Interestingly, Brandon Sanderson has said there aren't any. There are tons of stuff on Seanchan not in the books, lots of worldbuilding material, detailed maps and so forth, but nothing on the actual story for the outrigger books. He's already said if they get written by him or anyone else - and he's indicated he's not really excited by the prospect - they should absolutely not be considered canon at all.
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Militant Conservative Bad@ss
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RE: Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time Series
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Posted:
10/25/2009 1:58:54 PM
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Until those dreadful middle books that advanced the story nowhere.
I would argue they do advance the story, but of course the story could have been advanced a lot more 
Although there is a lot of minutia in books 7 - 10 I just look at it as the way the story was meant to be told. Not all exciting and not all intriguing, that is it realistic that the last battle in some pretend land would really be nothing but excitement? I dunno - either way it gives you more insight into the characters as you spend more time in their heads and less time judging their actions.
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Joined:
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RE: Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time Series
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Posted:
10/25/2009 4:40:14 PM
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I first started reading WoT back in 2002, and so I was able to zoom right through them, without the pain and disappointment of having to wait for each subsequent novel (up until Crossroads, I believe). To me, books 7-10 dragged, but it wasn't a big deal because I could just jump to the next one, and the next, without lingering on the disappointment. Had I been a fan from when the books first came out and had to wait for each one...yeah, I might have felt differently. That said, I'm still happily looking forward to reading Gathering Storm and the rest.
Right now though, money is really tight, and I don't think I'll be able to afford to buy GS when it comes out..., I might have to put on my Christmas wish list (along with the rest of Terry's books that I have yet to get caught up on).
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Militant Conservative Bad@ss
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RE: Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time Series
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Posted:
10/25/2009 5:57:32 PM
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When I first started reading WOT it was up to book 7. I got halfway through 6 and just gave it a break because I didn't see the end in site and I knew I would forget everything by the time later books came out. A year or two later I took another crack and it and breezed through the first 8 books not knowing/understanding how I didn't want to finish book 6 (so much happens) and why I gave up. Of course then I still forgot some stuff when I later read books 9 and 10. What makes it most difficult is how there are so many dang characters. But once you devote some time it is all gravy, probably much like Malazan - only it is in English.
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It is true: Man IS the microcosm: I am my world.
Joined:
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RE: Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time Series
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Posted:
10/25/2009 7:25:25 PM
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I just look at it as the way the story was meant to be told. Not all exciting and not all intriguing
I very much agree with this. I think Jordan is very hard to beat for his skill with the english language in the fantasy genre (I can only speak from my experience; I hear great things about Martin, for instance). I also love, love the way he dwells on minutiae (to steal your word, apbadd). I completely understand that this might not appeal to the majority of people here, or most probably the majority of fantasy readers, for that matter; however, I find it reminiscent of some of the greatest eighteenth century literature and, paradoxically, find it very refreshing in that sense
A lot of fantasy relies too much, IMHO, on a constant sense of urgency; even the greatest epics have devoted whole books to the heroes chilling out and playing some games  It works for me.
it gives you more insight into the characters as you spend more time in their heads and less time judging their actions.
I also love spending time with those characters.
The world is all that is the case.
What should we gain by a definition, as it can only lead us to other undefined terms?
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"Trailerparkpimp"
Joined:
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RE: Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time Series
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Posted:
10/25/2009 10:48:47 PM
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Wow I am just about to start book1 for the first time...
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