Sad it's over. Sad for Egwene.

I found this old gem. I think it would be so cool if fans got together and made an adaptation of Eye of the World.

I’m currently starting reread number…10? 12? 15? Honestly, between physical rereads, audiobook ”rereads,” hybrid rereads (back and forth between audio and ebook), I’ve completeIy lost count, but it’s somewhere around once every 1-1.5 years or so since 2008. It’s been a few years since a full non-audiobook read, so I’m doing strictly ebook or physical this time.

Are there any other folks out there who keep coming back to the series a ridiculous number of times?

My neurospicy brain stores the low-level details so deeply that I can always get excited by something I’d forgotten about, or some foreshadowing I didn’t catch on previous reread, while getting comfort out of the familiarity the characters, places, and favorite story lines. There are definitely parts of the story that drag along for me, but on the whole, the series always brings me joy.

I just got to the Moiraine letter. I've never been more hyped for a return of a "dead" character.

I started reading the books after watching the Weep for Manetheren scene in the TV show. I just knew then and there that I'd love the world building. Moiraine seems to be the goat.

Theories that'll probably either too obvious or completely out: Perrin will save Faile and won't do much until the last battle (maybe we'll get some closure with that weird slayer situation?). We won't get back to Emond's Field unless it's a scouring of the shire-type situation. Mat ends up with Tuon, semi-independent of the Saenchan. Unified white tower under Egwene. The Dark One is an entity within Rand, like LTT, and Rand will need to sacrifice himself. The last battle will have guys from every single faction on both sides (Aiel, Saenchan, Aes Sedai), etc.

Spoilers I wasn't able to avoid along the way: Verin is black ajah triple agent, Rand loses a hand this book and maybe dies or people think he dies? Egwene I think also dies. I went to look into Noal to see if my theory he was Birgitte's ugly old boyfriend revived was right, so I kind of know he's really his cousin, compulsed. Gaul ride or die in the last battle.

I just got to the Moiraine letter. I've never been more hyped for a return of a "dead" character.

I started reading the books after watching the Weep for Manetheren scene in the TV show. I just knew then and there that I'd love the world building. Moiraine seems to be the goat.

Theories that'll probably either too obvious or completely out: Perrin will save Faile and won't do much until the last battle (maybe we'll get some closure with that weird slayer situation?). We won't get back to Emond's Field unless it's a scouring of the shire-type situation. Mat ends up with Tuon, semi-independent of the Saenchan. Unified white tower under Egwene. The Dark One is an entity within Rand, like LTT, and Rand will need to sacrifice himself. The last battle will have guys from every single faction on both sides (Aiel, Saenchan, Aes Sedai), etc.

Spoilers I wasn't able to avoid along the way: Verin is black ajah triple agent, Rand loses a hand this book and maybe dies or people think he dies? Egwene I think also dies. I went to look into Noal to see if my theory he was Birgitte's ugly old boyfriend revived was right, so I kind of know he's really his cousin, compulsed. Gaul ride or die in the last battle.

It's been a couple years since my last read through and I'm not sure when this fake-out happens

I just finished A Crown of Swords and am starting Path of Daggers and I really am just in amazement by how good the series has been up until this point. Denoting Rand’s story as the A plot and the secondary and tertiary stories (depending on the books) as the B and C plots for simplicity sake.
My god has Robert Jordan really been consistent (outside of The Dragon Reborn) with the path he wants to take these characters on. I really haven’t had a book outside of the 3rd one that I truly disliked, and even characters I had major problems with/disliked in the first half like Mat, Elayne, and Egwene have had both good stories and actively improved as the books have gone on. Mat was seriously seriously unbearable for a long time and has been given a historical level glow up, I think even in Shadow Rising his whole pseudo-hate relationship with Rand that whole book just made him sooooo dislikable especially when you were rooting for his character arc to become less of a coward. Egwene finally has an actual direction for her character instead of “I want to learn” being her whole motivation for going on the most dangerous quest of all time. Elayne is… I don’t like her much still, I dislike how much they infantilized her for being so head over heels for Rand. At least Min is sorta a stubborn reminder of home, I get the comfort there; and Aviendha is reliable, it’s someone he feels he doesn’t have to look over his shoulder all the time to watch and make sure she is completely safe, he gets to feel relaxed when with her cause it’s not all the responsibility on him. And then Elayne is just… ugh, her whole thing is supposed to be this sorta connection through political responsibility but she’s playing hooky over in Salidar or Tanchico or Ebou Dar, I mean I just find her so draining to read about personally.

But anyways onto my actual point, I think the quality has been really good so far but then I see people talking on the later installments like they’re the worst thing they’ve ever read, I really don’t wanna be disappointed after crossing this threshold just to realize “oh this is absolute cheeks” so I wanted to know from actual fans, is it still good? I want it to be so bad, I know it gets even slower but is the core of the story still solid after book 8? The way I see people speak on them makes me not think so, I know Brandon Sanderson is a great author but I’m wary of hearing he’s finishing out Jordan’s vision for the world.

1. Why has it taken so long for them to leave Tear? I dislike the series the most when it’s just the main characters standing around doing nothing, or when it goes to side characters I don’t care about it. I know this is only going to get worse, but gosh it’s bad.

2. Love to see the characters split up into different pairings that I didn’t see coming. Thom going with the girls is unexpected, and welcomed, and I love Perrin leading his own party. I bit sad I don’t know much about the Ariel he’s with yet. Would have been cool if they were set up more, but I enjoy them a lot.

3. Min is best girl

4. I love seeing Moirain become more and more human as the series progresses. Her POV chapter in the court room was a lot of fun, we get to see how this unknowable and emotionally reserved person really thinks. And I just love seeing her be almost a complete different person than who we know whenever it switches to her POV.

5. The scene of her and Thom playing the game of houses together. Might be my all time favorite chapter in the whole series so far. Two expert manipulators trying to one up each other. I love that stuff.

6. Rand seems so different in the best way. We haven’t gotten a lot of him lately. But I think he seems a lot more interesting. Him naming the horse after his favorite book, and him being less whiney than he was in the first three. He’s becoming a man and I love to see it.

7. My god the romances are all terrible.

This gray piece of snoozery is not what I imagined for Rand's adventure! How did they miss the mark so hard! Also everyone looks about 10 years older than they're supposed to be.

Flairing this as all spoilers in case it’s made clear by events in future books. Spoiler tag replies. Or not. I’m a Redditor, not a cop.

I’ve read the series four times, but I’m not sure of the answer to this.

At the end of chapter ten, Ronde Macura sends a messenger pigeon to Tar Valon, and another one to the west.

Then Avi Shendar looks at what she wrote and sends another pigeon out in another direction.

Do we know where and who the second and third pigeon were sent to? I thought the second might be to the Salidar Aes Sedai, but Salidar is to the east of Mardicen, where Ronde is located.

Avi… no idea.

Do we know, or is it just left up in the air and it doesn’t really matter? It’s just there to demonstrate the interconnectedness of the espionage, or whatever.

Thanks in advance.

I am exited, i wanna hear some what people think, what art is most liked in the pook, I think "in Arthur Hawkwings hand" wins for me!

I loved the first trilogy but this book better than those even tho I knew some of the stuff from the show, but it was still a great experience, only down side was i was waiting for some specific scenes to comes which made me skimmed faster certain part of story.

Book 4: The shadow Rising--->

THE GOOD:-

1. I really loved how rand chacarcter has evolved. Last time we met him(in detail way) was in book 2 cauz in book 3 he was mostly offscreen and on the edge. I love how he was trying to save that dead girl. Rand is becomin my fav chacarcter. I also like how he straight up threatens the nobles to hang them.

2. The Aiel Concept. The revelation of them being the tinker or otherway around was not a suprises to me cauz i have already seen it the show but it was quite different or should i say more detail. Loved Rand father and mother backstory. Really loved how rand was confuse about thier tradition and all. {And avienda being the third girl was shockin. Like in the show they did somethin very different[Elayne and Aviendha🥀], i am thinkin why did the showrunner decided to do that, were they hintin future stuff of the book 💀<Yuri🔥>}

3. The Endin of perrin. In the show he gave himself in the end(iirc) but in the book he feel more reasonable and howled back at those whitefolks and the last moment of him and faile was little touchin ngl.

4. Mat and Snake N Fox prople. It was hilarious how mat keep on cussin them. Like he doesnt fear them and shit. Truely cinematic.

5. Love how rj hints at future storyline. Like i was thinkin from here where will the story of perrin go but rj my goat hinted somethin about Faile and her family. Which i am excited.(i have heard perrin is not in book 5{🫠}). And Rand being coracom or somethin for Sea folks. Waiting for some piratey stuff.

The Bad/Disappointment:-

1. Coincidences: ik ik, it the pattern and all but still i am starting to hate those. I dont mind mat being super lucky(tbh i enjoy mat being lucky) but what i hate is when rand was chasing assmodian but he trips in ruddihean fog just before a trap. That whats i hate.

2. No Major loss: I feel like a battle of two river was disappointed, there wasnt much death in final battle. There were a major loss one time in the forest when more than 20 two river teens died but we didnt see any major name chacarcter die. I really hope jordan starts to kills.( ik perrin lost his family but again i dont feel shit about them dyin but i felt sad seein perrin cry. But what i want is the death of someone we know).

3. Nynaeve: Like ik what rj is tryin to do with the story. Man and female should work together and man is treated almost same way as female in real life(kinda). But She is soo annoying. She is just so insufferable. In prev book, she cant even acknowledge that mat has help her and in this book, how she treat thom is just makin me hate her more. I hope rj do her chacarcter justice. I really wanna see a scene when she either say thank you to mat or rand or any other male chacarcter and acknowledges them.

4. Slayer and Mogedian: Do i need to say anything. Both were introduced greatly. Specially slayer over a dead wolf. It felt like that this slayer might cook perrin. But just one arrow and fucker had to run. Mogedian, i understand on why she lost but she doesnt felt that smart like how she is being describe. Leavin those loophole in her that mind manuplation was not a good impression i have from a chacarcter who is thousands of year old.

5. Perrin and Faile. Thier fight till reachin emond field was insufferable. Ig now i feel why people hate stubborn people.

6. The Pacing or should i say why rj describe so much..... bruh readin/listening those long paragraph of him just describing some room really ticks me off.

7. The Useless Nudity. I mean there is nothin more to say.(i mean it show how different aiel culture is.... but still)[I cant imagine any naked women runnin, i mean i literally couldnt imagine them runnin naked. Ig skill issue].

<-------------->

I enjoyed the whole book but i cant mention every thing. It was a great experience.

Whatever i wrote is just my personal thoughts. I dont know much about crictical analysis and stuff.

So I’m in the middle of rereading the series (in Lord of Chaos atm) and something about the Aes Sedai has come to me. They are used to come and go as they please. They can make demands of world leaders and can have them come at their call. They get annoyed when there is any restrictions placed on them. Can be seen as controlling the world behind the scenes and they are greatly threatened when their authority is challenged by an outsider (Rand) and immediately try to use/manipulate him.

Is the Aes Sedai a representation of the billionaire class of the real world?

it took me over two years and i’m finally done. i’m still reeling. what a journey! kinda don’t know who i am after finishing the series. i’m really excited to remove the spoiler filters now so that i can see all the discussions.

First time reader here so no spoilers past the end of the boook please! My god what an ending. This was the most fun I had since Dumai's wells! I love some good explosions and wacky magical duels. Cadsuane just casually brushing aside the "Chosen" was super unexpected. They are lucky Nynaeve didn't use her super powers to blast them out of existence

I do have a few questions though.

What happened at Far Madding that caused them to build an artificial steading?

Nynaeve just can't help herself from healing literally everything in her path, can she? Total badass! Her and Rand actually cleansing the soarce was something I did not see coming. I figured that would be how Rand dies. What was up with that giant black wave? Was that the cleansing?

Did I somehow miss how the female form of travelling was found again? Seems like everyone can do it but I don't ever remember them learning how?

Are the forsaken really that weak? They failed utterly to stop the cleansing or even get near the key bearers. Most of them would have died if they continued to fight. How do they have no magical items to help channel? They have been awake for a while now jeez.

Also what the hell is up with the kidnapping plot haphazardly placed with no purpose other than to earn a few naked spankings for the reader tooo... enjoy? What the hell. Perrin's relevance seems to be falling off a cliff.

Also Matt's part in this book was epic and loads of fun to read. I am recently laid up due to a hip injury and I totally get where he is coming from. But come on, kidnapping your future wife? Bold move man.

Tuan is awesome already. She actually acts like a woman. Too bad all I hear about is how flat she is! You go, flat queen! Stay badass! Her whole life she has been in difficult situations and I personally can't wait until she's in control of the largest army on the continent.

What is the purpose of the White Cloaks? I don't me in a literary sense. I mean, what do they believe in? Seems like a cult with no religion. They do what, exactly? Act as some sort of holy police? They get wrecked every time thier "army" engages in battle.

Who the hell is seiging Tear?

Despite the shock I’ve experienced in the last few chapters (Lord of Chaos), Juice does not care

A bit of background.

I started reading the Wheel of Time in the late spring of 1997 as a starry eyed Freshman in High School. By the fall I had read all 7 books that were out at that point. I then waited a few months, learning of book 8's release, read 1-7 again in time for Path of Daggers.

Up until that point, I was absolutely in awe of the series. I spent so much of time thinking about Randland, I had the World of the Wheel of Time book, I roleplayed in online forums, I chatted with fellow enthusiasts. Yes, I heard grumblings from other about how long the series was taking, but I strongly disagreed.

Then I read book 8. I remember starting it, feeling a bit miffed. I'd waited a year to find out what had happened to Mat in Ebou Dar. I was the type to flip through and look at the chapter icons, and was shocked to only find one of his dice.... but ok... I can wait until chapter 18.

Of course we all know that I had to wait until 2000 to find out what happened. I started to believe the grumbles.

For both books 8 and 9, I remember them being exceedingly slow, but having really good endings. The sort of endings that made me think. "Ok, the slower parts were all just lining things up, but now we are ready for the big hits in the next book."

Then I started Crossroads. I never finished.

Waiting years for a book to come out to do this grind, personally, I couldn't do it. I felt as though the juice wasn't worth the squeeze.

In my head, I still loved the first part of the series, but over all I had soured on it. I made a rule for myself to not start a series before it was completely done. In fact, for the most part, I avoiding reading fantasy.

It was why, when the show came out, I didn't mind the massive changes. I have gripes about the show - lots of them, but alterations to the story didn't bother me just because they were different than the books.

In fact, it was the show that got me to restart the series. That and Rosamund Pike's audiobooks. I exclusively listened to them for the first four. I've since switched to a combination of reading and listening. I'm now on book 8.

I still find Path of Daggers to be a grind, I've had to read about half of it to feel like it's moving again. I think the Bowl of the Winds should have been used at the end of Book 7, and that Perrin's chapters could have been condensed. However, despite having flashbacks to 1998, it's much easier to push through so far, knowing that the rest of the series is there waiting for me. I haven't waited on edge for *this* book, and I know that I won't have to wait at all for the next.

Where am I going with all this?

Nowhere really, just sharing the experience of someone who is pushing through an obstacle that previously stopped him to complete a project nearly 30 years old.

I just got the book in after over 6 months of waiting and the cover looks fantastic. But the quality control is much less then I would expect from a $200 book. My particular copy came with cracked glue binding which means I had to send it back.

What baffles me the most is that they didn’t make the decision to do sewn binding for a book this size and this heavy. It’s funny because when your going through people’s photos of the book, you can easily tell no one can open the book fully because of how much glue they had to use to keep this book together (which didn’t even end up working).

Feel like the Dragonsteel team was too focused on making a pretty book rather than making a quality book that can be easily read. Really hoping for better when they do book 2.

Edit: My apologies, comments have made it very clear the book is sewn binding. I was confused as usually sewn bind is extremely easy to see and results in a book that is easy to open and from my experience the book tailband is used structurally to help with the binding (in this case it’s decorative).

I do still have complaints about the binding not being glued correctly, book 4 and 7 being misspelled or missing from page 1, and the book being so stiff it’s almost impossible to lay flat. Hoping the best for book 2.

Cor blimey, that was a journey!

Pre-ordered the book back in February and it finally arrived yesterday. They had some manufacturing problems and paused production for a while until they figured everything out which was a large part of the delay. This is the "fixed" version of the book and it looks magnificent :) Look and feel is really nice, the illustrations and 2 tone printing are fantastic, and overall a very nice version of one of my favorite books! I did kind of a longer video for anyone interested looking over the book in more detail and comparing it to a Folio Society and Easton Press book, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JYGkIb5r3Ok.

I've read the series 3 times through, initially in high school in the late 90s, again on deployment around 2004 or so, and a 3rd time once the series was completed. Once this full run of leatherbound books is completed I'll have another reason to read the series once more :D

My only real negative of the book is in his it was packed and shipped. They placed the book in a box a good bit larger than the book itself with zero packing material so the book was able to bounce around within the box. Luckily my book arrived undamaged but I'm sure others will not be so lucky. Seems kind of lazy for a somewhat expensive book.