The Wheel of Time
 

Just finished reading book 10 and realized that its not even close to being finished.

Worse, Jordan is taking time off from continuing the story to write prequels. He's an old man and its been 15 years since he started on it... imagine if he dies before he finishes it.

I hate when authors pull crap like this. At least book 11 comes out in october.

He's absolute shit. Too many plot lines, too many shallow, unbelievable characters, and he's very obviously trying to milk this thing for every cent he can. I know way too many of his fans that don't read it anymore...I mean, book 10 was 800 more pages of NOTHING FUCKING HAPPENS. How many setup books can he possibly write? I don't buy Jordan books anymore. I borrow them when I have nothing better to do.

George RR Martin has him beaten hands down, and his 4th (of probably 7) is coming out next month.

It's a fantastic series, and I have been entertained in books 1-9, but I really thought he was gonna end it in 10 and as you said it was just 800 pages where nothing really happened and it had no climax but just cliffhangers.

its a 12 book series....he finished 90% of the plot lines in book 9 and made book 10 to intro the last 2 books, seriously I tell people don't bother reading book 10 untill book 11 is out. Agreed book 10 sucked but will see. I feel the guy has great plot, descriptions etc but he took a fall on this last book.

On the otherhand reading A Game of Thrones series by George RR Martin is almost a waste, the guy kills every char and plot, screws up by trying to lead you somewhere the story shouldn't go. Anyways I will get book 4 when it comes out still just to see if the guy has improved after spending 3 years doing comics of a short story based around the series.

Give Tad Williams a try he has one fantasy trilogy (Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn), 1 Sci-fi 4 book series (Otherland) 2 Stand alone books and just came out with the 1st book of another fantasy series (shadowmarch). He's controlled in his plots and chars, great descriptions and worlds one of my favorite authors, his writing reminds me of J. Michael Straczynski's approach to how he did Babylon 5 all planned out from the beginning.

My last sure win for reading is Neil Gaiman...If you haven't read his stuff or heard of it, I know you've seen it, besides doing the Sandman Comics he wrote some amazing books. One of the best authors out there in the world.
Novels include, Stardust, American Gods, Neverwhere, Smoke and Mirrors, Good Omans and a few others. Try neverwhere and american gods first, then work your way through his stuff, you'll be amazed by him.

Loves, Hugs and Doots all.
Eglin

Personally I like the wheel of time series, I agree that not much happened in book ten but I like the characters (specially mat, that sly bastard), and I like the storyline so far. The only fault I have with them so far is that it seems as if Jordan himself has not read them! somtimes the characters conveniently forget they can do the exact thing that will get them out of a tough spot, or he makes up some startrekish reason why they cannot use uber power X to get past nasty life threatening situation Y.

as for other books, the magician series by Feist is one of the best series in my opinion, except for the three newest books... they are shit.

also read goodkind among a host of other people... and I do not reccomend that series cause it is just the sam damn thing happening over and over.

I like the Songs of Fire and Ice series. But I'm such a slacker and haven't finished book 3.

every Lord of the Rings book, ftw! ;o

I finished book 10 of WoT about 2 weeks ago, and I was pissed too, nothing fucking happened. But he did setup for an interesting ending. Has anyone read the prequal? If so is it any good?

I`ll have to go buy a handful of those before I goto London eggy, as I have a feeling I will have alot of time to read there, traveling and what not.

Be silent, Lord Fungus!

lol streaz your new sig owns 8-O

I'll believe this when I see it. When I met him, he said 7 books, 9 max...now he's shuttled off into prequels. He has a great idea, yes, but I think it has surpassed his talent to tell it. Too many plot threads, and the guy has some serious mommy issues which shine through in all of his female characters & the inter-character relationships. I shall henceforth refer to him as the George Lucas of Fantasy...

You're crazy! :P That's what's so refreshing about him. Nothing is sacred, things will not always be ok, and war is hell. Good characters die, bad characters win, and in the end, you're not entirely sure how it's going to end up until it happens. This is a breath of fresh air in a genre that is over-run with shallow, cliche bullshit and cut-rate authors. Martin is a serious writer in an often under-rated or juvenile theme. As for where the story shouldn't go, I have no idea what the heck you mean by that. After all, it IS his story to tell so it can't really go anywhere it shouldn't.

That said, if you think Dragonlance is literature or you don't like darkly violent and not so happy plot lines, stay the hell away from Martin. He goes for realism and substance over the typical fantasy fare.

Also, expect more to die in this one. Martin is trying to avoid Jordan's failure of having too many plotlines and POV characters. He's stated quite openly that more POVs will die this time around.

Memory, Sorrow and Thorn rocked. Dragonbone chair is a bit slow on the takeoff though, so if you're going to read it, be ready to bear with him for a couple hundred pages. Otherland was amazing, imho. Original stuff to it's core.

Gaiman rocks, though I know many people who don't like him. He's quite good, but he's not for everyone.

^^^ yeap .

I really enjoyed the first Wheel of Time books, but i stopped somewhere around book 7 as it started to feel like he was retelling the story and not progressing much.

I definitely agree with Sandeh's take on Martin's series..really enjoy the 'realistic fantasy' thing he has going.

For those that like the darker stories, anyone tried Clive Barker's novels? He's definitely on my list of top creative minds..but perhaps a bit twisted for some.

quoted for truth

WoT books are a decent read. I have been reading this genre for 20 years+ and there are a lot of great authors out there whose books are well worth reading.

Terry Brooks - Shannara Series
Roger Taylor - Hawklan Series
James Clemens - The Banned and the Banished
A.A Attanasio - Dark Shore books
Mercedes Lackey
David Gemmell - Legend series, Waylander series, Druss series (one of my favourite authors)
Simon R. Green - Deathstalker series (weird but good)
Raymond E. Feist - "Magician" is my all time favourite book.
Robin Hobb- The Farseer books, very good
Sara Doublis - the Axis Books.
Tad Williams - great stuff, both the older fantasy books and his more recent books

There are 1000's of books out there well worth reading. I have about 800 or so at the moment, some good, some crap, but you'll never know if you'll like them unless you read them.


As to WOT books, I hope he gets aroudn to finishing them soon. Book 10 was a non-event.

buncha book reading nerds
 

anyone read the historian yet? :=)

The Robin Hobb farseer series is the first trilogy of 3 trilogies focusing in the same world/time place...pretty entertaining

Have read some of the others that rip quoted but will look into the others, would like to keep htis thread open for other books to read, I do about 1-2 books a week. (don't sleep well). So always looking, lol I went as despareate to read all of grissam's books last month and just read one book by patterson, not really anything I"d suggest but just getting across I read alot, but prefer good stuff.

Loves, Hugs and Doots
Eglin