New Spring by Robert Jordan
I came across Robert Jordan's book New Spring, as a standalone novel, not knowing anything about the Wheel of Time Series. I read it in late 2021 and enjoyed it immensely.
There is some discussion as to when this book should be read. I agree that it makes sense to read it first, before going into the series. It is set some 15-20 years before the start of events in The Eye of the World, the first book of the actual series, and it sheds a light on the intricacies of Aes Sedai schemes and on the Foretelling of the Dragon Reborn.
The first half is pretty slow and is really a coming of age story about two young Aes Sedai Accepted (like novices) in the White Tower, Moiraine Damodred and Siuan Sanche. Every now and then, the story swaps to Al'Lan Mandragoran, the greatest swordsman of his time. It is inevitable that their paths must cross and this occupies the second half of the book.
Definitely a most enjoyable read and a wonderfully imagined world.
The Wheel of Time Series
The Wheel of Time is a series of fantasy novels by American author Robert Jordan, with Brandon Sanderson as a co-author for the final three novels.
I have already read quite a bit of Sanderson's work but am yet to write it up - Elantris, Warbreaker and tthe first 3 books of the Mistborn Series - and think he is fantastic. I can hardly wait to see how he ends this series.
The Wheel of Time came to span 14 volumes, in addition to the prequel novel and two companion books. Jordan died in 2007 while working on what was planned to be the final volume in the series. He prepared extensive notes which enabled fellow fantasy author Brandon Sanderson to complete the final book, which grew into three volumes: The Gathering Storm (2009), Towers of Midnight (2010), and A Memory of Light (2013)
The series draws on numerous elements of both European and Asian mythology, most notably the cyclical nature of time found in Buddhism and Hinduism; the metaphysical concepts of balance, duality, and a respect for nature found in Taoism; the Abrahamic concepts of God and Satan; and Leo Tolstoy's War and Peace.
The Wheel of Time is notable for its length, detailed imaginary world, and magic system, and its large cast of characters. The eighth through fourteenth books each reached number one on the New York Times Best Seller list. As of 2021, the series has sold over 90 million copies worldwide, making it one of the best-selling epic fantasy series since The Lord of the Rings. Its popularity has spawned a collectible card game, a video game, a roleplaying game, and a soundtrack album.
Here's the complete anthology
I started with the first book of the Wheel of Time series, namely The Eye of the World, which concerns the ongoing adventures of Moiraine and Lan who is now her warden.
I finished the book in quick time, and then watched the first couple of episodes of the Amazon series which loosely follows the first book. To say I was disappointed by the TV adaptation is an understatement. Like the Witcher TV Series, I found the characters poorly cast and not what I would have expected. From now on, it's the books for me.
I have since bought the first 11 books (one at a time as I saw them in second hand stores or when |I was given a book voucher). As of January 2023, I am currently on book 7.
Each book comes in between 700 and 800 pages, so multiply by 14 and you have a gigantic piece of work that covers a battle between light and dark, through the main characters.
As an aside, Sanderson's books are of a similar size and his latest is over 1000 pages in length.
There is a downside in such huge books - it becomes a lobour of love to work your way through such a huge work of imagination and the plot does seem to drag out laborously at times. In fact, they do sometimes seem to be padded out and I become frustrated at times and want Jordan to just get on with the central story.
And what is the central story:
As the books begin, the Dark One, the embodiment of pure evil, is breaking free from his prison. The overall plot is about a man who learns that he is the reincarnation of the world's messiah and is once again destined to save the world from the Dark One -- but possibly destroy it in the process. This saga is not only his story, but the story of an entire world's struggle to deal with war and change, destruction and hope.
I recommend fan-maintained website https://dragonmount.com/Books/index/ to all readers.
Website https://stoneblackfiction.com/2020/07/26/book-review-the-wheel-of-time-a-complete-series-review/ does a pretty good analysis, with both pros and cons, and rates each book individually.Book 7 that I am currently reading is rated 1/10. It does drag!!!
