I am reading the sixth book in The Wheel of Time series, Lord of Chaos. I've been working through the series for the last six months or so, with some other books in between.

I'm reading it now since it's finally finished and I can get all the books. I first read some of the books, first three or so, in the late 90's. At the time I was heavily in to fantasy and it was a well known series. I liked it back then, but for whatever reason dropped it. I guess I feel I need to finish something I started a long time ago.

Now, the Lord of the Rings has been my favorite book for a long time, and I see a lot of people comparing WoT to LotR, but I think it's not a very valid comparison. Similarities between the books are fairly superficial fantasy tropes. Jordan just isn't the writer Tolkien was, though he's not without his merits. It's clear he's heavily invested in the story and world he's creating, and it feels infectious. I like reading the books. However, where Jordan falters most I think is his characters, who tend to be insufferable all of them, with few exceptions. They constantly lie to, mislead and insult each other and it's hard to figure why they think they are friends. His gender dynamics are exasperating, with characters constantly acting like the other gender is completely inscrutable in all ways. It gets real old real fast. He's also overly verbose, this series could have been a lot shorter. But still, I read on and even enjoy myself. I might finish this series yet.

[–] aeternum@lemmy.blahaj.zone 4 points 4 weeks ago

I've never read WoT, but I LOVE LOVE LOVE Tolkien's stories. No one will ever live up to Tolkien's brilliance.

[–] tankplanker@lemmy.world 4 points 4 weeks ago

I been reading WoT for the first time this year and I am most of the way through the third book now. I agree completely, however they capture childhood friendships perfectly, how you would give friends from childhood far more leeway as friends than you would friends made as an adult. Eventually some people have enough and cut them off but it takes time. I would look at his characters the same way you are meant to look at Luke or Anakin Skywalker, as flawed, whiny, teenagers rather than well rounded adults. And same as the Skywalkers, their portrayal isn't perfect.

I also read that WoT is meant to be the opposite of LotR, Jordan positioned it as a critique of LotR. I do agree that few books at that point in a series (rather than say, a current Warhammer or Star Wars book, built on decades of lore) have the lore depth that LotR has, or such well rounded characters, but it had a lot more time spent writing and developing its universe.

I am enjoying reading it, but I set my expectations at wanting something better than David Eddings rather than something that for me is up there with Dickins.