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Wheel of Time: Towers of Midnight

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  • Lady EriLady Eri Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    Yeah the coverart is pretty terrible. I know they choose a scene and then illustrate it, but why on Earth did they not choose the final Rand chapter? Even if from Egwene's perspective? Would have been much more epic.

    Lady Eri on
  • Who-PsydWho-Psyd Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    WoT books just would not be the same without the absoluely horrible cover art.

    Who-Psyd on
  • TommattTommatt Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    I had thought about creating this topic and glad you did because I've never made one, and I haven't finished it yet.

    I'm about 300 pages in, and that's just because I stop myself from reading. I try and space it out, but honestly, I don't want to put it down. I hate to say it, but I think that Jordan created these great characters, this great world, but sanderson has really taking the writing to another level IMO. I re-read the books about a year ago, and honestly this time I didn't think they dragged in the middle, knowing I had the next one coming up. I think they are all great reads, and look forward to reading them all right before the last book, but the writing, pacing, most of the characters, it just feels better reading it.

    I could never stand Nyvene before, and I believe I've only had one chapter with her, but she was the same person, but without all the things that made her annoying to read. Maybe it gets worse.

    Egwene so far has been my favorite character. Her story is great so far!

    Al' Thor is the big character I'm curious how Jordan would have writtn though.

    *Edit* Just got to Tuons first part. She feels off. Not bad, just off.

    Tommatt on
  • Xenogears of BoreXenogears of Bore Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    Finished listening to it yesterday.

    It's got a good ending.
    Having no Princess and very little Wolfboy was a great move, Jordan/Sanderson as their boring sidequests dragged the shit down in the last two books. I like how they fixed Rand, but am very sad as two of my favorite three characters are seemingly down for the count!

    Xenogears of Bore on
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  • jothkijothki Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    galenblade wrote: »
    Lady Eri wrote: »
    I hate to say it, but I think the series improved with the death of the old author.

    I dunno. Knife of Dreams was definitely at least a smaller return to form. I think Jordan realized that he had to end things, and then worked actively to do so.

    Granted, Sanderson's picking that up a bit more dramatically, but I think RJ would've gotten there.

    It's actually pretty hillarious how Jordan was obviously desperately trying to wrap things up, but was unable to get much done thanks to his writing style.

    Damn that guy liked to write. It was kind of obnoxious to have it inflicted on us so much when we just want plot, but I can't hate him for liking his work so much.

    jothki on
  • SkyCaptainSkyCaptain IndianaRegistered User regular
    edited November 2009
    hottoq wrote: »
    Wow, I saw this at the bookstore and actually laughed out loud the cover artwork was so bad. I mean, it's always been pretty bad, but I'd forgotten...

    The cover art for Eye of the World is good.

    SkyCaptain on
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  • TofystedethTofystedeth Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    Who-Psyd wrote: »
    WoT books just would not be the same without the absoluely horrible cover art.
    I don't know what you're talking about.

    Tofystedeth on
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  • SkyCaptainSkyCaptain IndianaRegistered User regular
    edited November 2009
    They need to hire someone good to do an entire new set of art for all fourteen books.

    SkyCaptain on
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  • jhunter46jhunter46 Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    It took me three months to listen to all of it.

    But in my line of work I can listen to it while working, so...

    How are the audio books? I'd love to re-read the entire series again, but listening would be good too.

    jhunter46 on
  • sterling3763sterling3763 Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    A) I'm a huge fan of the series and I thought Sanderson did a great job here. I'm excited to see what kind of memories Rand retains now and it'll be fun to see him reintroduce himself to friends and allies. Just like the cleansing of saidin, i'm sure certain characters will be skeptical, surprised and suspicious.

    B) Tor's releasing all the books for the kindle and they've thankfully got new covers. They're releasing one book a month. EotW came out the day after The Gathering Storm and here's the new cover:

    51uIe-HdFmL._SL500_AA246_PIkin2,BottomRight,-13,34_AA280_SH20_OU01_.jpg

    sterling3763 on
  • Xenogears of BoreXenogears of Bore Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    jhunter46 wrote: »
    It took me three months to listen to all of it.

    But in my line of work I can listen to it while working, so...

    How are the audio books? I'd love to re-read the entire series again, but listening would be good too.

    Not bad at all, I was able to listen to all of them without giving up.

    Basically how it works is that they have two readers, a man and a woman. If the POV character is a man, then Micheal Kramer reads, if a woman, then Kate Redding. This is funny because there is maybe one or two female pov chapters in the Eye of the World, so you don't even notice it.

    The guy leans slightly on the over-dramatic side, but this is Robert Jordan's work we're talking about, so it's all cool.

    Xenogears of Bore on
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  • TofystedethTofystedeth Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    Wow, that new cover isn't much better. Makes Eye of the World look like some kind high-seas adventure. At least the old one showed the whole party.

    Tofystedeth on
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  • FiarynFiaryn Omnicidal Madman Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    Wow, that new cover isn't much better. Makes Eye of the World look like some kind high-seas adventure. At least the old one showed the whole party.

    These are fantasy novels boy. If the cover art doesn't poorly represent occurences within the book or be actively misleading THEN IT ISN'T A FANTASY NOVEL COVER AT ALL

    Fiaryn on
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  • sterling3763sterling3763 Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    How many hours is the average Wheel of Time audio book? Just started a re-read this weekend with the new e-book, but could be persuaded to try the audio books for the others.

    sterling3763 on
  • Xenogears of BoreXenogears of Bore Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    Well let's see. The Gathering Storm is a shade under 39 hours long. Knife of Dreams is around 32 hours long.

    The longer books are around 40-45 hours each while the shorter ones are closer to 25-35.

    Xenogears of Bore on
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  • TommattTommatt Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    I'm a big fantasy fan, and once I pick up a series I'll finish it no matter how bad it gets. I actually enjoyed sword of truthfor the most part. Although I had the same problems as everybody else, with his inconsisisty, his constant moral ramblings, but I still think faith of the fallen is one of the best reads I've had. While the repetiotuon in wording was rampant, ala the excessive detail of Jordan sometime (with saidain he could see the edges one the blades of glass blah blah blah) it's a very readable series. Hell, I suffered
    throught feist and weikman (sp?) empire series to get sonemorw reading on tsurani.

    I read at odd time, nothing to do at work, plane rides, trying to sleep etc...,.

    And now I'm at my point. Book 12 is a great read. If you've ever read wot, read it. If you like fantasy, wait unroll book 13 comes out and start the series. The j of reason the series has a bad Tao is the wait beyweenbiokd. If you read them all straight through, have 8 after 9, and 10 after that, they flow great IMO! It was the 3 year wait between books that gave it a bad rap.

    Sorry for typos, iPhone posting

    Tommatt on
  • TommattTommatt Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    For anybody on the fence, try and find a way to read
    chapter 33. Just finished it, wow.

    Tommatt on
  • DajianDajian Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    Slo wrote: »
    He's defnitly cutting away loose ends, I mean, jesus
    Masema dying like that? What the fuck was the whole point of the prophet storyline than? I just KNOW that there was something else there, but I understand that Sanderson had to cut down and finish off all these dangling threads

    Late to the party but,
    I thought the important reveal in Masema's death was the fact that he had been visited by a glowing visage that he thought was the dragon. Which means he was being lead by one of the forsaken and he didn't realize it.

    Dajian on
  • WassermeloneWassermelone Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    End of book spoilers:
    He somehow made me care about Egwene.

    And I love that the basic plot was Rand stopping being such a goddamn prat.

    Wassermelone on
  • MrOlettaMrOletta Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    I just finished this today.

    I must say, that it's probably one of my favorite books in the series. It's been a bit since I read EoTW, and I'd like to go back and at least reread that before I settle on which my favorite of the series is. The plot moved along very well, and it was written such that I never felt like there was much of a lull.

    I was happy that he spent as much time as he did with the issues surrounding the white tower, and some of those chapters had me reading much further into the night than I should've stayed up.

    Great book, and I eagerly await the subsequent ones.

    MrOletta on
  • Who-PsydWho-Psyd Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    The Eqwene and Nynaeve sections were enjoyable reading, this is an accomplishment in itself.

    Who-Psyd on
  • Xenogears of BoreXenogears of Bore Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    Egwene's part was good in the last book too, one of the more interesting stories in that one.

    Xenogears of Bore on
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  • TommattTommatt Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    Egwene has grown up a lot in the books. She is definitely one of the more interesting stories in this one.

    Tommatt on
  • Lady EriLady Eri Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    So is Wheel of Time popular again?

    Lady Eri on
  • MorninglordMorninglord I'm tired of being Batman, so today I'll be Owl.Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    Skip the minute description and you skip most of the slog of the books. No lie, if you see a giant paragraph of exposition looming, skip ahead.

    I did, I missed nothing and no part of the actually interesting story was confusing...because Jordan repeats the important parts anyway. Personally it made the world more interesting because the villages were mine instead of his incredibly boring analysis of drying paint.

    Morninglord on
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  • SageinaRageSageinaRage Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    I'm glad to hear that the series is actually good again, but I'm still waiting until it's done before I pick up another book.

    SageinaRage on
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  • KetarKetar Come on upstairs we're having a partyRegistered User regular
    edited November 2009
    After finishing this last night I have to agree that it is indeed one of the better books in the series. Egwene's storyline was legitimately compelling for the first time in quite a while, and Mat's plot to infiltrate a particular village was absolutely hilarious. I was impressed with Verin's storyline, and with seemingly final resolutions to some long-running antagonists.

    I'm very much looking forward to the final two books now.

    Ketar on
  • XaquinXaquin Right behind you!Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    I'm going to make you all jealous.

    The library near my house has a bookstore in the basement few people know about. When they get books donated to the library they don't need or don't have shelf space for, they go to the bookstore. Twice a year they have a sale in the book store. One bag of books for $1.00. Doesn't matter what bag. Could be a grocery bag or a gym bag. I picked up books 1-10 Hard Cover for $1

    I just finished book one and couldn't be happier.

    I was really sad to learn that Robert Jordan passed away though. Glad to see his successor is doing a good job.

    Xaquin on
  • Xenogears of BoreXenogears of Bore Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    I don't care if you only paid ten cents for it, you got robbed on book ten. ROBBED.

    Xenogears of Bore on
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  • Tiger BurningTiger Burning Dig if you will, the pictureRegistered User, SolidSaints Tube regular
    edited November 2009
    Ketar wrote: »
    ... and Mat's plot to infiltrate a particular village was absolutely hilarious.

    Yeah, the humor is actually funny now. Before, it was like having a foreigner or very old person tell a joke. You smile and laugh politely because you can tell they are trying to make you laugh and you appreciate it, but it's not actually funny. The first time in this series I laughed audibly was in this book.
    "I thought you'd...saidar'd it."

    "Saidar'd it?"

    Tiger Burning on
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  • XaquinXaquin Right behind you!Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    I don't care if you only paid ten cents for it, you got robbed on book ten. ROBBED.

    I've only just started Book 2. I take it Book 10 is bad?

    Xaquin on
  • FencingsaxFencingsax It is difficult to get a man to understand, when his salary depends upon his not understanding GNU Terry PratchettRegistered User regular
    edited November 2009
    Xaquin wrote: »
    I don't care if you only paid ten cents for it, you got robbed on book ten. ROBBED.

    I've only just started Book 2. I take it Book 10 is bad?

    If by bad you mean several hundred pages of bullshit where nothing of note actually happens.

    Fencingsax on
  • JragghenJragghen Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    Xaquin wrote: »
    I don't care if you only paid ten cents for it, you got robbed on book ten. ROBBED.

    I've only just started Book 2. I take it Book 10 is bad?

    You know how in Book 1, a bunch of stuff happens, and it keeps a steady clip throughout the entire book once you leave the Shir...I mean, Emond's Field?

    Yeah, that's never going to happen again in terms of plot.

    2-6 have stuff happen, but a lot of tangential things get spun off it in the process, and they cover nowhere near as much actual important plot as the first book. 7-10 can typically be summed up in a single sentence in terms of how much they move the plot. It's that slow.

    Can't speak for the books afterwards. Haven't bothered to read 'em, and I'm not going to until the series is done.

    Jragghen on
  • TommattTommatt Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    I just finished the book last night, and thought it was simply fantastic. Fast moving, gripping, and really justifies the breaking into 3 books easily. It wrapped up a lot of loose ends, and was just so enjoyable to read. I think I'm going to re-read it soon to see if I missed anything.

    I was out right laughing at Mat's parts, and Tallamones? was one of my favorite characters during his parts. And Egwene's part couldn't have been done better I think.
    I'm going to make you all jealous.

    The library near my house has a bookstore in the basement few people know about. When they get books donated to the library they don't need or don't have shelf space for, they go to the bookstore. Twice a year they have a sale in the book store. One bag of books for $1.00. Doesn't matter what bag. Could be a grocery bag or a gym bag. I picked up books 1-10 Hard Cover for $1

    I just finished book one and couldn't be happier.

    I was really sad to learn that Robert Jordan passed away though. Glad to see his successor is doing a good job.

    I think you'll enjoy them all. The early ones are great, and while the middle ones do drag, when you immediately have the next book in line, I think they're good reads. A lot of the side stories are interesting, its just main plot advancement is almost nonexistent. Just more and more threads. But your getting into it with the end in legitimate site! Book 11 picked things up, and this one is possibly the best in the serires.

    Tommatt on
  • Vincent GraysonVincent Grayson Frederick, MDRegistered User regular
    edited November 2009
    OremLK wrote: »
    Knowing Sanderson, the series will be finished by the end of next year. The guy is crazy prolific. Like, he has somewhere around ten novels he's written that he hasn't published. This in addition to the nine he's already published and a few others underway.

    He's 33.

    Maybe when's he doing with WoT he can finish writing ASoIaF too.

    Vincent Grayson on
  • Lady EriLady Eri Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    Jragghen wrote: »
    Xaquin wrote: »
    I don't care if you only paid ten cents for it, you got robbed on book ten. ROBBED.

    I've only just started Book 2. I take it Book 10 is bad?

    You know how in Book 1, a bunch of stuff happens, and it keeps a steady clip throughout the entire book once you leave the Shir...I mean, Emond's Field?

    Yeah, that's never going to happen again in terms of plot.

    2-6 have stuff happen, but a lot of tangential things get spun off it in the process, and they cover nowhere near as much actual important plot as the first book. 7-10 can typically be summed up in a single sentence in terms of how much they move the plot. It's that slow.

    Can't speak for the books afterwards. Haven't bothered to read 'em, and I'm not going to until the series is done.

    Book 11 was a return to form, but still needed more movement.

    Let me go ahead and rate the movement of each book for you:

    Book1 >>>>>
    Book2 >>>>
    Book3 >>>>
    Book4 >>>
    Book5 >>>
    Book6 >>
    Book7 >
    Book8 >
    Book9 >>
    Book10 <
    Book 11 >>>
    Book 12 >>>>>>

    Lady Eri on
  • SkyCaptainSkyCaptain IndianaRegistered User regular
    edited November 2009
    OremLK wrote: »
    Knowing Sanderson, the series will be finished by the end of next year. The guy is crazy prolific. Like, he has somewhere around ten novels he's written that he hasn't published. This in addition to the nine he's already published and a few others underway.

    He's 33.

    Maybe when's he doing with WoT he can finish writing ASoIaF too.

    That'd be hilarious.

    SkyCaptain on
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  • WillyGilliganWillyGilligan Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    SkyCaptain wrote: »
    OremLK wrote: »
    Knowing Sanderson, the series will be finished by the end of next year. The guy is crazy prolific. Like, he has somewhere around ten novels he's written that he hasn't published. This in addition to the nine he's already published and a few others underway.

    He's 33.

    Maybe when's he doing with WoT he can finish writing ASoIaF too.

    That'd be hilarious.

    Then he could write his autobiography entitled Brandon Sanderson: I finish shit.

    WillyGilligan on
  • NarianNarian Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    Going to be picking this up once the semester has ended, can't wait.

    When a Wheel of Time thread on PA is actually positive then I know I'm going to like it (I liked every bit of TWoT except the ending to Crown of Swords).

    Narian on
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  • kabukabu Registered User regular
    edited November 2009
    Finished it a few days ago, and absolutely loved it. Sanderson took Jordan's fantastic worldbuilding and added snappy dialogue and good pacing.

    My impressions:

    One thing I didn't like was how Sanderson wrote Elaida. She seemed very... General Zod.

    Other than that, fantastic. The ending was one of the most powerful scenes in any of the books so far. But the best bit was how Sanderson erased much of Jordan's sexism. It has been pointed out that few of the relationships in the book are "proper" until the woman is submissive or a "Princess in a Tower" (Morgase/Tallanvor, Nyneave/Lan, Suian/Bryne, Faile/Perrin, etc. etc.) and even the ones that aren't are pretty fucked up (Merise has "married" all four of her Warders wtf?). Sanderson turns Mat from a misogynist to a guy who is in denial that he's in love (and it's very clear who wears the pants in that relationship), pretty much makes it canon that Faile is, indeed, a whiny bitch, also points out that Gawyne is a whiny bitch, and best of all, acknowledges that Rand has his harem not because they all genuinely love him, but because the Pattern has forced them to. Basically, he makes the characters human.

    And all of Mat's dialogue is just amazing.

    kabu on
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