Sci-Fi, fantasy and speculative Indie Authors Review discussion

I'm currently reading The Shadow Rising. I'm wondering what you think of this fantasy series.

Further along in the series than I am at the moment, though it is one of my favorites. It's just engrossing enough that I can't read while classes are in session. I wind up reading for fun, not reading for class in the limited time I have outside of class, work, or my elected 3 hours of writing. Can't wait for Christmas break, when I have more time to indulge in reacquainting myself with this old friend.

i only played the video games... and they were tough.

I tried the games, but never could get anywhere with them. Finally gave up.

I have read them all...several times. I love that series, even with Jordan's roundabout and very detail-oriented way of describing things. When I first started reading, it took be aback that it was a good 100 pages or so just to introduce the story, but on re-reads it didn't bother me as much. I like the ones co-written by Brandon Sanderson (after Jordan's death) less than the "pure Jordan" ones but still enjoyed them. The characters are top notch and the world design pulls me in effectively.

Thank you for the responses. I'm reading Wheel of Time through for the fourth time. After Tolkien's Lord of the Rings (LOTR), it's my all time favorite fantasy series. I was going to ask: "What makes it so good?" Eric you gave some excellent points on the characters and world design.

I see those also, but for me there are also some others. For example like LOTR, Jordan has a sharp demarcation between good and evil (unlike Game of Thrones) and he has a wonderful way of refreshing the plot with unexpected twists or situations where characters shine in unexpected ways.

I write Science Fiction that reads a lot like Fantasy and I would like to learn from Jordan.

I did not know there was a video game!

Love the wheel of time. The first four or five books I couldn't put down. The middle of the serieswas hard for me to get through. Very political instead of a lot of action. And the plus get so numerous and twisted it was hard for me too stay engaged. Then Brandon Sanderson took over and I started LOVING them again. The last book was spectacular, but the very end of it was not my favorite. But not bad enough to ruin the series.
Definitely one of the best fantasy series of all time.

Wesley wrote: "Love the wheel of time. The first four or five books I couldn't put down. The middle of the serieswas hard for me to get through. Very political instead of a lot of action. And the plus get so nume..."

Wesley, I also was very impressed with Sanderson's taking over the series after Jordan's passing. I can imagine how difficult it must be to take up someone else's work even if they have outlined the plot.

Any thoughts on why the middle books were slow? I'm not sure I know what you mean by "political" in this context.

Peter, it's been a while since I've read through the series, so I may be misremembering a few of the points, but the middle books deal more with governments and how they interact, how they think of or treat Rand, and how the Senchean think of/ treat the locals than it does with Rand/Mat/Perrin actually out fighting the Dark One. There is a little of that, but not nearly as much as in the earlier books. Can't say anything about the last ones, since I haven't read them yet.

Thanks K, I'll look for it when I get to those books. I have heard of "the sagging middle" in story plot lines. Perhaps it can apply to book series as well.

I think so. I think I'm dealing with that right now, as a matter of fact in my own series. Working on book 3 of 5, and it's bogging down bad.

Yes K. is correct about the political comment. And I also agree with you Peter. It would be quite the undertaking to finish a series for anyone especially one so huge and well known. Brandon did awesome, which led me to read his other books which are also spectacular. The Way of Kings, by Brandon Sanderson is currently my favorite fantasy book, (besides my own of course :)

Wesley wrote: "Yes K. is correct about the political comment. And I also agree with you Peter. It would be quite the undertaking to finish a series for anyone especially one so huge and well known. Brandon did aw..."

Wesley, I'll add The Way of Kings and your book to my "to read" list. I've had another friend praise Sanderson's fantasy.

Added later-- Wesley, I wasn't able to find your book.

I was a huge fan, and sort of lost interest along the way. I skipped a book and didn't feel like I missed anything big, and after that I stopped reading it. I heard Brandon Sanderson did a fantastic job of finishing the series, and I will always hold a soft spot in my heart for it. It really sparked my imagination, and though it didn't set me down any creative path, it definitely influenced me.

Way of Kings is awesome. Words of Radiance is even better.