The Eye of the World: Book One of 'The Wheel of Time' [Mass Market Paperback]

 

 

Create your own review

In 1990, I picked up a book by a writer named Robert Jordan, who was mainly known among fans of fantasy for the Conan novels he penned, which were among my favorites at the time. I bought it without a moment's hesitation and loved it. The Eye of the World followed the classic formula high fantasy had been treading since Tolkien wrote of hobbits leaving the Shire with Nazgul in pursuit.
Getting to the end of the book and realizing it was the first in the series was icing on the cake of a thrilling, fast paced fantasy read. I couldn't wait for what I assumed would be the conclusion, the third book in the series. After all, nearly all high fantasy before the 90's were trilogies.
Alas, Book 3 did not wrap up the story, and in a pre-Internet world, I had no way of knowing that Jordan intended for 12 books. By the time book 6 came out, I was tired of waiting for closure.
So I got stuck at book seven for several years. Last year, I began listening to Book 7, sure that I'd be using it to augment my actual reading of the book. I'm not sure I've picked up a Jordan novel since. But I am about to begin Book 11. And I'm looking forward to the posthumous collaboration of Jordan with Brandon Sanderson. So, to all those who have given up on Jordan, and wished they hadn't, or to those who are thinking about starting but have heard too many negative reviews, here's how I recommend reading Robert Jordan's "Wheel of Time" series.
1. Understand that Jordan loves detail. He describes clothing in so much detail, that if "Wheel of Time" ever gets optioned for film or television, the costume designers will be able to go for a lot of coffee breaks. He is fond of giving elaborately detailed descriptions of every character, even minor ones.
2. The repetition of previously established plot elements in subsequent books is for people traveling on planes who pick up book 5 in the airport. It allows them to enter the world enough to get through the read. It's a device publishing companies use with bestselling series like this to ensure that the series remain a bestseller. While I have never started any series mid-way through, some people apparently do, and these passages are for them.
3. Jordan likes to weave intricate plots with a cast of characters so large it necessitates a glossary at the end of each book. Many of the books are entirely character based, and so seem to have "no action" taking place. This is because many readers want someone to storm a tower, engage in a climactic battle, or throw a ring into a fiery pit. Jordan is too busy marrying characters or introducing a new plot thread to bother with such things. And while he may not talk about a character for one book, he almost always returns to them.
4. I started thinking about "Wheel of Time" as a television series. It's long enough to sustain several seasons, and the cast is basically the OC meets LOTR. We watch TV one episode at a time. I began to view the chapters in each book as "episodes" of "Wheel of Time" as a television series, and each book as a "season." I don't like every episode of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and there are some seasons I like better than others. Some of my favorite episodes are in my least favorite seasons. But I love the characters, and I want to see what happens to them. I love the characters in Wheel of Time. I want to see what happens to them. So I keep "tuning in."
5. I got over the reasons I quit. Simply put, they were my reasons. I had expectations of Jordan he never intended to fulfill. I expected him to wrap it up in a trilogy. He didn't. I expected him to snap Rand out of his sullen funk. He didn't. I expected him to stop telling me about the embroidery on coats or dresses. He didn't. I expected him to bring a certain major character back from the dead. He didn't. And finally, I expected him to finish before he passed away. And he didn't.
It was that last one that really galvanized me. When I heard he had terminal cancer (many years after it was a reality), it got me thinking about the legacy the man would leave on this earth. An epic bestselling fantasy series. And I realized that, to quote Elvis and Sinatra, he'd done it his way. I might not like some of the choices Jordan made, but I love the world he created and the people walking through it. And I want to know how they fare in the end.
So that's my journey to Book 11 of "Wheel of Time" and I share it because I want new readers to know what to expect, but also to let go of those expectations, and know that the journey is worth taking. Especially if you want to be there when the final novel is released next year.
Me? I'll be starting book 1 again this fall and listening to all the previous "Seasons" of "Wheel of Time," one per month, in anticipation of the final installment. The Wheel of Time turns...and I'll be "turning pages" with it.

I must say that the first time I read this book I really enjoyed it, the second time I read this book I really enjoyed it, but now I'm getting to my limit I've managed to get to book six and that's where the plot really drops off, I just can't do it anymore! and I'm sick of re-reading the whole flipping series just to get a handle of all the characters and plot lines. Like I said this book was pretty good and if the series had been kept to four or five books it would probably be pretty good but, it was not to be. So to all those of you out there who haven't started for the first time yet but still want to, be prepared for a long and tedious journey... Good luck.

I will be first and foremost to say that this is a great book. However, the SERIES has virtually killed itself, especially in light of the inaction that has carried through to 10 books.

The first book features youngsters caught up in a realm of important, doomsday world matters. While it seems understandable at first that their behavior seems abhorrently childish, it does NOT END there. So therefore --

Warning 1 -- Don't expect the fate of the world to impact the behavior of the principal characters. Selfishness abounds.

Warning 2 -- Women are obsessed with their looks. Whilst in the Dream world, necklines will rise and fall; women will "tsk" over the shameful appearance of other women wearing "revealing" outfits. Men are boorish about the stubbornness of women. Somewhere in all this, the world hangs in the balance. I have heard statements that some of the female characters is supposed to share traits with the author's wife (I don't know how true it is). I hope for his sake that she is a forgiving woman if this is true.

Warning 3 -- Evil characters are always plotting. We get constant insight into evil character meeting other evil characters. It seems, though, that every time they do, it always seems to end with, "Here's the plan..." and then we're supposed to assume that something clever and insidious is going on while nothing happens which brings me to...

Warning 4 -- Nothing ever happens...quickly. While many people have been complaining about the pace of the most recent releases, no one has to go much further than the 1st three books to realize the same thing!! Of course, momentous events concerning the Dragon Reborn come to light, and that's where the difference lies because we are led to THINK that a lot has happened. Otherwise, as an example, look at The Shadow Rising (4th book) -- one can see there that it takes nearly 300-400 pages for Perrin to DO ANYTHING ABOUT SAVING HIS HOME VILLAGE. OUCH! And from what I understand, the good Aes Sedai have been trying to deal with the White Tower for 4 WHOLE BOOKS NOW?!? Oh, good grief....

Warning 5 -- Evil characters are powerful...well, not really. It doesn't take long for Nynaeve to be able to match one of the Chosen in terms of ability and once Rand discovers who he is, then Trollocs, etc., seem like easy cannon fodder. It's truly sad because I used to get chills when reading about Trollocs and Draghkar, and the Chosen frightened me at first. The suspense ends after the 3rd book when it seems everyone is capable of decimating anything that an evil character throws at them. By the time the 6th book comes along, everything becomes embroiled in vague politics and nonsense power struggling. Oh, did I mention that the world somehow hangs in the balance? Somewhere, this happens, but evil characters are too busy plotting AGAINST EACH OTHER...which makes sense, given the system under which the Chosen operate. The system, however, also makes them ineffective and it makes you wonder if the Dark One is truly powerful, why not just endow one follower with considerable power (but never to match his own) rather than undermining his one efforts by having his discipiles constantly fighting each other? Honestly, how does this help his cause?

Somehow, in the midst of all this, we're supposed to empathize with our main character as he juggles THREE WOMEN trying to vie for his attention? Wow.

So, by the time you get into any kind of distance in these books, the whiny, snivelly protagonists are dealing with the powerless antagonists and the only thing that keeps the antagonists going is whether or not Rand has any feelings for any kind of women, what shall I wear, how men react to women who are being sensible, and sub-plots that get mired in obscurity.

You'll find yourself rooting for the Dark One by book 7, I think.

It's a shame, too, because I give 2 stars simply because of the WORLD Robert Jordan has created and how the One Power works. It is a shame he has to people it with these imbeciles.

To make matters worse, he's written a prequel as if we have been satiated with so much happening in the first 10 books.

Whatever. My collection is going to a used bookstore hopefully with the intent of helping someone to learn how to read instead of entertain.

Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review

› See all 1,414 customer reviews on Amazon.ca

 

5.0 out of 5 stars Exciting reading with beautiful graphics
I enjoyed it very much,never tired of reading this again, and again and now evern better with graphics. Cannot wait for the next vloume.

Published 8 months ago by doris choo

3.0 out of 5 stars A- for "The Eye of the World" but a WARNING
A- for "The Eye of the World" is a well-earned grade. The pacing of this book is brisk, since they are on the run from (practically) the beginning to the end of this novel... Read more

Published 23 months ago by Zafri M.

1.0 out of 5 stars Just don't start...you'll be happier in the long run.
As a first novel in a series, this doesn't do too badly, but...things go south fast after book three and you're really better off not investing the money and time you will need to... Read more

Published on Dec 6 2009 by Ian Bennett

5.0 out of 5 stars Eye of the World
It was a great book - I found it somewhat simliar to the Lord of the Rings trilogy - but different - it was good and I'm continuing to read the series so far. Read more

Published on Sep 2 2009 by Denise K. Taylor

5.0 out of 5 stars It started well...
This is the first book of the wheel of time series and I still love it even though I have grown mightily sick of the never ending and tedious (now 11th) way the series has gone... Read more

Published on Sep 1 2007 by Daniel F. Dickinson

3.0 out of 5 stars Almost Great, still interesting though. (3.5 stars)
Robert Jordan's greatest strength appears to be his imagination. The characters, human and non-human, in this book are intriguing; the events that take place are often... Read more

Published on April 3 2007 by E. Haensel

3.0 out of 5 stars Tried Again
I started this series back in the 90's when it first came out and at that time I was excited over the prospect of another fantasy series. Read more

Published on Jan 17 2007 by Michael Yager

1.0 out of 5 stars Why does everyone tell me this series is so great!
I am so sick of everyone telling me how "great" this series is! I hate this series with a passion, its all just random people wandering around aimlessly. Read more

Published on Dec 6 2006 by Crokus Younghand

3.0 out of 5 stars Do not be fooled
This is a great book. No really, it is. I really enjoyed it when I was younger, and bought into the series wholesale.

That was about 13 years ago. Read more

Published on Nov 30 2006 by Derek Robertson

5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Start
I've read this book several times now, and I never seem to get bored of it. True, the first four chapters are a little slow, as Jordan introduces us to some of the main... Read more

Published on Nov 21 2006 by Zidane

Search Customer Reviews
Only search this product's reviews

› See all 1,414 customer reviews on Amazon.ca

Search Listmania!