Robert Jordan: Opinions?
 

Brilliant Writer?

or

Just too caught up in writing an epic fantasy?

Brilliant writer. His Wheel of Time series is simply superb, and in my opinion, comparable to Tolkien. He created a real-seeming world, with (mostly) real-seeming characters.

My only complaints with his series would have to be a couple of his newest books, mainly because of the slow pace. I do think he has himself "caught" currently, but I hope his next books are better. I'm still a loyal fan, and very much in awe of his writing abilities :D

most of the series has been Awesome but the filler books just suck I guess they are needed, but I was EXTREMELY dissapointed with book 10

Started out brilliant but the last 2 books he simply draged out the story to make it fit the ten book series he promised... a little sad in my opinion..

Yes, the last two books was much filler.

No, I don't need to know that the thread of her shawl is originally Aiel
And I don't need to know that the Sitter's eyebrow raised
because she was concerned how the other Sitter was sitting inappropriately.

There's WAY too many characters now, it's difficult to keep track of who's who.

And I've never heard so much agonizing in my life by some.
And pettiness by others.

I found my flipping through the pages to get to the important parts.

He needs to move the story along.

Agreed.

To agree with everyone else, it's like Elvis. You can't just ask if he was great or he sucked, you have to qualify it with young or old elvis.

I'm still reading the books dilegently as they make it out, which I think is another problem...If he was able to churn out the next book every 1-1.5 years, I might not be so disappointed, but having to wait 2 and 3 years for "Rand walked up and down the stairs", the end, doesn't sit well with me. The Great Hunt is probably my favorite fantasy book of all time. I'd have to browse throught the last three books to give you even a solid outline of them.

Yes. Great Hunt had, what is my opinion to be, the best epic battle of all time.

I has to stop these around book seven. I am thinking of picking them up again though...

Although I have yet to read book ten, I will agree that there is slow parts to this series. But I think that this adds to the enjoyment of reading. I a person needs take the time to appreciate the setting, characters, and mood; you can't jsut read it in five minute blocks. His attention to detail in his characters and settings is what makes the series great. You have to submerse yourself in the book.

But the best epic battle of all time thus far is without a doubt, Dumis Wells.

I really like Jordan. However, like others have stated, I wish he'd pick up the pace a bit. The last few books have moved agonizingly slow.

While I think his writing is bordering on brilliant. It does, at times, bore me with the details.

Yep I agree.
His first two books are some of the greatest SF books written. I really hope someone comes along and edits books 4-10. I'm sure someone can cut out half the stuff in them, and they will make a far better read.

I met him at a signing when he was promo-ing book 1. He said the series would run 6-8 books. I guess after book 3 he signed a new contract.

You took the words right from my mouth.

The last two books were very disappointing and frankly, I'm loosing interest to see if Rand ever combats the Dark Lord. If things don't move along substantially in the next book, it will be my last "Wheel of Time" book.

I loved the first three, perhaps because they'd been paced as an originally intended trilogy. I got through the fourth book okay. But the bewildering 150-page prologue in book five was ridiculous. I stopped there. I find it absolutely astonishing that the man could write eleven of these things and have entire novels that go nowhere. There are too, too many wonderful books in this world and beautiful days to spend outside for me to slog through a single paragraph of Jordan now. You have to have some serious fortitude for another paragraph woolly lummoxes and people's eyes turning into blue chips of ice.

First 3 books rocked.

However I stopped reading at book 7 when I realized that he is putting out these filler books and the slow pace in the other books just to keep racking in the money.

I seriously doubt I ever finish the series or buy another book from him again.

I read to book five and got a little bored. There's no denying that Jordan is brilliant though, even if he is a tad boring. Books 1-4 were very enjoyable for me however.

As far as I see it, Jordan is a hack. Brilliant writer, maybe, but his Wheel of Time series is merely a collected bunch of rip-offs of other works, compiled into some semblance of a story. Yes, rip-offs. From what I've read of Jordan, Tolkien and Herbert seem to be huge "influences". Tad Williams' "Otherland" series, on the other hand...

I read the first chapter of the first book of the Wheel of Time series.

I went no further. Having read several novels by Charles Dickens, I felt that, comparatively, reading Jordan's work was like watching a horde of turtles stampeding through peanut butter.

Personally I have really enjoyed the series. I agree that there have been some slow moments but for the most part I truely enjoyed the story.

Hopefully he pulls the entire story together quickly now...

Thraeryn, perhaps if you read more than the first chapter of a book you would better judge the entire book. Saying that the first paragraph wasn't on par with Charles Dickens just isn't a fair comparison. And basing the speed of a 5 or 600 page book on the first chapter alone doesn't seem fair either.

Personally I haven't read any of Charles Dickens books (or if I have it doesn't stand out in my mind) but from what you said I am not sure I should. I enjoy becoming immersed in a story and from the sounds of it, Charles Dickens books speed through the story and don't delve into any real details.

not so, Cubby. Dickens is a great writer, but after reading much of his work, Thraeryn has a point. Trying to read Jordan after Dickens is comparable to drinking Miller Lite after a bottle of old Dom Perignon. Jordan is just not on the same level as Dickens, nor any other classic writer (or writer of classics, for that matter). Also, the speed isn't important, nor the details, really. The story is what matters. Sure, details are nice, and a good "speed" (for everyone reads at their own speed, regardless of author's intentions) may help, but the story is what matters in the end. While Dickens' work was original, Jordan's is a conglomeration of rip-offs, loosely based around a fairy tale. In that latter respect, it's just like Star Wars, Episode 1.