Showing posts with label Jordan. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jordan. Show all posts

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordon (or the never, ever ending story)






I started out loving this series. Perhaps infatuation is more accurate since I have long fallen out of love with it. Jordon tells a good story but he makes a tornado seem short of wind. I think I was 12 when I started reading it, seriously it probably just seems that way. I suspect if he ever wraps up the series it might be entertaining to read them sequentially without years in between. I have never been happy with how he ends each book and for awhile I couldn’t wait until the next one arrived. I have now given up, put them up on http://www.paperbackswap.com/ (even the unread ones) and moved on to authors who write as well or better but don’t leave me hanging for years. Yes, I realize I am no doubt being unfair, a novel is a work of art, creativity can’t be rushed, patience is a virtue, yadda, yadda yadda. I’m reflecting my feelings not necessarily the worlds. Note the differing opinions below. BTW I did like this particular cover, don’t know why.

Ok and now I just read that Jordan is deceased, that there was good reason for the length of time between his books and I am a jackass. Goes to show, he who shoots off his mouth, often shoots himself in the foot. I would like to apologize to his fans and his family for my gross insensitivity.

In continuing this post, I guess I am looking at the personal side of criticism. It never occurred to me to look at Jordan’s web site or read fan stuff, I don’t do that. My ego centric self just assumed that if a book wasn’t ready for me to read, it was a personal affront. That comes from seeing the world through the “what’s in it for me” glasses that seem so prevalent today. I like to think I am better than the run of the mill folk but obviously I am not. Thusly before I am hyper critical in the future about a body of work, I will endeavor to be better informed before I shoot off my mouth.

Body of work of Robert Jordan

Jordan’s web site: http://www.tor.com/jordan/index.html

Reviews: http://www.sffworld.com/brev/bi1232p8.html