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Robert Jordan is (was) a joke

post #1 of 35
4/26/10 at 3:06pm
Thread Starter 
Seriously, I don't get it. His "Wheel of Time" series gets so much love, but it's awful. Really, really bad. His writing is on par with that of Dragonlance authors, shit I outgrew in middle school. In fact, I feel bad saying that because it's insulting to Dragonlance.

He writes poorly and every book in the Wheel of Time series could probably be cut in half and be much better for it.

Thoughts?
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post #2 of 35
4/26/10 at 3:09pm
His writing is formulaic, but the world he created was pretty interesting for 2-3 books. Then it started really getting drawn out with 100s of pages of filler material per book. He needs (needed) to take a class in pacing. Overall a fail, but the potential for greatness was there.
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post #3 of 35
4/26/10 at 3:14pm
I agree. First few books were interesting, but then it went downhill.

But that's nothing surprising. A lot of authors seems to find their moneymaker and then just mail it in. Look at the later Shannara books by Terry Brooks - he should have stopped after the first trilogy.
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post #4 of 35
4/26/10 at 3:18pm
Though I still remember that page 510 (ppback) from Book 5: Fires of Heaven has a crappy sex scene between Rand and Aviendha.
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post #5 of 35
4/26/10 at 3:24pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by ArteEtLabore14 View Post
Seriously, I don't get it. His "Wheel of Time" series gets so much love, but it's awful. Really, really bad. His writing is on par with that of Dragonlance authors, shit I outgrew in middle school. In fact, I feel bad saying that because it's insulting to Dragonlance. He writes poorly and every book in the Wheel of Time series could probably be cut in half and be much better for it. Thoughts?
But those original dragonlance books (trilogy + 1 big fat extra summer book) are so good...or at least that's what I remember from middle school (maybe I last re-read them in early highschool). I did however read the wikipedia plot summaries a couple of months ago and it made me feel warm and fuzzy inside.
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post #6 of 35
4/26/10 at 3:52pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by ArteEtLabore14 View Post
Seriously, I don't get it. His "Wheel of Time" series gets so much love, but it's awful. Really, really bad. His writing is on par with that of Dragonlance authors, shit I outgrew in middle school. In fact, I feel bad saying that because it's insulting to Dragonlance.

He writes poorly and every book in the Wheel of Time series could probably be cut in half and be much better for it.

Thoughts?

Weis & Hickman put together the excellent series 'Death gate cycle'. Rose of the prophet'ain't bad either. I do agree with the general criticism on Jordan. His writing was too long winded and a synopsis of what came before wan't necessary. I hadn't forgotten...
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post #7 of 35
4/26/10 at 4:02pm
For the record, I did like his Conan books.
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post #8 of 35
4/26/10 at 5:11pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by CDFS View Post
Weis & Hickman put together the excellent series 'Death gate cycle'. Rose of the prophet'ain't bad either. I do agree with the general criticism on Jordan. His writing was too long winded and a synopsis of what came before wan't necessary. I hadn't forgotten...

Death Gate Cycle is pretty good, haven't read the other one you mentioned. I meant specifically books created in the "Dragonlance" universe. As much as I used to read and love them, I just kinda laugh at the writing now.

I just don't understand why so many people jerk off all over Wheel of Time. Admittedly I've only read the first 5 books, but that's because they were awful. If you can't get it right at any point in the first 5,000 pages, is it gonna get much better after? Probably not.
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post #9 of 35
4/26/10 at 6:06pm
LOTR > all
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post #10 of 35
4/26/10 at 6:34pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by otc View Post
But those original dragonlance books (trilogy + 1 big fat extra summer book) are so good...or at least that's what I remember from middle school (maybe I last re-read them in early highschool).

I did however read the wikipedia plot summaries a couple of months ago and it made me feel warm and fuzzy inside.

I liked the original trilogy + the legends followup trilogy. A lot of the other books in set in the world are pretty bad.

I've heard a lot of people say bad things about Jordan's books. Right now I'll stick with George RR Martin to fill my fantasy needs.
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post #11 of 35
4/26/10 at 6:36pm
Song of Ice and Fire > Wheel of Time
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post #12 of 35
4/26/10 at 6:41pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Valor View Post
LOTR > all

Yes, and,

Quote:
Originally Posted by thenanyu View Post
Song of Ice and Fire > Wheel of Time

Unfortunately I'm running out of patience waiting for the next book (rumored for Summer 2011). Apparently Martin was halfway through it when his editor noticed a major continuity error that forced him to start over.
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post #13 of 35
4/27/10 at 1:06am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Valor View Post
LOTR > all

I'm going to go against the mould and say... no. Let me explain. Tolkien was a revolutionary with the content of his books, the entire world he created is simply astounding. Breathtaking. That being said, for me his prose is... flat. Boring. For me, he's not able to create mental images like George R.R. Martin or even Steven Erikson.

His modern day protege, Terry Brooks, suffers from a similar writing style. But his novels are also extremely formulaic, something Tolkien was at least able to stay away from.

I've read The Hobbit (my personal Tolkien favorite) and the Lord of the Rings trilogy, as well as the first half of The Silmarillion. Obviously it's personal preference, but I feel like everyone jerks off all over Tolkien because he's the grandfather of modern fantasy. If LoTR were to come out today, I don't think people would give it as much praise from a purely literary standpoint.

I read LoTR when I was a little bit older than a lot of people (14-15) and so maybe that's why it never made much of an impression. I know people will crucify me for this, but for my money I'd take Harry Potter over Lord of the Rings all day, everyday.
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post #14 of 35
4/27/10 at 1:07am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by imatlas View Post
Unfortunately I'm running out of patience waiting for the next book (rumored for Summer 2011). Apparently Martin was halfway through it when his editor noticed a major continuity error that forced him to start over.

I'm getting sick of waiting for A Dance With Dragons as well, but there's nothing he could do/not do that will stop me from salivating in anticipation of its release. A Song of Ice and Fire is one of, if not the best fantasy series of my generation.
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post #15 of 35
4/27/10 at 1:24am
Anyone read Salvatore? I loved the Dark Elf Trilogy when I was 14 but after reading a few more books after that got pretty bored. Seems to be that the general trend with fantasy writers. The WOT books always looked way too intimidatingly long for me.
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