The Eye of the World (Wheel of Time) by Robert Jordan (ISBN:0812511816)

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		The Eye of the World (Wheel of Time)
	
				(572 reviews)			
(16605 Readers)

			Robert Jordan		
	
The Eye of the World and its sequels in Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series show the extent to which one can go with a traditional fantasy...more
 The Eye of the World and its sequels in Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series show the extent to which one can go with a traditional fantasy framework, with added gusto. Stock elements are abound: a reluctant hero--in fact five humble village folk--plucked from wholesome obscurity to fight dark powers; an eternal evil enemy who can be defeated but not destroyed, until the end of the world, which is fast approaching; a mysterious sisterhood with vast powers and who love to manipulate thrones and kingdoms from the shadows (think of the Bene Gesserit of the Dune series); a ferocious battle-hardened warrior race (echoes of the Fremen of Dune, or the Haruchai of the Thomas Covenant novels). Jordan didn't become a bestselling author merely by mixing up traditional ingredients; a master storyteller, he ingeniously gives unusual twists to these conventional fantasy elements. He also excels in the descriptive and narrative skills needed to create a detailed and coherent imaginary world. The many lands he portrays are vast in scope and contain amazingly varied countries and peoples, while retaining the inner coherence needed to make them satisfying places for a fantasy fan to roam around in. However, Jordan's writing never attains the subtlety or sophistication of, say, George RR Martin and there are some annoying stylistic tics: he seems unable to introduce a female character without commenting on her neckline and thereafter has them forever smoothing their dresses.  To his publisher's credit, Jordan's books are fortunate among fantasy novels in not having covers that look like an explosion of a teenager's bedroom. The absence of such lurid artwork is, perhaps, part of their appeal.  --David Pickering   less

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							A Reader
						
							few weeks ago						
Great Fantasy series opener. The story is quite detailed and engrossing.

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							Martin
						
							few weeks ago						
Jordan's style is a pleasure to read and the many pages of this gripping book pass by quickly. Interesting characters that you feel instantly related to, and a masterfully described world that awaits discovering make this book a great pick from the fantasy market.
The Wheel of Time series is considered by many to be a sort of a milestone - any who have managed the gargantuan task of traversing...more
 Jordan's style is a pleasure to read and the many pages of this gripping book pass by quickly. Interesting characters that you feel instantly related to, and a masterfully described world that awaits discovering make this book a great pick from the fantasy market.
The Wheel of Time series is considered by many to be a sort of a milestone - any who have managed the gargantuan task of traversing the saga are treated by other fantasy-readers with a mix of awe and disbelief. One day, mayhaps I too will join the ranks of those enlightened ones, but thus far I will content myself with having read the first part - a decent fantasy tale with lots of memorable characters and a soundly gripping plot.   hide

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							A Reader
						
							few weeks ago						
This is the beginning book to the Wheel of Time series. The first book is slow in the beginning. However, each of the first few books is better than the last. This is by far the most impressive series of books I have ever read. The 12th and final book in the series (not including New Spring) is due to come out this next month. 'The Gathering Storm' should hit stores... Tuesday,...more
 This is the beginning book to the Wheel of Time series. The first book is slow in the beginning. However, each of the first few books is better than the last. This is by far the most impressive series of books I have ever read. The 12th and final book in the series (not including New Spring) is due to come out this next month. 'The Gathering Storm' should hit stores... Tuesday, October 27th!
Why do all WOT readers care? The author, Rorbert Jordan, died September 16, 2007. He was in the process of writing this final book in the series. Never before have I been as engrossed in a book series as this one.   hide

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							A Reader
						
							few weeks ago						
So, this book is the first of a very, very long series that will hopefully end in 2009 (granted that Robert Jordan's health is still stable at that point... he has a rare blood disease that may prevent him from finishing the series).The two sentence plot summary is "farm boy finds out he's not really a farm boy and needs to save the world from the Satan-like figure that is going to start the...more
 So, this book is the first of a very, very long series that will hopefully end in 2009 (granted that Robert Jordan's health is still stable at that point... he has a rare blood disease that may prevent him from finishing the series).The two sentence plot summary is "farm boy finds out he's not really a farm boy and needs to save the world from the Satan-like figure that is going to start the Apocalypse kind of deal," but, seeing as the series has hundreds of characters and deals with the politics and cultures of something like 10-15 countries, you can imagine things get a bit more complicated than that. 

While the last few books have been hard to get through, this was the first book to get me hooked on the fantasy genre, and I've never been able to stop reading fantasy novels since.   hide

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							A Reader
						
							few weeks ago						
This is the beginning of what I believe to be the greatest set of books written in all of time. Robert Jordan has delivered a world of fantasy and adventure that is truly unrivaled by any other author.

Think of a world where magic is possible, where men with the ability to use (to channel) it are destined to go mad and destroy those they love. Then think of pinning the salvation of the world...more
 This is the beginning of what I believe to be the greatest set of books written in all of time. Robert Jordan has delivered a world of fantasy and adventure that is truly unrivaled by any other author.

Think of a world where magic is possible, where men with the ability to use (to channel) it are destined to go mad and destroy those they love. Then think of pinning the salvation of the world on one man, a man who can channel, who people know will go mad and destroy the world in the process of saving it. See a world where every life is intertwined in one giant pattern, spun out by the wheel of time, where ages come and pass, and are born again. Read the tale of several ordinary people who find their lives changed in ways unspeakable. Immerse yourself in a world where good struggles against the hordes of evil, where the impossible becomes impossible. Understand that this truly is the work of a genius.

From the second I started on this series, I knew I would be hooked. Sure, the plot does take its time to get round to the end (in fact, its still one book away from finishing) , but there are so many twists and turns, keeping the reader engrossed in this marvelous world, that you really don't mind the slow lead up to final fight of good Vs evil.

I cannot wait to reach the end of this series, yet at the same time I feel dread at never hearing anything new from the fantastic world that is The Wheel of Time. No doubt once I finish I will go back to reading it all over again. 

If you like books like LOTR, and can handle reading LOTS, then The Wheel of Time is the perfect series for you.   hide

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							A Reader
						
							few weeks ago						
The Eye of the World is the first book that opens the door to the best fantasy series I've ever read. 

It starts out with a young shepherd named Rand al'Thor in a small village who is suddenly pulled into events that have been in motion for hundreds of years. You and Rand start with almost no knowledge of the world and spend most of the book learning and trying to understand what is going on....more
 The Eye of the World is the first book that opens the door to the best fantasy series I've ever read. 

It starts out with a young shepherd named Rand al'Thor in a small village who is suddenly pulled into events that have been in motion for hundreds of years. You and Rand start with almost no knowledge of the world and spend most of the book learning and trying to understand what is going on. Rand is the pivotal character of the entire series and through this book you learn about who he was and watch him begin to change into who he will become.

There are many pivotal characters in this series that Jordan masterfully weaves in and out of the story. The depth of character development provides a rich experience that almost makes you feel as if you know the characters. You watch as characters grow and change, learning about who they are and what they have to do. Their choices are shaping the future of the world. 

This book is a great read that will hook you from the start and never let you go. 

One final note, there is a prequel for the series, A New Spring, but I suggest to any new reader that you start with the Eye of the World. The prequel is interesting but really is better read after book 5 or 6 when you have seen the story begin to unfold. At that point you will gain more from reading it. I also feel that it is a poor way to interest people in the series.   hide

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							Trebor
						
							few weeks ago						
Don't let the first part of the book throw you off. I've talked to several people who've stopped reading this books because they are confused, for some reason, about that beginning not having to do anything with the rest of the book. Just keep reading.

You have a lot of reading ahead of you and while I won't say every moment of it is going to be enthralling the sights are among...more
 Don't let the first part of the book throw you off. I've talked to several people who've stopped reading this books because they are confused, for some reason, about that beginning not having to do anything with the rest of the book. Just keep reading.

You have a lot of reading ahead of you and while I won't say every moment of it is going to be enthralling the sights are among the best. This is the deepest world that you'll ever come across. The history has histories and just because you see something doesn't mean he's going to fully explain it or ever go after it again. That's good in my opinion because I always roll my eyes when foreshadowing is so obvious. You don't get that with Jordan.

Also if your a woman you might like this because while the "main" character is male the women are not in distress and needing help. They are powerful and intelligent and a good part of the reason why the series is so great. Fittingly since females make the real world a better place too.   hide

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							A Reader
						
							few weeks ago						
Okay, before I start upsetting people I'll make a couple of confessions. I do have a bit of a problem with epic, multi-volume fantasy. Secondly, I haven't read all of this book yet (or listened to it, as I have the audiobook). so Perhaps this isn't a fair review. But, but, but.

I've seen lots of reviews from people who love this series and say what a great writer Jordan is. No, he really isn't....more
 Okay, before I start upsetting people I'll make a couple of confessions. I do have a bit of a problem with epic, multi-volume fantasy. Secondly, I haven't read all of this book yet (or listened to it, as I have the audiobook). so Perhaps this isn't a fair review. But, but, but.

I've seen lots of reviews from people who love this series and say what a great writer Jordan is. No, he really isn't. I'm sure the plotting is superb - obviously you have to get a lot further into the series than I did to know. But the writing is awful. The mock archaic language and pompous overblown declaration with which characters speak is painful, the descriptions cliched and, from what I've seen so far, the plot is driven by characters expounding in a way that would be embarrassing in a soap opera.

There is great mythic fantasy out there - Eddison's "The Worm Ouroboros" springs to mind as a grandiose and yet subtle examination of the battle between "good" and "evil" fought for the sake of the contest, which is where I suspect The Wheel of Time is going.

I will try to stick with this. It's the first book, and maybe he get's into his stride. But life is too short for bad books.   hide

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							A Reader
						
							few weeks ago						
I really liked this book.  i picked it up at the library and half and hour later I was still standing there starting the 2nd chapter.  I had to buy it!!

The series has expanded into 13 books of which we still miss the last one.  The author died three years ago I think but left the ideas and some written PArts.  Brandon Sanderson is doing quite a good job of getting the series back on track and...more
 I really liked this book.  i picked it up at the library and half and hour later I was still standing there starting the 2nd chapter.  I had to buy it!!

The series has expanded into 13 books of which we still miss the last one.  The author died three years ago I think but left the ideas and some written PArts.  Brandon Sanderson is doing quite a good job of getting the series back on track and finishing it.  So I recommend it specially the first 4 books and the last three.  Still waiting for the last one.   hide

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							A Reader
						
							few weeks ago						
Definitely the best of the best!! This story is equally enjoyable in each of the books, never losing your interest with unecessary "fill". There are so many detailed, interesting characters whom you can follow, enjoy and identify with. And the creation of all these characters makes the story fuller, and deeper, much as Gene Rodenberry did with the Star Trek world. 
 To hear of this...more
 Definitely the best of the best!! This story is equally enjoyable in each of the books, never losing your interest with unecessary "fill". There are so many detailed, interesting characters whom you can follow, enjoy and identify with. And the creation of all these characters makes the story fuller, and deeper, much as Gene Rodenberry did with the Star Trek world. 
 To hear of this authour's untimely death was a very sad thing indeed, not so much because he had not finished the last book in this series,(it will be completed by family from his notes), but because he was such a brilliantly clever and creative man, and to think what else might have been in his head for us one day... makes it is  a very sad loss indeed. 
 My only negative comment is not even about the story, just about the editing.. The spelling and grammar mistakes in the last few books is apalling! Only because i don't expect any..   hide

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