Wheel of Time series

[Geekyfanboy]

Has anyone read this series?

Sanderson Tapped To Complete Jordan's Work

Tor Books has announced that novelist Brandon Sanderson has been chosen to finish writing the final novel in Robert Jordan's bestselling Wheel of Time fantasy series. Jordan–described by some as Tolkien's heir–died Sept. 16 from a rare blood disease. The new novel, A Memory of Light, will be the 12th and final book in the fantasy series which has sold more than 14 million copies in North America and more than 30 million copies worldwide. The last four books in the series were all #1 New York Times bestsellers.

Harriet Popham Rigney, Jordan's widow and editor, chose Sanderson to complete A Memory of Light–which Jordan worked on almost daily for the last few months of his life–and will edit it. Rigney said some scenes from the book were completed by Jordan before his death, and some exist in draft form. "He left copious notes and hours of audio recordings," she said. He also revealed details about the end of the series to close members of his family.

Sanderson, who acknowledged Jordan as an inspiration to him as a writer, has established a loyal fan base as the author of three fantasy novels: Elantris, Mistborn and The Well of Ascension (Tor), as well as a YA novel, Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians (Scholastic Press). Sanderson said, "I'm both extremely excited and daunted by this opportunity. There is only one man who could have done this book the way it deserved to be written, and we lost him in September. However, I promise to do my very best to remain true to Mr. Jordan's vision and produce the book we have all been waiting to read."

A Memory of Light is scheduled for publication in fall 2009.

[wraith1701]

I've heard a lot of folks speaking favorably about the books, but haven't gotten around to reading them yet.  I used to be heavily into fantasy, but I'm more into Sci-Fi and Space Opera. 

What is the series about, exactly?  Are there any sci-fi elements to it?

[Geekyfanboy]

Well here is what was written at Wiki

The premise

In the beginning, the Creator made the Wheel of Time, which spins the Pattern of the Ages using the lives of men and women as its threads. The Wheel has seven spokes, each representing an age, and it is rotated by the True Source from which the One Power, a source of energy, is drawn. The One Power is divided into male and female halves, saidin and saidar, which work in opposition and in unison to drive the Wheel; those who can use this power are known as channelers. One organization of channelers is the Aes Sedai, a name meaning "Servants of All" in the Old Tongue.

The Creator imprisoned Shai'tan, known as the Dark One, a powerful, evil being, at the moment of creation, sealing him away from the Wheel. At some point, however, the Dark One was given purchase in the world through the machinations of people who opened his prison, and began his efforts to conquer the world, creation, and even the Wheel itself. In response to this, the Wheel spun out the Dragon, a channeler of immense power, to be a champion for the Light. Due to the cyclical nature of the Wheel, there has been no definitive victory for the forces of the Light; the war has been fought innumerable times since the dawn of Creation. The Dragon would defeat Shai'tan and seal him from the Wheel, only to have him break out (or be released) several millennia later, forcing the Dragon to be reborn and repeat the entire process.

Robert Jordan's novels concern themselves with one particular incarnation of the Dragon. About 3000 years have passed since the last war between Shadow and Light. This war ended when the Dragon, then born as Lews Therin Telamon, led a daring raid to Shayol Ghul and sealed the breach in the Dark One's prison with the help of a group of other male channelers known as the Hundred Companions (female channelers, due to recent gender politics and the extreme risk of the strike, refused to assist). Though Lews Therin succeeded, the Dark One managed to spread a taint on saidin itself, bringing madness and a wasting sickness to any who channeled it. The taint quickly overcame nearly every male channeler in the world, including Lews Therin and his companions, with catastrophic results that radically changed the face of the earth. From then onwards, Lews Therin was also called the "Kinslayer", as one of the last results of his madness was to destroy everyone who carried his blood as well as everyone he loved.

For these reasons, the return of the Dragon is a cause for both hope and fear amongst the populace. On the one hand, the Dragon Reborn is the only person capable of defeating Shai'tan, who will inevitably begin to escape his prison. On the other, the Dragon Reborn will still be prey to the madness caused by the taint of evil in saidin, and is a harbinger of the horrifying fact that Shai'tan is once more breaking free. The only man who can save the world is also the man most likely to destroy it.

[Duffster]

Well, this series is really, really good. It is one of my all time favorite fantasy series. There is definitely nothing Sci-Fi about it though. I consider it modern  fantasy. If you like huge sweeping stories, then give this a read. There are a few books in the middle of the series where it lags a bit, but it is defintely worth the time investment.

I gotta say though, the person that is writing the last book has a lot to live up to. There are a lot of RABID fans of this series, I am hoping for the best. I am sure that Robert Jordans widow has put a lot of time into the selection of this author.

If you like fantasy IMO this series is a must read.

Duffster

[Rico]

I really enjoyed it at first, but for me it seemed to bog down in about book 5-6.  I'd like to pick it up again and continue it at some point.  Some very cool stuff in it.  Loved the first few books a lot.

[Geekyfanboy]

Thanks Duffster.. I'm going to check it out.. I love fantasy stories.

[X]

There is some Sci-fi to it.

For instance, it takes place on Earth, but none knows this.

There is a mercedes emblem in one of the museums that date back to an earlier age.

There are also mentions of high technology from the earlier age and some of it survived, but are assumed to be magical devices. It's in the Future of Earth so you could call it Sci-Fi, but it's rooted in fantasy in this pass of the wheel


SLIGHT SPOILERS












To our world
A number of references occur in The Eye of the World , Chapter 4:
Queen Elizabeth : "Alsbet, queen of all" (changed to Elsbet in later editions)
Ann Landers : "The Thousand Tales of Anla, the Wise Counselor"
Mother Theresa : "Materese the Healer"
John Glenn , The Eagle , Sally Ride or Salyut : "Tell us about Lenn," Egwene called. "How he flew to the moon in the belly of an eagle made of fire. Tell about his daughter Salya walking among the stars."
And several more in The Shadow Rising :
Mercedes Benz hood ornament: "A silvery thing in another cabinet, like a three-pointed star inside a circle, was made of no substance she knew; it was softer than metal, scratched and gouged, yet even older than any of the ancient bones. From ten paces she could sense pride and vanity." (Chapter 11, What lies hidden, p. 147)
Moscow , America , ICBM s, superpower s: "Did Mosk and Merk really fight with spears of fire, and were they even giants?" (Chapter 20, Winds Rising)
Gautama Buddha : "Ghoetam under the tree of life" (Chapter 24, Rhuidean, p. 277)