Another ReRead Topic!

[Starla Yilmaz]

Going to start rereading the series today. I haven't read The Eye of the World since middle school, so I am very interested to see how different this experience is 25+ years later. I never finished the series my first time around for many reasons, but I have motivation this time around. Sort of. We will see if it is enough to carry me through. Anyway, I shall return to this thread with my thoughts, and, hopefully, I don't drop too many unpopular opinions.

[Andra]

I always wish someone good luck when starting back on this adventure.

Happy reading.

[HeavyHalfMoonBlade]

Good luck with your journey 🙂

[DojoToad]

Be ready for a wild and enjoyable ride!

[Starla Yilmaz]

Haven't had much time to read because of work and Halloween stuff (I have two kids, 9 and 7, holidays can be a lot), so I am only a hundredish pages into EOTW and...I remember why I loved this series so much. Normally, when I get into a great book, it consumes my life, and I push everything to the side so I can find out what happens next. However, I am enjoying taking a slower pace with WoT. Maybe because I already know what happens next and I know this is a LONG series, I am able to slow down and truly appreciate the writing in a way I wasn't able to as a middle schooler.

[DojoToad]

I enjoy running across stuff I forgot during re-reads.  There is usually better understanding as well.  I also change my mind on on things I liked/didn't like.

[Starla Yilmaz]

About 500 pages in, and wow, did I forget a lot of stuff. Like Rand channeling lightning at the Dancing Cartman, but remembering the innkeeper smiling at the flute and sword. I always thought that was a great detail, so why did I forget how they got out of that situation?

 

It's nice running across these scenes I don't remember because it is almost like reading it for the first time again.

[Starla Yilmaz]

Just finished EotW!

 

This book was incredibly well-written. Solid worldbuilding and set up for the series conflict. Lots of mysteries and unanswered questions to look forward to in the next book. While I was planning and taking a break between books, I think I am going to jump right into The Great Hunt because I am that excited about the series.

 

This series was my introduction to fantasy, and right now, I am feeling like I am the heroine in a second-chance romance novel with it. I remember exactly why I fell in love the first time, and now I can truly appreciate things about it I didn't before (like the descriptions and lieel tricks to sneak in things that the character wouldn't technically be able to "see"). The only thing that is slightly disappointing is that I remember the women being much more developed and stronger characters. I am sure they get there, but adult me, who has an MA in Professional Writing, is a little sadface about it. Still leagues above Tolien's feminine representation, though.

 

I just hope that when this renewed love affair goes through its dark night of the soul with the later books that I pull through this time...

[WoTwasThat]

On 11/16/2025 at 9:53 AM, Starla Yilmaz said:

Just finished EotW!

 

This book was incredibly well-written. Solid worldbuilding and set up for the series conflict. Lots of mysteries and unanswered questions to look forward to in the next book. While I was planning and taking a break between books, I think I am going to jump right into The Great Hunt because I am that excited about the series.

 

This series was my introduction to fantasy, and right now, I am feeling like I am the heroine in a second-chance romance novel with it. I remember exactly why I fell in love the first time, and now I can truly appreciate things about it I didn't before (like the descriptions and lieel tricks to sneak in things that the character wouldn't technically be able to "see"). The only thing that is slightly disappointing is that I remember the women being much more developed and stronger characters. I am sure they get there, but adult me, who has an MA in Professional Writing, is a little sadface about it. Still leagues above Tolien's feminine representation, though.

 

I just hope that when this renewed love affair goes through its dark night of the soul with the later books that I pull through this time...

Lol. Agree. EOTW is criminally underrated by a certain segment of the fan base. I think some people have forgotten how masterfully it establishes the principal characters, the lore, and the magic system. If only the show had more faithfully adapted it, what might have been??

 

One thing that’s interesting to me in my reread is how my impression of the female characters changed quite a bit. Nynaeve has risen considerably in my opinion, whereas Egwene and Elayne have diminished. 

[Caelan Arendor]

While reading the Wheel of Time series, I created a digital 'dictionary' to catalog all 2,444 characters systematically and, whenever one of these characters was mentioned again—provided they were not among the main characters—promptly recall their most important details. Creating this 57-page list (written in very small fonts) required years of painstaking work

[Caelan Arendor]

I read the whole of the series twice but I must confess I simply forgot much of the details told therein. So if I had to comment on a specific topic I would have to reread that particular part again. Is my memory already that poor? What's going to happen if I come into age? 🤥

[Starla Yilmaz]

Think of it as a blessing.  You can reread your favorites like it's the first time over and over! What I would give to reread some of Agatha Christie's novels without knowing whodidit.

[Caelan Arendor]

Did I tell you already, that I wrote a lengthy "dictionary" with all the 2444 persons mentioned in the wheel of time series? It helps a lot looking up actors and heroes you might have forgotten about. The volume contains 57 pages (very small fonts!)

Beg you pardon for my limited knowledge of your language. Anyways, thanks a lot for the very first comment I received as a newcommer to this site!

Greetings and vy 73 from Caelan

[Starla Yilmaz]

That’s an incredible amount of dedication! And you’re very welcome.

[Caelan Arendor]

23 hours ago, Starla Yilmaz said:

That’s an incredible amount of dedication! And you’re very welcome.

My "dictionary" does help me a lot in recognizing minor characters, and as you surely are aware, there are tons of them! I wonder how Jordan kept track of all those people, their interconnections and their activities. I am not sure he had already then the help of a computer, but i might be mistaken there.

[Starla Yilmaz]

I imagine lots of notebooks and computer files.

[Caelan Arendor]

and a loving and dedicated wife to help him out, whenever he got facts or people mixed up! 😄

[Starla Yilmaz]

Marrying an editor certainly helped things.

 

About a third of the way through The Great Hunt and...like I don't remember this book AT. ALL.

 

I mean, I know at the end Mat blows the horn, but everything before that is like a blank slate. So I guess my reading recommendation is to wait over twenty years to give things a shot again, because you will be pleasantly surprised.