A question on "The World of Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time"

[Alexious]

Hello everyone.

 

I'm a relatively new acquired fan of this magnificent fantasy series written by R.J.: I was given a heads up on the quality of books and hence decided to buy the whole thing, 10 + prequel novel (all the books currently released in Italian language, I'm eagerly waiting for 11th that is due to release in some months...), at once in August '09.

 

I ended reading in the first days of 2010. Actually I read few of the books, a pair amongst the first ones mostly, in just some days; whilst it took me some weeks to read the rest of them, partly because I had way less time than before but also because the events were somewhat diluted, especially in 9-10. Well, needless to say I have totally loved this world from the beginning. Robert Jordan has indeed created an impressive piece of work, so rich and detailed that it almost makes the rest of fantasy books, with the exception of A song of ice and fire, pale in comparison; that includes good ol' Tolkien, too.

 

For all of these reasons, I decided to start my "career" as a Dungeon Master in Dungeons&Dragons Roleplaying Game sessions with The Wheel of Time setting. We've been playing Forgotten Realms since the very started years ago, and frankly it is time for a change: plus, our all-time DM wants to play a character for a while! And I don't think there could be a better setting for me to start as a DM, I'm going to have tons of material and countless, interesting Non-PlayingCharacters already fleshed out by RJ.

So, I decided I'd give a shot at this and managed to get my hands on "The Wheel of Time Roleplaying Game (based on D&D 3th Edition)", plus the adventures book "Prophecies of a Dragon". They seem to be pretty good, after all Robert Jordan helped with the making; however, I plan to make a campaign that heavily relies on sociopolitics because the world built from RJ allows me (rather, begs me) to do so, therefore I'm thinking I will have to buy the reference book, which I read has some very handful information.

 

 

Now. I heard the book is very good for its writing part and actually mediocre for the paintings, but actually I only care about the info (and maps of course), hence I'm going to buy this http://www.amazon.co.uk/World-Robert-Jordans-Wheel-Time/dp/1841490261 release, which happens to be the latest (6th June 2002) and most economic: 451 pages of informations and maps, paintings are gone (fortunately, since they were that bad in the original release).

 

Does anyone of you have the latter version? Is there more information, like newer stuff? The original release was in 1997, five years later two more books were out before this newer one (Path of Daggers and Winter's Heart).

Overall, and now I'm calling whomever had/still has the reference book, what would you say about "The World of Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time"?

It should be a no-brainer for a new Dungeon Master needing a basic source at hand for information on places, nations, continents etc., but still, what's your take?

 

Thank you in advance, and may the Light always guide you!  ;)

[Alexious]

Anyone?  :o

[Majsju]

No, there is no new information in later editions. They are saving all that for the encyclopedia that will be published some time after AMoL.

[Alexious]

No, there is no new information in later editions. They are saving all that for the encyclopedia that will be published some time after AMoL.

 

Uhm...You're telling me that the information ends with Crown of Swords? That's really disappointing...

Five years after the original release two new books were out, and noone cared at least to tweak the most important facts?  ::)

[Alexious]

Well, I decided to pick it anyway.

 

It should arrive from UK in 10 working days or so.

 

I'll post here some impressions when it's in my hands  8)

[whizbangdelux]

I found this edition at a bookstore in Yokohama several months back but let it sit.  I've been pining for it ever since, and when I went to get it last week, it was gone. 

 

I say you made the right choice.  The information contained about the Age of Legends and Artur Hawkwing's reign is pretty awesome.

[Alexious]

I found this edition at a bookstore in Yokohama several months back but let it sit.  I've been pining for it ever since, and when I went to get it last week, it was gone. 

 

I say you made the right choice.  The information contained about the Age of Legends and Artur Hawkwing's reign is pretty awesome.

 

Woah, I didn't know Japan had west fantasy books! It must be RJ's enormous appeal...

 

Yes, I heard there is some consistent unique information in this book. Plus, it will help me have a bigger picture of the world!