A better title than Wheel of Time

[b9anders]

I love the series, but if there's one thing I think have always held back it's commercial appeal, it's the title. "wheel of time?" Come on, with a decent title, it could have really hit the mainstream and branched out of its fantasy niche, just like Harry Potter. I've come up with some suggestions that I think would have helped sell the series a lot more:

 

1. The Amazing Adventures of Rand al'Thor & Friends

2. Trolloc!

3. The Cyclical Nature of Historical Development

4. A Dragon's Tale: Reborn

5. Fantasy Without Elves

6. Lord of the Wheel

 

If anyone here have a suggestion they think could have marketed WoT into the mainstream like the above would have, feel free to share.  :)

[water_seeker]

You honestly think that those are better than "The Wheel of Time"?

[Kadere]

Oooooo... I really want to read "The Cyclical Nature of Historical Development" that sounds like SO MUCH FUN!  ;D ;)

[Astus]

You have got to be trolling with those alternative titles.

[Luckers]

How bout "Notes for the Development of the Sword of Truth"?

[Elgee]

Our Bela is better than your Bella?  ;D

[Majsju]

The Dragon Reborn or: How I learned to stop worrying and love the Balefire

[Mr Ares]

Come on, with a decent title, it could have really hit the mainstream.

I don't think RJ is greedy, I think he would have been satisfied with the obscurity brought by a series that repeatedly topped bestseller lists, he didn't need to hold out for mainstream success as well.

 

Although, I think the series would have benefited from a title like this:

The Story of the Dragon*

 

*Disclaimer: the Dragon being a title given to a human, no actual dragons appear in the series.

 

Yes, the disclaimer is a part of the proposed title.**

**Disclaimer: dsiclaimer not guaranteed to be part of proposed title.

[Gasha]

Actually, in Sweden, the official translation is "Sagan om Drakens Återkomst", which would roughly translate to "The Tale of the Return of the Dragon".

 

Always seemed like an attempt to imitate LotR to me - The Return of the King was translated to "Sagan om Konungens Återkomst", which would be "The Tale of the Return of the King"

[Cirin]

How about "The Neverending Story: Parts I - XII?"

[NightfalconGTSR]

Our Bela is better than your Bella?  ;D

 

Haha, love it, it is catchy and very true.

 

I dont think the title has anything to do with it. I think The Wheel of Time is a fine title. Simple short and somewhat obscure to those who have not read it. The reason it hasn't blown up like harry potter and Lord of the Rings is because it is so damn long. There is so much stuff in there and most people simply do not have the mental capacity to read anything more complex than harry potter. The wheel of time is hugely complex and there are a lot of parts that many would consider boring because it is not blood flying spectacular. Obviously I love the wheel of time because im here. I think it is a million times better than Harry Potter. However it will never appeal to me on the level that The Lord of the Rings does. Basically The WoT is a grown up book series that you have to be patient and enjoy reading this type of thing to get. Face it we are just different...

[Elend]

How bout "Notes for the Development of the Sword of Truth"?

 

Win.

 

/thread

[Elgee]

Nightfalcon, I totally stole that line from someone else on here ... lol

 

I disagree completely that it's the title of the series which makes/made the difference. Harry Potter, for instance, had a MASSIVE PR campaign, which started with the first book already.

[emyali]

 

1. The Amazing Adventures of Rand al'Thor & Friends

2. Trolloc!

3. The Cyclical Nature of Historical Development

4. A Dragon's Tale: Reborn

5. Fantasy Without Elves

6. Lord of the Wheel

 

 

do u seriously consider those names catchy! or better than WoT !!

 

i dont agree at all about focusing the name around Rand or the Dragon Reborn .. maybe he is the one to fullfill the prophecies, but he is not the Alpha in this series (there is no Alpha in this series) .. and the books are not biography about some mighty hero ..

 

 

 

5. Fantasy Without Elves

 

 

this sounds more like denying a charge!!

it doesnt make any sense to name a book for something it doesnt have!!

[talligan]

Here are my title recommendations for books 7,8 and 9

 

Book 7: A Treatise on the items of historical importance in Ebou Dar

Book 8: Faile gets punched in the face!

Book 9: Elayne gets punched in the face! TWICE!

[Casabamelon]

Here are my title recommendations for books 7,8 and 9

 

Book 7: A Treatise on the items of historical importance in Ebou Dar

Book 8: Faile gets punched in the face!

Book 9: Elayne gets punched in the face! TWICE!

 

Book 8 & 9 just became my two favorites.

[Elend]

Book 10- Techniques of Food Consumption and Bathing

[Shaidar]

The Dragon Reborn or: How I learned to stop worrying and love the Balefire

 

Majsju wins thread.

[Luckers]

Book One: Walking. A Pool of Saidin. Sweet!

Book Two: Sheathing the Staff.

Book Three: Oooh Look! A Shiny Crystal Sword.

Book Four: The Aiel Instant Army: Part 1--Obscure Familial Relations.

Book Five: The Aiel Instant Army: Part 2--Why Couladin Sucks.

Book Six: Aes Sedai Suck.

Book Seven: Padan Fain Gives a Smack Down.

Book Eight: Rand Does Stuff To the Seanchan. Sorta.

Book Nine: ZOMG SUPER CHANNELING SMACK DOWN!

Book Ten: The Importance of Good Hygene.

Book Eleven: Semirhage Achieves Nothing.

 

[royale]

The adjusting shawl and sniff-a-thon  ;D

[Mr Ares]

Book Two: Sheathing the Staff.

I think you should only go for this one if you plan to make all the titles sound like rather unusual euphemisms.

 

do u seriously consider those names catchy! or better than WoT !!

No, it's a joke.

 

Our Bela is better than your Bella?  ;D

Haha, love it, it is catchy and very true.

It's a thread title.

[nolirion]

The Dragon Reborn or: How I learned to stop worrying and love the Balefire

You actually balefire me right in the spot with this one I can't stop  laughing about it

[Luckers]

Quote from: Luckers on June 08, 2010, 10:38:42 PM

Book Two: Sheathing the Staff.

 

I think you should only go for this one if you plan to make all the titles sound like rather unusual euphemisms.

 

That was maybe the point. Only maybe though because the forum is PG-13, and as mod I most certainly wouldn't be making that joke. Absolutely not. Never. Ok, maybe.

[Charlz Guybon]

The Wheel of Time is good for the series but I'd have named more books after ominous prophecies.

 

The Pain of Salvation would have been a good name for TGS.

 

 

[FarShainMael]

Note: No dragons were harmed in the making of this series.

 

Er, wait...