Phenom's WoT Discussion and Questions Topic (NO SPOILERS)

[Phenom]

So I just finished the first book of the series. Absolutely loved it! However, I have some questions. And would like you guys to answer them without spoiling the rest of the series.

 

My first question is what to do from here. I checked out the Great Hunt and own the prequel. Which should I read first? Is the prequel even worth reading? I've heard you should read book 1 before New Spring.

 

Feel free to ask your own questions and answer others' questions. As well as discussing the book itself.

[Byzantine279]

I believe there is a limited discussion for this book in the structured section.

 

The prequel can probably be read whenever (it was a massive spoiler if you read it before tWotW as i found out). It depends, do you want to know more about Moiraine, or continue the story line you were reading, because that is the question.

[MrMatrim]

Honestly, I'd read book 2, maybe even book 3 first, before reading New Spring. It's not so much a question of the prequel spoiling other parts of the series, so much as the fact that the prequel assumes the reader is fairly well versed in the WoT world, and does not have a glossary, or give certain explanations. While the Eye of the World gives you the main overarching plot point of the story, you- the reader- still have a lot of world to discover. I think it will be more helpful to not have your first look at certain parts of the WoT world be the look you get in the prequel.

 

Hope this helps!

[Phenom]

I believe there is a limited discussion for this book in the structured section.

 

The prequel can probably be read whenever (it was a massive spoiler if you read it before tWotW as i found out). It depends, do you want to know more about Moiraine, or continue the story line you were reading, because that is the question.

Will what I learn about Moiraine in New Spring "spoil" any of the key points of a book?

 

Also, did anyone else find it funny how in The Eye of the World when Moiraine is addressing the Edmond's Field crowd about Mantheren (great story) and they're like "Okay whatever, just leave." lol

[Phenom]

Honestly, I'd read book 2, maybe even book 3 first, before reading New Spring. It's not so much a question of the prequel spoiling other parts of the series, so much as the fact that the prequel assumes the reader is fairly well versed in the WoT world, and does not have a glossary, or give certain explanations. While the Eye of the World gives you the main overarching plot point of the story, you- the reader- still have a lot of world to discover. I think it will be more helpful to not have your first look at certain parts of the WoT world be the look you get in the prequel.

 

Hope this helps!

Thanks! That does help!

 

I'm assuming you like Mat? He drove me absolutely crazy through most of EotW! I was hoping he would get killed off at some points. He did grow on me a little at the end,though.

[Byzantine279]

He will likely grow on you more, it is one heck of a series, and he is a dynamic character (as are pretty much all of the main characters).

 

Well, you would have known what Moiraine was as soon as she arrived, and her what her mission was, which made it very easy to realize a lot of things you aren't supposed to have figured out yet.

[MrMatrim]

I do like Mat, yes.

 

Don't worry about him driving you crazy. Each of the characters get their turn to shine and be the focus in forthcoming books. They'll ALL probably do that at some point.

[Baletickle_to_da_face!]

New Spring is really little more then fan service with a hefty helping of Jordan tying various threads from later in the series all the way back to before the first book.

 

I have never understood why anyone would recommend reading it anywhere sooner then after reading The Path of Daggers. Like most prequels, it can not escape the fact that it's not a true "Wheel of Time Book 0". It is meant to be read in(or roughly in) the order the writer wrote it. That's how it will make the most sense and have the most pay off.

[jdbond]

Honestly, I'd read book 2, maybe even book 3 first, before reading New Spring. It's not so much a question of the prequel spoiling other parts of the series, so much as the fact that the prequel assumes the reader is fairly well versed in the WoT world, and does not have a glossary, or give certain explanations. While the Eye of the World gives you the main overarching plot point of the story, you- the reader- still have a lot of world to discover. I think it will be more helpful to not have your first look at certain parts of the WoT world be the look you get in the prequel.

 

Hope this helps!

Thanks! That does help!

 

I'm assuming you like Mat? He drove me absolutely crazy through most of EotW! I was hoping he would get killed off at some points. He did grow on me a little at the end,though.

 

 

Kill Mat! He is the most interesting character in whole series. Yeh, he was pretty annoying and whiny little b ..in first book.

[Hadilmir]

I would say to read New Spring right after tFoH, simply because there are some significant events that take place regarding Moiraine in that book and New Spring basically just provides a back-story for her. Once you've finished tFoH you'll understand what I mean about wanting to know Moiraine's history.

[Phenom]

Thanks guys. Any inside info on whether the New Spring series will be finished by Sanderson?

[JenniferL]

Sanderson probably won't write the prequels. Jordan left very little in the way of notes on how they would go and he does not feel comfortable playing in that sandbox anymore than he has to to complete the story.

[Baletickle_to_da_face!]

Sanderson probably won't write the prequels. Jordan left very little in the way of notes on how they would go and he does not feel comfortable playing in that sandbox anymore than he has to to complete the story.

 

Both dissapointing and not. I wasn't really that interested in Tam's prequel, but the one filling in stuff between New Spring and TEotW would have been good stuff. But all in all I agree with Brandon and am glad we got someone who wants to keep non-Jordan plot development to a minimum.

[Brown Ajah]

I'd start book two and read a few more into the series before reading the prequel. That way you know the characters better and will appreciate the prequel more I believe.

[Brown Ajah]

Sanderson probably won't write the prequels. Jordan left very little in the way of notes on how they would go and he does not feel comfortable playing in that sandbox anymore than he has to to complete the story.

 

Probably true, but I thought he said in an interview that if asked to write another prequel and the outriggers he would. He's not 100% comfortable, but he promised he would not write more than the 5 or something books RJ contracted before he passed so as not to ruin the series. I still like to hope that we'll get a little more from the wheel of time world once the main books are complete :)

[OptimusPrime]

So I just finished the first book of the series. Absolutely loved it! However, I have some questions. And would like you guys to answer them without spoiling the rest of the series.

 

My first question is what to do from here. I checked out the Great Hunt and own the prequel. Which should I read first? Is the prequel even worth reading? I've heard you should read book 1 before New Spring.

 

Feel free to ask your own questions and answer others' questions. As well as discussing the book itself.

 

Ive never read the prequel and I dont really feel like Ive missed anything. I dont intend to read it either. However I will never know if there are clues to stuff that I havent gotten though, unless I do read it, but Im not that bothered, Im only interested in the main sequences books as things stand. I may read New Spring one day but I dont think my understanding of any of the major storylines is hampered by having not read NS. Not the storylines I like anyway.

[Phenom]

A little question...the Age of Legends and Artur Hawkwing's era seem really interesting to me. Will they be talked about in detail in the other books?

 

Started reading The Great Hunt...great start so far!

[dovien]

A little question...the Age of Legends and Artur Hawkwing's era seem really interesting to me. Will they be talked about in detail in the other books?

Various books contain information from the Age of Legends. You're going to be very pleased in a few books time.

[Hybrid]

A little question...the Age of Legends and Artur Hawkwing's era seem really interesting to me. Will they be talked about in detail in the other books?

Are they talked about in detail? I wouldn't go that far.

 

They will be expanded upon throughout the series. You'll get more information, but after each mention, you'll still be hungry for more. Which only makes the next bit of information that much more satisfying.

 

P.S. You're about to hit the best part of the series: TDR through LOC. That's where it really takes off. Ask (almost) any fan to pick their top three WOT books and at least one of Books 3-6 will be in there. My personal fav is TSR.

[Phenom]

Ah...I see. I'm already hooked!

 

My favorite character thus far is Lan. He is just a calm dude, but fight him and you're done! Then you throw in his background and well, you have a badass character.

 

Can someone change the thread title to : Phenom's WoT Discussion and Questions Topic (NO SPOILERS)

[yoniy0]

I can, and so I did! That was fun

 

New Spring the Novel is a must-read book, IMO. I've read the short story before I did the novel, and it's nice, but the novel is better, much better (it adds a whole new part about Moiraine and how she came to do what she does today).

Having said that, I would NOT read it before TGH. Some things you just need to learn in order, or the dramatic effect is spoiled. Coming to think of it, I'd wait until you know who Cadsuane is. So, after ACoS.

[Phenom]

Thank you, sir!

 

BTW, can anyone link me the most comprehensive map of "Randland"? I don't think they ones in the books are that great or very detailed.

[The Dirty Landry]

I think you'll like the Great Hunt, if you've started on it yet. TGH is one of my favorite books in the series because of the innocence of the Rand balanced by his awesomeness.

 

Once you've read a few of the books, you should read what we call the "Big Book of Bad Art", its kind of like a compendium of the Wheel of Time. It has a pretty nice history of the Wheel of Time dating from the Age of Legends to the time of the books.

 

Enjoy your first read through while you can, the wonder and excitement as you read each book is amazing. Especially when on re reads you realized just how much you missed the first time around. It makes you appreciate just how good Robert Jordan was.

[Sid]

My favorite character thus far is Lan. He is just a calm dude, but fight him and you're done! Then you throw in his background and well, you have a badass character.

 

Indeed. Lan has by far the best 'good quote' to 'word count' ratio in the series. RJ seemed to save up his wisest sayings and spend them when Lan feels the need to speak.

 

Also, Rand's pov in TEoTW when they meet up in Caemlyn has a favorite paragraph of mine: (Moiraine touches Mat and he lashes out with his dagger.)

One minute Lan was in the doorway, the next he was at the bedside, as if he had not bothered with the intervening space. His hand caught Mat's wrist, stopping the slash as if it had struck stone. Still Mat held himself in that tight ball. Only the hand with the dagger tried to move, straining against the Warder's implacable grip. Mat's eyes never left Moiraine, and they burned with hate.

As if he had not bothered with the intervening space. Badass.

[Luckers]

Also, Rand's pov in TEoTW when they meet up in Caemlyn has a favorite paragraph of mine: (Moiraine touches Mat and he lashes out with his dagger.)

One minute Lan was in the doorway, the next he was at the bedside, as if he had not bothered with the intervening space. His hand caught Mat's wrist, stopping the slash as if it had struck stone. Still Mat held himself in that tight ball. Only the hand with the dagger tried to move, straining against the Warder's implacable grip. Mat's eyes never left Moiraine, and they burned with hate.

As if he had not bothered with the intervening space. Badass.

 

I agree--and I just love how Moiraine doesn't even flinch.