How did YOU find the World of the Wheel ?

[Luckers]

I got the Eye of the World and A Game of Thrones for my twelth birthday from my Mum--on the advice of the bookstore clerk, by the way, who knew it was for a twelve year old. Suffice to say I got to the part in A Game of Thrones with the incest and the throwing children out windows, and I turned to the Wheel. :D

[Magnetic Zero]

I heard my brother and my dad talking about tWoT with each other quite consistently for a while. This was between the release of Winter's Heart and Crossroads of Twilight (around 2002). I got pretty sick of hearing them talk about a story that I had no clue about. My curiosity peaked and I asked my dad what he was talking about after one of their exchanges. He told me that it was called "The Wheel of Time" and that he'd give me the first book to read if I was interested. And here I am. I was 12. I can't believe that was eight years ago.

 

It took me two years to catch up. A year after I started, CoT was released. A year after that, I finished WH. And I've waited anxiously for each book since.

 

There are some benefits to being 20.

[Lynchgrinch]

Thanks for all the lengthy replys guys! It's been realy great to here everyone elses stories. I especialy like th one who was put onto the books by a random hot chick, glad to see you're thinking with the right brain

 

It would be nice to here from some more mods on how they were converted, Luckers was pretty boring!

 

Keep 'em coming!

[Luckers]

Thanks for all the lengthy replys guys! It's been realy great to here everyone elses stories. I especialy like th one who was put onto the books by a random hot chick, glad to see you're thinking with the right brain

 

It would be nice to here from some more mods on how they were converted, Luckers was pretty boring!

 

Keep 'em coming!

 

It had incest and child abuse in it!

 

Alright, lets expand. I came to DM for the old DM EotW prologue movie when I was under the rather embarressing moniker of 'Darkened Descendent'. I was thirteen and thought it was really deep. They made me a mod at around sixteen or seventeen--I don't think they realised how young I was. Don't tell them.

 

I then pestered Jason and Jenn until they made me an Admin. They think they roped in a slave, but little do they know that I will soon be in charge of everything. Not just this board. Everything.

 

Also at one point I single handedly fought of an attack of one eyed one horned flying purple people eaters.

 

Any better?

[Magnetic Zero]

You truly are the Lord of Awesome.

[GB]

started this series 2 years ago.

 

went to best friend's place (who started the series from his high school friend's advice), saw on his book shelf books 1-11 and i was like "thats a big series" and asked to borrow the 1st one since i had 3 months holidays.

 

started EotW same night, and thought it was confusing and stopped after a few chapters.

 

2 weeks after, started again (it couldnt be bad if best friend has 11 books), and by the time i reached the middle of the first book, i knew i was going to be hooked on the series.

 

then started borrowing 2 books at a time from bestie and was just reading them,sometimes till 6am and then immediately pick up the next one and read more.

 

and now i own all the 12 books and eagerly waiting for ToM.

[Kara]

Thanks for all the lengthy replys guys! It's been realy great to here everyone elses stories. I especialy like th one who was put onto the books by a random hot chick, glad to see you're thinking with the right brain

 

It would be nice to here from some more mods on how they were converted, Luckers was pretty boring!

 

Keep 'em coming!

 

It had incest and child abuse in it!

 

Alright, lets expand. I came to DM for the old DM EotW prologue movie when I was under the rather embarressing moniker of 'Darkened Descendent'. I was thirteen and thought it was really deep. They made me a mod at around sixteen or seventeen--I don't think they realised how young I was. Don't tell them.

 

I then pestered Jason and Jenn until they made me an Admin. They think they roped in a slave, but little do they know that I will soon be in charge of everything. Not just this board. Everything.

 

Also at one point I single handedly fought of an attack of one eyed one horned flying purple people eaters.

 

Any better?

 

LOL - this made me think of the Three Days Grace song "Just like you"

[Moon Sedai]

I was probably 10 or 11 and i rode my bike to the library down the road from my house. I was wanting a new book to read but didn't know what I was looking for. I found myself in the scifi fantasy section and saw a book called "Merlin". I judge books by their cover and thought that this would be a good book. Then the blue spine of EotW caught my eye and I put Merlin back.

If that's the Merlin book I think it is [stephen Lawhead] you made a decent choice, i think.

Merlin is the second of a (5 part?) Series, and while it is the best of the series, is still kind of dry.

I say this, and i like Merlin.

 

As to WoT, I started to develop an interest in Fantasy right around the end of High school (97), and did not know which series would be good for me and my reading tastes. when my best friend and i went on a road trip to visit some of her out-of-state friends, I saw they had a giant bookshelf full of fantasy novels, and I asked what their favorite books were. The wife said "We love the Wheel of Time, the Robert Jordan Series, but don't start reading it if you are impatient, the dude takes like a century between each book."

So, at the time I didn't start reading it.

Then, about two years later, I picked up EOTW as a book to read on an airplane on my way to Germany. The prologue (about Lews Therin making Dragonmount) then immediate jump to the Two Rivers threw me off. I put it down for literally two years, not picking it up again until I left Germany (Read it on the plane home).

I figured, why waste the money on a book? This was August 2001.

By the time I was at customs, I had to know what happened next. By the end of the year, I'd read through all the then-published WoT books. (Through Winter's Heart, I think).

It annoys my husband, some, because we were first dating in that two year gap between me buying EoTW and READING EotW. he left germany before I did, by a few months, and the 'next time' i saw my then-finace face-to-face, i was already hooked on the series.

 

Surprisingly, the cover I like the most is for the book I'm the least fond of- Path of Daggers.

[horus17]

My freshman year at Michigan State in 1990, my roommate told me about a good fantasy book he had read that summer before school began. So I went and got it, and proceeded to take that damn thing to every class!! Not to mention reading by candle-light at 2am in my bottom bunk. I'm a little envious and a bit angry , I must say, that not everyone out there reading this series has had to wait over 20yrs for this to story to reach the Last Battle. I've been reading this series for over half of my life!! And then the guy has to go and die?!?! Thank the Creator for RJ's foresight and planning to get it finished after his untimely death.

 

I've lost track of all of my rereads. I know that there was a time when the books were being released every 2yrs of so, I would start from the beginning all over again. I know I'm not the only one, but those of us that have waited these long 20yrs should get a cool title along the lines of Blademaster or something. Luckers, the Holder of all Knowledge Wheel of Time... I humbly ask you to create a name for all of us sorry bastards unlucky enough to be at least 30yrs old, forced to wait between the next volume's publishing and still waiting for the frigging Last Battle!!

[Bonzo4288]

I started from a co-worker in 1999. I enjoy reading almost everything. Actually, there are only about 5-10 books that I started and could not finish (House of Seven Gables (Nathaniel Hawthorne) and Twilight (Stephanie Meyers) are a couple). He introduced me to EOTW and I read them straight through until TPOD. Then had the long wait. Luckily I have about 5 people who I work with that are addicted too so we can talk about the series.

 

I don't know how to do the quote thingy (very computer illiterate) but I agree with the person who replied right before me that the poor people who got sucked into the books from the very beginning deserve some kind of honor on this site.

[PhoenixFlame]

I got started on the Wheel of Time seven years ago when I was sixteen. It was the easter holidays and I was in town and very, very bored. So I decided to have a little browse around the book shop. And that's where I spotted the books. They looked very interesting. I was in a major LOTR phase at that time LOTR swallowed three years of my life. Of course I'd already read the books but was looking for something new.

Anyhoo I didn't buy anything cause I was worried about buying a book and not liking it so I took note of the title of the first book and went along to the library. Luckily it was there, so I went home and started reading and I haven't looked back.

[Lironah]

I know I'm not the only one, but those of us that have waited these long 20yrs should get a cool title along the lines of Blademaster or something. Luckers, the Holder of all Knowledge Wheel of Time... I humbly ask you to create a name for all of us sorry bastards unlucky enough to be at least 30yrs old, forced to wait between the next volume's publishing and still waiting for the frigging Last Battle!!

Amen!

 

What I think is fascinating is that everyone remembers the exact circumstance of their first exposure to The Wheel of Time (especially those who didn't actually read it until 4 years after!). I mean, I've forgotten the plot of all but 2 of the dozens of Star Trek books I read when I was younger, and can't say when was the first time I read Lord of the Rings or The Chronicles of Narnia, Watership Down or The Lensman books, all of which I've re-read several times. But I remember the exact moment I first saw The Eye of the World, and so do all of you. That says something.

[AnthonyJamesEnglish]

My first Introduction to the Wheel of time came from a work colleague 5 years ago, we were randomly chatting and he mention the wheel of time, i was like cool cool, he brought EotW in the next shift and i took it home read the prologue and was like "ERGHHH my brain cant handle the boringness..." lol

 

Present Day,.. and i found myself bored between Uni semesters and i wanted something longer to read to keep my busy, remembered the Wheel of time series and picked up the first 3 books expecting it to be a hassle and slog, to take me ages. Turns out i really should have read past the prologue hehe.. Been addicted to it ever since.

[Hand of the Creator]

My dad had borrowed the first 7 books from one of his friends at work, and I noticed them when he was in the middle of TGH. I was finished with all 7 before he had finished TSR, then began my first wait (about 7 months for tPoD).

[Nandera]

The books' covers drew me in at the bookstore....no really, honest!

This is true for me as well. Actually, it was The Path of Daggers cover (which had just been released) that really drew my eye. Still my favorite one. So, I bought TEotW and started reading when I found out it was the first in the series. The cover drew me in, but it's the content that wouldn't let go, and still hasn't.

 

Damnit, I'm going to be near useless for the next couple weeks for waiting...

 

That's how I discovered the series as well! I was in the library and saw The Path of Daggers sitting on the new release shelf. The cover drew my attention... Rand sitting on his horse, so commanding...it's still my favorite Sweet cover. When I saw that it was book 8 (I'm a sucker for long series) I went to the fantasy section and checked out the first three books. I was totally absorbed and obsessed, and gobbled up the rest as soon as I could get my hands on them.

[dwn]

I got The Shadow Rising for christmas in '92, but didn't start reading it because it was book four in the series. Then a classmate lent me his trade paperback copies of The Eye of The World and The Great Hunt and I read both over the next couple days. I immediately went out and bought The Dragon Reborn.

 

So after about a week or so of intense reading I had to wait about 8 or 9 months for book 5.

 

I did have a couple problems along the way, however. First, my cat ate a page out of the Rhuidean sequence in The Shadow Rising. I was not happy. Later, I pre-ordered The Fires of Heaven and picked it up the day it came out. Then I stayed up all night reading it... only to find that my copy was missing the last 60 or so pages. Also, my copy of Winter's Heart has pretty much had its binding disintegrate.

 

It's certainly been a fun 18 years, even with the painful gaps between the later books. I lurked and occasionally posted to rasfwr-j, then came here sometime after KoD, and still read the outdated FAQ for fun once in a while. I've enjoyed other books as much or more, but I've invested far more time in The Wheel of Time than in any other series.

 

-- dwn

[Isgrimner]

About the 20 year club, I remember when I started I was 14 and was hoping Ewin Finnegar was going to be a main character right at the beginning because he seemed closer to my age. WOT now has been with me the greater part of my life and I'm probably between the main three and Lan in age. I've lost count of re-reads now. I know I've read TEotW at least 11 times. I also have lost count on how many copies I've bought. Besides the hard covers, I have went through several of the paperbacks either through loaning them out and never getting them back or simple wear.

 

Another issue for us old timers, was that in the early days, the internet wasn't quite as widespread. If we wanted to discuss the books we had to make somebody else read it. Also, when the books started taking longer than a year between publication, I had no idea when the next one would be out. I think I first expierienced the internet around '97 or '98 and one of the first thing I looked for was WOT related pages. To my delight there actually were quite a few back then.

[RyanDuranGeiger]

One of my friends suggested I read Eragon before I really got into reading that much.. I read it, wasn't too keen on it.

 

Then about a year later, I was playing World of Warcraft (I'm a nerd), and one of my friends on there asked me if I read any fantasy books, I said I only read Eragon, and the new book was gonna be released in a year or so.. She suggested I read The Wheel of Time, so after a week or so, I went over to Borders and bought it.

To my surprise, I finished it in two days. Amazed by how awesome it was, I bought books two and three right after.

 

And so, over the last 6 years, I've re-read the series eleven or twelve times.

It inspired me to do a bunch of things, studying history, reading (A ton, obviously ), learning to fight (Who didn't wanna learn to fight after the first scene with Gaul in The Dragon Reborn?), studying of philosophy, randomly following a bit of Ji'e'toh, learning to survive in the Rain Forest with nothing but a knife (Moved to Central America two years ago.. Need more Aiel-ness..). And while not the biggest fan of Perrin, I started knife making/blacksmithing as a hobby..

 

I'm 16 now, and don't have a clue what I'd be like, if I didn't pick up The Wheel of Time.

[Moon Sedai]

 

And so, over the last 6 years, I've re-read the series eleven or twelve times.

 

I'm 16 now, and don't have a clue what I'd be like, if I didn't pick up The Wheel of Time.

Impressive!

[capuga]

I started reading just after tDR came out. Funny thing was, I had just finished a book and was very irritated that the next book in the series hadn't come out yet and I didn't have a resolution to the story. So I planned to only read a series that was completed. For some reason I thought the Wheel of Time was a trilogy so I grabbed my dad's books and started reading. So you can imagine my head slap moment when I finished book three only to realize that the series wasn't even close to finished! So about 15 years, 10 books, and close to double digit rereads later I am still loving this series.

[Lynchgrinch]

Thanks for all the lengthy replys guys! It's been realy great to here everyone elses stories. I especialy like th one who was put onto the books by a random hot chick, glad to see you're thinking with the right brain

 

It would be nice to here from some more mods on how they were converted, Luckers was pretty boring!

 

Keep 'em coming!

 

It had incest and child abuse in it!

 

Alright, lets expand. I came to DM for the old DM EotW prologue movie when I was under the rather embarressing moniker of 'Darkened Descendent'. I was thirteen and thought it was really deep. They made me a mod at around sixteen or seventeen--I don't think they realised how young I was. Don't tell them.

 

I then pestered Jason and Jenn until they made me an Admin. They think they roped in a slave, but little do they know that I will soon be in charge of everything. Not just this board. Everything.

 

Also at one point I single handedly fought of an attack of one eyed one horned flying purple people eaters.

 

Any better?

 

Much better

 

I await your rule of DM with eagerness

 

I just picked up Game of thrones myself the other day when i was on an exceedingly boring holaday. Turns out the entire book is incredably incestuous, Paedo-filled and just generaly sexualy frustrated.

 

WoT is MUCH BETTER.

[Ashlyn]

My first Introduction to the Wheel of time came from a work colleague 5 years ago, we were randomly chatting and he mention the wheel of time, i was like cool cool, he brought EotW in the next shift and i took it home read the prologue and was like "ERGHHH my brain cant handle the boringness..." lol

 

Present Day,.. and i found myself bored between Uni semesters and i wanted something longer to read to keep my busy, remembered the Wheel of time series and picked up the first 3 books expecting it to be a hassle and slog, to take me ages. Turns out i really should have read past the prologue hehe.. Been addicted to it ever since.

 

Same thing here - got EotW at the end of matric (senior year of high school), read the prologue and gave up. A year later I was on a trip with friends, lazy days beside the ocean, when I picked it up again. Needless to say, I didn't do much swimming!

[greig]

funnily enough i asked this question a few months ago but i'll happily provide an answer here. a few times i'd heard about a wheel of time mmorpg that was supposed to be happening and when it was described as tolkienesque i knew i had to read it

[Ozzie_aiel]

I started off by reading tGH, which I got out at my school library. I liked it, but didn't get into it. When I was at a bookstore I saw TEoTW and decided it was worth another try. Starting from the beginning of the series made things a lot easier to understand, and I kept reading them. I finished tGS after reading for pretty much 18 hours straight, read and reread every book at least 5 times, some a lot more. I've had to replace a couple of books because they were so worn and started falling apart.

[drewk]

Hmmm...I'm having a tough time remembering the exact year, but I believe I started it while waiting for the second Harry Potter book to come out (ironic, no?). So this must have been '98 or '99 and I was still in middle school. I remember getting it but skipping the prologue, as back then I thought they were optional. I didn't even finish the first chapter before I put it down for at least 6 months. I'm kicking myself for that now, that's 6 months I could have been reading WoT!! It took me a long time to get through my first read, including a month or two break halfway through PoD. I think Winter's Heart had been out for a couple months when I finally finished PoD, so my first wait in the series was for CoT.

 

I guess I have some sort of sick attraction to unfinished series. Harry Potter (unfinished when I started, and I waited for EVERY SINGLE BOOK), Wheel of Time, ASoIaF (probably never going to be complete), Pat Rothfuss' Kingkiller Chronicles (been 3 years already since NotW and I first read it more than 2 years ago). So far the only one of these books/series I haven't managed at least 3 read-throughs is ASoIaF which I have read a grand total of once.

 

Anyway it has been a long bumpy road with all of my favorite series, but I am going to stick each and every one of them out. I'm in shock approaching disbelief that we're getting a new book only 1 year after TGS.