My First Time Reading Eye of the World

[Coz]

So it's kind of like this: our company in Afghanistan rolled over an explosive, dust plumed around our vehicle, and the next thing I know I'm back in California, nursing a broken leg, a shattered hip, and working my way through the first of a stack of books entitled The Wheel of Time series. It's my girlfriend's favorite series, and since I've worked my through A Song of Ice and Fire -- which I loved -- and The First Law Series -- which I liked, but did not love -- I finally have time for these novels. So, on a rainy day, I picked up Eye of the World. And...

 

I really, really like it. I don't love it. Not yet, at least, but I find myself more and more impressed by just reading a story about a quest. Thus far, I've conjured up some theories, and if allowed, I'll post my reactions to each chapter, because at three-hundred and thirty pages, the novels keeps getting better. Observations:

 

• 
   
   
  
• Rand is definitely The Dragon Reborn. I'm sure Logain will end up being important later on, maybe even affecting the main plot, but aside from Perrin and Egwene, Rand has dominated this book so far.
   
  
• Why do I not trust Thom?
   
  
• The Sea Folk continue to be mentioned. Possible plot point? Maybe an enemy?
   
  
• The dagger is obviously corrupting Mat, but I'm trying to figure out how. His attitude is changing, but not much else.
  

[Gor]

Ouch. I hope your rehab goes well. /salute.

 

As for the books...glad to hear you are enjoying them. They only get better imo and you picked a great time to dive in with the penultimate book coming out next week. Look forward to hearing more of your thoughts/predictions :)

[Shard]

Welcome to the Wheel of Time Fandom. Hope you enjoy your stay, the books really are an excellent way pass the time while recovering.

[jwillis7]

yea welcome but be careful on this site even the names of topics will be spoilers for you, i would maybe bookmark think topic and just come here so you do not get spoiled

[dovien]

Why do I not trust Thom?

The Sea Folk continue to be mentioned. Possible plot point? Maybe an enemy?

Welcome to Dragonmount and WoT. My question to you is what level of spoilers can you accept? I assume you don't want to be told everything but the questions you ask suggest you want to know something. Will you be happy with mysterious allusions? Take these answers as a guide to what I mean.

 

Thom has been involved in a number of unsavoury things in his time but the things he does are always for the right reasons.

The Sea Folk are involved in several key parts of the story but, nevertheless, are one of many side-stories rather than a focus.

[Sid]

Envy: Girlfriend who likes the WoT books.

Don't Envy: Recovering from injury.

Envy: The whole series in front of you with as little as a year and a half before the whole thing is finished.

 

 

I look forward to you posting your predictions as you read. It should be entertaining to see how closely your thoughts are to how each of us remembers what we thought was going to happen at various stages of our first read-throughs. (the second read-through is even better though, as the hidden foreshadowing is nothing short of incredible).

 

Have fun reading and good luck with your recovery!

[Coz]

Why do I not trust Thom?

The Sea Folk continue to be mentioned. Possible plot point? Maybe an enemy?

Welcome to Dragonmount and WoT. My question to you is what level of spoilers can you accept? I assume you don't want to be told everything but the questions you ask suggest you want to know something. Will you be happy with mysterious allusions? Take these answers as a guide to what I mean.

 

Thom has been involved in a number of unsavoury things in his time but the things he does are always for the right reasons.

The Sea Folk are involved in several key parts of the story but, nevertheless, are one of many side-stories rather than a focus.

 

Allusions work perfectly. As long as it's nothing massive, like a death or a big, big plot point.

[-ZanMgt- OneNight]

I would like to thank you very much for your service for our country, and I hope you get well soon.

 

As for this thread here, I am always interested in someones first read through a series which I love. I am definitely going to keep an eye on this thread.

 

*Salutes* God bless you sir.

[fborch]

I'm doing another readthrough as well, and is about halfway through EotW, and has to agree that the book is amazingly good.

[Baletickle_to_da_face!]

You really should run far, far away from this website. Maybe...maybe come back around book 6 or so, but so early in the game any random thread title around here could ruin things that you don't even know that you might think about assuming 5 books down the road!

[drewk]

You really should run far, far away from this website. Maybe...maybe come back around book 6 or so, but so early in the game any random thread title around here could ruin things that you don't even know that you might think about assuming 5 books down the road!

 

I'd have to agree with this. All the little nuances in these books won't have as great an emotional impact on you if you start looking for things earlier than you should. I'm not trying to get rid of you! I just want you to have the same chance at the magical experience that is the first WoT read-through as I did my first time through. I have read no other series of books that I could say the same things about. I guarantee you will come back and read them again. I'm on my fifth (or is it sixth?) read-through now and I still find things I missed before, and yet more reasons to stay in Randland for another day.

[soccerscott]

So it's kind of like this: our company in Afghanistan rolled over an explosive, dust plumed around our vehicle, and the next thing I know I'm back in California, nursing a broken leg, a shattered hip, and working my way through the first of a stack of books entitled The Wheel of Time series. It's my girlfriend's favorite series, and since I've worked my through A Song of Ice and Fire -- which I loved -- and The First Law Series -- which I liked, but did not love -- I finally have time for these novels. So, on a rainy day, I picked up Eye of the World. And...

 

I really, really like it. I don't love it. Not yet, at least, but I find myself more and more impressed by just reading a story about a quest. Thus far, I've conjured up some theories, and if allowed, I'll post my reactions to each chapter, because at three-hundred and thirty pages, the novels keeps getting better. Observations:

 

• 
   
   
  
• Rand is definitely The Dragon Reborn. I'm sure Logain will end up being important later on, maybe even affecting the main plot, but aside from Perrin and Egwene, Rand has dominated this book so far.
   
  
• Why do I not trust Thom?
   
  
• The Sea Folk continue to be mentioned. Possible plot point? Maybe an enemy?
   
  
• The dagger is obviously corrupting Mat, but I'm trying to figure out how. His attitude is changing, but not much else.
  

 

Who are you with? Afghanistan is a bitch for sure. Currently on the east side of the country. Sorry for your injury. I know it's not much, but the wounded warrior alotment isn't too bad, plus a couple more ribbons on your chest. Good luck to you troop.

[Moon Sedai]

You really should run far, far away from this website. Maybe...maybe come back around book 6 or so, but so early in the game any random thread title around here could ruin things that you don't even know that you might think about assuming 5 books down the road!

I have to agree. Some of the early books were kind of "spoiled" for me when i went looking up information in my first read through.

[Isgrimner]

I find this thread and Dralid's (I guess he stopped) to be pretty interesting. I think I will eventually do the same thing over at Westeros when I eventually get around to reading George R.R. Martin's books. Its been recommended to me many times, and I have the first book but haven't started it. Mainly because after having WOT in my life for 20 years and the wait between books, I was loathe to start another series that would require huge waits between books. Still the HBO series is coming up in a year or so, so I want to read the books before that.

 

Oh and the only reason I know of Westeros, is the fabulous Terry Goodkind bashing that goes on over there. I have chosen death and hate important human themes, which the Yeard aka Goodkind, writes about.

[Coz]

Wow. Thanks for all the replies. Didn't expect half so many. As for spoilers, I have this page bookmarked, so whenever I finish a few chapters, I'll just click the bookmark and post my thoughts. Trust me, I'm well aware that I am on book one of what is a thirteen (*fourteen?) book series.

[Keiling]

Wow. Thanks for all the replies. Didn't expect half so many. As for spoilers, I have this page bookmarked, so whenever I finish a few chapters, I'll just click the bookmark and post my thoughts. Trust me, I'm well aware that I am on book one of what is a thirteen (*fourteen?) book series.

 

Hey Coz, I too didn't immediately fall in love with The Wheel of Time. When I finished Eye of the World, I thought "well that was pretty cool... should I read the next one?"........(sometime later) "Why not!" And somewhere along the way in The Great Hunt I became a WOT nut.

 

So I do hope you enjoy the books, but as some other DMers mentioned, be careful with the spoilers on the site & forums, they are effectively everywhere when you are at such an early stage in the story.

[Coz]

I don't know if I'm officially a nut yet, but I like where each storyline is heading so far. Perrin and Egwene have been captured by the Children of the Light, Thom's dead or at least injured, which leaves Rand and Mat -- who have escaped from capture not once, but twice -- stranded on the road to Caemlyn. Nynaeve is stuck with Lan and Moraine, and I suddenly find myself very, very drawn in. Since each character is heading to Caemlyn, I'm assuming there's going to a huge character and information dump that carries into the finale, and hopefully Tar Valon, which continues to talked about constantly.

[Sid]

I suddenly find myself very, very drawn in.

Not a surprise

Since each character is heading to Caemlyn, I'm assuming there's going to a huge character and information dump that carries into the finale, and hopefully Tar Valon, which continues to talked about constantly.

What I was going to say here could be construed as a spoiler of sorts, so instead of that let me introduce you the acronym that is the bane of everyone's existence here:

RAFO

[dovien]

Since each character is heading to Caemlyn, [..]

 

Pay close attention once they get there. You will meet rather a lot of characters who turn out to be important later on.

[fborch]

Pretty much everyone they meet there have a role to play..

[username13]

It'll be fun keeping an eye on this thread to see how close your predictions and opinions are to both the our own views, nad what really happens in the books. My trouble though is my fingers are itching to type spoilers, clarifications, backstories and the like. It's sooo tempting! Grrrr....

 

I know any information I give may give you a small moment of "oh, wow!"-ness, but will ultimately ruin it lol...

 

Let us know any questions you have, many people here have large amounts of knowledge covering many ages of WoT (There was a book released post-Book 7 which gave a tonne of history etc, and we've tralled the net for interviews etc)... just first tell us where you are in the series when you're asking those questions so we don't spoil anything and be very prepared for a lot of RAFO's (Read and Find Out's).

 

Otherwise, have fun

[Coz]

Almost finished with the novel. So far, Loail, Gawyn, Elayne, Morgase, Eladia, Gareth, Byar (who will most likely pop back up). So many new characters, and yet I haven't even finished!

[Sid]

You would do well to remember just about every character you encounter in TEotW.

Just saying...

[Elend]

All characters you mentioned are of importance, Coz.

 

That is all.

[Coz]

I suspected as much. I've even written down each character the novel has introduced with a tiny description next to their name. Most of them are bound to come back, so I might as well keep track.

 

And now the Ways enter the fray...