How old are you? What gender?

[Lessa Nikia]

16 Female

 

I have so many favorites...I'm not going into detail just so you know.

 

I love Birigitte, Mat(given), Rand(not all his decisions though I was so happy when I read the last chapter of tGS and the entire ToM), Moiraine(given),Min and pretty much everyone else. I love all of the Aiel, except Shaido which is given. The one and only Forsaken I like is Lanfear, don't know why but I do. When Rand met her as Selena, I'm like, "Don't trust her dude. She's evil!"

 

I don't like any of the darkfriends/forsaken, especially Padan Fain. He gives me the shivers *shivers* And I hate the Seanchan, not only for what we know about them but because of what(ToM spoiler)

 

 

What Aviendha sees in the pillars, through the eyes of her desendants. I cried for a good half hour after I read that. I can't wait to see what tMoL has for us

 

 

Anywho, that's all I can think of.

[rsahae]

I don't like any of the darkfriends/forsaken, especially Padan Fain. He gives me the shivers *shivers*

 

Yeah he does, when I said I like him, what I mean is, he's great at giving the shivers. I appreciate how good he is at being bad. It's like drinking coffee black, you revel in the dark bitter taste or something (I guess...my coffee is always well fortified with cream and sugar)

[rsahae]

 

My liking of the characters is linked to Jordan's writing of them. Therefore I almost universally dislike the characters as written by Sanderson. I find them childish and irritating

 

Couldn't agree more! So glad to read something like this. This is going off topic but oh well. I feel almost nauseated any time someone (and there are plenty of people on this forum who do) sends even the barest compliment Sanderson's way. Light BURN that man's awful ruination of our priceless series!! And BURN Harriet and Tor for not at least getting someone to ghostwrite the damn thing in something closer to RJ's flawless prose. Obviously they wouldn't be as good but it would be so much better.

Egwene. During her time spent captured in the White Tower her strength, determination and total refusal to bend was truly inspiring. I loved her during that sequence. Brilliant writing.

 

Right on, right on. It used to be ok if you were one of those who disliked Egwene, even though she endured so much from the Aiel, from the Seanchan, and the poor treatment from Salidar sisters. But after her one, magnificent chapter in KoD, it's like impossible to hate Egwene. She's just way too awesome!

 

Cadsuane. She understands the minds of others and knows how to apply this knowledge in order to cause them to submit to her influence. She's old, she's powerful, she's highly successful. An alpha female. Which, given the demographic of the readers, a majority of nerds, is why she is disliked so much.

 

Don't know about that. I mean, she is pretty mean. She is a bully, no doubt about it. But I like her because it's so refreshing when someone doesn't suck up to Rand all the time. Sanderson completely ruined Cadsuane just like he ruined Mat.

 

Lan. I've always liked Lan. A strong silent type. A masculine archetype. Utterly disciplined and focused upon his war against the Shadow. A stony exterior covering a depth of passion and love for Nynaeve.

 

Eh, I've never been too impressed by Lan. He's a little too "I'm gonna suffer and there's nothing you can do about it". The smarter plan to save Malkier would be not to just run up there one man alone. But Nynaeve had to get the Malkieri roused, he wouldn't do it. I guess the masculine archetype is supposed to include unwillingness to ask for help? I guess I just get sick of Lan moping around like he's the only person in the world with problems.

 

I did not dislike any of the characters as written by Jordan. Strange, perhaps, but I found them all to be different and I suspect this difference holds an appeal to different people who see something to relate to.

 

Particularily bad standouts, to my mind, from Sanderson would include Gawyn, Siuan and Bryne in the Gathering Storm and practically everybody in Towers of Midnight. Not for what they do or who they are, but how they are written.

 

An author puts himself in his work. I loved what Jordan offered, his grasp of various personalities and motivations, his capacity to maintain these different voices over a long series, embellishing them as they grew, marrying this growth to the plot.

 

I do not find any of these characters present in the new books, as the man who gave them life... now has none. So really my preference in characters is linked to a preference in authors which is not expressed in the new books.

 

Amen, brother. Could someone dump 10,000 tons of manure on the Taj Mahal and then expect us to appreciate its beauty? Reading one of Sanderson's WoT book is like trying to drink animal excretions. I only do it because I want to see what happened. It's painful. I mourn the loss of my beloved friends, like Mat. We were robbed of our closure to this glorious work. The "Sanderson Solution" contributes nothing. Thank goodness the final chapter was written by RJ before he died.

[Dragons_Eggman]

26 male, been reading since the series only went to LoC.

 

Favourite characters include Mat, Gaul, Loial and Nynaeve in the 2nd half of the series. I also like Elayne, though her story arc can get a bit heavy going at times.

 

Least favourite characters Egwene (bar the brief shining moment between the end of CoT & TGS), Elaida and the mid-series Perrin.

 

In relation to the difference in characters between RJ and BS I have not noticed any massive discrepancies, this may come down to the fact that I get immersed in the flow of the story. As long as the story flows I get lost in it.

[Khosann]

36, male. Hooked since 2003.

[Xader]

25, Male.

 

At first, Lan was my favorite. I was in high school at the time and chalk this one up to idolizing the bad-@ss Warder.

 

Later, it was Perrin. I think of this as my innocent idealism phase.

 

These days, it's Mat. When I started the series at age 15, I thought of mat as childish, but with age have grown to love the character. This may seem counter-intuitive, but I think it may be due primarily to getting to know the character more deeply as a person, especially his values of honesty, loyalty, and honor (though he'd choke if someone ever described him that way.)

 

Always a huge fan of Loial though...(wait, who's that again?)

 

But one of my all-time favorites is Moiraine. Her courage, determination, and wisdom are what set her apart from the crowd. She is what every AS should be...

[redarm]

33, male. My favorites have changed a bit but I'm not sure it had to do entirely with age. Early on I liked Moraine and Rand. Mat became my favorite after his awesomeness in TDR. I have grown to love Egwene as the series has gone on(Not sure why all the hate for her exists). Perrin is another favorite but mostly only in the middle books especially TSR. During my first read my favorites changed as the characters developed. I think that after I knew the stories my subsequent reads anchored my overall favorites. Mat and Eggy are the best overall but I don't like them at the beginning of the series. Until after there various "growth" spurts I couldn't stand them. Now I know whenever I begin a reread that they are my favorites but that I have to put up with their early shortcomings. I do think my age has something to do with understanding the various character motivations, however. As I have grown older and experienced more of life I find I can relate to the older characters more readily. Nynaeve bothered me at first. I didn't hate her. I know she isn't an "older" character but she always acted it. She always bugged me as someone who thought way too much of herself. Now I see her as someone that was just doing what was expected. As a defacto leader of her people she was tring to protect them. If she was a bit bitchy about it, well I can accept that, now. Mat was the opposite. He seemed overly immature. Of course he always had a strong sense of honor and as the series has grown I think it has defined him the most. He is a rogue for sure but you know he'll do what is right no matter what. You can trust him to get your back even if it means he might get skinned for it. I like that.

[Minnea]

Female, 39 (almost 40...)

 

I was about 25 when I started reading this if I remeber correctly (somewhere in mid 1990s). Certainly my view of the characters have changed, but I'm not sure all of it has to do with my aging. All major characters have evolved, som are more likable - or perhaps more interesting to me - in the first books (ex. Rand, Perrin), others I like more in the later ones (ex Nynaeve, Mat). That does not change much when I re-read them now.

 

But sure, Nynaeve is a good example of a character that I found very irritating the first times through the first books ... but she is not nearly as irritating when I read those books again now. Perhaps I can identify more with her now (esp. her trying to protect "her people" since I got kids of my own) or perhaps I simply understand her better now when I know more of how she thinks (because wee have more povs from her).

[Haddion]

Male 29

 

When I first started reading the series in the mid 90's, I definitely identified with the three amigos(Rand, Mat, Perrin) and the female characters of the same age. I looked at Morriane and Lan with mentor and guardian like qualities to an almost reverence level. Some characters I merely tolerated or simply could not generate any emotions. Nynaeve was one of these characters that drew my ire and indifference at times. I had an older sister so I immediatlely lumped her into that bossy, know it all, but still doesn't have a clue older sister category. I felt vastly different about numerous groups and Aes Sedia in general.

 

I am now not only older, but more traveled and experienced. I serve in the United States Air Force and have been on multiple deployments. I am now a married and a father of three children. I still harbor the same feelings, love, and nastolgia for the tavern amigos, and the usual sidekick suspects. I have had difficulties with some of Egwene's character progression. I simply now regard her far more warily and with the same caution I would of any foreign diplomat or high ranking military officer. I find myself vastly more able to identify and relate to Nynaeve now. The rereads have turned her into one of my favorite characters. I can completely understand Moraine and Lan's positions, thoughts and view points much more thoroughly now.

 

I think the series branches across all age groups. It is a testament that as I grow and mature the Wheel of Time and characters evolve with me. It is simply my understanding of them, but they have always been there. I just am able to see them in a new light.

 

Most stories, fantasy, movies and media from my childhood do not stand the test of time as well. Numerous fantasy novels I use to enjoy seem boring, underdeveloped and poorly written in my adulthood. I will never try to reread the Companions, and Drizzt simply can not hold my interest for more than a chapter.

[TommyRocker]

22, Male.

 

When I was 11-12 I would have said Mat>Thom>Rand>Perrin. Then Perrin got married and became Emo. I HATED Perrin and Faile for a long time. They have both really improved in this last book. Nynaeve sucked for the first 12 books too. Mat has always pretty much been awesome(though I hated how quick he was to ditch Rand)

 

Lan and Moiraine were great but once Moiraine died* I didn't really care for the zombie Lan.

 

I think I hate almost all Aes Sedai. There are a few exceptions, but they are a "culture" of bullies. Even Egwene, who was intent on fixing the tower and saving the AS, has become just another bully. She is more stable than Elaida, and much more skillful, but she is the same kind of bully.

 

Cadsuane sucks hardcore. Many of the wise ones have Aes Sedai Syndrome.

 

Min is pretty cool. She seems like the most realistic woman in the series.

 

I HATE Tuon... LOATHE ENTIRELY....

 

I hate to say it, but Brandon Sanderson's Matrim has kind of annoyed me a bit. I still like the character, and I'm really happy BS is finishing the series, but I kind of feel like BS has turned Mat into a caricature of RJ's Mat.

 

 

I guess, in short:

Mat>Thom>Rand>Tam>new Perrin>Min

 

And going the other way:

Tuon<Elayne/Egwene<Cadsuane<Gawyn

 

Though it does change with my mood.

 

"But one of my all-time favorites is Moiraine. Her courage, determination, and wisdom are what set her apart from the crowd. She is what every AS should be..."

 

I think that might be part of why I hate AS so much(kind of like the wise ones) In the beginning, all you see is Moiraine, and she is amazing. Strong, brave, wise, something to be revered, but she still manages to be human and feel connected to the other characters. Then you see the rest of the AS and they all suck. They are all weak, selfish, squabbling children who happen to hold big guns so they get what they want. After seeing what they could/would/should be, and seeing what they actually are, they look that much more pathetic.

[Vidka]

15 years old, female

I started to read WOT for 9 months =D (I am reading Knife of Dreams)

 

I love Mat and Rand, Nynaeve too ;)

And Siuan, Moiraine and Lan

 

I dislike Elayne who is boring and not very clever è_é

Egwene when she lectured Nynaeve about her attitude, I thought she had got a nerve O_o

[I Heart Berelain]

Male, 30...been reading since '97.

 

Berelain is my favourite character, followed by Moghedien, Nalesean, Davram Bashere, Siuan, Logain, Rhuarc, Gaul, Nynaeve, Alanna. Fave of the central characters is Mat (just like everyone else, it would seem).

 

Not a fan of Faile, Egwene (post LoC), Cadsuane, Elaida, Tuon.

 

Fave of the books: TDR/LoC

[socom-delta]

Male, 28. Mat is my favorite character: bumbling idiot, has an awesome way with the ladies, but is so lucky it's beyond stupid.

[Gasha]

Male, 18. Started reading just about two years ago, so I guess I'm somewhat new to the series, compared to most of you :P

 

Really liked Verin, too bad about her dying (though I did like her ending twist). Also a fan of Rand, Min and Rodel Ituralde.

 

I dislike Egwene, Cadsuane. They all feel, to me, very self-centered, narcissistic, and most of all, the author never allows anyone to call them out on it. It kinda' breaks the atmosphere, because it feels rather out of character for the other characters to be bullied around in that way.

 

Also, I sort of dislike Perrin, but not really because I have anythin against the character, more that I find his storyline less interesting than Rands or Mats.

[ValiantLovesWoT]

Male. Just became 15

 

Rand is mine favorite but Min is one of mine favorites to.

I liked that in the Gathering Storm, Rand did wise and pulled out of Arad Doman(sorry if wrong name Dutch translation changes name, Rand to Rhand, Mat to Mart etc).

 

I love the affair with Min,Elayne and Rand,

I also love the military part of the books.

[White_star]

Female, 39 (almost 40...)

 

I was about 25 when I started reading this if I remeber correctly (somewhere in mid 1990s). Certainly my view of the characters have changed, but I'm not sure all of it has to do with my aging. All major characters have evolved, som are more likable - or perhaps more interesting to me - in the first books (ex. Rand, Perrin), others I like more in the later ones (ex Nynaeve, Mat). That does not change much when I re-read them now.

 

But sure, Nynaeve is a good example of a character that I found very irritating the first times through the first books ... but she is not nearly as irritating when I read those books again now. Perhaps I can identify more with her now (esp. her trying to protect "her people" since I got kids of my own) or perhaps I simply understand her better now when I know more of how she thinks (because wee have more povs from her).

Yay! Another female over 30! I was getting worried.

[marathdamane]

28 Female

 

Early in the series of the primary characters I liked Nynaeve, Moiraine and Perrin. Didn't care much for Rand or Lan (and Mat wasn't himself so I don't count that)

 

 

As the series progressed Aviendha and other Far Dareis Mai/ the Aiel in general and Mat became my favorites while Nyneave fell out of favor.. Nynaeve and Elayne chapters grated on me the most, but I always liked Egwene ok and Siuans politicking is second to none.

 

In the last few books I am back to Liking Nynaeve the most of the main females, Elayne even more annoying, Egwene is thumbs up, Perrin got better but the whole Faile thing was killing me and its hard to get over it. Rand is finally likable. Gawyn is rockin out lately. Lan finally grew some character; and i'd totally be damane for Tuon(like i'd beg for her a'dam...for real).

 

 

ETA: I can't believe I forgot Birgette! i guess it's just a given that she's awesome so I didn't think to write about her.

[Rahien]

Female, 20

 

Nynaeve is my absolute favourite but I like pretty much all the characters. Egwene, Mat, Thom, Min, Avi, Amys, Rhuarc, Siuan...I enjoy them all really.

 

The only character who I'm really not keen on is Elayne, maybe it's because she baths for too long ;)

[Rinnsal]

I'm 35, female, and my favorite was and is Rand closely followed by Nynaeve. Then there're Min and Mat and probably a ton of other characters. I wouldn't say that I hate anyone, but it's sometimes painful to read Egwene's POVs though I liked her in the first books.

[Jillain Sanche]

Female, 55

a life long sci-fi and fantasy fan, thanks to my 88 year old Dad (yay Gaffer!!)

 

I only started reading RJ about 3 years ago, and just ate through the WoT. Very satisfying and engaging--he is one of the true greats of fantasy.

 

I tend to like the good guys and hate the bad guys, but I really enjoy how the characters are mostly quite fleshed out within the context of their world and that we have seen several of them grow up (and not just the Two Rivers kids, also Faile comes to mind).

The villains are very well-written as well, I like them as villains if you know what I mean.

 

WoT is more like the "War and Peace of fantasy" what with you practically need a scorecard for characters as they develop!

 

There are just too many favorites to mention, so I will only note a handful that are special.

 

Special faves are Mat, Nynaeve, Loial, Moiraine and Thom. Rand is sort of above it all there.

I like Siuan Sanche and Gareth Bryne. I like Wolves.

 

Specially hate Alviarin, Elaida, Taim I hated from the getgo. Really really hate the White Cloaks!!

 

 

I have been recently annoyed by Elayne, her royal pain in the arse.

Others have annoyed from time to time, and that's life, even your best friends will do that now and then.

 

 

(Mr. Ares, you made me laugh!)

[trench]

Time for some stats:

 

So far there are 95 submissions, 27 Women, 68 Men

 

The average age is 25 years old, with men averaging 25 years and Women averaging 24 years

 

The youngest was 13 and Oldest was 55

 

There are 17 people who can not vote (under 18)

 

There are 31 people who can't buy a beer (under 21 and in the U.S)

 

Not one person among us can collect Social Security (above 65 also in the U.S)

 

Out of 95 people 22 of us can not be trusted (30 or better now)

 

44/95 are in their 20's and I hope they enjoy it while it lasts.

 

As for whose favorite character corespods to what age I'll try later but our sample size wont yeild firm results yet.

[Mr Ares]

(Mr. Ares, you made me laugh!)

Nice to see I'm doing something right.

 

I suppose, for the sake of the statistics, I should really point out that I'm over 100. So much for the oldest being 55.

[FarShainMael]

(Mr. Ares, you made me laugh!)

Nice to see I'm doing something right.

 

I suppose, for the sake of the statistics, I should really point out that I'm over 100. So much for the oldest being 55.

 

In what numerical base? (I shall resist the temptation to suggest binary,, )

[konkoivu]

Male 26 here.

 

I have to admit that i like all of the "wrong" sides. I really like whitecloaks because of their absoluteness (i've probably misunderstood the whole point of RJ). For the same reason i like Ishamael/Ba'alzamon/Moridin/who ever he will be. He is just completly on the dark side , he has no compromises.

 

When i started to read WoT in my teen years borderlands we're my favorite , specially the Malkieri. There is something in the fact that one is fighting a losing battle that resonates in my Finnish heart (too bad i don't look like a fox or a snake and btw Finland is also known as land of thousand lakes).

 

Characters that i hate are those who try to stay in the middle , the ones who are trying to stay neutral in this s***storm.

[Jackson]

Wish i had the time to read through all 7 pages of this discussion i think it be funny. I am male 16 and my faverite character by far is matt and second would be pre-jerk Rand then maybe Tam pre marriage Perin

And i cant stand many of the aesdi

 

(sorry for spelling might be a theme in my posts audiobook listener)