In retrospect, are you glad Robert Jordan took the time to write New Spring?

[Disco]

I am rereading it now for the first time. Second time. When it first came out I was annoyed because I just wanted the series to get a move on, but now I am not so sure.

 

I was wondering if people are glad he did this novel or not?

[baalsmistress]

I never regret an author writing a book I enjoyed reading.

 

I'm just glad that he changed his mind on making it as hard as possible for anyone to carry on after his death.

[Vicious Circle]

Yes. Moiraine and Lan are two of my favorite people in the whole series. More of them, as opposed to a cast of hundreds of Aes Sedai I'm hard pressed to remember their names, gets my vote.

[spoke]

I was very disappointed, mainly because it was a re-hash of the original New Spring that he wrote when it was included in Legends.

[Feral]

It depends. If I knew for sure that he'd have managed to write a significant chunk more of the final 3 books then I'd rather he'd have done that and left New Spring. I'm not too keen on NS though. There's some interesting information there, but the story itself I found quite dull and I find all the characters annoying in it, even the ones I like in the actual series.

[nool]

I somehow doubt that RJ would have been able to limit himself to only three more books had he stayed alive.

There were/are just too much going on and too many plot lines that need to be tied up.

BS is forced by contract and by public demand to finish the series as soon as possible. RJ would have been in a better position to argue for keeping the story going. That's my two pence, at least.

[Ledinna Sedai]

I love NS. I think it explains very well Moiraine and Siuan's life and choices. Also it's good to know more of Lan. It tells also nicely about the 'normal' life in the Tower, as in later WoT series the Tower life is rather hectic.

 

I love it as well as a separate book and as a part of the WoT.

[Master of Germs]

I think RJ just didn't feel fit enough to write a larger novel at the time and wanted to keep the flame in the readers. I bet large parts of NS were already written as sidenotes at the time (not only the short story with the same title). So the major work for NS was in fact the editing process, and it's Harriet's work. I don't regret about the release of NS. I didn't enjoy it as much as the other books as I already knew some of the stuff happening there.

The only thing that disappointed me was the size, but that was a nasty trick played by the publishing house that has the right to sell RJ books in my country. You all know that NS is about 300 pages, but at first sight to me it looked the size of tPoD. (and the price was the same). It was printed on much thicker paper than the others... I really thought I was going to read a huge prequel when I bought the book.

[mandersen]

I really don't think it detracted TOO much from his work on the real series. I'm guessing like us he was a little bored with the trap of minutia he laid for himself in some of the later books, and just needed a quick and easy story to get back on track. (And it worked, if Knife of Dreams is any indication. FINALLY things started moving again.) Oh, and I always thought at the time that "the next one is the last" was BS (and i don't mean Brandon Sanderson). RJ would've for sure taken more books than the three BS (this time i do mean Brandon) is finishing them in. So i guess i'm saying we didn't lose anything with NS.

[Haggis]

Not my favorite, but enjoyable.

 

Personally I rather have seen Tam's story. But hey as said the more WoT the better.

[Beer Rot]

I'm far more annoyed at BS wasting time with a Mistborn book, rather then getting on with AMOL or even the 2nd book in his new series.

[Stubob]

I'd have personally wanted him to finish at least mapping out the last three novels before doing prequels, planning Outrigger novels & such.

[EpitomyofShyness]

I'm far more annoyed at BS wasting time with a Mistborn book, rather then getting on with AMOL or even the 2nd book in his new series.

 

Um, its his series? I mean as much as I'm sure he loves Wheel of Time he's doing us a bit of a favor by working on WoT instead of the characters he created himself.

[francy]

I am rereading it now for the first time. Second time. When it first came out I was annoyed because I just wanted the series to get a move on, but now I am not so sure.

 

I was wondering if people are glad he did this novel or not?

 

I'm glad he wrote NS, and was glad of it at the time it was released as well. I never begrudged him the time it took for him to write it, and just think - if he had worked on the continuing series instead of writing NS, then it would all be done by now! We'd know how it all unfolds, no more suspense, no more waiting - it would be done. And even though I really want to read the final book, I know I'll be sad when I read the very last page... This way we have MORE!! We got to spend time with a young Moiraine and Suian, and a youthful Lan... We got to see where their story began.

 

I don't love NS, not like the rest of the series - its a little flat, and dull as some one else here said. There weren't many surprises, even the encounter with Cadsuane didn't add any thing - even back then no one stood up to the old bat!

 

Still, when ever I do a reread of the series, I begin with New Spring...

[Beer Rot]

I'm far more annoyed at BS wasting time with a Mistborn book, rather then getting on with AMOL or even the 2nd book in his new series.

 

Um, its his series? I mean as much as I'm sure he loves Wheel of Time he's doing us a bit of a favor by working on WoT instead of the characters he created himself.

He's doing us a favor? Harriet was the one doing favors when she chose him to finish the final book that got cut in three. The least he could do is finish the series.

[MyKillK]

I enjoyed the Legends version but thought the novella was a waste of effort. Almost everything RJ added to the Legends version for the novella was filler and ended up making the story less enjoyable. That time would have been much better spent on the main series.

[Suttree]

I'm far more annoyed at BS wasting time with a Mistborn book, rather then getting on with AMOL or even the 2nd book in his new series.

 

Um, its his series? I mean as much as I'm sure he loves Wheel of Time he's doing us a bit of a favor by working on WoT instead of the characters he created himself.

He's doing us a favor? Harriet was the one doing favors when she chose him to finish the final book that got cut in three. The least he could do is finish the series.

 

Yes he is doing us a favor and he has worked under very trying circumstances. If anything the first two books were far too rushed and suffered because of it. Thankfully he has decided to change his process and they are taking greater care to make sure this is the best book it can be. If Harriet and Team Jordan have no issue with him working in a Mistborn book not sure why any fan would?

[TheAngryDruid]

I enjoyed NS. Both the one included in Legends and the larger version.

 

I like Moiraine and Siuan and Lan. This rounds out those characters quite nicely.

 

I loved getting a look inside the Blue Ajah customs, how a sister is raised, the actual test for the shawl, AS rules of precedence, Malkieri customs, and other things.

 

"You give up after you're dead."

[Mr Ares]

I'm far more annoyed at BS wasting time with a Mistborn book, rather then getting on with AMOL or even the 2nd book in his new series.

He wrote Alloy of Law while taking a break from his main projects in order to avoid burning out. If he wasn't writing that or something similar, he probably wouldn't have been writing anything. So would you rather he wastes time by not writing anything, or spends the time at least producing a book?

[OptimusPrime]

Ive not read it, nor will I. I dont feel the need. To be honest I think it was a bit of a pointless endeavor, as I think there are way more interesting things we could have learned more about than Moiraine and Lan back in the day. Then again Im saying that without really knowing much of what happens in the book. But I think, say, if Cadsuane had gotten a book I might feel different.

[TheAngryDruid]

Ive not read it, nor will I. I dont feel the need. To be honest I think it was a bit of a pointless endeavor, as I think there are way more interesting things we could have learned more about than Moiraine and Lan back in the day. Then again Im saying that without really knowing much of what happens in the book. But I think, say, if Cadsuane had gotten a book I might feel different.

 

Really surprised you haven't read it. Like I said, it's not fantastic, but well worth the read, IMHO. Gives you some more background on Lan, Mo, and Siuan. The weren't always as they are now.

[PeterRICK]

Meh, don't mind him writing a prequel but I thought it was a shadow of the series, not to mention bloomin' short for your money! As much as I love M&L I love the previously mentioned ideas of Tam or Cadsuane back stories. Cadsuane would possibly be too big a challenge considering her legendary reputation but Tam's story would be awesome - he's such an understated character.

[csarmi]

Vote: other. It doesn't matter. I think it's not a bad book, but I didn't find it very interesting either. I don't think he got slowed down with it either. He just couldn't ever finish this series anyway.

[dwn]

I enjoyed New Spring and re-read it on occasion. I think it was a weakness of TGH and TDR that we didn't see more of "normal" life within the Tower before things went completely off the rails with the Aes Sedai.

 

However.

 

Much as I enjoy the book, seeing so many familiar Aes Sedai characters as, well, school girls, always puts the Muppet Babies theme song into my head.

 

-- dwn

[Ryrin]

I am rereading it now for the first time. Second time. When it first came out I was annoyed because I just wanted the series to get a move on, but now I am not so sure.

 

I was wondering if people are glad he did this novel or not?

 

I wish after Memory of Light there would be books filling in the time that Moiraine bonded Lan and looked for he Dragon for 20 years.

 

I loved the book as it answered questions I had about the White Tower and training to be Aes Sedai.