[Regimental Book Discussion] Favorite and Least favorite WoT books

[F Horn of Valere]

This probably belongs in the general WoT discussion board, but to be honest, I'd much rather talk about it with the Band instead of random people who I never interact with!

 

I was just thinking about my opinion of various WoT books after reading a thread bashing Sanderson's work on the series. I was also thinking about how to me, there is no one favorite-- I have several that are favorites for different reasons. So to make it easier, tell us....

 

What are your favorite three books, what are your least favorite three books, and why?

[demonspawn]

Well, I have always said my favourite of all the books was The Shadow Rising (Book 4). Perrins return home and the emotional rollercoaster that raises as well as the excellent Battle of Emonds Field (I've yet to enjoy a battle sequence as much as this one in the series). For me, this book is where we really get the true Mat I know and love. Plus it is the best value for money, being the longest book

 

As for least favourite... I think it was Crossroads of Twilight or winters heart... Whichever one was much too concentrated on the exploits of the wondergirls. Also, unless old age is impairing me memory, it is the one book where you get only one persons POV at a time, as usual, but all in one huge chunk. Reading through Elaynes POV for almost 1/4 of the book was sheer torture. Even on the first read through. At least it makes the re-reads much easier... I just skip a book.

 

And it is for that reason that I don't have as many complaints about the last two books by Brandon Sanderson, you don't get the chance to get bored to death of one persons POV.

 

To me those best/worst books are the only ones that I can hold up as examples as the rest all have their merits or flaws.

[Katiora]

I don't know that I have a FAVORITE book... I didn't love Winter's Heart or Knife of Dreams... I felt that too little happened in them for long stretches, but I love them all...

[Jeannaisais]

It's been a while since I've read most of them, but I honestly have to say that EotW is probably my favorite. I love getting to meet characters and delving into their thought processes of what's happening and watching how they react to their entire lives being toppled ontop of their heads and seeing what they're going to do about it!

 

Just my two cents

[F Horn of Valere]

Jea, CoT used to be the only book that I actually did not like at all, but in my current reread, I realized I actually kind of like it. The key was in my first read, I had been waiting two years to see the resolution of the cleaning of the taint, and also the Faile/Shaido plot, so I was practically skimming the book to get to the "good part" that never came. In my reread, without those expectations, I took my time, and discovered there actually is a ton of intrigue hidden in the book.

 

My top three (in no particular order)

 

Towers of Midnight

The Gathering Storm

Knife of Dreams

 

My bottom three:

Crown of Swords

Lord of Choas (minus Dumai's Wells, my favorite WoT scene in any book)

Winter's Heart (until the end)

 

I know a lot of people lately have been bashing Brandon's work on the series because they think that he should miraculously be able to memorize RJ's notes to avoid any mistakes at all (never mind RJ had some mistakes too), but I honestly prefer his writing style. I recently read Mistborn and realized that the only reason Mistborn is not my favorite series is that it is only a trilogy, while WoT fills more than one shelf. I also think that RJ sort of lost his way. The first five books of the series are fast and awesome, but the plot took a huge hit on the breaks and characters started making really stupid decisions that advanced plot more than common sense (why could Perrin not just send an Asha'man back to Rand to explain about the Shaido?) I feel like RJ lost his way, starting in book six, but especially 6-10, and that he finally righted the ship in KoD (but only after the massive negative feedback from CoT shocked and upset him). Brandon continued the righting of that ship, bringing in what I consider to be the best reads in the series.

[Katiora]

MISTBORN ISN"T JUST A TRILOGY!! lol... well.. kinda.. he's writing more.. the last one he wrote is the Alloy of Law.. it's a little different but still really good.. *nods* and my favorite of his books... omg I can't decide.. i LOVED elantris, but i also love the Way of Kings.... I'm just ready for more books OMG I need more!!!! *looks around like a crazy woman*

[F Horn of Valere]

Alloy of Law is sitting next to New Spring and waiting for me to finish AMoL. KoD is on my table waiting for me to have a slow week in grad school where i can get more than an occasional chapter here and there.

 

Mistborn is still just a trilogy though... Alloy is in that universe and is related, but it is still its own. It looks to me like it is more separated from Mistborn than Ender's Shadow is from the rest of the Ender series. Elantris and Way of Kings are also waiting for me.... I can't get enough of Sanderson!

[Katiora]

I love ALL of Sandersons books.. I've read all of them AT LEAST twice... and want more... Another good book to look up is the series by Patrick Rothfuss... Another Trilogy. The first one is The Name of the Wind... omg sooooo good... i'm waiting for that last book to come out too *pouts* why are all the good books not written??

[F Horn of Valere]

Unfortunately his third book still has no release date. Compared to Patrick, RJ turned out books in lightning speed!

[Katiora]

that is very true *sighs* but sanderson is just as bad... he goes from one series to another.... the way he's going he's never going to finish another series lol..

[BFG]

The Shadow Rising is definitely my favourite, for me it's the one that has the best pacing and the most satisfying character arcs. I guess also Knife of Dreams but I'm not sure how much of that was due to waiting so long for Crossroads and being disappointed. I also like sections of Brandons books, but I can't quite get over Mats character, I don't feel as strongly about it as some other posters, but somethings not quite right :( Equally well, Rand in the Gathering Storm and Perrin in Towers were wonderfully written.

 

When I read them through the first time, I'd say Winters Heart and Crossroads were my least favourite, but I've spoken to a few people who have reread them and said they're actually pretty good when you can read them one after another so I'm going to reserve judgement until I reach that stage in the re-read.

[demonspawn]

I loved Elantris when I first read it (I bought it just as it came out so I was familiar with Sandersons writing style before he got the job of finishing the series). I even likened his writing style to that of RJ's, though not with the attention to detail, and immediately thought he would have been ideal to finish the series after RJ's death. I was over the moon when I found out he was to take up the baton for the final leg of the journey. And I honestly can't say I'm disappointed...

 

But this is kinda what irks me about BS and his version of Mat... I felt that the main character in Elantris kinda reminded me of Mat, yet how could he get Mat so wrong at his first attempt.

 

I've never been one for jumping on BS over his efforts at recreating RJ's world because I have the ability to use my imagination to make up for whatever is lacking on the page... I just wish there were not so many people out there who are sorely lacking that ability and think that BS should be writing word for word how RJ would

[Auld Manriva]

I think Mat's difficult for Brandon because there's a spark in the character that resided in RJ that Brandon does not possess. I'm not sure I can put a finger on it though I tried in the "Mat in the first two books thread". Sanderson just does not have that "bite" in his nature that RJ had that comes from upbringing, age and life experiences and it makes the subtle humor of expression and actions of Mat that would naturally spring from Jordans "pen" nearly impossible for Brandon's.

 

The Shadow Rising has to reside atop my list of "most read", because of the same things me bro' Demon stated. The Emonds Field arc just had So many heart in my throat moments. Knife of Dreams ranks high as well, mainly for one scene of a similar nature to those in TSR; when Rand's little pre-teen cousin Perival Mantear stands and says to Elayne, the other adults and the spoiled brats in the room "Mantear stands with Trakand", (also later outside the walls of Camlyn when he led his House Troops) I had to choke back tears of pride for the little guy. Jordan was a master with those kinds of moments.

 

Knife of Dreams was RJ's return to form and I love it for that. Obviously, it was also the last he penned alone and that counts for something with me as well.

[F Horn of Valere]

I've read that RJ took the CoT backlash pretty hard, and that coping with the backlash contributed a lot of why KoD was a good return to form. I'm not sure where that knowledge originated from, but it makes sense enough that I don't doubt it.

 

The Shadow Rising is a pretty awesome book as well... it is my favorite pre-KoD book, and probably only doesn't make my top three because of all the resolution occurring towards the end of the series. Rand going into the Waste is probably my favorite overall arc, though Egwene's work in the Tower in KoD sure gives it a run for the money.

[Gabby]

SPOLIER ALERT

My favourite three books are definitely book 1, book 12 and bok 13. My least favourites are 5, 10 and 11. I only like 12 because of the end, when he becomes his true self :) And in book 13 when he remembers everything, and everything starts to fall into place. I don't like most of the other books because they are quite waffly, and don't have much happen in them. :(

[F Horn of Valere]

You don't like KoD?

 

I'll agree that 5-10 are a disappointment after 1-4 as the pace slows WAY down (though there is a ton in them that make for awesome reveals later), though I've noticed on my rereads that I like them all (except most of 9) a lot more than during my first read.

[dicetosser1]

1 Knife of Dreams loved Mat/tuon

2 Shadow Rising very close these two loved the whole going to Rhuidean stuff for both Rand and Mat

3 Crown of Swords just always liked it.

 

 

least favs

 

Cot

PoD

im also not real keen on LoC

[Jeannaisais]

The slowing of pace after book 4 is driving me up the wall right now. I'm about halfway through FoH and I don't know, I just wanna see some more action lol

[Basel Gill]

I think my favorites so far have been The Dragon Reborn (just love the taking of the Stone) and The Shadow Rising. I'm about 3/4 through KoD and so far I'm really enjoying it. I think it will be one of my favorites when I finish it.

 

My least favorite so far has been CoT. It took me forever to slog through. I just found it boring that nothing ever happened, and Rand, the supposed main character gets pretty much reduced to a cameo. I didn't like WH much either, the thread with the Shaido didn't add very much to the grand scheme of things, but the cleansing was a good read.

[Panchi]

Hard to say but...

 

Favourite three-

The Gathering Storm- I love Veins of Gold

Eye of the World- The characters are the innocent ones I fell in love with

Crown of Swords- It has good scenes and some of my favourites

A Memory of Light- I have not read it so I am not sure if I should consider it

 

Bottom three-

The Dragon Reborn- It was not what I expected it to be and had little scenes of the Dragon Reborn

Lord of Chaos- It set the road to Rand becoming hard

Crossroads of Twilight- A little below other books for me

 

It is difficult choosing. I love WoT as a whole and not as individual books.

[F Horn of Valere]

The slowing of pace after book 4 is driving me up the wall right now. I'm about halfway through FoH and I don't know, I just wanna see some more action lol

 

I'm of the crowd that books 6-10 are a big let down, capped with greatness on either side, although I can definitely see how 5 could be included in that lump. Personally I think 6-9 is the worst (I've already explained why CoT is not as bad as I initially thought), but 6-9 also has some of my favorite WoT moments: Dumai's Wells, Rand's whupping of the Seanchan, and the cleansing (although the lack of a good followup to the cleansing in character reactions drives me crazy).

[F Horn of Valere]

Hard to say but...

 

Favourite three-

The Gathering Storm- I love Veins of Gold

Eye of the World- The characters are the innocent ones I fell in love with

Crown of Swords- It has good scenes and some of my favourites

A Memory of Light- I have not read it so I am not sure if I should consider it

 

Bottom three-

The Dragon Reborn- It was not what I expected it to be and had little scenes of the Dragon Reborn

Lord of Chaos- It set the road to Rand becoming hard

Crossroads of Twilight- A little below other books for me

 

It is difficult choosing. I love WoT as a whole and not as individual books.

 

Definitely agree with you on tDR. I love the first 4 books, but on my first read, I was disappointed that the plot didn't live up to my expectations based on where tGH ended and based on the cover art. BUT, that said, in my latest reread I've realized that there are no WoT books that I don't like... just some least favorites!

[Basel Gill]

(although the lack of a good followup to the cleansing in character reactions drives me crazy).

 

Yeah, I thought it was rather strange how there is very little mention that the taint has been cleansed, aside from the ocasional Asha'man telling someone else that saidin is clean now, and then it's mostly a throwaway reference. And there seems to be no reaction at all even from the people present at the cleansing until halfway through book 11 to a woman channeling the male half of the OP. This should be something totally earth-shattering to everyone in the story, but they don't treat it as such.

[Jeannaisais]

I would have so many more opinions if this was all fresher in my head. I'm doing my first reread of the series since I read it the first in high school almost six years ago now (hard to believe high school was that long ago lol)

[Tiren Sormia]

It's been years since I've read any of the WoT books. I've read all of them, ecept the new prolouge that just came out. I remember majoy story lines, but I'd really have to do a re-read of the whole series to figure out favorite and least favorite. I do love the entire series. I'm trying to decide if I should re-read the series or the last few books at least before I even read the new prolouge

 

My most favorite that will always be for me though is Eye of the World. It had me on the edge of my seat for most of the book!

 

Also, New Spring the prequel is one of my top favorites, I forget most of what happens in it for details, but I do remember enjoying the prequel.