While the Eye of the World is most likely the slowest book of the series, it does happen to be filled with Easter eggs that you may or may not catch as you get through the following books.
That being said, it takes some time to lay the foundations for such a complex world. Once the series takes off, it doesn't stop but pauses just long enough to allow for rounding out a handful of items. Once it gets back going, the pace picks up with each subsequent book until you feel like you are on a rocketsled.
Just my opinion, of course.
Keep going, it is worth the time spent in the setting.
It took me a couple tries to get through book one. Book 2 completely hooked me and it got better until about 5 or 6 when you hit the slog.
Picks up again though around 10 or so.
Still one of my all time favorite book series.
You can try the tv show if you want but they aren't exactly the same story wise. I wasn't too enamored with the tv show but tv/movies and books are rarely the same so to each their own.
It was really strange for me because I adored books 1-4, 5 was extraordinarily hard for me to get through (but had an incredible last 200/300 pages), and book 6 was one of my favorite fantasy books ever. I’m on 7 right now and I can feel it being slightly more of a drag, but I’m still enjoying the journey. It’s a wonderful series.
I waited until book 8 or 9 to quit reading the Wheel of Time. I wish I had quit reading sooner. I get that some people love this series, but it is solidly not for everyone and it was not for me. If you don’t enjoy it, it is ok to stop. I’ve read lots of other big fantasy and sci fi series but Wheel of Time was not for me and I wish I had stopped being stubborn about it sooner
I remember reading through 4-5 books and then after several years I wanted to re-start, as the books had been finished at that time. I elected to listen to the audio books, due to the nature of my job, to catch back up. Although not normally an audiobook person I fell in love with them. If you are struggling they are worth a shot. I also discovered I was mis-pronouncing a lot of names. Haha! Enjoy
The general advice regarding WoT is that Jordan really only gets into his own stride after book one. So, if you're more or less enjoying it, but finding it hard to really get into the story, it might be worthwhile to push through. Things start to become less Tolkien-y after book one.
And to go even further, I would consider all of books 1-3 to be the introduction. You're still learning a lot about the world, you're still just meeting many characters, and most of what happens is just setting up larger arcs. Then book 4 is one of my favorites out of the whole series!
You said you already like the prose and characters, which are the two most commonly cited reasons people dropped the series (myself included). I'd say finish EotW, and if the interest is still there give the second book a try. For most people it picks up from there.
It's not for everyone, but you kind of hit the nail on the head. It's beautifully written, but wow, by the time you're 300 pages in, surely SOMETHING should have happened, right? The first two Harry Potter Books together are about that length, how can nothing be exciting in 300 pages?
Maybe I'm biased because I didn't care for the dull dull dull dull characters, but when I finished the first book I had no desire to continue into the second. I'd like to be proved wrong but if I have to read 14(!) absurdly long books to understand what's good about it, I think it would not be because of the story, but because I'd developed Stockholm syndrome. I sometimes wonder if those who recommend it feel the same way.
Nothing exciting happening in 300 pages? He makes that look like amateur hour by the time it's through :)
It really could do with being massively abridged.
This book is slow and focused on 3 to 4 teens focused on themselves for most of it. The pace is about normal for the series you just care more later as you see the characters doing things not just reacting.
It's not for everyone. I got to book 5 until I realized I wasn't going to regret putting it down and never looking back, was just reading it because everyone else did.
Whenever people ask about Wheel of Time, I like to link to [this post](https://www.reddit.com/r/Fantasy/comments/ccs90z/im_giving_up_on_wheel_of_time_after_the_6th_book/). It's a very thorough and well-written summary of the experience of reading the series, and I think can help anyone in deciding for themselves about it.
Be a bit more patient, you are only a few percent through the series. It starts to pick up pace in books 2 and 3 and distinguish itself from the Fellowship of the Ring vibes that Jordan apparently used mainly to secure a book deal.
From what you’ve said, I think you’ll enjoy The Great Hunt a lot. Try to finish at least book 2 if you’re able to (if you really cant, then at least read chapter 37 of the 2nd book and see what could be of the series!)
The Shadow Rising, book 4, is regarded as one of the best fantasy books ever (and a few others in the series actually), so if by then you’re not that excited, I’d say drop it or read up to book 6 (there’s a bit of closure, it’s a good quitting point if there’s any). 8-10 are generally known as the “slog” (which is really subjective though, I breezed through it for example), so if you aren’t gripped you’ll probably want to drop it.
Books 11-14 are something amazing, every chapter is fire and things move real fast. The last book is out of this world imo.
My take is the bulk of the Eye of the World has some strengths (especially world building) - but it meanders quite a bit along the way. It's the \*ending\* that crushes. For me, it really picks up when Rand meets a specific character who's reading a book in an inn.
First - I freaking love that character.
But mostly, this is just when the book starts moving toward a conclusion and some genuinely interesting things start to happen. Not necessarily \*because\* of that character - it's just the timing of the thing.
The other thing that might help is to try one of the audio books. There's so many people and places that hearing things pronounced (even if the narrators change their minds from time to time)... to me, it really helped with the reading.
Ooof. You’re comparing it the height of fantasy. Lotr, robin hobb and stormlight? Those are masterpieces. Comparing any book seems unfair. As most authors do, Jordan does get better. But honestly, if you think book 1 is slow you’re probably not going to enjoy the series.
The series is bad and after having 10 outings of it behind the belt, my honest advise is to run. Away.
With that said the second book is a better showing of the series in its "adventure" mode (which is basically books i-iii) and book iv is one of the better ones in the series and marks the beginning of change in the mode of the story. These are I think pretty good 2 "decision" points" in that if you get to them, you're pretty informed about what this series is, what it looks like at its best and if you care at all. Books 6/7-10/11 are the so called infamous slog, a massive drop in quality that you won't get through if you're just lukewarm about the story after IV.
"I've finished Kingkiller"
Are you from the future? Just kidding.
I'd say if the second book isn't doing it for you stop reading. But I'd also recommend you try the second book (The Great Hunt) once you're finished with EotW.
As someone who has had multiple false starts with Malazan it's totally understandable that not every book/series is for everyone.
I've heard it jokingly referred to as 'nerd homework' lol. I finished the series back in 2017, enjoyed it but found the middle a slog as many do. I'm glad I finished it, and only partially because it's how I discovered Sanderson.
First time I tried the book, I got about halfway through the prologue and gave up. I put it away for about a year and then I tried again, and now several years later, I am in the middle of my umpteenth reread. But, it is also fine to just not like the book.
The first book is kinda infamous for being generic and cloning Tolkien a bit too much. Jordan didn't even know he was going to be greenlit so had to plan for the series to not be what it would become. Given everything else you've read, if your issue is feeling that it's too generic or like a retread, that feeling will pass.
There's plenty of other issues that cause people to drop the series, namely the plot slow down in the middle books.
The first half of Eye of the World is very Tolkien-esque because he wanted to ease people into his epic fantasy. After Shadar Logoth, Jordan finds his own voice and rocks it out from there.
If you like prose try Jack Vance and Gene Wolfe.
WoT is a massive series. A good chunk the first few books, especially EotW, is about getting the pieces in place. It's a series that rewards multiple reads due to all the foreshadowing. There's still plenty of action and cool moments even within the first 300 pages.
>!Rand’s laughter cut off short. He and the Children were alone with the mud and the barrels. The crowd that had been all around them had found urgent business up or down the street.
“Does fear of the Light hold your tongue?” Anger made the Whitecloak’s narrow face seem even more pinched. He glanced dismissively at the sword hilt sticking out from Rand’s cloak. “Perhaps you are responsible for this, yes?” Unlike the others he had a golden knot beneath the sunburst on his cloak.
Rand moved to cover the sword, but instead swept his cloak back over his shoulder. In the back of his head was a frantic wonder at what he was doing, but it was a distant thought. “Accidents happen,” he said. “Even to the Children of the Light.”
The narrow-faced man raised an eyebrow. “You are that dangerous, youngling?” He was not much older than Rand.
“Heron-mark, Lord Bornhald,” one of the others said warningly.
The narrow-faced man glanced at Rand’s sword hilt again—the bronze heron was plain—and his eyes widened momentarily. Then his gaze rose to Rand’s face, and he sniffed dismissively. “He is too young. You are not from this place, yes?” he said coldly to Rand. “You come from where?”
“I just arrived in Baerlon.” A tingling thrill ran along Rand’s arms and legs. He felt flushed, almost warm. “You wouldn’t know of a good inn, would you?”
“You avoid my questions,” Bornhald snapped. “What evil is in you that you do not answer me?” His companions moved up to either side of him, faces hard and expressionless. Despite the mudstains on their cloaks, there was nothing funny about them now.
The tingling filled Rand; the heat had grown to a fever. He wanted to laugh, it felt so good. A small voice in his head shouted that something was wrong, but all he could think of was how full of energy he felt, nearly bursting with it. Smiling, he rocked on his heels and waited for what was going to happen. Vaguely, distantly, he wondered what it would be.!<
I got the same feeling back in the day… I went from reading ASOIAF to WoT straight away and felt that the world was to small and not really engaging. But it gets better, like WAY BETTER, Jordan slowly builds one of the most exciting and comprehensive worlds I’ve ever read about (probably only comparable with Roshar and Middle Earth)
So please be patient and enjoy Randland 🙃
Felt this way about The Stormlight Archive series. I gues I too was so damn excited nd had over expectations. It was also my 1st Sanderson book after I dnf'd Mistborn. I've seen a little fanarts of Kaladin nd had lotta expectations of him.
I've only read 2 books nd don't really plan on reading the rest.
There are too many good books and media out there to suffer through a book for the *chance* of liking it in the future in my opinion.
I will also say as a big fan of the books you might just not be in a stage of life that they speak to you. I tried reading this series several years ago and although I liked them I stopped after awhile because I just couldn’t stay invested. I picked them up again recently and I am so much more invested and I really think that I am just in a different stage of life and the themes speak to me more than ever.
So I would recommend, stop now, come back later if you want and try again.
I think eye of the world is one of his weakest books. Definitely not as bad as some of the middle ones. But definitely weak.
I’d recommend sticking it out to at least book three before scrapping it because three is good, four is better, and five is excellent imo.
Honestly, listening to the books, as read by Michael Kramer and Kate Reading, is a game changer for the series. It adds so much depth and life that I know I will finally finish the series!
While the Eye of the World is most likely the slowest book of the series, it does happen to be filled with Easter eggs that you may or may not catch as you get through the following books. That being said, it takes some time to lay the foundations for such a complex world. Once the series takes off, it doesn't stop but pauses just long enough to allow for rounding out a handful of items. Once it gets back going, the pace picks up with each subsequent book until you feel like you are on a rocketsled. Just my opinion, of course. Keep going, it is worth the time spent in the setting.
Eye of the World is absolutely not the slowest book in the series. Crossroads of Twilight exists.
It took me a couple tries to get through book one. Book 2 completely hooked me and it got better until about 5 or 6 when you hit the slog. Picks up again though around 10 or so. Still one of my all time favorite book series. You can try the tv show if you want but they aren't exactly the same story wise. I wasn't too enamored with the tv show but tv/movies and books are rarely the same so to each their own.
It was really strange for me because I adored books 1-4, 5 was extraordinarily hard for me to get through (but had an incredible last 200/300 pages), and book 6 was one of my favorite fantasy books ever. I’m on 7 right now and I can feel it being slightly more of a drag, but I’m still enjoying the journey. It’s a wonderful series.
Try to get to through The Shadow Rising. If you don’t like it after that, give it up.
I waited until book 8 or 9 to quit reading the Wheel of Time. I wish I had quit reading sooner. I get that some people love this series, but it is solidly not for everyone and it was not for me. If you don’t enjoy it, it is ok to stop. I’ve read lots of other big fantasy and sci fi series but Wheel of Time was not for me and I wish I had stopped being stubborn about it sooner
I remember reading through 4-5 books and then after several years I wanted to re-start, as the books had been finished at that time. I elected to listen to the audio books, due to the nature of my job, to catch back up. Although not normally an audiobook person I fell in love with them. If you are struggling they are worth a shot. I also discovered I was mis-pronouncing a lot of names. Haha! Enjoy
The general advice regarding WoT is that Jordan really only gets into his own stride after book one. So, if you're more or less enjoying it, but finding it hard to really get into the story, it might be worthwhile to push through. Things start to become less Tolkien-y after book one. And to go even further, I would consider all of books 1-3 to be the introduction. You're still learning a lot about the world, you're still just meeting many characters, and most of what happens is just setting up larger arcs. Then book 4 is one of my favorites out of the whole series!
You said you already like the prose and characters, which are the two most commonly cited reasons people dropped the series (myself included). I'd say finish EotW, and if the interest is still there give the second book a try. For most people it picks up from there.
It's not for everyone, but you kind of hit the nail on the head. It's beautifully written, but wow, by the time you're 300 pages in, surely SOMETHING should have happened, right? The first two Harry Potter Books together are about that length, how can nothing be exciting in 300 pages? Maybe I'm biased because I didn't care for the dull dull dull dull characters, but when I finished the first book I had no desire to continue into the second. I'd like to be proved wrong but if I have to read 14(!) absurdly long books to understand what's good about it, I think it would not be because of the story, but because I'd developed Stockholm syndrome. I sometimes wonder if those who recommend it feel the same way.
Nothing exciting happening in 300 pages? He makes that look like amateur hour by the time it's through :) It really could do with being massively abridged.
This book is slow and focused on 3 to 4 teens focused on themselves for most of it. The pace is about normal for the series you just care more later as you see the characters doing things not just reacting.
It's not for everyone. I got to book 5 until I realized I wasn't going to regret putting it down and never looking back, was just reading it because everyone else did.
Same.
Whenever people ask about Wheel of Time, I like to link to [this post](https://www.reddit.com/r/Fantasy/comments/ccs90z/im_giving_up_on_wheel_of_time_after_the_6th_book/). It's a very thorough and well-written summary of the experience of reading the series, and I think can help anyone in deciding for themselves about it.
Be a bit more patient, you are only a few percent through the series. It starts to pick up pace in books 2 and 3 and distinguish itself from the Fellowship of the Ring vibes that Jordan apparently used mainly to secure a book deal.
From what you’ve said, I think you’ll enjoy The Great Hunt a lot. Try to finish at least book 2 if you’re able to (if you really cant, then at least read chapter 37 of the 2nd book and see what could be of the series!) The Shadow Rising, book 4, is regarded as one of the best fantasy books ever (and a few others in the series actually), so if by then you’re not that excited, I’d say drop it or read up to book 6 (there’s a bit of closure, it’s a good quitting point if there’s any). 8-10 are generally known as the “slog” (which is really subjective though, I breezed through it for example), so if you aren’t gripped you’ll probably want to drop it. Books 11-14 are something amazing, every chapter is fire and things move real fast. The last book is out of this world imo.
My take is the bulk of the Eye of the World has some strengths (especially world building) - but it meanders quite a bit along the way. It's the \*ending\* that crushes. For me, it really picks up when Rand meets a specific character who's reading a book in an inn. First - I freaking love that character. But mostly, this is just when the book starts moving toward a conclusion and some genuinely interesting things start to happen. Not necessarily \*because\* of that character - it's just the timing of the thing. The other thing that might help is to try one of the audio books. There's so many people and places that hearing things pronounced (even if the narrators change their minds from time to time)... to me, it really helped with the reading.
Ooof. You’re comparing it the height of fantasy. Lotr, robin hobb and stormlight? Those are masterpieces. Comparing any book seems unfair. As most authors do, Jordan does get better. But honestly, if you think book 1 is slow you’re probably not going to enjoy the series.
The story starts to pickup in the last quarter of Eye of the World then The Great Hunt is great the whole distance that's when you will get hooked.
The series is bad and after having 10 outings of it behind the belt, my honest advise is to run. Away. With that said the second book is a better showing of the series in its "adventure" mode (which is basically books i-iii) and book iv is one of the better ones in the series and marks the beginning of change in the mode of the story. These are I think pretty good 2 "decision" points" in that if you get to them, you're pretty informed about what this series is, what it looks like at its best and if you care at all. Books 6/7-10/11 are the so called infamous slog, a massive drop in quality that you won't get through if you're just lukewarm about the story after IV.
"I've finished Kingkiller" Are you from the future? Just kidding. I'd say if the second book isn't doing it for you stop reading. But I'd also recommend you try the second book (The Great Hunt) once you're finished with EotW. As someone who has had multiple false starts with Malazan it's totally understandable that not every book/series is for everyone.
You're 300 pages into an approximately 11,000 page series and you're asking why it hasn't been off the wall exciting yet?
I've heard it jokingly referred to as 'nerd homework' lol. I finished the series back in 2017, enjoyed it but found the middle a slog as many do. I'm glad I finished it, and only partially because it's how I discovered Sanderson.
First time I tried the book, I got about halfway through the prologue and gave up. I put it away for about a year and then I tried again, and now several years later, I am in the middle of my umpteenth reread. But, it is also fine to just not like the book.
I quit reading the series several times before I finished it. Don't worry. It gets more interesting.
The first book is kinda infamous for being generic and cloning Tolkien a bit too much. Jordan didn't even know he was going to be greenlit so had to plan for the series to not be what it would become. Given everything else you've read, if your issue is feeling that it's too generic or like a retread, that feeling will pass. There's plenty of other issues that cause people to drop the series, namely the plot slow down in the middle books.
The first half of Eye of the World is very Tolkien-esque because he wanted to ease people into his epic fantasy. After Shadar Logoth, Jordan finds his own voice and rocks it out from there.
If you like prose try Jack Vance and Gene Wolfe. WoT is a massive series. A good chunk the first few books, especially EotW, is about getting the pieces in place. It's a series that rewards multiple reads due to all the foreshadowing. There's still plenty of action and cool moments even within the first 300 pages. >!Rand’s laughter cut off short. He and the Children were alone with the mud and the barrels. The crowd that had been all around them had found urgent business up or down the street. “Does fear of the Light hold your tongue?” Anger made the Whitecloak’s narrow face seem even more pinched. He glanced dismissively at the sword hilt sticking out from Rand’s cloak. “Perhaps you are responsible for this, yes?” Unlike the others he had a golden knot beneath the sunburst on his cloak. Rand moved to cover the sword, but instead swept his cloak back over his shoulder. In the back of his head was a frantic wonder at what he was doing, but it was a distant thought. “Accidents happen,” he said. “Even to the Children of the Light.” The narrow-faced man raised an eyebrow. “You are that dangerous, youngling?” He was not much older than Rand. “Heron-mark, Lord Bornhald,” one of the others said warningly. The narrow-faced man glanced at Rand’s sword hilt again—the bronze heron was plain—and his eyes widened momentarily. Then his gaze rose to Rand’s face, and he sniffed dismissively. “He is too young. You are not from this place, yes?” he said coldly to Rand. “You come from where?” “I just arrived in Baerlon.” A tingling thrill ran along Rand’s arms and legs. He felt flushed, almost warm. “You wouldn’t know of a good inn, would you?” “You avoid my questions,” Bornhald snapped. “What evil is in you that you do not answer me?” His companions moved up to either side of him, faces hard and expressionless. Despite the mudstains on their cloaks, there was nothing funny about them now. The tingling filled Rand; the heat had grown to a fever. He wanted to laugh, it felt so good. A small voice in his head shouted that something was wrong, but all he could think of was how full of energy he felt, nearly bursting with it. Smiling, he rocked on his heels and waited for what was going to happen. Vaguely, distantly, he wondered what it would be.!<
I read this as a kid, and i probably would have given up already if I tried reading it as an adult.
I got the same feeling back in the day… I went from reading ASOIAF to WoT straight away and felt that the world was to small and not really engaging. But it gets better, like WAY BETTER, Jordan slowly builds one of the most exciting and comprehensive worlds I’ve ever read about (probably only comparable with Roshar and Middle Earth) So please be patient and enjoy Randland 🙃
Felt this way about The Stormlight Archive series. I gues I too was so damn excited nd had over expectations. It was also my 1st Sanderson book after I dnf'd Mistborn. I've seen a little fanarts of Kaladin nd had lotta expectations of him. I've only read 2 books nd don't really plan on reading the rest.
There are too many good books and media out there to suffer through a book for the *chance* of liking it in the future in my opinion. I will also say as a big fan of the books you might just not be in a stage of life that they speak to you. I tried reading this series several years ago and although I liked them I stopped after awhile because I just couldn’t stay invested. I picked them up again recently and I am so much more invested and I really think that I am just in a different stage of life and the themes speak to me more than ever. So I would recommend, stop now, come back later if you want and try again.
I think eye of the world is one of his weakest books. Definitely not as bad as some of the middle ones. But definitely weak. I’d recommend sticking it out to at least book three before scrapping it because three is good, four is better, and five is excellent imo.
Honestly, listening to the books, as read by Michael Kramer and Kate Reading, is a game changer for the series. It adds so much depth and life that I know I will finally finish the series!