'The Wheel of Time: The Eye of the World' discussion

[Singin Hobo]

Death is lighter than a feather, Duty heavier than a mountain.
--al'Lan Mandragoran

Part of the Sci-fi/Fantasy GW Book Club (http://forums.gamewinners.com/forums/showthread.php?t=536568)

Just a little reminder: Please don't post spoilers about future installments. The entire series is currently being discussed in the Knife of Dreams thread. (http://forums.gamewinners.com/forums/showthread.php?t=534195)

I never went back and re-read the prologue to this book until now and wow… it puts Kinslayer in an all new light. Sure, it was easy to piece together all of that information from later books, but it was cool to see it all laid out now that I can understand what the hell is actually going on.

One of the best things about this book is the speed that you get into the action… the VERY first thing that happens is Rand comes across a mysterious person on the road who turns out to be a Thade and from there on it’s all action--looking back from the end of the series it’s hard to believe how much stuff happens in this first installment, the dagger, the wolves, the Tinkers... just a lot happening here and it's packed from beginning to end.

I had forgotten that Mat was speaking the old tongue before he got the dagger, that makes him an even more mysterious character than he was before. And I like how Mat and Rand were saved by lightning when they were being attacked by Gode and then a few days later Rand got the sickness that Moiraine described to Nynaeve. I’d never caught that connection before.

I’m not sure how I feel about the Ways and Waygates and all that. It seemed like a pretty convenient way to jump straight to the end of a book that, by itself, didn’t seem to have any direction. In the big picture the book not having a direction was not a big deal to me, nor was it the first time I read it knowing that there was a much larger story being painted than a single book could tell--still the Ways moving everybody quickly into the Blight was pretty convenient. Looking back all of the times that they found out about the Eye of the World could have easily been put in 90% of the way through the book when he decided he’d better do something to finish it. The dreams, the short out-of-place story told by the Tinkers, and then Loial… none of them particularly an intrical part to the story until the very end.

That aside… what can you really complain about? I appreciate that they didn’t rush to the greater details of the real story here because it’s nice to have a long-term unfolding of such a story. I was never in any particular hurry to rush through the series, so an ending that really only accomplished one thing (though Rand learning that he could use the one power is a pretty big one thing) I have no problem with that. I love this book and I was glad to get back to it and see the beginnings of all the characters that I love for the first time in two years. It’s amazing how little has been abandoned since this first book. It shows an amazing amount of foresight on Jordan’s part that he could plant so many seeds that don’t even see any growth for 3 or 4 or 5 more books down the road.

[Singin Hobo]

This should make for some discussion points (if not in this book, in the fture conversations, at least)
Brandon Sanderson (the series finisher) is reading through the entire series and posting HIS thoughts on each of the books... so this will give us a perspective how how the author of the final book sees the characters and events as they unfold.I’m hoping to be able to do more than one post per book, but I’d already started EYE OF THE WORLD when I finally got time to write this. I’ll probably only do one post for the first book, then, which is a tragedy, since it has long been one of my favorites of the series. I also feel that it will be VERY important to writing Book Twelve. The Wheel turns; ages become new again and ideas return. I feel that the last book of the series should have numerous hearkenings back to this first book; that will give a sense of closure to this section of the Pattern and fit with the motif of the Wheel’s turning.

That’s just my gut instinct, and I’m not promising anything specific or even referencing material from the Twelfth Book. I’m only speaking of my general feelings as a writer, but Mr. Jordan’s notes are far more important than any of my instincts.

As I read through this first book again, I was shocked by how well he had foreshadowed the later books in the series. This is the first time I’m reading WHEEL OF TIME all the way through as a professional novelist. I see things differently than I once did. I know how difficult it is to foreshadow across an entire series, and am frankly astounded by how well Mr. Jordan laid the groundwork for his future books. Min’s prophesies are one great example, but equally potent is Mr. Jordan’s use of mythology and story as a means of preparing the reader for events such as the Great Hunt, future interactions with the Aiel (and the People’s relationship with them), and the coming of the Seanchan.

As I read, I also found myself having a very odd reaction. You see, when I first read these books, I was a teenage boy. It’s not odd, then, that I would empathize with Rand, Mat, and Perrin. Each previous time I read through the series, my major sympathies focused on them. I remember being frustrated by how much Nynaeve and Moiraine kept them out of the loop, ordering them around and not telling them anything.

Now I’m older. It has been years since I’ve read through these early books. Strangely–almost traitorously–I find myself looking on Rand, Mat, and Perrin as…well, reckless teenagers. I’m still very affectionate toward them and interested in their stories. Yet, every time they do something dumb (like run off in Shadar Logoth without telling anyone) I find myself wanting to scream at them “You wool-headed fools!”

Instead I find that…brace yourselves…Nynaeve is my favorite character in this book. I always found her annoying in a bossy-older-sister kind of way before. Now, she’s the character closest to me in age, and I can see her motivations and feel for her plight. In my opinion, she’s one of the most heroic people in this book, as she left the Two Rivers on her own (despite the recent attack) and tracked the others out further than she’d ever been before. Rand and the other boys have no choice but to do as told, buy Nynaeve could have gone home at any time. Instead, she stayed–all because of her determination to help protect those from the Two Rivers. She’s trapped between the boys thinking she’s bossy, but Moiraine treating her practically like a child. (Well, not really, but you know what I mean.) She’s got it rough, but she keeps on going.

I have to say, I’m impressed again with Mr. Jordan. It’s hard to write these posts without sounding like a base sycophant. Yet, if you’re an aspiring author, might I suggest that what he did here is something to study? He’s managed to craft a book which not only appeals to the teenage readers who see themselves in Egwene or one of the boys, he’s inserted characters who think and feel in a way that appeals to other audiences as well. I suspect this is part of why the books work so well. Perhaps after aging a little more and raising children of my own, I will find myself thinking more like Moiraine. (Though, to be honest, she’s always been one of my favorite characters. Still is.)
post (http://www.brandonsanderson.com/blog/599/WoT-Read-Through-EYE-OF-THE-WORLD)

I'm definitely surprised that Nynaeve is the favorite character here. She's a great character and all, but to sympathize with her is unheard of. Moiraine or Lan I can understand.

Great perspective on the book. I've started Elantris and he's a pretty darned good author.