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I'm not inlove with the Wheel of Time


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Granted, there are a few bright spots one some pages in the wheel of time books... but those are few and long apart.

 

As literature, it would never ever win the nobel prize. Robert Jordan has not weighed every word or perfected ever sentece. His writing style is blunt rambeling.

 

If you go through the books as I did.. in audio playing at least at 200% speed, the ramblings goes quickly by at least and you don't waste too much time. And you can still do something else while listening because even if you miss a word here or there, the story is so simple that you'd probably get the gist of it if you only read every second page.

 

The plot features a standard fantasy world, with a very clear distinction between evil and good. There are bad people and good people. And the plot features the fight between good and evil. I'm not saying this is bad... well, ok I am! I dislike the especially American way of thinking of good and evil.

 

Before Christianity, here in Sweden we did not think of things such as good or evil but rather Order and Caos. For example, in nature, there is caos... the strong eats the weak and there is no justice. However man kind usually tends to create societies to make the world more orderly for us. I think that is a more accure description of our world.

 

However, if you see it that way, there can be no brave heroes who fight evil with amazing god given powers. And teen boys especially, seems to like to read about super heroes.

 

So, in order to create destined heroes, poor authors cheat and create evil. Evil that the heroes have to battle with, and to make it more attractive, the heroes use fair play and the evil ones cheat and are rude and pathetic. I guess people reading about such things somehow get caught up in the fight and see the events described as some sort of truth. Rather then to question the story's actual worth.

 

I don't mind authors writing dream like fiction where everything can happen or anything is true... but then you also have to keep reminding the reader that it is infact surealistic. But there is no such surrealism in WoT... everything is described flatly, no depth at all. Add to that the serious and harsh tune, and things go plain silly.

 

And finally the characters in WoT are to say the least, generic. We've got a set of super heroes. Some of them can fly others can grow high as a tower and battle huge fire breathing monsters... There is also alot of kryptonite in different forms to act as something to make super heroes suffer and seem more amazing when they succed anyways.

 

The kryptonite is also used by RJ to shape the plot as he wants it to flow,... it has the fancy name of Deus ex machina.

 

RJ likes love though, or at least sex. He's a very boyish boy after all. Most characters seems to fall for someone. However, he doesn't seem to explain it with love... it is explained more like a duty men has towards women if they have sex. I must admit me is somewhat surpised so many girlies seems to read RJ eventhough he treats women so unequal when it comes to love.

 

To top it all, the most superly hero gets away with having three girlfriends. Very unequal relationship me thinks.

 

In recent posts by Oliva and others they explain to me that women has a central and powerfull role in WoT. It might have started out that way with Moiraine appearing as something next to a goddess. But in the end, she isn't... she gets killed to save Rand because of his stone aged believes that you cannot harm a woman no matter her crimes.

 

It might seem as if only Rand is so stone aged, but most people seem to be in WoT. His atempt of saying that isn't so, is simply to make some women go topless. I bet he clapped his hands when he pictured it for the first time.

 

Oh and those Aes Sedai that were pictured as gods in the start,... most of them seem to be groveling at Rand's feet now. With the exception of Caddie who I guess was brought in order to teas Rand and provide some boygirl bickering. Just like Ron and Hermione in Harry Potter.

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I'm afraid you're not being much of a rebel, poor Nikly Nik. Most people who have read WoT say the very same thing!

 

In fact, I agree with you about mainly everything. :razz: I especially liked that you inferred that Cadsuane was a Goddess, since you mentioned Moiraine being one and Moiraine was also forced to see Rand's hairless bottom cheeks maybe one night when she snuck in to make sure he was brushing his teeth. I know you mentioned Hermione to throw everyone off... but I saw through this. :P

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So, in order to create destined heroes, poor authors cheat and create evil. Evil that the heroes have to battle with, and to make it more attractive, the heroes use fair play and the evil ones cheat and are rude and pathetic. I guess people reading about such things somehow get caught up in the fight and see the events described as some sort of truth. Rather then to question the story's actual worth.

 

*insulted... strikes Vertex off acknowledgement list of book 2*

 

A few things I agree with though. In general, Jordan treats women way better than some *cough* GRR Martin *cough*. However, he seems to be deteriorating these days with the high-handedness of some people, and it's sad to see readers accepting it as the natural order of things.

 

And no one said his plot was breathtakingly refreshing! :razz: It's just a rehashed LoTR in many ways!

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awww! Don't disagree with Jan! Do it with me... I was the one trying so hard.

 

*insulted... strikes Vertex off acknowledgement list of book 2*

 

Eeeek! You don't write boring books like WoT. Yours are more like Harry Potter... your main character is no super hero that can fly... she might jump kinda well though but that won't fool anyone.

 

to throw everyone off... but I saw through this.

 

*Sadness* You could pretend to make me happy...

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I agree with you on the whole view of evil in America (and most of the West). It's primarily because our culture began as Christian, and Christianity places a heavy influence of the forces of "evil" and as a result we have come to see evil as a solid being or energy that can be fought and defeated. I'm of the belief that there is no devil or evil god, same reason there is no god that is pure goodness. Like Niklas said, it's all about order and chaos and most importantly balance. RJ adresses some issues of balance in his world, but not nearly enough, and he still has the classic American views of superheroes vs. monsters and superheroes resisting the temptation to become monsters.

 

I also think the series has gone downhill, and that whole male obsession with not hurting women has made me just put the books down and walk away at times, it is SO insulting. The men in the books are either ashamed of their masculinity and think that women are priceless delicate peices of art and that their own lives are worthless, or they just see as so pitifully incompetent that we all need a man looking over our shoulder and taking a knife in the heart for us. And Rand and his harem? Just disgusting, I firmyl believe it is impossible to be truly in love with more than 1 person. RJ just isn't good at varying romance: the men are stubborn, the women are stubborner but manage to "throw their wits over the wall" every time for their blunt and stupid men. ;)

 

Women in this series are more represented and better treated than women in most books, but sadly, that doesn't mean they are treated well.

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They aren't?

 

Well, see,... girls likes to think they have a practical use too and aren't just for looking pretty and cooking food, that you have to pretend to like.

 

*pretends for Niklas*

 

Everything that you say is wrong! It makes me furious and causes me to want to argue heatedly!

 

*Argues argues argues* I'm right! It says so right here!

 

NIKLAS IS RIGHT!

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Women doesn't have any practical use? Are you crazy? What would we do without women? Seriusly. Just millions and millions of ugly fucking men walking around.

 

Women are beautifull and men are ugly. Simple as that. That is why men want to protect the pretty shiny radiant women.

 

Thank you! *curtsies*

 

And if WoT is relatively good about women... what kind of books do you usually read? _curiousness_

Playboy?

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