Books are a great read, specially books 1-6 and 11-14. Books 7-10 feels like the plot barely moves along, which is great for character and world building, but definitely feels like the slog of series. Most people either hate or love the middle. Also, if you're hardcore regarding WSJ issues, some people seem to hate the binary nature of the series. Personally, it's my favorite read of all time, flaws and all. None matches it. I think all fantasy fans should read it at least once.
Dang, I had heard that some of the middle books are a bit of a slog...I just started book 7, so I guess I've got some work ahead of me. Back to the show, my wife pointed out that the actor who plays Rand looks a bit like Hayden Christiansen and has some of his mannerisms (at least from the prequels) and now I can't unsee it. Which really, really sucks.
Watched one episode. Will probably get the others eventually. I won't comment on character because I haven't given them time to develop any. One thing I noticed about set is that for however much they spent on it, it doesn't feel real. GOT did a good job in early seasons of making the settings of their scenes feel like real places with whatever dinginess or discomfort or luxury or whatever is would have. Real cold, real cooking smoke, real cow manure, whatever. WOT built these cool looking village houses, but they didn't feel like anyone really lived there. Even a scene with them walking by sheep in a pen, it didn't feel like a farm. That's more a credit to GOT than it is a criticism of this show, which is more the norm for television. I think GOT didn't get enough recognition that it built credibility with the fanbase with that tangible feel. But the main reason I wanted to post was about diversity -- and tell me to take a hike if it belongs in D&D. I think getting diversity is great, and this is not a complaint about fidelity to the books (which I haven't read). But, I don't see how it makes sense (and I don't think they'll explain) how a little village has so much racial diversity. Children look like different races than their parents and siblings. Should I understand this as a movie version of blind casting, where I should suspend my disbelief and just accept the characters look these ways and just get on with the story? It works in live plays because you're on a set and the audience is employing a lot of suspension of disbelief anyway. But tv in general, and this show too, strives for realism and they spend tons on getting the costumes and sets and makeup and CGI just right. So they're going to get everything just so but never explain how this world doesn't follow normal rules of genetics? If that's it -- blind casting (though it's not really blind because I'm sure they were proactively selected for their races, maybe affirmative action casting) -- then so be it. I'll get used to it. It's easier in fantasy than in modern drama anyway. But is that how we're going?
Here's the abbreviated version for books 7-11 (that's as far as I got): Main characters do a few small things that don't really move the plot forward Unhappy, b****y women (well, that's all of the women) b**** at everyone and there is a deep examination of drapes, tablecloths and other polite sundries Some sort of weak fight at the end Now you have the plot, you can move on to the Sanderson books. Even George R.R. Martin punked out Jordan for milking his series by including him in the ASOIAF series as House Jordayne, with a golden quill as a sigil.
Agree that they are having a hard time blending the cgi-set-and actors together. There's no single shot to blend or transition them and they feel off. They will need to do better. It's going to cost them, but they can do it. And the cgi while great at times, looks terrible at others. It's uneven for sure. One thing I could not figure out is why the monsters didn't finish the village. They easily could have kept going when the witch wiped herself out. I mean technically, there were only a few people left at that point. Also, they are making the men look pretty bad so far. lol. Have been extending my Lord of Rings knowledge beyond the films. There is a lot there to discover on the tube that really helps bring the movies together. Though it's hard to follow all the names and locations at times. Watching it, it really doesn't look like the Dark Lords and Sauron ever make it very far. The movie seems to give them more credit. They are repelled quite a bit. Although I did like how sneaky Sauron was in that second era. Was looking to see if the Lord or the Rings games were any good. So I could expand even further. Then I don't know what I ran into on Twitch last night. It was nerd sex or something. Some fully clothed woman was wearing a sorting hat and stroking two microphones, while making slurping sounds on the microphones. It was disturbing. And I had to watch it. Never seen that before and I've seen a lot.
Ok through 2 episodes, wife fell asleep, and I was drowsy, it better pick up pretty quick, feels like a way lessor LOTR deal right now. DD
They came out with the 4th episode already. Best one so far imo. I love the tone they’re going with. And they’re doing a great job really making you feel/understand the one power, with Dragons, gentling, the Aes Sedai factions, etc. It’s been at least two decades since I read the books and it’s all coming back in a good way and just works for me. I absolutely get the ?? At the first episode. It’s almost like they were made with completely different people. Im shocked they didn’t go back and redo it after they got the full green light. But Personally I think once the Trollocs fighting starts it starts taking the appropriate turn and by episode two I got pretty sucked in…. but overall I think it’s gotten better and better each episode. I’m definitely hooked and will watch many seasons.
I cannot agree more. Seriously, the first episode was confounding and mediocre in so many different ways, but the rest of the episodes just keep getting better and better. As a fan of the books, I'm fine with the changes they are making to the show as you simply cannot fit everything in 8 seasons of 8 episodes each. I've looked up the writer for the first episode and it was Rafe Judkins. As the showrunner of the TV show it is concerning for future episodes/seasons but at least he has only ruined one episode so far.
Funny, seeing how all WOT 14 books (and accompanying novellas) were written in 23 years, yet in 25 years Martin only has finished 5 books (and accompanying novellas) with no end in sight. I fully expect Martin to die without finishing the series while he milks all the money he can out of HBO and editing Wild Cards books. At least Jordan had an actual terminal illness to explain why he slowed down in his writing.
Totally fair, you do have a fair point in a way. GRRM is a notoriously slow writer, but I don't think he's milking the books like Jordan did, inserting endless fluff into books 7+. I do think GRRM is burned out on writing and is happy to collect a paycheck on the IPs he created. Debatable about a terminal illness; I have no doubt that GRRM has heart disease. It's just something Americans ignore until they have to get a double bypass. :| At any rate, I agree, I think the books will be finished by another author. I have a theory that GRRM has already tapped Joe Abercrombie. They seem to be really tight in their interviews together. ********** I watched ep1 last night with my wife, we really enjoyed it! It's been 20+ years since I read the original books so I'm pretty far separated from the original story. My only minor, OCD complaint is the rainbow-washing of the people in a small, remote village who somehow haven't all interbred to form a consistent base skin color and features. I have zero issues with them all being white, brown, black, whatever, it should just be consistent. If it was a melting pot port or trade city it would be different. Rand and Nynaeve get a pass since they were brought to the Two Rivers as babies.
You have fair points as well. I guess time will tell regarding ASOIAF and it's completion. Maybe if I hadn't read the books I would have found episode 1 more engaging. Glad others can point out how they enjoyed it. The rainbow washing doesn't bother me in full high fantasy with a history of the entire world being broken and the people spread out because of it. GOT was going for a far more grounded approach right of the bat without the people being forced to spread out due to a cataclysmic event, giving a more traditional look to the show in its adaptation make sense.
Umm...you are not alone. I think I fell asleep a record number of times during the first 3. Then, they said ep. 4 was supposed to be really good. I couldn't tell you I nodded off so many times. It looked like a bunch of talk to me that I couldn't relate to. Definitely nowhere near or even close to as interesting as GoT. Maybe they should have gone heavy on the sex and TnA? As far as I can tell, all these folks are celibate. Zero debauchery. And, the way they were dancing in ep. 4! And, those clothes! And, those shoes!
Its been so long since i read the books... if i recall there's definitely elements of sex, but its nowhere near in the books the way it was in GoT. GoT is definitely more adult. I'm watching Wheel of Time with my pre-teen. Its perfect in that respect.
It is just sooooo SLOOOOOWWWWWWW.......hard to fall for.... I never read the books, so I was hoping for something GOT like or LOTR like, but it looks more like Hercules or Zena with better effects....so far really not impressed. DD
I’m going to need to re-read the history of WoT and get a feel for the broken world. I completely forgot about that. How far back from the books is that?
