The Great Hunt
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Better story: Wheel of Time or A Song of Fire and Ice?
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Wheel of Time and it's not close.
Right now I will lean towards WOT, if only because we have an ending.
I will go WOT, as I have read it.
Wheel of Time because it is finished, but I really hated the ending. I'm hoping The Song of Ice and Fire will have a better ending (if it gets that far).
Yeah, the ending did leave a couple of loose ends.
Wheel of Time is written a thousand times better.
A Song of Ice and Fire is so very much better.WOT started great, but then wandered off into yawn country in the middle books.
They are both very good reads. It all depends on what you like, a Song of Ice and Fire is much darker and not finished. Wheel of Time (WoT) is great in the beginning but as the story goes on it gets a little drawn out but I didn't mind. So if you want really dark go for A Song of Ice and Fire first but read both, you will be happy you did.
Both series started better than their later installments but I enjoy the characters more in A Song of Ice and Fire and the females are written just as strongly as the men which is a problem for me in the Wheel of Time series.
Song of Ice and Fire is in a separate league from the WOT books. Better writing, interesting storyline (WOT is heavily cliched), much better characters with fleshed out motivations and emotions, and each book adds to the story and moves it forward. Granted, I have not read the last two books in the WOT series and based on the quality of The Gathering Storm, it looks like all the loose ends are finally getting tied up (a much needed improvement to the series).
I know there are huge fans of the WOT series (a friend of mine who is one of those fans convinced me to start it in the first place). I liked The Eye of the World, even with its strong similarity to Lord of the Rings plot points and events. I think that could have been a great standalone novel. The rest of it (up to The Gathering Storm) is a ton of investment by the reader with little or no return (including a shocking amount of WOT books in-between 1 & 12 where literally nothing happens for 800+ pages).
I'm only 3 books into Ice and Fire, and almost through book 5 of WOT, but so far have been enjoying Ice and Fire more. Having a hard time getting through The Fires of Heaven. Seems like never ending complaining about the same things, with very little actually happening. Time will tell. Eventually I hope to finish each series and at the rate I'm going, this may be at about the same time.
Read all of both, loved them both. If I could have only read one I suppose it would have been Song of Ice and Fire. Seems ironic as I write it but I like the realism (why am I looking for realism in fantasy?) of Martin's writing. Jordan's world is almost a cartoonish fantasy at times, characters are either good or bad, not a lot of ambiguity. Picking nits though, both are great and should be read if you like fantasy.Really wish Jordan could have finished the series, Sanderson did fine but his books are different. Hope Martin is healthy as it doesn't seem he'll be finishing any time soon.
I would go with Wheel of Time,according to my current preferences. I feel it's a much better work of fanasy than ASOIAF.
Hard choice...but Song of Ice and Fire gets my vote. Wheel of Time is less realistic, although more epic. I enjoyed the main male characters (Rand, Perrin, Mat) a lot, but I dont think Mr. Jordan was able to write a really interesting female character (at least none of them was interesting for me). Also the Wheel of Time books are a bit too long-winded IMHO. He could have gone with 2-3 books less (especially leaving out some of the Egwene/Nynaeve storylines) and the whole series would be much better. I do like the last three books a lot though, and I think (even though it pains ma a little to say it) that Sanderson wrote the whole thing better than Jordan could have done...
ASOIAF to WOT is not the best comparison as they are different sub genres of fantasy. WOT is in the vein of high fantasy, with lots of magic going on. However, even within this sub genre, WOT is vastly inferior to other works of epic high fantasy. Malazan Books of the Fallen is a perfect comparison to WOT and is a series that has much more respect for the readers time investment. Original story, grand cast of characters, and a complex plot that makes the reader think.
If you want to spend your time reading a large series of books, try these.
Yeah, Malazan is awesome and wins every comparison, as long as the reader is prepared to put in a Little bit of effort and think things through. Otherwise it might be too confusing. And I agree with Eric, comparing Wheel of Time and Song of Ice and Fire is not the best comparison.
I dropped both series early in their run because I prefer stories to be faster paced but ASOIAF is much better written. If there wasn't the tv series I may have continued with the books.
Um... I don't think why these two are even compared... nothing in common...though WoT is better in whichever way you want to compare them :P
WOT gets very tedious from book 6 to around book 9 with no apparent progress in the overall story line. It picks up speed though once Sanderson takes over.
Agreed but I think the tedium starts much earlier and ends much later. If you feel that you must read WOT, and cannot be convinced otherwise - I would suggest reading book 1 (by far the best of the Jordan writings), then wiki the summaries for books 2 - 11, then read Sanderson's books 12 - 14. You will save yourself a bunch of time that is better spent with other books.
On second thought id compromise somewhat and suggest reading the first 3 books and the last 4 :-) In between its thousands of pages of nothing. And if Robert Jordan hadnt been fatally ill the series would have been open ended anyway .
I lost my patience with WOT after Book 11 and haven't finished it yet....too drawn out!I'm yet to read Song of Ice and Fire. I'm keen to though because I love GOT TV series.
I LOVE both series, but I have to go with the WoT. ASOIAF is an awesome story, but I'll choose a clean book every time over one I can't share with a child.
Although both sets of books are very good. I liked the character sections from WoT better. It was unbearable some times to wait 200 pages in an uninteresting storyline, and then read only 20 pages for a character you really liked in Song of Fire and Ice. It took me an exact year to finish "Game of Thrones" while I read WoT in ten months. I did start WoT four times, though
Riley wrote: "I LOVE both series, but I have to go with the WoT. ASOIAF is an awesome story, but I'll choose a clean book every time over one I can't share with a child."But there was a threesome in WoT.
Charles wrote: "Riley wrote: "I LOVE both series, but I have to go with the WoT. ASOIAF is an awesome story, but I'll choose a clean book every time over one I can't share with a child."But there was a threesome..."
Okay, but when John and Ygritte are having sex in the cave, I felt like I was literally reading a porn book.
I'm only in reading the fourth book of WOT, but I have to say I do lean towards it. Because I feel that GRRM, has veered off the books, and is now too consumed with the HBO TV series. Even the last book he wrote, I think A Dance With Dragons, was just a fill in the blanks sort, with nothing really going on.
Riley wrote: "Charles wrote: "Riley wrote: "I LOVE both series, but I have to go with the WoT. ASOIAF is an awesome story, but I'll choose a clean book every time over one I can't share with a child."But there..."
Yeah that was gross.
Wheel of Time is in my opinion, better.
I have recently finished WOT (the last three Sanderson books) and now I can unequivocally tell people to run from WOT as fast as they can. There are so many reasons, but I'll drop three of them:1) There is no character growth throughout the books at all. Plus, there is no mystery to any of the characters as far as their motivations/personalities. In these books, you are either good or evil. There are no surprises, no twists, no gray at all. Also, the motivations they pursue and actions they take make no sense within the context of the plot. There are whole entire books in this series that consist of wizards drinking tea and talking about which men they think are "wool-headed" and which ones have good bottoms. No joke.
2) With all respect, Jordan is not a good writer. His prose alternates from sounding as if it is coming from a 13 year old girl to that of a 16 year old boy, then back to a 13 year old girl again. For example, the wizards in these books are broken up into subgroups, partially based on whether they like men or hate men (again, no joke). When a female character is introduced, you will be told if she has a nice bosom/bottom/legs/lips/hair/etc. Repeatedly.
3) The most laughable, ineffectual bad guys I have seen since Dr. Claw in Inspector Gadget. Really, there is nothing for anyone in the world of Wheel of Time to worry about in the first place. Most of the time, evil's plans unravel without any interference from the main protagonist at all.
The Sanderson books do not fix any of the problems that Jordan had unless you count that Sanderson does not add any more loose ends or characters to the plot. If you are thinking, "I really should reread this series since the Sanderson books are supposed to be really good", trust me, they are more of the same. It's still Jordan; Sanderson is just trying to mimic him (and does an outstanding job at that).
Then again, if you don't see the above as problems - go for it.
Depends on what you want. Deep political intrigue, massive character arcs, unapologetic plot twists and a sense of mystery, go for Song of Ice & Fire. If you want massive magical struggles, more fantasy elements, political machinations, some long uneventful conversations over tea (not my favorite -- but I struggled on) choose Wheel of Time.
I loved both.
Eric wrote: "I have recently finished WOT (the last three Sanderson books) and now I can unequivocally tell people to run from WOT as fast as they can. There are so many reasons, but I'll drop three of them:..."
SPOILERS! No character Growth? Are you Fing kidding me? Egwene goes from a helpless innkeeper's daughter to the single most influential woman in the world! Or how about Rand's slow descent into madness, Or Siuan Sanche, who was dethroned, cut off from the power, made an outlaw, and still returns to lead the rebels back to Tar Valon, and that is just the tip of the iceberg. "There are whole entire books in this series that consist of wizards drinking tea and talking about which men they think are "wool-headed" and which ones have good bottoms. No joke."-BS pure and simple, critical events happen in every book, and I can tell you what they are if you wish to challenge me on that front.
"wizards in these books are broken up into subgroups, partially based on whether they like men or hate men."-This is a GROSS oversimplification, the Aes Sedai, are divided up into seven Ajahs-White pursues logic, Yellow specialize in healing, Grays act as diplomats/mediators Greens act as Tar Valon's Military force, Blues pursue justice, Browns seek knowledge, and Reds hunt mad channelers(While most mad channelers are male, and I will admit most reds are against men, this is not the defining trait of the Ajah)
I will give you SOME credit in that the villains could have been better, but they certainly weren't "ineffectual", The key difference between WoT's cast of baddies, compared to most, is that they do not stand united, but rather each is fighting for their own place at the top. The Forsaken compete for the title of Nae Blis, The Black sisters seek rank among the Forsaken, the Seanchan seek to reclaim the ancient homeland of their founder, the rebel Aiel seek revenge on those who had banished them, and the Whitecloaks seek to rid the world of the power altogether, and among each of these factions there are individuals with there own ambitions and goals, that don't always harmonize. Unlike most fantasy, wherein the antagonist is this one powerful driven force, in Wot, we see not only the internal struggles of good, but evil as well.
Jordan wrote: "Eric wrote: "I have recently finished WOT (the last three Sanderson books) and now I can unequivocally tell people to run from WOT as fast as they can. There are so many reasons, but I'll drop thr..."Point taken and I completely agree that I did simplify aspects of my critique, however it was not by much.
When I say "character growth", I'm not talking about how characters job titles changed throughout the books. I'm referencing how their personalities change with respect to the events in Robert Jordan's world and with respect to the hardships they have gone through themselves. With respect to this aspect, there is almost no change.
Yes - Egwene is more important at the end then in the beginning. But she still thinks Rand is "wool-headed" and insists on treating him like the village idiot which makes absolutely no sense in the context of the story.
Rand at the end is still whining about his bizarre harem situation.
Perrin at the end is still incredibly weak willed and docile.
Mat's incredible arrogance and infuriating care free attitude never change throughout the story and actually results in the worst calamity that occurs in any of the books (the most entertaining part of the series for me).
As far as books where nothing happens - "The Path of Daggers" & "Crossroads of Twilight". I dare anyone to read these books and tell me I'm wrong. And keep in mind these are books 8 & 10. You have to read through 7 books BEFORE you get to this. The gauntlet had been thrown.
Yes, the wizard separation obviously goes into more detail than I let on. My question is - does this detail really matter at all? I have read this series in its entirety and I can definitively say no it does not. It may seem important in the beginning because you don't know any better, but the more you read, the more you discover it is irrelevant. Eventually all the wizards have the same powers and motivations and become 3rd and 4th rate characters in the huge pot of irrelevant characters that Robert Jordan introduces to squeeze 5-6 more books out of a rock.
As far as showing off the internal struggles of the side of evil, this sounds exciting, but Robert Jordan can't make it work. One problem is that the books rely so heavily on prophecy and according to such prophecy, no one can kill certain good guys before the "last battle". So the bad guys don't even try. Instead they bitch and moan and get really mad at each other. That's about it.
Obviously people will like what they like and if you already read this series and loved it, good for you - I'm not trying to change your mind. If however, you have not read this series and are looking for something in the category of epic fantasy, please look somewhere else - this is not the series you're looking for.
Eric wrote: "Jordan wrote: "Eric wrote: "I have recently finished WOT (the last three Sanderson books) and now I can unequivocally tell people to run from WOT as fast as they can. There are so many reasons, bu..."Path and Crossroads hmm?, Ok here we go
Path of Daggers-The ebook cover alone should remind you that this book wraps up the weather issues, when Elayne, Nyneave, and aviendah use the Bowl of the Winds to restore things to normal. I don't have to be a meteorologist to tell you the left unchecked, weather patterns such as they would have been enough to cripple society by itslef, trollocs be damned. Perrin unknowingly rescues and secures the services of former Andoran queen Morgase, as well as Queen Alliandre and securing Ghealdan in the name of the Dragon. Elaida sends a group of reds to destroy the Black Tower.(not much at this point, but critical to events later in the series) Egwnene convinces the rebels to formerly declare war on the Usurper Elaida, giving her supreme control over any and all things related to the war, as well as beginning the siege of Tar Valon. And if all that nothing wasn't enough lets not forget Rand's first large scale battle with the seanchan, wherein the learn the the flaws and true conditions of wielding Callandor.
Crossroads of Twilight-Mat inadvertantly proposes to Tuon, as well as learns she, and any other sul'dam, are people with the potential to channel, a secret that holds the potential to shatter the seanchan hierarchy. Rand and co, negotiate a truce with the Seanchan. Perrin forms a temporary alliance with the seanchan, and rids himself of his axe to take up the hammer, a symbol of his charecer growth you claim doesn't exist. Egwene is betrayed and taken hostage inside the White Tower, a critical event in the eventual unification of it.
The Aes Sedai being uniform as you describe them, partially true, but there are unique characters there, who do posess unique abilities. Verin for one, or Cadsuane for another. Many of the Aes Sedai do kind of fade into the background, but I don't think they were ever meant to be major characters at all. They are obviously important enough to be worth mention, and the type of people most Aes Sedai are will make their presence felt, but they are more like a kind of layer that makes the world a little more deep, and the setting a little more populated and diverse, than characters who belong up front.
Admittadly Crossroads is the low point of the series, and I understand 100% if someone doesn't like it or this series in general, but to say nothing happens is unfair. If you don't like it, that's fine, I only ask that people are fair in their critcizing of it. Different strokes ya know, you can say why you don't like it as much as I can say why I did, ultimately, we are just two people with different tastes and preferences in literature, so instead of making statements such as "If however, you have not read this series and are looking for something in the category of epic fantasy, please look somewhere else - this is not the series you're looking for." or "I can unequivocally tell people to run from WOT as fast as they can.", you should try to be a little more reasonable and fair.
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Wheel Of Time had more things going on. What does everyone else think.