Wheel of Time vs. Lord of the Rings

Season one of The Wheel of Time is complete. I was fond of episodes two, three, and eight. 

Here was my hopefulness about the series after episode 3 of the Amazon series. Ah, youth.

I seem to have parted ways with viewers, in terms of episodes. They love four, and eight seems to have been their least favorite--not that eight is my favorite, but it offered me hope for season two when my faith in the series was waning.

Hopefully, they'll get another season to develop the characters...

Trent's law: "If you abandon basic storytelling in one area, make up for it elsewhere."

I'll be rereading book one. Here were my initial thoughts on reading it.

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Stephen Colbert celebrated the 20th anniversary of Lord of the Rings' opening night. I find this less interesting for the humor than the claim that it is the #1 trilogy, beating out Star Wars and Godfather. Maybe? They're hard to compare since they all have different territories they mark.

I will say that I was disappointed yet hopeful at the first movie's ending.

On a rewatch, I noted how slow the opening was and how Gandalf remarks to Bilbo that he hasn't changed, but though Ian McKellen as Gandalf does flash some grim concern, it comes off as casual conversation. Besides he does look changed from earlier scenes. Not a major point, but interesting.

Wheel of Time (first three episodes)

I first read Robert Jordan's first novel some time ago. I rather liked it with some caveats (although I'm not sure if that's clear). I had anticipated reading more in the series--at least until it got boring, but I seemed to have lost that path.

I still plan to revisit the series, but here's one take on the TV series adaptation of The Wheel of Time from Amazon's Prime. The first episode doesn't do a great job getting us to care about what's happening to the characters, but the events are engaging.

By episodes two and three, though, the characters start to show promise, so if the first episode doesn't appeal to you, give the next two a go to see if they start to rub off on you. The IMDB ratings of the episodes mirror my own reaction, leaping from 7.6 to 8.2.

Traditional Fantasy, pt 2: Robert Jordan, Michael Moorcock

During my last months in Central America, I spent time reading/sampling some of the new and classic fantasy series: Michael Moorcock, Kevin Hearne, Robert Jordan, and Terry Goodkind.  I'm still processing  Fritz Leiber, Michael Chabon, Andre Norton and Robin Hobb.

I tend to avoid long series. What if the ending reeks? I've been burned by a few. But these books are so popular, I thought it time to give them a spin.

Part 1 is here.

Here's a brief overview of my assessment:

Robert Jordan: Eye of the World

Strength:

1. Characters: Jordan knows his people. You get the sense of history of the people. There's not just good guys and bad guys, but a number of groups working to different ends. Three young men--one or all of whom might be involved in a prophecy--not to mention the girlfriend who breaks ties with magical group to join another.  Yet another surprise member initially tries to pry the girl away. It's easy to see the series' popularity. 
2. World-Building: Likewise, probably for similar reasons/methodology, you sense the richness of the rituals and abilities of the peoples, prophecies and so forth.
3. Dynamic plot: Jordan knows how to engage readers with danger, spooky and powerful enemies and cool allies.

 Weakness:

1. Opening: Why start here? This relates to the next problems (is this one problem or four?)
2. Plot and scene and ending: The books don't seem to know what to exclude. One book in the series most readers roundly slam because no new territory is covered. You can read the opening scene and guess something like this might happen. This makes me leery of reading the entire series. Where's the Reader's Digest condensed version, especially for later books? 

Michael Moorcock: Sailor on the Seas of Fate*

Strength:

1. Eyeball-kicks/Speculation: These are the highlights. You've got to read it for these. When Elric engages his enemies, they are far cooler than he is. That he can defeat them raises his esteem.
2. Time: It is a fluid substance where past and present can meet, and it's hard to tell how it flows.
3. Other dimensions: Elric not only meets his manifestations from other dimensions, but he also goes to battle with them.
4. Character: Explanation for his ever-present woe: Death of someone he cared for--a death he is implicated in.

Weakness:

1. Character: A bit too much woe. You'll understand later, but maybe he should have been given more reason for his ever-present melancholy earlier.
2. Plot/World-building: I lump these two together as this is an episodic novel, so Moorcock isn't trying to build a place or build a bigger arc, so it isn't fair to critique on this account. Nonetheless, they would have supplied a more satisfying conclusion. 

* This is the second in the series, but I'm not sure it matters where you start. I read the first several times some time ago and can't remember much of it, except for appreciating the language.