Friday 18 January 2013

Towers of Midnight

I finished rereading the second-to-last book of Wheel of Time much faster than I expected, mostly due to how amazing it is, which made me think that a) I shouldn't have put it off for so long and b) I could have started back a bit further, on book 11 or 12.

But number 14 is finally here, and the series in which I have invested about ten years of my life is coming to an end. I'm so excited to read the final instalment, although I will also be very sad when it's over. I might have to start again right from the beginning - there are still a number of areas where I can't keep track of who is who, or who is evil, and could certainly do with a refresher.

I read number 13 as a break from the Game of Thrones series, and it just made me appreciate both Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson's writing so much more. The world that Jordan created simply dwarfs that of   any other fantasy writer I can think of. It is so indepth, such a complete and detailed universe that it feels almost more realistic than other books in this genre.

Of course there are still characters which are boring, and plots which are confusing (to say the least), but the breadth of description that readers are shown - plus all the rest behind the scenes information - creates a beautifully immersive experience.

A few highlights I love about WoT: really strong, stubborn characters (always so much more fun to read about), multiple vices and motivations for their actions (so you can never quite keep up with what will happen next) and enough different cultures to keep the wannabe-anthropologist inside me happy (particularly the Seanchan - still want to know more about them.)

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