Sci-Fi/Fantasy Book Discussion/Appreciation Anyone..??

[AtlantisRules!!!]

Well it's taken a month and a few days but I finally finished all 11 books of the Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan as well as the prequel since I can't seem to be ignore the constant recommendations for these books. Nice series. I can see why its so popular. Book 1 was pretty good but there was a dramatic dropoff in action and suspense after that which is a bit puzzling.

I am in the middle of those I'm waiting for my bro to give me the 8th book. The last book is supposed to be coming out sometime soon.

[Oranos]

I am in the middle of those I'm waiting for my bro to give me the 8th book. The last book is supposed to be coming out sometime soon.

Not completely true. According to Brandon Sanderson, "A Memory of Light" had to be split...into three books. The first of those three, "The Gathering Storm" should be released soon. "Shifting Winds" and "Tarmon Gai'don" will eventually follow, each coming about a year after the other. November of 09, 10, 11 seems like the best estimate as of now.

While Robert Jordan repeatedly said it'd be one book, Harriet never thought he'd be able to do it, or would have.

[AtlantisRules!!!]

Not completely true. According to Brandon Sanderson, "A Memory of Light" had to be split...into three books. The first of those three, "The Gathering Storm" should be released soon. "Shifting Winds" and "Tarmon Gai'don" will eventually follow, each coming about a year after the other. November of 09, 10, 11 seems like the best estimate as of now.

While Robert Jordan repeatedly said it'd be one book, Harriet never thought he'd be able to do it, or would have.

Ah.. okay. I didn't know that. I only know what my brother has told me.

[Oranos]

Ah.. okay. I didn't know that. I only know what my brother has told me.

Not a problem. Just behind Robert Jordan, Brandon Sanderson is my favorite author, so I tend to spend some time on his site.

And it was a fairly recent decision to split. I want to say it was announced late last month. It's entirely possible your brother didn't read about it yet.

[Mimzy]

I don't care how old you are...if anyone here hasn't read the original The Wizard of Oz, you're seriously missing out. It is WAYYY different from the movie (don't get me wrong--I love the movie--on its own, that is)...very, very strange stuff...Tim Burton, material, really

For instance:

Spoiler:

Glinda is the Witch of the South, NOT of the North
The shoes are silver, NOT ruby
The Wicked Witch of the West is NOT green (sorry )
The Wizard takes several different forms, not just the big green head
The entire story is a lot more violent than the movie (killer bees, wolves, bears with tigers' heads...etc. )

[Iffy]

Currently reading Tangled Webs by Anne Bishop.

Other than that I've been re-reading the Thursday Next Series, by Jasper Fforde.

I love a good kids book. the well written ones transcend age.

[Care]

Yay, more Wheel of Time readers! It is my favorite series (I know I've started that here before). I am currently revamping the series and am on The Fires of Heaven (book 5) to try and have the series fresh in my mind for the November release of the first part of A Memory of Light (although I don't know if they are even using the title anymore).

[Betelgeuze]

Currently reading Tangled Webs by Anne Bishop.

I love Anne Bishop's writing, the Black Jewels series is my favourite series. I've Just finished reading the Shadow Queen, another great addition. The Ephemera Duology is also pretty good.

I liked the first six books in The Wheel of Time series, after that the plot progresses to slowly imo.

[Oranos]

Yay, more Wheel of Time readers! It is my favorite series (I know I've started that here before). I am currently revamping the series and am on The Fires of Heaven (book 5) to try and have the series fresh in my mind for the November release of the first part of A Memory of Light (although I don't know if they are even using the title anymore).

My favorite too. Brandon Sanderson's "Mistborn" comes in second. Not sure if I've mentioned that before.

From what Brandon has said (though I haven't been to his website too recently), all three books will still carry the title "A Memory of Light" in addition to their respective titles. "A Memory of Light" was the title Robert Jordan wanted and Brandon would never disrespect his wishes.

[Bee11]

I'm new to fantasy/sci-fi books as I tend to read whatever my mum gets from the library after she is done.
But at a charity shop I bought the Sipstrassi Tales by David Gemmel.
I very much enjoyed them and couldn't put them down! Bargin for £1 for all three as well.

[Iffy]

I love Anne Bishop's writing, the Black Jewels series is my favourite series. I've Just finished reading the Shadow Queen, another great addition. The Ephemera Duology is also pretty good.

I liked the first six books in The Wheel of Time series, after that the plot progresses to slowly imo.

I love Anne Bishop. Her series about the witches is a good read. I have yet to get to the Ephemera Duology.

Oh god wheeel of time series. I no longer know which ones I have

[Dallista]

Well it's taken a month and a few days but I finally finished all 11 books of the Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan as well as the prequel

Wow, okay, consider me impressed. I thought I was pretty fast reading the whole of Sword of Truth (11 novels plus the prequel novella) in exactly eighty days, but WoT is even longer!

I plan to start reading WoT soon, but I'm worried it'll be a disappointment after SoT because I keep hearing from people that the WoT series doesn't have a lot of focus on the characters, but more on the magic system etc. Still, I bought all the books, I should at least give book #1 a try.

[AtlantisRules!!!]

I plan to start reading WoT soon, but I'm worried it'll be a disappointment after SoT because I keep hearing from people that the WoT series doesn't have a lot of focus on the characters, but more on the magic system etc. Still, I bought all the books, I should at least give book #1 a try.

They're good Some books are more exciting than others. For example, Book 7 took me a week because it was really good. Book 6 took me three months because some of the more boring (but important) things were going on.

[Oranos]

I plan to start reading WoT soon, but I'm worried it'll be a disappointment after SoT because I keep hearing from people that the WoT series doesn't have a lot of focus on the characters, but more on the magic system etc. Still, I bought all the books, I should at least give book #1 a try.

I've recently been reading Sword of Truth, which is, from what I've read (midway through "Stone of Tears"), more focused on the characters. Wheel of Time, I wouldn't describe so much as focused on the magic system as it is the world at large, though it does start out on a smaller scope. There is still focus on characters, but with so many, not all get the development that they perhaps should.

But they're damn good books.

[Care]

They're good Some books are more exciting than others. For example, Book 7 took me a week because it was really good. Book 6 took me three months because some of the more boring (but important) things were going on.

Huh, see now to me book six is one of my favs. It was my favorite before 11 came out. And lots of people say 7-10 are slower paced (like what the poster above said). I still enjoyed them, but Knife of Dreams (11) rocked, IMO.

I plan to start reading WoT soon, but I'm worried it'll be a disappointment after SoT because I keep hearing from people that the WoT series doesn't have a lot of focus on the characters, but more on the magic system etc.

I have read both WoT and SoT series and IMHO WOT kicks SOTs butt. Although I read only the first 5 or so SoT and it was years ago (except I revamped WFR last year and I couldn't get back into it). I don't know why somebody would say WoT doesn't have a lot of focus on the characters. Some people complain it has too much. I'd say the magic system is closest to the force in Star Wars. The focus is similar as well, but WoT has much more focus on the characters since it's a book series where the characters have 1000's and 1000's of pages to develop and grow. I agree with Oranos in that there are many more characters, lands, peoples, cultures, etc... So maybe the main characters don't get as much screen time, but I don't feel they're under developed. I feel the added places and cultures add to the books and make it feel more real.