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100 Books in One Year #21: The Shadow Rising by Robert Jordan

Cannonball Read / Brian Prisco

Book Reviews | October 31, 2008 | Comments (32)

Hallelujah! I’m finally finished! Holy shit and shove me in it!

I’ve been reading this 1000+ page behemoth for about six or seven other novels now — it was originally book 13. It’s not that it was an arduous or painful novel, it’s just that it’s so. fucking. long.

Everyone’s been pissing on Jordan, but I’m going to have to call a respect your elders on this one. While fanboys love to laud Tolkien as unparalleled father of fantasy — much as I do with Romero and zombies — let us not forget that much of the Lord of the Rings trilogy is characters with a thousand names walking around for many, many pages. But as far as I’m concerned, fantasy has advanced well since the hallowed days of Tolkien. It’s gone from the Shire, to Eddings’ Belgariad and Mallorean and Jordan’s Wheel of Time, to Martin’s Song of Ice and Fire. While I’m willing to accept that the Martin series is tits out the bomb, I’m not going to discount my enjoyment of Rand al’Thor and his quest to fulfill the prophecy of the Dragon Reborn.

Not to say, it’s not getting a little waining.

The books are getting bigger, and more unwieldy, and slightly repetitive. If the Lord of the Rings trilogy was walk, walk, throw the ring, a formula has started showing in Wheel of Time. People scatter around, men are woolbrained, women are impossible to understand, the characters speak the same general lines over and over. Then there is a giant war against the Trollocs, and Rand does some sort of insane magic war against one of the Forsaken. It’s getting like a video game, only instead of a level boss, I’m fighting against a 800+ page narrative. But I’m not going to stop.

I am however going to try to space them out. I want to read the final book when it comes out next year, but I don’t want to have to slog through all of these books to remember them. This is no Harry Potter re-read. This is big. So I’m trying to time it so that by the time book 12 comes out in 2009, I’ll be done with the rest. So there’s gonna be Books 5 and 6 on the list for the Cannonball Read, but I think I might stop with those. Maybe 7, we’ll see. I’ve started replacing some of my long in the series novels with some novels. Just because I’m getting glutted with massive fantasy tomes.

Still Shadow Rising advanced the story, and I look forward to the further adventures. But for now, I’m probably putting about 10 more between me and Fires of Heaven.

This review is part of the Cannonball Read series. Details are here and the growing number of participants and their blogs are here.


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Comments

Ahhhh, but see, you haven't gotten to books 9 and 10 yet. You're still in the middle of the godtopusfuckingdamn AWESOME part of the series and not the part that Semirhage obviously ghostwrote for RJ.

Posted by: Pisco Sours at October 31, 2008 9:13 AM

Why did Jordan go and have to die? Bastard. I've been reading this series since Junior High, and I am now in my late twenties.

Posted by: Reding at October 31, 2008 9:16 AM

YES!!
being an avid reader of Jordan and Martin myself (and I've read the Wheel of Time and A Song of Ice and Fire multiple times) I wholeheartedly agree and, Brian, if you haven't read the rest of the Wheel then I can only say hang in there because it get's better again (at least in my opinion)

Posted by: tris at October 31, 2008 9:18 AM

but, Reding, I read that his widow has asked Brandon Sanderson to finish the last book
and that's not bad thing in my book because I like the Mistborn a lot too

Posted by: tris at October 31, 2008 9:20 AM

Before RJ died, he said the 12th book would be the last one, even if it was 2000 pages long and needed special binding. He supposedly told his family the rest of the story and was working to get it down on paper before he passed.
My question is: How will the book get written? And after about 11,000 pages, I have to imagine what happens with Mat, Rand, Egwene, et al? What a fucking waste of time.

Posted by: kballs at October 31, 2008 9:26 AM

Mistborn was alright. It's just not the same, especially since originally this series was supposed to be 10 books. The damned thing has been going on since 1990. By the end it will be almost 2 decades. 2. Decades.

Posted by: Reding at October 31, 2008 9:29 AM

In my opinion the series peaked with Books 5 & 6, followed by a lull for a few books before a bit of a renaissance in Books 10/11. I think that there are roughly 200-300 pages per book that could have been excised very easily - the man badly needs a story editor.

That being said, unquestionably this is a trailblazing series, and in my opinion Rand is the most genuinely HUMAN messiah character I've seen.

Posted by: S.K. at October 31, 2008 9:47 AM

Sorry, uh... "needed" a story editor.

Posted by: S.K. at October 31, 2008 9:50 AM

yeah, I remember inheriting the first book from my older brother in '96
god , now I feel old (no offense intended against the wise and older members of pajiba and I'll get off your lawn right quick there, yes sir)

Posted by: tris at October 31, 2008 9:50 AM

I can hardly recall what happened in most of these books, or which one I stopped reading on (#10, whatever that was, I think). All I can really remember is that the series was pretty decent up to book 6, and that that book had one hell of a climax. The next several books had practically no plot progression or action of any kind. All of them could easily have been cut in half with no actual story being lost (because there was pretty much no story to begin with).

I probably will finish up the series eventually, just because I'd like to know what happens to Logain, the only character I found interesting.

Posted by: Todd at October 31, 2008 10:07 AM

I think that all lead characters Rand, Mat and Perrin were not so much human but reluctant heroes/leaders and that made them more likeable or at least understandable in their actions

Posted by: tris at October 31, 2008 10:12 AM

'slightly repetitive?'

::blinks::

Sorry, I was busy reading hundreds of pages about Aes Sedai bitching again. What did you say?

Posted by: ponch at October 31, 2008 10:20 AM

Very accurate statements Prisco. While I love the series, reading the books in the "middle" had me skimming about fifty pages at a time. I almost walked away from the series but then I remembered that I have about fifteen years invested and be damned if I'm not going to finish.

These days I actually prefer Martins Song of Ice and Fire and The Sword of Truth by Terry Goodkind. I feel that they have a much better pace while still having just as deeply developed characters.

Posted by: Admin11 at October 31, 2008 11:22 AM

holy SHIT, I never thought I'd see a Wheel of Time book on the Pajiba site. Silly me.

I have read this series over every time a new book is about to come out because it has SO MANY FUCKING CHARACTERS and STORYLINES. And I love it. And I'm trying to figure out who all the Forsaken disguise themselves as. And I'm addicted to this series, in spite what the other posters have pointed out (repetitive). I kind of scan over his 20 page descriptions of cities.

But, mini diversion for the Jordan crowd:

Favorite male and female characters?

Male: Lan

Female: Faile.

Hmm, I see a pattern here.

Posted by: boo at October 31, 2008 11:31 AM

Male: Tie between Matt and Lan.

Female: Nyaneave (sp? I'm too lazy to look it up) she's such a smarmy little bitch.

Posted by: Admin11 at October 31, 2008 11:53 AM

You have reached the apex, my friend. Books 1-3 were awesome and book 4 was half awesome. Then the slow plunge. By the time you hit Book 10 you are going to be tearing your hair out wondering why you started reading this series. Book 11 was a return to form, but you're going to have to wade through some dreck to get there.

I still have nightmares about the Egwene/Nynaeve/Elayne chapters in The Shadow Rising. I hate them and I hate Tanchico. And I hate that I remember so much of this, I haven't read this book in at least 6 or 7 years.

Posted by: Patrick C at October 31, 2008 12:08 PM

Favorite Male: Mat (of course, although I do love Thom Merrilin)
Favorite Female: This is tough. Moiraine or Birgitte I guess.

Posted by: Patrick C at October 31, 2008 12:13 PM

I probably can't play in your diversion because I've only just finished the first one, but so far, I really like Perrin. I don't have a favorite girl yet. The book was amazing, but incredibly dense. I'm determined to finishing the series- even if it takes me years (which it probably will). I'm in it to win it! Go big or go home!

Posted by: brenia at October 31, 2008 12:15 PM

Patrick C, I totally forgot about Birgitte. Love her. And Matt, of course. Damn. I lose.

Posted by: boo at October 31, 2008 12:32 PM

Some questions about the Cannonball Read:
1 - Is it too late to join?
2 - Does one need a blog to join?
3 - Do books that have been started prior to joining count?

This seems like a great way to encourage myself to catch up on my reading. There is a huge stack (several actually) in my bedroom

Posted by: Brian at October 31, 2008 12:43 PM

Favorite characters? Hmmmmmm...

Male: Mat.
Female: Graendal. She can enslave me and use me in unspeakable orgies anytime.

Big hate for both Faile and Berelain.

Posted by: Pisco Sours at October 31, 2008 12:48 PM

Rand = Paul Atreides
Dragon Reborn = Kwisatch Haderach
Aiel = Fremen
The Aiel Waste = Arrakis
Aes Sedai = Bene Gesserit
Ruark = Stilgar
Thom = Gurney Halleck
Mat/Perrin = Duncan Idaho (not as obvious)
Game of Houses = CHOAM & the Imperial Court

So you start with Dune as a rough sketchbook for your epic. Ok i wouldn't push the analogy too far, but certainly where many of the characters came from.

Original? Not quite.Strongest point, at least up to where I had enough, Book 6, was the gradual development of Rand's character. (I would never had gotten that far if i had to buy the bloody things). Perrin as a character is also well written. None of the other male characters and certainly none of the female characters, except maybe the Ammerlin Seat (I can't remember the bloody spelling of her name). Ninaeve in particular is extremely bad, showing no self realization (this seems at time to meant almost as humour). The constantly repeated predujices the all male & female characters have for each other is tiresome & juvenile.
Fate (the turning of the wheel) was obviously decided early on as an excuse for the most ludicrous events (eg characters travel separately half way around a semi-feudal world and accidently meet at the far end. I live in a town of 5000 people where a guy I know from 12 years ago also lives and I've never bumped into him here). And don't get me started on that whole idealised faux semi-feudal mythology where peasants in the middle of nowhere all read, act and organise like 20th western citizens. For original fantasy, Tom Powers, Gene Wolfe, China Mieville or yes Stephen Donaldson. Not this written for teenagers pap.I'll stop now.

Posted by: Donal at October 31, 2008 3:02 PM

If I have been a good enough girl, life will reward me with a final book. I've read them all. I'll even take a sub-standard stranger's ending because I am very forgiving when a writer can make me fall in love with a bunch of figments. (Although I echo the repetition heartache and wish Jordan had stayed focused while he had the time.)

What I love about this series is that I can keep them for my kids and still enjoy them myself, which is an underrated quality in my opinion. I pretty much grew up with a book in my face, and essentially learned all my morals from comics, being such the latch-key kid. I hope the good books I give my kids pick up any slack on my part.

Man: Perrin all the way. (A little something on the side with Mattrim.)

Woman: Nyneave (if you excise about 400 or so references to the hair pulling). I wouldn't mind turning into Cadsuane one day, either.

Posted by: replica at October 31, 2008 9:42 PM

Man: Tie between Perrin and Mat, for totally different reasons. But the book where Perrin and Faile were fighting the entire time was EXCRUTIATING!!! And the Aiel guy who is married to those sisters.

Woman: Birgitte and Aviendha. Total badasses.

Posted by: kballs at November 1, 2008 4:11 PM

Lan...now excuse me while i masturbate.

Posted by: rene at November 1, 2008 11:01 PM

I'll second that rene :)

Am I the only one who dislikes Rand?

He is the character who I care about the least, which I suppose defeats the purpose of the books.

Posted by: glory at November 2, 2008 2:04 AM

Good Lord! Those books are still around!?! damn I feel ancient! No Glory, you're not the only one to harbour some 'irritation' for Rand.

I gave up on those books by #7 but kept reading out of pure masochistic curiosity until #9. It started well,but DAMN did those things get monotonous, by the 5th "The wheel of time turns, and ages come and pass..." (yes the damn quote got seared into my skull!) I was fed up.

That being said I still have my favourites.
Mat and Lan remain my favourite male characters, and somehow I have a fondness for Nynaeve and Birgitte. (Good Lord! I still remember how to spell her name!)

Aviendah and Faile raised my blood pressure and made me want to cuss. Wasn't too fond of that Prince either,the one who though his mother was killed by Rand, his name escapes me.(boy was too one-note by half)

Jordan needed an editor and the series could have and should have been ended by book6! I can't look at those books anymore without losing my temper, they just went on and on and on. Like my comment seems to be doing. crap.

Posted by: Four Eyes at November 2, 2008 4:25 AM

Seriously? What's with the Nynaeve love? She is easily the shittiest bitch of a character in the whole series. I'm partway through the series for the third time (up to book 10) and I hate her so very much.

Male: Mat/Thom
Female: Siuan/Verin

In defense of the series, I mostly read fantasy for the world building, and I WoT has one of the most well thought out worlds I've ever read (yes I'm one of those people who reads/devises theories on the workings of the one power and the relationship between Saidin and Saidar).

Posted by: Chugga at November 2, 2008 9:08 AM

Jon Snow would totally kick Rand al'Thor's butt. Then they would become good friends, drink lots of mead, and steal Garion's lunch money.

Posted by: YeahButNoBut at November 2, 2008 5:27 PM

...There IS going to be a new one?!

My brother and I talked about the idea of someone ghost writing the series befor Jordan died seeing as it looked like it would be going on for fucking centuries, the lines are written over nd over again to the point of cliche'.

I left books 5-8 in London, and I just finished book 4 again...I'm not buying them again dammit!

Posted by: Bj at November 2, 2008 6:17 PM

Well, I am quite fond of the series, for it brought mr. ohgrl and I together. Nevertheless, the series really tanks after Lord of Chaos. Prisco, you are in the prime of the series--enjoy it.

BTW, I have no favorite female, because Jordan wrote them as such moronic stereotypes. I honestly think Nynaeve would have a copy of "Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus" and watch The View if she existed in our time.

Posted by: ohgrl at November 3, 2008 7:17 PM

Oh, come on, guys! Nynaeve is so normal compared to others. I hate Elayne and Eugweine (or whatever her name is), they are so much more bitchy. Nynaeve at least listened to Matt at some point and she has nice taste in men (Lan) and she's totally badass in the last book (present) when she raises an army for Lan.

Matt is really cool (the Loki, trikster type) though I feel for Rand. That's why I love WoT - it makes me want to appear in the book and kick all those butts. And I re-read the whole seria when book#11 came out, and it touched me the same as 10 years ago when I started, so the magic is still there, it works.

Sword of Truth is so a rip off and a torture-porn. But Song of Ice and Fire, of course, is the best of them all, that is for sure.

Posted by: ZzaRaZza at November 11, 2008 9:01 AM