by Jennie Svogar

Created on: August 06, 2008

Every so often, a series of novels comes along that captivates a large group of people, causing some of them to respond to it in an almost cultish manner. The Wheel of Time series, by the late Robert Jordan, is one such series. Countless online groups, role-playing communities, and guilds have formed based on the themes of these books, the nations and political factions as well as the religious aspects, and there are even some who have adopted the lifestyles of the characters in their own "real" lives.

The eleven (soon to be twelve) book series takes place in a mythical world that seems to parallel our own in a very tongue-in-cheek way. It also resembles JRR Tolkien's Lord of the Rings world in many ways, from the orcish creatures to the ultimate power bestowed on a small group of "nothing special" characters who must complete a seemingly simple task which only grows more complex as the stories progress.

The stories begin with "Eye of the World", in which we are introduced to almost all of the main characters of the story. There are over 20 main and subplots throughout the series, each life entwining with the others in ways that make your mind shriek in agony when you finally finish the series and look back over the books. Each of the novels is at least 500 pages in length (paperback reference), and packed with so much action and intrigue that reading one of them is not unlike sitting down to watch a film.

The flow between books is exceptionally well spun, leading the reader by the nose through so many twists and turns that he or she begins to feel as if they are reading a history instead of a work of fiction. Add to that the seamless weave of plots and the many companion readers (including at least one "prequel" and a "World of the Wheel of Time" table book) and you are met with a world not at all unlike that which Tolkien created, yet so many times more complicated and... well, real! Where Tolkien had elves and dwarves, Jordan has normal people that we can all relate to on some level or another, experiencing the same emotional turmoil we have all faced, even if on a much larger scale.

All in all, this is a series of novels that I would recommend to any fantasy fan, but be prepared for a couple of solid months of reading. These books are appropriate for most ages (I wouldn't recommend them for anyone under 10, just because of the complexity), and are difficult to put down once you get started.

Learn more about this author, Jennie Svogar.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.