Robert Jordan - Wheel of Time - Towers of Midnight [SPOILERS]

Lu Tze

Howdy all

This is due to be released in the next few weeks and i was wondering if there was a good place to get a relatvely thorough synopsis of the previous books?

I remember when the last one was released in the lead up i read all the previous books but thats not an option this time (moved abroad) and anyways i was starting to forget what had happened in earlier books by the time i got to book 11!

Any suggestions?

Zapp Brannigan

Wikipedia?

Lu Tze

Cheers, had already glanced at that, was hoping for something that would be detailed enough to be about a 10 hour read, as opposed to a 10 week read for the books!

It will do in the absence of anything else

fitz

You should be able to find chapter summaries online. I read summaries for the previos books before the last one came out, and it was a brilliant way to refresh. Took about a week...

sushisushi

Some more detailed summaries here, along with handy things like character bios (useful for keeping all those names straight!)

Zapp Brannigan

might do this myself as there's no way I could do an entire re-read. (I've also lost all my books and don't really want to buy them all again )

ArthurG

Encyclopedia link above is really good - you can go trhough the entire series in a few hours (or days depending on how distracted you get with all the info in there!!).

Personally, I think reading the last book (which I did over the last 2 weeks) is more beneficial, but that personal choice.

By the way a few spoiler free reviews have appeared for ToM - seems like some BIG things go down - can't wait for the book....

http://13depository.blogspot.com/2010/10/towers-of-midnight-news.html

Lu Tze

ArthurG wrote: »

Encyclopedia link above is really good - you can go trhough the entire series in a few hours (or days depending on how distracted you get with all the info in there!!).

Personally, I think reading the last book (which I did over the last 2 weeks) is more beneficial, but that personal choice.

By the way a few spoiler free reviews have appeared for ToM - seems like some BIG things go down - can't wait for the book....

http://13depository.blogspot.com/2010/10/towers-of-midnight-news.html

Though i barely remember it at this stage, and it is probably sacrilegious to say so, but i quite liked the more direct style in the last book. The previous books, while good, i just seemed to struggle through them at times as they were so padded out with stuff, to the point where i was getting more and more irritated with Nynaeve (?) yanking on her fecking hair!

Anyways - i might buy the last book out here in paperback if thats out yet before getting the new one...

Thanks for the links guys

invaderjim

Tor have a really detailed re-read section
http://www.tor.com/blogs/2009/02/wheel-of-time-re-read-index#EOTW

up to book 9 I think.

OwaynOTT

Anyone know where the book might be released early?

Aiel

Is it out next Monday yes?I too preferred Sanderson's more direct style and not waffling on for 2 pages about what someone is wearing:).Jordan was a genius though and all through my teens i spent many a night engrossed(sp) in the books.
Is there a confirmed release date for it yet?

mar-z

Next Tuesday I think. (as long a Tuesday is Nov. 2nd that is)

I preferred the last book to the 3-4 before it, I don't know whether it's the new writing style Sanderson has brought in or just because things are moving towards the climax of the trilogy but as people said it was more direct which I liked.

Lu Tze

mar-z wrote: »

Next Tuesday I think. (as long a Tuesday is Nov. 2nd that is)

I preferred the last book to the 3-4 before it, I don't know whether it's the new writing style Sanderson has brought in or just because things are moving towards the climax of the trilogy but as people said it was more direct which I liked.

I agree, i think the frustration was building up in the last couple of jordans books as story progression got really slow!

Aiel

Hey Lu Tze-i meant to say there's a guidebook available for the W.O.T.It just summarises the characters though(no plot summaries etc) and explains about Aes Sedai's,Channeling etc and other questions about histories of various people's and region's.It's a big hardback book,i cant remember where i got it years ago,possibily on Amazon.

sushisushi

Aiel, that would be http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_World_of_Robert_Jordan%27s_The_Wheel_of_Time, also known as the Big Book of Bad Art. There are used copies for sale on Amazon http://www.amazon.co.uk/World-Robert-Jordans-Wheel-Time/dp/0312862199, or you might get it in some secondhand bookshops, as well.

5starpool

Just about to start re-reading the last one now before the new one arrives, hopefully this week.

Aiel

Got soaked today buying the book but i have it so im happy now:).

5starpool

Mine was dispatched from Amazon yesterday, so I should have it by the time I finish re-reading the previous one.

p1000

Where? Eason's don't have it (same as last year...).

Aiel

Easons's in Galway City had stacks of them today.

Yawns

Longford didn't have it today

The bookshop near Subway has some ordered, the expect them in tomorrow. Only about 4 copies tho I think she said. The guy in Easons hadn't heard of The Wheel of Time or Robert Jordan or Brandon Sanderson ... When he was typing it in it started as "Will of Ti...

He was very optimistic that they would have it tho. Shouldn't take longer than 5 - 6 weeks. But Dublin would have it today and then they'll send them out into the country. I just said ok and went to other bookshop.

ArthurG

Got it in Waterstones in Jervis centre today. Am making myself read slowly. Even the first few chapters there have been some brilliant scenes.

coffee_cake

got mine in easons yesterday, they had stacks.
Loving it so far. Think I'm about 5/8 through

ixoy

How does it compare to "The Gathering Storm"? I thought that was the best book in a long time in the series.

coffee_cake

ixoy wrote: »

How does it compare to "The Gathering Storm"? I thought that was the best book in a long time in the series.

I have to say I prefer it, Sanderson seems to be getting better into it. There seemed to be a few more "speeches" this time - does he do speeches in his own books?
You really get a bigger sense of how epic it all is. It also gets a lot of action in there as well, I mean a lot of stuff happens, and a good few :eek: moments.
The characters are really themselves without being exaggerated, and I like what he's done with mat (though I liked that in the last one as well).
You do find out a lot of what happens. And I had to laugh at the chapter "a good soup", reminded me of the infamous "omg a chapter about a BATH?!" from the earlier book - but it did cover more
The general atmosphere in the books is also bringing you closer to the last battle as well, it's not all these events dragging out and you're wondering "get it over already!"

What happened with Aviendha REALLY draws me in, I won't give anything away on that.

but...

But I have to say I think Mesaana's death seemed a little 'easy'. There was a lot of action and everything, don't get me wrong, but the ending for her was a bit anticlimactic.

Oh and Rand after his dragonmount experience... :eek: :eek:
Wish they'd done a bit more about the black tower though.

I really devoured the book in record time though, I'll have to go back and read it again soon
Dying for the next one now though!!! :(

sushisushi

Better, definitely. It's really gaining momentum for the end of the series and there are several Moments of Awesome in there, including a couple of things we've been waiting for for *years*. It is absolutely *massive*, though, some 900 pages!

Lu Tze

bluewolf wrote: »

I have to say I prefer it, Sanderson seems to be getting better into it. There seemed to be a few more "speeches" this time - does he do speeches in his own books?
You really get a bigger sense of how epic it all is. It also gets a lot of action in there as well, I mean a lot of stuff happens, and a good few :eek: moments.
The characters are really themselves without being exaggerated, and I like what he's done with mat (though I liked that in the last one as well).
You do find out a lot of what happens. And I had to laugh at the chapter "a good soup", reminded me of the infamous "omg a chapter about a BATH?!" from the earlier book - but it did cover more
The general atmosphere in the books is also bringing you closer to the last battle as well, it's not all these events dragging out and you're wondering "get it over already!"

What happened with Aviendha REALLY draws me in, I won't give anything away on that.

but...

But I have to say I think Mesaana's death seemed a little 'easy'. There was a lot of action and everything, don't get me wrong, but the ending for her was a bit anticlimactic.

Oh and Rand after his dragonmount experience... :eek: :eek:
Wish they'd done a bit more about the black tower though.

I really devoured the book in record time though, I'll have to go back and read it again soon
Dying for the next one now though!!! :(

Thanks for that, and especially thanks for using spoilers, i hope everybody else will! Hoping to pick this up tomorrow!

pljudge321

bluewolf wrote: »

Dying for the next one now though!!! :(

Only a year and a half to go!!!:D

Corsendonk

Glad to hear it picked up pace! I am avoiding rereading the rest of the series . It might just be better for my mental health if I wait the couple of years for the completed series and go for it! I started it in 92 so might just wait for the 20th year anniversary read off.

ArthurG

Just finished the

Mesanna

chapter, thought it was brilliant - action wise as good as the Seanchan attach on the Tower. I'm still making myself read really slowly as I'm enjoying it so much.....

fitz

Enjoyed it.
Shocking editing though...