to read again

Last weekend it became very apparent to me that I would not survive long during the down times at work simply by rereading all the books I own, most of which have already been read numerous times. So far I generally have at least a few solid hours of sitting time at work so I needed something beefy to fill that space in a satisfying and exciting manner. While puzzling through this dilemma I hit on a wonderful idea. The Wheel of Time. I've been saying for as long as I've known Tim that I want to get into this series at some point but the fact that I was almost always reading something else and the series is 14 books long [each at least 650 pages long - and this doesn't include the prequel or the graphic novels that have spawned from it] and I've never really ventured into fantasy deeper than what you find on the YA shelves at Barnes & Noble. This series has been on my "to read" list for ages and on Saturday I realized that I had the perfect opportunity to shove all my excuses to the side and finally sink my teeth into this beast. And it's been so worth it!

Tim's brother kindly brought the first book down for me to borrow on Saturday and thus far I have been consuming around a hundred pages a day. Consider the fact that I am not an early riser and I am now working part time and even I'm surprised at how fast I'm tearing through this. The funny thing is, I couldn't even read for long stretches at a time when I started the book. I'd read a few pages then have to put it down for a moment before reading more because the reading was exhausting in the best way possible. I think I had forgotten how much work good reading can be, how you have to build up your endurance to take in everything the author is giving you. It's refreshing.

Having almost finished the first volume, I stand ready to recommend this series to anyone who enjoys a good read. I think in the fantasy genre at large it's hard to find stories in which women really have a viable part outside of being villains and damsels in either idiocy or distress or both [usually both] but Jordan's story sets up a world where fantastical abilities are found in men and women in the complimentary and conflicting ways in which the genders relate in reality. The One Power is TWoT's "magic" source and men and women can both channel it but in very different ways and both are needed which is not to say that sexism on both sides often mars their chances to work together. I am continually blown away at how well he has captured the dynamics between men and women, different political and religious groups and factions - Tim put it perfectly when he said that reading TWoT is more like reading a history that a novel - because it feels so real and relate-able. Most of this is due to the mind-blowing world building that's gone into this series. Jordan keeps a lot of scenic details that people will recognize, like the names of trees, but he'll also throw in one or two names or species of his own making which gives the setting a sense of familiarity as well as discovery. The narration jumps around between characters and while there are a central three, if you had to pick, the full cast of what I think qualify as main characters is pages long. With so many characters to keep track of there is always a ton going on but it never feels unmanageable or unwieldy. I've been told that the first book is slower than the rest [aside from book 9, by general agreement] but even though this volume might not see as much explosive action as the others, the pacing is expertly done and I never got bored which, considering how much of the book is just characters traveling, is saying something for me. There are characters I love, ones I can't stand, ones I can't figure out whether or not I should like them, ones that I can't wait to see grow up, and ones I can't wait to see more of than the brief glimpses so far.

Basically, if you have ever read anything remotely fantasy [Twilight and those paranormal romances don't count. I'm sorry. They just don't.] or have never really considered the genre but enjoy a book that makes your mind work in all the best ways, I highly highly recommend The Wheel of Time be put on your book list. It may not be something you pick up right away, a series this intense requires time and commitment, but it is definitely worth keeping in the back of your mind for some day when you need something like it  : )