Currently Reading: The Dragon Reborn (1991) Book 3 of The Wheel of Time

I have returned to Robert Jordan’s epic fantasy series and have just started Book 3: The Dragon Reborn. It was Amazon’s TV adaptation that got me back into reading The Wheel of Time. After hearing such a divided reaction to the streaming series, I wanted to return to the source and see what was upsetting a lot of long-term fans of the books. I tried The Eye of the World years ago but never finished it. It just didn’t grab me and I wrote it off as Tolkien fan fiction. I know, I know, it was a rather hasty and foolish decision which I’ve now remedied.

I listened to audiobooks of The Eye of the World and The Great Hunt earlier this year. I enjoyed them both, especially the second book. It felt like Robert Jordan had found his voice and stepped out from behind Tolkien’s shadow. The Great Hunt’s story was also a lot more exciting than the first book’s in my opinion. But I can appreciate the slower-paced set up of The Eye of the World now. I can also understand what many book fans were upset about. The showrunners have changed a lot of the lore, aged up the characters, made some head-scratching casting choices, created new characters and changed some major plot points. Why couldn’t they just adapt the books as they were written?

The Great Hunt (1990) by Robert Jordan

Disclaimer: I started reading The Eye of the World in spring last year, but I didn’t enjoy it and I gave up about halfway through. I found it a very generic fantasy story which felt too much like poorly done Tolkien fan fiction. I also thought the pacing was very slow and parts of it were boring. So, I didn’t continue with the series. (Don’t attack me just yet, keep reading below.)

Then at the end of 2021, I started watching the Amazon Studios Wheel of Time TV Series adaptation and got pulled into the story. I know this adaptation has been getting a lot of criticism, especially by fans of the books, but I thought it was well made. I haven’t watched the final episode yet. I paused my viewing because I picked up a copy of Book 2: The Great Hunt. I wanted to give the books another chance. This time I got drawn into the story and enjoyed the second book much more than the first. I’ll watch the final episode soon then give my thoughts on the whole season. (I’ve been enjoying fellow blogger H.P.’s coverage on his blog.)

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Review

For me, The Great Hunt was a 3-star read. A Wakizashi 3-star rating means it was good and I enjoyed it; a solid story which was well written but didn’t blow me away. I’m not going to describe the plot, instead I will highlight what I enjoyed about the story. (*This may include some mild spoilers.)

The Wheel of Time (TV Series) Episode 5 Review

Disclaimer: I haven’t read the books beyond The Eye of the World, so I’m coming to this series as a “newbie” and writing my reaction as a newbie.

Tar Valon, the White City

Episode 5: Blood Calls Blood

Short Summary with some Spoilers

We get our first proper look at the city of Tar Valon and it looks beautiful. The huge mountain in the distance reminded me of Mount Doom from Lord of the Rings. The White Tower is the home of the Aes Sedai magic users and where new trainees go to learn how to channel their power. This is where our characters are all heading.

The Wheel of Time (TV Series) Episode 4 Review

Disclaimer: I haven’t read the books beyond The Eye of the World, so I’m coming to this series as a “newbie” and writing my reaction as a newbie.

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Logaine using his power

Episode 4: The Dragon Reborn

Initial Thoughts & Short Review

This episode starts off with an attack on the city of Ghealdan and finishes with a magical battle in the Aes Sedai camp. The action scenes are exciting and well realized, there’s some good character building and more of the WOT world is revealed. The FX used to show the use of magic are excellent with the Power depicted as snaking and spiraling lines of energy. We get to see the Fade in action for the first time in a brief fight scene between one of the eyeless creatures and Gleeman Thom Merrilin. The Fade is impressively scary and hints at its powers as it easily catches the daggers thrown by Thom.

The Wheel of Time (TV Series) Initial Thoughts on Episodes 1, 2, 3

Disclaimer: I haven’t read the books beyond The Eye of the World, so I’m coming to this series as a “newbie” and writing my reaction as a newbie.

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“This power, it’s meant for women, and women alone. And when you touch it, you make it filthy.”

So says a woman dressed in red, part of a group of women on horseback who have chased down a man running for his life. The women are members of the “Aes Sedai,” an all-female order who can channel an elemental force known as the “One Power.” We are told this man is going mad and the woman proceeds to use her powers to kill him. We don’t see him die, we just hear his screams.

Well, quite a shocking opening. It seems that the magic in this world can only be wielded by women; women who have been trained by the Aes Sedai. If men try to use this power, they will lose their minds and “break the world.” This has happened before, and is referred to in a brief prologue in the first episode:

“Many years ago, men who were born with great power believed they could cage darkness itself. When they failed, the seas boiled, mountains were swallowed up, cities burned, and the women of the Aes Sedai were left to pick up the pieces. These women remember one thing above all else: the man who brought the breaking of the world. And him they named Dragon. Now this man has been born again.”

Moiraine, from Episode 1: Leavetaking

And so the journey begins!