The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan
Blurb:
The Eye of the World, the first novel in Robert Jordan's #1 New York Times bestselling epic fantasy series, The Wheel of Time®, follows Moiraine Damodred as she arrives in Emond's Field on a quest to find the one prophesized to stand against The Dark One.
The Wheel of Time turns and Ages come and pass, leaving memories that become legend. Legend fades to myth, and even myth is long forgotten when the Age that gave it birth returns again. What was, what will be, and what is, may yet fall under the Shadow.
When a vicious band of half-men, half beasts invade the Two Rivers seeking their master’s enemy, Moiraine persuades Rand al’Thor and his friends to leave their home and enter a larger unimaginable world filled with dangers waiting in the shadows and in the light.
Since its debut in 1990, The Wheel of Time® has captivated millions of readers around the globe with its scope, originality, and compelling characters. The last six books in series were all instant #1 New York Times bestsellers, and The Eye of the World was named one of America's best-loved novels by PBS's The Great American Read.
Review:
Phew…! FINALLY managed to dive into The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan (completed by Brandon Sanderson) after what feels like eternity lol. It’s honestly been near the top of my TBR since ages, but now I can very proudly say that I’ve begun this long, epic journey! And yes, it’s a very long series (14 “big bois”, no less!) and there are some commitment issues and also some pacing/slog complaints and what not. I get that. Well, firstly, I’m halfway through Malazan (which in my humble opinion is the GOAT), and that should tell you something right away (iykyk). And secondly, I’m all for giving any series a chance myself first before judging based on any parameter, online or otherwise. So that’s that.
I just kept delaying getting into WoT for no rhyme or reason, apparently. Not anymore! Now that the hurdles have all been crossed, here I am… writing this very review of the opening chapter to an incredible fantasy series loved and adored by scores across the world (and I can clearly see why!).
P.S. I have not watched the TV show, and prior to finishing book 1, I had very little to no idea about pretty much anything related to the series as a whole (which is great cuz then there’s no taking away the fun due to any spoilers, and I get to experience everything first-hand).
I also have to give a special shout-out to our WoT readalong group on WhatsApp, and particularly to Swamini [who’s most probably the second-most passionate flag-bearer of the series (after Daniel Greene, ofc) that I know of!], for igniting the fire within me to ultimately pick up the series!
Alright then, without further ado… let’s dive into it!
What’s it about?
The Wheel of Time turns and Ages come and pass, leaving memories that become legend. Legend fades to myth, and even myth is long forgotten when the Age that gave it birth returns again. What was, what will be, and what is, may yet fall under the Shadow.
Dang… that hits!
Okay, so I’ll try and keep it as brief and simple as possible (easier said than done).
If you’ve read or watched Lord of the Rings and enjoyed that wonderfully epic journey (duh; who hasn’t!?), then I’m sure you’ll appreciate and have a good time with book 1 of WoT as well.
It very much falls under the tag of a “journey/travel” novel as a whole, and the tropes are quite similar to that of LOTR in general, if I do say so myself. A group of friends living peacefully in a small village, with one or all of them important in destroying the bad guy. A powerful, experienced good guy who takes them out of their home sweet home, guiding them while travelling across the lands with dangers aplenty along the way. And ofc, loads of camping and travelling and chase sequences and so on.
You get the gist.
And that’s pretty much that. Of course, it’s still much different than LOTR, and unique in its own way, no doubt. But the point is, it was sold to me as an ode to LOTR and the legend himself that is Tolkien, and in that it didn’t disappoint at all whatsoever!
The good:
Pretty much every aspect and each of the tropes was on point; very well done indeed, I must say.
Starting off with the writing, it was very, very good. Detailed when needed, fast-paced and engaging when required, and easy-going/smooth-sailing from the very start all the way to the end. At no point did it ever feel confusing or complex in any way, and the flow was well-maintained across the length of the book.
Up next, the story. I thought it was excellent overall. It was packed with action and drama at multiple patches, whereas slow, steady, and taking its time at the right moments as well, slowly building up the lore as we went along. The prologue in itself was very intriguing; dark, yet exciting for what’s to come.
The characters were well-written and likeable without a doubt. Since this is only the very beginning, there wasn’t too much depth or back story to most, and that is expected in a sense. But you can straight away feel the attachment to a bunch of them, and their respective emotions, actions, and journey is very much relatable the majority of the time.
The lore/setting/worldbuilding was brilliant. I honestly loved it; in fact, I enjoyed it very, very much. LOTR and Tolkien-esque? Yep. But still manages to grab a good hold of you and I found myself immersed in it all. Not only had that classic high fantasy feel/vibes to it, but the fact that everything was so well-penned deserves an applause in itself.
The “not so” good:
Having said all the above, and given its rightfully deserved praise, the only “real negative” for me was the pacing. It’s true that for most parts it was spot on. There were more than a few scenes where I literally flew through the pages in a single sitting; engrossed and excited. BUT… there were a couple of times where I seriously felt that the pace was way too slow. I’m told by trusted sources that it only gets better from here (up until the “slog” at least), so I will no doubt trust and oblige while hoping that it does so!
Note: I must confess the following whole-heartedly though – classic/high fantasy isn’t really my cup of tea. LOTR was AMAZING in every sense, and I couldn’t love it any more than I already do. No doubt it was the benchmark for sooo many works (and rightly so!). But apart from that legendary work that is LOTR by the GOAT himself that is none other than J.R.R. Tolkien, any other derived/similar/inspired work hasn’t really managed to grab my attention as much as I would’ve liked, in all honesty. And this is not to say that I won’t enjoy WoT. In fact, I really liked book 1 cuz of how much it resembled LOTR, and did its own thing simultaneously so well. The point is, classic/high fantasy tends to get a bit “repetitive” with its tropes, and a tad “slow” in its pacing/worldbuilding from what I’ve seen and heard (which isn’t to my personal liking to be very honest), and I’m really hoping that WoT doesn’t fall in that category (I am, however, fearing for the worst from what I’ve heard about the “slog” …)
Final thoughts:
The opening chapter to The Wheel of Time, The Eye of the World, is well and truly the best of what classic, epic, and high fantasy has to offer. If you’re a fan of LOTR and Tolkien, then this book pays a beautiful ode to what many consider the greatest work in the history of fantasy. Every trope, every aspect of the book, be it the plot, the characters, the lore/world, and the writing, all were quite exquisitely penned. It’s a long journey, and I’m here for it. Very much looking forward to book 2, and where it all heads to. This is a MUST READ for all fantasy lovers, without a “shadow” of any doubt (see what I did there!?).
