Wheel of Time Messageboard: It also has Faulknerian allusions ;) by Larry

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It also has Faulknerian allusions

Larry Send a noteboard - 09/10/2012 07:04:55 PM

Sorry, it was too easy to quote Shakespeare in the subject line.

I just found myself imagining WoT as written by Faulkner. Amusing.

Wheel of Time is entertainment fiction and any attempts at analysis would be a waste of time. Although at one point Jordan made the statement, "It'll be like War and Peace," it's unclear whether he was filled with baseless hubris or just referring to the perceived length (though I would posit that La Comédie Humaine would be a more apt metaphor for length, albeit one that most of his fans would not recognize).

Ha. I imagine a few might get the Balzac reference. Sadly, a few of those might make a Balzac joke afterwards

My criticisms of Wheel of Time only started when the series began to drag and the entertainment value dropped precipitously. I am only going to judge Jordan (and Sanderson writing for Jordan) on his own terms. I am not going to compare him to Dickens or Tolstoy or Mann, because he never set out to write significant literature, nor did he seek to write aesthetic literature or any other form of artistic or belletristic expression.

I'd agree for the most part, but I do think it's fair to assess him at the level of someone who sought to write something more complex than a D&D adventure. Within the strictures of the apparent narrative intent, I think it would be fair to critique WoT along the lines of a burdened world hero-to-be/possible destroyer and how effectively that main theme was explored. Needless to say, it wouldn't rate very highly from many critics

Even on its own terms, I think the series collapsed under its own weight. Jordan was unable or unwilling to edit out the unnecessary, and the series "got away" from him, so to speak. He became unclear where the series should go and struggled to get pieces together in the middle books. This was doubly fatal to the series as the time wasted also ultimately robbed fans of the author himself. Time was not on his side, and by losing sight of his goal he never had the chance to reach it.

Agreed.

There will be an ending, but I think only the most diehard fans will really be satisfied with it. Everyone else will likely breathe a deep sigh, say, "Well, it's over," and move on to other things.

Like waiting for ASOIAF to end?

Luckily for me, epic fantasies aren't main courses.

Illusions fall like the husk of a fruit, one after another, and the fruit is experience. - Narrator, Sylvie

Je suis méchant.

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So when the book/series ends, what will it have all meant? Larry - 08/10/2012 09:47:49 PM 2061 Views

Years of enjoyment. What else do you expect from fiction? Marshall - 08/10/2012 10:17:30 PM 1038 Views

I expect a lot from fiction, to be honest Larry - 09/10/2012 02:43:59 AM 1062 Views

HAHAHA! darius_sedai - 08/10/2012 10:17:58 PM 1084 Views

Yeah, the use of my time does matter

Larry - 09/10/2012 02:45:15 AM 1005 Views

Not sure I'd call it mindless darius_sedai - 09/10/2012 02:53:00 AM 976 Views

Well, it is a bit more complex than a D&D novel

Larry - 09/10/2012 02:55:40 AM 997 Views

I'm not really a huge fiction reader to begin with darius_sedai - 09/10/2012 11:25:34 PM 877 Views

I've noticed that quite a few here/wotmania have not been big fiction (fantasy) readers Larry - 11/10/2012 05:48:02 AM 960 Views

Re: I've noticed that quite a few here/wotmania have not been big fiction (fantasy) readers RugbyPlayingAshaman - 12/10/2012 05:11:20 PM 905 Views

I like the TV series ... It's gritty darius_sedai - 13/10/2012 11:44:06 PM 859 Views

Well... it's a bit late in the game... DomA - 09/10/2012 02:04:16 AM 1177 Views

True, but it's never too late to ask people such questions Larry - 09/10/2012 02:49:28 AM 879 Views

I'm not sure... DomA - 09/10/2012 06:03:08 AM 900 Views

Well, we may be in closer agreement then Larry - 09/10/2012 06:43:50 PM 941 Views

Re: Well, we may be in closer agreement then DomA - 09/10/2012 11:08:49 PM 1046 Views

Re: Well, we may be in closer agreement then Larry - 11/10/2012 06:14:27 AM 844 Views

Re: I'm not sure... echooff - 11/10/2012 06:15:26 PM 871 Views

There's a reason for this... fionwe1987 - 09/10/2012 02:11:21 AM 991 Views

True Larry - 09/10/2012 02:54:12 AM 1016 Views

Re: True DomA - 09/10/2012 06:19:42 AM 919 Views

I am now visualizing WoT as a telenovela adaptation

Larry - 09/10/2012 06:59:11 PM 872 Views

everything about Lanfear screams TeleNovela! darius_sedai - 11/10/2012 04:38:03 AM 810 Views

Por ella, soy Luisa Therin?

Larry - 11/10/2012 05:44:32 AM 902 Views

All of the names would have to be longer and more pompous Tom - 11/10/2012 03:54:30 PM 735 Views

Not in this particular telenovela adaptation Larry - 11/10/2012 05:48:06 PM 1134 Views

It is a tale, told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing. Tom - 09/10/2012 02:21:20 PM 953 Views

It also has Faulknerian allusions

Larry - 09/10/2012 07:04:55 PM 937 Views

BTW, did you see the Folio Society's color-coded The Sound and the Fury? Tom - 10/10/2012 08:06:18 PM 1179 Views

Re: BTW, did you see the Folio Society's color-coded The Sound and the Fury? DomA - 10/10/2012 09:39:56 PM 906 Views

The One Power doesn't seem that unique or innovative to me. Tom - 11/10/2012 04:05:06 PM 805 Views

No, but I'll keep it in mind for the future when I have more money to spare Larry - 11/10/2012 05:49:52 AM 773 Views

It sold out fast. They might reprint it, though. Tom - 11/10/2012 03:45:20 PM 761 Views

Hopefully, that or it won't be more than $200 when I do have the money to spare Larry - 11/10/2012 05:53:20 PM 1024 Views

Re: So when the book/series ends, what will it have all meant? nigelgoboom - 11/10/2012 10:52:01 AM 879 Views

Ah, where would we be without such bright lights like you around? Larry - 11/10/2012 05:59:48 PM 1135 Views

It will have meant.. . MightyYT - 11/10/2012 06:59:43 PM 931 Views

So... Larry - 11/10/2012 07:05:41 PM 968 Views

For me, yes. Macharius - 11/10/2012 07:45:25 PM 785 Views

I would think for most the money spent wasn't too bad Larry - 11/10/2012 08:07:49 PM 1129 Views

I got my money's worth, oh yes. MightyYT - 12/10/2012 07:59:58 PM 914 Views

I'm not sure it means anything. RugbyPlayingAshaman - 11/10/2012 08:10:45 PM 987 Views

I'm not sure there is too much meaning ajsr1982 - 15/10/2012 05:57:57 PM 954 Views

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<quote id="263505">
<quote id="263481">Sorry, it was too easy to quote Shakespeare in the subject line.</quote>

I just found myself imagining WoT as written by Faulkner.  Amusing.

<quote id="263481">Wheel of Time is entertainment fiction and any attempts at analysis would be a waste of time. Although at one point Jordan made the statement, "It'll be like War and Peace," it's unclear whether he was filled with baseless hubris or just referring to the perceived length (though I would posit that La Comédie Humaine would be a more apt metaphor for length, albeit one that most of his fans would not recognize).</quote>

Ha.  I imagine a few might get the Balzac reference.  Sadly, a few of those might make a Balzac joke afterwards ;)

<quote id="263481">My criticisms of Wheel of Time only started when the series began to drag and the entertainment value dropped precipitously. I am only going to judge Jordan (and Sanderson writing for Jordan) on his own terms. I am not going to compare him to Dickens or Tolstoy or Mann, because he never set out to write significant literature, nor did he seek to write aesthetic literature or any other form of artistic or belletristic expression.</quote>

I'd agree for the most part, but I do think it's fair to assess him at the level of someone who sought to write something more complex than a D&D adventure.  Within the strictures of the apparent narrative intent, I think it would be fair to critique WoT along the lines of a burdened world hero-to-be/possible destroyer and how effectively that main theme was explored.  Needless to say, it wouldn't rate very highly from many critics ;)

<quote id="263481">Even on its own terms, I think the series collapsed under its own weight. Jordan was unable or unwilling to edit out the unnecessary, and the series "got away" from him, so to speak. He became unclear where the series should go and struggled to get pieces together in the middle books. This was doubly fatal to the series as the time wasted also ultimately robbed fans of the author himself. Time was not on his side, and by losing sight of his goal he never had the chance to reach it.</quote>

Agreed.

<quote id="263481">There will be an ending, but I think only the most diehard fans will really be satisfied with it. Everyone else will likely breathe a deep sigh, say, "Well, it's over," and move on to other things.</quote>

Like waiting for ASOIAF to end? :P Luckily for me, epic fantasies aren't main courses.
</quote>

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