Thursday, April 15, 2004
New Spring - Robert Jordan
If I have a weakness as a reader it must be my inability to stop reading everything that this man writes. The first book in his Wheel of Time Series, The Eye of the World, remains one of my favourite books of all time, but its brilliance is starting to wear thin. The fact that he has now paused in completing the series to write a prequel (and in fact what is rumored to be a trilogy of prequels) is somewhat of a slap in the face for all his fans.
That said this book lacks the complexity and slow pace that hampered the main series through books 6,7,8 and 9. But while it is better, it is not good.
In true Jordan style (or at least his style of late) there is a lot of lead up, filled with repitition that borders on ridiculous before a helter skelter final chapter/s where everything actually happens. New Spring is much shorter than his other books, but still feels as if it could have been told in half the space.
It provides some interesting background to the main series, and the added insight into Moraine, Siuan and Lan (amongst others) is welcome, but unnecessary. I see this as nothing more than blatant exercise in money grabbing, and while I will admit it is successful (I am $20 poorer) my respect for Jordan is wearing out.
I would recommend borrowing this book from a friend who is as hooked as I am only if you have read the rest of the series. If you haven't read RJ before I would suggest pretending that he has only written four books (Eye of the World, The Great Hunt, The Dragon Reborn, The Shadow Rising) and you may remain happier than me.
That said this book lacks the complexity and slow pace that hampered the main series through books 6,7,8 and 9. But while it is better, it is not good.
In true Jordan style (or at least his style of late) there is a lot of lead up, filled with repitition that borders on ridiculous before a helter skelter final chapter/s where everything actually happens. New Spring is much shorter than his other books, but still feels as if it could have been told in half the space.
It provides some interesting background to the main series, and the added insight into Moraine, Siuan and Lan (amongst others) is welcome, but unnecessary. I see this as nothing more than blatant exercise in money grabbing, and while I will admit it is successful (I am $20 poorer) my respect for Jordan is wearing out.
I would recommend borrowing this book from a friend who is as hooked as I am only if you have read the rest of the series. If you haven't read RJ before I would suggest pretending that he has only written four books (Eye of the World, The Great Hunt, The Dragon Reborn, The Shadow Rising) and you may remain happier than me.
