Wheel of Time

Some wind blew and trees rustled and it was not the beginning, but it was a beginning. My nearly six month reading or listening affair with this EPIC fantasy series has come to an end. To give you a sense of how much listening I did in less than six months, check this out:

Nearly 20 total days listening to this series. So here are some highlights:

• Reincarnation / Balance: This book is all about creation as a Wheel that spins and people are reborn into the cycle over countless lives throughout the ages. The pattern the wheel weaves is all about balance and this is most apparent in how the One Power (magic) is used in these books. Women and men balance each other and when they work together achieve the greatest good. Overall, a big nod from Mr. Jordan to Hindu and Buddhist traditions. Of course many other aspects of the books have a Christian point of view (Creator vs. Dark One) but was interesting to see these belief systems reorganized into this world.

• Bechdel Test: Do female characters in the book do anything besides talk/worry about men? To
  understand this, check out: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bechdel_test. Its almost as if this series was created to win the ultimate Bechdel Test award. The WOT universe is largely dominated by powerful female characters and they often have nothing to say about men. This is due to the male channelers of the One Power being corrupted for the last 3,000 years and women have become symbols of power, wisdom and authority. Allegory to how we have often come up with reasons to oppress women in the last 6,000 years? Maybe. Regardless, its interesting to read a series where in a way, things are kinda backwards on gender politics.
• Books 6-10: I'm not the first one to say this, but dang are these difficult to listen to. People say they love how epic and detailed the series is. That's true, but its amazing how little plot moves in 4,100 + pages. I was ok with it due to burning time in the car. If I was up burning the midnight oil reading, I would have likely walked away and I've read about many people who did. Just feels like Jordan was needlessly milking the story with never ending detail about fairly mundane moments. If you are reading and getting tired, just read some summaries and move up to book 11. No shame in my book if you skip them. 
• Twilight (Movie) Ending: Many have complained about a lack of suspense due to no main/major characters dying. Well without giving spoilers, there is an all-out DEATH FEST ala what should have been the real Twilight ending portrayed in the movie. I wish they would have killed a few off earlier, but whatever. 
  
• Sanderson: Took over the last 3 books after Jordan's death in 2007. I was worried it would ruin the series. If anything, he made it better for me. The plot got moving again, no more spankings and I was engaged again. Well done Brandon. 
• Ending: Sanderson said that Jordan wrote the ending. So from that perspective, I see why it abruptly ends. Everyone basically knows what is going to happen, but I wanted some details on what would come of it all... kind of like the scouring of the Shire in the LOTR books (also a flaming shame that didn't make it into the movies). There is so much along the way that doesn't have to be explained, but considering this series reputation for ENDLESS detail on everything, this abrupt ending was very unsatisfying. But I"m willing to concede that they didn't want to overstep the author's ending so I'll let it pass and be grateful it was finished at all. As one commentator said, Elayne taking a bath (very PG) got more time that the aftermath. 
• If you are looking for a way to MAXIMIZE your audible account, good. Just hang in there. 

So where does this leave me? I loved the world created by Jordan, but it really could have been done in half the books and made itself much more adaptable to film and then it could be come a household name. But now that its an effectively unadapatble saga with no author left to negotiate with, it will slowly fade into history without movies or a TV series. It not the end, but will be an ending.