I'm Guilty of Reading Others When I Should Be Writing My Own As Well

[greendryad]

I'm finally reading a fantasy epic series that I've been vaguely meaning to get to for awhile now. Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series. I'm only planning on reading the first four books, but we own nine, I think, if I want to continue. And all this interest came from Just'In's best friend who called Just'In one day and asked if he wanted in on a Dungeons and Dragons game through the Wheel of Time world. And then they wondered whether I wanted to be in on it. I've never played Dungeons and Dragons just because I've never been given the chance, and I was initially a little hesitant because I've seen how enveloping and engulfing role-playing stuff can be, but I'm one for trying new experiences. Still wary, but I planned on reading the Wheel of Time series eventually, and it might as well be in preperation for a game.

Just for the record, because I don't know who on my friends list has read the series, on a scale of one to ten as to how much I like the series so far, I give it a six and a half. His writing style was extremely annoying for the first few chapters, so much that it took awhile for me to really plunge into it. It is a page-turner, but there are way too many elements of plot, hero, and world that are like other pieces I've read. The hero, Rand, reminds me too much of L.E. Modesitt's Legacies; the beginning plot reminds me too much of Christopher Paolini's series. However, I like the juggle of a matriarichal society as the religion and the patriarichal society as the government. I'm not really sure I like the Wheel as a concept for time, and the money and social systems are really loosely and haggardly based. So far, I like the Ogiers best, though I don't think I want to be one in the D&D game unless I meet a female Ogier. Just'In likes Mat best, but he chooses to be part of a group of people I haven't met yet in the series.

I'm done babbling on, I think. Just thought I'd jot down my thoughts considering the most recent reading material, and add one more thought: I don't like my co-worker Eric. I can work with him mostly peaceably, but I think he's annoying. His friends constantly come into work and talk to him for hours on end so much that he shirks his duties and I have to do them. It's not hard work here at the testing center, but there's two people here most of the time so we can roughly split up the work. Plus, I just caught him looking at what I think is really, really close to pornography, and that just makes me not respect him even more. I'm not going to report him because I'm not absolutely sure of his actions, but he was guilty when he caught me glancing at his computer screen while I was in the middle of issuing a test and scrolled it down so I couldn't see the video, and that's proof enough for me.

sigh. The small annoyances in life. Bah.

Comments

[bladespark.livejournal.com]

This is unrelated to anything, but I finished going through the majority of my junk in preparation for packing, and I have a stack of things to go to the DI. You said you'd like a look through them, so if that's still the case, you can feel free to drop by anytime. There are a few more books, some clothes, and a bunch of really random weird stuff.

[oenone-borealis.livejournal.com]

I've only read Eye of the World, and was pretty put off by Jordan's writing style. I think I have The Great Hunt in a drawer somewhere. I guess I'll give him another chance because apparently the concepts in his books are quite good.

I've played the WoT RPG; it's a lot of fun. Mind you, most sessions are fun with my gaming group. It's probably the only one in the whole world where the girls outnumber the guys.

[lightgreendryad.livejournal.com]

How 'bout tomorrow morning? I start a new job (HOORAY!) at one, but I'll be glad to head up to your place before then.

[bladespark.livejournal.com]

Sonds good to me.

[isaidello.livejournal.com]

I read Eye of the World as well, and have started The Great Hunt twice, but never managed to stay interested enough to get through it. Robert buys me one of the books for almost every holiday, as it's one of his favorite series. I enjoyed the first book, but Jordan is terribly long-winded and not terribly interesting most of the time. The whole thing seems like a giant Tolkein rip-off to me, and I never really got that into Tolkein, who was a much better writer. I did however just finish Ender's Game and Speaker for the Dead by Orson Scott Card recently, and they are brilliant. More sci-fi than fantasy, but with an important enough message for me to recommend them anyway. Good luck with the D&D. I've always been somewhat afraid of it myself, but Rene swears that it's a blast, so it very well could be. Probably depends on the group you're with.

[lightgreendryad.livejournal.com]

shrug. I read Ender's Game because it was the only book Gayle (that nightmarish freshamn roommate who hated me) had and it was her favorite. However, it feels like everyone in Utah has read Ender's Game and loves it, and I've never been one for... didn't get ahold of the... I didn't know what the next...

Hm. I don't know why I didn't continue on with the series. I don't remember what I thought of Ender's Game. shrug. Maybe I should re-read it. I think Just'In owns a copy.

[isaidello.livejournal.com]

I wouldn't be surprised if everyone in Utah had read Ender's Game. Orson Scott Card is a pretty high profile Mormon author. I enjoyed Speaker for the Dead, but Juan swears up and down that Ender's Shadow is the only sequel worth reading. Oh well, that's my two cents.