Tag Archives: fantasy

Wheel of Time

I have not been keeping up with my reading list here (or anything here) for some time and it’s high time to start again. My reading keeps alternating between my interests in history, natural science, and biography to fiction, science fiction and fantasy escapism.

During the 2023/24 Christmas break, I needed some serious escapism and turned to the Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan. These had long been on my to-read list and the recent tv series raised them onto the list again.

So, over the break, I started with the first novel in the series, The Eye of the World, and found it to be engaging, easy to follow, and fun. During breaks from the grief of the events of January and February, I could pick it up anywhere when I had a few minutes. I even took to reading it on the elliptical trainer at the YMCA (more on that later).

When I finished the first book, I had some internal debate about reading the next one immediately. Too often this can blur the books together and there was another concern. The series has 14 thick volumes! If I went right on to the next one, would I end up reading The Wheel of Time for the next few years? In the end, I needed the distraction and escapism and read the second one, which as just as good and engaging as the first. The blogosphere says the 8th (???) is the best…. will I get that far?

For a better review of the entire series, visit Esquire.com.