The Wheel of Time parallels

[JoeyWarren]

I’ve been reading the “Wheel of Time” series. I have recognized some parallels between the book and real life in a sense. (ignore the magic factor)

Aes Sedai are akin to the Nuns.

The Black Ajah are the tares mixed within the wheat.

The Black Tower guys are akin to monks.

The Children of Light are akin to our Protestant Brothers.

The Prophet is akin to rogue modern day Prophets.

What other parallels have you noticed?

 

[leaner]

Are you talking Robert Jordan? My DH is addicted to his writings…I’ll show him your post and perhaps he’ll engage you on this one!

 

[JoeyWarren]

Are you talking Robert Jordan? My DH is addicted to his writings…I’ll show him your post and perhaps he’ll engage you on this one!

Yes Robert Jordan.

 

[deb1]

I’ve been reading the “Wheel of Time” series. I have recognized some parallels between the book and real life in a sense. (ignore the magic factor)

Aes Sedai are akin to the Nuns.

The Black Ajah are the tares mixed within the wheat.

The Black Tower guys are akin to monks.

The Children of Light are akin to our Protestant Brothers.

The Prophet is akin to rogue modern day Prophets.

What other parallels have you noticed?

It has been a long time since I read Jordan’s Wheel of Time series. I remember thinking that The Children of Light struck me as religious fanatics, more on line with fundamentalists then most Protestants.

I think that I stopped after book five? The females began to iritate me. They all seemed like such nagging, smug, little know-it-alls. Does that change in the later books? Are the women less annoying? I’d love to actually finish the series.

 

[JoeyWarren]

It has been a long time since I read Jordan’s Wheel of Time series. I remember thinking that The Children of Light struck me as religious fanatics, more on line with fundamentalists then most Protestants.

I think that I stopped after book five? The females began to iritate me. They all seemed like such nagging, smug, little know-it-alls. Does that change in the later books? Are the women less annoying? I’d love to actually finish the series.

I finished book 8 a few weeks ago. book 11 is now out. I will not spoil it for you. I love the series. I will pick up with book 9 after I finish the my current book.

It a good time to start over, by the time you are finished with book 11, book 12 may be out.

 

[deb1]

I finished book 8 a few weeks ago. book 11 is now out. I will not spoil it for you. I love the series. I will pick up with book 9 after I finish the my current book.

It a good time to start over, by the time you are finished with book 11, book 12 may be out.

Just tell me the women are less aggravating by the time I get to 11.

I’m a female myself(hard to be a male with a name like, deb )
So, I appreciate strong women but my goodness, I have a deep dislike of one of the female heroines. I can’t remember her name-Nynavae? SHe was the girl who was the wise woman from the original village. Just assure me that she gets humbled a bit and I will happily reread the series.

 

[JoeyWarren]

Just tell me the women are less aggravating by the time I get to 11.

I’m a female myself(hard to be a male with a name like, deb )
So, I appreciate strong women but my goodness, I have a deep dislike of one of the female heroines. I can’t remember her name-Nynavae? SHe was the girl who was the wise woman from the original village. Just assure me that she gets humbled a bit and I will happily reread the series.

Yes she does. You’re gonna have to read to find out how! LOL! Nynaeve

 

[Lissla_Lissar]

Aagh. My BIL loves this series. My husband used to love it. I read the first eight books to please him. By the end of the eighth, I was screamingly mad about:

1. All the girls randomly falling in love with Rand
2. Robert Jordan’s apparent incomprehension of good and evil
3. The braid-pulling
4. All the women are harpies, and spiteful.
5. There is never any good reason ever given for anyone to turn to the dark.
6. It reads like a long, "And then my character got even more powerful D&D campaign.
7. The writing is awful.
8. It’s a bad Tolkien ripoff.
9. The hundreds of descriptions of breasts.
10. They spend an entire book walking, without any plot advancement.

I want to smack everyone, especially Nynaeve. And Rand. And, actually, Min and Perrin and all the Trollocs. Oh, and Elayne.

The Black Tower guys are like monks, except for the going-crazy-pre-Source-cleansing bit.

Sorry. I really, really strongly dislike the WoT. His wife should not edit his work. Bad idea.

 

[JoeyWarren]

Aagh. My BIL loves this series. My husband used to love it. I read the first eight books to please him. By the end of the eighth, I was screamingly mad about:

1. All the girls randomly falling in love with Rand

?

1. Robert Jordan’s apparent incomprehension of good and evil

Come now. It pretty much follows other fantasy books I have read.

1. The braid-pulling

Nail biting, Hair twisting, or any nervous habits people have.

1. All the women are harpies, and spiteful.

You mean the aren’t in real life?

1. There is never any good reason ever given for anyone to turn to the dark.

You’ve got to be kidding. The promise of immortality! Being offered what Jesus was offered by Satan.

1. It reads like a long, "And then my character got even more powerful D&D campaign.

Never played D&D

1. The writing is awful.

Can’t comment. I am not a judge of writing. I just love the SCIFI/FANTASY genre

1. It’s a bad Tolkien ripoff.

No way!

1. The hundreds of descriptions of breasts.

LOL!

1. They spend an entire book walking, without any plot advancement.

There is entire fan base that would argue differently

I want to smack everyone, especially Nynaeve. And Rand. And, actually, Min and Perrin and all the Trollocs. Oh, and Elayne.

You should smack yourself, you are sounding like Nynaeve!

The Black Tower guys are like monks, except for the going-crazy-pre-Source-cleansing bit.

ahhhhhhhhh, shame on you, I have not read past book 8

Sorry. I really, really strongly dislike the WoT. His wife should not edit his work. Bad idea.

well you know what they say about opinions…

 

[Dancelittleewok]

Aagh. My BIL loves this series. My husband used to love it. I read the first eight books to please him. By the end of the eighth, I was screamingly mad about:

1. All the girls randomly falling in love with Rand
2. Robert Jordan’s apparent incomprehension of good and evil
3. The braid-pulling
4. All the women are harpies, and spiteful.
5. There is never any good reason ever given for anyone to turn to the dark.
6. It reads like a long, "And then my character got even more powerful D&D campaign.
7. The writing is awful.
8. It’s a bad Tolkien ripoff.
9. The hundreds of descriptions of breasts.
10. They spend an entire book walking, without any plot advancement.

I want to smack everyone, especially Nynaeve. And Rand. And, actually, Min and Perrin and all the Trollocs. Oh, and Elayne.

The Black Tower guys are like monks, except for the going-crazy-pre-Source-cleansing bit.

Sorry. I really, really strongly dislike the WoT. His wife should not edit his work. Bad idea.

I stopped reading after Book 10 for some of the same reasons. I didn’t like the Rand-Min-Elayne-the other girl plot line. I thought it was gross after they’all get bonded and then Elayne/Rand got it on…sheesh! it makes me blush!

I think Jordan’s book give you a good sense of culture, but like said above there’s no alot of action. Example: I mean Matt finally met the Daughter of the Nine Moons in Book 9 or 10 (forgive me. I haven’t read the books in awhile if that’s the right title) when it was prophesied in like Book 3.

Right now, the books I read are: Star Wars (Jacen, Han and Leia’s son, is going Sith!), catholic apologetics, and school books…

 

[thann]

I’ll have to show this thread to my son – he just finished the sixth book and is quite taken with the series.

'thann

 

[Contarini]

I thought the first few books were wonderful, but unfortunately Jordan completely lost control of his material. I haven’t read the most recent one (or maybe the most recent two). It got too confusing and not worth the time, though I may go back someday.

I agree that the strong point is the cultural description–you have a very vivid sense of clothing, food, etc., in contrast to Tolkien where it all seems more abstract. But after the first few the style got very annoying, as did the stereotyped characterization.

Edwin

 

[Lissla_Lissar]

it was a wonderful idea, and an okay first book, but he isn’t a good enough writer to have pulled it off. Having lots and lots of diverse cultures? Great. But not if it gradually disintegrates into, “In this village they ate peas and wore wool. In the next village they ate turnips and wore silk.” There’s a feeling of solidity that’s necessary to fantasy and it’s missing. I believe in the ruins of Ithilien and the the faded grandeur of Lorien, the Roke school of wizardry, the Beaver’s House and Cair Paravel. I’m quite sure that there is an Osten Ard, and the butterfly-fiilled City of Jao e’ Tinukaii. The descriptions, the characters, and the power of the writing made them real.

Besides misogyny, poor writing, too many characters, and a thin-feeling explanation of the concept of good and evil (plus the semi-fatalistic Wheel nonsense)… beyond all that, I rarely recall any of the characters acting noble and adult. It’s just a very long soap opera.

I read quite a lot of fantasy and science fiction. If you like epic, big, sprawling fantasy, I would heartily recommend the Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn series by Tad Williams. he and George R. R. Martin are both good capable authors with big casts, lots of detail, and interesting stories. I like Tad William better than Martin, but that’s a taste preference.

 

[JoeyWarren]

it was a wonderful idea, and an okay first book, but he isn’t a good enough writer to have pulled it off. Having lots and lots of diverse cultures? Great. But not if it gradually disintegrates into, “In this village they ate peas and wore wool. In the next village they ate turnips and wore silk.” There’s a feeling of solidity that’s necessary to fantasy and it’s missing. I believe in the ruins of Ithilien and the the faded grandeur of Lorien, the Roke school of wizardry, the Beaver’s House and Cair Paravel. I’m quite sure that there is an Osten Ard, and the butterfly-fiilled City of Jao e’ Tinukaii. The descriptions, the characters, and the power of the writing made them real.

Besides misogyny, poor writing, too many characters, and a thin-feeling explanation of the concept of good and evil (plus the semi-fatalistic Wheel nonsense)… beyond all that, I rarely recall any of the characters acting noble and adult. It’s just a very long soap opera.

I read quite a lot of fantasy and science fiction. If you like epic, big, sprawling fantasy, I would heartily recommend the Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn series by Tad Williams. he and George R. R. Martin are both good capable authors with big casts, lots of detail, and interesting stories. I like Tad William better than Martin, but that’s a taste preference.

Have not read any of their stuff yet.

Stephen R. Donaldson

Terry Brooks

David Eddings

Margaret Wiess and Tracy Hickman.

R. A. Salvatore

 

[JoeyWarren]

Frank Hubert, except he attacks religion.

 

[MarthaMartha]

I thought the first few books were wonderful, but unfortunately Jordan completely lost control of his material. I haven’t read the most recent one (or maybe the most recent two). It got too confusing and not worth the time, though I may go back someday.

I agree that the strong point is the cultural description–you have a very vivid sense of clothing, food, etc., in contrast to Tolkien where it all seems more abstract. But after the first few the style got very annoying, as did the stereotyped characterization.

Edwin

I read the first few books in the series, having borrowed them from a neighbor who said I’d like them since I like Tolkien. I did find them enjoyable, but unlike Tolkien, after the first three books they still hadn’t gotten where they were going, and I was starting to get impatient.

 

[jimmy]

I’ve been reading the “Wheel of Time” series. I have recognized some parallels between the book and real life in a sense. (ignore the magic factor)

Aes Sedai are akin to the Nuns.

The Black Ajah are the tares mixed within the wheat.

The Black Tower guys are akin to monks.

The Children of Light are akin to our Protestant Brothers.

The Prophet is akin to rogue modern day Prophets.

What other parallels have you noticed?

I have made some of the same connections. There is a site somewhere on the internet that lists many of his sources and they include many Catholic sources and some eastern Christian sources.

I thought the Aes sedae were like nuns and the children of light were protestants basically.

I think that I stopped after book five? The females began to iritate me. They all seemed like such nagging, smug, little know-it-alls. Does that change in the later books? Are the women less annoying? I’d love to actually finish the series.

I stopped after book 2.5 partly for that reason plus they were just draging on. He describes the most meaningless things.