I hesitated to get into the cycle of the Wheel of Time, knowing I was getting into a long series of novels soooooo ... but at the same time I was more than tempted. I reconsidered the matter, thinking of the saga I prefer, that of the Legend of Drizzt RA Salvatore, consisting of a dozen novels, not to mention other tomes additional trilogies. I thought that if it was as good, no matter that there are so many tomes! And thanks to you, I was able to get an idea ...
And I was convinced!
The world created by Jordan's very, very complete, and while some may be put off by long paragraphs of description, I find exciting in reverse. I am delighted that this first volume is as long, so we can soak up the special atmosphere of the novel. If we get on a good fifteen volumes, so get to know the place before embarking!
The characters are all extremely searched, and I appreciated the fact that the three young heroes are sometimes frightened and ready to flee. Sometimes it is boring to read about characters perfect in every way, that become super soldiers yesterday while they were mere farmers. This is not the case for Rand, Perrin and Mat. At first they are often overwhelmed by events, waiting to be told what to do etc etc ... They do not lack courage, but they react normally. That expected of young men of their age. These are three very promising characters.
Although the narrative is in the third person, it mainly follows the character of Rand and Perrin a short time when it is separated from the others. You learn a lot about the character of these two boys, and one can only find them endearing. I kinda regret that Matt did not follow the same treatment, so it is less emphasized than others.
I will not dwell on the rest of the characters that are just as interesting, and which was eager to learn more. It is better to discover As the story.
It's hard to critique this novel, because it requires both a lot and little. One has the impression of being in the heart of the pursuit competition, held in suspense throughout the story, but catch your breath sometimes, when a secondary character tells the hero something exciting over long lines. I enjoyed learning more about the history and geography of the world of the Wheel of Time through different characters encountered here and there, each with a different way to tell. I have not found any length narrative, every moment, every chapter interlocking perfectly with the next.
I did not want to reveal too much about the story itself, because every detail, every discovery is fun. And finally ... I think it's a book to read. It is very well written and reads quickly despite its size, because it's exciting. I usually read several novels simultaneously, but once launched in the Wheel of Time, I did not let go!
For Christmas I ordered hopefully the following 3 volumes Auntie Bragelonne, and the prequel ... History of the novel that convinced me. I am delighted to have been selected by Goodreads, and I thank you once again!