The Eye of the World

This book is quite long, and I couldn't think of a way to write a review that encompassed all of my thoughts in less than ten pages. So I asked a friend who has read all 11,898 pages of the series to ask me a few questions. Here is the transcript, verbatim:

──∗ ⋅◈⋅ ∗── ⚔ ──∗ ⋅◈⋅ ∗──

1. This will be fun to start off with; what is the book about?
No small talk, eh? Okay, right to it. A group of youngsters suspect they may have been the target of a strange creature attack on a village and decide to leave their home by setting out on a journey. But they are not alone; an Aes Sedai, a person who is skilled in a particular form of magic, and a warder are trying to find out why the dark one is looking for them. Along the way, the group visits places of great grandeur that are bustling with people, as well as some dark places that are wrought with peril and danger.

2. Why this book?
I want to get a foothold in some of the more classic epic fantasy novels to see which ones I really want to stick with and sink my teeth into.

3. Who is your favorite character, and what makes them stand out to you?
This is an easy one. Moiraine, the Aes Sedai. Other than the incredible name, she is strong, helpful, selfless, and seemingly genuine in her role to guide the team.

4. Who would you rather face off against? Trollocs, Myrddraal, Fades, The Dark One, or Moiraine?
I like my odds with The Dark One. Other than maybe a bit at the end, you just have to be pretty mentally strong. It does quite a bit of beckoning, dream infiltration, and belittling of most of the characters. Nothing all that menacing.

5. What did you think of the journey overall?
I really enjoyed my time with the characters. Rand, Perrin, and Mat keep the pages rolling with their visions, hijinks, songs, and inquisitiveness. The Dark One pops in and out every now and again to offer up a sense of dread. Moiraine and Lan add to the overall world building, lead the team for a time, and offer up interesting action sequences. Egwene and Nynaeve add strong will, playfulness, wonder, and mindfulness.

* I wish the story would have outlined the stakes a bit more. I knew where the team was trying to go, but I did not fully understand what they were trying to accomplish.

6. The theme of self-discovery is rampant throughout this book. What is your favorite and least favorite aspect.
My favorite is definitely Egwenes's role. Out of the entire group, she volunteers to accompany them on the dangerous mission. She wants to go out and see the world, enrich her life, and experience new and interesting people. Her inclusion at the end is immeasurable. I definitely got a Leia vibe from Star Wars throughout. My least favorite would have to be Rands, surprising enough. His character literally and figuratively just falls into situations and does not capitalize on the lessons learned. I know this is a long series, and there is more than enough time to build character, but I never really got behind his role as a possible leader.

7. Most new WOT readers point out that secondary characters are often placed strategically for info-dumps. Was this confusing or bothersome to you?
I wouldn't say it was bothersome; I personally like fantasy that devotes an equal amount of time to the story and the description of the world. This novel skews more toward the former than the latter. I definitely could have used a bit more description of the traveled lands, but it has just enough for you to fill in the blanks.

8. Favorite depiction of magic?
This is an easy one! The part when the crew is leaving Baerlon. I do not want to spoil anything, so I'll just drop this quote for a visual. “You dare attack me!” Moiraine's voice roared like a whirlwind. Shadow spun in on her, draped her like a hooded cloak; she loomed as high as the town wall. Her eyes glared down, a giant staring at insects.”

9. Okay, let's have it. What did you not like?
It seems you are giving me a loaded question, and I like it. This is going to sound bad, but to me, the writing is kind of bland. It's not a bad thing, though. The flow is great, the characters get along well enough, and the story bends and weaves at a satisfying clip, but did it give me “the feels,” as the kids like to say? Not really. The book just kind of shines in its normalcy. It's an exciting, fun tale, written in a classic prose.

9-a. Shines in its normalcy? I feel attacked on so many levels.

*** Lol - The wheel weaves as the wheel wills.

10. There are quite a few scenes of dancing depicted in this book. What are your favorite moves?
I'm more like Perrin, the guy avoiding the floor at all-times so I don't embarrass myself.

11. What are your top 3 quotes?
1. “Some people think they can take advantage of others, and if you don't let them know they can't, they'll just go around bullying anybody weaker than they are.”
2. “Do you think you are safe from me in your dreams?”
3. “We'll fight the Shadow as long as we have breath, and if it overruns us, we'll go under biting and clawing.”

12. You could start a small papermill with the number of pages left in this series. Do you plan on continuing?
Absolutely. I really enjoyed it and will continue on in the near-future.

──∗ ⋅◈⋅ ∗── Extra