The Dragon Reborn and Whiney (Dragon Reborn - Robert Jordan)

Member Name: Manx

Product:	Dragon Reborn - Robert Jordan
Date:	20/04/09 (9 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Nicely put together .

Disadvantages: The plot tends to drag .

The series clearly has been given some thought by its experienced author. There are mysteries and solutions to these mysteries introduced in the very first book but which do not catch into the running plot until later. By the time you are turning the pages of the Dragon Reborn you are nicely hooked in.
The problem is that there are a lot of pages to turn. Heck, no, I'm not saying the book is too large. What I am saying is that the story telling does tend to lumber slowly on and the reader generally knows there are eight (soon to be nine) books in the series. You have to be daft if you think that by the end of book three everything will be Peaches and Cream. Reading through the series from the start becomes something of an epic task in its own right.

I do like the books, really. I do like the plot and I do like some of the characters. Some of the characters, that is, and unfortunately I'm not too keen on dear old Rand. (What sort of name is that, anyway?) From what I've gathered from other people who have also read the books that Rand is far from their favourite character either. That's something of a shame as it makes the plot a little more prone to dragging. Whenever Rand starts on a whining diatribe I start to get bored.
Heroes should not whine. Heroes might whine in real life but when I pick up a fantasy book I want fantasy. Jordon will have to fight to mix heroic fantasy in with dark, angsty fate (the threat of madness).

Summary: well written story