What is the literary value of "The Wheel of Time"?

Question

In your opinion, how high of a value does Robert Jordan's fantasy series have, literarily?

Answer 1

Since i am currently reading that series, i figured i would answer.

The literary value that is found in The Wheel of Time series, is a few things really

firstly for the enjoyment of the reader.

He weaves a good story, intricate as the flows that he talks about in the pattern.

It takes an intelligent person to follow all the undercurrents and challenges the reader to look beyond what is seen or comfortable in their own lives. He is a good author, if a bit wordy, sometimes. But on the whole good.

The other way that i see this series as valued in literary ways, is that it parallels Biblical prophecy.

All in all there are many good reasons to read the series.

The characters are realistic, warts and all, and are made interesting. You feel you have to find out what happens to them.

Hope that answers you question!

Answer 2

On a scale of one to ten?

Minus ten.

Unreadable tripe, devoid of value, literary or otherwise.

Answer 3

He has a limp style, heavily adverb-laden.

'he said, grimly

she answered, amusingly, etc etc etc

Answer 4

There is the grim facination of seeing just how far he can push a story without offering any kind of resolution. Oh, and then he dies, never finishing it....

More seriously, there it is an interesting study on serious world building. TWOT world is HUGE and it is interesting to see how Jordan went about expanding it from fairly modest roots. He also weaves in loads of side charachters and gives them lives of thier own as the series develops - almost like fan-fiction but written by the author. In addition there is the constant battle of the sexes through the series, which is IMO fairly unique (if at times horribly tiresome) to Jordan in Fantasy writing.