I have a confession. Despite being a pretty big fantasy/sci-fi reader I’ve only read the first book in Robert Jordan’s sprawling Wheel Of Time series.
I false-started The Eye Of The World several times before actually getting into it. I guess when I was younger it just felt a little too much like a Tolkien ripoff to me at first.
I realize now, after getting through the novel, that it’s quite different and I also know I should probably read the rest of the series at some point, but I have yet to buckle down and do it.
Still, I’ve read the first book so I have an idea of what the story is all about and I’ll be ready to watch—and review here on my blog—Amazon’s adaptation. The first two episodes of The Wheel Of Time debut on Amazon Prime Video on November 19th, so that’s just around the corner.
I’m pretty excited, actually, especially after watching the latest trailer, dubbed “Moiraine’s Quest.” Lady Moiraine is an Aes Sedai—a woman who can channel the One Power, aka magic—and a major character in the series.
Here’s the trailer:
The trailer serves as something of an explainer. In it we hear Moiraine (Rosamund Pike) talking about the Dragon Reborn (who is a person, by the way, not a dragon) and the Dark One and various other Very Fantasy Tropes. It’s epic fantasy in all its unfettered glory—pre grimdark, in a way, and very different from Game Of Thrones.
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This is “high fantasy” with lots of magic, a sprawling cast, loads of lore and all the rest.
On a side-note, if you’re a fan of this series consider checking out The Licanius Trilogy by James Islington. The first book is The Shadow Of What Was Lost and all three books in the series are excellent, with really fascinating magic systems and a lot of mystery and intriguing backstory to rummage through.
Are you looking forward to The Wheel Of Time? Let me know what you think of the trailer and what you hope this series will get right. I’d love to hear your thoughts.
And be sure to bookmark my blog and follow me on Twitter or Facebook as I’ll have a preview and episodic recap/reviews for the show when it goes live in November.
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