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I have read lots of fiction Rurouni_Kenshin Send a noteboard - 06/06/2010 03:57:07 AM
The reason that I come here is largely by inertia. At wotmania I had stopped going to the WoT board altogether - once I clicked just for fun and it said something like 12,752 new messages since you last viewed this message board.

However, I do want to at least know how it ends. After all, I found the books an interesting diversion through Lord of Chaos. After that it was a boring, fifth-rate diversion. Now, Sanderson has recaptured the spark of the original books and gotten me excited about finding out how it ends.

Defining "serious" literature isn't that hard. It's literature that cuts across genre lines and raises relevant issues about what it means to be human in a way people find aesthetically pleasing.

If you can get people who don't read fantasy to pick up a fantasy book and they uniformly found it meaningful, the book is serious literature. Jordan obviously doesn't qualify.

I have read lots of fiction including serious literature and I don't really agree with you definition of it. There's a lot of "literature that cuts across genre lines and raises relevant issues about what it means to be human" that isn't very aesthetically pleasing (although this is of course subjective) and should be read anyways because of the intellectual value of the work. What you're describing is Great literature and very few books that have ever been written fall under that description. So saying that Jordan's work doesn't qualify under that standard isn't a meaningful criticism to me since by definition that covers 99.99% of books ever written, many of which are a very enjoyable read.

On the character development angle, I that the five main characters (Rand, Mat, Perrin, Nyneave, and Egwene) have all changed a lot. That criticism is valid when aimed at the cast of thousands that surrounds them, but that's to be expected given the numbers, which in itself is part of the series appeal as an epitome of world building.

When the Wolf King carries the hammer, thus are the final days known. When the fox marries the raven, and the trumpets of battle are blown.
This message last edited by Rurouni_Kenshin on 06/06/2010 at 03:58:08 AM
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Seanchan girls. Do they live in terror until 25? - 02/06/2010 12:32:14 AM 1494 Views
A few details to consider - 02/06/2010 01:11:12 AM 867 Views
Re: A few details to consider - 02/06/2010 02:31:08 AM 876 Views
Wasn't talking about breeding damane - 03/06/2010 03:32:44 AM 869 Views
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Well, it took centuries for most people to understand breeding/genetics - 02/06/2010 08:57:43 PM 711 Views
Nobody knows about Sul'dam because it takes them extra long to learn. - 03/06/2010 07:58:41 AM 1013 Views
Re: A few details to consider - 04/06/2010 07:33:39 AM 733 Views
I think it's seen as something that happens to other people. - 02/06/2010 02:20:09 AM 741 Views
I think they retest only the sul'dam - 02/06/2010 04:13:55 AM 912 Views
Re: I think they retest only the sul'dam - 04/06/2010 07:55:56 PM 704 Views
Point on the testing - 08/06/2010 02:15:26 AM 680 Views
Re: Point on the testing - 08/06/2010 02:46:06 PM 745 Views
Remember, Seancean have no idea channeling can be "learned" - 02/06/2010 07:04:11 AM 808 Views
This is how Damane and Sul'Dam are determined, straight from tGH - 03/06/2010 08:14:03 AM 1150 Views
That doesn't make sense. Are you sure they don't put the BRACELET on the girls, not the collar? - 04/06/2010 01:35:08 AM 698 Views
I am absolutely sure. Quote from book. - 04/06/2010 03:09:08 AM 769 Views
Re: I am absolutely sure. Quote from book. - 04/06/2010 11:54:25 AM 607 Views
Thanks Darius *NM* - 08/06/2010 01:48:28 AM 378 Views
Toun, though too young can be collared - 06/06/2010 03:29:29 AM 601 Views
I don't think Tuon will ever Channel - 06/06/2010 03:39:16 AM 750 Views
Everything points to a change in policy - 06/06/2010 04:04:33 AM 640 Views
Re: Everything points to a change in policy - 06/06/2010 04:18:21 AM 533 Views
Re: I don't think Tuon will ever Channel - 06/06/2010 05:07:40 AM 654 Views
Not at all - 02/06/2010 03:52:31 PM 619 Views
Re: Are the new damane actually tortured? - 02/06/2010 06:56:10 PM 774 Views
I think "tortured" is relative... - 03/06/2010 08:22:37 AM 710 Views
As with most things in Jordan's universe, I don't think it was thought through very seriously. - 03/06/2010 08:05:04 PM 655 Views
Huh? - 03/06/2010 08:44:35 PM 753 Views
Sure - 03/06/2010 09:00:40 PM 761 Views
Bah... - 03/06/2010 09:51:09 PM 710 Views
Jordan definitely made mistakes with the Ajahs. In particular, the Black Ajah ones who fled. - 03/06/2010 10:56:39 PM 700 Views
oh come now - 04/06/2010 12:58:44 AM 623 Views
Re: Sure - 04/06/2010 04:55:23 AM 801 Views
I don't know if that's totally true - 04/06/2010 12:09:29 PM 630 Views
Maybe you don't read that much serious literature? I just don't see why you are arguing this. - 04/06/2010 03:47:50 PM 665 Views
I actually don't read much fiction at all to be honest - 04/06/2010 04:00:03 PM 686 Views
You're right about the fact that I have mostly contempt for Jordan. - 04/06/2010 05:42:49 PM 652 Views
meh. I prefer non-fiction most of the time - 06/06/2010 03:44:38 AM 703 Views
I have read lots of fiction - 06/06/2010 03:57:07 AM 696 Views
Meh - 04/06/2010 05:03:41 PM 685 Views
LOL ... I hear ya on that - 06/06/2010 03:49:48 AM 688 Views
We've seen so little of the old tongue how can you tell? - 06/06/2010 03:33:46 AM 547 Views
This raises another question - 06/06/2010 04:13:25 AM 611 Views
Re: This raises another question - 06/06/2010 04:53:42 AM 660 Views

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