The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan discussion thread.

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

As anyone who opens this thread will undoubtedly know, Robert Jordan is a great author.
They will further know that he wrote a series of eight books (so far) collectively known as The Wheel of Time.
What they may not know is that he sold the rights for a mini-series to NBC so they could do the whole Merlin/Arabian Nights thing with it.

There has been much discussion as to who should be cast for what part and why and so on.

What I would like to do is start a discussion about the series as a whole, including the mini series, a hypothetical movie cast, speculation about vague occurrences and mysteries and the looming 9th book and so on and so forth.

Hopefully, there will be enough of the teeming thousands who are into this series to make this discussion interesting.

And yes, I am a member of the onelist group and several other groups. But I can’t find a message board that is in a good format like this one to join, so if you know of one, let me know, thanks.

Now then, to kick things off, I would like to present a few things that we can discuss.

Firt, a list of actors/actresses that I think would make good cast members for the mini-series or movie. Then we can discuss it and modify it and whatever.

If you don’t know who any of these actors are, you can pull 'em up on The Internet Movie Database by searching for their name. Cool? Great.
Anyway:
Rand Al’Thor- Ewan MacGregor. I think that he is the obvious choice, but he may be too short. Anyone know how tall he is? How about Eric Stoltz? I he too short? As long as it is not: Leonardo, Brad, or Tom.

Matt Cauthon- Tom Cruise could actually pull this one off, I think. He looks young, is dark of hair and eye, and is a real lady killer. He has the mischievious glint to his eye that Matt is a master of.

Perrin Aybara- Hmmm. This was a tough one, which means I am totally open to suggestion. The only person I could think of to pull this off was Casper Van Dien, if he buffed up a bit more.

Egwene Al’Vere- Selma Blair, no question. She would be perfect for this part, IMHO.

Nynaeve Al’Meara- Shannon Doherty. Always cast a real bitch to play a total bitch, I always say.

Moiraine Damodred- Someone small and delicate, very pretty, and regal. Hmmmm… Gwyneth, anyone? No, too tall. How about, I’ve got it! Uma Thurman. Small and pretty, she can pull off regal I think.

Lan Mandragoran- Chow Yun Fat could play this part well, but I think his face is too fat, no pun intended. We would need someone who is carved out of wood.

Elayne Trakand- Lisa Kudrow. I think that she could do a serious role if she tried, and do it well.

Gawyn Trakand- Brad Pitt. I don’t know, they says he’s supposed to be really handsome and I guess this guy is.

Galad Damodred- Joseph Fiennes. Yep, he should do it.

I will leave the rest open so that we can start the discussion and such.

If you want to talk about The sword of truth or other great fantasy novels, please feel free… to start your own thread.
Thanks.
So- thoughts?

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Sorry, but I got half way through the first book, then put it down due to lack of interest. I mean, it was okay, but I much prefer authors like Diana Gabaldon or Jean Auel, who are intelligent, can tell a good tale, PLUS they include lots of raucus sex. I mean, do Moiraine and Rand EVER get it on? There was NO sexual tension, no attraction, NADA between any of the characters in what I read. This is reading for pleasure, for pete’s sake. What is more universal than flirting?

My husband got me four of the books for Christmas. You can pick them up cheap at my next garage sale. :wink:

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No offense, Lex, but most of the people you’ve mentioned are way too old to be playing those parts. Remember, in Eye of the World, Egwene is only just old enough to put her hair up in braids - probably somewhere around 16 or 17.

I’ve read up through Fires of Heaven, then I dropped the series because Jordan had obviously started to pad his books in order to lengthen the series. While I enjoy the way he handles interaction between the sexes in the first three or four books, by the fifth, it started to get a little two dimensional.

Anyways, here’s my cast for The Wheel of Time: Eye of The World:

Rand al’Thor: Scott Foley (Noel on “Felicity”)
Tam al’Thor: Robert Loggia OR Al Pacino
Egwene al’Vere: Lissa Jakub (from Independence Day, Delores Clayborne)
Mat Cauthon: Nicholas Brendan (Xander from BtVS)
Perrin Aybara: Dean Cain (Superman from “Lois and Clark”)
Nynaeve al’Meara: Linda Fiorentino (you want bitch? Go watch The Last Seduction)
Moiraine Aes Sedai: Holly Hunter (small, petite, and extremely forceful)
al’Lan Mandragoran: Tommy Lee Jones OR Russell Crowe
Tomm Merrilin: Derek Jacobi
Ba’alzamon: Kevin Spacey
Lanfear: Jillian Hennessy (Clair from “Law and Order”)
Queen of Andor: Kathleen Turner OR Linda Carter OR Erin Grey
Elayne: Sarah Michelle Geller (Buffy of BtVS)
Galad: Jude Law (the icy bastard in The Talented Mr. Ripley)
Gawyn: Chris Klein (Oz from American Pie)
Lisa: Jordan’s books really don’t get into hot and heavy sex. He concentrates more on a romantic ideal of love. Rand and Moiraine never do get it on, but then, they’re not a match at all. If you can set aside your need for the bumping and grinding, the first three books of the series are really excellent adventures set in a richly detailed, completely believable world.

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Lex, did Jordan sell the rights for the whole series? Do you know if it’s meant to be made into more than one miniseries? 'Cause wow, a commitment from NBC to film the entire Wheel of Time saga would be outstanding.

I really enjoyed the books, but I’d need to get back to the series to make any good casting guesses (and I’m not up to date, either). I agree about Ewan as Rand, though!

I do have a question: one complaint I’ve heard about the saga is that it gets bogged down in spots-- what are your thoughts on editing for the television version? Any installments that could be skipped, or combined, without losing too much of the good stuff? For instance, fans have complained that Rand spends way too much time sulking about his destiny, yet you could argue that Jordan is trying to make his readers feel the full wait of Rand’s emotional state.

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Perrin Aybara: Magnus Von Magnussen would be great. Wasn’t Perrin supposed to be the strong man?

The first several books I really liked. I stopped reading in the fifth book in disgust when I realized that all the women characters in the books were just bitches and all the men were simply too stupid to get anything done. I really think Robert Jordan wasted many moons of my life because the books were so type cast. I never saw anything other than a bunch of catty shrews and inept buffoons. He couldn’t even write an adequately different personality for the villains. It was sad and a complete waste of time. So you guys and gals who may read this and think of picking up the books, DON’T! The softback books tend to be around 1500 pages and there are 8 or 9 of them now. They never look like they are going to end and nothing exciting really happens in it. I can tell you the entire plot follows the very typical high fantasy plot where magic until recently was in the land of stories or distant past until one day someone discovers they use magic. Person A, in this case Rand, can either not deal with it well or be completely at ease with it (Dragon Lance did this with the Cleric girl). Anyway, the story doesn’t end and moves horrendously slow. I read through 1000 pages in the fourth book thinking, “I wonder if this is going to end soon? They are just travelling around and some stupid crows are watching them.” I suppose that he was trying to build suspense but it really just built up extreme boredom. There are better high fantasy books out there, DragonLance (the Chronicles and The Time of the Twin series, or whatever it was called) was pretty good and had a definite ending point and movement throughout the story. Don’t waste your money or your life on this.

With all that said, a miniseries would be pretty interesting becuase it would be forced to keep the plot moving and get rid of all the boring crap that Jordan tends to put in the books. It would be even better since it will have a definite ending point and won’t drag forever like all the books that I read did. I doubt that I will watch it though because it will only remind me of my time that I wasted in reading the books. I should have gone and read Redwall or something more interesting.

HUGS!
Sqrl

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the guy who plays Aries in Xena or Hercules, he’d make a great Perrin Aybarra,
i wouldn’t mind playing the part of Mat myself, always could relate to the guy.(sigh)
ah well. hope they do it well, i don’t want to be disapointed. when is it due to come out?

sounds like there are lots of un-fans in here. hey, if you don’t like it, don’t read it anymore. your opinions are yours to keep and share, but not to press on others.
SqrlCub, deal.
IMO, Jordan writes a great series, and i look forward to reading the 9th book to come out soon.

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I’m also a huge fan of the series. In fact, I’m re-reading it now. Of course, to me the obviouse question is “How can they have a mini-series without an ending to the damn book?”
I think Jordan really needs to concentrate on this series, and start pumping them out a little faster. While I agree that the female characters in the 4th and 5th books irritated me, they all started developing more in the next couple. Growing and matureing. I like the series, and just hope he finishes it in my lifetime. I don’t see how he can wrap it up in 2 more books, and at his rate of writing, that’s another 4 years or so. sigh

8

Ohmygod, what a horrible idea! I refuse to watch the miniseries, I know it’ll be just awful. No cast could ever be right.

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  1. I started this thread so that enthusiasts for this series could discuss it. I would appreciate it if those of you who read this and think the series sucks, start your own thread to discuss the opinion you are entitled to. Did you not notice this

in the OP? I guess I needed to include "and if you want to talk about how you don’t like these books or this author, then please start your own thread about it also.

Damn, some people are so dense light bends around them, I guess.

  1. The people aren’t that old. And even if they are, it really doesn’t matter, as in Hollywood, some stars look really young. Selman Blair looks like she is sixteen or seventeen, but she is 27. Age doesn’t make any difference if you look the part. Tom Cruise could be made to look young enough to be Matt.
    I do like all you picks though, good choices.

  2. I don’t know the details of the deal, just that one guy on a mailing list I am on sent a link to explain why he couldn’t write the screenplay. I don’t have it anymore, and it was vague at best anyway. I don’t think that he sold the rights to the story to NBC, 'cause that would be a dumb thing to do. He just sold them the rights to a screenplay, so that they could do a miniseries.
    You are so right, that the books can drag on and on and on in some places. Theses are the parts that would be omitted to make it fit in the time alotted.
    We can do without all the sniffs and all the dresses and all the girly crap that Jordan had some monkey write for him for filler.

  3. That’s magnus VER magnussen, and see number one (to reiterate, if you want to bitch about how this book sucks, start your own damn thread about it, this one is for people who like it. While those people may dislike certain parts and aspects, overall they like the series and want to talk about it, not trash it. So piss off.

5)I don’t know when it’s gonna come out, there is no info other than “Coming soon” so hopefully it will come out in the next two years.

6)They could effectively make a mini-series out of the first three books. There is suffiecient structure for a complete story in those, and would make a great and entertaining miniseries, IMHO
So then, let’s take it in a different direction. We all know that the series has some crappy aspects, so I want to know about the good parts.
On that note? What was your favorite part or parts?
Do you have any favorite quotes?

I’ll start…

When Galad is wanting to talk to Egwene in some alley and three shienarans attack him. The quote is
“He disabused them.”
Wow, absolutely bad-ass.

And how about in Lord of Chaos when Rand just got busted out of that shitty chest and was all pissed off?

He told Taim “I told you to make weapons for me, Taim. Show me how deadly they are. Disperse the Shaido, break them.”

Taim tell the Asha’man to form a line or circle or ring or some shit, and they do, then to raise the barrier to spans, and they do, and then he tells them to open a can of whoop ass.
The Asha’man start to pick the Shaido apart, and I believe the quote is
“The first rank of the Shaido exploded. There was no other way to describe it, it was as though they were running into a human meat grinder.”

Any book that has a line like that in it has to rule. It makes all the shitty parts worth it. I love it.

I have many more, but I will save those for later after some of you have shared some of yours.

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Lex, I don’t have the books with me to quote from, but I really enjoy the scene where a recovering Mat Cauthon demonstrates the use of a staff against Galad and Gawyn.
I also think there’s way too little of Tom Merilyn in the books, but hey, it’s the Dragon Reborn’s story, isn’t it?

By the way, how about either Lance Henriksen or Daniel Day Lewis for 'Lan? Lewis is a better actor and could bulk up for the role, but Henriksen can scare the piss outa ya!

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Oh man, you are right on! I didn’t even think about Daniel Day Lewis to play Lan, and I think he would be perfect!

I have to disagree about lance henrikson, but DDL is so perfect for the role that it’s okay, right?

And yeah, that scene where Mat whups some ass is really cool. Mat is one of my favorite characters.

What else, folks?

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All the people you are naming are way too old. Rand, Mat, and Perrin are like 20 years old TOPS. Elayne and Egwene are 19. Nynaeve is about 26. If they have to make this ridiculous miniseries, they need to find a bunch of young unknown actors.

And get someone really sexy to play Mat. I have a crush on him.

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wow, what is it with mat? i thought i was the only one who could dig him. kyla’s right though, they are that young so far. But i really REALLY REALLY don’t want to see either Lianardo DiCaprio or Matt Damon in this series. Please LIGHT NO!!!
like that one huh??

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Lexicon, Those are interesting choices. This is a “game” I’ve long played in my own head - who would I cast? (I do it for any books I really enjoy tho I have to admit most of them I don’t want turned into movies or miniseries at all). I have one bit of an observation about your choices tho - most of those people are at least 15 if not 20 years older than the heroes in the WOT. While it’s hard to find good, talented people who are close to the age of our characters, i think it oculd be done. I had one major disagreement (sorry, here I am, new and makingwaves? already!) - Selma Hayek? Maybe it’s just me, but I always thot Egwene was blonde. Tho I’ve been reading basically since the series got going, I only have two firm choice in my head: Gillian Anderson as Moraine. She fits the bill physically in that she is small in stature, but buff enough. She is also an incredibly good actress. My other choice is for a more minor character: Gareth Byrne - Sam Neill.

Nynaeve1723

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Nynaeve?? wow, this board just gets wierder. anyone here actually ever play the game? i’m thinking of getting it.

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Outstanding!

How about Jeremy Irons for Pedron Niall?

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The Wheel of Time had the potential to be one of the greatest fantasy series of all time. I fell in love with it not just because of the storyline (though that is seriously strong in itself) but because of the culture it created. The societal structure was ver well-developed and it didn’t negelct the social interactions particularly from the gender side of things. It’s all subtle but the different perceptions of males and females are constantly explored both directly and within the context of a society that fears men with magic. The haughtiness and arrogance of the Aes Sedai (pardon spelling of I’m wrong - it’s been a few years since I read any of them) and their belittling of men. The I Know Better Attitude displayed by the independant women. The confusion of the young males particularly to the motives of the aforementioned females. And all this is just the background!!

Having said that I was bitterly disappointed when the seventh book came out. Originally the series was to be seven books long and they were certainly well-poised at the end of the sixth novel to wrap it up dramatically. But then it was decided (by the publishers apparently) to make it ten books long instead (probably a mere money grabbing opportunity). And it showed. In book seven hardly anything happened. It just dragged on with very little actual substance. It’s as if he was was just writing filler. Apparently book eight is the same (couldn’t bring myself to read it after 7). Maybe when they’re all out… sigh

Such wasted potential. And only less-slightly annoying was the over indulgence of the stereotypes. Did anyone else find the girls just too grating in the last couple?

Still one of my fave reads though…
What about Joshua Jackson as Perrin? Not bulky but darkish and brooding.

I agree Sarah Michelle-Gellar would prbably fit in (and the girl who plays Willow). Heck even Katie Holmes would probably be a good choice…

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I am sorry folks, but altho it is not bad reading, Jordan drags things out WAY too much. Tolkien did it in 3. Eddings did it in 5. If there were 10 books of good stuff, that would be different, but even so, waiting SO long to come to a conclusion is boring. I read the 1st 8, now I gotta wait a year+ for the next? And I am supposed to remember all that stuff for 2 years? No way! Note I am not saying the books suck, or anything like that, but there is only one reason I can think of for 10 books over such a long period…$$$$

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DPR & Danielinthewolvesden

Boy…I couldn’t agree more with both of you guys. I was beginning to think I was the only one.

I’ve loved these books since the beginning but the 7th and especially 8th book was downright filler. The story line barely advanced at all in the 8th book (I think it was also the shortest in number of pages from the rest). Perhaps there are too many threads in the story line now to keep an effective handle on all of them.

While I’m all for more of a good thing Jordan and/or his publisher are milking this and the books are noticeably suffering as a result. Unfortunately this strategy will work (at least in my case) as I know I’ll have to read each book as it comes out to finish the series. BTW–If I remember correctly Jordan said he had the end of his story in mind before he ever set pen to paper for his first book. The end is already out there…just stuck in his head.

Favorite Scene
I will say I miss the Ogiers (and Loial especially). They were a great race of gentle giants sadly absent (mostly) of late in the books. While there are a ton of great fight scenes in the book (and I look forward to every one) Loial ‘singing’ a staff(?) from a tree really sticks out in my head. What a cool way of doing things and as far as I know original.

Any info on the Hound (Padan Fain) anyone has would be great. I’ve been looking forward to more of his story in the last two books but there was hardly anything. Did I gather correctly from the books that Fain is an evil unto himself…totally separate from the Dark One’s evil and downright powerful in his own right (even though we rarely see him do much)? Does anyone think he is a seed for future (post Wheel of Time) books?

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I don’t know. I didn’t mind the last books that much, true they didn’t move forward much, but if he’d just get them out faster, I wouldn’t mind as much. Also, he keeps throwing more and more storylines in, I can hardly keep track of all the characters as it is, I don’t need him putting more in there. As to the annoying women, I think what he’s trying to show is that those people that are used to being in a position of authority have a difficult time adjusting to not being in charge anymore. Nynaeve was used to being Wisdom of a small village, when she became part of a bigger world, outside of her expirience, she had a difficult time admitting that she might not have always had all the answers. By the end of the last book, most of the characters had gotten back to bearable. Oh, and Eddings did it in 10 actually. While I loved the story, I thought it very cheesy to start another 5 book sereis by saying that “That was only one meeting between the Child of Light and Dark, this is really really the last one”. And I didn’t really care too much for Tolkien anyway, so he’s nothing to impress me with. I like the series, I just want him to write a bit faster. Every time I see another damn Conan book out, I get irritated as hell with him.