From the Robert Jordon newsgroup (not my own words):

In TEotW, Thom teaches Mat and Rand to juggle. By the time they reach Caemlyn, Mat can perform "six-ball circles", which I
interpreted as a six-ball shower. No way. You could probably count the number of people in the world today who can shower
six balls to a performance standard on the fingers of one hand. Assuming there are any. I've only twice seen a five-ball shower
done well. (David Mortman and others)

For those who may be confused by it, Loial is not ten of our feet tall, but ten Randland feet. A Randland foot is ten inches, rather than twelve, making him 8'4" in our measurements.

The first two hundred pages of this book parallel the first two hundred pages of "Fellowship of the Ring" uncannily. Consider: it opens with much discussion of an upcoming celebration involving fireworks and foreign visitors. Four inhabitants of a backwater flee their homeland due to forces and prophecies lying deep in the past; their homeland is attacked by dark beings in the meantime. They arrive at a town and stay awhile at an inn, where foolish talk causes trouble and dark beings are met by night. The inn is attacked after they leave, and there is trouble with the gatekeeper. They flee to the ruins of an ancient time, where foolish wandering causes real trouble; disaster is averted barely, by luck. They then flee towards a river.

The difference is, Chapter 2 of Tolkien is devoted to an explanation of background so that we have an idea from the outset of where the whole thing is heading, with the destruction of the Ring an obvious goal. In Jordan we have to pick up whatever we can here and there, and since his universe is all cyclical there is literally no end in sight.

read what I had to say about the seventh book, and the serie as a hole, in my web page, in the book section:

http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Nova/1105/homepage-main.html

I just finished this book, and am puzzled by one thing: why didn't any of the One-Power-talented women pick up on Rand's gifting the way they did with each other? Is it because *saidar* and *saidan* are so different?

On second thought, I don't really want an answer. Just tell me if I'll find out in later books.

[BTW, yes, I notice the resemblance to Tolkien. Fortunately Jordan knows where to stop, unlike Brooks. I found this a very creative story.]

My dear Sarah, let me assure you, you will not feel this way five volumes down the road. If you want a friendly advise, quit while you're ahead, and go read some GOOD fantasy.

If by good fantasy you mean Brooks, Omer, I do not have a problem with him as a writer, but I couldn't read more than two of the Shannara books ( though "Sword" had a great ending) because--oh, it's hard to explain. I didn't get bored (Brooks is never boring), but I just kind of knew too much of what might be coming. I can second-guess Brooks, while Jordan (so far) is continually surprising me. I will take your advise under advisement. Thanks.

[BTW, I do have pretty high standards for the artistry of what I read. Being an English major will do that for a person.]

Sarah, I DO NOT mean Terry Brooks as ' good fantasy' . I was thinking more to the lines of Rogern Zealansy(sp?), or, my favorite, George R R Martin's A SONG OF ICE AND FIRE.

That's much better written and totally surprising.

The only reason you can't forsee Jordan is because NOTHING EVER happends.

There are millions of former WOT fans out there, who grew deadly bored. Ususally its A Crown of Swords or A Path of Dagger that does the trick.

Omer, I think I may have read A Song of Ice and Fire. I seem to recall that awesome-sounding title. Is that the book where the main character is from our world and somehow falls into another, where(it's been a few years since I read it) music sometimes becomes visible? I remember a journey he had to take, and rich people putting fiery stuff in thier hair to look good, and a surprising end that I'm not sure I completely understood. I agree that whoever wrote this book is a good writer, very inventive, and well worth reading, but I just didn't get some of it. I should try reading it again and see if the ending makes more sense this time.

As for Zealany, I've heard the name, but I'm just starting to read fantasy written more recently. I used to be a real older-fantasy fan, since I hate reading anything that seems like a rerun of something really good (unfortunantely there seem to be quite a few of those out these days).

BTW, my mental jury is still out on Jordan. I admit to being skeptical that he can keep up the intricate pace of Eye of the World for several more books, but I had them all recommended to me by two people whose literary tastes I really trust. Also I want to know, now, what happens to Rand and Co. ;-)

[Also, we may just have different tastes. I adore Tolkein, and I know you don't think he's so great. To each his or her own.}

mmm, no the book you're refering to isn't A Song of Ice and Fire. I know we have different tastes, but let me assure you, ASoIaF is as great as Fantasy gets.
Oh, but don't take my word for it. Go buy 'Legends' its a collection of short stories by Fantasy writers, who wrote stories in their worlds. You'll find a WOT story by Jordan, and a SoIaF by Martin, as well as stuff by Silverberg, Stephen King, Ursulla K Leguin, etc.
Its an incredible collection.
get it, read Jordan to see what happened to his writing in the 10 years since Eye of the world... and then... read Martin's story, The Hedge Knight.
I asure you, you'll love it.
Omer

I jsut got hold of The Eye of the World in my local Asda for £1.63. If it's bad, it's not much lost, but I am always looking for new authors. I've read Tolkien, and all of Eddings, Feist, Gemmell, Pratchett, and am reading Song of Ice and Fire. So Jordan might not be great but I am enjoying what I have read so far.

In Chapter 43, Loial states that no Ogier has met the Green Man in a long time. Yet in Chapter 46, he says that Elder Haman (who is still alive) has met the Green Man. While his meeting with the Green Man might have been a long time by human standards, Ogier have a different idea of what constitutes a long time (consider that Loial thinks of the Two Rivers as Manetheren, even though that nation hasn't existed for 2000 years).