The Eye of the World

An exceptional dive back into the fantasy realm that I didn't realise I was sorely missing. I watched the show first, and then have picked up the novels after feeling both scintillated and disappointed enough in certain parts of the show, upon recommendation from someone. (Who has been recommending them for several years, but here we are.) And I can see why.

The world-building is sublime, and somehow, easier to follow than most of the novels I've read, despite how there is so much of it all at once. Robert Jordan is a crafter at these tidbits, not ever truly succumbing to information-dumping. His characters read as real, true people. There was so much dialogue, I was a bit uncertain if it would become dried out, or redundant; but it was balanced, and the interactions were enough to whisk you away right into them. The pacing was also excellent; for me, I never felt bored. There were enough pause moments, arguments, and developments in silence, that I felt like things were slow; but there was also the endless sense of urgent danger, of the chase, of the shadow following after, that it was never a wondering of whether or not there was a point.

All in all, I'm looking forward to travelling alongside them as they continue their adventures. I'm already gleaning my favourite characters out; and despite some things perhaps being a bit “I saw that coming,” it's delivered in a method that makes me feel satisfied for guessing. There are also plenty of things that I didn't really see coming.