Wheel of Time coming November 2021 to Amazon!

[svalbard]

If my memory serves correctly Mat was also extremely lucky at games of chance. It was his gift.

 

[HareBrain]

I have no stake in this, but the small sniggering boy in me loved this bit of review by Hugo Rifkind:

"The more witchy humans are called Channelers and have a skill called "listening to the wind", which leaves me helplessly imagining somebody putting their ear to a bottom. Do this particularly well, worse luck, and you end up "touching the source". Whatever world this is, I suspect they don't have Viz."

(For non-Brits, Viz is an adult comic whose humour relies on childish rudeness.)

 

[Judderman]

Does anyone pull their braids yet?

 

[svalbard]

Does anyone pull their braids yet?

Braids get a mention in first episode. I think that is a nod for the book fans. Have to say 2nd episode is an improvement. Rosamund Pike and Daniel Henney, as Morainne and Lan are carrying the show so far.

 

[hitmouse]

I watched the first episode and a half. Not impressed. I had forlornly hoped this would be an improvement on the book itself.
Lucy Mangan’s review in The Guardian pretty much sums up my thoughts.

 

[Judderman]

It seems they have a more modern take on womens roles, and various background changes. Interesting discussion here;

Andrew and Lee dissect The Wheel of Time’s television premiere

Amazon's new series premiered last night, and there's a whole lot to talk about.

arstechnica.com

 

[Bagpuss]

I was tentatively interested then I read a couple of spoilers, in particular

Spoiler

Perrin now having a dead wife he killed in a rage - a wife we never see no less

In terms of the spoiler (and I'll put this in a spoiler tags) it's not a massive creative change.

Spoiler: Book vs TV show: Perrin

Is Perrin a killer? Absolutely he is. Perrin is a killer in the first book. He kills two Whitecloaks and is sentenced by Geofram Bornhald to hang in Amador. He murders the Whitecloaks in a rage after they kill Hopper. In the tv show he kills his wife in an accident in the middle of combat. In either case, Perrin killing someone else informs and influences his character. So, I can see why they kept him killing someone. Equally, I can see why they changed the circumstances of who he killed. And that's possibly going to have implications down the road.

 

[The Big Peat]

In terms of the spoiler (and I'll put this in a spoiler tags) it's not a massive creative change.

Spoiler: Book vs TV show: Perrin

Is Perrin a killer? Absolutely he is. Perrin is a killer in the first book. He kills two Whitecloaks and is sentenced by Geofram Bornhald to hang in Amador. He murders the Whitecloaks in a rage after they kill Hopper. In the tv show he kills his wife in an accident in the middle of combat. In either case, Perrin killing someone else informs and influences his character. So, I can see why they kept him killing someone. Equally, I can see why they changed the circumstances of who he killed. And that's possibly going to have implications down the road.

Spoiler

Killing an enemy who's just killed a friend and killing your own wife are miles, miles apart on the trauma hit for such actions. It's about as big a change as possible in this regard.

Moreover, the impact on Perrin isn't the most important part here. It's the completely unnecessary continuation of the use of women, and violence to women, simply as a minor dramatic device in a man's story. It's crass and lazy at very best.

 

[Stephen Palmer]

Have seen all three episodes.
Not bad, but riddled with cliche (as were the books apparently - haven't read 'em.) e.g. the Standard Fantasy Tavern.
I thought Rosamund Pike and her protector were excellent.
Stunning production values.

 

[therapist]

I thought Rosamund Pike and her protector were excellent.

I was pretty excited seeing Rosamund Pike as Moraine. Especially because of her role in Gone Girl. I think the casting is pretty en pointe. Moraine and Lan are both perfect. As are Perrin and Mat. Feels a bit weird that Mat's actor pulled out/ got fired (after s1) not sure what happened there.

Will not be a good show if you dislike standard fantasy troupes, as i'm pretty sure Robert Jordan set out to write a LotR-esque story. For me it's good enough to keep me watching, but not enjoying it as much as I enjoyed the first GoT season. Both seem like fair comparisons to me as I watched both after reading the book.

 

[Stephen Palmer]

Pretty good episode 4. Gonna watch episode 5 in a moment, with macaroni cheese accompaniment...

 

[svalbard]

Episode 5 also very good. I like that they have mixed the books up. It is making for a better story. The production values are really good. Tar Valon is a sight to behold.

 

[G.T.]

The only complaint I have about the series so far is that every scene feels really short before they move to another. I read a review where someone said it was like watching a show created from a series of tweets and I have to agree.

I really want to see good fantasy on TV and this does have a fairly high production value, but there is something lacking. I read some of the books more than 20 years ago but can't really remember much of anything so I'm not a fan to be worried about faithful adaptation, but for me there is something missing from this series.

If season one of Game of Thrones was a 9/10 then this is a 6, maybe a 7.

 

[rscottb]

They’ve changed just enough around to “give more insight to a viewer that hasn’t read the books or a reader who wondered about characters backstories” (like I don’t create that all in my head as I go or don’t care about it) that it makes wonder at times why I don’t remember reading what I’m seeing. Episode 8 had me on the edge of my seat during the show and then frustrated afterwards when I realized that was the end of season 1 and season 2 is rumored to probably start late 2022 (even though 1/2 of the seasons episodes have already been filmed.)
The thing I appreciate the most are the shows producers not resorting to gratuitous sex and nudity like Game of Thrones. Neither story needs it or is improved by it.

 

[BAYLOR]

Season 2 is done and next season 3. One wonders how many season they got mapped out for this one. I wish they do dvds.

 

[BAYLOR]

The Horn of Valere , rewatched that scene, . pretty amazing.

 

[elvet]

I binge watched Season 2 this weekend. In between watching the two seasons I finished reading the series. I think that helped a lot, since it is hard to keep track of the main characters and locations, never mind the new additions. Having said that, I think that Season 2 of WoT is very good, both from this reader's standpoint and a viewer's.
The main book changes allow the TV version to streamline the pacing and bring the mechanisms of the plot into better focus. In the eight hours I watched, I had a cleared idea of who each character was and their potential than I ever had in the first 3-4 books that this season is based on.
I also liked the shift to fleshing out the Forsaken as individuals with motives of their own.
As TV viewing, There wasn't much I didn't like. (Though I'll be honest and say that I can't tell poor CGI from good. so if you are rating on that or special effects, go for it.) Every episode had some highs and lows, as each main character has their moment. This season sees them come into their own, being separated at the end of the last. The Seanchan were introduced, and their damane were just as scary as I'd imagined.
I read that season 3 is a go. If it is as good as this last one, I hope it keeps attracting viewers. Because my fear is that the interest and money will run out of steam before they get to the end of the series.

 

[BAYLOR]

Perhaps I should give the rest of the books series another go.

 

[elvet]

Perhaps I should give the rest of the books series another go.

For what it is worth, you can find my book review here: link for WoT series review post #27