Television The Wheel of Time | Thread for the TV show - book nerds shoo

wr8_utd

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Love the series and still one of my favorite ever so really hoping this translates well to the screen.
 

WI_Red

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We should have a drinking game:

Take a shot each time Nynaeve tugs on her braid.
 

harshad

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Cannot wait for the episode when Elayne takes a bath. They really should do a Flie-like episode (Breaking Bad) for that event.
This.
There are a lot of descriptions, so that will obviously have to be done differently in the television format. There's an awful lot of story too, though, so there will definitely loads of compromises made. Characters will be cut or merged, or moved in time, storylines as well, and places. You can't really have characters showing up in an episode in Season 1, and then have them return in Season 6 (or whatever). Then you end up with plenty of recasts. Nor can you have 14 seasons. So Season 1 will probably be books 1+2, for example.

It will suck to miss out on some favoured characters or storylines, but it's quite literally unavoidable so I won't really hold it against the writers.

From what I've seen of the production and heard from the creator and actors, I am quietly optimistic. It might be awful, but then we've lost nothing because the books are still there. And the series is done in any case, so we can't get a GoT situation where the books have been significantly delayed by the series - or a situation where a poor ending to the series sours me on the books as well.

I think she'll be great. She's obviously nothing like the book character in physical appearance, but that doesn't really matter. She'll also play a larger role in the series (at least to begin with) than in the books, for a few different reasons.
Agree with all of this. Re: the bolded bit, I think reports suggest that this is indeed the case.
 

b82REZ

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I loved it, I’ve found it hard to make time to read recently but realised I had a bunch of audible credits to use so downloaded the audio book and have been listening to it on my walks in the morning and weekend and ended up doing 17 hours of walking over the last week to get through the half of the book I hadn’t read. Already downloaded book 2 :drool:
After struggling to get into this years a go as my holiday read, I considered the audiobook but the sound quality on the audible version I found was awful. Really crackly and muffled. Is there another version?
 

Pexbo

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After struggling to get into this years a go as my holiday read, I considered the audiobook but the sound quality on the audible version I found was awful. Really crackly and muffled. Is there another version?
Not sure, the version I have from audible is plenty clear enough, not muffled or crackly that’s for sure and Michael Kramer has a great voice for it.
 

b82REZ

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Not sure, the version I have from audible is plenty clear enough, not muffled or crackly that’s for sure and Michael Kramer has a great voice for it.
Just checked again and the sound quality is horrendous. I hope they redo the audio books for the series release. Always been intrigued by this series, but my god the start is dull and a real slog to get through (it's also almost exactly the same as Fellowship of the Ring)
 

WI_Red

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Just checked again and the sound quality is horrendous. I hope they redo the audio books for the series release. Always been intrigued by this series, but my god the start is dull and a real slog to get through (it's also almost exactly the same as Fellowship of the Ring)
Very odd. I checked out the entire series, one by one, from the library back in the day on CD audiobook. Kramer and Redding are the GOAT's of Fantasy audiobooks and I do not remember there being any issues with the audio.
 

nimic

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Just checked again and the sound quality is horrendous. I hope they redo the audio books for the series release. Always been intrigued by this series, but my god the start is dull and a real slog to get through (it's also almost exactly the same as Fellowship of the Ring)
The Eye of the World definitely draws a lot of inspiration from the Lord of the Rings. It diverges after that, though. And the book is still very good, even though it's a bit slow to get started.
 

b82REZ

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Very odd. I checked out the entire series, one by one, from the library back in the day on CD audiobook. Kramer and Redding are the GOAT's of Fantasy audiobooks and I do not remember there being any issues with the audio.
I wish I could link the sample on the audible app. Maybe it's just that bit but it isn't as high quality as all the other audiobooks I've listened to.

Roy Doltrice (although he's not everyone's cup of tea because if his accents) has set the bar high for other fantasy books audio versions.
 

WI_Red

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I wish I could link the sample on the audible app. Maybe it's just that bit but it isn't as high quality as all the other audiobooks I've listened to.

Roy Doltrice (although he's not everyone's cup of tea because if his accents) has set the bar high for other fantasy books audio versions.
Yet another thing to be angry at Martin for. If he ever finishes the series we will not get to hear Roy narrate the last book or 2.
 

b82REZ

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Yet another thing to be angry at Martin for. If he ever finishes the series we will not get to hear Roy narrate the last book or 2.
Genuinely don't think I'll be able to listen to them. I'm a couple of chapters into Clash of Kings atm, such a tremendous book. Easily the best of the ASOIAF and top 5 fantasy books of all time.
 

WI_Red

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Genuinely don't think I'll be able to listen to them. I'm a couple of chapters into Clash of Kings atm, such a tremendous book. Easily the best of the ASOIAF and top 5 fantasy books of all time.
Michael Page is great as well, but I might be biased because he narrates my favorite Fantasy book of all time: The Lies of Locke Lamora.

Anyways, back on topic. My wife has a visceral hatred of Perrin. When we discuss the series you can hear the loathing in her voice.
 

b82REZ

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Michael Page is great as well, but I might be biased because he narrates my favorite Fantasy book of all time: The Lies of Locke Lamora.

Anyways, back on topic. My wife has a visceral hatred of Perrin. When we discuss the series you can hear the loathing in her voice.
Never heard of it and I always struggle to use my credit every month on audible so I might look at this.
 

WI_Red

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Never heard of it and I always struggle to use my credit every month on audible so I might look at this.
Last I'll say so as to not derail the thread (we can move this to the fantasy reads thread if you have questions). It is an excellent book and (unfinished) series. Only book I've ever restarted as soon as I finished it. A word of warning, the author is pulling a Rothfuss/Martin and has delayed publishing the next book in the series for years now. In his case it's down to a mental health issue (severe anxiety).
 

b82REZ

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Last I'll say so as to not derail the thread (we can move this to the fantasy reads thread if you have questions). It is an excellent book and (unfinished) series. Only book I've ever restarted as soon as I finished it. A word of warning, the author is pulling a Rothfuss/Martin and has delayed publishing the next book in the series for years now. In his case it's down to a mental health issue (severe anxiety).
Thanks. I'll look into them next month.
 

e.cantona

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Read this in my teens, loved it before running out of books, around book 8 or 9 and guess I grew out of it. Learned of the TV series about a year ago and tried to reread the first couple of books. Not quite as I remembered them. It's written for a younger audience, is my impression. Can't wait for the TV show
 

Bobski

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I am equal parts excited and anxious about this show. The best parts of the books are wonderful, full of amazing set pieces and character moments(one of my early favourites was the trip through the portal stones in The Great Hunt) and the central core of the story is so strong. However there is a lot of indulgent waffling in there as well.

Beyond half expecting it to be a disaster, would happily settle for The Witcher level, solid but limited, even though the original material has a much higher peak.
 

ivaldo

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Never heard of it and I always struggle to use my credit every month on audible so I might look at this.
Michael Page is an absolute treasure and, as @WI_Red says, does an incredible job with the Gentleman Bastard books.
 

DouLou

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Im so sad I never am able to finish this series. I've tried twice now and fail to make it past the 9th book both times which I read is the infamous "slump". I don't know why since I really do love so much about it but I think at a certain point it does drag for me. The thing is now I've read the first 8 books twice but it's been like 2 years since and now I feel like a lot of stuff is to hazy for me to just pick up book 9. Maybe I'll start it again!
 

nimic

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Im so sad I never am able to finish this series. I've tried twice now and fail to make it past the 9th book both times which I read is the infamous "slump". I don't know why since I really do love so much about it but I think at a certain point it does drag for me. The thing is now I've read the first 8 books twice but it's been like 2 years since and now I feel like a lot of stuff is to hazy for me to just pick up book 9. Maybe I'll start it again!
10 (Crossroads of Twilight) is the worst book, but I do still like it. If you're on 9 (Winter's Heart) I urge you to continue, it has a great pay-off. Also books 11-14 are all amazing, and unlike many fantasy/sci-fi series WoT has a satisfying ending.
 

Sylar

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Ive been following the Twitter stuff and hoping this is an epic as a lot of people tell me this can rival GoT
I'm not lookint for comparison but hoping for something epic

I haven't read the books, would people advise I watch it fresh or read the books first?
Keeping in mind I went for the former with GoT too?

(Guessing it might be hard to answer?)
 

Lastwolf

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Ive been following the Twitter stuff and hoping this is an epic as a lot of people tell me this can rival GoT
I'm not lookint for comparison but hoping for something epic

I haven't read the books, would people advise I watch it fresh or read the books first?
Keeping in mind I went for the former with GoT too?

(Guessing it might be hard to answer?)
Theres 14 books, the chances of it all making it to screen is pretty slim, even if this goes 6-10 years or makes it to the end, there's going to be cuts.

If I hadn't read the books, I'd not, they are good but I find once you have a mental image of how things look and sound, it takes a while to break that and it might detract from the show. Also like I said, storylines will be getting dropped, there's less chance you'll be annoyed if you don't know they exist.
 

Sylar

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Theres 14 books, the chances of it all making it to screen is pretty slim, even if this goes 6-10 years or makes it to the end, there's going to be cuts.

If I hadn't read the books, I'd not, they are good but I find once you have a mental image of how things look and sound, it takes a while to break that and it might detract from the show. Also like I said, storylines will be getting dropped, there's less chance you'll be annoyed if you don't know they exist.
Thanks, that's helpful

Think I'll follow things without spoilers and watch fresh :)
 

b82REZ

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Ive been following the Twitter stuff and hoping this is an epic as a lot of people tell me this can rival GoT
I'm not lookint for comparison but hoping for something epic

I haven't read the books, would people advise I watch it fresh or read the books first?
Keeping in mind I went for the former with GoT too?

(Guessing it might be hard to answer?)
This has been a series that has always intrigued me but I really couldn't get into the first book. It's basically an adaptation of Fellowship of the Ring.

I have been told that it does forge its own path in later books so maybe the show will prompt me to push through and read them.
 

Grylte

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How is this on audio book?

I got stuck in book 10, and struggle to get through it, not because i don't love it, i do, i just find it hard to sit still and read.
 

Lastwolf

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How is this on audio book?

I got stuck in book 10, and struggle to get through it, not because i don't love it, i do, i just find it hard to sit still and read.
I listened rather than read the last few books, loved it, there's a seperate voiceover for male and female perspective chapters which is nice.

This has been a series that has always intrigued me but I really couldn't get into the first book. It's basically an adaptation of Fellowship of the Ring.

I have been told that it does forge its own path in later books so maybe the show will prompt me to push through and read them.
Apparently, he intended it to be similar to the Fellowship at the start, but apart from band of young people escape pursuit from their homeland to "safety" it's not that much more than having a few tropes, by the end of the book it's very different.

Rand is the ring, as the dragon reborn their objective isn't to destroy him but to keep him alive without him become corrupted/ destroying the world
 
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Sylar

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This has been a series that has always intrigued me but I really couldn't get into the first book. It's basically an adaptation of Fellowship of the Ring.

I have been told that it does forge its own path in later books so maybe the show will prompt me to push through and read them.
I think the idea of watching this then following it with the audio book is a good idea
 

b82REZ

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I think the idea of watching this then following it with the audio book is a good idea
I tried that route but the audio book on audible sounds like it's been recorded on a gramophone while the reader stood in another room.