Which is Better: The Wheel of Time or LotR?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around a comparison between "The Wheel of Time" and "The Lord of the Rings," exploring personal preferences, narrative pacing, and overall enjoyment of the two series. Participants share their experiences and opinions on the storytelling, character development, and writing styles of both works.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Exploratory

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants note that "The Wheel of Time" was influenced by "The Lord of the Rings" but argue it has its own unique qualities.
  • Concerns are raised about the pacing of "The Wheel of Time," with some stating that it becomes boring in the middle and lacks closure at the end.
  • Several participants express a strong preference for "The Lord of the Rings," citing its superior storytelling and character resolution.
  • Others mention that while they enjoyed the first few books of "The Wheel of Time," the series later felt drawn out and repetitive.
  • One participant introduces a different series, "A Song of Ice and Fire," suggesting it would be a more challenging comparison.
  • There are mixed feelings about the writing style of "The Lord of the Rings," with some appreciating the poetry and others finding it tedious.
  • Some participants express admiration for other fantasy series, such as the "Farseer Trilogy" by Robin Hobb, indicating a broader context for their preferences.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally express differing opinions on which series is superior, with no consensus reached. Many favor "The Lord of the Rings," while others advocate for "The Wheel of Time," highlighting a range of preferences and experiences.

Contextual Notes

Participants reference specific books and elements of both series, indicating that their opinions are influenced by personal reading experiences and preferences for narrative style and character development.

Greg Bernhardt
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The Wheel of Time was heavily influenced by LotR, but it's unique enough to stand on it's own. Which do you prefer?
 
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The wheel of time becomes really boring in the middle. There are books of 600 pages which literally don't advance the story at all. Furthermore, the end of the wheel of time is very open. I would have loved some more closure (I do appreciate that the series got a closure at all after the author dying). But, for example, I would have loved to know which characters lived and which characters died. It's not at all clear. I ended the series with a lot of unanswered questions and it's really frustrating.

So I prefer the Lord of the Rings for these reasons.
 
Nothing and absolutely nothing beats LOTR not wheel of time, not Inheritance, not harry potter, not even Principia Mathematica (though it comes close).
 
Greg Bernhardt said:
The Wheel of Time was heavily influenced by LotR, but it's unique enough to stand on it's own. Which do you prefer?
I prefer the Wheel of Time, but as micro said, it does slow down after, I think the 4th book in (it's been years.)

LOTR, the book, were slow with all of the elf poems that made me crazy, I had to skip over them.

The movies I loved.
 
Had you picked a comparison like "A Song of Ice and Fire", Greg, it would have been a difficult choice.

I found the WoT extremely boring.
 
LoTR, no competition. It's like comparing Katharine Ross to Jennifer Aniston.
 
The first 3 books of WoT were good but then it just turned into a effort to produce words.
 
Integral said:
The first 3 books of WoT were good but then it just turned into a effort to produce words.

I agree. I particularly liked book 1, but the two next followups weren't that bad, either. But, then it just rambled on and on (I believe I have read 6 or 7 of the books).
 
I hope this isn't too far away from the OP to be distracting.

I must admit, I haven't read "Wheel of Time", but I have read LOTR a couple of times along with the Hobbit (which IMHO not as good as LOTR by quite a margin). Not being a massive reader, I considered that LOTR was as good as that style of writing could be, but then, I was introduced to the "Far-seer Trilogy" by Robin Hobb. If you, like myself think that 'Tolkin' is/was great, Robin Hobb steps it up a level. Think Game of Thrones without the multitude of waring groups and almost random deaths.


Damo
 
  • #10
I also like the Farseer Trilogy, Tawny Man and Second Son works by Robin Hobb. :smile:
 
  • #11
The Wheel of Time for me. The ones I have read are Malazan series (not full) but boy, those are AWESOME!
 
  • #12
I call for a vote that all who prefer the wheel of time to LoTR be banned for as long as it takes to reread the LoTR triology and change their opinions. :devil: (:biggrin:)

@Damo ET- Hobbit is great as a children's novel, adults should stick to the later three
@Evo- Elf poems drive you crazy? Those poems were the best part of the book, I believe I kept singing TOM-BOM-BOMBADIL and Strider's introduction by Bilbo for a month,
I was 12 :blushing:
 
Last edited:
  • #13
By the way Greg which do YOU prefer?
 

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