Roush Review: Getting Stuck on the ‘Wheel of Time’
Review
The Wheel of Time
If there’s such a thing as fantasy fatigue, I first experienced it in the early 2000s, when I stalled somewhere around the eighth or ninth book in Robert Jordan’s epic (as in overlong) The Wheel of Time series, at a point during the Lord of the Rings wannabe where nothing much was happening for hundreds of tedious pages. (Spoiler alert: Jordan died before finishing the series, and let that be a cautionary tale for others who have lost control of their sprawling sagas.)
The Wheel has finally been adapted for streaming on Prime Video, and while the lavish first season is eventful enough, it’s burdened with clunky exposition, and here are some prime examples: “That child is coming of age now and we must find them before the Dark does.” “The old blood runs deep in those mountains. Let’s hope it’s prepared them for what’s coming.” “There are neither beginnings nor endings to the turning of the Wheel of Time. But it was a beginning.” Much of this ripe recitative belongs to the series’ MVP, the mighty Moiraine (a glassy Rosamund Pike), a sorceress from the elite and feared Aes Sedai sisterhood.
One of the reasons Jordan’s tomes endure is the agency and power given to its female characters. But with a deficit of whimsy and wonder — oh how I longed for someone with the wit of that Game of Thrones imp Tyrion Lannister — Wheel introduces such thinly developed characters that it makes it hard to care (or see) who survives a chaotically filmed attack by monstrous orcs (sorry, trollocs). Thrones fans may be further dismayed to learn that the much-talked-about Dragon Reborn is but a metaphor for the rebirth of a possible savior.
It’s the mysterious identity of this Dragon Reborn that brings Moiraine into the remote Two Rivers region, where the mythical figure of legend could be one of five village youths wrangled for a long — in my case endless — quest. Pike’s star casting shifts the narrative’s balance from the young adults, a particularly colorless crew, to the magical and political intrigues of the Aes Sedai, whose One Power cheesily manifests as wispy white tendrils. But as one of her charges rightly notes, “The lady does shoot fireballs, so let’s try and stay on her good side.”
As this Wheel slowly turns, I’ll wait instead for Prime Video’s Lord of the Rings prequel, set for next year.
The Wheel of Time, Series Premiere, Friday, November 19, Prime Video
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O
I stopped reading it after book 7, which confirmed my rising suspicions that Jordan was milking me as another loooong novel which failed to progress the storyline in any way.
I began watching the tv series with anticipation, which progressed to neutral with concerns, to wanting the 5 main characters die off as quickly as possible. Hello season 1.
I value good writing, good casting and strong production values. Evaluating this series, those 3 components are sorely lacking. And the over the top wokefullness was distracting and preachy. If they recast the 5 main characters, hire some very, very good writers and stop trying to be so "progressive" at every turn, it might be worth a second look.
Season 1
1/10
5
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C
Short and to the point! everyone has their opinion, mine is, I like it. It's different and it passes the time to indulge in a fantasy!
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R
well i liked the books even when some of the stuff was stretched for us 1980's guys 😛 BUT the show omg, never saw such a bad adaption. I don't even blame the actors, the story of the show, how they did it and how they developed the characters is just bad. First time i hope a show gets cancelled fast.. cause i want the time back i watched it.
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G
I always felt Tolkien was an inspiration for Jordan, yet Tolkiens work became very juvenile after reading WOT. GoT Got only a book to become tedious for me. To each his/her own. The wot as a whole is amazing and I can't wait to see it on the screen. Don't listen to people like the articles "author" or fans like myself, just watch and enjoy and make up tour own mind
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R
The book series was good. Definitely YA-oriented, and dated now, but people forget that its so trope-heavy because it helped CREATE those tropes. But there's a good and interesting story there with some good and interesting characters.
The TV series manages to completely crap on all of that. These producers evidently thought they could write a better story than Robert Jordan and the results are... not good. Very disappointing.
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C
I think this critic has lost his mind and has been drawing too much on the one power. The show was amazing and overcame huge problems which they had no control over. The series was engaging deep you didn’t just sit through mind numbing surface eye candy you became invested. This critique is what I call a critics self important view . As a fan of both books and show there are many more who understand and love the show . We matter . We are millions of fans , not one critic
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F
Your intro paragraph is pretty amazing. With this coming to Amazon, I was telling my son about the books and my comments were almost the exact same as.yours - I stalled somewhere around the eighth or ninth book in Robert Jordan’s epic (as in overlong) The Wheel of Time series, at a point during the Lord of the Rings wannabe where nothing much was happening for hundreds of tedious pages.
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