Lord of Chaos

Finally here!

This is it! Lord of Chaos is finally out in Unabridged format!

Jordan/WoT literati argue about their favorite scene or the best part of the series. Ever since this book was published the battle at the wells has ranked near the top. This book and the two before it are Jordan at his best, his most innovative and balanced. I highly recommend the series (make sure you start with book one).

As for the audiobook... Michael Kramer and Kate Reading have been doing the narration for all 8 unabridged editions so far and they do a very good job of it. The only part of the narrations that bugs me in the slightest is Kramer's portrayal of Gawyn. How come Gawyn has a Brit accent and Elayne and the Emond's Fielders have normal accents? They're all from Andor... Anyway, very good production quality; engrossing story; able to fit on an iPod. What more could you ask for?

37 people found this helpful

Good job

Kate Reading & Micheal Kramer do a fantastic job of narating this series. Anyone interested in High Fantasy should start this series at book 1 and not stop until they are done. My only hope is that they will get the next book done in unabridged formate before I finish this one.

14 people found this helpful

Highs and lows...

Any additional comments?

While still a fantastic read, this book is probably my least favorite in the series thus far, due mostly to the slow pace of things. While I greatly enjoy Robert Jordan's verbose writing style, the repetitiveness of details in this particular title did make the story seem to drag at points and I feel the constant reiteration could have easily been trimmed down without impacting the story. Aside from that, the continued outstanding plot and character development was well worth the down time and the climatic conclusion to the book made the final 8 hours extremely exciting to listen through. I might even argue it’s some of the most exciting writing in the series. Again, Michael Kramer and Kate Reading did a great job with the narration, although I still wish they had agreed upon pronunciations of certain names prior to the recording. Onward!

12 people found this helpful

Good, not great

I agree with another reviewer. there is too much redescribing people and scenarios. At some point can we stop hearing about women who "sniff" after they are angry about something?! I have a running joke about this subject at home. "And she sniffed!" Women think men are wool heads and stubborn, men don't know what to think about women. Yeah bro.... We get it.
Overall this is a great story, but it could have been trimmed down a lot.
Don't worry..... only 7 more books to go. ahhhhh :)

3 people found this helpful

of course a classic BUT so much blabbing

Would you consider the audio edition of Lord of Chaos to be better than the print version?

Overall a great story never get me wrong with that...The audio is very well done and helps with the often tedious overwrought introspection and repetitive and needless self-indulgence of the main characters and the verbal diarrhea of others.

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

There is a great story behind the book that always seems to get lost as characters search there souls, indulge in their own introspection, complain about there plight on and on. The books as a whole start off strong then sink into long periods of diatribe and drivel that does little for character or plot development. The editors/author could have taken out hundreds of pages (hours of listening) and had a much stronger product. I find myself "not listening" to the book as they characters drone on needlessly about nonsense with little regard to the overall plot. Then the plot and action returns and we remember why we love these books. Take the first dozen chapters and the last few and we have a "cant put it down" It is almost like we need more words for the sake of having more words.

One thing I always muse upon is the similarities in plot and characters between the wheel of time and the sword of truth. Reading one is like reading the other.

Which scene was your favorite?

There are so many great scenes in the series of books...

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Will weaton weaves as the will weaton wills hahaha

Any additional comments?

worth a listen..

15 people found this helpful

This book is a matter of taste

Would you listen to Lord of Chaos again? Why?

This series is very long, so I probably won't listen to it again. Having said that, the Lord of Chaos was a good volume and kept the suspense going. I did find it a bit trying to keep all the characters straight, e.g. the Lords of the different kingdoms, the Aes Sedai and Wise Ones belonging to the different factions.What I really hate about this series are the women. I found them all distasteful and completely unbelievable: Nynaeve pulling on her braid, Siuan swearing like a sailor, Elaine acting like a stuck up snit, the aggressiveness of the Aiel women, etc etc. And I found it unbelievable that any man would put up with, let alone fall in love with, women who acted like, for example, Nynaeve or Faile or Aviendha. I've never before read a book or a series where I would have been happy to see the main female characters all be killed off early on. The only main female character I liked so far was Moraine. I started reading the series in book form years ago, but stopped reading it because the women drove me crazy. Apparently most readers are not bothered by the depiction of the female characters, so I guess this is a matter of taste.

What did you like best about this story?

The thing I like best about the Wheel of Time series is how the characters evolve (at least the men: Matt, Perrin and Rand).

What about Kate Reading and Michael Kramer ’s performance did you like?

I really enjoyed Kate Reading's performance - I was always glad when the narration switched over to her. I liked the way Michael Kramer gave different characters different voices (especially Loial the Ogier), but his normal narration irritated me for some reason. I did get used to it over the first 6 volumes, but never learned to like it. This is of course a matter of taste, and I don't mean to be too critical. At all times the narration of both Kate and Michael was smooth and professionally done.

10 people found this helpful

the best of the best

You are reading the best epic fantasy series there is. period. It may take a while to get into it but you will. There are 2600 plus characters but don't get scared teenagers read this every day. You will know these peoples as "friends" and "enemies" and like your own family. Read by the dynamic duo of recitation kate reading and michael kramer... they pull it all together .. I switch genres just to listen to them... It [the series] is really one huge wonderful story broken into 14 too short books that nobody wants to see ended..I can not express how good these books are. I have started 16 different friends reading TWoT and they are all addicted. You think that maybe the books are enchanted some how???
If fantasy is your genre you have arrived....... paul t.

10 people found this helpful

Love the book, but the audio needs to be edited.

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes. It's the Wheel Of Time. I need not say any more on the subject.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Lord of Chaos?

The battle at Dumai's Wells is one of the most definable scenes in the entire genre of Fantasy.

Have you listened to any of Kate Reading and Michael Kramer ’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Michael Kramer and Kate Reading maintain their phenomenal work from earlier Wheel Of Time audiobooks.

Any additional comments?

In the middle of chapter five, there's a strange voice saying: "This audiobook continues on Tape Six. Tape Six." And then Michael Kramer's performance resumes. Now, this is a really minor flaw. But when the audiobook costs almost $70 USD, such a flaw is just silly. Come on, Audible. Edit that out. Sheesh.

6 people found this helpful

Please die Nyaneave

I love he books but stop having the women act like they are socially handicapped. Nyaneave is the most insufferable bitch i have ever come across in a book. There is no way Lan or any other man would want to to be with her. It seemed so forced that he fell in love with such a mean woman. It's not even just that. She thinks all men are dumb, even obviously capable ones like Tom, and that she is the most capable person in the world at every thing. If i was traveling with i would have defected over to the Forsaken just because of her.

21 people found this helpful

Good except for one major thing

The constant reminder of Men vs Women, of men don’t understand women and women don’t understand men, is tedious and annoying. I am not sure there is even one chapter without it.

Otherwise, the story is good.

2 people found this helpful