Book Worms  |  Amazon.com

When I first picked up Robert Jordan's Eye of the World, I did so with the highest of recommendations from fellow fantasy readers. Most praise heaped upon this best-selling author invoked the name of Tolkien, and, while all fantasy writers owe this storied predecessor a debt of gratitude, Jordan forges a style all his own. This novel, which became the starting point for Jordan's wildly popular Wheel of Time series, is a spell-binding introduction to a rich, epic landscape, a doorway into the author's hand-crafted fantasy world. With engaging characters and an intricate plot, Eye of the World grabs the reader from the outset, pulling him through eight hundred pages of adventure and discovery.

Set in the Third Age, Eye of the World is, at its most basic level, a tale of swords and sorcerers. In reality, it is much, much more than that. It tells of three young men and their danger-filled path to maturity and responsibility. It gives us mythical heroes we quickly come to love and terrifying villains, the scope of whose power knows no bounds. It speaks of the timeless battles between good and evil, battles which renew with each passing of a generation. And, lastly, it speaks of hope and promise, of a fearful people, ones who have suffered long and seek salvation in the eyes of a hero reborn.

Robert Jordan introduces us to characters which, to varying degrees, capture our hearts piece by piece as his tale unfolds. Mat, Perrin, and Rand, his three main protagonists from the small village of Two Rivers, watch as their world is turned upside-down by a danger they did not think existed. Moraine Sedai and her protector, the Warder Lan, come to Two Rivers to protect these three, knowing that their lives hold a grave importance in the grand scheme of the world's Pattern. Nynaeve and Egwene, one the village healer and the other her protégé, reach a crossroads in their respective lives, caught between keeping their fragile world together and helping tear it apart. As we follow these characters throughout Eye of the World, we come to live their adventures and speed them along on their most perilous journey.

For all of the wonder and majesty of this book, Eye of the World is not without its flaws. Jordan exhibits a surprising inability to develop strong female characters. While Moraine is clearly a powerful sorceress, her character's intentions and motivations are left largely shrouded, though this may be part of Jordan's intent. Nynaeve and Egwene, on the other hand, play merely supporting roles in this odyssey, even though we are continually reminded that they are an integral piece of the grand Pattern. They seem stereotypical and trite, adding little to the book's overall power. Despite this, though, Jordan delivers a moving tale which has already spawned seven sequels. With his ever-shifting fantasy realm and his compelling male leads, Jordan is able to spin a yarn that can now add one more fan to its expanding legion of followers.

•  Send Comments

(Reviewed 11/9/99.)