I know I know!
Robert Jordan uses stage directions. That is the problem with his writing.
I have just recently finished book 11.. Book ELEVEN of the Wheel of Time and have finally recognized that his writing includes stage directions. I am a theatre major and have taken many classes that focus on plays and the analysis of these plays so I am slightly disappointed with myself for it taking ELEVEN books to recognize stage directions, and exposition in his writing. I believe Jordan feels some need to emphasize the scene in the chapters, or scenes within a chapter by using two or three paragraphs to describe it instead of using his storytelling. There are some fine examples of his storytelling being able to hold its own without this unnecessary bloat that gets thrown in. I have really enjoyed a few of his books, and I really like the story, but I would like the condensed version even more. In contrast to the Jordan book I have just started reading George R. R. Martin’s fourth book of “A Song of Ice and Fire” series. The prologue of Martin’s book painted a picture that was as detailed as any Jordan book, but I did not skip a single paragraph. In contrast I was skipping many many paragraphs per chapter in Jordan.
I wonder if Jordan is just afraid that this is his only story. If that is his fear I wish he would finish the story concisely and then write novella based on events within. This would work and he would get his pay without dragging out this poor story. The story is good, interesting, and elaborate and could spawn many books just like Dragon lance. At least every three books of the dragon lance series completed something. Book Eleven of the Wheel of time actually advanced the plot a little, which is much more than the past two did.
This weekend a good friend of mine came to visit, and we decided to throw a Nabe party for him. Nabe in short is a one pot meal. Sumo use a version of this to bulk up their weight, but we use a slightly less chaloric/carb version when we have our parties. So far every Nabe party we have thrown has been a success with everyone leaving full and having had a good time. The after food event this time was Karaoke Revolution 2. I had a pretty good time doing this, but I think a couple of the folks might have had a better time with just singing Karaoke including my wife who didn't participate because she didn't know any of the songs or how the game worked. I had a good time with the game but I think for this type of social event simple Karaoke would have been more fun, that is if I still owned a karaoke machine, or karaoke disks with songs folks knew. This is just more fuel for the "buy a good karaoke machine" machine.
After the party was over, Matt and some other friends joined me online for a few hours of Guild Wars. I'll write more about guild wars later, or you can simple search for it and find more pages about it with better write ups that I am able to produce. All in all Guild Wars is a really cool game with no montly fee.
This was a great weekend. The wife had fun, I had fun, and we included friends in it as well. It just does not get much better than this without the winning of large sums of cash.
Today is Veteran's Day. Like Memorial Day we have the veteran's association on campus showing support. There is a small crowd around the tent talking to the vets that are there. I have had two or three people tell me Happy Veteran's Day, as I have told the vets that work here. Like Memorial Day, I am at work. There are no extra flags on campus. There are no speakers advertised in such a way as a casual stroll around campus would let you know. Like Memorial Day, it will bass relatively un-noticed, just like so many veterans will pass un-noticed. The number of veterans who have experienced war up close has dwindled, and folks with really hellish experiences had dwindled even further. There are people in the Gulf war and in the war in Iraq that have had and this is a good thing.
I bring this up because today is a holiday, like Memorial Day, to honor citizens of the US who have served in war, or who have died in/after service. Today is also a forgotten holiday it seems. When we honor our own, we are not given a day off from work, but we give days for Christmas, Easter, and other religious holidays. I am not complaining because I wanted today off, but because today is a day that I, as a veteran, call my Grandfather, who is a veteran, and tell him I appreciate him and the sacrifice he made. My Grandfather does not talk much about his service because the wounds are deep, and un-healed. He visited Pearl Harbor a few years ago, and could not actually go down to the memorial. He is touched every time he hears the national anthem played at a ball game. That is a man who served his country. That is who today is for.
Myself, I am moved by the anthem and those who serve. I am not in the same category as my Grandfather. I hope to never have to make decisions that he made because I know that I am an emotional person, and I know that I would have ghosts with me like my Grandfather.
For me, today is Veteran's Day, today is a day for my Grandfather.
I am reading book 11... that is ELEVEN of Robert Jordan's the wheel of time.
If you have not started this series, don't. I am stuck due to my personality and would love to be done with the story. The problem is Jordan discovered the udders on this cow and is happily milking away. Chapter after chapter of events that neither contribute to the story, nor advance it. Eleven books at an average of around 750 pages each.
I understand he wants to make money, sure we all do. What I would advise being neither a writer or a critic, would be complete the main story, then produce novellas about the side adventures. People have Jordan fatigue due to long waits between books and the lack of an ending. The 10th book was good. I really enjoyed it, this one is once again spinning it's wheels and thumping it's chest accomplishing little.
My personality compells me to finish this series, but my heart, she is not in it.