New Spring

[QuirkyTemplate]

I think everyone already talked about this short story ... but ....

I read the first chapter of the story (the one you get for free at the website), and I must say, in terms of writing it was a little downhill from par. Maybe I've just not read the WoT in a while but I thought RJ could have done a lot better. But then again, I only read the first chapter, maybe the writing goes up. What do you all think?

[LaughingTurtle]

It's been awhile since i've read New Spring, once I do it, i'll get back to you...

[Gina]

"New Spring"?

I'm lost, what is this?

I even tried looking in B&N website.

:confused:

[LaughingTurtle]

"New Spring" is a short story by RJ, that is in the "Legends" (Robert Silverberg - editor) books. (RJ is in book 3) There are 3 legends paperback books or one hardback that contain short stories from practically all the most well known fastasy writers. They are great reads! I mean, to have stories from all those wonderful authors all in one place....

~~closes eyes in rapture~~

Ahhhhhh. Even if you don't like New Spring, or some of the other authors stories, it's definitely worth getting.

[Gina]

OHHHHHHHHHHH!

So that's my next book after Pillars of Creation which is coming out in November.

:D

[QuirkyTemplate]

Pillars of Creation

T. Goodkind? I had given up on that whole series until Faith of the Fallen came out. That book just rocked. Better than Winter's Heart in my opinion.

[LaughingTurtle]

Excellent! I see someone else enjoys reading the Sword of Truth Saga. I can't wait til November also! Though the pillars will have to go after the Faded Sun Trilogy, which goes after Assassin's Apprentice, which goes after Antrx... ~~pant, pant ~~ Whew! Well, back to my reading.

[QuirkyTemplate]

which goes after Assassin's Apprentice

Don't expect too much outta this one. Nothing happens. At all.

It's like a historical document with some magic thrown in. That and it's in the first person ~shutter~ ... ugh ....

But it does have its redeaming qualities.

[LaughingTurtle]

The thing all being in the first person was one of it's redeaming qualitities i heard. How many fantasy books have been written in the first person? So right off the bat, it's different. Secondly, who knows, i might like a historical novel.........yeeeeaaaahh, right. :D ;) :rolleyes:

Oh well, i'll just have to find out for myself.

[magatsu17]

I didn't know another Sword of Truth book was comming out so soon, is faith of the Fallen is soft cover yet?? I mean damn that like two books in one year. i luv sword of truth, and I have to agree wit QT, that Faith of the Fallen is better then Winter's Heart. Not that it come close to the 2,3,4,5,6 but it is better the 8 and 9 for that matter.

As for Assains apprintice, it's exellent and a very good read. Plus I luv the first person view too.

by the way has anyone read the Barbed Coil, I've read JV jone the book of words, and while it was a pretty good series, the ending was total garbage. is that one any better?

[Jacob]

Free at the website, QT? Which website is that? And are you sure that you are talking about New Spring? I know that A strike at Shayol ghul used to be availble at the Tor website. Used to, I say, because I can no longer find it. I went to the site just now and followed a link for their RJ page to where RJ samples were supposed to be...but there were no RJ samples any more. I'm thinking that we're talking about digital copyright rights and all that (think greed ----> Snow).

A New Spring is absolutely excellent. Far better in terms of writing than the last couple of WOT novels. You certainly don't NEED to have read New Spring in order to follow the plot of WOT, but it ads alot of "flesh" I think. Also, several of the other stories in Legends are equally good. For some of the authors, their novellas published in Legends is the best they've done that I've read.

[Beowulf]

Yeah, New Spring was like a tasty little side dish that most people miss out on. I bet there are still alot of WoT fans who have never even heard of it. It doesn't matter though since they eventually find out about it, and since it happened before the series it doesn't matter where you are in the series when you read it.

I like how it fleshed out Moiraine and Lan's pasts the way it did. Moiraine is one of the best characters in the books, imo. I think the series went downhill a bit after her apparent demise. That was around when the Aes Sedai really started being portrayed as major incompetent bitches and lost all their mystery, too.

[QuirkyTemplate]

I don't remember the website but it was only showing the first chapter of New Spring. Not the entire story. It also showed the first chapter to all of the stories in that book (Legends?). Anyway, I never got around to reading any of the other stories. I just kinda thought that RJ could have done a lot more with Lan's perspective than I am stoney! I wish for deah!. I mean -- this is a young Lan right? But then again, I only read the first chapter so I have no credit on this one.

The further and further I get into The Otherland, the better and better it gets. I'd say it's at about 75 - 80% of what the WoT is. Now I'm talking strictly complexity of plot, quality of storyline, and character development.

[balefire]

Originally posted by Jacob
Free at the website, QT? Which website is that? And are you sure that you are talking about New Spring? I know that A strike at Shayol ghul used to be availble at the Tor website. Used to, I say, because I can no longer find it. I went to the site just now and followed a link for their RJ page to where RJ samples were supposed to be...but there were no RJ samples any more. I'm thinking that we're talking about digital copyright rights and all that (think greed ----> Snow).

A New Spring is absolutely excellent. Far better in terms of writing than the last couple of WOT novels. You certainly don't NEED to have read New Spring in order to follow the plot of WOT, but it ads alot of "flesh" I think. Also, several of the other stories in Legends are equally good. For some of the authors, their novellas published in Legends is the best they've done that I've read.

If you need The Strike at Shayol Ghul I can give it to you. I have it as a Word Doc back in my computer. But you'll have to wait till the end of Nov because I'm currently out of the country & I haven't seen my PC since July.

I've never seen New Spring, either in the bloody bookshops or in the Light-burned library. And the Guide isn't available in the library either. Why in Shai'tan's name is it so flaming hard to get hold of good books?

[balefire]

Originally posted by Mister Beowulf
Yeah, New Spring was like a tasty little side dish that most people miss out on. I bet there are still alot of WoT fans who have never even heard of it. It doesn't matter though since they eventually find out about it, and since it happened before the series it doesn't matter where you are in the series when you read it.

I like how it fleshed out Moiraine and Lan's pasts the way it did. Moiraine is one of the best characters in the books, imo.

And that's precisely why I find it so flaming exasperating the book is nowhere to be found. I want to know how Lan & Moiraine got together & what past history they shared!

Originally posted by Mister Beowulf
I think the series went downhill a bit after her apparent demise. That was around when the Aes Sedai really started being portrayed as major incompetent bitches and lost all their mystery, too.

Tell me about it. Since when are Ass Sedai omnipotent? They think they know everything & much of their information eg. about linking & a'dam are wrong. They are untrained children & they think they're omniscient. Blood & bloody ashes!!!

[QuirkyTemplate]

Besides the fact that all the women in WoT are totally crazy ... Aes Sedai arn't all THAT bad. I mean -- I totally dug the whole wanna be wizardness of them. It was cool.

[LaughingTurtle]

~~bump up for kiri~~

[Gina]

LOL, I like the women in WOT...

Of course as a woman I say Nynaeve is the best! :D

[Buckweet]

Yea, what got me reading the books in the first place was Moraine's mellow mystical coolness.

~~starts to chant~~~
Bring her back RJ
Bring her back RJ
Bring her back RJ
Bring her back RJ
Bring her back RJ
Bring her back RJ

[Kiri]

:p I think New Spring showed a great insight into Lan's and Moiraine's characters. I think one of the poignant messages in NS is how RJ portrays Lan as (how does QT put it? "I am stoney"), as a young man, battle hardened, with no fear of death, and all in all, an extremely strong and committed man, both in body and soul.

Despite how hard Lan is, Moiraine is ultimately the strongest of the 2, in terms of character. Lan himself says to Moiraine at one point, "You are a hard woman!" She in turn replies something along the lines of "I will be as hard as I need to be." The fact that someone like Lan could consider anyone as a 'hard person' is saying a lot.

Of the 2 who has the greatest commitment and determination to battle the Shadow? Moiraine of course. After all she's not bound by an oath. She has her passion fired by her genuine want to save the world from death and destruction.

= and the heroes drew forth their shining swords, screaming in defiance at the darkness looming on the horizon =

[supuradam]

i'm not sure about that last part kiri...
i think moiraines fight against the shadow is a lot more grand, however, since she's fighting to save the world, defeat the dark one, etc. etc. i think lan is more committed to his fight, with a hell of a lot more compassion. i think the fact that lan took an oath makes him more committed. his fight against the shadow is so personl, it's part of him, who he is, what he was, and what he will become. he's just not the same lan without that oath. lan is also has a lot more emotion in his fight. blue ajah fights for a cause. moiraines cause is to guide rand, defeat the shadow, and save the world. that's it. lan's fight is on a whole different level though. lan is the last of a dead race. his father was slain by his aunt, out of jealousy. ouch. his people and land were slain and consumed by the blight. he's the only one left. and the only things that remain of his heritage are his ring, his sword, and his locket. there's just so much emotion behind all that. of course, looking at lan you don't see that. stupid... what was it faile called him... "stone face?"

[Buckweet]

Hey balefire...

New Spring is not in its own book...its in a book called Legends.. there are whole bunch of short stories from lots of authors....including Goodkind, the pern author, king and ... R. JORDAN.
The hard cver is one book, the paperback is split into two...i think ???


hope that helps.

ps-

It is edited by Robert Silverberg

[Kiri]

Hey Supuradam I like ur thoughts on Lan:D

My mention of Lan's 'stonniness' was only to show that rj's portrayal of Lan as a 'hard' man and Lan's consideration of Moiraine was a poignant reminder of Moiraine's strength.

(Lan's 'stonniness' comes from the walls he has built to protect himself.)

Okay, so Moiraine may not be the most committed to battle the shadow of the two, it's still a hard choice as they have both commited their lives to battling the shadow, albeit for similar and yet different reasons. One of my arguments for backing Moiraine, not taking away from Lan's 'emotion', was that Lan's oath was sworn in his name as a babe, he didn't have a choice, although I'm sure if he did, he would have sworn to the oath anyway. Moiraine did have a choice, and she embraced that choice.

[supuradam]

touché kiri. i didn't think about that. good point :D