I know I’ve got nothing to lose by just watching a few episodes, but do you think someone who hasn’t read the books would like it? The only fantasy I’ve ever read is basically Robert E. Howard and Tolkien. I new nothing about the Witcher and enjoyed that show as well as that Terry Brooks Shanara (spl?) adaptation.
Anyone read the last 3, how did the new author handle the series, was it noticeable moving from Robert Jordan to Brandon Sanderson?
Yup, I watched the first 4 episodes too, still feels a lot like LotR. The little twist at the end of episode 4 surprise md me though.
But I lost track…who is the fifth candidate?
Read the whole darned thing. Read them full proper, up till book 9. From there onward it was skippety skip for me, every time I see some vast descriptions of nature or whatnot, skippety skip. The original author died at book 10, so a new guy was hired to finish the remaining of the story, so there’s that as well.
Watching the series, but am not glad I read the books.
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Nothing wrong with a little skippety skip when there are 14 books. Nothing at all. I think books 8-10 are known as “the Slog”
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In Germany they cut them into slices…34 books…
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Could add some parameter locks to the slices too 
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Still…nothing beats Terry Pratchetts Discworld series…
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I quite liked this actually, though quite a few I know didn’t rate it:
Plus, Pratchett was always on point with the political content:
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Oh man yes. I met him a few times along the years in person. He was also such a brilliant storyteller in real life. During the „readings“ he never read, but he answered 90 minutes long, questions from the audience. Absolutely brilliant.
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I also revisited LOTR after reading some WOT books.
LOTR has its share of powerful heroes, but it consistently stuck with the most important hero being the little guy who succeeds not with awesome magical powers or fighting skills, but through wits and grit.
WOT’s main characters OTOH grow in power and influence over time.
The last episode was shite. Basically a whole episode on a funeral.
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Pretty much. A funeral and to introduce the Ogier which is important but, I agree, they wasted an episode. Not sure what that show runner is thinking with some of his changes and decisions so far. I’m still giving it a chance.
I keep seeing articles that claim this series is better than GoT. So far I’m not impressed at all. I think Carnival Row was much better.
I finally got around to watching this on Amazon.
I like it. There is one major deviation from the novels in the first episode. I assume it is a setup for an even bigger deviation, or a device to make the story flow better in the TV format.
Robert Jordan was an American writer who put in references to American locales like places in North Carolina in the novels. By filming in, I think, Czech Republic and using actors with Brrritish accents, Amazon/Sony took away the American-ness.
I got as far as the hated funeral episode. I honestly did not remember the guy. I looked him up to refresh my memory of what he was like in the novel and… well… dude was pretty different there, and most definitely was not intended to look like any kind of warrior.
Actually, there’s been more than one funeral. 
I’ll just say there was at least one other person who died differently in the novels.
Moving on to the next one tomorrow.
After the funeral episode I feel like it finally got to be a good show. The most recent episode was the best in my opinion. Finale this Friday I think. Right when I finally started to like it, the season is just about over. Maybe I’ll do a rewatch (but not like LOTR extended editions which I have rewatched at least 50 times).
I think this series will be great if it runs long term, like 10 seasons. So not every episode will be action packed. I just binged on witcher season 2, slow to get going but great ending…love witcher too.
Was turned off almost immediately but persisted and have to agree that it’s become more palpable. However, I haven’t read the books yet, and hear that many are really upset by the producers “creative” liberties. I’m sure I’d be too, but for now I’ll see it out and rage after when I eventually do read the series.
Hardcore fantasy reader here. Been through the whole series of books, even after Jordan died. The books are epic, the story just gets better, building towards the end (but the best books and plots are from 3 to 6 imho). Too bad he died before being able to write them all (but, fortunately, he wrote the finale way before). I had to read the last two for the sake of completion; kudos tu Sanderson but they were just made to end the story, which felt pretty unsatisfying after all these years reading the books. But hey, could have been worst, George Martin worst. Also, have to check the original versions, read them in italian, probably the translator didn’t give it justice.
Been watching the series with my girlfriend, I don’t complain too much about the differences and I’m so happy to see this story on the screen that I would forgive anything (even the funeral episode) just to be able to stay in the world I imagined for so many years, just another 45 minutes. By the way, my GF loves the lore and story (she didn’t read the books). I believe the world Jordan wrote was so well crafted it can stand on its own even with poor screenwriting. But yeah, I would have loved a little bit more, specially in the beginning of the series. Hope they will keep going, the material is definetly solid to be able to continue for 5/6 series at least if you cut some secondary plots.
I haven’t read any of the books, but I’m enjoying the series. One thing that bothered me is how the characters end up so far apart, in completely different terrain (woods, mountains, desert) after they got separated in Shadar Logoth. How do they all leave the same city, all head in the same direction (East, although Lan leads his party SW for a bit) towards the same destination, and cross completely different country. 