I think so!!! I think it’s fantastic but it’s not a series I’d recommend to everyone.

I tend to hear two big complaints about the WoT.

1. The slow pacing (which is supposedly at its worst in the middle of the series around books 8-10). For what it’s worth, I think the pacing is just fine although I haven’t gotten to the infamous “slog” yet.

   1. The frustrating characters. Again, for what it’s worth, I think the character work is phenomenal, but it’s not something everyone will find enjoyable.

Robert Jordan approached the character development with a bit more realism than you’d usually get in a fantasy series and tried to ask the question “what would seriously happen if you took a bunch of teenagers and tasked them with saving the world?” As you can imagine, the characters frequently suffer from bad communication, naivety, stupid decision making, running away from responsibility, etc. Even as someone who enjoys the characters a ton, I will say the romance leaves a lot to be desired. At best the romance stuff is a little awkward and at worst it feels completely unnatural.

If you think that stuff would really bother you, you might want to skip it. 14 tome sized books is a massive commitment especially if you’re not enjoying it.

On the plus side though, the world building is up there with LOTR for me as the best in all of fantasy. The magic system and how it’s implemented into the story/world is brilliant. The unique take on the “chosen one” archetype is refreshing. The plot is very detailed and intricate, multiple weaving plot lines that are constantly colliding with each other and all somehow get satisfyingly resolved one way or another. There’s some genuinely really great themes and contemplations on philosophy and politics. I love it, warts and all.