The Wheel of Time

 ECI was still a thing in Belgium, and the books where in dutch... that's how young I was when i read the first book of this high fantasy series.

And now, Amazon is making it into a television series.

Me and Noshi sat down to watch this what is turning out to be the first of three seasons, and while I had knowledge from the books, I didn`t tell her anything to see how she would take to it.

First let me state, it is beautifully made, with grand scenics and detailed costumes.  But that aside, was it any good?

 

Central in the story is Moiraine  Damodred, a spellcaster called an Aes Sedai, who together with her warden Lan seeks out the reborn dragon.  According to an ancient prophecy, the previous dragon broke the world, and the new reincarnation would restore it.

This leads her to the village of Emond's Field, located in the Two Rivers in the mountains.  Here, four young people are potentially the reincarnation.  As the village is attacked by an army of Trolloghs, she flees with them, leading to places such as an abondoned city where the Shadows turn out to be deadly.  Upon escaping, it turns out that the previous Wisom of the village, a sort of local weather shaman, survived the attack as well and joins them as they need to regroup.

But as they are each forced to make their seperate ways to their goal, new alliances are formed, as are new dangers encountered.  They eventually all reach the White Tower, but Mat is ever more detoriating, while Egwene and Perrin need to escape capture from a treacherous White Cloak and Aes Sedai hunter.  Reunited, Moiraine drives the shadow out of Mat.  The council of the Aes Sedai reconciles, but Morgaine and the Amyrlin Seat have their secret agenda.

Morgaine leaves with the young heroes to the Ways, and arrive at the last fortress city holding back the Blight. But Mat stayed behind.  Rand is convinced he is the Dragon Reborn after visiting a seeress, and alone with Morgaine they enter the Blight to save the others.  Facing the Dark One and his desires, Rand manages to eventually overcome him, but in the meantime the fortress is nearly overrun by Trogloth's.  The friends recover, but Rand has left them, while Mat is last seen entering the Shadow City once again.

This was a fun series, with lovely effects and setting, capturing the feel of the books as I remember.  Certainly, it has it's flaws, like the youngsters being rather 2-dimensional mostly, but let's hope they get delved in a bit deeper in the second season.