‘The Wheel of Time’ review: A ponderous start before smooth sailings
The Hindu
If only the show were to get away from the shadow of ‘The Lord of the Rings’and become its own beastie, it would be truly great instead of being just good
British fantasy writer China Mieville had some unprintable and apparently anatomically-incorrect things to say about J.R.R Tolkien. In an interview with this writer, Mieville explained that while there are portions of Tolkien’s work he admired, he was against looking at The Lord of the Rings creator as the beginning and end of fantasy.
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Watching the lavishly-produced The Wheel of Time, based on Robert Jordan’s fantasy series, Mieville’s comments on the Tolkein template for fantasy, ring sharp and true. There is everything from The Lord of the Rings—the shire (Two Rivers), the fellowship (the famous five), Gandalf/Galadriel (Moiraine) Sauron (the Dark One) and Frodo (Dragon reborn). There are even Orcs (trollocs), a version of the night riders and the glowing Eye. Thankfully, the One Ring is absent—must have surely bound all creators in the darkness.