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Total thread "necro", but I'm bored and cruising around the internet in search of something new to read. I've read ASoIaF, WoT The Belgariad/The Mallorean, and the Elenium/The Tamuli to name just a few that seem relevant. I re-read WoT prior to the launch of the fourteenth and final installment co-written by Brandon Sanderson. I hadn't read the first eleven books since I was a teenager, and I read the twelfth and thirteenth books as they were released. Anyway, I think a *little* of what originally drew me to WoT was lost during my second reading of the series, however, the bulk of the wonder and enjoyment is still there. RJ did a great job with these books, even though by the end of the series there were a few loose ends yet to be tied up.
I am an avid reader, and I get tired of reading about how "terrible" an author RJ was, how he "rips off" everyone's ideas, and how he's a "sexist". If you can't deal with a little spanking, some braid tugging, some smoothing of skirts (<3 Nynaeve), or Rand's brothel then you need to give your head a shake.
I felt that RJ balanced the issue of sexism quite well; he humiliated men on an equally regular basis throughout the series -- perhaps to an even greater degree. Sure, the odd girl might get spanked (Egwene, Aviendha, Semirhage, Faile... I'm sure I missed some), but at the end of the day the ENTIRE SERIES is run by WOMEN. The ultimate protagonist, Rand al'Thor, might be a dude, but let's face it, he wouldn't have lasted ten chapters without the guidance, however unwillingly at times, of Moiraine, Cadsuane, his harem of sexual partners, and a plethora of other female characters.
Getting back on topic, you can't really do a comparison between RJ and DE. They're both so very different. DE is an author who gets to the point quickly with well-written paragraphs. RJ takes his time getting to the same point, but is an equally skilled author. The beauty of RJ is his description of EVERYTHING. People either really like it, or really hate it. So deal with it and stop bashing the guy!
