I kind of memory holed the spankings. I do remember even when I was a voracious reader having to trudge through at least 3 books in the middle where characters just sit in a room and talk while they tug on their braids and sniff.
Never got into Wheel of Time myself. The hardcore gender essentialism at the heart of its magic system (and the knock-on effects for how it depicts gender differences in its world) was enough to turn me off of it. I prefer my sci-fi/fantasy to be aggressively indifferent to gender.
I listened to the first six audiobooks, and Michael Kramer and Kate Reading’s narration really did a lot to keep me interested. I know exactly what the guy is saying in the video, because I hated them, but I also loved them. I didn’t continue listening because it was too much of a commitment and I wanted to listen to other things, so I didn’t survive that big mid-series slump.
It’s incredible how the worldbuilding in WoT can be at the same time fascinating and yet incredibly frustrating and stupid. The gender essentialism, the overly detailed bloodlines, geography and cultural norms, it’s all very hard to take in but it also paints an oddly compelling image of a very lived-in world. I hate it, and I enjoy it because it’s incredibly boring but fun at the same time.
And yes, the TV show is absolute garbage, despite the fact that Rosamund Pike as Moiraine and Zoe Robins as Nynaeve were absolutely perfect for their roles.
I found a YouTube link in your post. Here are links to the same video on alternative frontends that protect your privacy:
