Who is a better writer: Robert Jordan or Terry Goodkind? Why?

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   JTTposted 14 years ago

   Who is a better writer: Robert Jordan or Terry Goodkind? Why?
   
   Forget how many books they've sold. Who tells a better story? Who has more realistic characters?

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   BlazeTheVampireposted 14 years ago

   I think Goodkind is the better writer, but mostly it comes down to length. When I read Jordan's "Wheel of Time," the story, the characters; it's all fantastic-- it just never ends!

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   Chloe Comfortposted 14 years ago

   Both are great but I have to give the edge to Robert Jordan. His "Wheel of Time" saga rocks!!!

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   satomkoposted 13 years ago

   In terms of a "better" story I'd go with Goodkind because he usually manages to keep his stories moving and keeps the reader involved with the action whereas Jordan can really get bogged down in his labyrinthine novels.  As far as "realistic" characters I think the edge here goes to Jordan, but again he imperils his own success by having so many that some of the better ones sometimes get lost in the shuffle.

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   AuraEmberposted 13 years ago

   Robert Jordan, simply because he manages to do things that Terry Goodkind cannot. Goodkind rarely allows his main characters to come to harm, and after seeing them survive against all the odds for several books, its easy for the drama to no longer be dramatic. Jordan on the other hand, writes in a way that always keeps the readers on the edge of their seat. Jordan also paints a more accurate picture of human nature and is the master of subtle undertones. Goodkind's books read like..well...books. Jordan's read like reality.

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   My SciFi Lifeposted 13 years ago

   Jordan definitely (and now obviously Brandon Sanderson as his successor with the Wheel of Time).  While Jordan is without a doubt long winded and his latter books seemed to go nowhere ... they went there with style!   Terry Goodkind is good and enjoyable also, but while his books were racier than Jordan's they didn't really come to a good conclusion in a reasonable timeframe for me either and I got bored of them.

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   Elefanzaposted 13 years ago

   Robert Jordan, hands down. Although Jordan does tend to have a lot of extemporneous plots, his story rarely feels contrived or unbelievable. Goodkind relies a lot on over the top action that is conventional and his characters at times completely break the logic of who they are. Jordan's writing is much more intelligent also, incorporating economics and politics in a more believable way. Goodkind's stuff is too simplistic at times.

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