Shout out to @seltty who asked me to compare my experience Rage of Dragons by Evan Winter with my experience reading the Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan (I have finished book 4 The Shadow Rising). Welcome to the thread! (Please drop a mention if you want me to cover more)

First of all the pacing is extremely different. My experience with the first quarter of Rage of Dragons (& the first 1/4 of WOT) is that the pacing is extremely different. RoD is action heavy, and WoT contains far more prose. I think both elements fit the story well.

RoD feels more accessible for a new fantasy reader, largely because of the directness of its writing style. I think to enjoy WoT there is definitely a benefit of reading other fantasy books previously. Namely because of its scope.

There are similarities however that I’m enjoying so far. If you love exploring the cultural elements involved in WoT then 100% pick up RoD. This is the most original fantasy I have picked up in years, and it’s fantastic to see cultural backgrounds explored in the fantasy genre

The Chapters of RoD are split into manageable segments (I can read a segment in its entirety on my phone during a 15m work break) which means that the book feels accessible & easy to read. WoT chapters by contrast can be large and heavy. If you need a break from that, try RoD.

Both books deal with themes of identity and finding your place in the world. The motivations make sense which means that characters are relatable even if you disagree with their actions. Characters should have recognisable flaws, so I’m finding the characterisation enjoyable.