This is my favorite book series. I've probably read the first book eye of the world 20 times. I read the entire series once every three years. Every time I read it I pick up a different nuance that I did not notice before.

I obviously think it's worth it. The foreshadowing, prophecies, magic system, character growth, payoffs are all amazing.

But, as an admitted biased super fan, this series is not for everyone if you don't have the patience. And there are three books that do get slow. I think 1/2 is unfair, but there are three that require some perseverance. But even the slow books have some big moments.

He dragged out the Perrin Faile and Elayne succession storylines too long.

Anyway, I think it's worth the journey and would recommend at least one more read through to truly enjoy all of the hints and foreshadowing he planted in tbe early books. If you find those three books to be too much, switch to audio books.

The main problem with the middle books is the repetitive nature of the descriptions. Each chapter seems to have 20% of the content describing how people dress/look/act that has already been described dozens of times before throughout the series. I don't need to know how and why certain people wear masks, how the Seanchan have green, scaly armor that resembles bugs, how the Aiel dress in Caiden Sor to match their dessert surroundings or how ageless Ai Sedai look over and over and over and over. That is what mainly makes the books a slog.

That and all the petty bickering and arguing between Egwene and Nenayve while one pouts and the other tugs on her braid. Such a waste of paper that Jordan couldn't seem to get enough of.

I've read through the series more than 10 time now (there are few good books that capture my attention so I tend to go back to good ones).

I think most all the "slogging" pays off in the final 3-4 books.
Keep in mind Jordan was building a world, not just writing stories.
As it plays out... one can start to see how the "wheel" turns and what had happened again does, but the tails of old had changed with the re-tellings.

I suggest starting at book 1 and getting through all.
Then do a re-read and see what you had missed the first go round.

As for the girls bickering..... it shows the power struggles as other come up and grow.
It's a very good "human" tale.