I got hooked on this series years ago, and it only took this first one to earn my dedication.  Robert Jordan has a great ability to create wonderful, believable fantasy characters, and then to let them each develop personally  as a human being and develop unique fantasy characteristics.  All I can say  is that, like so many before and after me, this book captivated my interest  and set up some great characters, and in the books to come, the new  characters to arrive are all at least as cleverly developed... and let me  just say that, if you are a fantasy-lover newcome to Jordan, you will  UNDOUBTEDLY enjoy this and the next 2-3 books.If you like fantasy, you  will not regret buying this book... though some day you may regret becoming  hooked on this seemingly infinite series.  Though this is part of an  apparently infinite series, this first volume of the million-ogy is most  certainly worth your money. 

Question: How is the character?
Answer: set up some great characters