2015 Re-Readalong: Lord of Chaos

Re: 2015 Re-Readalong: Lord of Chaos, Chapters 28-33

Gotta admit, I burned through this week's chapters (and a couple extra too). This is one of my favorite parts of the entire series.

I started off the series with Egwene as my least favorite character. That started to change after the Seanchan in book 2, and continued to evolve during her time with the Aiel. But this part, where she becomes the Amyrlin Seat, that was when she was finally cemented as my MOST favorite character instead of least.

:joy

Re: 2015 Re-Readalong: Lord of Chaos, Chapters 28-33

I agree, Megana! I'm not quite there yet but have been looking forward to it the whole book.

Re: 2015 Re-Readalong: Lord of Chaos, Chapters 28-33

What's Moggy trying to do to Nynaeve? Just throw her off, I think.

Click to expand...

Trollolol

Sheriam et al still think Egwene is a 'biddable child.' For that matter, Suian probably does too.

Click to expand...

Oh they will learn fast won't they, Aiel Heart and Two River's Stubbornness? I imagine that has she not gotten killed Egwene would have inspired the Gorgon's with her stare.

Ebou Dari Wise Women can heal anything. I mean, Heal anything.

Click to expand...

But can they see why Kids love the cinnamony taste of cinnamon toast crunch?

Haman tells Rand he must not kill himself. How is he speaking here? From his knowledge of the Prophecies? Foretelling? Old wisdom?

Click to expand...

I think he is just old, wise and smart enough to tell that Rand is pushing himself far to hard mentally and physically.
LoC 19

Poor Mangin, I feel bad that I don't recall him ever being mentioned before as one of the Aiel who had gone to the Stone of Tear the first time.

LoC 20

The Scene with Elder Haman crying as he goes over the maps was something of a surprise, Ogier are a nice combination of elves and Ogres. I do have one problem with Rand's plan. Why not remove the leaves and close the ways for good until after the last battle. If Rand had just closed them outright like that Andor would not have burned, and that is a lesson we learned in book 4.

LOC 21

Shadar Logath straight up scares me as a location, for one reason. Jordan having Lews Therin, the super crazy voice in Rand's head just very calmly say “This place scares me” in a completely level tone is straight up CREEPY.

Also, this chapter is where I got very tired of Rand vs The Maidens as a plot, A maiden, who get so insulted by Rand going on ahead and not letting them scout for him because if he dies on their watch, mind you his death is something that is prophesied by the Kareathon Cycle so their honor is screwed anyways, and one wanders off, in the most evil place outside of The Bore Itself leaving the Cara'carn with less guards and forcing him to stay in Shadar Logath longer, also Shouldn't Sulin have Toh to Rand since she said that the Aiel would follow his orders here, and one of her Maidens broke that word?

LOC 22

What the heck did the Tinkers discover that lead the shadow to slaughter them? About the only things I could think of would be them somehow discovering Moridin, or that they were in Shara and found out about Damedred

LOC 23

Whoo, Forsaken that don't work together and thus only exist to annoy Rand and not really be at all useful to the shadow in the end. Really the activities of the forsaken through books 4-12 really make me think that Ishamael got himself killed in Book 3 on purpose so that Rand would think he is dead and that the closest thing the Champion of the Dark One could act in the backround.

Re: 2015 Re-Readalong: Lord of Chaos, Chapters 28-33

I'm caught up on reading... but way behind on typing up notes. :desk

Chapter 7:
-White is the only Ajah to not have its own eyes-and-ears.

Chapter 8:
-Nynaeve suspects that Elayne didn't just get caught in the nightmare like the Aes Sedai and let herself be drawn in. She thinks that Elayne is very brave and is a bit frustrated that Elayne won't acknowledge it.
-The rumor about the Reds setting up the false Dragons is very persistent.
-It's unfortunate that the Yellow Ajah has gotten so stuck in its ways. Nynaeve is right. The Yellow Ajah really should be the ones most encouraging to Nynaeve about her desire to Heal everything.
-Sheriam really doesn't seem like Black Ajah! She always seems to legitimately nice and helpful
-I love the story of how Sheriam broke Theodrin's block. :rofl
-Moghedien is enjoying messing with Nynaeve and Elayne as much as she can.

Chapter 9:
-What's with all the fighting in the Borderlands? :scratch I can't remember if we learn what it's all about later.
-Whitecloaks have tortured over a hundred women because they suspected they might be Aes Sedai.
-Omerna believes everything, but some of those things are true (like the battle at Falme being Artur Hawkwing's armies returned) and of course Niall thinks that's ridiculous.
-He similarly (and understandably) mistrusts the rumors about the bubbles of evil.
-Omerna is much too credulous, a terrible quality in a spymaster.
-Niall thinks that only makes sense that there's fighting in the Borderlands, Borderlanders 'being as they were'.-
-Niall is behind the advance of the 'Dragonsworn'
-Niall (tjhrough Balwer) is behind the nobles rebelling.
-Niall doesn't realize how ersatile the Power is and thinks it's madness that Rand could be jumping between cities.
-Niall believes the split in the Tower is real and then makes up a story about the Black Ajah rising up and the Salidar Aes Sedia being the losers and non-Black Ajah. (does he believe any of this?)
-For all his misinformation, Niall really does believe Rand is a false Dragon and believes the Light surely will let him witness Rand's defeat.

Chapter 10:
-The Maidens are trying to learn Wetlander humor.
-Rand is appreciative of all that Moiraine taught him, especially about the Game of Houses.
-Manetheren surpassed the Inner City of Caemlyn according to the Ogier.
-Rand can't believe that an Aes Sedia would cry. (Alanna was crying because of the death of her Warder)
-Alanna doesn't lie when she tells him that what she will do will cause no injury... but still, she bonds him. :desk :desk So stupid and uncalled for. And does more damage than good. And she's so self-satisfied. :mad
-Poor Rand. Wishing he could stay and talk to Two Rivers people more who don't know that he's the Dragon Reborn.

Re: 2015 Re-Readalong: Lord of Chaos, Chapters 34-41

I'm behind on reading and notes. Best intentions for the holiday weekend...

Re: 2015 Re-Readalong: Lord of Chaos, Chapters 34-41

I am hopelessly behind at this point... I'm still on like Chapter 3. Mostly because I only have it as an ebook and haven't felt like reading on a screen lately.

Re: 2015 Re-Readalong: Lord of Chaos, Chapters 34-41

Chapter 11:
-Verin figures out that Moiraine is dead because she wouldn't let Rand out of her sight otherwise.
-Alanna is outraged that Rand would dare restrict their movement in the city... but really, Rand has much more right to be irate with Alanna.
-Verin doesn't really support Alanna's decision, but seems to have problems with it more because it goes against custom.
-Alanna and Verin tried to shield Rand and now Alanna's angry?
-Verin wonders how many Aes Sedai it would take to shield Rand, but doesn't realize the meaning behind using thirteen Aes Sedai and thinks it's only tradition.

Chapter 12:
-Alviarin is good at 'applying the question' and Siuan somehow knows this.
-I'm glad Seve and Jaril have recovered. (the children Moghedien used as a cover)
-Nynaeve is angry that Birgitte refused her 'two simple requests' one of which is spying on Aes Sedai. That's hardly a simple request.

Chapter 13:
-Novices/Accepted aren't supposed to do chores with the Power, the opposite of the Black Tower (though the goals of the two organizations are very different and the Aes Sedai are at least partially correct about it being dangerous to use it too much)
-Nynaeve lies to Tarna about how to handle Rand.

Chapter 14:
-People are hearing about Rand jumping between cities and it's driving Egwene crazy that she doesn't know how he does it.
-Egwene can't recognize Siuan/Leane after their stilling. Egwene's seen them in Tel'aran'rhiod.
-Egwene thinks she's seen glimpses of Rand, Perrin and Lan in Tel'aran'rhiod. She likely has seen the first two.
-Nicola has a Foretelling, but no one seems to know that's what it was.
-Anaiya appears that she would be disappointed to learn the bubble of evil wasn't an attack by the Forsaken. Why? Does she want the Forsaken to take an interest in Salidar?
-Nynaeve thinks something is weird about Anaiya... what?

Chapter 15:
-I keep forgetting that Egwene was in line to be the Wisdom in Emond's Field and so she knows about herbs.
-Egwene Dreams of Bonding Gawyn. She also Dreams of trying to change his mind. (about Rand?)
-Egwene Dreams of Mat going to the Tower of Ghenjei and she can tell that the danger is monstrous.
-Nynaeve was the first to berate the Aes Sedai which got them sent to clean pots, but Elayne continued it. They really should've expected the outcome...

Chapter 16:
-Gitara Moroso had some very useful viewings that allowed her to give vital advice. She's the one who told Tigraine to become a Maiden of the Spear.
-Snowflakes is a 'Kandori pattern' used in jewelry. Rand doesn't seem familiar with snow or at least the word 'snowflake'.

Chapter 17:
-Rand's room set aside for Traveling has lamps burning day and night just in case he might need it even when he's spent weeks away from the city.
-Rand doesn't understand why Egwene and Berelain don't like each other.
-The Aiel (as one of the few people who have contact with people from Shara) have sayings about them. "Doing thigns to make a Sharaman blush"
-I love how someone can be made gai'shain just for mentioning someone's mother-in-law :rofl
-Rand knows that Niall is behind Darlin and suspects he's behind the House Riatin and House Damoedred's rebellion.
-We learn a bit about the Shara and the Aiel's interactions with them. The Aiel see them as chronic liars.
-There's apparently never fighting in Shara (at least that the Aiel hear about)... until now.

Re: 2015 Re-Readalong: Lord of Chaos, Chapters 34-41

Egwene thinks she's seen glimpses of Rand, Perrin and Lan in Tel'aran'rhiod. She likely has seen the first two.

Click to expand...

It's Luc Egwene is seeing... He is Lan's nephew after all.

Re: 2015 Re-Readalong: Lord of Chaos, Chapters 34-41

Oh! Thanks! I hadn't caught that connection. That's cool.

Re: 2015 Re-Readalong: Lord of Chaos, Chapters 34-41

Chapter 18:
-Rand's school is in Barthanes's palace.
-I like Rand's idea of preserving knowledge. He's right that an insane amount has been since in the Breaking.
-Rand thinks the telescope is silly. (or at least surprising/not super useful)
-Herid Fel's shocked that Rand would ask about breaking the seals. He also remembers reading they're unbreakable, but doesn't know about them being made of cuendillar.
-Egwene doesn't understand why the Wise Ones like Berelain. She doesn't see Berelain as the competent ruler she is.
-Egwene's thinking about Gawyn and thinks that Aes Sedai don't usually marry. The reason she gives is that men don't like women who can handle them like a child with the Power, but I'd imagine another big reason is the lifespan of Aes Sedai.
-As usual, Rand misinterprets Egwene's actions. He thinks she seizes saidar because she thought he was threatening her. Actually, she embraced saidar because she realized she had almost gotten caught in Rand's ta'veren gravity well and wanted to calm herself down. It's an undestandable mistake for him to make, but it's still frustrating, especially since it just sets him more against Egwene/Aes Sedai.
-Rand thinks Egwene didn't know he was tired.

Chapter 19:
-Rand's having Lews Therin's dreams.
-Rand also is confused by the Wise Ones' interest in Berelain.
-Rand thinks he can easily interpret the Wise Ones' dreams and doesn't understand why the Wise Ones can't understand something so plain.
-The Wise Ones dream of the Bowl of the Winds and that it can be very dangerous in the wrong hands
-Rand thinks that Aviendha has some other toh to him other than saving her from Lanfear. What is he talking about? He says that "she would see it as [an obligation, though he certainly did not."
-Similarly, Aviendha's thinking about her toh and thinks that killing Rand would meet one toh and killing herself would meet the second. What toh is she talking about here? Is it her inability to help during the Lanfear battle and her obligation toward Elayne?

Chapter 20:
-Rand wonders why the Forsaken use Waygates rather than Gateways.... that's a good point. Why don't they? :scratch
-Poor Ogier, aghast at how much humans have forgotten. And the loss of the groves. :cry
-Ogier saying: "Women do not become exhausted, they only exhaust others."

Chapter 21:
-Aiel hurrying to Rand is insane. Aiel jumping out of windows and from balconies.
-Sulin's plan of telling people the Car'a'carn was in danger certainly worked! Even if she did gain toh from it.
-Is there a connection between Demandred and Shadar Logoth? :scratch
-Rand briefly wonders if Pedron Niall is a Darkfriend.

Chapter 22:
-Mat even pauses in the middle of battle to hope that the person he just stabbed is a man. :rolleyes

Nerim said:

As my Lord says, my Lord's leg is not a side of beef. Thank you, my Lord, for instructing me.

Click to expand...

:rofl

Chapter 23:
-The Age of Legends had some decoration/music called a 'sound sculpture'
-Worms/Jumara used to 'transform'
-Sammael tells Graendal that the manner of the messenger's death told him Rand's answer and says that Rand accepted his proposal for a truce. I assume he's just lying to throw Graendal off.

Chapter 24:
-Rumors that the Tower was behind all the flase Dragons. Even hearing the rumor really pisses Egwene off. She doesn't realize the Aes Sedai in Salidar started it. (though they specifically had said the Red Ajah, rather than the whole Tower)
-I like Egwene chastising a group about to beat up a man who said Rand was one of the Forsaken, not for beating someone up but for not letting the man face them one at a time. She really has assimilated a lot of Aiel values.
-The Aiel don't understand why Egwene runs away whenever men enter the sweat tent. They just don't make the connection since that's not an embarrassing thing for them.

Re: 2015 Re-Readalong: Lord of Chaos, Chapters 34-41

Oh yes, I love Nerim.

Re: 2015 Re-Readalong: Lord of Chaos, Chapters 34-41

LoC 23

The Tower “delegation” shows up, and apparently Berlain has gotten in good with the Wise Ones. You know I think Berlain is another one of the side characters that get very little respect that they deserve from the fandom. She is 100% loyal to Rand, does not plot against him once it is clear that he is not really attracted to her, and rules Cairhien quite well for him.

She also manages to get the respect of the Aiel, to the point where they want to find her a man like they do Egwene.

Loc 24

Egwene spies on the Aes Sedai, shame she doesn't know how to invert her weaves yet. Oh Gawyn you are a stupid, stupid, stupid little boy who shouldn't have been left of your mother's apron.

Loc 26

Assassination attempt by White Cloaks (Fain's?) and I am surprised that Rand did not make good on his promise to have Nail hung.

LoC 27

Rand meets the Tower Aes Sedai, who try to bribe him, which immediately is odd, Rand is effectively the ruler of 2 of the largest nations in the setting, one would think that Money is such a non issue for him at this point that “We will give you riches beyond your dreams” isn't even a remote thought for him.

LoC 28

Taim just happens to be in the room when Rand is under attack by a Gray man, which the first time I read through this I totally picked up on the door opening and closing, and I am still not sure if Taim at this point is a Dark friend yet. Taim is a slimy git but the way Rand treats him is completely jerkwadish.

And Rape, Rapity Rape. -Yawn- I love Jordan and the series but “Rape to show how eeeebullll someone is” is just beneath having them show up in New York wearing a Boston Red Sox Jersey in terms of cheap and boring* way of getting heat for a character.

*Wearing a Rival City's Jersey isn't actually that boring, it is at least a classic wrestling trick and when done well is incredibly entertaining

LoC 29

Nynaeve accidentally heals Logain's Severing. Whoops.

Also EAT IT everyone in the series who said that Severing can't be healed, maybe if you examined it and tried things with willing participants you would have found out that it can be healed I dunno 3000+ years sooner?

LoC 30

Nynaeve heals Siuan and Leane, Siuan tries to bully Gareth and very deservedly finds that she isn't as powerful as before, and Nynaeve, Elayne Siuan and Leane decide to be friends properly. Oh people who are on the same side trying to work together and not manipulate each other? What a concept, if only Siuan discovered this idea oh..3 books ago and was honest with Gawyn.

Forsaken in the Aes Sedai camp! Surprised this didn't happen far sooner.

LoC 31

Morgase signs over Andor to basically White Cloak control, she really should have gone to the two rivers to gather power. Rebellion my rump, The Two River's folk would have been happy to help her if she asked.

LoC 32

Whelp, Egwene has been summoned to be the Puppet Amyirln, because she will totally do as she is told by Sheriam.

*giggles madly*

Re: 2015 Re-Readalong: Lord of Chaos, Chapters 34-41

Kassina, Shadowspawn, specifically Trollocs and Myrdraal can't pass through a Gateway. They will die. We learn this in book... 11 I think, when Rand suddenly remembers

And I think it is weird that the document that Morgase signed here is never used by the Whitecloaks. Yes, they will very soon be hit with the Seanchan hammer of dhoom, but I would think that it then would be MORE useful to have another country to exploit Unless that is the document that Niall was holding when he died? I thought that was the spy report from Tarabon that most likely told him about the Seanchan

Re: 2015 Re-Readalong: Lord of Chaos, Chapters 34-41

Aduiavas Ida said:

Kassina, Shadowspawn, specifically Trollocs and Myrdraal can't pass through a Gateway. They will die. We learn this in book... 11 I think, when Rand suddenly remembers

And I think it is weird that the document that Morgase signed here is never used by the Whitecloaks. Yes, they will very soon be hit with the Seanchan hammer of dhoom, but I would think that it then would be MORE useful to have another country to exploit Unless that is the document that Niall was holding when he died? I thought that was the spy report from Tarabon that most likely told him about the Seanchan

Click to expand...

Presumably the guy after Niall, I can't recall his name since he basically takes over and gets Roflstomped by the Seanchan may have torn it up because "he would not have a treaty with a dirty Tar Valon witch"

Re: 2015 Re-Readalong: Lord of Chaos, Chapters 42-48

I read the chapters where Egwene was summoned and raised and basically starts playing the Game of Houses immediately.

Re: 2015 Re-Readalong: Lord of Chaos, Chapters 42-48

Min flirting with Rand! :joy I remember the first time, I was all "UGH we have to watch Rand get the girl AGAIN?" But Min's approach is so unique from the others, I loved it.

Re: 2015 Re-Readalong: Lord of Chaos, Chapters 42-48

Yeah, I like Min pretty much up until this point She gets a little boring later.

And I like the way they portrayed Egwenes Raising, how utterly terrified she was. I also quite like the point when Egwene realizes that the other Aes Sedai are nervous too.
And of course we get to the fact that they had thought about what would happen to them if Egwene was rejected, but not what would have happened with Egwene herself :rolleyes Typical Aes Sedai

And then the rest of the Aes Sedai learns the next day what a terrible mistake they've made But I agree with Egwene, I would have felt stupid standing like that saying words someone else have written too

Re: 2015 Re-Readalong: Lord of Chaos, Chapters 34-41

Ryu Shadowborn said:

LoC 23

The Tower “delegation” shows up, and apparently Berlain has gotten in good with the Wise Ones. You know I think Berlain is another one of the side characters that get very little respect that they deserve from the fandom. She is 100% loyal to Rand, does not plot against him once it is clear that he is not really attracted to her, and rules Cairhien quite well for him.

She also manages to get the respect of the Aiel, to the point where they want to find her a man like they do Egwene.

Click to expand...

Here's the thing. There is a lot to like about Berelain to be sure. But the fact that she deliberately tries to interfere with Perrin and Faile's marriage repeatedly and over both of their objections really REALLY rubs me the wrong way. She's doing it for her own entertainment, and it drives me crazy.

Re: 2015 Re-Readalong: Lord of Chaos, Chapters 42-48

Yes, it's like Berelain are two COMPLETELY different persons She is the very competent person who prevents everything in Cairhien from blowing up in Rands face, and she is the annoying person who goes after Perrin like a maniac

Re: 2015 Re-Readalong: Lord of Chaos, Chapters 42-48

Exactly. There is so much of her that is so very likable ... and then there's the Perrin thing. :desk