Re-Readalong: A Crown of Swords: To the End!

Rhed al'Tere

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I need to point out the utter idiocy of this. "mat can't get food from the kitchen" he goes outside EVERY DAY, and is Rich, he can literally buy dinner before he steps foot in the palace.

How does nobody realize this?
I did think about that last night when I was posting. And it's a valid point, he can use his own money to buy food.

But when one stays with someone at the host's invitation, and all the rest of your party is getting food supplied from the host, it's a reasonable expectation that you will also have food supplied from the host, particularly when it was supplied before.

But yes, valid point that he is capable of going to buy his own food. It's still an example of how she's trying to manipulate and coerce him.
 
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Ryu you are not the only one to think about that (Mat getting food outside). It doesn't justify Tylin's actions, but seriously, the guy is not going to starve. :\

I'm working on getting caught up. I just listened to the part where Elaida tasks Seiane with hunting the Black Ajah. I found it interesting that the first person Seiane sees upon leaving her rooms is Talene. Seiane thinks to herself that Talene is a good friend and she's sure she could trust her, but she had already decided to take the safest route and approach Pevara. Little does she know Talene IS Black Ajah.

Also Pevara! :joy She is, I think, my very favorite minor character. I love the BA Hunt plotline itself but I particularly love Pevara. She is confident and self-assured, and willing to look at things in new ways that counter the established views. So much love for her! <3
 

Rhed al'Tere

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I just got a little squirm of excitement about the Black Ajah hunt, and about Egwene eventually coming to the Tower, and just...everything we have to look forward to. :pleased-1: (Definitely not counting Perrin and Faile's story in that. :look: )
 

Ryu Shadowborn

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Ryu you are not the only one to think about that (Mat getting food outside). It doesn't justify Tylin's actions, but seriously, the guy is not going to starve.

Whoops sorry, I meant that towards the characters not any of the forum posters :$
 

Megana Vallentin

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I just got a little squirm of excitement about the Black Ajah hunt, and about Egwene eventually coming to the Tower, and just...everything we have to look forward to. :pleased-1: (Definitely not counting Perrin and Faile's story in that. :look: )

Me tooooo! :pleased-1:
 
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"I wanted to kick him but it is not done, kicking the Car'a'carn." - Nandera :laugh:

"The Dragon Reborn was going to the Sea Folk in a style that would have them plummeting to their knees in awe." - Rand's thoughts
Well, sort of. He does make quite an impression due to his ta'veren nature but after that, in his future dealing with them ... not so much. :P

Also, Nalesean. :( I had forgotten when his death was coming until it happened. Poor guy really should have stayed in bed.

I do enjoy the interaction between Lopin and Nerim and Mat that comes in the future though. :laugh:
 
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Oh, one more thing. In Rand's battle with Sammael, Rand tracks him by waiting to feel him channeling. But isn't there a way to invert your weaves so that someone else doesn't know you're channeling? You'd think Sammael would have done this. Or is that something only women can do?
 

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Mai, maybe it's too complicated for Sammael to do on the fly. He does do it with his traps.

I have to say, even though Elayne laughs at Mat's explanation of Tylin at first, when she realizes what he means she's actually a pretty good friend to him. I think it says a lot that apparently she and Nynaeve say something to Tylin (or at least Mat thinks they do).
 
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Back on the topic of Mat and Tylin, when Mat is about to leave he tells Tylin that he's going to miss her, and is surprised to realize that he means it. I wonder what Jordan was trying to do with Mat And Tylin. What was his goal, what was the point? We can discuss the actuality of it all day long but what I really want to know is what the author thought about it. Too bad we can't ask him.
 

Ryu Shadowborn

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AcoS 36

And here we see Cadsuane doing the exact opposite of being remotely helpful, now mind you Rand did not exactly choose the best actions here, revealing who he is that is not Balefire, as the “ban” on Balefire is a stupid goofy thing considering how the forsaken can come back, but slapping him is just the exact sort of opposite sort of action that takes me out of the whole “Cadsuane is the bestest ever” vibe that everyone else has.

Also I love that there are traditional Aes Sedai (not our Power Trio) whose desire to learn overrides the “Men who can channel are creepy” thing that has gone on for a few thousand years. I love that the wound is partly what inspires Rand's idea to cleanse Saidin with Shadar Logath.

AcoS 37

This is one of the chapters I will outright say. Screw Elayne and the horse she rode in on.

And screw Nynaeve for not telling mat about his men, however Elayne has a partially good idea in Mat keeping the Foxhead Talisman, If a forsaken does attack, they will be holding the power and really aside from Nynaeve having the thing there is not really much that can be accomplished by the girls that Mat can't really do better. IE stabbicating the forsaken in the face.

For all the ickyness of Mat/Tylin's relationship I can't help but be amused that Beslen approves of it and actively points out things like the note that Tylin left.

AcoS 38

Enter the Gholam, who is quite frightening. Quick, Strong and immune to magic, and frankly Elayne deserved getting knocked down a peg by an opponent that is designed to kick around wielders of the power, and probably could have used getting smacked around by the Gholam a bit more over the next couple of books with how she acts towards Birgitte trying to protect her during the seige.

I love Elayne, but take it from someone who DPSes in MMOs, if you pull aggro off a tank, that 75% HP kick to the face should teach you to watch your aggro, speaking of Where the heck was Birgitte during the Gholam attack? She sorta disappears for this chapter.
 

Ryu Shadowborn

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Is that where they were? That seems to be a rather odd choice for a Warder to be doing while her Aes Sedai is possibly going into danger.
 

Rhed al'Tere

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Yeah, they went to watch Carridin, which I agree, seems odd. But then, Elayne et al didn't expect trouble. The Wise Women in particular didn't expect trouble, because they're Wise Women. No one was on their guard. :/
 

Aduiavas Ida

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And they had Mat and the Redarms :look: Honestly, two more fighters would not have made a difference. Although Aviendha can channel, so she might have helped, unless she was shielded as well...
 

Ryu Shadowborn

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AcoS : 39

Nynaeve and Elayne should have their ears boxed for them for this chapter, if you are pulling a Con you -tell- your biggest ally in the con about it.

AcoS : 40

Not a lot here, The concept of the Shaido sending some one to Rhudiean to become a proper clan leader comes up a couple of times (including actually sending someone) I am surprised that it never came back at some point in A Memory of Light, with the New Clan Chief of the Shaido meeting the ones returning to the waste part of the way and bringing them into the forces of the light.

AcoS 41

This chapter is a little odd, we are somewhat thrown into the fight between Sammael and Rand, it was nice to see that Liah survived though why she did not go -out- of the spooky dangerous city is beyond me however her getting re-introduced and killed off so quickly makes most of it a bit of a waste of time.

I wonder if the Dark One can't revive someone killed by Mashadar, we don't find out a whole lot about the thing that is special enough to be unique to this turning of the wheel.
 

Rhed al'Tere

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Chapter 38
Mat doesn't know to eat the oysters raw.
Also: Do oysters have the same aphrodisiac reputation, and that's why Tylin sent them?
Elayne has no sympathy for Mat, thinks he's getting a taste of his own medicine.
mat offers Elayne the foxhead medallion and she immediately returns it.
Mat dreads having to take the women into a Rahad inn.
Everyone in the Rahad is deferential to the Wise Women.
The people of the Rahad see Vanin as dangerous as Lan.
The gholam kills Naelsean. :(
Mat gets lucky (shocker!) and his medallion falls against the gholam's face.
The ghollam was after Elayne--on whose orders?

Chapter 39
Mat manages to make a bargain with Renaile, thanks to ta'veren and his memories
Elayne and Nynaeve believe Mat planned to bully the Sea Folk.
Mat totally missed Nynaeve saying that the coming storm is not weather.
Seanchan are back: Nynaeve's storm.

Chapter 40
The Red Head of Ajah is considered, by Reds, the equal of the Amyrlin Seat.
Galina joined the Black AJah 5 years after she gained the shawl. She's been HoA for 20 years.
Galina was part of Tarna's death, and Suian's deposing and stilling.
The Shaido Wise Ones chose the weakest of them to shield Galina, because they know she won't try to escape again.
Galina believes he'll be rescued, either by Elaida (Tower) or Alviarin (Black Ajah).
When women join the Black Ajah, they are broken free of the three oaths, but replace them with a new trinity.
Galina thinks Sevanna was trying to free Rand rather than steal him for her own use.
Sevanna doesn't know of the Black Ajah.
The Wise Ones designate Galina as da'tsang.
Sevanna took Galina's reply as an admission of guilt, lading to the da'tsang title.
Sevanna plans to never release the wetlander gai'shain she has. She wants a new name for the lifelong gai'shain (um, that's called slaves, Sevanna).
Sammael calls the box nai'baha: 'fool box'
Sevanna thinks Cadden/Sammael wants the gold the Shaido can give him. She's such an idiot.
Sam's boxes split the Shaido and left both halves weakened.
Sam scattered the Shaido from "Illian to Ghealdan," with some in front of Rand's army.
Shadar Haran can smell the One Power residues, and deisguish between saidin and saidar. He can't tell what flows were used.
Shadar Haran is tied to Sahyol Ghul. It sounds like a similar bond as Ogier and stedding.

Chapter 41
Min: Cadsuane will teach Rand and the Asha'man something, and they will not like learning it.
Bashere's overseeing the mass production of crossbows.
Rand almost uses balefire, but remembers Cadsuane.
Liah kills Trollocs without veiling first.
And Ishamael and Rand cross balefire streams when they're fighting Masha'dar.
Ah: Ishamael was using the True Power -- does that make a difference? What would happen if two men using saidin crossed streams? Two women using saidar? Saidar and saidin?
Rand kills Liah to save her from Mashadar.
Rand believes Sam is killed by Mashadar.
Illian's council suspects Brend/Sam did something to Mattin Stepaneos (King of Illian).
Tear kept selling grant to Illian even after Rand started planning his invasion. The Illian council was grateful, and gave Rand the crown.
Look here: The storm is coming.
 
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