The Wheel of Time Re-read (currently reading - Lord of Chaos)

Merena Orithana

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Gawyn got assassinated as a character since he was written into a corner.

Agreed. He had so much potential! It is almost like RJ thought: 'Huh, looks like I have too many characters. I don't have time for this one.' See also: Demandred. :laugh:

My *main* gripe with him is that he tends to pass the buck with EVERY LITTLE THING.

Mat seems the most comfortable with being Taveren/bring led around by the nose by the Wheel/Pattern - 'oh, I did this because ...uh... I felt like I should and so I did?' Perrin and Rand keep feeling the tug of the Pattern, but tend to fight it. It does get annoying that Mat seems to keep getting away with passing the buck, though.
 

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Mat seems the most comfortable with being Taveren/bring led around by the nose by the Wheel/Pattern - 'oh, I did this because ...uh... I felt like I should and so I did?' Perrin and Rand keep feeling the tug of the Pattern, but tend to fight it. It does get annoying that Mat seems to keep getting away with passing the buck, though.

And see, I'm okay with most parts of his character, and I even overlook the casual misogyny...sometimes, because...it's really hard to find a character in the series that doesn't suffer from that. :look: But that tendency to not take accountability...just really gets under my skin. :laugh:
 

Toral Delvar

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General
This set of chapters is pretty fast paced. It is still following a fairly standard format, and we even get the “the heroes have to split up” trope
We get some character development, but not a lot – more of Mat being somewhat reckless, and the first hints of Nynaeve’s feelings for Lan. We only get glimpses of that throughout the book, but we do see it develop. We are also introduced to a handful of characters that play larger roles later in the series.
We also see more poor communication – Mostly Mat doing stupid things because Moiraine and Lan are to arrogant to properly explain anything
We also get more of one of the things that helped differentiated the series from other popular series that were around at the time – prophecies and lots of them
Chapter 14
Ara doesn’t know the full name of “The Two Rivers” – I guess this was before Two Rivers Tabac gained such world renown
Mat had been told not to talk of Aes Sedai and Warders, but not trollocs, so felt free to talk of them. He doesn’t learn from this, but neither do Moiraine or Lan.
Rand makes the first move to try and apologise to Egwene over there argument, but she is too much of a brat to hear him out.
Rand has a strange dream, in which Ishamael basically tells him he is Ba’alzamon. It seems likely this is in Tel’aran’rhiod, or maybe even a dreamshard
Why does he want Rand to drink the wine? Is there something that magic wine can do that can’t be done through other means, or is this just theatrics
What’s with the rats? He kills over a dozen – one for each of the boys, but then a whole bunch of extra ones. Seems a lot of effort to go to for no benefit, but he is of doubtful sanity
The covenant of the ten nations was the second covenant – what was the first? I think the Green man helps us with this, in that it was something to do with the Aiel, but I had thought by that time people had forgotten all about this first covenant
What is the doom yet to come in relation to the Seanchan?
Chapter 15
Min’s visions – I remember reading RJ say that these were of future events, not past ones, but can’t find this. It wasn’t in his Blog or the Question of the Week
What won’t Egwene refuse – As she was going to be Aes Sedai, “being aes Sedai” doesn’t really make sense, but I don’t know how Min would know what it meant to be Amyrlin
I don’t know what the beggar’s staff for Rand could be. Lan and Thom’s visions make sense if they are of the past.
Fain seems crazy
Bornhald seems to genuinely believe that anyone who doesn’t grovel to the Whitecloaks is a Darkfriend
We don’t yet know why Rand is sick, and have no reason to think this has any significance, but just a few chapters later, Moiraine explains it for us
Mat is the one who really makes the decision not to tell Moiraine abou the dream “But maybe just him being in our dreams is enough for…I don’t know”
 

Toral Delvar

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Chapter 16
One of the first interactions of Lan and Nynaeve, and the first one we see – she blushes when he compliments her
When Moiraine talks about how touching the Source gives her protection, what does this even mean?
Chapter 17
Not much
Chapter 18
Lan is “Last Lord of the Seven Towers” – Rand and Thom hear, but it doesn’t seem like anyone else does. He later uses “for the seven towers” as a battle cry
Chapter 19
Nynaeve calls Lan “Lord of the Seven Towers” – apparently she also heard Moiraine and the title made an impact on her.
Thom says the dead can take a living body. Is this true? I don’t think we hear of this again, except when the Dark One does it. Does this mean belief in ghosts is widespread?
All of the boys interpret Moiraine’s warning that the Trollocs wouldn’t come to Aridhol as a sign the city is safe. Once again, her arrogance and their lack of thinking things clearly nearly brings disaster.
Mordeth doesn’t know Caemlyn, but it was just one of many cities then, so maybe this is no surprise
Even after the encounter, Mat wanted to stay and gather treasure
How does Moiraine know that Mordeth can leave the city if he convinces someone? Is this just an assumption on her part?
Chapter 20
Moiraine points to a red star and tells them to head to it – Mars?
Why would Domon think Trollocs are following him (we learn this in the next book)
 

Ilverin Matriam

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Already on Week 4?! :eek

How is everyone doing?

I just went live on Instagram reading my favorite passage from Eye of the World! It will probably be uploaded later! :pleased-1: Do you have a favorite passage?
 

Ryu Shadowborn

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Already on Week 4?! :eek

How is everyone doing?

I just went live on Instagram reading my favorite passage from Eye of the World! It will probably be uploaded later! :pleased-1: Do you have a favorite passage?

Loial's description of Tav'eren is mine.
 

Leala ni al'Dareis t'al'Caleum

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I'm a little ahead of my usual speed, because I'm getting into the story. :laugh:

I've already met Elyas and the wolfies! :joy

Perrin thinking "nothing can happen" to Egwene when she goes off alone with a strange man they both just met because of the Way of the Leaf leaves a bad aftertaste as an adult now. :look: I know that nothing does happen, and I'm "living in the future" as far as when the book is written, but yeah. Still felt weird.

My favorite passage is Moiraine's telling of Manetheren! And I've seen the reading thread in Marketing! Any chance for me to help out? :)
 
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Aduiavas Ida

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Yeah, Mat in Aridhol annoys me. :tug
I just want to yell at him: "No, Mat PUT THAT DOWN!" But of course we don't even learn for many chapters that he actually kept something.
 

Thaddius al'Guy

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Yes, Egwene is very annoying in these chapters. I do understand why so many don't like her. Luckily, she grows up a lot. As do the boys...

13 year old Thad hated Egwene at this point. Only maybe because he was trying to figure out girls himself. This time on the re-read, I am much more apologetic to her behaviors.
 

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Yeah, book 1 Egwene is...ugh.

13 year old Thad hated Egwene at this point. Only maybe because he was trying to figure out girls himself. This time on the re-read, I am much more apologetic to her behaviors.

14 year-old me liked that Egwene was a girl who was being assertive surrounded by dudes who thought they knew better. Now, were I in a group with her in the events of book one during some of her scenes that made me roll my eyes, I'd likely just lean forward and say, "Now maaaaaaybe isn't the time."
 

Aleita Taviah

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Merena Orithana

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Leala ni al'Dareis t'al'Caleum

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:joy That's awesome!!
 

Aduiavas Ida

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Hmm, first point this week, this is the first time we get another POV than Rand, which is Perrin in chapter 20, followed by the whole chapter being from Nynaeve POV in chapter 21 :)
 

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Well, they separate in this stretch, so that does make sense. :)
 

Ryu Shadowborn

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In a sane world, Shadar Logath escape would be a Mid Season Finale, it is a great "mid season action scene followed by cliffhangers"
 

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*thinking about watching the series with her mom dutifully trying to understand references in her wedding, and her sister excited to watch the series and maybe trying to get back into the book series*

That would be a good mid-season finale.
 

Toral Delvar

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My thoughts
Chapter 21
Nynaeve is still blaming Moiraine for what had happened - it's going to be a long time before she stops
Moiraine makes several incorrect statements about Travelling – that there hasn’t been an Aes Sedai powerful enough to Travel since the Age of Legends, that Trollocs could go through a gateway and that all the forsaken together could not move a thousand trollocs – just how big does she think a gateway could be? Again, just assuming that her bad information or assumptions are true
Moiraine tells Nynaeve about the chills that come “a week or ten days” later. We saw Rand get chills after channeling for the first time, but much sooner than this
I think the “being able to sense someone you healed” gets forgotten about. I don’t recall it ever happening again
Mistress Baran was apparently worried about Nynaeve after she had Healed Egwene – was she really trying to comfort Nynaeve, or was there some sort of knowledge of young women doing something they shouldn’t be able to and occasionally dying?
Moiraine’s explanation for why she needs to take Egwene to Tar Valon is irrelevant anyway. Egwene has already touched the source under her guidance.
Moiraine tells Nynaeve she might become even more powerful than Egwene – Is she stretching the truth here? We know Nynaeve can be much more powerful. She comments later that Nynaeve is already as strong as most Aes Sedai
What sort of bond did the coin create? A finder?
Moiraine is again overconfident in her baseless assumptions – that Perrin would follow the river down to Whitebridge
Lan’s eyes widen when he sees Nynaeve’s face – very little is capable of getting this much reaction out of him
She plans on learning to be Aes Sedai for revenge. It takes her a while to grow out of this
Chapter 22
Perrin takes charge – he has thought it through, Egwene has not
He decides against Whitebridge as that is where the Myrddraal would expect, and he doesn’t know if Moiraine is alive to meet him there.
Chapter 23
Egwene has used the Power to light a fire. Perrin’s reaction is irrational, but only because he is ignorant. He’s probably right that she shouldn’t be trying it
Saldaea doesn’t have a king
How do the wolves smell halfmen and trollocs in Perrin’s mind?
How would they have tried to gentle Elyas? How does gentling work? do they abuse the man until he reaches for the source, then cut him off?
Perrin learns he can talk to wolves, but chooses to live in denial
Chapter 24
What is the weird city in Rand’s dream? Just what is Ba’alzamon doing, there doesn’t seem to be any rational point to it. Why the look of surprise on his face when Rand encounters him?
Ba’alzamon says “the eye of the world will not serve you” – does he mean that, or is he trying to push Rand towards it? How would it serve him anyway?
Mat is beginning to get suspicious of people
Men and women a hundred feet tall, carved into a half mile stretch of bluffs - Assuming they aren't from the Age of Legends, this part of the Arinelle seems likely to have been the border between Manetheren and Coramide or possibly Farashelle and Aldeshar, so they seem most likely
A tower of metal, a little further along is the Tower of Ghenjei
Bayle mentions that the Sea Folk are searching for their Coramoor
Is Domon right that there have been empires since the breaking that match Artur Hawkwings? It seems unlikely
I don’t think we ever hear more of the crystal lattice covering an island, or the hundred span high silver spike that kills anyone who comes close – are they even real?
Rand has his second chanelling related dizziness
Chapter 25
Egwene believes the tales of the Tinkers being great thieves
Aram and Perrin clearly don’t like each other. Aram makes a point of talking the Way of the Leaf, but his grandparents clearly worry he won’t keep to it.
Why do some young Aiel me think they have been called to kill the Dark One?
Why do the Aiel call the Tua’athon “lost ones”
Who his He who comes with the Dawn
So, are the Tua’athon vegetarians?
Chapter 26
The Great Hunt has been proclaimed
Fain clearly passed through Whitebridge before them
Thom tells the boys about Owyn – The man (not him) juggling fire that Min saw?
What are the blue flashes when Thom fights the Myrdraal?
Chapter 27
What is telling Elyas to wait? I don’t think we ever see Perrin have this sort of sense, is it a Wolfbrother thing? What is it anyway?
Perrin continues to press Elyas, even after he says he won’t be swayed
This is the first time we see one of the boys think “the other guy knows about girls” – in this case Perrin thinks it of Rand, but we see it frequently. Not entirely sure why he thinks this, as I think they had noticed how clueless Rand was around Egwene
Hopper cares nothing for humans, but does care for Dapple – yet he takes it on himself to be Perrin’s guide
 

Aduiavas Ida

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Moiraine can't lie, so I think she is speaking from ignorance when it comes to Travelling. It becomes to commonplace in the latter part of the series, but remember, Moiraine has no idea what a gateway even is. She doesn't know that Shadowspawn can't move through them.

I think the Aiel men that goes to fight the Dark One are those that find that they can channel :cry
Why the Aiel call the Tuatha'an lost ones we learn in Rhuidean...
 
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