2015 Re-Readalong: Lord of Chaos

[Megana Vallentin]

Re: 2015 Re-Readalong: Lord of Chaos, Chapters 8-13

I'm kinda surprised he didn't try to quiz them more about what the bond meant exactly. Other than being able to sense Alanna, it wasn't explained very well, though at least we as readers know something about it thanks to Elayne and Birgitte.

That does remind me that if I'm restless, I could go read New Spring real quick.

 

[Aduiavas Ida]

Re: 2015 Re-Readalong: Lord of Chaos, Chapters 8-13

Yeah, I always wondered what made Alanna do that, and especially since it is not exploited more I mean yes, we have the whole "saving-Alanna" thing in aMoL, but honestly I would think that Alanna would have released the bond earlier when she first was taken...

 

[Kassina Tendar]

Re: 2015 Re-Readalong: Lord of Chaos, Chapters 8-13

The line about Myrelle seriously wanting Nynaeve's block broken makes so much more sense now, I never noticed that before.

I think I might've missed this. Why does it make so much more sense now?

 

[Megana Vallentin]

Re: 2015 Re-Readalong: Lord of Chaos, Chapters 8-13

Because she knows Lan is coming (or has already arrived) but can't pass him to Nynaeve until she's a full sister, which requires breaking her block first.

 

[Kassina Tendar]

Re: 2015 Re-Readalong: Lord of Chaos, Chapters 8-13

Ohh!! Right! I hadn't made that connection before.

 

[Imzadi Hopewind]

Re: 2015 Re-Readalong: Lord of Chaos, Chapters 8-13

Oh, so that's why Myrelle is following Nynaeve so much around... Like bossing etc.

Have I read too fast now? What chapter is suppose to be last one today? I'm will start at chapter 16 tomorrow if I've counted right?

 

[Megana Vallentin]

Re: 2015 Re-Readalong: Lord of Chaos, Chapters 8-13

Subject says 13. We seem to be doing fewer, maybe cuz they're longer?

 

[Maibella ni Rhoiden t'al'Varrak]

Re: 2015 Re-Readalong: Lord of Chaos, Chapters 8-13

Yes, Mother said we'd be going by number of pages rather than number of chapters since the chapters are so much longer now.

 

[Imzadi Hopewind]

Re: 2015 Re-Readalong: Lord of Chaos, Chapters 8-13

Ok, thank you two

 

[Rhed al'Tere]

Re: 2015 Re-Readalong: Lord of Chaos, Chapters 14-19

Exactly what they said. This is the first monster prologue, and I'm trying to make this easy on all of us. Especially me.

Oh, and a note about the Companion: I don't think we can consider information from the Companion as spoilers, since it's pure information and not advancing the plot at all (excepting maybe Bela ), and is rather like asking Jordan or Sanderson a question at a Q&A. So if you happen to be reading something in the Companion that's relevant to our discussion here, feel free to share, and share which entry it is.


[Monster] Prologue

• Demandred -- I love re-reading and knowing that Demandred is in Shara.
• We first meet Shadar Haran.
• Shadar Haran gets extra headroom in Shayol Ghul from TDO.
• Demandred wants to rule the world. Just doesn't make sense -- TDO wants to destroy the Wheel of Time, and destroy the Pattern. I just don't understand why the Forsaken think they'll get power.
• Demandred truly fears balefire.

• Birgitte plays with children, particularly boys. Because she thinks one of them might be Gaidal Cain? (Even though we know that GC is a baby somewhere in the world.)
• Min is very sure that things are going super well for Rand.

• All of Taren Ferry was killed in the Trolloc raids.
• "A Wisdom was supposed to be in control at all times." -- Much like an Aes Sedai.
• Faile's afraid of Rand. Afraid of what he brings.

• Gawyn only stays at the Tower for Elayne and Egwene.
• Elaida is sending Gawyn to Cairhien with Tower contingent.
• Gawyn believes Elayne and Morgase are dead, and that Rand is responsible.
• Elaida is plotting to have Gawyn killed.
• Galina is the Red Head of Ajah, and she's Black.
• Katerine is also Black.
• Elaida allied the Tower with the Shaido. (Dumbass.)

• Sevanna is power-hungry and wants the wetlands. She plans to never return to the Waste.
• Who did Sevanna meet in the mountains? "strange wetlander man"

• Tallanvor (rightly, I think) believes Morgase abandoned Andor to Gaebril and refuses to treat her as queen till she regains the throne.
• Morgase believes the nobles will flock back to her? Not likely, lady.
• "Cairhienen were disgusting..."

• Rumors abound that the Tower was behind Logain.
• Niall believes the Last Battle will be just Trollocs.
• Niall also doesn't believe the Tower is actually split. It's all a plot.

• Mesaana builds towers of dominoes, Semirhage does needlework.
• Demandred was "almost" as good as Lews Therin.
• Mesaana is in the Tower. Semirhage is with the Seanchan.
• Teaching was not held in as high regard as research in the Age of Legends. Mesaana was left being a teacher.
• Demandred was a gambler.
• Aran'gar = Balthamel
• Osan'gar = Aginor
• Myrdraal are offspring of Trollocs.

Chapter 1

• Rand is using the toadies from Gaebril's court.
• A low-cut Andoran dress is showing a bit of cleavage.
• Rand feels like some of the taint remains after he releases saidin.
• Rand hadn't responded so visibly (physically) to LTT before. And of course he has an audience.
• Who was teh Aes Sedai who ran from Caemlyn and RAnd?
• Aes Sedai are avoiding Caemly. IN a hurry to get to Elaida or Salidar?
• Gaebril's cronies -- did they know he was at least a Darkfriend? Or did they just try to get any favor where they could? -- Rand doesn't believe any of them are Darkfriends. And their reactions to Rand naming Gaebril Rahvin are pretty severe.
• Mat knows battles better than Bashere. One of the great captains.
• I wonder if the Aiel have some sort of birth control for the Maidens.
• Moiraine told Rand not to trust Aes Sedai, and it's going to hurt him. He's going to use them but not trust them.

Chapter 2

• Tenobia and Bashere will kill Taim if he sets foot in Saldaea.
• It's been almost 2 years since Rand discovered he could channel.
• Why does LTT rave at the sight of Taim? Does Taim remind him of Demandred and Sammael?
• Taim can make people want to do nothing but serve and obey. Scary.
• Taim only wants glory and recognition.
• The rumors Taim's heard, "whole villages going mad, killing each other" -- sounds like Hinderstap.
• Rand puts Bashere in charge of the seal that Taim brought.
• Rand knows the Last Battle will be an actual battle, not just him vs. TDO.

Chapter 3

• Rand wants families at the Black Tower -- to remind the men what they have to fight for. While this is different from the White Tower, it also makes sense for him, since he's thinking on a short term scale. The Last Battle is coming, and the asha'man will likely die, and Rand wants them to have a reminder of why they're fighting. The White Tower takes a much longer term view, and the idea of marriage is very difficult for women who live for centuries. Their husbands and children will grow old and die, and what woman wants to watch that?
• Taim covers Rand's ignorance.
• Men don't glow with saidin -- instead there's a sense of force and menace.
• Rand doesn't know if he or LTT seized saidin.
• Rand thinks Asmodean escaped.
• "none but the woman who raised the child and her husband ever knew it was not her own." If a nonpregnant woman suddenly has an infant, it's a little obvious that the baby is not theirs. I mean...if a woman loses a late-term pregnancy, most of her neighbors are probably going to notice. If she then has a baby in the house, uuuuuhhhhh -- giant clue that it's not hers?

Chapter 4

• Aiel humor vs. Rand's humor.
• The Maidens try to figure out Rand's joke. It's probably the rooster.
• Weiramon in silver worked boots. In the Darkfriend meeting in book 2, there was someone wearing silver-worked boots. (Totally stole that observation from Eniara.)
• Weiramon uses a title of LTT's: Lord of the Morning.
• When Rand shouts at LTT to shut up, that was the first time he'd talked directly to LTT. Ramifications - if LTT can hear Rand and respond.
• Rebellion already starting in Hadden Mirk.
• Rand strips titles from the rebels and shocks the lords -- Tairen and Cairhienin. Servants were cheered, though.
• Rand is entering TAR in the flesh, to scout.
• "[Weiramon] was brave enough when it came to battle, but a pure blind idiot unable to think beyond the glory of the charge, his hatred of Illianers, his contempt for Cairhienin and Aiel 'savages.'"
• Rand wants to supply the army as it goes into Illian so the countryside isn't ravaged. His goal to not totally destroy the world is evident here.

Chapter 5

• Talmanes rarely smiles. Reminds Mat of a compressed spring -- tense, ready to move.
• Mat is able to assemble an army from all nations and everyone respects the others. Cairhienin and Tairen at the inn together, plotting how to win money off Mat.
• The silver foxhead medallion has only one eye. Heh.
• Mat is grateful to memories -- puts an army between him and the Forsaken and Rand.
• Mat's died twice, though he doesn't remember the balefire death.
• Mat keeps discipline in town with Redarms. This would also endear him to the innkeepers, as he's ensuring discipline and making sure the innkeepers will be paid for any damage done. The Redarms also give the innkeepers less need for bodyguards/bouncers.
• Olver shows up. He's 9.
• How did Mat know it was time to go?
• "Mat had driven it into their heads that every man belonged to the Band, not whatever land he happened to be born in."
• The squadrons still call themselves Name's Whatever, but they get a sigil for the squadron instead of just the man who's leading. So, they're Bob's Boars, rather than just Bob's men -- they belong to the Boars, not to Bob.

 

[Aduiavas Ida]

Re: 2015 Re-Readalong: Lord of Chaos, Chapters 14-19

I believe the man Sevanna met are Sammael. I think this is confirmed in later books.

And yes, the Band is a quite astonishing construction, not the least that so many nobles from so many countries works together without any hitch. And the size of it are quite astonishing as well, they are one of the largest forces there is, maye except the Whitecloaks

 

[Megana Vallentin]

Re: 2015 Re-Readalong: Lord of Chaos, Chapters 14-19

Quite a difference from Rand's army, where he can barely get his people to communicate with each other. :P

 

[Rhed al'Tere]

Re: 2015 Re-Readalong: Lord of Chaos, Chapters 14-19

Exactly.

And I hadn't thought about the Whitecloaks, but they're a cohesive unit as well, regardless of nation of origin. Then again, they all have a unifying belief, so that helps.

I guess we could argue that Mat is the unifying belief for the Band?

 

[Aduiavas Ida]

Re: 2015 Re-Readalong: Lord of Chaos, Chapters 14-19

Another difference is that among the Whitecloaks nationality doesn't seem to matter. It is like they stop having a nationality as soon as they become Whitecloaks That is certainly not true in the Band, they are still conscious of their nationality...

 

[Maibella ni Rhoiden t'al'Varrak]

Re: 2015 Re-Readalong: Lord of Chaos, Chapters 14-19

Delana is a pale blonde?! :eek How have I missed that all these years? I can't count how many times I've read this book and yet I've always pictured her as having dark hair. Huh.

 

[Megana Vallentin]

Re: 2015 Re-Readalong: Lord of Chaos, Chapters 14-19

Really? Me too! :eek

 

[Maibella ni Rhoiden t'al'Varrak]

Re: 2015 Re-Readalong: Lord of Chaos, Chapters 14-19

I just listened to the description of her in Salidar when Nyneave was send to do copying for her. I'm doing this from memory, but Delana is described as stout with blonde hair so pale it almost seemed white, and with a piercing gaze that makes a person think of all the the things they may ever have done wrong. I still can't quite picture Delana as stout with pale hair - she's always been stout with dark hair in my mind.

 

[Megana Vallentin]

Re: 2015 Re-Readalong: Lord of Chaos, Chapters 14-19

I guess it makes sense that I would miss that every time...at this point I'm enjoying the story a lot which means I'm reading fast and skimming over the descriptions. :x Still, jeez, usually at least I get hair color! Delana just sounds like a dark hair name. :P

 

[Maibella ni Rhoiden t'al'Varrak]

Re: 2015 Re-Readalong: Lord of Chaos, Chapters 14-19

That's ok, for the longest time I didn't realize Elayne had blonde hair. I guess to me, "sun-haired" always conjured images of reddish hair. I also always imagined Aviendha with brown hair. I'm REALLY bad at paying attention to descriptions. :P

 

[Aduiavas Ida]

Re: 2015 Re-Readalong: Lord of Chaos, Chapters 14-19

Yeah, to me sun-haired means red-tinted, if not full on red hair But I know from pictures that Elayne is blonde now