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

Rhed al'Tere

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Re: Re-Readalong: A Crown of Swords: Chapters 3-8

So, question Just how tall is the tower?
At least 10 stories, but probably much higher, as it's visible for miles (or so I've always assumed). I'll make a note to check the companion. The Keeper's quarters are on about the tenth floor, and Elaida has taken rooms higher than that.

did Elaida even send a scout to see how many men that can channel there are?
She had reports that there were as many as 400. She blinds herself, though, and tries to make reality what it should be instead of what it is.

But having 53 minus 2 (Gabrelle and Pevara) turned to the Shadow, wouldn't that be enough? Or are the turned persons unfit for that job?
Did that many of them get turned? :brown-blink:
 

Rhed al'Tere

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Re: Re-Readalong: A Crown of Swords: Chapters 3-8

According to the Companion, the main Tower has 40 levels, is 600 feet tall, and is 200 feet in diameter at its top. Novice and Accepted have their own "wells" in other branches of the tower building.

I didn't find anything about Mesaana and the ajah comment in the Companion. Formal, permanent ajahs as we know them now didn't exist when she was around (they started about 500 years after the Tower was founded, in 97ish AB), so she's using the word in the literal sense (a temporary group dedicated to a cause).
 

Kassina Tendar

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Re: Re-Readalong: A Crown of Swords: Chapters 3-8

Maybe that's what the Forsaken called themselves back then?
 

Ryu Shadowborn

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Re: Re-Readalong: A Crown of Swords: Chapters 3-8

Alviarin even muses on how dangerous the Foretelling is.

to quote Tyrion Lannister of A song of ice and fire

"Prophecy is like a half-trained mule. It looks as though it might be useful, but the moment you trust in it, it kicks you in the head"

He suspected the plot to kill the Younglings.

and yet he went back to the white tower.

According to the Companion, the main Tower has 40 levels, is 600 feet tall, and is 200 feet in diameter at its top. Novice and Accepted have their own "wells" in other branches of the tower building.

For reference that is the same height as the space needle, not as tall as tall as i had personally imagined but it is quite high enough to make folks look like ants.

ACOS 4

and we have Che Faile properly in the plot, this is one of the things that drives me up a wall going forward, not for any real reason but simply because they are annoying about following Perin's orders.

ACOS 5

Faile deserves a smack here, for being angry about Perrin bringing up Berlain having evidence that Colvaere had Meilan and Maringil killed, I wonder if her slip here was a thing of Rand being Tav'eren, and Rand manages to be more cruel than kind in not killing her. There are fates worse than death after all.

Also if I were Rand I would have had a much more grand entrance than just opening the door, presuming that the doors are made of gold (why would they not be in a place called the “sun palace”) I would have woven fire and earth and melted them.

ACOS 6

Rand walks in on Perrin making out with Faile, and asks him to lead the army into Illian, to make the distraction more real, though Rand doesn't let that slip at all.

ACOS 7

I find it odd that a group of nobility would try to force someone onto a throne, it seems like to be one of the worst possible ideas and 99% of the time would end with “Oh crap the queen went missing...and half the gold in the palace is gone too”

ACOS 8

Egwene starts to bring Sheriam into line, and the rebels sent to infiltrate the tower are off, who end up mattering much later.
 

Kassina Tendar

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Re: Re-Readalong: A Crown of Swords: Chapters 3-8

Faile deserves a smack here, for being angry about Perrin bringing up Berlain having evidence that Colvaere had Meilan and Maringil killed

Seriously. :indifferent:
 
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Re: Re-Readalong: A Crown of Swords: Chapters 3-8

the main Tower has 40 levels, is 600 feet tall, and is 200 feet in diameter at its top. Novice and Accepted have their own "wells" in other branches of the tower building.
Imagine it somewhat like this:
photo020.jpg

And in TGS, novice quarter are on level 22, halfway up.
 
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Megana Vallentin

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Re: Re-Readalong: A Crown of Swords: Chapters 3-8

Snipping out some pieces...

ACOS 4

and we have Che Faile properly in the plot, this is one of the things that drives me up a wall going forward, not for any real reason but simply because they are annoying about following Perin's orders.

ACOS 5

Faile deserves a smack here, for being angry about Perrin bringing up Berlain having evidence that Colvaere had Meilan and Maringil killed, I wonder if her slip here was a thing of Rand being Tav'eren, and Rand manages to be more cruel than kind in not killing her. There are fates worse than death after all.

ACOS 7

I find it odd that a group of nobility would try to force someone onto a throne, it seems like to be one of the worst possible ideas and 99% of the time would end with “Oh crap the queen went missing...and half the gold in the palace is gone too”

ALL OF THIS YES.
 

Aduiavas Ida

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Re: Re-Readalong: A Crown of Swords: Chapters 3-8

I can see why the Tower is so impressive, especially considering the level of technology they have in that Age...
 

Rhed al'Tere

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Re: Re-Readalong: A Crown of Swords: Chapters 3-8

Chapter 3

  • Perrin muses about the future of the Two Rivers and Andor. He thinks Elayne may ignore the Manetheren flag flying.
  • Dashiva knows little of how to handle a sword.
  • Rand trusts Perrin, Min and Loial.
  • Narishma is introduced.
  • Perrin claims village-sized problems are all he can handle, but he can and does look at the bigger picture when needed.
  • Perrin is called Sei'cair, golden eyes.
  • Does Rand really think Sorilea hops when he says jump? Or is he being sarcastic?
  • Gaul wants to marry Chiad, but she won't marry him. If he wants her as a lover, he has to have Bain too.

Chapter 4

  • Loial admits he's eager to marry Erith.
  • The land is dying. It reflects Rand's growing almost-madness.
  • Perrin smells madness on Dashiva.
  • Colavaere put the Foregaters and the refugees out of the city.
  • Cairhienin ji'e'toh people are creating societies.

Chapter 5

  • The city and the palace are quiet and threatening. The whole time they were walking in, I was holding my breath and on the edge of my seat.
  • Annoura may be screwed. Berelain too for hiding Annoura.
  • Loial is taking notes with his axe propped against his shoulder. :laugh:
  • Dobraine steps up to charge Colavaere with treason.
  • Annoura tells rand that the orders for Maringill & Meilin's deaths came from Colavaere.
  • Rand strips Colavaere of her titles, lands, and everything. He banishes her to a farm.

Chapter 6

  • Faile and Perrin have a fight and then work things out.
  • Rand interrupts sexy times.
  • Perrin refuses to lead Rand's army.
  • Sexy times resume.

Chapter 7

  • Rand thinks about his hand being cut off.
  • Ah: Rand has to cleanse saidin before fighting and re-sealing TDO because you cannot make something pure with something tainted.
  • First mention of the colors that flash when M/R/P think of the others.
  • It's hard to tell if a man can channel without his cooperation, almost impossible if he doesn't cooperate.
  • Sulin is the only one to see Rand's discomfort with being bound and hooded, and she tries to comfort him.
  • Aes Sedai have been coming and going in Caemlyn.

Chapter 8

  • Suiane and Egwene are both working hard to make sure Egwene is a true Amyrlin.
  • Egwene keeps Chesa at the meetings with Sheriam to unsettle Sheriam.
  • Egwene thinks she can count on Delana. We know Delana is playing all sides.
  • Sheriam could lie to Egwene when asked about the ferrets. Though she won't lie about the ferrets -- too many others know the truth and cannot lie.
  • Sheriam is uncomfortable talking about the Black Ajah. No surprise there.
  • Egwene has a flash of pain and runs to Moggy's tent to find her disappeared.
 

Rhed al'Tere

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Re: Re-Readalong: A Crown of Swords: Chapters 3-8

I read up on Dashiva/Osan'gar/Aginor in the Companion. It confirmed that Rand chose him via ta'verenness.

Taim didn't want Dashiva to go with Rand because he thought Dashiva was a high-ranking Darkfriend meant to be Taim's assistant.
 

Ryu Shadowborn

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Re: Re-Readalong: A Crown of Swords: Chapters 3-8

Aes Sedai have been coming and going in Caemlyn.

If this had been happening a book ago..we could have theorized they were visiting the third, secret Amyrlin.

Verin.

Edit : Ooh interesting bit Mother, so Taim was a Darkfriend the entire time he was working for Rand? That is actually a shame, the idea that Taim could have been a goodguy if Rand weren't an utter Jerk to him a great deal of the time was interesting.
 
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Rhed al'Tere

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Re: Re-Readalong: A Crown of Swords: Chapters 3-8

From the entry on Taim:
While not a Darkfriend originally, he was always prime material for them, a man far more interested din wealth and power than anything else, willing to do whatever was required to get them.

[Taim] was being carried to Tar Valon for gentling when he was freed, supposedly by his supporters, but actually by Demandred. Aes Sedai were killed both in capturing him and freeing him. Demandred offered Taim a choice, and Taim accepted, going to Rand in Caemlyn with one of the seals on the Dark One's prison to make sure that Rand would trust him and take him in.

So he wasn't a Darkfriend when he was a false Dragon, but he became one because Demandred offered him power and whatever else.
 

Kassina Tendar

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Re: Re-Readalong: A Crown of Swords: Chapters 3-8

Sheriam could lie to Egwene when asked about the ferrets. Though she won't lie about the ferrets -- too many others know the truth and cannot lie.
I hadn't considered that! Even knowing Sheriam is Black Ajah, it's so ingrained that Aes Sedai can't lie that I kept thinking that she couldn't and was forced to tell Egwene the truth. (though, of course, as you said, she chose to tell the truth regardless)

So he wasn't a Darkfriend when he was a false Dragon, but he became one because Demandred offered him power and whatever else.
Yeah, a bit disappointing. I liked the idea that he wasn't a Darkfriend when he first met up with Rand. Rand is pretty terrible to him after all... though I guess now we don't have to feel as bad for him? :cheeseeni:

Chapter 3:
-Perrin is worried to get close to a gateway even when it's standing still. We know they're impossibly thin (and sharp) when they're created, but is it the same when they're already made? Will you cut your hand off if you stumble into one or touch the edge while walking through?
-Rand tells the Asha'man that there are enemies everywhere and never know who after speaking with Dashiva.
-The Aiel (or at least Feraighin) have a name for Perrin: Sei'cair, Golden Eyes.
-Chiad won't marry Bael, but would have him as a lover (along with Bair). Bael is frustrated that she doesn't think he's good enough for a husband. Really, I wouldn't be surprised if this were relatively common when someone falls in love with a far dareis mai. I mean, Maidens can't just get married. They have to give up being a Maiden at all in order to do it. Aiel are very loyal to their societies (and Maidens in particular), so it's not surprising they wouldn't want to give it up. It seems really weirdly unequal that Maidens have to give up the spear to get married, while male algai'd'siswai don't. That's a pretty big sacrifice for Chiad to make. One that Bael isn't asked to make.

Chapter 4:

-Aram is very devoted to Faile, not just Perrin
-Dashiva is always muttering and looks dejected. Annoyed at having to keep up with this ruse?
-Rand yells at Dashiva and, to Perrin, he smells of fear, anger, hate and a bunch of other things. Perrin thinks he must be mad.
-Selande is jealous of Min.

Chapter 5:
-Colavaere was assured by the Tower Aes Sedai that Rand would never return so her seizure of power is safe. She admits this in front of Rand, possibly due to his ta'verenness.

Chapter 6:
-I love Loial. :pleased-1:
-Faile annoys me. She gets jealous even from Perrin mentioning Berelain's name! :brown-blink: I mean, he had a very good reason for bringing her up.
-Rand, in his infinite search to find ways to avoid killing women no matter the circumstance, sentences Colavaere to a fate many in the room would consider worse than death. And one that is entirely unprecedented.
-Faile seriously considers having Verin dance the sa'sara to prove that she obeys Rand.
-Saldaean farmgirls :laugh:

Chapter 7:
-Rand thinks about getting his hand cut off and how he would feel the pain, but it would be another person's pain so he would just continue on.
-Rand starts to see colors that make him think of Mat and Perrin. They began while in the chest. What are these?
-Taim uses the word 'bar' for what Aes Sedai refer to as 'blocks'
-the Warder bond didn't exist in the Age of Legends
-Rand promises the Aiel the fifth in Illian. I understand that it's customary for the Aiel and the only reason Rand didn't allow it in Andor was Elayne, but it doesn't sit well with me that Rand's allowing it in illian. It's not like they'll just be taking stuff from the palace (i.e. from Sammael himself). Ordinary people in Illian are going to get their stuff looted as well. :\ And there's really no reason that it should be allowed in Illian while Andor's protected. Both times involved Rand invading to take out a Forsaken. It's not the people of Illian or the people of Andor who are the problem.

Chapter 8:
-And so begins the saga of Egwene's folding camp chair...
-I like Egwene's strategy of having Chesa there during the meetings with Sheriam to put her off balance. I like Chesa. :)
-Egwene thinks that Delana's the only Sitter she can count on... but we know that Delana is a darkfriend and playing all sides.
-Egwene's making ample use of her ability to lie. She says flat-out that the a'dam bracelet is a remembrance gift from Nynaeve and Elayne.
-We see Egwene discovering that 'Marigan' is missing for a second time. It also appeared in the epilogue of Lord of Chaos. It confused me for a second that we were seeing it again. Again, though, we see Egwene see about finding who entered Marigan's tent. She won't find anything useful since she's looking for a man.
-Egwene notes that the Forsaken don't have agelessness associated with Aes Sedai. She thinks it might be because of their connection with the Dark One. No one realizes its connection with the Oath Rod (or that the Oath Rod reduces lifespan) since it's been so long since Aes Sedai had any connection with other channelers or other ways to exist as female channelers.
 

Megana Vallentin

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Re: Re-Readalong: A Crown of Swords: Chapters 3-8

Reading goes a lot slower now that I'm double-checking each name against the Companion. :look:
 

Ryu Shadowborn

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Re: Re-Readalong: A Crown of Swords: Chapters 9-11

-And so begins the saga of Egwene's folding camp chair...

This is one that really drives me up a wall, because it is so easily solved. WEAVES OF AIR! PUT WEAVES OF AIR AROUND THE CHAIR.
 

Imzadi Hopewind

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Re: Re-Readalong: A Crown of Swords: Chapters 9-11

And this week it's only 3 chapters, I guess it's because they are long? :cheeseeni:

And by the way, it's finally now I'm reading the books in english :pleased-1: So I'm not confusing how long you guys are, because the norwegian books were split up in 3...
 

Rhed al'Tere

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Re: Re-Readalong: A Crown of Swords: Chapters 9-11

It was a choice of go short (71 pages) or go long (111 pages). I think for most of this book I chose to go shorter if there was a toss up. I did book 8 at the same time, so I may need to look at that one and adjust to go with the longer reading sometimes.
 

Wil Cambrae

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Re: Re-Readalong: A Crown of Swords: Chapters 9-11

This is one that really drives me up a wall, because it is so easily solved. WEAVES OF AIR! PUT WEAVES OF AIR AROUND THE CHAIR.

See now this is thinking outside the box.... until the servants have to go find and Aes Sedai to untie the flows so they can pack the chair :look:
 

Rhed al'Tere

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Re: Re-Readalong: A Crown of Swords: Chapters 9-11

Chapter 9

  • Egwene finds, to her disgust, that she's enjoying the schemings as she would puzzles to be solved.
  • Siuane is wearing prettier clothing -- she has to catch her man somehow!
  • Siuane has fair skin. I've been picturing her this whole time as dark skinned, but no. Hmph.
  • Suiane forced Egwene as a novice to learn to handle more of the Power than she was ready for. Combine that with Egwene's time as a damane, and she's learned far more quickly than usual.
  • Areina and Nicola try to blackmail Egwene. There could actually be trouble if they talked to Aes Sedai.
 
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