Most Blood Boiling Moments from The Wheel of Time

[Elliot Edits]

Interested to hear other scenes that get people's blood boiling (but in a good way).

 

 

[Gypsum]

How about in a marginally irritated way? I bet neither Jordan nor Sanderson have much horse experience, and it shows.

 

Any time Jordan writes about horses "whinnying in fear." Horses whinny when they are missing their mates, greeting their mates, announcing "I'm here, where are you??" when arriving somewhere like a horse show, expecting dinner from slow-moving humans, receiving dinner from said humans. Horses spooked by umbrellas/cows/traffic cones/Trollocs/cyclists/Mashadar/a log in the wrong place do not whinny. They might utter loud dragon snorts, or say nothing at all as they get out of dodge at speed, with or without you.

 

The corollary to that is when he describes people riding. You don't steer a horse with your knees! I don't know how that even works. If you pinch the saddle with your knees, you're in a very unbalanced position, quite likely to hit the deck if your horse moves quickly. Nor do riders (usually) flap the reins to make their horse go faster. That said, I test rode an ex-driving horse circa six months ago, and I did in fact have to flap the reins because she did not understand leg or seat aids, but it's not ideal. Any half-trained riding horse should not require that.

 

Stallions and mares left unsupervised together on the picket lines. I know how that goes. LOL.

[Solenya]

On 1/20/2022 at 6:30 PM, Gypsum said:

 

Stallions and mares left unsupervised together on the picket lines. I know how that goes. LOL.

 

If the picket line's a rockin'...

[Gypsum]

I did hear a horse scream today. Real screaming, like it was being attacked by Trollocs. Star-crossed lovers, a mare and a gelding in adjacent stables, so in love with one another that they were becoming dangerous to handle when their owners wanted to separate them in order to do something, like ride them. A stable in a different part of the yard became available, so the mare moved. And she screamed like the world was ending. When I brought my horse in from his field, he was worried by the noises she was making -- I think he was quite concerned that something terrible was really happening.

 

They are always so 'car-like' in fantasy novels. No one ever captures the quirks and big personalities and strangeness. Mercedes Lackey had the horses who spoke to their owners via telepathy, but that was a bit of a cop out as well. If only......

[Andra]

So if I understand the context of "blood boiling in a good way" here, I'd say one for me is actually my favorite scene with Elayne.

 

Her reaction in Ebou Dar to the attempt by the other Sisters to punish her and Nynaeve over the Kin.

Now that was bad-ass, and didn't involve the Power at all.  Just power.  And strength of will.

 

Similarly, the scene with Mat and that roomful of powerful women and his insulting the Sea Folk to get what he wanted.  I just wish it had played out more in the future.

Edited February 2, 2022 by Andra

[EmreY]

Deleted...

Edited February 2, 2022 by EmreY

[EmreY]

"You foolish boy," sighed Cadsuane.  "You know I told you to be polite."

 

She then hit Rand over the head with her stick and slapped him across the face.

 

"Why won't you laugh?" she asked.  "You asked me to help you but I cannot if you will not laugh."

 

Cadsuane then slammed her stick down on the upper arch of his foot.  As Rand hopped around in pain, she thought: At least I got him to cry.  My work here is progressing well, as should be expected of the wisest of the wise Aes Sedai.  I must now reflect on what more I can do to increase the al'Thor boy's empathy for others, because if he continues to resist my wholly reasonable efforts the result may be dire.  He must learn to laugh, he must.  Perhaps, she thought, if she could bring him to the point of murder, he would finally do so.

[Pembie]

I really don’t understand why on earth Ewenge doesn’t just attack Edith in the white tower that’s what she was planning before crossroads of twilight I really do think this series moves at a snails pace a lot of time sorry to say

[Andra]

On 2/3/2022 at 7:38 PM, Pembie said:

I really don’t understand why on earth Ewenge doesn’t just attack Edith in the white tower that’s what she was planning before crossroads of twilight I really do think this series moves at a snails pace a lot of time sorry to say

Because sisters killing sisters would destroy everything the Tower has meant for 3,000 years.

 

Also, I've been meaning to ask - are you reading the books, or listening to them?

Because the way you spell some of the names is ...

... interesting.

[Pembie]

I’m reading the books are the audiobooks better 

[Andra]

5 hours ago, Pembie said:

I’m reading the books are the audiobooks better 

 

I have only read the books.

 

I was curious because of the way you spelled names differently from how they are written.  Like "Edith" for "Elaida."  It's kind of how someone might try to figure out how to spell something unfamiliar after only hearing it spoken.

[EmreY]

On 2/4/2022 at 5:38 AM, Pembie said:

I really don’t understand why on earth Ewenge doesn’t just attack Edith in the white tower that’s what she was planning before crossroads of twilight I really do think this series moves at a snails pace a lot of time sorry to say

 

 

Crossroads of Twilight is probably Peak Slog.  While there are diversions into things like the provision of sanitation facilities later on in the series, things do get better.  (And you're very far from being alone.  IIRC, I simply gave up halfway through Book 10.)  Book 11 is better, and then things increasingly speed up / ends get tied up / things become more interesting.

 

[Pembie]

7 hours ago, EmreY said:

 

 

Crossroads of Twilight is probably Peak Slog.  While there are diversions into things like the provision of sanitation facilities later on in the series, things do get better.  (And you're very far from being alone.  IIRC, I simply gave up halfway through Book 10.)  Book 11 is better, and then things increasingly speed up / ends get tied up / things become more interesting.

 

The Aide sedi think the Forsaken have got a weapon which has blown Shyoh foul but it’s Rand right fixing the taint 

Which is good I can see them turning against Rand 

[Chivalry]

On 2/2/2022 at 6:29 AM, EmreY said:

"You foolish boy," sighed Cadsuane.  "You know I told you to be polite."

 

She then hit Rand over the head with her stick and slapped him across the face.

 

"Why won't you laugh?" she asked.  "You asked me to help you but I cannot if you will not laugh."

 

Cadsuane then slammed her stick down on the upper arch of his foot.  As Rand hopped around in pain, she thought: At least I got him to cry.  My work here is progressing well, as should be expected of the wisest of the wise Aes Sedai.  I must now reflect on what more I can do to increase the al'Thor boy's empathy for others, because if he continues to resist my wholly reasonable efforts the result may be dire.  He must learn to laugh, he must.  Perhaps, she thought, if she could bring him to the point of murder, he would finally do so.

Yeah, I did not like that character. 

 

As Brandon Sanderson said about this character when she showed up in the books..."You're not my mommy!"

[KakitaOCU]

On 1/20/2022 at 6:30 PM, Gypsum said:

The corollary to that is when he describes people riding. You don't steer a horse with your knees! I don't know how that even works.

The term is used often at least in AZ and IA where I've been from.  It's not literally just your knees, it's your legs as a whole.

In general It's just like reins.  You're laying the reins on the opposite side of where you want your horse to go.  In a similar line you turn your head and shoulders in the direction you want to go, shifting you balance some so the weight pulls a bit that way while applying light pressure with the leg on the outside of the turn. 

Stopping, going, going waster is generally always with the legs as well, occasionally vocal commands, but I've never actually snapped the reins.

[Chivalry]

On 2/5/2022 at 5:50 AM, Pembie said:

I’m reading the books are the audiobooks better 

I've done/do both. I'm currently going through The Dragon Reborn (again), and I love the audiobooks. 

[JyP]

On 2/2/2022 at 3:29 PM, EmreY said:

"You foolish boy," sighed Cadsuane.  "You know I told you to be polite."

 

She then hit Rand over the head with her stick and slapped him across the face.

 

"Why won't you laugh?" she asked.  "You asked me to help you but I cannot if you will not laugh."

 

Cadsuane then slammed her stick down on the upper arch of his foot.  As Rand hopped around in pain, she thought: At least I got him to cry.  My work here is progressing well, as should be expected of the wisest of the wise Aes Sedai.  I must now reflect on what more I can do to increase the al'Thor boy's empathy for others, because if he continues to resist my wholly reasonable efforts the result may be dire.  He must learn to laugh, he must.  Perhaps, she thought, if she could bring him to the point of murder, he would finally do so.

As I just read again Cadsuane's reactions in the Gathering Storm : I always felt that there's some kind of missed opportunity with this character : she hunted a lot of male channelers, then had them reconcile with their status as madmen (as they live longer than those captured by the Red Ajah). So she should have more empathy. She understands what is Rand's problem as fine as Min, Sorilea or Aviendha in the same chapters (intellectually), but her only means are to be a no-nonsense grandmother-like figurehead sticking to outdated politeness.

 

Maybe it worked for all other male channelers before (I guess she captured them and behaved like a mother figure, which is more empathy than being captured by misandrist Reds), but she should not be so daft as not seeing that there's already Min and Nynaeve trying to appeal to Rand - Nynaeve especially is not far from the same role.

[EmreY]

@JyP: I agree.  I think Cadsuane's heart is in the right place, but she's completely out of her depth and too proud to recognise when what she's doing isn't working.  Sort of summary for the White Tower, I guess.

[Asthereal]

40 minutes ago, EmreY said:

@JyP: I agree.  I think Cadsuane's heart is in the right place, but she's completely out of her depth and too proud to recognise when what she's doing isn't working.  Sort of summary for the White Tower, I guess.

For Cadsuane's character it makes sense, though. She's been around for the better part of three centuries, and has been the most succesful Aes Sedai in that time. Even the best of people would turn arrogant and self-centered in such a life.

 

But I can see why people don't like her. And the fact that she shows up rather late in the series, yet we're expected to accept her as a legend doesn't help either. Cadsuane should have been referenced somewhere in book 2, maybe 3 at the latest. The way she's introduced now feels a bit like Jordan needed a new mentor figure for Rand and just decided to introduce a new character.

[EmreY]

1 hour ago, Asthereal said:

Jordan needed a new mentor figure for Rand

 

Otherwise known as karma... ?