land of mad men

[Guest leebarr]

I know that the land of mad men is talked about in the big white book but where is it in the books. I have read each atleast twice and can not recall it in them.

[Thorum]

it isn't in them.

 

And it won't be in AMoL

[Davian93]

As Thorum stated, it will not ever come to play in the books.  The only people that may even know of its existence are the Sea Folk and they have very little reason to land there as it is filled with maddened male channelers.  RJ stated in an interview that the remaining book will take place completely in Randland proper and we will not ever see Shara, Seanchan, or the Land of the Madmen.

[Luckers]

Davian, do you have that quote--my memory seems to recall it only mentioning Seanchan, not the Land of the Madmen. Not that I doubt you or anything, I'm just curious.

 

And even without it I don't see the books going to the Land of the Madmen or Shara... too much exposition would be required to make it even remotely feasible. A slim possibility is that the Shadow may have been using it as some form of marshalling area for gathering and training darkfriend channelers--a possibility suggested mostly out of the feeling that the stories of the continent, with the took of men and women channeling indiscriminately, sounds a bit like a smokescreen.

 

But yeah, mostly i think its highly unlikely that we'll see either land influence the main sequence novels.

[dmanmiller34]

That place may need a new name since rand Cleased Saidin. no more mad men.

[Seriodor]

Not to seem unknowledgable but...what? Where is the Land of the Mad Men mentioned?

[Davian93]

Not to seem unknowledgable but...what? Where is the Land of the Mad Men mentioned?

 

It is mentioned in The Guide to the Wheel of Time or as it is commonly known the Big White Book (BWB).  As for that quote, the only thing I could find specifically after about 5-10 minutes of searching through interviews with RJ is specific to Seanchan mentioning that it would not be on screen again.  The other interview reference I found on the Land of Madmen is as follows:

 

Date: 1998-10-19 | Location: Barnes and Noble Part 2

Type: Online | Questioner: Jason Verner from TX: 

  Q: Do you have any plans for introducing the Land of Madness into the World of Time series besides its mention in the guide, and if so, can you elaborate a little?

  A: Read And Find Out.

 

However that is from 1998 and I am almost certain he mentioned it during the KoD book signing tour or perhaps at Dragoncon.  I'll have to keep looking.

[The Dragon Reborn]

Luckers, the only thing I can find quote-wise from RJ regarding whether or not we'll see Seanchan or Shara is in a rather out-dated 1997 interview:

 

Barnes and Noble Chat November 11 1997

'Kate from State College PA: In a previous statement I believe you had basically said that the action of the series would take place in the Lands known to Rand and his friends i.e. not Shara or Seanchan and yet the new book has alot of stuff about those lands--have you changed your mind? Is action in either of these two lands a possibility now?

 

RJ: No. Except for the possible occasional divurgence, except for Rands excursions to Seanchan when he chased after Aviendha. I was willing to put as much as I did into the the guide because I will not be using those things in the books in the same way that I used Kandor or Saldaea.'

 

It was a long time ago though, he may have changed his mind since then....

[Davian93]

That's the quote I was thinking of...thanks TDR.  I thought he reiterated that during the KoD book tour however. 

[Luckers]

There was another quote you may have been touching on about the main sequence novels not going to Seanchan (specifically that) which was what i was curious about, since i cant find it now... though i do know it exists. *sigh*

[Davian93]

Date: 1998-10-19 | Location: Barnes and Noble Part 2

Type: Online | Questioner: Kate from State College, PA: 

  Q: Will Seanchan ever be put on-screen again?

  A: No. Except for the possible occasional divergence -- except for Rand's excursions to Seanchan when he chased after Aviendha. I was willing to put as much as I did into the guide because I will not be using those things in the books in the same way that I used Kandor or Saldaea.

 

Here you go.

[RobertAlexWillis]

LOL ... um, Davian ... since you had already posted that quote ... in this thread ... and Luckers said that there was another quote, and he was looking for it ...

 

 

... I don't think thats what he was looking for.

 

There is a random, completely unsourced quote in the WOTmania "Plots, Characters and the Wheel Of Time" section.

 

There are no plans to visit Seanchan in any greater extent than it already has been visited, and there are not going to be any visits to Shara either.

 

I'm not sure if thats it or not, but it confirms the idea ...

[Davian93]

Between here and Theoryland and work..I don't really keep track of what I post where.

 

~shrugs~

[Angel of Death]

Ive always thought the only reason it was created was to fill in the blank spot. No reason story wise, but it is possible RJ played with ideas using it early one. I vaguely recall him saying he thought of ideas of Rand dealing with the Sea Folk and being their savior (Coromer was it?) But no, Land of the Mad Men will have no bearing on the books. I used to think it was also what the Sea Folk did with their male channelers.

[Luckers]

I used to think it was also what the Sea Folk did with their male channelers.

 

Nope, they kill them.

[Angel of Death]

Thats why I put the USED in, I know that now.