"Loose Ends"

[JakeBarnes]

RJ has said many times that not everything would be wrapped up in the final book and that there would be some loose ends. I was thinking of this (an watching Kill Bill) and an idea struck me.

 

What if, RJ kind of skiped around in the final book. For instance. In the first couple of chapters we see Mat and his gang heading to the Tower of Ghenji, and then we hear nothing more of him until after Moriaine was freed. And then we only get a Mat or Thom retelling of how it went down when they meet back up with Rand.

 

It would help with the "size" of the book and to be honest, I don't think it would bother me awfully. Anyone else have thoughts on this?

[Bob T Dwarf]

It's all a matter of taste. Each of us will want those storylines we consider crucial covered in detail and would be satisfied to let others be glossed over.

 

I, for one, consider recovering Moiraine to be crucial. I want all the gory details about how Mat, Thom, and Noal manage to accomplish that.

 

On the other hand, I am so mightily sick of Perrin, that I really don't want to see anything more about him except what role he plays in the actual fighting of TG.

 

Others will have different ideas.

[JakeBarnes]

Of course, the Moiraine thread would have to be in the book. It was just the quickest example that came to mind. Oh well, Kill Bill and Pulp Fiction always make me start thinking about things in weird ways. And I'll agree that Perrin may as well go to Iraq for the timeframe of the 12th book for all I care.

[Guest Majsju]

Sorry mate, but I think that's a really bad idea. Having characters re-tell events is not only a rather boring way to tell a story, it also goes against how the other books are written.

 

But I don't see what this has to do with RJ leaving loose ends. That's not because of the size of the book, that's because he wnats to leave us with a world that is still alive, a world where things still will happen to the survivors.

[Alys Kinch]

what ever he does, it must flow with the style of the rest of the story. it can't be chopped for the sake of cramming it all into one book. it would ruin the whole series.

[Guest Egwene]

Totally agree Alys. I would be really dissapointed if RJ at the very end deviated from his style of writing.

 

It's why I am here.... never had the urge to trade thoughts on what happened and what will happen after any other read. Some people say... oh he isn't a very good writer.. probably the same that say Shakespeare is the greatest. How do you define great?? To me any book that people find impossible to put down, the writer has done a great job!! And if the reader picks it up again and again..... the roof of the pudding as they say....

 

Edit: somehow posted itself before I had finished...lol

[Marak]

Quite simply, I'm expecting a 5000+-page book.

[Kison]

IF he skipped something as crucial as Mat's rescue of Moiraine, that'd be sad to me. I wouldn't mind the little plots being skipped really.

[Toman Zahere]

Lets hope not. It would end up being like those dream sequences they have on tv. The book is finished before it's started and we have to have a dream to see what has actually happened.

 

I know your just using it as an example but I certainly want to know every detail of Moiraine's rescue from the Finn's.

 

How many of us won't buy the book if it's a monster 2000 pages. Not many I don't think. We may complain it's to heavy to carry around but I think we would rather RJ included everything.

[Alys Kinch]

i read gone with the wind in middle school. that was 2000+ pages and tiny type (had to be three points or more smaller than kod) at that. don't care. will read it anyway.

[Guest cwestervelt]

I don't think they would split it even if the book reached 2000 pages. Take "To Green Angel Tower" by Tad Williams. When they released it in paperback, the did 2 800+ page volumes. The original hard cover release was a single book though. They split it for the paper back because of binding concerns that are easier to avoid when doing a hardcover book.

[woolhead]

haha. I personally don't care how long the book has to be to get it finished, because really, once that book is done...the series is over and there won't be anything left to look forward to.

 

So I will enjoy waiting and I will enjoy every minute of reading the, hopefully, massive final book to the series.

[Ruffio]

It's funny because RJ did that skipping around thing when Rand fought back the Seanchan (just before he used Callendor). IMO that should've been a dumai's wells-esque battle sequence. Yet in the same novel everytime a servant blew his nose he made sure we knew. These Wot books are the best things i've ever read though and i'm hoping we get details of everything important

[Bob T Dwarf]

True. That whole sequence where they pushed back the Seanchan was pretty jumbled. Fog of War is valid, but that whole series of battles was so chaotic it was impossible to tell what actually got accomplished. Whatever it was was awfully temporary. The Seanchan position seems farther advanced now than it was before Rand's attack.

[Lanthirrhos]

gotta get it all!

[Kadere]

It's just not RJ's way to leave out any crucial plot point. He won't even leave out every detail of the hem of a dress. I don't think we've got anything to worry about when it comes to those. It just means that we won't read about Mat and Thom's long walk to the Tower (or anything as boring as that for the other plotlines) We'll basically only get the action/important scenes. 2000+ pages of that is going to make for the best book ever written! OH YEAH! 8)

[Guest Footman]

I've waited over a decade for this saga to reach a climax, and will be pretty peeved if this book in any way scrimps on plot lines. I don't care if this book is thicker than War and Peace! Personally, that would be great with me! How could a long, final book be a bad thing? Put the whole series together. Stack one book on top of the other and look at that bad boy stack!! Look at it and think, "I've read that stack 5 or 9 times!" Now, imagine the last book skips a few plot lines. RJ would have to change his name (again) and go into hiding on the moon or some such distant place to avoid the wrath of some of his fans.

 

 

Just my personal views.

[Siswaiaman]

I've waited over a decade for this saga to reach a climax' date=' and will be pretty peeved if this book in any way scrimps on plot lines. I don't care if this book is thicker than War and Peace! Personally, that would be great with me! How could a long, final book be a bad thing? Put the whole series together. Stack one book on top of the other and look at that bad boy stack!! Look at it and think, "I've read that stack 5 or 9 times!" Now, imagine the last book skips a few plot lines. RJ would have to change his name (again) and go into hiding on the moon or some such distant place to avoid the wrath of some of his fans.

 

 

Just my personal views.[/quote']

 

I second footman! If he skims the finale of the plot, lets kill him and feed him his own mangled book!

 

wait...

 

But seriously, i can't see RJ writing any different then he has written so far, and it works so far.

btw, about the Perrin thing, he is very important. he could be the answer to the seanchan problem.

[Alys Kinch]

let's just hope he gets it finished, now.

[Thor]

some of the things going on are actually so trivial anyways, i really don't want them to get wrapped up. what rj is trying to do is bring a world alive and that's why he writes so many trivial threads to give a an idea of realism, that's all.

[Barnabas]

just in regard to the seanchan sequence, i think that seeming chaotic and hard to follow and everything u were saying was intentional. shows how hard it is for everyone to know exactly whats going on, and how to make informed decisions, they just go with what theyve got. also cos rj was involved with vietnam (im pretty sure it was there) hes probably trying to convey a sense of what that type of warfare is like, even if its not conscious, cos hes been there, and thats how hes going to show that type of fighting

[Hocoino]

omg! The idea that RJ would not give me every morsal of detail concerning Moiraine's comeback is frightening.

 

I thought about it and I really don't think he will... maybe I'm convincing myself but I don't think it's his style.

 

I would weap if he did. The thought that Moiraine is comming back is the thing that excited me most about book 12.

 

Now if he jumped around with some minor characters, like Elza, Rhuarac, maybe even a forsaken it might be good. But any "Major" characters will prolly be told straight out. After reading 11 long books we deserve to read ALL the details. :)

[Adam]

How upset would anyone be if this were the last book to the wheel of time but the first to a trilogy on the last battle?

[Ani_Raevla]

To what Adam put, I would feel like running in circles in my backyard, my face raised to the sky, bitter tears leaking from my eyes and screaming "Why? Why? WHY?" over and over. He had better not do that! I'll smack him over the head with his own darn book. 12 books is enough for me, thanks. I mean it would be nice for more stuff to look forward to, but I mean come on! That would be almost pointless... a whole trilogy for the battle... thats just my little opinion, though, and what does it matter what I think?

To everything else, I'll be happy as long as he writes about the Last Battle. As long as he writes how Mat and Perrin help Rand out, and as long as he stops that darn "sniff"ing that the women constantly do.

[Alys Kinch]

a whole trilogy for a battle is way over playing the battle. and over reliant on action. just plain action serves little purpose, especially in the type of books this is.