Isle of Madmen

[Beli Tsar]

Can anyone tell me if this is land is EVER actually mentioned within the series? Wouldn't know it even existed were it not for the world map in the guide. Also, was anything ever said about it coming into play at some point or did RJ ever really even talk about it period? I've been trying to think of the purpose of creating a land that doesn't even get talked about. At least with Shara, whether or not its ever visited, there's a good deal of mentioning of it. Only point I see in the Isle is that it can be held up to us the readers as an example of just how horrific the world could've become.

[CupofDice]

http://www.encyclopaedia-wot.org/geography/

 

No link at ^ , so it definitely isn't mentioned in the books. I think they are living like prehistoric psychos there with both sexes of channelers going either crazy or wild with power, and it's going to take both the White and Black tower to fix the situation. You know, once they discover it exists down there. :)

[Luckers]

There was a theory that it was marshalling ground for the shadow--and admittedly the chaos seems like it could be a smoke screen--but yeah its unlikely we'll ever see anything from them. They are probably just filler. Worldbuilding.

[MatsLuck]

On one of the podcasts I believe they mention that RJ said, in an interview, that it would not come into play.

[Luckers]

I don't believe I've seen that quote--RJ stated that the main sequence books would never go to Shara or Seanchan (again) but I don't think he's said anything about the Isle of the Madmen.

 

 

[MatsLuck]

I've never seen it either, and I'm no expert when it comes to RJ quotes. But I'm sure it was mentioned in the podcast. I believe they were discussing where Demandred might be hiding, and it came up. They could be wrong though, I don't know.

[Mr. Dragon]

I think one of the forsaken thought about it in passing when thinking about a possible base of operations for another forsaken but I can't be sure.

[balefireruinssteaks]

it's described as a place where the people have lost their minds, and channelers are mad already, male and female not much better.  I think finding someone from the Isle and domesticating them would take a long bit of time indeed.  Look how long it's taken for the damane to admit they can see the weaves?  it's impractical that the Isle of Madmen would come into play

[Luckers]

Unless it's a smokescreen. If the Shadow were using it for a base of opperations that could be revealed in one chapter with no epic worldbuilding required.

 

Mind you i don't think thats at all likely.

[Beli Tsar]

Worldbuilding does seem to me to be the most likely reason. As I said, it shows just how completely screwed up the Breaking was and what could've been the state of the mainland following it.

 

A base of operations to marshal forces would be a good idea in that it allows far more secrecy than anywhere other than maybe Shara, but at the same time perhaps not so great considering the volatile nature of the Isle's inhabitants

[Cursedmage]

The Island of Madmen reminds me of the alien 3 movie.  If you have seen it, then you would know that the alien was hardly seen, only small proportions of the creature was captured, by the viewer, when the beast made its kills.  They did this because what is in your imagination is more scary then anything the movie could present.  I believe this is also true with the Island of Madmen, I think RJ used it for mystery, and I believe it worked.  To me the Island of Madmen would be the most disturbing place to visit; but once you arrive and check it out, I think, you would more then likely get used to it and it would be no real big deal, from a readers point of view not actually going their mind you.

 

Is that story building?  Because RJ didn't refer to it in the WOT books, just the BWB, I don't know.  It dose not seem to effect the characters much at all; and that is to a much lesser extent then Shara has effected the characters, because the Island of Madmen's influence is 0%, concerning the story itself.

[mb]

Since the Taint is cleansed, the inhabitants of the land might become governable; especially when the last of its taint affected channelers are dead.

 

[Forsakenaelf]

Isn't there supposed to be some extremely exotic animal life on the Isle?  I could have sworn that I read somewhere in the series about people paying vast sums of money for them.

[Epic]

One theory was that the Shadow would use the channelers from the Isle for Tarmon Gai'don.  Another possibility is for a Forsaken to somehow plop a whole bunch of these crazy channelers in the middle of a city; safe bet it'd get half-way to levelled at the least.

[Mr Ares]

The Island of Madmen reminds me of the alien 3 movie. If you have seen it,

Then you probably regret doing so.

They did this because what is in your imagination is more scary then anything the movie could present.

Anything that movie could present, perhaps. Anything a good movie could present?

I believe this is also true with the Island of Madmen, I think RJ used it for mystery

So mysterious, it doesn't even get mentioned in the books. It's probably just there to take up space on the map, and also explains why it plays no other part in the story.

[Cursedmage]

The Island of Madmen reminds me of the alien 3 movie. If you have seen it,

Then you probably regret doing so.

They did this because what is in your imagination is more scary then anything the movie could present.

Anything that movie could present, perhaps. Anything a good movie could present?

I believe this is also true with the Island of Madmen, I think RJ used it for mystery

So mysterious, it doesn't even get mentioned in the books. It's probably just there to take up space on the map, and also explains why it plays no other part in the story.

 

I agree it was a crappy movie, and the Island of Madmen dose get mentioned in the BWB, which I believe I stated in my post, and also wrote that it gets mentioned 0% in the WOT books.