Saddest Line Ive Ever Read in Fantasy - And, a New WOT Experience For Me (After 20 years).

[The Fisher King]

"Whoever read this, if any remain to read it, weep for us who have no more tears. Pray for us who are damned alive."

 

In real life, of course, we see and hear horrendously sad things...every day. Unfortunately, that is part of Life. It seems to me that when its seems like youre seeing more GOOD things than SAD things every day - then you are probably, thankfully, having a fairly decent life. IMO, at least.

 

But, in Fiction...its all pretend, and, even when we are really, really immersed in a story, still, subconciously, we always know that its not Real.

 

So, that being said, I don't know why the above quoted line seems so haunting to me. Why it resonates with me so chillingly. Maybe just because its soooo freaking SAD!

 

It is quoted from the 1996 ''mini-book'' The Strike at Shayol Gul - which...wait for it...I - a 20 Year Vet of All Things WOT...had never read before today.

 

It struck me, as a story, in many ways. It showed Jordan's flexibilty as a writer (imo) and highlighted just how intricately he had thought the entire story out from EARLY on.

 

I'd love to hear others' thoughts on The Strike at Shayol Gul

 

 

Fish

 

 

P.S. - Again, isn't that like the SADDEST LINE EVAH??? (or is it just me, lol?)

[Demiandre]

Answer to the P.S : for me, the saddest line in WoT - because it echoes some of my own thoughts is :

 

"There is no salvation without destruction, no hope this side of death"

 

The depth of this sentence, and how true it sometime reveal itself, and how much nuance it has, from raw pessimism to simple resignation or losing faith.

 

N.B : I never saw that line in tSaSG. It's true it also is a very sad sentence. The fact that the writer consider it plausible that no one may remain alive to read the last word of a condemned man, the words for absolution and redemption, is saddening.

 

But at the same time, I can't untie it from the Strike, and so from the DO counterattack and the Taint. So it doesn't echoes my own beliefs and feelings.

[The Fisher King]

Answer to the P.S : for me, the saddest line in WoT - because it echoes some of my own thoughts is :

 

"There is no salvation without destruction, no hope this side of death"

 

The depth of this sentence, and how true it sometime reveal itself, and how much nuance it has, from raw pessimism to simple resignation or losing faith.

 

N.B : I never saw that line in tSaSG. It's true it also is a very sad sentence. The fact that the writer consider it plausible that no one may remain alive to read the last word of a condemned man, the words for absolution and redemption, is saddening.

 

But at the same time, I can't untie it from the Strike, and so from the DO counterattack and the Taint. So it doesn't echoes my own beliefs and feelings.

 

Demi,

 

I want to address a few of your points. First, where you say: But at the same time, I can't untie it from the Strike, and so from the DO counterattack and the Taint. So it doesn't echoes my own beliefs and feelings

 

You have to remember what was happening AT THAT TIME...this wasn't the beginning, or even the middle, of a very long, chaotic, devestating period. It was the end. They thought there was nowhere left to go. They thought the last place to go was complete world-wide destruction. Yes it was Mad. Everything in this story (''The Strike'', I mean) is pure madness, but its only because they thought they were out of sane choices. Would you or I consider a plan we KNEW to be total insanity if we knew to do nothing would probably finish unravelling the Pattern and destroy the world?

 

The quote that I...er...quoted is at the very end of the story - before the historian lists his or her notes on the material.

 

Your quote is one I actually didn't remember from the series - also INCREDIBLY sad.

 

 

Fish

[The Fisher King]

I also love some of the (veeery) disturbing questions posed by the historian at the end of the material, posed as after-the-fact speculation. But, maaaaan, do dome of those questions make you THINK ... Questions like:

 

1 ''Would the great sa'angreal have proven effective used as Patra Posae desired? Had the seals been placed by a circle comprised of men and women together, might the men, or even saidin itself, have been protected in some fashion from the Dark One's counter stroke? Or would saidar have been tainted as well?''

 

and

 

2 ''They were brave men and women, for although those who were not killed outright were tortured, and though some revealed the purpose of their mission, none betrayed the location of any of the access ter'angreal. Still, the only real result was that the ter'angreal were widely scattered across areas held for the Shadow, ... their locations and even their existence to remain hidden for millennia.''

 

Which of these do we know that we have seen? Which may still be found and play a part? Possible that these, or one of them, may be currently hidden in...oh...I don't know...The Blight???

 

 

Fish

 

 

P.S. Mierin ... I mean, after reading Strike, is it really even remotely difficult to understand why ''Third Age Lanfear' is so incredibly, astoundingly Mentally Ill???

[The Fisher King]

Reader Question...I don't have my copy of Book 4/TSR handy, but, trying to recall: How much of the events in The Strike at Shayol Gul are referenced in the two chapters in Book 4 in Rhidean in The Glasss Columns when Rand witnesses the history of the Aiel?

 

 

Fish

[Byzantine279]

Even if any access keys are left Fisher, they are completely worthless now, the main sa'angreal was utterly destroyed at the end of tGS and it is very likely that the access keys would have been along with it, and even if they were not it would not matter because they have nothing to connect to.

 

I agree that what must have been happening was horrifying. Though i still find it foolish to blame men who can channel for it- if Lew Therin Telamon had not led the Strike then the shadow would have won the war, and that would have been even worse than the breaking.

[Jasonm]

Ok, I'm hoping I don't get internet slapped for asking this but....what is tSaSG and where can I read it????

[The Fisher King]

Ok, I'm hoping I don't get internet slapped for asking this but....what is tSaSG and where can I read it????

 

For Jasonm: http://library.tarvalon.net/index.php?title=The_Strike_at_Shayol_Ghul

 

Read then we can chat :)

 

And, no Slapping - I am one who is OFTEN behind in things regarding both the net and WOT that it seems like ''Everyone'' else has known for years, lol ;)

 

 

Fish

[Demiandre]

Reader Answer : It goes from the Drilling of the Bore and the destruction of the Sharom, till after the End of the Breaking, the Funding of Rhuidean, after the Aes Sedai adopted the Oaths.

 

To reply to what you said about your quote, I agree that all that happened at the time and after was increadibly hard and uneasy, crazy, chaotic and all. I just say that it is in the WoT. Not in our world. So I can't translate what those quotes makes me feel like from the Wheel to my World.

 

My quote does. I take it more personally. It is from the Karaethon Cycle, don't know exactly where it is mentionned. It is written in my sig.

[The Fisher King]

Even if any access keys are left Fisher, they are completely worthless now, the main sa'angreal was utterly destroyed at the end of tGS and it is very likely that the access keys would have been along with it, and even if they were not it would not matter because they have nothing to connect to.

 

I agree that what must have been happening was horrifying. Though i still find it foolish to blame men who can channel for it- if Lew Therin Telamon had not led the Strike then the shadow would have won the war, and that would have been even worse than the breaking.

 

Hi Torn,

 

Thanks for commenting. You make good points. However, remember, only ONE of the two God-Powered Terangreal were destroyes. I can't remember if thats the one on Trellmaking or the one where Perrin was camping. Also, only ONE of the CK Access Keys was destroyed (in TGS)

 

Uuuuuuh. Right, lol???

 

If Im mixing this all up - apologies.

 

 

Fish

[The Fisher King]

Reader Answer : It goes from the Drilling of the Bore and the destruction of the Sharom, till after the End of the Breaking, the Funding of Rhuidean, after the Aes Sedai adopted the Oaths.

 

To reply to what you said about your quote, I agree that all that happened at the time and after was increadibly hard and uneasy, crazy, chaotic and all. I just say that it is in the WoT. Not in our world. So I can't translate what those quotes makes me feel like from the Wheel to my World.

 

My quote does. I take it more personally. It is from the Karaethon Cycle, don't know exactly where it is mentionned. It is written in my sig.

 

Demi - I understand what you mean about it having more of a ''personal'' resonation with you in real world terms.

 

You know, I don't know why, but Chapters 25 and 26 of Shadow Rising and The Strike at Shayol Gul just seem soooo spookily......interwoven to me. Am I just seeing something thats not there?

 

 

Fish

[Demiandre]

The One in Tremalking melted in WH. Like the access key. Both access keys (and one additional for women, in the Panarch Collection in Tanchico) and Choedan Kal are destroyed.

 

While reading ch.26 of tSR, for the chronology of the Trip in the Glass Collumn in Rhuidean, I discovered that the Warder Cloth was during the AoL a fashioned cloak. (Charin PoV, when stumbling upon a man in a red shirtsless vest, and Aiel fashioned hair). Haha!

[Demiandre]

Reader Answer : It goes from the Drilling of the Bore and the destruction of the Sharom, till after the End of the Breaking, the Funding of Rhuidean, after the Aes Sedai adopted the Oaths.

 

To reply to what you said about your quote, I agree that all that happened at the time and after was increadibly hard and uneasy, crazy, chaotic and all. I just say that it is in the WoT. Not in our world. So I can't translate what those quotes makes me feel like from the Wheel to my World.

 

My quote does. I take it more personally. It is from the Karaethon Cycle, don't know exactly where it is mentionned. It is written in my sig.

 

Demi - I understand what you mean about it having more of a ''personal'' resonation with you in real world terms.

 

You know, I don't know why, but Chapters 25 and 26 of Shadow Rising and The Strike at Shayol Gul just seem soooo spookily......interwoven to me. Am I just seeing something thats not there?

 

 

Fish

 

No, those are the best backstory/flashbacks I've ever seen or read in all books/films/series I know of. And all the knowledge, the culture, the way of beeing, the loss of it all. And what is truly interessant is that we have many angles. The historical and the local. We have the "report", and the "live". We have scholars guesses and observation, and the feelings and thoughts of a man living it. Whick makes it more real, more true.

[The Fisher King]

The One in Tremalking melted in WH. Like the access key. Both access keys (and one additional for women, in the Panarch Collection in Tanchico) and Choedan Kal are destroyed.

 

While reading ch.26 of tSR, for the chronology of the Trip in the Glass Collumn in Rhuidean, I discovered that the Warder Cloth was during the AoL a fashioned cloak. (Charin PoV, when stumbling upon a man in a red shirtsless vest, and Aiel fashioned hair). Haha!

 

Awesome.

 

 

 

Fish

[Barid Bel Medar]

Even if any access keys are left Fisher, they are completely worthless now, the main sa'angreal was utterly destroyed at the end of tGS and it is very likely that the access keys would have been along with it, and even if they were not it would not matter because they have nothing to connect to.

 

I agree that what must have been happening was horrifying. Though i still find it foolish to blame men who can channel for it- if Lew Therin Telamon had not led the Strike then the shadow would have won the war, and that would have been even worse than the breaking.

 

Hi Torn,

 

Thanks for commenting. You make good points. However, remember, only ONE of the two God-Powered Terangreal were destroyes. I can't remember if thats the one on Trellmaking or the one where Perrin was camping. Also, only ONE of the CK Access Keys was destroyed (in TGS)

 

Uuuuuuh. Right, lol???

 

If Im mixing this all up - apologies.

 

 

Fish

 

Unfortunately, you are :)

 

To add to what Demi. said, the Female CK on Tremalking was destroyed after the cleansing.

 

In tGS, Rand destroyed the CK in Cairhien, not just the access key.

 

So both sa'angreal are destoryed now.

[The Fisher King]

New Contender For Saddest Line:

 

 

''Dream for me, Nynaeve. Dream for me the dreams I no longer can.''

 

 

- The Dragon Reborn: TGS

 

 

 

Fish

[Demiandre]

"Before condemning me, let us first determine if my sins have achieved anything beyond my own damnation"

 

A Force of Light, tGS

[Khan]

"Before condemning me, let us first determine if my sins have achieved anything beyond my own damnation"

 

A Force of Light, tGS

 

I read that last night, shiver all the way up my spine. Second read through of tGS and I'd forgot how sad and dark the whole atmosphere is...

[Demiandre]

New Contender For Saddest Line:

 

 

''Dream for me, Nynaeve. Dream for me the dreams I no longer can.''

 

 

- The Dragon Reborn: TGS

 

 

 

Fish

 

I love this line too. It's very sad

[The Fisher King]

"Before condemning me, let us first determine if my sins have achieved anything beyond my own damnation"

 

A Force of Light, tGS

 

Definite Shivers :(

 

 

Fish