Favorite chapter in the ENTIRE SERIES

[mbuehner]

Dumai's Wells for me too. Best battle scene, but the battles of Cairhien and Emond's Field were terrific as well.

 

Let me through a twist on the question- best character thread that doesn't have to be a single chapter. I think you could have a great book just following Ituralde around.

Edited January 14, 2011 by mbuehner

[Nygma7]

ToM Epiclogue anybody? Maybe it'll lose the effect when AMOL is out, but for now it's got me hyped.

Lan's part kinda ruined it. I see where he was coming from before with his one man battle against the Shadow. No family, no real friends, just anger at the Shadow and before he died he was going to take as many of them out as he could. But that was before Rand came along. There's a chance to WIN now against the Shadow! And he's throwing his life away... why? He's earned every bit of braid pulling Nynaeve can throw at him for that stunt.

 

 

For favorite chapter - Dumai's Wells is tough to top. Not only very cool scenes with Perrin and the wolves, the Aiel vs Aes Sedai, the entry of the Asha'man, Rand breaking the shield, but also it was a pivotal moment in the series, in the world of Randland. Up till that point, the Aes Sedai were convinced they could control Rand. Some would prefer to do it more kindly than others, but all of them had the idea of 13 at the back of their mind if push came to shove. A handful of Aes Sedai facing the Dragon surrounded by Asha'man shattered that notion forever.

 

 

A less heavy chapter, A Hell in Maderin is also a favorite of mine. That whole chapter is a hilarious back and forth between Tuon and Mat, culminating with Mat charging into a half dozen armed men with a pair of knives to protect his kidnapped enemy. Pure awesome.

 

 

Mat escaping Tar Valon in a wild luck-charged night as mentioned, and also the battle outside Cairhien where the Band gets started was pretty cool. Bunch of hapless nobles "Alright, we're kicking butt!!!"; Mat "Augh, we're escaping by the skin of our teeth!" Son of Battles, indeed.

[bdholsin]

There have been a number of good chapters throughout the entire series. The comments above were all excellent as well. I thought that Verin's revelation that she was BA was a shock (at least to me). Stopped me dead in my tracks and gave me a "whoa, didn't see that coming" moment.

[mbuehner]

There have been a number of good chapters throughout the entire series. The comments above were all excellent as well. I thought that Verin's revelation that she was BA was a shock (at least to me). Stopped me dead in my tracks and gave me a "whoa, didn't see that coming" moment.

 

Yeah that was as great moment, and kudos to the theorists that came up with the 'purple ajah' theory... pretty damn close and I thought it was nonsense. I like this thread, for all the nitpicking you can do about misteps its good to remember that the high points in this series have been awesome and many.

[cgk84]

Dumai's Wells. Especially "Asha'man, kill." And Rand making the Aes Sedai kneel.

 

The Grave Shall Be No Bar To My Call. No explanation needed for that one!

 

The Battle for Cairhien was fantastic in so many ways.

 

I quite liked the early chapter in the Eye of the World when Rand and Tam's home is attacked and Rand drags a wounded Tam through the forest. So many tantalising teasers from Tam in his fever! So many nuggets that made me go "oooooh what's that about?!".

 

The Cleansing, obviously.

 

I really enjoyed the opener to The Gathering Storm where the farmers are standing round watching the darkness approach on the horizon and realising what it signified and that it was time to beat the plough shares into swords because every human was going to have to stand his/her ground and fight. The tone of it was just perfect.

 

With a topic like this I could chose a dozen more chapters and keep going but I'll stop. For now....

[Guest GordonChow]

My absolute favorite scenes happened in Robert Jordan's last book in Knife of Dreams.

 

The chemistry between Mat and Tuon were just perfect. I think my absolute favorite was in the latter half of chapter 25 Attending Elaida and Mat let a poisonous snake go and quite suddenly Tuon told Mat that he has permission to kiss her and well I don't think I laughed so much and just be happy from any scene. Also close second was when Tuon suddenly completed the marriage ritual with Mat in the middle of Under an Oak.

 

Oh I so miss RJ's Mat and Tuon.

[coolpool]

i Love the chapter in TSR with lan and nynaeve... the scene with him shouting about her leaving etc and then kissing her...!!! lol i just bursted out laughing reading that reading most of that scene which caused my family to look at me like some sort of idiot :P but that is one of my favourite chaperters (well scences) in the entire book..

 

Dumai's wells(i can never spell this) was pretty epic aswell...

 

and the cleansing chapter... that was cool

[Nooska]

Oh I so miss RJ's Mat and Tuon.

Mat in ToM was RJ, not BS, so you don't miss RJ's Mat, you miss the old Mat before he developed.

[moratcorlm]

Sanderson said that the Ghenjei scene was written pretty much entirely by Jordan, and he said Jordan had contributed a lot to Mat's chapters in TOM. That's clear from reading them, but it's not to say that the other chapters were written entirely by Jordan without Sanderson's modification – which is also in evidence. And very likely the draft chapters of Jordan's needed modification, but it's perfectly fine to think it could have been better done.

[Twitchy]

The Last That Could Be Done in TGS, completely blew my mind. I really thought he was going to kill Min :(

[tneva82]

Veins of Gold. Pure magic that chapter. One character having monologue with himself and it just captivates you. Splendid chapter!

[MatsLuck]

Some of mine have been mentioned, Mat leaving Tar Valon, the portal stone various futures scene, the glass columns (Both Rand's and Avi's trips). So a few others...

 

1. Six Stories...mentioned already but I will expand. I believe it starts with some good Mat/Elayne humor along with newlywed Mandragorans, a little light conversation with Mat and Nalesean, and then goes into my favorite small scale fight scene in the series. When Mat simply says, "You can't have her"...one of the most heroic scenes in the series.

 

2. Not sure of the name and it may have been more than one chapter, but the rescue of Egwene and the horn from Falme before the big battle was great. Nyn and Min rescuing Egwene while Rand is fighting Torak, and ending with Ingtar's redemption. Awesome.

 

3. Two chapter sequences I've always liked were the Four Kings/Rand and Mat on the road alone part, and also the beginning of TSR which was the last time until ToM that we saw that many of our friends in the same place at the same time. Great character interaction (Faile/Berelain, Mat/Egwene, etc.) Also includes Mat's trip to Finnland and the "The stone stands!" battle scene.

 

4. Last, a real quick one that makes me laugh and includes some good action is Rand, Hurin, and Loial in Cairhein, with Rand playing the Great Game without even trying hehe.

[dscott8]

Hard choice to make. My first reaction was Dumai's Wells, but after thinking about it, I'm going with the scene that brought tears to my eyes -- Nynaeve healing Siuan and Leane. I especially like the bit where Siuan comes in ranting, and Nynaeve tells her "Oh, shut up!", grabs her head and ZAP!

[Sid]

Tellings of the Wheel (TEOTW)

Six Stories (ACOS)

Dumai's Wells (LOC)

Before the Arrow (TFoH)

A Different Dance (LoC)

A Time for Iron (PoD)

The Grave is no Bar to My Call (TGH)

The Dedicated (TSR)

With the Choedan Kal (WH)

Under an Oak (KoD)

Goldeneyes (TSR)

A Visit from Verin Sedai (TGS)

Near Avendesora and Court of the Sun (ToM)

 

 

I have trouble making up my mind.

[Kadere]

Picking one is SO HARD! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! Can't I pick like, I don't know, five from each book? I could easily just say "All of them" cause really there are parts in every chapter I just LOVE which is why I reread it so much. But I guess if I have to pick ONE CHAPTER, just ONE, then I'd have to go with...

 

The Fires of Heaven, Chapter 52: Choices

 

At that point in the series it was the biggest twist, the most emotional scene, and the most climactic battle I felt I'd come across in the series. At the time I didn't know Moiraine would be coming back, and to lose her in that manner, taking down yet another of the Forsaken, sacrificing herself to save Rand, was just so flipping amazing. Rereading that scene, starting with Lanfear blowing out the wall of the wagon and flinging Kadere's skin in the air, still gets me pumped. The torment that Rand goes through there, unable to bring himself to kill Lanfear, watching his friends get hurt unwilling to bend to that level, really made the series that much more incredible. Since then there have been a lot of chapters I've felt equal it, but it's one that I get excited for every time I start TFoH. Just so flippin' cool.

[The Fisher King]

My absolute favorite scenes happened in Robert Jordan's last book in Knife of Dreams.

 

The chemistry between Mat and Tuon were just perfect. I think my absolute favorite was in the latter half of chapter 25 Attending Elaida and Mat let a poisonous snake go and quite suddenly Tuon told Mat that he has permission to kiss her and well I don't think I laughed so much and just be happy from any scene. Also close second was when Tuon suddenly completed the marriage ritual with Mat in the middle of Under an Oak.

 

Oh I so miss RJ's Mat and Tuon.

 

As usual, I can't keep from chiming in on a remark that intrigued me - and this one certainly did. First, if you are missing RJ's Mat so badly, go back and reread TOM which (except for Perrin) he has the most amount of POVS in the book. Also, its been confirmed by Sanderson that 80% of the ''Mat Chapters'' were written by Jordan before his death.

 

Also, and this is JUST *my* opinion, but Tuon is actually one of the characters that Sanderson has actually NAILED...again, to each their own :-)

 

 

- Fish

Edited January 17, 2011 by The Fisher King

[moratcorlm]

Tuon was ludicrously out of character. As for Mat, 80% is not even close to all. He was a lot more familiar than he'd been in TGS, but Sanderson's touch was quite evident.

[The Fisher King]

Tuon was ludicrously out of character. As for Mat, 80% is not even close to all. He was a lot more familiar than he'd been in TGS, but Sanderson's touch was quite evident.

 

In what WAY do you feel she was ''ludicrously'' out of character? Read her scene with Beslan and the scene with Rand and Nynaeve in TGS? If you have read The COT/KOD Tuon Dualogy, you have to feel like she was down pat.

 

 

I agree that Mat seemed a bit ''Sander-Goofy'' in certain Camelyn scenes in TOM, but how do we know that those weren't part of the 80% written by Jordan? Remember, Sanderson said that Jordan himself left orders that POST-KOD Mat was SUPPOSED to be a bit goofy.

 

 

- Fish

[Mats Spare Hat]

I like The Caemlyn Road, Chapter 18 of The Eye of the World.

 

Mostly that it's still so early in the series that none of the heroes have realized their full superpowers, so there's still the big air of suspense and helplessness on their parts. Then out of nowhere Mat, who I got impression up to that point is the joke of the bunch, screams an ancient battlecry, Lan's throwing down with fades, Moiraine's tossing the power around for their lives...

 

It's almost like up until that point the group is on the run, and when they're finally forced to turn and fight, there's some part of themselves that remembers that this is something they've stood for across ages, against the Shadow.

 

Wah-wah mellowdrama on my part Anyway, that's my pick.

[W_A]

For my #1 choice, I don't remember where it is exactly, but that one chapter in TGS where Ituralde talks to the Seanchan general. I have no idea what it was about that chapter, but I just thought it was beautiful.

 

Also, of course, Dumai's Wells, and the one from TGH What Could Have Been or something like that. It reminded me of the way RJ did rumors, which I really like. Also the Hinderstap one (When they come back, not the fight scene), and the first scene where Mat realizes his luck. Also, just one part of the prologue to ToM, the part with Fain.

[The Fisher King]

99% of the time I prefer to be getting the POV from inside the main character;s own head, but every now and then a chapter where that main character is being observed from the POV of another character can be alot of fun.

 

Two examples that I really enjoyed both, coincidentally come from KOD - and involve Mat (also coincidentally):

 

1 The one in KOD that is a ''Mat Chapter'' but is from Tuon's POV

 

2 The one in KOD that is a ''Mat Chapter'' but is from Furyk Karede's POV ... his request to meet with ''General Merrilin'' was great, LOL!!!

 

 

- Fish

[TheBeerPatriot]

It's impossible for me to name just one chapter, but I'll try to limit it to a few chapters:

 

EotW Prologue

TGH-To Come Out of Shadow: Ingtar's redemption is a powerful scene, and really sets the stage for the climatic finale of this book

TSR-Goldeneyes. This chapter shows Perrin's potential as a leader, not to mention a stirring battle and facedown of the Whitecloaks

TFOH-Fading Words. This is a gut-wrenching chapter to read, and sets Rand down a dark spiritual road

WH-With the Choedan Kal. This was the first true battle pitting Light vs. Shadow in the series, and the shifting viewpoints build the tension to an incredible level.

CoT-the Glossary ;)

KoD-Epilogue: Remember the Old Saying. While the ToM epilogue may have matched (or surpassed) this one, we see two powerful scenes from the Seanchan and the Black Tower. By the end of this book, the reader has no doubt that the Last Battle is about to begin.

TGS-A Place to Begin. The conversation between Moridin and Rand raises some philosophical questions about how true victory is achieved, not to mention an epic dream sequence that harkens back to similar sequences in EotW and TGH. The Last That Could Be Done, A Visit With Verin Sedai and Veins of Gold are all great chapters, but this chapter really kicked TGS up a notch.

ToM-The One Left Behind. "You tell them Jain Farstrider died clean." Great line. The interplay between Mat's reasoning and Thom singing the verses of the song build the scene to a crescendo, capping off a scene we've been waiting to see for a looooong time. Great stuff in that scene.

 

Ok, so when I said a few chapters, I actually meant several.

[Mandro]

don't know the chapters names, but my two favorite, is Perrin meeting his cousin after the battle of emmonds field in TSR, and Perrin forging Mjolinar in ToM.

[Mandro]

My favorite scene is with the Malkieri merchants when Nynaeve shows up and convinces them to join lan.

 

That is the other one I was gonna include "The Golden Crane." Great. It got to me, but I figured it was mostly a personal thing.

 

I was in the military, and when I left all of my officers were kinda surprised, not unhappy, but surprised, and asked why, and I said "Because I'm the Worst kinda Marine. A true believer." and I left on my own terms fighting tears the whole time. when reading "The golden crane" I sorta had a feeling that I was being called back rather than being allowed to walk away.

 

It gets you right there, like a knife.

Edited January 20, 2011 by Mandro

[Mandro]

ToM Epiclogue anybody? Maybe it'll lose the effect when AMOL is out, but for now it's got me hyped.

Lan's part kinda ruined it. I see where he was coming from before with his one man battle against the Shadow. No family, no real friends, just anger at the Shadow and before he died he was going to take as many of them out as he could. But that was before Rand came along. There's a chance to WIN now against the Shadow! And he's throwing his life away... why? He's earned every bit of braid pulling Nynaeve can throw at him for that stunt.

 

 

Well wasn't that sorta what had been building? He was a man with out a nation, without a crown without a people without a family, but Nynaeve showed him that he was not alone, and would not fight alone. You think for one second that if rand didn't agree to help lan that she wouldn't have gone herself? Malkier rides behind Lan, and the future of Malkier is at his side (or in his head) with Nynaeve. Nynaeve is the only woman, other than moiraine, that has rehabilitated from titchy pushy irritating chick, to an actual depth character. Well, maybe siuan.