When did you recognize the relationships developing?

[Mandro]

This was mentioned on the podcast, but discussed after the question answer section.

 

The basic relationships that started early I thought were somewhat obvious.

 

Lan, and Nynaeve were obvious in my opinion. First when Nynaeve found him and moiraine and managed to sneak up on Lan. Then his outright concern during the rescue of Egwene and Perrin later outside the steading, especially mixed with his confidence, and lingering look. Not to mention the big reveal at Malkier. First book.

 

Tom and Moiraine, I thought was apparent, but not obvious until . . I think it was TSR, when Moiraine said that she likely, the term was "Know the face of the man I will more than you girls" including a knowing smile, but I caught on in TGH when Rand meets back up with tom and is whining about getting away from AS, and mentions Moirain in Carhien, and tom says, Yes, a remarkable woman, for an AS " or something like that, but there was a tickle after the surprise that Moiraine demonstrated in Caemlyn when he tells everyone that Tom died protecting him at whitebridge. Why she should be surprised didn't make sense until later.

 

Rand and Elayne I thought was clearly gonna happen, because I knew that rand was the dragon reborn early in TEotW, I think most did, So Rand was a powerful channeller and then Elayne cares for him over an entire chapter, defends him in another and finishes with "If I told her I thought you were handsome you would definitely be in the dungeons." That's not at all subtle.

 

Matt and Tuon came out in "What Damane know." It was really quite obvious, but it's matt, not a character around which subtlety is common. Matt's the guy who knows stuff, but not until he knows it, so he allows for surprises constantly, part of why I like his character so much.

 

Egwene and rand as doomed was obvious when she complained about not having her hair braided after crossing the. . . .tarangylle? Whereever the ferrymen were. (also, looking back on it, I think that was the first, not moment, but location, where you knew that lan and Nynaeve were set for eachother because she followed his tracks.) but I didn't see the particular layout of the Egwene, may the next Amyrlin spit on her memory, and gawyn, that it was either trakand, or Damodred Just not which one until the first dreams. All of her dreams of galad she through off as the fancies of a girl for a pretty face, that meant that it was gawyn.

 

Once egwene and galad were not gonna happy, I waited for the moment, and I saw it being berelain and galad by . . .was it fires of heaven, when berelain clearly became a major player?

 

My intention witht his breakdown isn't to go neener. but I recall those moments, though not the cites, quite well.

[randsc]

Almost from the moment we meet each of the second characters introduced.

 

Faile and Perrin? As soon as we meet Faile.

 

Min and Rand? As soon as we meet Min.

 

Elayne and Rand? As soon as we meet Elayne.

 

Avi and Rand? As soon as we meet Avi.

 

Nyn and Lan? Immediately obvious.

 

The only one that took a few chapters of interactions to see developing was Thom and Moiraine.

[ironisles]

Almost from the moment we meet each of the second characters introduced.

 

Faile and Perrin? As soon as we meet Faile.

 

Min and Rand? As soon as we meet Min.

 

Elayne and Rand? As soon as we meet Elayne.

 

Avi and Rand? As soon as we meet Avi.

 

Nyn and Lan? Immediately obvious.

 

The only one that took a few chapters of interactions to see developing was Thom and Moiraine.

 

 

Romantic subtlety wasn't one of RJ's strong points..

[idiostock]

Almost from the moment we meet each of the second characters introduced.

 

Faile and Perrin? As soon as we meet Faile.

 

Min and Rand? As soon as we meet Min.

 

Elayne and Rand? As soon as we meet Elayne.

 

Avi and Rand? As soon as we meet Avi.

 

Nyn and Lan? Immediately obvious.

 

The only one that took a few chapters of interactions to see developing was Thom and Moiraine.

 

I'm interested to hear how you could tell Avi immediately. As I recall, she was saving Egwene's sorry ass at the time.

[jsbrads]

i think Rulius meant when Avi and Rand first meet.

 

i think all books have to be less than subtle, unless you want to spend chapters dedicated to developing the romantic relationship of one pair, but this is not a romance novel, it is an adventure/fantasy/scifi story

[Kadere]

I knew Lan and Nynaeve at the end of TEotW when Rand overheard them. I didn't see Thom and Moiraine until I heard about it on DM and then on rereads. I saw Elayne and Rand right off, saw Min and Rand right off, I didn't see Rand and Aviendha until TFoH. I didn't see Egwene and Gawyn until probably TFoH. Faile and Perrin I saw right off in TDR. I saw Mat and Tuon right off, it was confirmed by the Finns. I saw Bryne and Suian and Morgase and Tallanvor in TFoH. I saw Berelain getting with Galad after the vision of the man in white.

[Leyrann]

I saw Rand and Elayne immediately.

 

I saw Rand and Aviendha in TFoH (when I started getting used to Aiel ways, and the moment I saw it was when they were together in Seanchan).

 

I saw Rand and Min in TDR (somewhere in the early chapters), but then I already knew about Rand and Elayne, but not about the Aiel ways. So it was confusing (or maybe not, it could be that I remembered Min's vision).

 

I saw Mat and Tuon as soon as Tuon was called the DotNM.

 

I saw Perrin and Faile directly.

 

I saw Morgase and Tallenvor in TFoH.

 

I saw Moiraine and Thom in KoD.

 

I saw Egwene and Gawyn in LoC.

 

I saw Nynaeve and Lan when she sneaks up to them, or in the Blight (I'm not sure).

 

I saw Siuan and Gareth... Well, I don't know. I think before Egwene, may the next Amyrlin honor her memory, saw it.

 

I saw Galad and Berelain at the chapter "parley", when they decide to hold a trial.

 

And I can't think of others now.

[Hybrid]

I find some of the pairing off to be annoying. I don't mind the lack of subtlety, but I find the cross-cultural instant love unrealistic.

 

Aviendha and Rand was well done. Perrin and Faile as well, as much as I dislike the more abusive aspects of their relationship. Moiraine and Thom, and Mat and Tuon, to a lesser extent.

 

A lot of the others feel like RJ needed to find someone to pair off with someone else.

[True Source Creator]

I saw Rand and Perrin from the start. Of course, the relationship hasn't come to fruitition yet, but it's inevitable at this point. Perrin is totally Rand's bitch.