Favorite Ta'veren

[True Source Creator]

Rand, Mat, and Perrin each spend different books in the lead role. Although it would seem Rand is the main hero of the story (and indeed, he is), the other two are equally critical to the plot and take up an almost equal amount of screen (well book) time. So in a way, they're all three the main protagonist. Rand's duty and purpose is just the greatest.

 

Which one is your favorite to read? Who has the best parts? What are those parts? Who's best in which book?

 

My favorite is Rand, although i really like Mat. Perrin has a couple good books, but he gets really dull after he meets Faile and after he saves the Two Rivers. He's my least favorite.

 

By book (with ranking):

 

Eye of the World:

1) Rand

2) Perrin

3) Mat - we never got any POVs from him in this one

 

The Great Hunt:

1) Rand

2) Perrin

3) Mat

 

The Dragon Reborn

1) Perrin - he makes up a large bulk of the book

2) Mat - here's where he starts coming into light as a great character, IMO

3) Rand - for a book titled after him, he sure isn't in it often

 

The Shadow Rising

This is tough, really tough. All three have great story arcs here. In fact, this is probably the last book I really liked Perrin in. But, as far as I'm concerned, the story arcs that intrigued me the most are as follows:

1) Rand

2) Perrin

3) Mat

But it's really close

 

The Fires of Heaven

1) Rand

2) Mat

 

Lord of Chaos

1) Rand

2) Mat

3) Perrin - he doesn't come in until like the final third, but it's by this point that he's getting really boring since Faile is all over his case

 

A Crown of Swords

1) Mat

2) Rand

3) Perrin

 

The Path of Daggers

1) Rand

2) Perrin

 

Winter's Heart

Hmm, a bit hazy memory. Perrin's story sucks by this point. That annoying Faile/Shaido think has kicked in by now and it is absurdly boring. But Mat's and Rand's were both interesting.

1) Rand

2) Mat

 

 

3) Perrin - die Shaido story...or Faile

 

Crossroads of Twilight

Blegh overall. I don't even remember the Rand scenes, and Perrin's were droll again. But Mat's were the best here, even though there's not much memorable there either.

 

Knife of Dreams

1) Mat

2) Rand

3) Perrin - even though it is a big improvement; he finally finishes the Shaido plot but it's too late in the book

 

The Gathering Storm

1) Rand - owns

2) Mat

3) Perrin

The other two are barely in it though

 

Towers of Midnight

1) Perrin - yeah, this is Perrin's book mostly, and finally he has a story worthy of reading again

2) Mat

3) Rand - not enough book time

[Maleshub]

For me it was Rand in the first 5 books. In LoC, Mat and Rand were on the same footing. And in books 7-13, Mat is my favorite by a mile. Rand became darker to read since book 7 to a degree that it was frightening in TGS.

[Sasha Grayes]

1-9 Rand

10 Mat no Rand

11-12 Mat

13 Mat for the boots.

[Lisa Campbell]

Mat over the whole. He has always cracked me up.

 

My kids think I'm weird when I giggle or laugh especially because they know I've read the books so many times. They think the same thing when I cry because I'm happy for someone else.

[Vardar]

I didn't like Mat in book 2. he kinda pissed me off, his whole, my best friend is bound to go mad and I want to get away from him came off as really cowardly. That being said, he's still my favorite hands down. Aside from that, I love him every other time, he really came up and does what he wants, while being pretty damn honorable. Rand would be a close second, but his lack of communication skills kills me (Every character has it, but it seems to me Rand's are highlighted more).

 

Perrin. Well I make no secret of my Perrin hate, it irks me because the first 3 or 4 books I liked Perrin. His personality I really clicked with, his nature I suppose. I too was scared of hurting people, well still am actually, so I'm especially gentle around others. (Broke a kids arm playing basketball in 7th grade, really changed my life. I mean i shattered it, and the look in his eyes as he ran from me in the halls when he got back scarred me. He took an F on a science project because he was picked as my partner by my teacher, damn.)

 

But his running from wolves and leadership think got to me eventually too. Plus I hate Faile with a passion. Seriously. the one character who needs a spanking in the book and it NEVER HAPPENS!!! Well Perrin did once right? That's not enough!

 

I think Mat will win this. Mostly because Females seem to have a love of Perrin (In my experience with the few GF's ive introduced to this series and such) and that'll pull from the Rand votes. We'll see though.

[Lisa Campbell]

I don't know about females voting for Perrin based on personality or popularity. I don't hate him but I'm not head over heels either. To tell the truth, I didn't even have to think about it, Rand and Perrin just weren't in the running for me.

[randomh3r0]

Perrin definitely does seem to be the least interesting of the three to me. I agree with Vardarmus, the first 3-5 books even i enjoyed him. (Who wasn't enthralled as he was helping save the Two Rivers from thousands of Trollocs?) But then Faile comes in and kinda sours his chapters, and his shrugging off responsibility, "call me Perrin", "I'm no lord, I'm a blacksmith" ugh, enough already.

 

But now with ToM, it's nice to seem him truly own up, become the badass finally, and join the others. If Mat didn't have such a crucial story arc with ToG, Perrin would've been my clear winner in ToM.

 

But despite how much I love Rand, and how he's hands-down the most well-developed and enthralling main protagonist in literature (in my opinon), I have to go with Mat for favorite ta'veren, as the question seems to imply that you're asking which one and their ta'veren effects do we like most? I think the dice in Mat's head, his gambling luck, all the scrapes he gets into and out of, still fighting footpads solo towards the end... I think it's kinda the best examples of being a strong ta'veren. Rand's got the OP for his badassery, Perrin's physically strong and finds love first, but Mat seems to use that aspect of his being the most.

 

So, Mat :)

[Vardar]

I don't know about females voting for Perrin based on personality or popularity. I don't hate him but I'm not head over heels either. To tell the truth, I didn't even have to think about it, Rand and Perrin just weren't in the running for me.

 

Maybe it's just the women I know then. They all love them some Perrin, my response is normally it's because they want a man who does what they say without question (my scathing reply about Perrin being whipped).

[Lisa Campbell]

I don't know about females voting for Perrin based on personality or popularity. I don't hate him but I'm not head over heels either. To tell the truth, I didn't even have to think about it, Rand and Perrin just weren't in the running for me.

 

Maybe it's just the women I know then. They all love them some Perrin, my response is normally it's because they want a man who does what they say without question (my scathing reply about Perrin being whipped).

 

I prefer a man who does what he's told... sorry couldn't help myself

 

Edit: didn't read properly at first.

[Jonas]

Like any good character, all 3 have things to love and things to hate. For me, my favorite is Rand. But I'm a romantic, so the scenes between him and the women that he loves are always greatest for me. Remember when Rand first kisses Elayne in the Stone? Or Aviendha's desperate flight from Rand and his chasing her?

 

Mat has his awesome moments. He makes me laugh like no other character (e.g. Mat thinking about the boxes in a storeroom being moved "Nynaeve liked finding ways to make a man work; likely she had deliberately hunted out some fellows enjoying themselves") but overall, his romance with Tuon is kind of lame, and while his battle knowledge makes for some interesting battle scenes, I find Mat to be constantly attempting to shirk his duty, something he can never do. Yet, underneath Mat has some rock solid moments that show that he has some very good qualities as a friend and leader.

 

Perrin was a vastly interesting character in the beginning to me. His tension with the wolves dissolves into acceptance, his tension with Faile dissolves into complete adoration with a lingering, slow realization of how a Saldean woman expects a relationship to be, and while there is nothing wrong with that, it doesn't provide much interest for his character later on in the story. Rolan was a briefly interesting part however. I think RJ wrote himself into a corner with this character.

[shortkut]

The problem with perrin is on rj. Perrin had a simple story line, but as the world grew and rj had to add more to their timelines perrin had nothing to be added. His path was set with little room for deviation. All that was left so we did not have books without perrin at all was to have him miss faile or resist his leadership and wolf responsibilites. If you ignore his whining, since very little happens in those chapters, his arc is one of the best written ones. Very little fluff

[randomh3r0]

The problem with perrin is on rj. Perrin had a simple story line, but as the world grew and rj had to add more to their timelines perrin had nothing to be added. His path was set with little room for deviation. All that was left so we did not have books without perrin at all was to have him miss faile or resist his leadership and wolf responsibilites. If you ignore his whining, since very little happens in those chapters, his arc is one of the best written ones. Very little fluff

 

I'd have to disagree. I think Rand's is the most simple plotline overall. Sure, the entire world and it's complexities deal with Rand, but in reality it's a Messiah story in RJ's own fashion with twists, and we love that, yet with all the questions as to how things will happen, we pretty much know his main story. I think Mat's gives us the most twists and turns, but Perrin's is a close second. Starting with killing Whitecloaks in book 1 and coming to grips with his Wolfbrother abilities, being hunted, ending up with Faile, saving the Two Rivers, saving Rand at Dumai's Wells... and especially what happens in ToM, I'd say that Mat and Perrin have had way more surprises for us as readers than Rand.

 

I still think Rand is amazing, and miss his PoV's when they're rare, and always enjoy them when reading, but I'd still keep Mat at #1 Ta'veren, Rand at favorite overall character.

[shortkut]

I meant simple as in he has the least number of things going on. Rand has the most. His character has so much to do and so little time to do it in. We could easily get a book only about rand without too many lulls. We can't get that with perrin's story because there is not that much for him to do. When RJ tried to stretch it, he ruined the character

[Vardar]

Like any good character, all 3 have things to love and things to hate. For me, my favorite is Rand. But I'm a romantic, so the scenes between him and the women that he loves are always greatest for me. Remember when Rand first kisses Elayne in the Stone? Or Aviendha's desperate flight from Rand and his chasing her?

 

Mat has his awesome moments. He makes me laugh like no other character (e.g. Mat thinking about the boxes in a storeroom being moved "Nynaeve liked finding ways to make a man work; likely she had deliberately hunted out some fellows enjoying themselves") but overall, his romance with Tuon is kind of lame, and while his battle knowledge makes for some interesting battle scenes, I find Mat to be constantly attempting to shirk his duty, something he can never do. Yet, underneath Mat has some rock solid moments that show that he has some very good qualities as a friend and leader.

 

Perrin was a vastly interesting character in the beginning to me. His tension with the wolves dissolves into acceptance, his tension with Faile dissolves into complete adoration with a lingering, slow realization of how a Saldean woman expects a relationship to be, and while there is nothing wrong with that, it doesn't provide much interest for his character later on in the story. Rolan was a briefly interesting part however. I think RJ wrote himself into a corner with this character.

 

What's wrong with the Matuon love line? I liked his struggle to remain a man while courting a woman and not realizing he was fufilling his own destiny by chasing her because someone told him he had too (Silly Mat).

[Treebeard]

What i love with Mat is that contrary to Rand and Perrin he keep his good mood up, even if he is complaining you can see that this man will take what the world has to offer without any pausing and yet he is not rude or lacking empathy . Rand has a problematic situation and that fine but when his singelmindidness about Shoul Ghul takes the underhand he becomes quite creepy to read , and with the horror of his transformation blends a big portion sadness about who the pattern has treated him , with not makes for a happy reading . As on my thoughts of Perrin most have been spelled out so a skip him , he is just tiring ( even though he grows on me in the two last books)

[randomh3r0]

What i love with Mat is that contrary to Rand and Perrin he keep his good mood up, even if he is complaining you can see that this man will take what the world has to offer without any pausing and yet he is not rude or lacking empathy . Rand has a problematic situation and that fine but when his singelmindidness about Shoul Ghul takes the underhand he becomes quite creepy to read , and with the horror of his transformation blends a big portion sadness about who the pattern has treated him , with not makes for a happy reading . As on my thoughts of Perrin most have been spelled out so a skip him , he is just tiring ( even though he grows on me in the two last books)

 

Agreed. I love re-reading the first couple books because Perrin's narratives focus more on him being a delliberate person, thinking things through, and sometimes coming up with the best plans, juxtaposed with his huge body, it's a refreshing character line. Unfortunately we lose all that once Faile comes into play. Mat however is the same Mat, his thoughts to himself and comments are hilarious, even when he's bedridden or whatnot.

 

Love it.

[lionheart]

Yeah, I couldn't agree with you more.

Mat is the most versatile and adaptable character in the series, able to influence all around him without any special powers (though he being a ta'veren may be counted as one)

Still he is my choice.