How has your perception changed?

[Apoc81]

My perception have changed quite a bit. I was 16 when I first started reading the Wheel of Time books and I then identified with the younger characters the most, Egwene was probably my favorite character, she was close to me in age and I identified with her. Now I am 30 years old and I see the younger characters as often silly and identify more with the older characters. Also when I started reading the books they where a bit of a chore, English is not my first language and I have dyslexia so getting through a 700 pages + novel, and several of them where rather daunting, now I mostly read big books in English and reading the WoT books are just fun.

 

I would not say my perception of Moiraine have changed though, I never had a negative opinion of her and always saw her as someone who did what she did because she had no other choice and that she honestly wanted the best for the Two Rivers youngsters, I do not really get why anyone would have a problem with that character.

 

Congrats. My sister is Dyslexic, and graduated with Literature and Fine Arts degrees. I know how hard she worked because of her disability, and English is her first language. I can't imagine the difficulties you must have, with it being a second language and having a reading disability. Keep up the great work. You have much respect from me for sticking with it and overcoming your problem.

[BFG]

I agree it's perception to characters that's changed - When I started to read I loved Eg and her desire to travel, having grown up and travelled I identify more with Nyn and maybe if I live to be 400 I'll identify with Cads . Also every time I read, the stuff that happens to Rand seems to get worse.

 

How did Moraine find out that Lord Whatisname of Tear was Belal in disguise? She left the inn without an explanation, came back pale-faced and said "Belal is in the Stone of Tear". How did she know that? Did she consult the "word on the street"? Her eyes and ears? Highly knowledgeable tavern matrons with clean aprons? Or did she spy on Belal and recognize him from her past memories as Lews Therin?

 

That was a blatant plothole, and it was never explained. I guess Moraine really does know everything.

One answer...

Interview: 2011

Twitter 2011 (WoT) (Verbatim)

Krishnan Murali (14 November 2011)

 

How Moiraine is able to able to learn which Forsaken is in power in Tear and Illian in The Dragon Reborn?

Brandon Sanderson (14 November 2011)

 

 

I believe, but am not taking the time to look it up, she used means more mundane than you're probably expecting.

BRANDON SANDERSON

 

Meaning good use of information networks. That said, I'll give a tentative MAFO and try to remember to look it up specifically.

KRISHNAN

 

Oh , what do mundane method do you think she used? She found which Forsaken was in power quickly and spot on in The Dragon Reborn.

BRANDON SANDERSON

 

She is very smart, and she knew exactly what to look for. She knew they were coming, and what they would likely do.

TEREZ

 

One good theory is that she just eavesdropped.

KRISHNAN (19 NOVEMBER)

 

In #TorChat, you said that Moiraine probably eavesdropped in The Dragon Reborn to learn the Forsaken's identity; is this a theory in Theoryland?

KRISHNAN

 

I don't mean to ask whether it is a full theory (would be silly), I wanted to know whether it has been discussed in Theoryland.

TEREZ

 

I have seen it discussed at Theoryland and Dragonmount, and @zemaille might have also written something on it.

LINDA TAGLIERI

 

Moiraine did eavesdrop. Egwene saw her listening to Rand and Asmodean in The Fires of Heaven 'What can Be Learned in Dreams'.

TEREZ

 

Agreed, it seems the most logical and straightforward explanation. We saw it in The Eye of the World last POV too.

 

Add in to that all the wonky things going on with dreams and the like and there was more than enough reason to start pokjing around....

 

You mean she's not Lyra all grown up and disappearing off to read the altheiometer(sp?) (golden compass in US). Or perhaps she has access to a magic ball?

[Yosarian]

But I still identify with perrins quiet reserve and choosing a girl COMPLETELY wrong for him.

 

Eh, I think Faile is right for Perrin. I don't think anyone one else in the series could handle her.

[lhsmommy]

I originally read this series for the first time when I was 13. (1992) If I remember it correctly, I identified with Egwene and, to a certain extent, Mat more as a teen. The feeling of impending adventure, casting off of their hum-drum lives was appealing. Finding out about having 'magic' and becoming 'someone special' totally grabbed this girl. I completely disliked Nyn and Moir, and honestly didn't comprehend as much of the subtleties of the story.

 

Now as an adult, when I read the series, I am drawn more to Nyn, and Moir. Their more subtle characteristics are apparent to me in a way they never were when I was a teen. I have found I grasp more of the story, I think, with life experience under my belt. The darkness in the tale is more apparent, and I find that I am less tolerant of any character's childish behavior. That said, I get so much more pleasure reading it now, than I did as a child.

 

Edit for spelling

[Asmodeanisdemandread]

But I still identify with perrins quiet reserve and choosing a girl COMPLETELY wrong for him.

 

Eh, I think Faile is right for Perrin. I don't think anyone one else in the series could handle her.

 

Wweelll, you kinda have a point.

although rand would just tell her that he's gonna die over and and over, she would get annoyed and knife him, get Nyn to travel him to SG, his blood on the rocks and all that, game over.

As for mat, he'd just give her his most winningest smile, a kiss, and a cuddle and then she'd cut out his other eye. :p

[linkami deschain]

This is technically my first full reread, though at one point after i read all the books out (up to cot) i went through 5 and 6 because those were my fav due to rand and i mostly skipped all the other povs. But now that i am fully comprehending all the books i find the povs other than rands to be a lot more interresting than before. Rand was my favorite character my first read through and nynaeve my least. Though from WH she grew on my because i found her to be the only Aes sedai who didnt shudder at him and could keep up with him in terms of strength And skill and stopped trying to manipulate him and all around they listened to each other and worked together. You hardly saw that between male and female throughout the rest of the books and now she is my fav even in the earlier book.

 

I always liked mat though he was never really a pov char til TDR.

[driedraspberry]

I've changed my mind about Galad (though my first read ended early in tPoD). I think the first time around his decision to join the CoL was shocking, and with all the foreshadowing of his later evilness with Min/Elayne insisting he was devoid of compassion, I was half terrified and in preparation for the worst every time he was mentioned. Second time around, I actually came to see him in a new light pretty early on in my re-read.

 

Initially I had missed out on how much influence his relationship with Morgase had on his character. But this time, long before I even reached KoD's prologue, I started to perceive his outward striving for rightness/perfection not born of a cold, inhuman place but from love and admiration for his mommy #2. And obviously some abandonment issues involving mommy #1 pulling invisible strings. He didn't seem so bad anymore. tbc.

[Yosarian]

Yeah, I read Galad differently now, too. Reading it now I really get the feeling that Elayne was being unfair to him the whole time, that it was more a sibling rivelry thing then anything else. Min's comments are harder to explain, though.

[Carnacarn]

Rereading all the books now in prep for AMoL, Alanna has become my most hated character. There has to be something going on more than a tie to Rand that she bonded him. It did give information about bonding men who can channel, and how it has similar difficulties such as Elayne/Bir, but Alanna may be the most evil non-confirmed BA/Darkfriend character. Faile my first read through I didn't find to be a bad character. I see her now as a drag on the storyline and wish she died in captivity so Perrin had rage upon rage to use at the Last Battle, instead of a hawk nosed drag.

[Shaidar]

When I started reading it I thought it was the best fantasy series since Tolkien, and quite possibly superior to him. Nowadays my assessment is a lot more measured.

[jsbrads]

Moraine will get a major white wash in everyone's eyes due to how Rand apparently needs her, and how Rand claims she really cared all along.

Much like Siuan, Moraine really doesn't care more than anyone else, she serves goals, not people (tho admittedly she actually had a few candid seconds with Perrin once after they met Boundless(/forgot human name)).

And lying? I wouldn't put her as the most honest liar from the city of liars, let alone honest by real human standards (once she knew she was about to be plunged into the Aelfin world she did say the truth as those words were her last (or at least last for a long time).

[Suttree]

When I started reading it I thought it was the best fantasy series since Tolkien, and quite possibly superior to him. Nowadays my assessment is a lot more measured.

 

I get it. I have often wondered if I had come to the WoT at an older age if it would have had quite the same impact. Even Tolkein to me reads a bit quaint for all that it will always have its place. We have authors that have really raised the bar in modern fantasy. People like Bakker, Abercrombie and Rothfuss have seriously changed the game. It really is a shame though that Jordan never got to show us how he was going to wrap his master work. KoD had things going the right direction after those mid-late struggles(which Martin seems to have problems with as well). Would have loved to see what else he had in him.