Leigh Butler's review

[Sarlic]

@Aredeis -- thanks for the clarification, that makes sense then.

[Dreggs Morlock]

I'm so excited! I wonder how many additional days I will have to wait until the book arrives from the US to me, to Poland

 

 

Wow, I totally forgot that ______ didn’t actually know that. And yes, dude, your timing sucks balls. Sheesh.

 

 

IIRC Rand is still unaware of Perrin's TAR abilities, or even of the details of his bond with the wolves. Actually, he's unaware of many facts: Elayne's pregnancy, Moiraine rescue mission, Mat's marriage, Morgase... He knows who Galad is to him whereas Galad cannot know that, so whose timing is worse?

 

 

WELP, WE ALL KNEW THIS WAS COMING. But fortunately not in the way we were – expecting? Sort of? …And that does divide up nicely this way, doesn’t it. Well done.

 

Maybe something with Aes Sedai-Asha'man official establishement of roles? Or division of areas of influence between the Seanchan and the rest?

I was thinking it was the Seanchan/Randland peace treaty so they can fight side by side at the Last battle, maybe involving Rand bowing the the crystal Throne?  But... I have nothing to back this up with.

 

As far as what theory went down the tubes, well... Roedran is as good as any other, since we don't know what Leigh is familar with.  I lean towards Roedran only because I can't think of another big one that 1) is still active, and 2) would garner that sort of reation from Leigh.  I'm not married to this assertion, and very open to other ideas.

[herid]

How about Nakomi is a Wise one or Nakomi is Verin in relation to

 

Hah, so sure of that theory, were you? Well, so were a lot of people. So much for that!

 I was leaning towards Nakomi is a Wise One being true before  but that's disproved in the prologue. In any case I was almost certain the encounter takes place in TAR. But recently Linda wrote on her blog (she's read AMOL by that point) that she thinks the Nakomi encounter takes place in real world and moreover that it happens after VoG  which is why the food they eat  tastes good. That would eliminate Nakomi=Verin too.  I'm sure that Linda is wrong about the timing of the Nakomi meeting, however.  But even so, Verin finding Avi in the middle of the Waste in real world is highly unlikely. I could see her doing it in TAR perhaps, but not in real world.

[Terez]

"so sure of that theory" really could be anything, guys. It could be bodyswap. It could be eclipse=dawn. It could be Narishma='who follows after'. It could even be Logain's glory. Those are just a few that come to mind, but I'm sure I could come up with more.

[TankSpill]

*falls over laughing* Oh my God, that is hilarious. And somewhere a certain someone is saying SO THERE, IT WAS RELEVANT, WASN’T IT. Touché, Team Jordan. Touché.

I feel like I should know what this is.

 

 

 

I can't help but hope that this has something to do with some HILARIOUS Felix theory.

[Manscher]

Not sure if I would laugh or cry if one of Felixs crazy theories turned out to be true.

[herid]

@Manscher and @TankSpill could you guys enlighten the uninitiated which theories of Felix you are talking about? he is mentioned quite often but the only specific theory I recall was something about Valan Luca having a major role in the Last Battle.

I'll bet my house this ain't in the cards though.

[Suttree]

@Terez

 

Which is your favorite theory out of Felix's body of work?

[Manscher]

@Manscher and @TankSpill could you guys enlighten the uninitiated which theories of Felix you are talking about? he is mentioned quite often but the only specific theory I recall was something about Valan Luca having a major role in the Last Battle.

I'll bet my house this ain't in the cards though.

Valan Luca being the true Dragon Reborn and The Captain of The Riverserpent being some sort of Messenger from the Creator and/or Immortal Soul springs to mind.

[Terez]

@Terez

 

Which is your favorite theory out of Felix's body of work?

 

The one I tweeted the other day. (link) It was debunked fairly quickly, but it was fun while it lasted.

[Suttree]

Heh...missed that the first time around. I always love when he gets in to the "which of course is the only true way the books can be read" following some absurd statement or other.

[Terez]

No, you didn't miss it. You responded a few posts later. I believe it was, 'SO GOOD'.

[Suttree]

No, you didn't miss it. You responded a few posts later. I believe it was, 'SO GOOD'.

Short term memory isn't quite what it could be ;)

 

Isn't it crazy when you come across an old debate from years back and it's almost like reading it for the first time?

[darvickers]

I had a thought on who might be "chocked up moment #3 " and in a sparring accident. Who would need to learn the Sword again after many years away from it ? Elyas thats who!! How else would he fight in the Last Battle? That would choke me up and be a real bummer.

[Kiriath Til Asdod]

Boring boring craptastic and boring. Sounds like the ramblings of a mad person.

[darvickers]

Boring boring craptastic and boring. Sounds like the ramblings of a mad person.

You didn't say what's boring, or craptastic.

[Entreri]

A most interesting review.

 

When do bookstores typically receive a new item before they put on the shelves? 1 week, 2 weeks prior?

1 week at the most...

Thanks.

 

"Like Sutt said, one week at the most. However, AMOL will be an S.O.S. title, meaning the bookstores cannot legally sell it to you before the actual release date."

 

I doubt some of these struggling small bookstores have time to keep track of various publishers release dates.  They will all go the way of Blockbuster. 

 

It is too bad there is no Amazon Kindle version out.  I hate carrying around or shelving these massive books. 

[herid]

Dude....it is not possible to learn to use your sword one handed.  I mean it just isn't.  The type of sword they use requires two hands.  I'm sure you could monkey out a way to use it one handed but you aren't going to be anywhere near capable of facing a two handed blademaster.

 

Secondly, I dont think he literally meant he was going to learn the sword over again.

 

Thirdly, he hasn't had time to learn the sword one handed.

 

Fourth, we haven't even seen him bring it up again or try to practice or learn the sword over again one handed.

 

Fifth, Tam hasn't even shown his sword skill off at all in the book.  He has more or less taken the stance of a teacher who hasn't used the thing in decades and is likely very out of practice.

 

Six, Rand and Tam sparring seems out of character for the two of them the more I think about it.  For it to be emotional they would have to care deeply about sword practice and it would need to be a connection between the two of them.  The absolute last thing Rand wants to do with his father is practice fighting him.

 

Seven, Tam would get obliterated by Rand if he had "relearned" how to use his sword with one hand.  Rand is basically the second best swordsman in the entire world, and possibly the best by the end.  Him and Lan are pretty unquestionably the two kings of the mountain when it comes to swords in this series.  Tam is an older man who hasn't used his sword in decades and only attempts to teach kids nowdays.  This isn't the same as Lan who has kept his skill sharpened and honed daily even though he is a bit older (though significantly younger than Tam).

 

It would be a great scene, but I find it very unlikely.

I think it's time to start crossing those objections out.

 

memory #20

 

As Tam attacked again, Rand lifted the sword and-

 

 

 

[Entreri]

Tam at his peak could have been a top 5 blademaster, but nowhere near the abilities of the current Lan.  Rand, two handed was declared #2 blademaster in the world by the authors. 

 

However there is a gap between Lan and two handed Rand and it is not small (e.g. very close, hair difference).   Even though Rand was not taking Toram Riatin seriously (jacket and gloves on), Toram was able to keep up with Rand.   Lan finished Toram rather easily and within a few seconds.  I have no doubt that Lan can take out 10 at once. 

 

I am looking forward to the Last Battle and seeing Lan fighting.  After reading Bradon's The Way of Kings (great book btw, and rather massive 1007 pages), there is definitely one aspect that Brandon is better than RJ at, fighting scenes. 

[Sarlic]

What if the spar is between Rand and Tam, but Tam is helping Rand re-learn the sword one-handed. Kind of thing a father would do, and so could be emotional. Combined with today's Memory of Light....

[TankSpill]

What if the spar is between Rand and Tam, but Tam is helping Rand re-learn the sword one-handed. Kind of thing a father would do, and so could be emotional. Combined with today's Memory of Light....

Or what if this memory of light takes place long after the Last Battle and it's just a scene of Rand & Tam hanging out? (I'm picturing the epilogue to Rocky III, with Apollo & Rocky facing off just for the hell of it)

[The Fisher King]

Tam at his peak could have been a top 5 blademaster, but nowhere near the abilities of the current Lan.  Rand, two handed was declared #2 blademaster in the world by the authors. 

 

However there is a gap between Lan and two handed Rand and it is not small (e.g. very close, hair difference).   Even though Rand was not taking Toram Riatin seriously (jacket and gloves on), Toram was able to keep up with Rand.   Lan finished Toram rather easily and within a few seconds.  I have no doubt that Lan can take out 10 at once. 

 

I am looking forward to the Last Battle and seeing Lan fighting.  After reading Bradon's The Way of Kings (great book btw, and rather massive 1007 pages), there is definitely one aspect that Brandon is better than RJ at, fighting scenes. 

Wow. I'm sorry but I have to strongly disagree with this.

 

 

Fish

[SonOfBattles20]

Tam at his peak could have been a top 5 blademaster, but nowhere near the abilities of the current Lan.  Rand, two handed was declared #2 blademaster in the world by the authors. 

 

However there is a gap between Lan and two handed Rand and it is not small (e.g. very close, hair difference).   Even though Rand was not taking Toram Riatin seriously (jacket and gloves on), Toram was able to keep up with Rand.   Lan finished Toram rather easily and within a few seconds.  I have no doubt that Lan can take out 10 at once. 

 

I am looking forward to the Last Battle and seeing Lan fighting.  After reading Bradon's The Way of Kings (great book btw, and rather massive 1007 pages), there is definitely one aspect that Brandon is better than RJ at, fighting scenes. 

Wow. I'm sorry but I have to strongly disagree with this.

 

 

Fish

I agree with Fish.. When I read a battle scene from RJ I am able to picture the entire battlefield. He describes the cavalry and footman formations in detail, down to how the pikemen set up defensive perimeters. He was able to keep the suspense going in times of large scale battle, even throwing in some sweet POV action. 

 

 RJ was capable of conveying a characters emotions and internal dialogue in a realistic manner as well. 

 

Fighting scenes... all the earlier book brawls I can think of were fantastic. Stone of Tear, Dumai's Wells, chasing Couladin through Cairhien, Perrin fighting alongside wolves, Rand cutting chumps down, even Thom and Julian are fun to read... not to mention any fight involving Mat lol

 

But I did enjoy the Maradon scenes and reading Ituralde staying alive and keeping his men going. I'm pretty sure that was Brandon. 

[MarkDiLillo]

I am really looking forward to reading this sparring session between Rand and Tam now just to see how it works out.  I have my fingers crossed that it is not wince-incuding material.

 

As for Brandon vs RJ on battle and fight scenes...Braondon writes more like a modern day action film.  It is entertainment.  RJ writes what feels like a more real battle scene.  It loses some of its entertainment value for a realistic feel.

[KakitaOCU]

As for Brandon vs RJ on battle and fight scenes...Braondon writes more like a modern day action film.  It is entertainment.  RJ writes what feels like a more real battle scene.  It loses some of its entertainment value for a realistic feel.

That sums it up incredibly well. Also explains the difference in opinion. The readers who have no real world war or combat experience and no ability to visualize will like Brandon's style. Those who have seen it, or have an ability to comprehend it will prefer Jordan's. (Note I'm not meaning that as a negative to those who prefer Brandon's).

 

It's like being a martial artists. If you can't let yourself hit suspension of disbelief Movie and TV Fights become... Meh. After decades of real world sword play and always being able to ignore the fantasy in film, there are still fights where I can't watch them without wincing or critiquing, not because they weren't cool but because I keep seeing the wrongness of it. (Worse example is end of Starwars Phantom Menace. I was fine with it until Ray Park expressed his opinion that he left no openings at all in the entire fight scene. Now I can't watch it without mentally going "And I kill you there, and there, and there, And you turned your back on Qui-Gon there and....).

 

So personally, will always prefer battle scenes from folks like Jordan or Modesitt who know what they speak of, but I can understand those who prefer someone like Sanderson.