About the big huge chapter (mild spoilers from Brandon inside)

[fionwe1987]

I came across this post in a well known review Blog about the huge chapter. In it, Bradon commented saying:

 

Just opened the document, as I figured I could give some hard statistics on this. The chapter is just shy of 79,000 words. It contains (by my quick count) 72 scenes–but only 31 distinct viewpoints, as numerous ones repeat. (There are eight Rand scenes, for example, and six each for Mat and Egwene. Three or four each for another eight characters.)

It is not the last chapter of the book, but is a very important one, as you might have guessed. From the get-go, I lobbied Harriet to let me do this sequence as a single, massive chapter as I felt it fit with what was going on in the book as well as fitting with the series as a whole. I’m very pleased with how it turned out.

 

Wow. 72 scenes, 79,000 words, so an average of 1000 words per scene. The scenes are divided among 31 distinct characters. On average, Rand has 8000 words here, Egwene and Mat 6000. I guess the other eight big characters are Elayne, Perrin, Nynaeve, Aviendha, Faile, Tuon, Min and Moiraine?

 

Wow, this is going to be epic.

 

 

http://aidanmoher.com/blog/2012/12/asides/a-memory-of-light-has-a-50000-word-chapter-with-70-80-character-viewpoints/

 

 

[Shannon Petty]

I don't feel this is a spoiler, but if it is, I guess punish me mercilessly. That chapter is 190 pages long, out of about 909 total pages.

[aunt_pol]

Bags. That's practically an act, or something. Hell that's a short book, never mind a chapter.

[Torome]

I'm guessing that due to the scale and all the viewpoints that it is the scene at the Fields of Merrilor. Just a guess but an educated one.

[BFG]

We already know that FoM is split up - it's far more likely to be the Last Battle

[Viperswhip]

Not a fan of the idea, but whatever. This is the problem with no ebook, I like the search function there too much. Trying to find your favourite bit in such a chapter...ouch.

[stgermaine]

I think instead of some or all of Faile, Tuon and Min we will have a great general or two. Maybe even a Cadsuane or Taim/other forsaken?

[snooze1128]

I think instead of some or all of Faile, Tuon and Min we will have a great general or two. Maybe even a Cadsuane or Taim/other forsaken?

 

I'm anticipating the death of all the remaining Foresaken, and I hope that each of their deaths is seen from their own POV.  In other words, if/when Cyndane is killed, I want the POV to be her own.  Rinse and repeat with all the other foresaken.

[TheAngryDruid]

So, by the numbers, in terms of POVs:

 

72 POVs. 31 Different POVs. But some repeat:

 

1. Rand = 8

2. Egwene = 6

3. Mat = 6

 

+ 3-4 each for another eight characters = 24-32 more POVs on top of the 20 for Rand, Eggy, and Mat. That's 44-50 among the top 11 characters. That leaves at least 22 other distinct viewpoints, accounting for 22-28 POVs.

 

As to the identities of the rest of the "Top 8" characters. I think Perrin, Nynaeve, and Elayne are givens. As for the other 5, I'd guess Moiraine, Lan, Min, Faile, Tuon, Cadsuane, Fain, Moridin, Cyndane, Graendal, and Demandred are all viable candidates for the 3-4 POVs. I could also see Loial, Galad, Gawyn, and Siuan could have multiple POVs. If it IS the LB scene, I'd go for Moiraine, Lan, Fain, Moridin + Cyndane.

[stgermaine]

I don't see moraine lan having many POVs of their own. I would think they are together, and it would be one or other until if/when one of them dies. I think we will absolutely see all forsaken and everyone else (except maybe Loial?) you mentioned, but maybe only in 1-2 scenes. Looking forward to what happens with those shadow ring things (can't remember their name) that Gawyn has. Wonder if Nyn can cure it. . .?

[TheAngryDruid]

I don't see moraine lan having many POVs of their own. I would think they are together, and it would be one or other until if/when one of them dies. I think we will absolutely see all forsaken and everyone else (except maybe Loial?) you mentioned, but maybe only in 1-2 scenes. Looking forward to what happens with those shadow ring things (can't remember their name) that Gawyn has. Wonder if Nyn can cure it. . .?

 

Why? Lan is attacking a hoard of Shadowspawn in Tarwin's Gap and Moiraine is with Mat and Thom outside the Tower of Ghenji. Agree with everything else you said, but I don't understand why Lan and Moiraine would be together. I'll be pissed if we don't get a Moiraine POV after 15 years. Of course, that doesn't mean I'll get one.

 

As for prominent characters who haven't had a POV yet, here's some that come to mind: Logain, Taim (all Forsaken save Be'lal have had at least one), Berelain, Dobraine, Juilin Sandar, Rhuarc, Amys, Melaine, Gaul, Chiad, Alanna, Teslyn, Silviana, Balwer, Darlin, Caroline Damodred, Agelmar, and Hurin.  I'm sure not all of Terez's 15 (or was it 14?) POV from known characters, but I'm hoping more than a handful do.

 

For the record, we have had POVS from: Loial, Olver, Alliandre, Birgitte, Tylee, Harine, Slayer, Sulin, Sorilea, Bain, Shalon, Bashere, and Dyelin.

[neverspeakawordagain]

For the record, we have had POVS from: Loial, Olver, Alliandre, Birgitte, Tylee, Harine, Slayer, Sulin, Sorilea, Bain, Shalon, Bashere, and Dyelin.

 

We've had over 120 characters get POV's through ToM, including, as you said, every Forsaken except Be'lal. Somebody made a game out of it:

 

http://m.sporcle.com/games/Drifloon/points_of_view

[stgermaine]

I guess I figured by the time the LB chapter came Lan and Moraine would be together again, though they are both pretty duty-bound and their duties do lay elsewhere.

[Ryan52]

I don't see moraine lan having many POVs of their own. I would think they are together, and it would be one or other until if/when one of them dies. I think we will absolutely see all forsaken and everyone else (except maybe Loial?) you mentioned, but maybe only in 1-2 scenes. Looking forward to what happens with those shadow ring things (can't remember their name) that Gawyn has. Wonder if Nyn can cure it. . .?

 

From what I have read in interviews and stuff this book sounds surprisingly heavy on Lan POVs.  Perhaps someone better with searching the interview database knows the Sanderson bit I am talking about where he discusses POVs and mentions doing a lot of Lan scenes, I found it surprising personally.

[stgermaine]

I expected it to be Lan-Heavy, but thought that Moraine and him would be together, and therefore wouldn't need many POV's from both. Though as I have thought about it, I doubt they will be together much, if at all during the LB as they both have very different roles (she with Rand and he leading an army).

[fionwe1987]

 

I don't see moraine lan having many POVs of their own. I would think they are together, and it would be one or other until if/when one of them dies. I think we will absolutely see all forsaken and everyone else (except maybe Loial?) you mentioned, but maybe only in 1-2 scenes. Looking forward to what happens with those shadow ring things (can't remember their name) that Gawyn has. Wonder if Nyn can cure it. . .?

 

From what I have read in interviews and stuff this book sounds surprisingly heavy on Lan POVs.  Perhaps someone better with searching the interview database knows the Sanderson bit I am talking about where he discusses POVs and mentions doing a lot of Lan scenes, I found it surprising personally.

Yes, Sanderson said that, and it is true.

[neverspeakawordagain]

 

 

Yes, Sanderson said that, and it is true.

That's shocking to me. I totally expected Lan to have died offscreen after his charge at the end of ToM, and for us to hear about his fall and death secondhand.

[TheAngryDruid]

 

 

 

Yes, Sanderson said that, and it is true.

That's shocking to me. I totally expected Lan to have died offscreen after his charge at the end of ToM, and for us to hear about his fall and death secondhand.

 

Rand abandoning Lan after promising Nyneave he wouldn't, while going out of his way to mend things with Hurin was one of the things that drove me crazy about ToM. How could Rand, and Egwene, let Lan ride unaided to his death. Or at least make an attempt to dissuade him? Out of respect for what he did for them. Out of the love they bear for Nynaeve.

 

Anyway, I'm glad to see it. Lan's 13 POVs rank him 14th among named characters, but 8 of those were in New Spring, and the remaining 5, his only main sequence POVs, were all in ToM. Glad to see our old friend get some more POVs. Much rather read Lan than Gawyn or Galad. I don't think Brandon nailed him completely, and it was a bit jarring to see him descend into his own world on the eve of the LB w/out considering ramifications, but I guess he's entitled at bit.

[FarShainMael]

"Rand abandoning Lan after promising Nyneave he wouldn't, while going out of his way to mend things with Hurin was one of the things that drove me crazy about ToM. How could Rand, and Egwene, let Lan ride unaided to his death. Or at least make an attempt to dissuade him? Out of respect for what he did for them. Out of the love they bear for Nynaeve."

 

Rand didn't abandon Lan. This from ToM3:

 

"I have to much to do. People starve because of me, others live in terror of what I have done. A friend rides to his death without allies. There is so little time to do what I must." - Rand to Egwene

 

[Atheose]

Not a fan of the idea, but whatever. This is the problem with no ebook, I like the search function there too much. Trying to find your favourite bit in such a chapter...ouch.

I've mentally tried to do "Ctr+F" while reading a physical book before to find specific parts. Made me feel stupid.

[stgermaine]

I bet Lan has lots, was originally thinking they wouldn't have a lot separately because I assumed them to be together, but now I am second guessing that.