"Best"/"Favourite" Moments in the Book

[Rhienne]

Want to take a shot? Hoping to hear perspective from the other side if anyone is interested in the discussion

I agree that the scene was handled badly and played like a videogame more than a novel (particularly the one-after-another sword duels which was an awful concept).  A little part of me did enjoy the individual scenes though if I tried to pretend the other two hadn't happened/wouldn't happen.  I think splitting up the three sword duels and having other action scenes occur in between was significantly better than reading the whole series of duals as one scene.  The only other thing I can suggest as to it being handled well is that in some ways it seemed in character for Lan and Gawyn to take the actions they did, although the circumstances that allowed them to do so were unrealistic.  I do think in terms of the quality of the writing, that this kind of scene is what Brandon writes best, and I felt it was better written than his scenes where characters are conversing or reflecting, which perhaps contributes.  However, this sequence does require suspension of disbelief!

[Mats Spare Hat]

It's a bit warped how well you can parallel the three duals in AMoL, to The Three Little Pigs.

Straw = Gawyn, who would be lucky if he stood up to the wolf, much like a house of straw in a strong gale.
Wood = Galad, who proves to have a greater skill in swordsmanship, and provides more of a challenge to the elements/wolf, though ultimately meets a similarly gruesome end
Brick = Lan, whose depth of experience relates to the strength of foundation & structure, upon which the fate of the big bad(wolf) is ultimately decided.

Blowhard Villain yammering how he'll huff and puff and blow the house down = Demandred, ranting and raving about defeating all-comers.

___

By a bit warped, I mean nauseating. Let's tie up loose ends in an epic series by using a fantastical parallel! Oh you mean mythological, or theological even? No, no even better - Mother Goose!  .... ... .. .  *fffffacepalm

 

[shortkut]

 

 

It just so happens that there are readers who disagree with you and Mr Ares about whether or not that scene was handled poorly. You and Ares have subjective opinions about this, while those of us who enjoyed that scene have subjective opinions in favor of that scene in AMOL as written by Sanderson.

Yup...people have stated that they like it. That is why the question was...

Anyone care to break down why they thought it was handled well?

 

Want to take a shot? Hoping to hear perspective from the other side if anyone is interested in the discussion.

i enjoyed the book but do not think most of it was handled well. What do I do?

[Naertho]

I must say, I shed a few tears at several points of this book.

One would definitely be Lan's ride to face Demandred.

The ending quote, it was a beautiful piece in my eyes, due to the simple fact is that it is an opposite of the beginning paragraph upon which I fell in love with first and foremost in this series.

The countless deaths; Gawyn being one - he was always one of my minor favourite characters. And several others on top!

[leafs43]

I really liked Logain's glory.

 

I was expecting him to kill Taim, as would be fitting.

 

 

 

He was striving for power but learned in the end that caring for others carries much more power than a sa'angreal.  It's a fitting end for someone who has been a punching bag since book 1.

[MyLord]

My favourite moment was when Egwene was thinking if she trust Mat, and when she remembered him saving a boys life from drowning. I am a Mat fan (obiously), but thats a very significant decision in the story, and its also well written.... I can see RJ writing it the same way..

[Joshua Hendrickson]

Lan's "sheathing the sword," a bit of early foreshadowing that I had hoped would have an intense resolution; I was not disappointed. "I'm not here to win; I'm here to kill you." Brilliant.

 

Egwene's sacrifice was unexpected--really, she's the only major (or at least the only Two Rivers) character to be killed? The only one? But it was still a triumphant moment. Wish she could have shown up in the Heroes of the Horn, though--if Noal/Jain Farstrider could make it, why not Egwene? There are a lot of Egwene haters on this site, I know, but I was always impressed by her bravery--she really proved herself worthy of being Amyrlin. She should have been a Hero.

[Guest Targaryen]

Very high up there for me is the moment Perrin strikes Slayer down. Played it in my mind many times before moving on lol.

 

Rands channelling the sources and taking hold of the DO. Amazing :) also because Ishamael was always my favorite chosen.

[avernite]

I'm not sure I'd call it best, but: Perrin killing Lanfear, and his thoughts afterwards. Rather than forcing Rand through another gruelling 'die or kill a woman I sorta love' which would halfway copy Moiraine's death, Perrin overcomes his aversion to killing women and kills  the Shadow's last chance (pun intended, I wonder if RJ/BS did likewise?).

[Guest Koji Watanabe]

There were about 40 things in this book I just loved. I could not put it down. it fulfilled my expectations above and beyond.

 

Ill throw a few out there.

 

Rand seeing Moiraine

Rand and Mat's comparing of who done what. How did you lose that eye/Hand? "I cleansed the male half of the source....I win"...."I freed moiraine from the Ailfinn/Elfinn"

EVERYTHING with Lan. Especially settling the argument of who is the best via beheding Demandred

EVERYTHING with Tam. Especially his spar with Rand

The Flame of Tar Valon

Taim/Demandred interactions.....Awww hell, everything to do with Demandred. Finally a forsaken that seems to live up to his ancient terrible reputation.

Androl. Was. AWESOME. His use of gateways had me howling. Opening a gateway so everything they shot came back at them from behind? Opening a gateway to drop them hundreds of feet? The LAVA!!!!!

The Cannons. I shat myself laughing when the gate opened and Tal "FIRE"

Gawyn, Galad vs Demandred.

 

OMG, finally back in the blight. Wanted to see some Wyrms

I can't list it all. I took morbid pleasure in so many things. Even gareth's death when Birgitte said "he just charged off screaming....right into enemy lines. It made no sense"

[Aulduron]

"I had long wondered about the man who had given Rand that heron marked blade. I wondered if he truly had earned it. Now I know."

[Crowbane]

"Please," Androl whispered, so soft.  "Children, Logain."  They're slaughtering the children..."

 

Logain closed his eyes.

 

Logain had only ever wanted to save the world.  He truly did not believe he was a false dragon.  He was tortured and hated by so many...the scars from his capture are stilling haunt him until the very end. 

 

The end when;

 

Light bathed them.

 

He stopped.  That beam of light to the north...channeling like none he'd ever felt before, not even at the cleansing.  Such power.

 

"It's happening," Gabrelle said, stepping up to him.

 

Logain reached to his belt, then took three items form his pouch.  Discs, half white, half black.  The nearby Asha'man turned toward him, pausing in healing and comforting the people.

 

"Do it," Gabrelle said.  "Do it, Sealbreaker."

 

Logain snapped the once unbreakable seals, one by one, and dropped the pieces to the ground.

 

I think here is where Min's prophecy about Logain is fulfilled!  So many good things about Logain...and in the end he will be one of the great rulers of the 4th Age.  "The Black Tower protects," Logain heard himself say. "Always."
 

[Joshua Hendrickson]

Very high up there for me is the moment Perrin strikes Slayer down. Played it in my mind many times before moving on lol.

 

Rands channelling the sources and taking hold of the DO. Amazing :) also because Ishamael was always my favorite chosen.

Perrin/Slayer conclusion scarcely registered for me, largely because I'd felt the highest points of that drama had already been played out, with the resolution artificially delayed (but then that was a problem with 90% of the conflicts in this story; Jordan could never just wrap something up and move on).

[Joshua Hendrickson]

I'm not sure I'd call it best, but: Perrin killing Lanfear, and his thoughts afterwards. Rather than forcing Rand through another gruelling 'die or kill a woman I sorta love' which would halfway copy Moiraine's death, Perrin overcomes his aversion to killing women and kills  the Shadow's last chance (pun intended, I wonder if RJ/BS did likewise?).

That was very nice indeed--especially the way he just does it--seizes her neck and snaps it. Quick, even merciful, and light-be-praised not drawn out into a 20-page fight scene.