real opinions on Rand Al'Thor?

[rob al'thor]

of course Rand is the main character in this book, you cant not love him, however there were times when i disliked Rand, so what are you true opinions?

[Rhienne]

Well to be honest, the first time I read the series I didn't find Rand very interesting.  I didn't dislike him, but his chapters didn't do a great deal for me.  I was much more interesting in seeing what was happening with Mat, Nynaeve, Elayne, Perrin, etc.  I think I read the first book, saw him as a stereotypical hero character and wasn't that interesting (I tend to prefer the side-characters in most novels as they seem to be more diverse).  On re-reads I have increasingly enjoyed him as a character, and have felt a great deal of compassion/pity for him as he tries to come to terms with his own death, and find the best way to deal with it.  Now he is genuinely one of my favourite characters, but not because of his plot points - instead because of his internal struggles. 

[Sabio]

It hard to like or hate Rand simply because so much of what happened to him happened "off screen" as they say.  To me he seemed to jump from happy Rand to angry dark Rand pretty fast.  He talks about doing so much stuff that was bad but you read about very little of those bad deeds in book.  Not to mention in some books Rand hardly even appeared.

[mb]

I tend to like the "good guys" of any fiction I read; and tend to not have any particular favorite character.  This series has not been an exception on either.

Rand I consider as one of them.

[Occams whiskey bottle]

Rand was always my favorite character, but later Mat came a very close second. I only wish Rands rise in power happened a little more gradual because near the end he was so powerful that RJ, and later BS seemed to keep his POV's to a minimum.

[Sabio]

In many of the books Rand had very few POV's. it almost seems at times he became a secondary character.

[mb]

In many of the books Rand had very few POV's. it almost seems at times he became a secondary character.

Yet he has been on-screen in all of the books (except for the prequel).

[Dagon Thyne]

Personally, I did not find Rand interesting compared to other characters.  He is kinda boring most of the series.  His most interesting aspect is the voice, and it turns out he is just a schitzo from not being able to accept being LTT.