Will the Wheel of Time continue to Turn

[BhelliomRahl]

I love the Wheel of Time series, it is probably my favourite series.  I did enjoy the last book; A Memory of Light however when it ended it left several matters unresolved and questions unanswered.

 

Unfortunately I am one of these people who like everything neat and tidy, especially when a series comes to an end.

 

But is it the End, will the Wheel continue to turn?  We more books be written to answer these questions?   

[dawnflower8]

I don't think more books is a possibility now that Jordan is dead, sadly. He originally planned to write a spin-off about Mat in Seanchan, but left few notes, so it is unlikely Sanderson will write it.

[DemandredFO]

I think I recall someone saying he wrote one sentence or so. I'm almost certain that until the last embrace of the mother welcomes each of us home, we will have only the forthcoming encyclopedia.

[Sabio]

RJ said he wasn't a fan of tying up all lose ends.  So he had never planned that every side story and every detail being explained.  We were going to be left with a lot of questions at the end.  BS has already said this is it, RJ didn't leave enough notes or information to do any more books such as prequels or the Mat and Tuon taking back Seachean series.

[Pinzarn]

 

But is it the End, will the Wheel continue to turn?  We more books be written to answer these questions?   

 

Yes, the Wheel will continue to turn.  There is nothing overly special about this turning when compared on a grand scale to the other turnings.

 

The encyclopedia is supposed to be out this year(?).  I expect it to tie up a few loose ends, but there will still be plenty that are left open.

[mb]

Few fiction-writing authors seem to tie up all plots in their stories.

 

There might be some chance of post-series events being told about in the encyclopedia.  not entirely sure about that.

[Pinzarn]

Few fiction-writing authors seem to tie up all plots in their stories.

 

There might be some chance of post-series events being told about in the encyclopedia.  not entirely sure about that.

 

I am not hoping for any post series events, per se.  Just a little more explanation of a couple of vague items.  For example, we were left with very loose closure for the Shaido.  I think we'll see a couple of paragraphs in the Aiel/Shaido section (if there is one) about their trek back to the Three Fold Land.

 

For the post series items, once again, I expect to see something like...Min - served as the Empress's (may she live forever) Truthseer for 10 years before returning to Camelyn to act as Eylane's advisor and friend.  Something like that.  I doubt we'll get a "story" out of it, but just some passing facts. 

[Thrasymachus]

The Shaido are effectively dead.  Their clan was greatly diminished at Malden, and when they get back to the Waste, they won't have the support or even tolerance of the other clans.  They won't be allowed in Rhuidean, so they won't be able to choose new clan chiefs or Wise Ones.  Nearly all of their current Wise Ones have been collared by the Seanchan, and they'll be sort of in-the-way, if they still survive, of the eventual trek through the Waste and invasion of Shara that was foreshadowed in Rand's first hypothetical future in his "battle" with the Dark One.  That makes their prospects dim, even if they weren't doomed by the Prophecy of Rhuidean.

[Sabio]

The Shaido will end up like the jenn, alone and getting smaller and smaller until they are no more.  As everyone else advances and moves forward the Shaido will basically never advance.  They have no knowledge of traveling weaves, the gateway in the air to spy on your enemy weaves, etc.  Not to mention they aren't part of the dragons peace so as soon as they attack anyone, every nation will pounce on them and every nation is free to attack them if they wish.  Since they basically started a blood feud with every Aiel clan, the aiel for one might have a few scores to settle with them.

[mb]

From their last on-screen scene, it seems they have no desire to attack anyone.

 

the blood feuds seemed to be caused by their last 2 leaders. Sevanna, Couladin.

And a number of those feuds seemed to been settled at Malden.  Knife of Dreams.

[Sabio]

Not true about the blood feuds because all the Shaido willingly followed Sevanna and Couladin.  So in Aiel terms they are all guilty.  As Rand said it might of been Couladin that started them breaking jie'toh  but the Shaido willingly went along with it.  So just because those 2 are gone does not lessen the Shaido's guilt and the actions they committed against the other clans.  Aiel don't seem like the type to accept I was just following orders excuse.   

[mb]

It seems to me that the Aiel have not paid much mind to the Shaido.

And the only times they paid any mind seem to be these events::

-siege on Cairhien.  Fires of Heaven

-Dumai's Wells.  Lord of Chaos

-kidnap of Faile & others.  Winter's Heart through Knife of Dreams

After those events were for the most part done, they seemed to not chase the Shaido.

 

From the last on screen scenes of the Shaido, it seems to me that they were about to attempt to return at least partly to ji'e'toh.

deciding to release wetlanders.

[Thrasymachus]

That's because they were all focused on the Last Battle, though.  Now that that's over, as long as they don't have any pressing business as the new international police of Randland, pursuing the Shaido will probably be a top priority, right after securing the release of their Wise Women from the Seanchan.  And they do include the Shaido Wise Women as "theirs" even if it's likely they'll send 'em off into the Waste naked with no water as soon as they get 'em back.  Besides, the Shaido now no longer have any reason to continue serving their toh by living in the Waste, they won't have access to Rhuidean to raise new chiefs or Wise Women, even if the rest of the Aiel don't pursue them and eradicate them, they'll eventually dwindle and die out due to sheer attrition.  Those who don't see the point of continuing to live in the Waste will defect to the wetlands, or to Rhuidean itself, and those left will slowly starve to death due to lack of manpower needed to survive that harsh environment, further accelerating the desertion and attrition.

[BhelliomRahl]

You mentioned an encyclopaedia.  I have the one produced in 2001, have you anymore details on the one meant to be coming out later this year as I can see nothing on Amazon.

[JenniferL]

http://www.dragonmount.com/forums/topic/89594-wot-encyclopedia/

[mb]

That's because they were all focused on the Last Battle, though.  Now that that's over, as long as they don't have any pressing business as the new international police of Randland, pursuing the Shaido will probably be a top priority, right after securing the release of their Wise Women from the Seanchan.  And they do include the Shaido Wise Women as "theirs" even if it's likely they'll send 'em off into the Waste naked with no water as soon as they get 'em back.  Besides, the Shaido now no longer have any reason to continue serving their toh by living in the Waste, they won't have access to Rhuidean to raise new chiefs or Wise Women, even if the rest of the Aiel don't pursue them and eradicate them, they'll eventually dwindle and die out due to sheer attrition.  Those who don't see the point of continuing to live in the Waste will defect to the wetlands, or to Rhuidean itself, and those left will slowly starve to death due to lack of manpower needed to survive that harsh environment, further accelerating the desertion and attrition.

 

If the Aiel seek for the Shaido, I think the reason would be to make some sort of treaty or truce.  Otherwise I think the Aiel would not bother the Shaido; unless the Shaido cause trouble with anyone (which to me seems unlikely).

The Shaido damane, a portion of Aiel were involved with that; Knife of Dreams.  I take the Aiel will wait the year+day before setting free any Wise One damane; some scene in Gathering Storm told that.  Shaido; I think the Aiel would set free only the ones that agree to follow the rules.  Sending them naked & without water right after freeing I guess would violate ji'e'toh; not entirely sure.

 

I would guess that the Aiel would first settle down right after the Tarmon Gaidon celebrations.  Then probably watch for bandits and for other types of criminals.

[Thrasymachus]

Are you sure you're been reading about the same Aiel I've been reading about?  All of the Shaido Aiel have been declared da'stang.  That goes double for their Wise Ones, who should have known better than to follow Couladin, and then Sevanna.  The Aiel are not a forgiving people, nor are they particularly merciful.  The only reason the Aiel wouldn't pursue and exterminate the Shaido is because they've got bigger fish to fry (e.g. Seanchan).  They caused the largest war since Hawkwing's death because some dude cut down a tree, granted, a very special tree, but still.  

[Pinzarn]

Didn't expect this to turn into a Shaido discussion.  I was just saying that in the Encyclopedia that I expect to get a sentence or two, maybe a paragraph, on the fate of the Shaido.  I highly doubt that we will get any "stories" in the Encyclopedia.

[Orderofolde]

RJ said he wasn't a fan of tying up all lose ends.  So he had never planned that every side story and every detail being explained.  We were going to be left with a lot of questions at the end.  BS has already said this is it, RJ didn't leave enough notes or information to do any more books such as prequels or the Mat and Tuon taking back Seachean series.

He wasn't a fan of loose ends but he sure RAFO'd a lot of stuff that we still don't have clarity or answers on.  As for books, RJ had planned two for post-AMOL one detailing Mat and Tuon, the other Faile and Perrin which kind of told us that they would survive the last battle.  

 

There were other books planned with a setting before Eye of the World, one detailing Tam's adventures when he left the Two Rivers and joined the Army of Illian, became Blademaster and killed Laman before returning with his wife Kari and Rand.  

 

Another that was planned pre-EotW was a bridge between New Spring and TEoTW for Moiraine and Lan.  Yes, they knew Logain prior to arriving in the Two Rivers because he was one on the list of names that they investigated which is why Rand thinks that when they learn of Logain being the false Dragon they speak as if they know him.

 

And there was one more that I know I am forgetting.  In addition to that, RJ was sure toying around with the idea of a shipwrecked sailor coming ashore in seanchan, or maybe the Isle of Madmen, and in keeping with the whole Shogun thing he was brainstorming on his new Seanchan-like world of Infinity of Heaven.  

 

RJ was a truly gifted storyteller and his unfinished legacy only makes us miss him all that much more.  Whoever he was in his personal life, the man that we all came to know was truly a great man.

[mb]

Post-series books, there were actually 3 planed; all 3 about Mat & Tuon in Seanchan.

 

 

All of the Shaido Aiel have been declared da'stang.

I do not recall any such scene.

[wotfan4472]

Yeah. It happened after Dumai's Wells. That proclamation pretty much meant that Perrin could have easily gone to the Aiel rather than Sean Chan, even though I thoroughly enjoyed those pages.

[mb]

Crown of Swords chapter 2?  The term da'tsang seemed applied to Eliada's emissary; not toward the Shaido.

 

Perrin meets the Seanchan in Knife of Dreams.