How much time passes in the series?

[Martok]

So I'm finally reading all 15 books (including New Spring) for the first time -- previously, I'd only read up through Knife of Dreams -- and having just fiinshed Crossroads of Twilight this morning, it ocurred to me to wonder:  By the time the events in A Memory of Light have concluded, exactly how long will it have been since the folks from Emonds Field left home? 

 

I'm quite certain it has to have been at least a few years by the time all is said and done, but beyond that I'm unsure.  Has anyone figured this out to any degree of specificity? 

 

 

 

NO SPOILERS PLEASE!!  (I've not read any of the Sanderson books yet.) 

 

 

[jack of shadows]

2 years and 6-7 months

[Serif.Marak]

The book makes it feel like a LOT longer, but the biggest solid indicator of how much time has passed is Elayne's pregnancy.  That REALLY helped near the end of the timeline when some of the books took place at about the same time, depending on which character you were viewing from.

[Sabio]

Yeah reading the series you would swear 5 or 6 years have gone by.  Book 9 is where Elayne was with Rand and in AMOL she hasn't had the kids yet, so that means between book 9 and 14 nine months haven't passed.

[Magicana]

I felt the opposite most of the time - Like hardly any time was passing at all. 2 years sounds about right though.

[Sabio]

For me when I think of everything Rand accomplished, uniting the Aiel, capturing tear, fighting the seanchean, cleansing the male half, etc.  Just seems like a lot to do in around 2 1/2 years. 

[Suttree]

Well things went off the rails in ToM and AMoL in relation to any sort of reliable timeline. All of the mix ups are one of the most frequent critiques one sees in terms of BS's work. Up until that point Steven Cooper did an excellent keeping track of things.

 

http://www.stevenac.net/wot/wotchron.htm

[Cosmic Champion]

The book makes it feel like a LOT longer, but the biggest solid indicator of how much time has passed is Elayne's pregnancy.  That REALLY helped near the end of the timeline when some of the books took place at about the same time, depending on which character you were viewing from.

.

Also, I feel that the Shannar'har chapter from ToM helps too, as it references the passage of time regarding Faile/Perrin's marriage.

 

 

Well things went off the rails in ToM and AMoL in relation to any sort of reliable timeline. All of the mix ups are one of the most frequent critiques one sees in terms of BS's work. Up until that point Steven Cooper did an excellent keeping track of things.

 

http://www.stevenac.net/wot/wotchron.htm

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You can include tGS also.

 

 I noticed something goofy when in book #12 tGS, Faile mentions that "They were a week out of Malden.", and then both she and Perrin discuss Masema's unknown fate. Then in the very next book, #13 ToM, Perrin mentions that they found his corpse, 

"A day out of Malden...".

 

They should just remove their discussion of him from tGS in the reprints, as it seems absurdly unlikely that Faile's post captivity hunting jaunt would have went very far anyway.

 

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Edited August 5, 2014 by Cosmic Champion

[mb]

According to the Encyclopaedia site, Eye of the World chapter 1 is in late spring of 998NE.  They do not yet have a finishing time for Memory of Light; but they tell that the book starts in early summer of 1000NE.

the starscape-only prologue they tell occurs in 991NE.

the Eye of the World prologue takes place some time after the Strike on Shayol Ghul; and I think during the early stages of the Breaking, not entirely sure.

Edited August 8, 2019 by mb

[wotfan4472]

From Rand, was sure it was three years for the series. Bang on with the Eye if the World prologue.

[Sabio]

Just seems like with everything that happened in the series they should of made it a bit longer.  5 or 6 years at least.  I mean Egwene had a record rise in 2 1/2 years from novice to Amirlyn.  I know I am reading too much into things but I can't see anyone ever thinking it would be a good idea to make someone with so little experience to be the head Aes Sedai even if you are going to try and use her as a puppet.  But this is one of the big issues when RJ and BS start jumping back and forth with things going on and from different pov's is its easy to lose track of time and make mistakes like with Perin and Faile.

[Serif.Marak]

Just seems like with everything that happened in the series they should of made it a bit longer.  5 or 6 years at least.  I mean Egwene had a record rise in 2 1/2 years from novice to Amirlyn.  I know I am reading too much into things but I can't see anyone ever thinking it would be a good idea to make someone with so little experience to be the head Aes Sedai even if you are going to try and use her as a puppet.  But this is one of the big issues when RJ and BS start jumping back and forth with things going on and from different pov's is its easy to lose track of time and make mistakes like with Perin and Faile.

You're forgetting the very reason Egwene was chosen to be Amyrlin.

She was not in the Tower when it broke, and was therefore unbiased.  Or, so they would tell the world.  Beyond that, she was Accepted and, in the minds of the Hall of Salidar, weak in herself.  Easy to manipulate.  They didn't want an Amyrlin that would take power and run with it; they wanted a puppet.

 

Obviously that didn't work well for them....

 

Yes, her rise was VERY rapid, but her being raised to Accepted was earned based on the fact that she was already more powerful than most Aes Sedai and had absolutely control over herself.  And, as Accepted, Siuan could use her to hunt out the Black Ajah.  That's why both her AND Elayne were raised.  They were of the very few that Siuan could trust, only BECAUSE they were so inexperienced.  Nynaeve and Elayne were raised by Egwene herself, and for similar reasons.  She needed people she could trust; they were more than powerful enough to warrant it; and she needed operatives that could act without hindrance.

[Sabio]

I full agree like I said I was reading more into things.  I tend to look at it like if you had been a police officer for only 6 months suddenly being promoted to chief of police.  Guess my feeling I with so little experience and knowledge I think she did too good of job.

[Serif.Marak]

I full agree like I said I was reading more into things.  I tend to look at it like if you had been a police officer for only 6 months suddenly being promoted to chief of police.  Guess my feeling I with so little experience and knowledge I think she did too good of job.

Well, let's take a trip to Gotham City for a minute or two.

 

How many promotions do you think were being handed out while Joker was killing off cops?  Gordon got pushed up to Commisioner; who replaced him?

Plenty of rookies got a hell of a lucky break because the situation forced everyone above them to push them up.

 

Besides, in regards to WoT, Egwene proved herself to be a match for the Foresaken, who were considered to be the most powerful channelers of the Age of Legends.  Nynaeve was more powerful than her and Elayne was pretty much equal.  When you consider that the average Aes Sedai was at least only 1/10th their strength, and many even lacked their control, it isn't too surprising that they would skyrocket straight for the top.

[mb]

There were other White Tower initiates out of the Tower when it broke; besides Egwene.

One other requirement they mentioned in the discussion was that the person be strong in the Power.  A number of them were as strong as Suian before Suian was severed; and some of them stronger.

Elayne or Nynaeve could have been considered; yet Elayne was soon to become a queen and Nynaeve still had her channeling block around that time.

[Magicana]

Also a thing to consider - While Siuan and Leane were pushing for Egwene, it was supported by Sheriam - Who was Black Ajah. Perhaps she wanted Egwene as Amyrlin precisely because she was so inexperienced - The rebellion was intended to flounder with the two sides never actually doing anything to reunite. Egwene of course was not intended to move independently of that little coterie, headed up by Sheriam.

[Sabio]

well Asan'gar was manipulating Egwene, but besides giving her headaches doesn't seem like she did much.

[Pinzarn]

well Asan'gar was manipulating Egwene, but besides giving her headaches doesn't seem like she did much.

 

And that is one story line that I wish would have been flushed out more.  I would have traded seemingly endless chapters about food spoiling and waning candle supplies to learn what Halima was doing.

[mb]

Arangar seemed to also use Compulsion on her; and also change a number of her dreams.

And giving commands to Delana; and sometimes to Sheriam.

[dexterryu]

One of the things to remember is that the Wheel of Time concept (the wheel itself) allows for quite a bit of freedom from the author to allow this to happen. Rand/Mat/Perrin are all Ta'veren. You could make the argument that the Egwene, Nyneave, & Elayne have a lot of similar qualities in how things happen and fall into place for them.

 

The other thing to consider is just how powerful of channelers they are compared to most Aes Sedai/Wise Ones at the start of the series. They are able to do things that were "lost or "forgotten" almost innately once they get the basics down. Whether or not that's part of whether or not their soul comes built in with some of those gifts or the fact that their strength allows them to do things so easily compared to others that they can push the boundaries with far less concentration.

 

Finally, the fact that they all had some fundamental training and then were more or less turned loose to do as they pleased as far as Power goes.... not to mention their secret forsaken teacher.

[kinzlayer]

So I see a lot of discussion but does anyone have a general consensus on time from from eye of the world to the last?

[Sabio]

Well Moiraine arrived in the Two Rivers in 998NE, there seems to be nothing stating the exact date of the last battle.  But It seems like 2 1/2 years or so and things ended late 1000NE.

[kinzlayer]

Thank you "Sabio" and "jack o shadows" for that info. I honestly thought that "jack o shadows" just pulled that number out of his butt. Wow. I can't believe it was only 2.5 years. It felt like 10 years to me.

 

Thanks again for the help!

[Zorlon]

Less than an afternoon.

 

There is something deep in Jordan's about Bela, after the story, stumbling out of the same wardrobe she had wandered into so long ago only to find just a short while had passed at the country house.

 

Now the notes don't make it clear whether Bela is also a horse in the world outside the wardrobe, but I would guess not because what use would a horse have for a wardrobe and how would they build one anyway? It just doesn't make sense unless it were some kinda opposite world where men serve horses.

 

Anyways, there was an addendum splainin' how Sandy thought that idea was too cheesy but Harriet wanted to keep it in. They both apparently felt real strongly about the matter so decided to settle by hiring champions to contest in a Lip Sync Battle.

 

Unfortunately for Harriet Sandy hired The Rock and, well, let's just say his performance shook off the wardrobe idea. No surprise really, you can look up him lip syncing Shake it Off at another contest if you like. Amazing performance.

 

Anyways the addendum added it is still the truth of the series, just not included in the books.

 

 

less than 100% of what I wrote here is true, can you guess which part?

Edited August 8, 2019 by Zorlon

[DemandredFO]

It's not surprising that Brandon got the timeline wrong considering the mess it was in. RJ probably only knew it all because he wrote it but he might not have had notes on it for anyone else to follow.