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DRAGONMOUNT

A WHEEL OF TIME COMMUNITY

With the second season of The Wheel of Time just around the corner, we are starting to see weekly WOT Wednesday posts. This last week, on Wednesday July 26th, was all about Season Two costume design from Sharon Gilham. As part of the drop The Nerdist interviewed Sharon Gilham. She had some interesting things to say so lets see what costumes might mean for the storyline of Season Two!   Sharon is the new costumer designer for season two, having previously designed for The Stranger and Jamestown. She’s also quite active over on instagram, so make sure you follow her over there!    Let's take a closer look at the new sketches! First up is the Amyrlin Seat herself: Siuan Sanche played by Sophie Okonedo. Similarly to how we see her in Season One, Siuan is wearing ornate gold gowns in her official role as leader of the White Tower.        It's very interesting how the costume design has chosen to not include a very visible striped stole like described in the book. Both seasons have had a more subdued inclusion of all the Ajahs on the Amyrlin's clothes. I hope we see a few good shots in the show of the back of her cape! In the photo they released, we only see the front of her outfit. Siuan dresses like the most powerful person in the world with the richness of her gown and robes and headdress. For all of Robert Jordan's elaborate descriptions I don't remember ever reading about a headdress for the Amyrlin. It definitely makes her stand out in a crowd!        Next up we have Moiraine Sedai, played by Rosamund Pike.        The final look went for more solid coloring for Moiraine. I'm a little bummed that we don't see her in something with pattern, even though the solid colors seem to suit Moiraine better. I think the pattern would have shown how she's outside her element being back in Cairhien. It appears that's where a good part of the story for Season Two takes place in Cairhien. Moiraine wasn't in Cairhien with the rest of the characters in book two, The Great Hunt, but with her history (and the fact that she's a Damodred, part of the royal house of Cairhien) it feels realistic for her to be there. The photo of Moiraine of the final costume is (annoyingly) cut off, so we can't see if she is wearing a shorter skirt here like in the sketch. The Japanese influences are quite clear in the top of the dress, sleeves and belt.         Next we move over to a whole other continent, a whole other culture - the Seanchan! This civilization from across the sea has a different history and culture than the ones we've been introduced to so far. Robert Jordans descriptions are so vivid of insect like helmets etc. First up we have High Lady Suroth. The actor for this role has not been officially announced yet, so some speculation continues!      Okay there's so much that's so cool about this costume! First let's look at what costume designer Sharon said about Lady Suroth:      The Seanchan are obsessed with status, and their clothes must reflect that. Lady Suroth's elaborate headpiece hides her head (which sounds like there's more under the mask than we might expect). Yet there's so much that is from Robert Jordan's descriptions - the long nails, the pleated robes. I can't wait to be absolutely terrified by this group. There's always different reasons for changes from the book descriptions, what it okay in written word doesn't always translate to television. Sometimes there's practical considerations. And sometimes you have to go all out like 12 in long fingernails. Yes, they are not lacquered. But they are soooo long as we can see in the photo of the final costume.      The last group has the lowest social status of the Seanchan empire - those who can channel, or Damane. We don't have any official announcements for the actors playing damane in Season two.        In the books the damane are collared and leashed to the Sul'dam, those who control their channeling. In the show, it appears the collar is more of a chest brace than dog collar. The Sul'dam have a bracer or arm cuff rather than a bracelet.        Part of Seanchan hierarchy is about who is allowed to speak. This is a very visible way of communicating that the Damane don't have a voice or any control over their own lives. The mouthpiece is also similar in shape to a device used during the eras of Slavery in the United States to prevent the enslaved from eating. One other interesting thing to note is that Sharon says the collars can be removed when a damane dies. That has interesting implications for the story line of season two. We will have to see how the characters handle that bit of information. Seeing these costumes (and some of the shots from the trailer) make me very nervous for one my favorite characters. It's hard to read about the treatment of the damane, seeing their lives on TV will be absolutely heartbreaking.      That a wrap on WOT Wednesday costumes! Can't wait for what we will see next week. What do you guys think of the costume sketches? Let us know in the comments below! 

By Katy Sedai, in TV Show,

Over the past 25 years, Dragonmount has grown and changed so much. The purpose and goals of the community have adjusted to move with the times, and now, with the changing of the guard, it’s time to ramp up even more.   In order to make sure the community receives the best access, we are looking for someone to manage our social media and other external communications. This role will receive monetary compensation!    We strongly welcome applications from members of minority groups, and we do not discriminate on the basis of sex, sexual orientation, religion, disabilities, etc.   What will this entail?   Social Media - providing news/updates/engagement across all of our social media platforms: Twitter, Instagram, Threads, Facebook, Discord, etc Patreon - sending updates for Patreons with information collected from our different branches, other goodies, and plans just for our Patreon members. Newsletter - sending at least monthly newsletters to our list with updates across the company, including featuring merch, social media campaigns, videos, etc Extras - You’ll be a part of the team, and that means you’ll get to be involved in some of the great things we’re lucky enough to participate in (in-person screenings, red carpet, interviews, etc.) This means we’ll want to use your help to make Dragonmount amazing!  Time Expected - Will be different depending on the news cycle and your engagement plans, but less than 5 hours a week if efficient.     Who are we looking for?   You are passionate about The Wheel of Time and the community as a whole. You want to contribute to one of the oldest Wheel of Time communities. Knowledge of social media platforms, ideas on how to leverage it to grow the community and engagement, and a desire to make Dragonmount become even more amazing! You have the time in your day to be able to quickly prep and share new information when Prime Video sends out announcements (sometimes last minute…sometimes we get advanced notice). We are looking for someone behind the scenes to spearhead our ever-growing social media presence. You will not be required to be in front of the camera.     Is this you?   To apply, please fill out this Google Form If you have any questions, feel free to send an email to kathy@dragonmount.com.    

By Katy Sedai, in DM Website news,

This morning we have the first official trailer for Season Two of The Wheel of Time.    The Wheel of Time will premier on September 1st 2023. The second season covers content from books two: The Great Hunt and parts of book three: The Dragon Reborn.    There's also news about WOTwednesdays, which is returning!        If you have the availability to support industry folks impacted by the WGA & SAG-AFTRA strike, please consider contributing to the entertainment community fund.    

By Katy Sedai, in TV Show,

The Wheel of Time social media accounts have announced that we will see the trailer tomorrow morning, July 18th at 6am pacific. Today we've also seen a few more photos from season two including Rand, Nynaeve and the Seanchan.  Last week we saw the official poster for season 2 featuring all our favorite main characters:  It's been nearly two years since we saw the the trailer for Season One of the Wheel of Time. It was such a fun time reacting to the trailer and sharing the experience together over on YouTube.   If you have the availability to support industry folks impacted by the WGA & SAG-AFTRA strike, please consider contributing to the entertainment community fund.  

By Katy Sedai, in TV Show,

Starting today, Dragonmount will be resuming our coverage of Season Two of The Wheel of Time.   We fully support WGA & SAG-AFTRA strike. After consulting with people connected to the show and the union directly, we’ll cover the show itself, but no specific companies or any other struck work   Even though The Wheel of Time show is not a SAG project, the actors and writers cannot promote it themselves at this time. We fully support them on this incredible project and want to see it succeed.   If you have the availability to support industry folks impacted by the strike, please consider contributing to the entertainment community fund.   Stay tuned to Dragonmount for some exciting news! 

By Katy Sedai, in TV Show,

The Wheel of Time is returning on September 1st, 2023 to Prime Video!    Entertainment Weekly also published first look photos of season two. The photos include a good look at the Seanchan with the Fares Fares as the Dark One and Hammed Animashaun as Loial,  Dónal Finn as Mat Cauthon, and the rest of the main cast, including Rosamund Pike as Moiraine, Madeleine Madden as Egwene, Daniel Henney as Lan,  Zoë Robbins as Nynaeve, Josha Stradowski as Rand, Marcus Rutherford as Perrin, and Aoolya Smart as Aviendha.        We've previously seen some behind the scenes content about Season Two including a sizzle reel during San Diego Comic Con, a sneak peek during New York Comic Con and an interview and casting announcement during JordanCon.    The Wheel of Time Twitter account also posted this clip from Josha Stradowski responding to twitter user "Default Rand" who has been asking the official account everyday for the release date. Day 449 is the one!    Less than 100 days until release! Who's planning a watch party? Let us know in the comments below. 

By Katy Sedai, in TV Show,

After years of speculation we have confirmation from the Nerdist that Meera Syal is Verin Mathwin, Aes Sedai of the Brown Ajah, in season two of the Wheel of Time on Prime Video. The Nerdist article suggested to not google Verin to avoid spoilers, and we'd like to reenforce that recommendation! Brown Ajah are pursuers of knowledge and devote themselves to study and research. Verin is first introduced in book two, The Great Hunt, so it makes sense we will see her in season two.  Meera was first announced as joining the cast in October 2021. We've wondered and guessed who she could be playing, and then a couple weeks ago showrunner Rafe Judkins teased fans with a WOT Wednesday post that nearly, but not quite, revealed Meera's role. The following week during JordanCon 2023 we had four new casting announcements, and Meera was not included much to our disappointment! Today's announcement was a Nerdist exclusive and we are so excited to finally know this casting!     Welcome again Meera, and we can't wait to see you play Verin!         

By Katy Sedai, in TV Show,

Happy JordanCon 2023! Wheel of Time Fans from across the world have gathered for the 15th annual JordanCon in Atlanta, Georgia.   To celebrate, the cast and crew of The Wheel of Time television show on Prime Video put together a short video for fans (link & embed relevant tweet?).     As part of the video we learned about four new casting announcements for Season 2, including:   Maja Simonsen as “Chiad” Ragga Ragnars as “Bain” Jay Duffy as “Dain Bornhald” Rima Te Wiata as “Sheriam Bayanar”     Welcome to the Wheel of Time Family Maja, Ragga, Jay, and Rima! We can’t wait to see you in your roles!   Earlier this week, Showrunner Rafe Judkins teased fans with the return of WOT Wednesday, where he plans to post more behind-the-scenes tidbits. This week he teased the casting of Meera Syal without revealing her role. She was not revealed today, so the mystery of her role will continue! There’s still no official word on when we will see Season 2, however, Rafe announced that Season 3 has begun filming!   Are you at JordanCon this weekend? Tag Dragonmount and we will share your photos! Let us know what you think about the new casting in the comments below.

By Dragonmount.com, in TV Show,

The Wheel of Time actress, Rosamund Pike, a fan favorite known for playing Moiraine on the Prime Video TV series, has won an Audie award for Best Female Narrator for her recording of The Eye of the World.  The Audies are awarded for the best audiobooks by the Audio Publishers Association (APA). The Eye of the World was released in November 2021 by Macmillan Audio. During her acceptance speech Rosamund acknowledged the narrators of the previous versions of the audiobooks, Michael Kramer and Kate Reading.     Rosamund also mentioned that her mother, Caroline Friend, was the director of the audio book, and that the third audiobook, (The Dragon Reborn) will be released in June 2023.    Have you had a chance to listen to Rosamund's version of The Eye of the World? You can find it on Audible, Amazon, Google. Let us know what you think in the comments below! 

By Katy Sedai, in Audio Books,

Rajiv Moté is Dragonmount’s book blogger with a lens on the craft of fiction writing. When he’s not directing software engineers, he writes fiction of his own, which can be found catalogued at his website.   There is an ongoing moment in the literary world (see “Cat Person” and “Bad Art Friend”) where fiction is seen as a puzzle-box for readers to decipher truths about the authors and the lit scene. The events in these stories are fictional, but if you sleuth enough, you’ll find the scandalous truths about the author and their acquaintances, showing that it’s all just veiled biography. When I read Jason Kehe’s attempted exposé of author Brandon Sanderson in Wired Magazine, “Brandon Sanderson Is Your God,” the best (and maybe most charitable) reason I could infer for the article’s existence was that Kehe wanted to reveal the hidden-and-problematic truth of Sanderson’s popularity. Then he got mad that he couldn’t. Kehe enters Sanderson’s world like a Royal Academy ethnographer coming to study a primitive culture, or maybe a New York columnist who has a layover in the midwest and decides to write about it. He sneers at the prose (“At the sentence level, he is no great gift to English prose”), Sanderson’s writing process (“Sanderson has said: “I detest rewriting,” “I write for endings,” and “I write to relax.” It shows. He writes, by one metric, at a sixth-grade reading level”), Utah restaurants (“at that first dinner, over flopsy Utah Chinese”), his friends and family (“Sanderson’s assistant is his wife’s sister. As I orient myself within the Cosmere House, I keep running into his nearest and dearest. His doppelgänger brother. Multiple siblings-in-law. Neighbors. People’s children”), their topics of conversation (“Sanderson gives feedback with half his brain, the other half occupied with autographing books. It’s only afterward that the real talk happens, such as Star Wars debates”), his fans (“As is typically the case at these things, there’s a general air—warmish, body-odored—of unselfconsciousness. By my rough count, some three-quarters of the attendees are men, boys, menboys, blurring together in a mass of pale, fleshy nerdery in Sanderson-appropriate graphic tees”), his religion (“it’s no secret: Mormonism is the fantasy of religion. ‘The science-fiction edition of Christianity,’ I’ve heard it called, with its angels and alternative histories, embodied gods, visions and plates made of gold”), and even actor Hugh Jackman (“When Hugh, lame Hugh, opens his mouth to sing, I can’t help it. I burst into tears”). But these jabs aren’t the point of the article. Kehe is searching for something. A thesis. Yes, it seems to offend him that Sanderson rakes in money, has legions of fans, but isn’t a public discussion topic in the way George R. R. Martin or J.K. Rowling are. But Kehe seems to be looking for a way to tie who Brandon Sanderson is with the books he cranks out, and reveal that his fans are embracing something that’s at best misguided, and at worse, wrong by the standards of Wired’s sophistication.   The angle Kehe choses is Mormonism. There are legitimate criticisms arising from Mormon beliefs. Both Sanderson and science fiction author Orson Scott Card (the other “weirdo Mormon” Kehe mentions) have gone on record condemning homosexuality as sinful, as their religion instructs, and the “love the sinner, hate the sin” stance they take is no less problematic. But Kehe doesn’t even mention that. He traces the well-worn fantasy tropes of invented gods, rule-based magic, and heroic apotheosis to Mormonism, and Brandon agrees. Kehe thinks Sanderson walked into the trap with his eyes open, and concludes, “The surprise is that it was Sanderson’s ending all along, the ending of his best books. A character becomes a god, and the god beholds his planet below. If Sanderson is a writer, that is all he is doing. He is living his fantasy of godhead on Earth.” Is that all? Even Tolkien, whom Kehe (justifiably) venerates and thinks that some Sanderson fans will eventually “graduate” to reading, wrote stories in a Christian moral frame with Biblical themes, if not so blatantly as his friend C.S. Lewis. But this is where Jason Kehe wraps up his own Hero’s Journey. It’s in the article’s title, subtitle, and concluding paragraphs. Brandon Sanderson is a Mormon, his stories share ideas with Mormonism, and he builds worlds like a self-styled God. Big deal.  As if world-building was a “Mormon” thing and not a “fiction” thing. Sanderson wrote a response to the Wired article on Reddit. It was classy, perhaps over-charitable, and it upsets the apple cart on Kehe’s starting premise. Sometimes, the author isn’t the story. Sometimes, like in this case, the author is just someone doing what he loves and found a substantial audience who loves the result, even if it’s simply low entertainment and not High Art. And that’s okay.

By MahaRaj, in Brandon Sanderson,

Last summer at the first WoTCoN, fans saw two deleted scenes from Season One of The Wheel of Time on Prime Video. The first scene, featuring Egwene, was released on social media soon afterwards. The second scene was not, until now.    This week, The Wheel of Time social media accounts released the deleted scene featuring Michael McElhatton as Tam al'Thor and Madeleine Madden as Egwene al'Vere. The scene provides more context about The Two Rivers history, Tam's late wife, and his relationship with Rand.      Let us know what you think of the deleted scene in the comments below! 

By Katy Sedai, in TV Show,

A few weeks ago Rob from Malkier Talks tagged us in a Hype Train with eleven questions to get us excited for the eventual return of The Wheel of Time on Prime Video.      Here's the questions Rob proposed:    Questions 1 - What is your favourite episode from season one? 2 - Who is your favourite character from season one? 3 - What is your favourite piece of dialogue from season one? 4 - Which character did you end up loving that you didn't expect to love so much? 5 - Who had the best outfit in season one? 6 - Who portrayed their character the best and why? 7 - Tell us about a moment that unexpectedly made you laugh or cry in season one? 8 - What moment was the best homage to the books? 9 - Aside from Blood Snow, what was your favourite Cold Open? 10 - What was the best moment in the BTS footage of season two? 11 - Which new actor are you most excited to see on screen? Ceara, Donal, or Ayoola?     We responded with our own video over on YouTube. Check it out to find out how Thom, Kathy and Kitty answered Robs' questions!       Let's keep the hype train going!    Let us know your answers to Malkier Talks questions in the comments below! 

By Katy Sedai, in TV Show,

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