DRAGONMOUNT

Another product of the internet, and a sign of its madness and ingenuity (I could be slightly biased), is the Lolcats.  So here are a few Wheel of Time based ones that are surprisingly cute in a very internety (it's a word!) way.   Mittens never was a bright one.....     (Source)   Awww......   (Source)   Dawww.....   (Source)   Aww in a "I'm going to kill you human!" way....   (Source)   Points for the arrogant pose, if not for the horrible excuse.....   (Source)

Welcome back to another edition of "WoT If?", Dragonmount's weekly theory blog.  We are going to continue our reread of The Eye of the World, chapters 5-6.    Before we start, I do want to say that there will still be SPOILERS!  With the ending in sight, much of what I point out could allude to things that happen in A Memory of Light, so keep that in mind as you read.  Don't continue if you don't want to be spoiled.   Synopsis Chapter 5, "Winternight"   Rand and Tam return to the farm.  After inspecting the area—searching for signs of the black rider, and finding none—they get to work on chores.  They go inside to finish dinner, and while waiting, Tam gets out a key and locks the front and back doors, something that had never been done in Rand's memory.  Then, as Rand fixes tea, Tam gets out a storage box from his upstairs bedroom and returns with a sword.  Rand is instantly filled with curiosity about how Tam came to own a sword.  Tam says Kari told him to get rid of it, but it might be a good thing that he had held onto it all these years. There is a sudden knock from the door, and a few seconds later, it is broken down and a huge shape fills the doorway.  Rand throws the kettle of boiling water at it and Tam kills it with the sword.  Tam tells Rand to run, and he goes to the back door.  The door is locked, so he climbs out the window.  He warns Tam that they are coming in the back, then runs to the side of the barn.  Tam emerges a few moments later, and heads towards the back of the house.  Rand yells that he's not that way, and both run off in different directions to the forest.   They meet up in the forest, and Tam tells Rand the creatures were Trollocs—monsters out of stories.  Tam has been slashed by one of the Trolloc's swords and is burning up with fever.  Rand lets his father rest, and returns to the house for supplies.  He takes Tam's sword with him.   Once inside the house, Rand gathers up some items.  Then, one of the Trollocs on the floor gets up and begins to talk with Rand.  Narg tells Rand that they won't hurt him, and that the Myrddraal only wants to talk.  Rand lowers his sword and Narg attacks.  Rand gets the sword raised in time, killing the Trolloc.  Now he knows they will be back, so he grabs blankets, cloaks, water, and goes to find Bela in the barn.   There's no sign of the horse, or the cow, in the barn.  Instead, Rand uses pieces of the shattered cart as a litter.  He returns to Tam thinking of how he needs to get his father to Nynaeve.   Chapter 6, "The Westwood"   Rand looks over his father's wounds and wonders how a small scratch could cause such a fever.  He cleans and bandages the wound, then gets Tam situated on the litter.  Rand decides to follow the Quarry Road towards Emond's Field, but to stay hidden in the trees.  They make their way towards town.   As they continue, Tam begins to murmur with fever-dreams.  He talks about how "they came over the Dragonwall like a flood."  Rand tires to keep him quiet.  Rand hears approaching horse hoofs and crouches over Tam.  The black rider appears on the road with a lot of Trollocs marching behind him.  Rand waits until they have passed then begins to straighten.  Without a sound, the black rider appears again, inspecting the woods to either side of the road.  Soon, he passes on, then swiftly gallops back towards the farm.    Tam begins talking again, about Avendasora, the Tree of Life, and how its sapling had been cut down.  Since Tam's voice is only a whisper, Rand pushes on for Emond's Field.  But when Tam starts talking about running from a battle, Rand can't help but hear.  He found a baby on the slopes of the mountain.  Brought the baby back to Kari.  Tells Kari that Rand is a good name.  Rand dismisses the event as a fever dream, but instantly begins to wonder who he is.     My take:   Chapter 5 is the calm before the storm, so you don't really get a sense of much going on.  It builds more on Rand's nature than anything else, how dutiful he is as a son, etc.  We see how much Tam means to him, and how Tam's presence is able to focus him and motivate him.  I think this is important later when they meet again in Towers of Midnight.  As Rand grows more powerful, and more influential, he tires to distance himself from the boy he is in The Eye of the World.  But, perhaps it was necessary for him to learn some lessons the hard way.   One ironic thing I'd like to point out in Chapter 5 is that Rand thinks, "there was no false Dragon here."  No, Rand, only the real one.   Chapter 6 starts the real journey.  Not just leaving the Two Rivers and going to the Eye of the World, but the whole journey of Rand's life as the Dragon Reborn.  We learn that the Myrddraal wants to "talk" to him from Narg the Trolloc.  We learn that other Myrddraal and Trollocs will be back—meaning that there is some reason Rand is being hunted.  And perhaps most importantly, we learn that Tam is not Rand's biological father.  More on this in a bit.   I'd like to return to the idea of Rand already being ta'veren.  I know Robert Jordan said that he only becomes ta'veren after leaving with Moiraine, but there are several references to uncanny luck in this chapter.  For instance:   And:   What is this "something" that tells him what to do.  It could be instincts; he did grow up on a farm and hunted in the surrounding forests.  But it could just as easily be the Pattern delicately pulling him the way he is supposed to go.   Of course, there could be another explanation.  If we jump ahead in the timeline, Rand's first channeling would be less than twenty-four hours from this moment.  Is it possible it's his connection to the One Power that warns him about the danger of the Trollocs and Myrddraal?  Once he gets a better understanding of saidin, he is able to sense Trollocs—the same way Moiraine senses them.  He could instinctively be reading the warning of the One Power.   If Rand being ta'veren is out, I think this could be the most likely explanation.  I don't think he channeled to cause that "luck," or else there's be another reaction to touching saidin before his giddiness in Baerlon.  But it would makes sense if it was related to the Power in some way.   And another ironic passage—now that we know the whole story, there's a lot of these that make me chuckle.  After Tam mentions Avendasora being cut down by Laman, Rand thinks, "Next he might actually meet the Green Man, or an Ogier giant, or a wild, black-veiled Aielman."  The Green Man they meet at the Eye, an Ogier in Caemlyn, and Rand himself is an Aielman.   Finally, there's the part about Rand discovering that Tam found him.  I love this part because it adds to the depth of the conflict throughout the whole series.  This happens very early on, and it's something that Rand doesn't put to rest until he meets Tam the second time in Towers of Midnight.  This self-doubt begins a lot of Rand's questioning.  It almost instantly cuts him off from the Two Rivers.  Though he still thinks of Tam as his father, that blood tie is gone.  It could be one of the reasons that makes Rand ignore the Two Rivers so easily when the Whitecloaks threaten.     And what a heart-breaking way for Rand to find out about his adoption.  To have Tam talking as if to Kari was truly gut wrenching.  It makes sympathy for Rand skyrocket.  We, the readers, are instantly in tune with his pain and it brings us closer to him.   I don't think anyone could doubt the incredible character development shown by Robert Jordan in these early chapters.  Right from the start, we get a strong sense of Rand, Mat, and a bit of Perrin.  And watching them grow as the series continues is a wonderful experience—even the times when we know Rand is doing wrong.  Later in the series, it's hard to remember Rand as the innocent farmboy.  He himself has a hard time remembering.  That why I love going back and starting the series over.  It's amazing to remember his humble roots.   That's all for this week.  Please join me next time for the next few chapters of The Eye of the World.  Thanks for reading.

Hello! It’s a new week and a new month, so it’s time for a new Weekly Roundup!   First off, in the Debates and Discussions board, a new discussion has started: obvious difference in the way we view people.  This thread is about how people view rich/poor based on political leanings. Feel up to a discussion? Visit the thread and join the debate!   Are you a writer? Do you have advice for other writers on what to do with their finished books? Visit the ACW Tuathan’an and give your advice.   The Aiel November discussion is about the afterlife. This is an interesting thread to find out what other Dragonnmount members believe about life after death. And, while you’re visiting the Aiel, pop on over to the monthly game, Sentences and Stories, where you can contribute a sentence to a new story!   The Black Tower held a Tainted Bridal Shower to wish Kaylee well on her November 9th wedding! Congratulations, Kaylee!   The Kin have a few interesting threads started this week. First, a discussion about what’s for dinner? Talk about food, your family meal practices, and your favorite meals! Second, a discussion on positive thoughts and thankful moments.   Shayol Ghul has two new threads. First, a Great Turkey Hunt. Find pictures of turkeys and show them off! Second, a discussion about holiday disasters and families.   The White Tower and Warders hosted Warder Gameshow Week! Games included The Boggle, Find the Warders, Apples to Apples, the Black Magic Stories and more!   Finally, from Dragonmount’s Twitter Feed:   Remember, you can get daily Wheel of Time and Dragonmount related updates from Dragonmount’s Twitter feed and Facebook page!   That's it for this week, and remember to sign in at your social groups!

Well, after a long hiatus away from the front of the house, Mashiara was kind enough to let me take Fan Art Friday back from the very capable folks who have been maintaining this blog. It's amazing how much free time I have now that the Wheel of Time is finished.    Anyways, since this blog is, in some ways, going back to the beginning, I wanted to go back to my beginning at Dragonmount and feature the art of one of the first people I met through the site: Joe Trimarchi. Like me, Joe's not around the forums much these days, but the two of us have been good friends for a very long time. In fact, he played my Warder in the RP for several years and volunteered as part of the Wheel of Time track at DragonCon too. He's been an important part of my life for over a decade and I'm pleased to introduce you all to him.    Joe has been making fan art, Wheel of Time and otherwise, since the mid-nineties. That's an eternity in internet time. Some of his stuff looks a little dated, since he works in digital medium, but the strength of the work still comes through.       This is one of those early pieces, "A Time for Iron," based on the chapter of the same name from A Path of Daggers. It's a dramatic scene of Rand's campaign against the Seanchan invaders.      One of the things I've always liked about Joe's art is his willingness to tackle subjects no one else was. When we had a thousand fan art renditions of the Stone of Tear, Joe tried to do something different, like this image of Rand at the archeological dig in Cairhien. This scene is a lovely bit of foreshadowing for the Choedan Kal and their importance in the later books. Joe gives this scene an appropriate amount of mystery.      As technology improved, Joe took advantage and created this illustration of the cleansing of saidin.    If you like Joe's art, check out out his deviantART page. Most of his recent stuff is comic book themed, but there are plenty of gems for Wheel of Time fans.    What would you like to see next week?

During the month of November, Waygate Foundation is teaming up with Child's Play to bring games to children in hospitals.   Check out Waygate Foundation's Facebook page or their website for more information.

Welcome to another edition of Dragonmount's Fantasy Review.  This will contain slight spoilers.   Shades of Milk and Honey By Mary Robinette Kowal   The Synopsis: Set in an alternate history of Regency England, Jane Ellsworth—an old maid at twenty-eight—has resigned to being unnoticed while her younger sister, Melody, takes in all the suitors around.  However, Jane's skills with glamour—a magic that involved taking "folds" out of the ether—is skilled and unrivaled.    Jane has feelings for their neighbor Mr. Dunkirk, but he seems to only have eyes for Melody.  But when Captain Livingston takes up residence next door, and shows an interest in Melody, Jane feels pleased that she might finally be the object of Mr. Dunkirk's affections.  But to complicate the situation further, Livingston has also shone an interest in Dunkirk's sister—Elizabeth—as well as his own cousin—Miss FitzCameron.    In the midst of it all, a rival shows up, Mr. Vincent, with glamour powers equal, if not surpassing, Jane's own.  As she struggles to win Dunkirk's notice, and keep out of Vincent's, Jane has to help Melody and Beth stay out of trouble with Livingston.   The Pros: The tone of this story is very true to its Austin-esque inspiration.  The dialogue, the character's motivations and goals, the interactions with society, all fit the era and the mood.  It's true to that genre without being difficult to read or follow.   The love triangles (or rectangles) are nothing new, however Jane's plight of being the ugly sister is uniquely refreshing.  We see the story from her angle, instead of the pretty one who goes to all the society dances.  Jane is the outsider—and though her skills with the magic system are impressive—it's not enough to win her a husband.  I really enjoyed the contrast to the normal heroine.   The Cons: The magic system was interesting, however, it didn't add too much to the overall story.  It worked its way into a few of the plot points, but not so much that we were given a detailed explanation of its uses and limits.  It's never quite explained what the ether is, and what the magic's point is in the world at large.   However, I believe this is rectified in the sequel, Gamour in Glass.   Conclusion: I wasn't sure what to expect when I read this book.  Having never been a fan of the Romance era stories, I wasn't quite sure I'd like this style.  However, his tale was simply, yet elegantly told.  Kowal did a magnificent job keeping everything within the Regency realm.  A little bit of romance, a little bit of magic, a little bit of Austin-esque lingo all perfectly combined for a great read.   My Rating: 3/5 stars     If you're interested in giving this book a try, you can buy it DRM-free from Dragonmount's eBook store!  And for more by Ms. Kowal, you can also check out her Writing Excuses Podcast, which is co-hosted by Brandon Sanderson, Howard Tayler, and Dan Wells.

Hello, friends! The Wheel has turned all the way around to Thursday again, which means two things: the weekend is not too far away, and it's time for our Rotating Features blog!   Firstly a quick apology for not having written an article myself the last few weeks--a few issues in my life have restricted my time, but I'm glad to be back, and will try and keep it going; and thank my fellow bloggers for ably filling in for me!   Now, during the month of November, you have the chance to take part in a very special activity called NaNoWriMo. What's that, you ask? Well there is more information available at www.NaNoWriMo.org but in a nutshell it is National Novel Writing Month, a sort of little personal challenge for aspiring writers and wannabe novelist to complete their novel in just one month--the month of November. So you'd better get cracking!   The website has a whole load of useful tools such as a progress tracker, online support, and a community of fellow writers to help you along the way.   Here at Dragonmount we are very interested in this activity. For more information on how to take part here at Dragonmount, check out the NaNoWriMo sub-board of the ACW Tuathan'an camp.   You may also have noticed that I tied in the word "Movember" into the title. Movember is a sponsored charity event to grow a moustache during the month of November (I think it's for guys only, but whatever floats your boat!). I mention it because it is also taking place this month, and I'd love to show off our efforts here on Dragonmount. So if you are taking part please send me a Private Message with some photographs you'd be happy to be used in a future article.   That's all for now! Have fun!   Until next time friends!

To join the ranks of the prestigious DarkFriends Inc., all you need to do is fill this form....     (Source)

Happy November, everyone! I can hardly believe how quickly this year has gone by! Anyway, with the new month comes time for a new Weekly Roundup!   First, in the ACW Tuathan’an Camp, the project of the month for November is Nano (Small). The monthly challenge at the Tuathan’an gives members and new members the chance to create something inspired by a theme, and this month, the theme surrounds NaNoWriMo. Follow the link to read the rules of the challenge, and be creative!   The Band of the Red Hand has two “Tune or no Tune” polls: What does the Fox Say? and “The Cup Song.” Tune or No Tune polls give you the chance to watch a video of a song and vote whether the song is good--a “tune”--or bad--“no tune.”   The Ogier have an open poll on The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien. Have you read The Hobbit? What did you think about the book? Here is a place to discuss the novel before going to see the second Hobbit film later this month!   The Wolfkin have found a “Big Red Button.”  What would you do if you found a Big Red Button that is labeled “Do Not Press?” Would you press it, or would you leave it alone?   And Finally, from Dragonmount’s Facebook page:   Remember, you can get constant updates on Wheel of Time related news by following Dragonmount on Facebook and Twitter!   As always, don't forget to sign in at your Social Groups and have an excellent week!

Mat has always been my favorite character, from when I first joined the adventures of Rand/Mat/Perrin, and I've always imagined what his reaction would be if he existed in the 21st century; with a little bit of searching and scourging, I found some truly hilarious ones....   (Classic Mat)   (Mat and Tuon with a dash of Selucia makes a great time)   (Poor Loial....)   (Mat's Inbox...the last one cracked me up)