DRAGONMOUNT

Welcome to Fan Art Friday! This edition's theme is Moiraine. Moiraine Damodred, Aes Sedai of Blue Ajah, is the best example of what an Aes Sedai is supposed to be. She is a true Servant of All. Her whole life had only one mission--find Dragon Reborn and save the world. The time when she was supposedly dead was painful for most readers. With the knowledge of all the Prophecies of the Dragon, she had taken the mission to make Rand al'Thor ready to face the Last Battle.   Moiraine Damodred by Westling I love this image. If I say that the whole theme was just to showcase this image, then I am not lying.   Moiraine by niji707 Calm, serene, with vision in her eyes.   Moiraine Sedai by skyden It's the eyes that drew me. There is some hidden depth to her eyes.   Moiraine Sedai by tinazz This depicts her as an Aes Sedai more than any other picture.

As you may be aware, Dragonmount has occasionally featured reviews for books within the sci-fi/fantasy genre. We are now making this a regular, monthly feature. On the first Wednesday of every month, the Front Page Bloggers will feature a book that we’ve recently read. Last month, Mashiara Sedai reviewed The Six-Gun Tarot by R.S. Belcher.  Feel free to add your thoughts about the book in the comments section.   This review will contain slight spoilers.   Replica By Jenna Black   Synopsis: The setting is in the futuristic “Corporate States.” Corporations have taken over the governance of the states, and the former State of New York has been bought out by a company called Paxco. Paxco is the company that has led the charge in manufacturing human replicas. Replicas allow a person to live on once the body has died: a replica is a near-perfect clone of a human being--and because they are updated monthly, replicas have most of the memories of the original body. The book is told primarily through the point-of-view of Nadia Lake, a 16-year-old girl who is promised to marry Nate Hayes, the heir to the Paxco Fortune. After a party, Nate is murdered, and Nadia is the last person to see him alive. The police suspect Nate’s "secret boyfriend,” Kurt; but Nadia and Nate's replica know that Kurt could not have murdered him. Nadia and the replica must find Nate’s murderer, soon.   The Pros: Perhaps the most enthralling feature of this is the two main characters. Nate Hayes is the “Chairman Heir” of Paxco. His father is CEO of the corporation that owns the state, the corporation that owns replication technology. Nate likes to be shocking--he breaks social rules and niceties whenever he can, flirts shamelessly with all the young ladies, and lives a secret life. Nate is gay. Although homosexuality is accepted in the general population, the upper classes disapprove, and Nate has an entire hidden part of his life to help keep that side of his life secret from the world. And, once the whole world is convinced it is his secret boyfriend who has killed him, Nate's replica goes out of his way to prove this was not the case.   If Nate is a prince, then Nadia Lake is almost an archetypal princess. She’s being pushed into an arranged marriage with the "prince of the realm." Nadia has a general dislike of the other upper class girls her age, but is very concerned with how things appear. She has agreed to the marriage, even knowing about Nate’s homosexuality, to keep up appearances with her family. Nadia is generally just a shy, introverted character, a mild doormat. This is a story that is as much a tale of Nadia learning she has a backbone as it is of investigating Nate’s murder. She soon ceases to be a wallflower, and learns to stand up for herself, and her friends.   I was really afraid that the core romance of the book was going to be a cookie-cutter romance. She’d love him, he’d love her, and other cheesy romance story tropes. The complications of both Nate and Nadia’s situations make it more unique. Prince Charming is homosexual, and the two are more friends than lovers. There are potential love interests introduced for both Nate and Nadia, and I am curious to what direction the series will take in the future.   The Cons: I feel like the book was just a little too short for my interest. While this is partially remedied in that it is the first of a book series, I feel that there was just so much of the world that was missing. Society seems  to have no middle class: either you’re wealthy or you live in the “Basement district” where crime happens. The historian in me would like to see and read more of how the corporations took over the states, and I’m curious about what the rest of the world looks like. What are some of the other corporations?   Conclusion: I like that the tale had a more complicated twist on a young adult romance novel. I read the story very quickly. I like that the female lead is starting from a weak position, that of a doormat, to one who is becoming pretty strong on her own.   My Rating: 4 out of 5   If you're interested in trying out this book, you can buy it from Dragonmount's ebook store.

Welcome back to another edition of "WoT If?", Dragonmount's weekly theory blog.  The topic this time is common misconceptions throughout the series, either by us, the fans, or by the characters themselves.  But before we begin:   SPOILER WARNING.  This will include content from A Memory of Light.  Please DO NOT read this if you have not completed the book.   There are tons of things that we misunderstood about the outcome with the Last Battle, and other points within the series.  A lot of this, though, stems from the characters' own misunderstanding of the world and their environment.  We know Robert Jordan intended it that way.  So, many of the things we'll talk about, Robert Jordan did on purpose—he liked to trick us with Aes Sedai words.   During a panel at the Phoenix ComiCon this past May, I was fortunate enough to listen to Brandon Sanderson speak about A Memory of Light and some of the aspects he dealt with while writing it (and in case you missed it, the video of this panel was posted here).  One of the things he spoke about was his own misunderstanding about the Horn of Valere.  He basically said that he assumed, like everyone else in the series, that the Horn could be used by Darkfriends.  He went on to say how Harriet McDougal had to correct him during his writing of A Memory of Light.  He also hinted to this same topic in a different interview:   Another idea I think the characters don't understand correctly is the concept of entering Tel'aran'rhiod in the flesh.  Bair tell Egwene it's wrong:   It's strange how this is worded.  Bair emphasizes that each time a person enters Tel'aran'rhiod in the flesh, they lose a part of themselves, of their soul.  However, that contracts greatly with it is "an evil thing, for they did evil."  The first implies that the physical act is harmful; yet the second implies that it's only evil because the ones who do it are evil.  I'm reminded of Harry Potter; the ability to speak Parseltongue is considered a Dark Art, but it's unfounded.  It's more that the wizards able to communicate with snakes were evil, not the act itself.   I think we see that the Wise Ones' beliefs on this are false when Perrin is able to master entering Tel'aran'rhiod in the flesh at the end of A Memory of Light.  When he's trying to figure out how to do it, he talks with Edarra, a Wise One.   Here, Edarra states that a person who enters in the flesh will not only lose a part of themselves, but they will also "die forever."  We've heard that wolves who die in the wolf dream die permanently (another misconception?), but I believe this is the first time it's brought up in regards to humans.  Dying in Tel'aran'rhiod does mean dying in real life, but not to the point where that person's thread ends.  Only being there physically has that risk. But why?  How would it be possible for the person's thread to be erased completely just by dying in Tel'aran'rhiod?  Not even balefire destroys a person's thread indefinitely.    Using speculation, I can think of one logical reason the Wise Ones would come to this conclusion.  The World of Dreams—we know from Verin's lecture (The Dragon Reborn, Chapter 21, "A World of Dreams")—is one of three constants in ALL worlds.  So, if a soul is lost in Tel'aran'rhiod, it is lost in all worlds, and may not be able to be reborn in its original world.   However, I still believe this is one thing the Wise Ones don't understand.  Through the whole series, I haven't seen any evidence to make me believe that the ability to enter Tel'aran'rhiod in the flesh leads to evil.    Another interesting fan misconception was the idea of Perrin finding the Tinker's Song. This, of course, derived from a viewing Min had of Perrin:   We know the Tinker's Song was actually one of the songs used for Seed Singing in the Age of Legends.  Robert Jordan said in an interview:   Since we know the Song can be used to make things grow, and we see a vision of Perrin with trees flowering, I think it's logical that we made that assumption.  But, in the end, it's another misconception.  Brandon said:   Or put a better way:   Since it isn't Perrin who leads the Tinker's to their blessed song, what is up with the trees flowering around him?  The one scene in A Memory of Light when we see trees actually flower is when Rand and Mat are in the Tarasin Palace in Ebou Dar (Chapter 17, "Older, More Weathered").  Perrin is present when Rand makes the trees grow in Merrilor, but that's not the same as "flowering."    One idea I have is that it could come from Perrin and Faile making their home in Saldaea.  When Rand reseals the Dark One, the Blight blooms.  Since Saldaea is close to the Blight, it might send all of their land into a blooming paradise.     And what of the idea that Roedran of Murandy was Demandred in disguise?  Even Rand thought that.  I think we were led astray on this one because of how Graendal manipulated Sammael in Lord of Chaos (Chapter 6, "Threads Woven in Shadow).  Graendal used the Sharans as a method to distract Sammael from her real plans, but it was Demandred, Mesaana, and Semirhage who were working together, and had plans for Shara.  Did those three strike at Shara because Graendal sent their society into chaos by taking their rulers?  Or was it always Demandred's plans to usurp the Sharan people and use them in the Last Battle?   I think some of that could be answered by the short story "River of Souls," released in the Unfettered anthology earlier this year.  I haven't read it yet, but when I do, we can delve into that subject a bit more.  (And I'll give adequate spoiler warnings before we talk about it.)   That's all for this edition.  There's an even greater source of misconception, and that's the many prophecies we see throughout the series.  It's a bit too much for one blog, so we'll address those at a later time.  Next week, we'll look at Rand's decision to reseal the Dark One instead of killing him.  Was it the best answer?  We'll find out.  Thanks for reading!

Yesterday, the results for the 2013 Hugo Awards were announced at the LoneStarCon 3.  We are pleased to say that Brandon Sanderson's novella, The Emperor's Soul, received the award for Best Novella.     Mr. Sanderson also took home a Hugo for Best Related Work, for his part on the popular writing podcast, Writing Excuses Season Seven—along with his co-podcasters Dan Wells, Mary Robinette Kowal, Howard Tayler, and their producer Jordan Sanderson.   This year's winner for Best Novel was John Scalzi's Redshirts: A Novel with Three Codas.   You can buy Brandon Sanderson's novella The Emperor's Soul at Dragonmount's eBook store!  John Scalzi's Redshirts is also available!   A Memory of Light will be eligible for next year's Hugo Award.

August is coming to a close, and September is now upon us! Time for another Weekly Roundup! What is the genetic link of channeling? Is it connected to the X chromosome? Or is it something else? Join the discussion on the Genetics of WoTdom to voice your opinion of the situation.   The September edition of the Aiel Social Group's monthly newsletter, the Dedicated Spear, has now been posted. Do you have an interest in the War of the Roses? Or do you want to learn about the history of Labor Day? Even people who are not members of the Aiel can learn a lot by reading this monthly newsletter!   And finally, from the Dragonmount Twitter Feed: [twitter]dragonmount[/twitter]:     Dragonmount has its own Facebook and Twitter accounts! Follow us at [twitter]dragonmount[/twitter] or on Facebook.   That's it for this week! Social Group members: don't forget to sign in! And I hope you all are having a safe Labor Day!

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!   As much as we all here at Dragonmount are Wheel of Time fans, I think it is safe to say that many of us are also fans of George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series, and it's HBO smash hit television version, A Game of Thrones. It has been the subject of this particular blog before, and today we return to the land of Westeros to look at a couple of fun items around the Internet by other Game of Thrones fans.   First up, here is a tour of the cities of Westeros painstakingly recreated in Minecraft mimicking the Game of Thrones series opening sequence. It's very impressive I think. If you want to know how much work goes into something like that, have a look at other Minecraft videos. It's essentially a game where you can build simple constructs--or incredibly complex ones--out of game building blocks.   Next, we have an even more impressive set of Minecraft creations. These are just still photographs, but look at this image:     And I defy you not to want to follow this link and see what else there is to feast your eyes upon. Imagine having an unlimited about of (digital) Lego blocks to play with and the space and skill to do whatever you want with them. Well this is what someone has done within that concept.   As a final little Game of Thrones related treat, check out the theme tune on church bells.  And for bonus win, violin.   That's all for now. Have fun!   Until next time, friends!

Well, another week has rolled by, and Dragonmount has a lot of exciting things going on. September is around the corner, American Football season is close, and children are going back to school.   Mafia players and people looking to play Mafia: Shayol Ghul is taking signups for Ender’s Game Mafia. Even if you are unfamiliar with Ender’s Game, you can still sign up and play the game.   For those of you who have a lot of books in your “to-read” pile, the Ogier Social Group has started a discussion on what I want to read. Have you ever been so distracted by all the books in your list that you do not know where to start? Go to the Ogier and seek some guidance.   The Wolfkin are playing an exciting game of would you rather? The rules are simple: answer the question of the person above you then ask a question in return. This game is an interesting way to get to know the Wolfkin, for those who are not members, or get to know the Wolfkin better if you are.   Finally, from the Entertainment Board, Dragonmount Fantasy Football is looking for people interested in playing this year. Did I mention that American Football season is almost upon us?   That’s it for the news from Dragonmount this week. Don’t forget to sign-in to your Social Groups if you haven’t already, and I look forward to seeing you again next week!

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!   This week we return to our semi-regular look at some of the parts and pieces that make up Dragonmount in our Features of Dragonmount series of articles, and specifically I am going to be telling you a little bit about the White Tower and Warders Guild Social Group.   We discussed Social Groups a few weeks ago in this article if you want to refresh yourself as to what they are and what their purpose is.   The White Tower section of the forums, found here is probably the biggest and busiest of all the Social Groups, as the Aes Sedai and Warders are such a fundamental and appealing aspects of Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series. Many people are drawn to sign up as members there and meet like-minded people and enjoy participating in online events, activities and discussions. By doing this, they can then rise in rank, either from Novice, through Accepted, and all the way to Aes Sedai, or even Sitter, Ajah Head, or maybe even Amyrlin one day (!) or the equivalent ranks of the Warders Guild.   The following is lifted from the White Tower 101 post to give you a taste of what is involved:   And this from the Warders Guild equivalent--my own little corner of Dragonmount.   We have a lot of fun and form truly lasting friendships, so come by and check us out and you might find yourself staying around for a long time...   Have fun!   Until next time friends!

Maid sweeps under the rug    Hand catching in the cookie jar   Viper vipes the vindows   Hammer strikes the thumb   Coyote falling off the cliff

Hello! To those of you who have already started school, or are about to go back, I wish you the best of luck in your educational endeavors.  It’s been another week, and it’s time for another Weekly Roundup!   In the General Discussion board, someone has asked about podcasts. Do you have any podcasts that are not Wheel of Time related that you enjoy? Share and discuss!   And, in the Television and Entertainment board, there is a discussion on the best scenes and episodes from television. This is not a “what is your favorite show” discussion. Instead, take the time to think of the best moments you’ve ever watched on TV, and relive your memories.   Are you a fan of Dr. Who? The Black Tower now has an official discussion thread about the Doctor. Have a favorite Doctor? Ever find a funny video about the Doctor? Share it here.    And finally, from the Dragonmount Twitter Feed:   The series is called Ren, and will be produced in the United Kingdom, though you do not have to be a resident of the UK to help get this series off the ground!    I hope you all have an excellent week!