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On Wednesday, January 9, 2013 in Chicago, we were lucky enough to have Brandon, Harriet, and Maria come to visit us, chat, answer questions, and of course sign A Memory of Light. For so many, it was a bittersweet moment, knowing that something we have been a part of for so long is now over. That said, this was an incredibly successful, simply wonderful event, and one in which I am incredibly proud to have taken part. With this signing taking place at the beginning of the tour only the day after release, it made things more interesting in a lot of ways. Of the Memory Keepers, I was only one to have finished the book upon arrival. Some had not yet even started. The group of Memory Keepers we had was also incredibly diverse, coming from all over. One came all the way from St. Louis, another from Milwaukee, and another from Indiana to go along with those who were closer. We had lots of different backgrounds, working experiences, and different experiences in reading The Wheel of Time. One first read the books in Turkish, some had only started recently, while some of us have been reading for over twenty years. They were all great to work with, and made the entire experience more enjoyable for me. The event started for me when the other Memory Keepers began to trickle in around 3:00 p.m. By 5:30, four of the seven had arrived. We were expecting Brandon, Harriet, and Maria at 6:00, but Harriet and Maria decided to arrive a bit earlier (at 5:30), which ended up being an incredible gift for us. When the Barnes & Noble CRM told us that Harriet had arrived, I felt my heart start beating a little faster, and I remembered what it was like to be genuinely nervous for the first time in quite a while. I was about to meet the woman that helped guide the creation of one of my favorite things in the world! We met her at the top of the stairs, and then escorted her and Maria to the room where we would get to hang out. For the next hour and a half, that’s what we did. We really just hung out. There was a little talk about the book, but not much, since most people hadn’t finished reading yet. Harriet asked if any had finished, and when I said I had, she asked for my opinion. I gave it openly and honestly, telling her of my love for this book, as well as the entire series. I expressed my gratitude to her, Brandon, Maria, and of course forever to Robert Jordan, for what they brought to us. But most of the time, we just talked about life. Harriet talked about South Carolina. We heard stories about their lives there, about the “Night Hell Froze Over” as Harriet called it, and so much more. Brandon talked about what Magic decks he likes to play. We literally talked about the weather, comparing Chicago to Charleston. In so many ways I find myself grateful that we were so early and that most people hadn’t finished reading yet. If they had, the entire time would have been spent discussing specifics of the book. Instead, we were able to spend time with these three incredible and amazing people who have touched our lives, and to do so just as regular people, as friends, sitting around the table and trading stories. It was mesmerizing. After that, we had the event for everyone else. The group was huge, filling up the entire bookstore, both the ground level where Brandon, Harriet, and Maria were, and also the stairways and balconies above. We ended up with around 350 people at the event, and every one of them was great. There was no reading for this, but they did have a Q&A, which I tweeted live as it happened. I have since transcribed and expanded on the 140 character limit from Twitter. Here is what was asked and the answers given: Q: How do you keep track of all those characters? A: Lots of use of online resources. Also, Maria and Alan are invaluable assets for that. Brandon told a funny story about trying to figure out who was with Perrin, and Maria pulled out some notes from Robert Jordan that had a list of every single person from the Two Rivers that came with Perrin! Brandon also said he thinks there are more than 2800 named characters throughout the entire series. Q: Is there a character you took in a different direction from what Jordan had intended? A: In terms of a character, and what would happen to them ultimately, no, not really. However, there were times when some things had to be adjusted, specifically some plot points, in order to make the narrative as a whole flow better. Brandon did mention that he wanted a character that he felt was his own, which he got to do the most development on. That character became Androl. A lot of what Androl did were things which Jordan said had to happen. Brandon picked Androl to do them, and gave the character his own touch more than any other. Q: Did Brandon insert a character in the story based on himself? A: No. He did however mention two items, one for Robert Jordan, one for him. In the ter'angreal cache found in Ebou Dar, there is a man with a beard statue. The power of the item is to be like an easily movable library. [MY NOTE: We see this in AMoL.] This was Robert Jordan. Brandon then told the story of how he got his sword, with the dragon scabbard, while in Mr. Jordan's home in South Carolina, and meeting with Wilson. That sword appears in the book, and is the one which Rand gives to Tam in AMoL. So Brandon's sword is in the book, but not Brandon himself. Q: [side note: One person almost got himself lynched by asking a somewhat spoilery question, regardless of what people had been instructed...] Some characters die in AMoL. How do you choose which characters to kill and which to keep alive? A: [My note: Brandon tried to keep this out of spoilers and make it more general about writing and dealing with killing characters off in general.] In this book, Robert Jordan had left very specific instructions regarding the fates of some characters. He left a lot of notes, and some of those determined their fate. In general, characters have to be allowed to take risks in order to create a compelling story. There has to be a real danger for them, or the characters fall flat. Sometimes, that means characters are going to die. (Brandon added a nice bit that made the crowd laugh: "Which character can I kill off that will really piss everyone off and which no one expects?") Q: We know the Aes Sedai don't use a lot of the ter'angreal they have in their possession in the manner in which they are meant to be used. Specifically, what are the correct uses for the ter'angreal used to raise a novice to Accepted and an Accepted to Aes Sedai? A: I have no idea. Q: Who was the Aiel woman that Aviendha met on her trip to Rhuidean? A: Nakomi. Also, RAFO, there's a hint in AMoL. (Later in the evening, he said that hint can be found between the chapter "The Last Battle" and the end of the book. He also said she came from deep in Jordan's notes, and he did not feel like he could give more information than that. Also, she might be explained in the encyclopedia, but no promises regarding that.) Q: How much was already completed when you took over the series? A: Brandon referred to what Tom Doherty had previously said on the issue. He said there were about 200 pages when he took over. Also, the Epilogue in AMoL was almost entirely written by Jordan with Brandon trying to bring everything else to that point. Q: How was the Old Tongue created? A: Harriet: Jim had books on almost every language in the world in his study. He drew inspiration from those. Maria: A lot of it comes from those and at the same time a lot was just his own creativity in adapting that into this world which he has created. Q: In a charity drive, a lot of people were chosen to have their names inserted into AMoL; specifically, we were told a large group would consist of these people. Who are they in the book? A: The Dragonsworn. Aes Sedai have joined this group, and many others. That's where they were added. Q: Harriet: How did you choose Brandon to finish this series? A: A friend had provided the eulogy which Brandon wrote for Robert Jordan on his website, and it was moving. So, Harriet called Tom Doherty and asked for one of Brandon's books. He sent her the first Mistborn book. She then told how she can't stop reading a book, can't fall asleep if she starts, if she doesn't know yet if those characters are "in good hands". After 47 pages, she fell asleep, not because she was bored, but because she knew that Brandon's characters were in good hands. She called Tom Doherty and told him this was the man to finish The Wheel of Time. There was just the one semi-spoiler question, and Brandon did a masterful job of side-stepping it. After the Q&A, it was a rush to get people in line and start the signing. With that many people, we knew it was going to take a lot of time and work to make things run smoothly. Thankfully, the staff at Barnes & Noble was very well organized, and we were able to help with flapping book covers and taking pictures for people, as well as moving through the crowd, talking with people, getting to know them, and sharing our love for this world. Tor had also very kindly provided us and the store with lots of great swag to give away. We wanted to come up with something that would be fair to everyone, while not being totally random. We decided on a trivia contest. Ticket numbers were drawn, and those people had a chance to answer a trivia question and win a messenger bag, iPhone case, and a paperback copy of The Way of Kings. Some thought some of our questions were too difficult, but when it was all said and done, all the prizes were given out, and those who won them seemed pleased not only with having gotten something extra, but also satisfied at having been able to answer their question. After the giveaways were done, a group of ten or fifteen people hung out and wanted me to go through more trivia with them. This was one of the coolest parts of the evening for me. I was brought back to my days at Dragon*Con just going through random pieces of WoT trivia with a group of people just as deeply passionate about it as I am. As the line continued to shrink and the clock drew closer to midnight, we all withdrew together to the signing area. We had more discussions with fans about the series, making certain to keep the conversation spoiler-free. Brandon talked about the other things he has coming out, including Steelheart, and the new Stormlight Archive book (due in November!). We named the AMAZING Trolloc doll he was given (Narg Jr.) and congratulated him on the upcoming birth of his third child. We watched people come through the line with nearly thirty books to be signed (this was at the end, when Brandon would sign any number), and the joy on their faces was great. I’d like to close with something one of the other Memory Keepers sent to me. It was very touching and a feeling that I personally share: “I am not the oldest of the series, or the youngest one. I wasn’t the first to read it and sure as sky I won’t be the last. What I am is your average Wheel of Time fan. And I had a bittersweet taste in my mouth after the event. I didn’t know what it was at first but it was a realization that I was with hundreds of people who waited just as I waited for this day, to finally get closure to a story that we love so much, to finally finish what I have started nine years ago. And during all that time, never once I needed a fake smile. I was happy. The drive home, however, was sad for the very same reason. Knowing that this was it. Wheel of Time. No more. In the Wheel of Time there are no beginnings or endings, but this is an end.”
~I will do my best not to turn this into a novel~ I was the “First Among Equals” at the Dayton signing. I was the second Memory Keeper to arrive at the store. We were shown to the back room where we could stash our stuff, and then the first problem arose. While all of the prizes had arrived, the box of the Memory Keeper t-shirts never had, though the latest communications had said they would be shipped with the prizes. As the other Memory Keepers arrived, it was decided that to distinguish ourselves from the other Wheel of Time fans, we would wear “badges” taped to our shirts or necklaces (which were all later signed by Harriet). While this problem was solved, the line of other Wheel of Time fans waiting to have their books signed was growing longer. Three of us set about condensing the line by winding it through the rows of bookshelves, which worked pretty well. We would split the line, lead a “follow the leader” around a bookshelf, then lead them back to the rest of the line, then go to split at the next spot. The final Memory Keepers arrived shortly before Brandon and Harriet were set, which was also around the time that line numbers were to be handed out. The Memory Keepers helped guide those who had gotten their line numbers to the place where the Q&A session was to take place. A few Memory Keepers went around handing out Mad Libs and “Autographs” to pass the time. While that was going on, I was telling another Memory Keeper that we needed to watch out for Brandon and Harriet, and behold, they walked in the door. We showed them to our little hiding place, where a couple of the Memory Keepers helped them as they pre-signed some stock books. The rest of us helped with the prizes of the games (the “Bela is a Darkfriend” bumper stickers were gone almost instantly). Towards the end of this time, we rotated in to have our time with Brandon and Harriet to ask a couple of questions and get our books signed. Then the big moment arrived: it was time for the Q&A! The Memory Keepers kept to the back, while Brandon directed which sections he’d take questions from when, and repeated the questions back for all of us to hear. I don’t specifically remember many of the questions, but I certainly learned a lot about Brandon, Harriet, and the Wheel of Time project as a whole. At the end of this time, Harriet read the first two paragraphs of the first chapter of A Memory of Light ( ), and Brandon explained how the book signing process was to go. For the first round, he and Harriet would simply sign all of the books and get pictures taken if requested.. If someone wanted it personalized, they could wait until everyone had been through the line, and then we’d go through the numbers again. This system ended up working VERY well.Then, the store supervisor in charge of this event auctioned off the A Memory of Light poster that they had put on display. It sold for over $200, and the money went towards a local program which taught reading to at-risk children and adults who also needed help reading. About half of the Memory Keepers helped out with the signing process, making sure the flaps were in the right place, helping out with keeping the right books with the right people, giving the books back, and calling out the numbers. The rest were leading games in a different area of the store. For a short time, we had three different trivia games going, but eventually those combined into one and a hangman game started. We had other games planned, but those two lasted us through the night. There were new people that came around for trivia after the first group had ended, and so we got to “recycle” questions. The hangman was also fun--especially when the phrase was in Old Tongue. I enjoyed floating through these games as I dashed about. One of the trivia games: The hangman game (fuzzified): There were nearly three hundred people at this event, and though the Q&A had started at 7:00, we were able to make it through the first round of numbers around 10:00. We said our goodbyes to Harriet, and after a few more autographs and pictures, she departed for the hotel. I had to leave partway through the second round, but it seemed like it would be done well before midnight--perhaps even by 11:00. I am very proud of the Memory Keepers that volunteered at this event. Each of them did their part and contributed many ideas and smiles to the night, helping it be a success. I doubt any of us will forget it any time soon.
A Memory of Light, the final book in the Wheel of Time series, has arrived! Here's a round-up of news and reviews. Buy the book & support Dragonmount Interviews http://www.goodreads.com/interviews/show/836.Brandon_Sanderson">Goodreads http://www.npr.org/2013/01/06/168627939/for-wheel-of-time-fans-the-last-battle-is-at-hand">NPR http://nethspace.blogspot.com/2013/01/interview-brandon-sanderson-on-wheel-of.html">Nethspace http://blogs.citypages.com/dressingroom/2013/01/brandon_sanderson_i_was_absolutely_stunned_when_asked_to_finish_the_wheel_of_time.php">City Pages http://www.brandonsanderson.com/blog/1136/Its-finally-out.">Brandon's blog (he answers FAQ's) Reviews http://www.dragonmount.com/index.php/News/amol/dear-robert-jordan">"Dear Robert Jordan", Jason Denzel's response to the book http://www.theoryland.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=7653'>http://www.theoryland.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=7653">Matt Hatch (Theoryland.com) http://www.tor.com/blogs/2012/12/the-wheel-of-time-a-memory-of-light-spoiler-free-review">Leigh Butler (non-spoiler) http://www.tor.com/blogs/2013/01/the-wheel-of-time-a-memory-of-light-spoiler-review">Leigh Butler (Spoilers!) http://13depository.blogspot.com/2010/11/my-review-of-towers-of-midnight.html">Linda (Thirteenth Depository) http://nethspace.blogspot.com/2013/01/review-memory-of-light-by-robert-jordan.html">Nethspace http://thewertzone.blogspot.com/2013/01/a-memory-of-light-by-robert-jordan-and.html">The Wertzone http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bryan-maygers/a-memory-of-light-wheel-of-time_b_2429397.html">Huffington Post Discuss the book http://www.dragonmount.com/forums/forum/364-a-memory-of-light-non-spoiler-discussion/">AMOL discussion NO SPOILERS http://www.dragonmount.com/forums/forum/382-a-memory-of-light-full-spoiler-discussion/">AMOL Full Spoiler Forum Theoryland.com http://www.tarvalon.net/">TarValon.net Book Tour Info Dates and times about the AMOL book tour: Monday, January 7th - 8 PM Provo, UT (pre-release Q&A) Provo High School auditorium with Harriet Tuesday, January 8th - Midnight Provo, UT (midnight signing) BYU Bookstore with Jason Denzel Tuesday, January 8th - 7 PM Minneapolis (Roseville), MN B&N with Harriet Wednesday, January 9th - 7 PM Chicago (Skokie), IL B&N with Harriet Thursday, January 10th - 7 PM Dayton, OH Books & Co with Harriet Friday, January 11th - 7 PM Lexington, KY Joseph-Beth Booksellers with Harriet Saturday, January 12th - 2 PM Charleston, SC B&N @ 2pm (off-site @ Addlestone Library/ College of Charleston) with Harriet and Jennifer Liang Friday, February 1st - 7 PM Salt Lake City, UT Weller Book Works Wednesday, February 6th - 7 PM San Diego, CA Mysterious Galaxy Thursday, February 7th - 7 PM Los Angeles (Huntington Beach), CA B&N Friday, February 8th - 7 PM Sacramento (Citrus Heights), CA B&N with Jason Denzel Saturday, February 9th - 3 PM San Francisco, CA Borderlands Monday, February 11th - 7 PM Portland, OR Powell's (Beaverton store) Tuesday, February 12th - 7 PM Seattle, WA University Books (off-site; University Temple United Methodist Church) Thursday, February 14th - 7 PM Vancouver, Canada Chapters Metrotown Friday, February 15th - 7 PM Toronto, Canada Bakka-Phoenix Books (off-site; Lillian H. Smith Library) Saturday, February 16th - 2 PM Milford, NH The Toadstool Bookshop (off-site; The Amato Center for the Performing Arts) Monday, February 18th - 7 PM Baltimore (Hanover), MD Books-A-Million with Harriet Tuesday, February 19th - 7:30 PM Philadelphia, PA Free Library with Harriet Wednesday, February 20th - 7:30 PM Raleigh, NC Quail Ridge Books with Harriet Thursday, February 21st - 7:15 PM Atlanta, (Norcross), GA Eagle Eye Books (off-site; Norcross Cultural Arts Center in conjunction with the Gwinnett County Library system) with Harriet and Jennifer Liang Friday, February 22nd - 7 PM Birmingham, AL Books-A-Million with Harriet and Jennifer Liang Videos
With the release of A Memory of Light upon us, the podcasters take a moment to tie up some loose ends, and talk about their predictions for some of the minor characters. Spoiler Warning In this episode, the Podcasters talk about books 1-13, as well as the promotional chapters previously released for AMOL. If you haven't read all the pre-released bits of this last book, you may wish to hold off on listening to this until you have. Of course, at that point, you'll have probably read the book already, and can laugh when we get everything absolutely wrong. In this episode, Andrew, Virginia and Spencer are joined by Richard. Download the podcast here
A Memory of Light, the final book in The Wheel of Time series, is just days away! Almost exactly 23 years have passed since the original publication of The Eye of the World. On January 8th, the grandest saga of modern literature will be complete. Are you ready? We are! Here's a complete breakdown of everything you need to know about the AMOL release. Where to get it AMOL will be released in hardcover and audiobook on January 8th. (The ebook will be available on April 9th) First and foremost, please support your local bookseller. As a community of readers and book lovers, we encourage you to support the fundamental ideas of having brick-and-mortar booksellers in your community. If you prefer to order online, please consider ordering through these Amazon.com links, as a small portion of the sale will go to support our website. http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=DF1B12&t=dragonmount&o=1&p=8&l=as4&m=amazon&f=ifr&ref=ss_til&asins=0765325950" style="width:120px;height:240px;" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0"> http://rcm-uk.amazon.co.uk/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=FF1800&t=dragonmount-21&o=2&p=8&l=as4&m=amazon&f=ifr&ref=ss_til&asins=0765325950" style="width:120px;height:240px;" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0"> http://rcm-ca.amazon.ca/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=FF2400&t=dragonmount-20&o=15&p=8&l=as4&m=amazon&f=ifr&ref=ss_til&asins=0765325950" style="width:120px;height:240px;" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0"> The Book Tour Brandon Sanderson and Harriet McDougal will be going on Book Tour. You can attend the events below and meet them in person. Harriet will sign any book written by Robert Jordan, and Brandon will sign his books, including the 3 WoT books he wrote. Some of the events will also have other guests such as Alan and Maria from Team Jordan, myself, Jennifer Liang, Matt Hatch (from Theoryland.com), and others. Each event will also have a team of "Memory Keepers"--volunteer fans who help organize the event and will be conducting games and handing out promotional materials. Tour dates and locations: 1/7/13: Provo, UT (pre-release Q&A) - Provo High School auditorium @ 8:00 p.m. / w Harriet 1/8/13: Provo, UT (midnight signing) – BYU Bookstore / w Jason Denzel (For" rel="external nofollow">http://brandonsanderson.com/book/A-Memory-of-Light/page/68/">For information about signed books at this event, be sure to read Brandon's blog post) 1/8/13: Minneapolis (Roseville), MN -- B&N @ 7pm / w Harriet 1/9/13: Chicago (Skokie), IL -- B&N @ 7pm / w Harriet 1/10/13: Dayton, OH -- Books & Co @ 7pm / w Harriet 1/11/13: Lexington, KY -- Joseph-Beth Booksellers @ 7pm / w Harriet 1/12/13: Charleston, SC -- B&N @ 2pm (off-site @ Addlestone Library/ College of Charleston) / w Harriet and Jennifer Liang 2/1/13: Salt Lake City, UT -- Weller Book Works 2/6/13: San Diego, CA -- Mysterious Galaxy @ 7pm 2/7/13: Los Angeles (Huntington Beach), CA – B&N @7pm 2/8/13: Sacramento (Citrus Heights), CA -- B&N @ 7pm / w Jason Denzel 2/9/13: San Francisco, CA – Borderlands @ 3pm 2/11/13: Portland, OR -- Powell's (Beaverton store) @ 7pm 2/12/13: Seattle, WA -- University Books @ 7pm (off-site; University Temple United Methodist Church) 2/13/13: Vancouver, Canada –*To be confirmed 2/14/13: Calgary, Canada –*To be confirmed 2/15/13: Toronto, Canada— *To be confirmed 2/16/13: Milford, NH The Toadstool Bookshop @ 2pm (off-site; The Amato Center for the Performing Arts) 2/18/13: Baltimore (Hanover), MD -- Books-A-Million @ 7pm / w Harriet 2/19/13: Philadelphia, PA -- Free Library @ 7:30pm / w Harriet 2/20/13: Raleigh, NC – Quail Ridge Books @ 7:30pm / w Harriet 2/21/13: Atlanta, (Norcross), GA -- Eagle Eye Books @ 7:15pm (off-site; Norcross Cultural Arts Center in conjunction with the Gwinnett County Library system) / w Harriet and Jennifer Liang 2/22/13: Birmingham, AL -- Books-A-Million @ 7pm / w Harriet and Jennifer Liang Preview Chapters At this point, the entire prologue, and parts of chapters 1, 2, 3, and 11 have been released: Purchase the prologue and support our website Read the opening portion of the AMOL prologue for free. Read the opening portion of Chapter 1 for free. Listen" rel="external nofollow">http://www.tor.com/blogs/2012/10/audioslice-a-memory-of-light-chapter-2-qthe-choice-of-an-ajahq">Listen to Chapter 2 for free. (Tor.com) Read" rel="external nofollow">http://www.npr.org/2012/12/29/168075551/exclusive-first-read-a-memory-of-light-by-robert-jordan-and-brandon-sanderson">Read the opening portion of Chapter 3 for free. (NPR.org) Read the opening portion of Chapter 11 for free. Early Reviews Jason Denzel's spoiler-free response of the book Leigh" rel="external nofollow">http://www.tor.com/blogs/2012/12/the-wheel-of-time-a-memory-of-light-spoiler-free-review">Leigh Butler's spoiler-free response (Tor.com) Promotional Videos Tor Books released several promotional videos for A Memory of Light. Please share them around! http://www.youtube.com/embed/YOJiyFf8gW4" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen> http://www.youtube.com/embed/XrfUoR4Z9Ig" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen> http://www.youtube.com/embed/ja3QAV_t3vs" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen> Discuss the Book Dragonmount features a wide variety of ways to discuss AMOL. Visit our complete AMOL info page. Discuss A Memory of Light on our forums. (No spoilers) A Memory of Light SPOILER FORUM. (BEWARE!) Follow" rel="external nofollow">http://twitter.com/dragonmount">Follow us on Twitter or %22Like%22" rel="external nofollow">https://www.facebook.com/dragonmount">"Like" us on Facebook.
Welcome back to "WoT If?", Dragonmount's weekly theory blog. As you all know, A Memory of Light is just one week away. In preparation for its release, this blog will contain a few of my predictions. But, before we begin: Spoiler warning! This will include content from many books in the series, including Towers of Midnight, and speculation about A Memory of Light. Please read at your own risk. Also, this WILL NOT contain spoilers from A Memory of Light's Prologue, Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 11, or Tor's daily previews. Please refrain from posting any spoilers from A Memory of Light in the comments section. The A Memory of Light pre-release spoiler discussion board can be found here. The A Memory of Light full spoiler discussion board is here. I just finished my Towers of Midnight re-read, and I spent a lot of time thinking about many events that happened in that book; namely, Aviendha's second trip through the glass-column ter'angreal, and Moiraine's rescue from the Finns. We already know Moiraine has important information—after all, Mat gave up his eye "to save the world" (The Shadow Rising, Chapter 15, "Into the Doorway"; Towers of Midnight, Chapter 54, "The Light of the World"). But what of Aviendha's visions of the future—or possible future? Will the knowledge she has arm the Aiel for what is to come? We've talked about the actual visions before and most everyone agreed they showed a possible future, not the future. Honestly, I'm still torn. I could see it going both ways. Obviously, I hope it's only a possibility. I respect the Aiel culture and would hate to see their honor lost so drastically. But the important fact is that Aviendha saw each step that took them down that path. She saw three key events that can be fixed, if she can convince the Aiel to bend a bit of their pride. The Aiel have been left out of the Dragon's Peace, meaning they were not sworn to peace, a reward for their service to Rand. However, this lack of being included leads the Aiel down a very dark road. This is the first part of them going to war against the Seanchan. This part may be easily fixed, if Aviendha convinces Rand to include the Aiel. The next major dispute between the Aiel and the Seanchan is the leashed Wise Ones. This hatred for the Seanchan festers inside the Aiel, growing into something so consuming they are unable to break away from it. Ladalin thinks that, "Her hatred of the invaders ran deep…Perhaps that hatred had destroyed the Aiel" (Towers of Midnight, Chapter 49, "Court of the Sun"). In that same chapter, Aviendha reflects: This may be a bit harder to fix. The Aiel are a proud people. They have so much honor and feel such shame when it is insulted. The Seanchan have insulted them by not letting the Wise Ones go after their year and a day of gai'shain service is up. So, to make peace with the Seanchan, the Aiel will need to let the collared Wise Ones go. They will need to let the insult go, let their hatred go. That won't be very easy for Aviendha to convince the Aiel to do. On top of that, the Aiel still consider battle to bring honor. Padra wants to start a war out of her desire to be like Aviendha. That's terribly ironic. One last thing that Aviendha might try to prevent is Rand bowing to the Seanchan Empress. Oncala's vision shows this exchange between Hehyal, chief of the Taardad, and Talana, Queen of Andor: From this Aviendha knows that if Rand bows before the Empress, the Aiel—and perhaps the other citizens of Randland as well—see him as weaker than the Empress. I think Rand's in a state of mind where he will willingly bow to Tuon, for the greater good, but look at how much harm comes from it later. But how will Rand make an alliance with them without bowing? Here's my crazy theory on this one: Aviendha and the Aiel will bow before the Empress in Rand's place. She knows that so much harm comes from their hatred, their war, their unwillingness to surrender to the Seanchan. She will see that they need to submit. It will be the only way for the Aiel to survive as a people, avoiding the awful visions she saw. And if that's unlikely to happen, here's another possible way to avoid that future: Aviendha will not have Rand's children. Now, before you start getting angry and saying "Min's viewings are always right," remember that Robert Jordan said, "The viewings and prophecies that occurred before the loosening of the Pattern are very valid. But those that occurred at, or after, the loosening have a higher chance of not coming true." Since he said this, I think we will have at least one instance when Min's viewing is wrong. Perhaps more than one. I think it would be very interesting if Elayne winds up with twin girls, instead of a boy and a girl—which would prove Min to be wrong—and Aviendha would then make sure she didn't get pregnant. I think she is strong enough to make that sacrifice for her people, since it is her line that leads to so much trouble. That, mixed with the Aiel surrendering to the Seanchan, can make lasting peace. Moving on… Moiraine had three requests to make of the Eelfinn. She says that one of the requests was to keep the angreal that she and Lanfear brought into their world. What were the other two? She knew she wouldn't be allowed to escape since the doorway melted, so it's unlikely that she asked for that. Could she have asked for her Bond with Lan to be broken? It was necessary for everyone to think she died. If Lan's Bond with her still existed, he would have gone into the other doorway ter'angreal or into the Tower to get her out. That would have resulted in his and her death. She couldn't let that happen, so she needed the Bond annulled. Or did the Bond break because the doorway was destroyed? There were still other connections to the Finns' worlds, so I don't think that could have broken their Bond. I think it's much more likely Moiraine asked for it to be broken as one of her requests. No doubt her last request was for specific knowledge. She has to come out of there with the key to victory because she will somehow save the world. I thought it would be her return that made Rand turn away from the Shadow inside him. But since he had his epiphany without her, her information must be something different. Perhaps she learned how to Heal the Bore? Perhaps she learned what the Dark One's real purpose is—since Verin says Rand's understanding isn't correct? Questions/requests related to the Shadow can have harsh consequences, but she's clever enough to phrase it the right way, I'm sure. Okay, here's a few final predictions. Deaths: While I understand some of our main characters might die, I can't predict a single one. There is too much foreshadowing of events that take place past the Last Battle. The most popular character to die, I think, will be Birgitte. After that, I can see Gawyn dying, but I still think it unlikely. I think the Aiel will suffer very heavy casualties. They have a prophecy that says, "He shall spill out the blood of those who call themselves Aiel as water on sand, and he shall break them as dried twigs, yet the remnant of a remnant shall he save, and they shall live" (The Shadow Rising, Chapter 34, "He Who Comes With the Dawn"). Remember one of Min's first visions of Rand? She says she sees, "you [Rand] pouring water on sand" (The Eye of the World, Chapter 15, "Strangers and Friends"). Notice the similar wording? Perhaps that's a metaphor for the Aiel and their sacrifice in the Last Battle. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if every major Aiel character (Amys, Rhuarc, Sorilea, Bair, etc.) all die. Melaine will have her babies—unless that vision fails as well—so she might be safe until after the battle. All the Forsaken will die. Even if one does wind up returning to the Light, it will be done in a sacrificial way, giving up their life for the Light to win. Out of all those who can turn, I think it likely to be Moridin. Slayer and Fain will die. Slayer by Perrin. Fain by Rand. There's too much buildup between those pairs, too much narrative debt. I think Cadsuane will die. She thinks in The Gathering Storm, that, "Over two centuries ago, she'd sworn to herself that she'd live to attend the Last Battle, no matter how long that took" (Chapter 5, "A Tale of Blood"). Notice how she never swears to live after the battle. I think that could be an ironic way of handling the situation. She lives to attend the Last Battle, but dies during it. Other resolutions: Perrin and Faile will take over the throne of Saldaea. Mat and Tuon will settle the Seanchan around Altara; after the Dragon's Peace, they will not seek to conquer any more land this side of the ocean. Perhaps Setalle Anan can help with this; if she is Healed and is Aes Sedai again, Tuon will see that Aes Sedai are not evil creatures. Tuon will keep the damane they currently have, but not capture any more. Nynaeve will become Elayne's Aes Sedai advisor ("If she had her way, Nynaeve al’Meara was going to be the Aes Sedai advisor to the next Queen of Andor" (Winter's Heart, Prologue)). Malkier is beyond saving, so she and Lan will live in Andor instead. Egwene will continue as Amyrlin. Galad will merge the Whitecloaks into Mayene's forces, becoming an independent group, but still tied to the Winged Guards. Galad and Berelain will get married and become good friends with Faile and Perrin. Galad's blood relationship to Rand won't play any part during or after the battle. As mentioned above, the Aiel will bow their pride, accept the collared Wise Ones as lost, refrain from devotion to battle—not necessarily take up the Way of the Leaf, but become more peaceful—and live in the Wetlands. With their toh met, they can mold their culture into something better than what they were before. They won't be Aiel anymore, or even Jenn Aiel. As the prophecy said, only a "remnant of a remnant" would be saved (The Shadow Rising, Chapter 34, "He Who Comes With the Dawn"); only a few will stick to their warrior ways, most likely the Shaido hiding in the Waste. Though their losses during the Last Battle will be great, those who live will adapt to their new life. There's also several mentions in the prophecies of the Dragon's blood saving men from the Shadow. Though the word "blood" is never capitalized, it could still be used metaphorically. Could it also be a reference to the Aiel? In Aviendha's trip through the glass columns, one of the visions talks of "Dragon Blooded" Aiel (Towers of Midnight, Chapter 49, "Court of the Sun") which seem to be male channelers, from the context. Though I'm not a huge fan of it, I think the body-swap theory will most likely be the reason why Rand will survive. He and Moridin will flip bodies—perhaps Moridin doing so willingly, giving up his life for the Light to win. Rand's body will die; his soul living on in Moridin. That is the reason Aviendha's children can have dark hair "after their wetlander side" (Towers of Midnight, Chapter 49, "Court of the Sun"). Rand is Andoran royal blood and Aiel blood—both of which have red-gold hair. Moridin, however, has "hair black as night" (A Crown of Swords, Chapter 41, "A Crown of Swords"). With Rand's physical body dead, and his literal blood falling on the ground, he can complete whatever task he needs to seal up the Dark One for good. Everyone will think him dead—that way he can live on in peace with his three women. He will settle in Caemlyn; Aviendha and Min will live there too. But maybe Moridin's body is too tainted by the True Power by this point, so his life won't last that much longer. I really hope all our main characters have lives that are somewhat happy after the Last Battle. As much as they've given to the world, I'd like to see them receive something back. Rand has sacrificed so much for others—the Wheel and the Pattern need to acknowledge how much he's done and give him some happiness. One more week, and we'll know. Thanks for reading, everyone. We won't have any new theory blogs until March of 2013. But when we come back, we'll have full A Memory of Light spoilers! Hope to see you then!
We've got less than ten days until the eagerly anticipated release of A Memory of Light! Due to the upcoming release, things will be operating a little differently here on the front page during the book tour. We'll put the regular blog features on hiatus during the signings since we will be posting the Memory Keeper signing reports during that time. This means that starting next week, we'll be starting the hiatus. This hiatus will be in effect until the beginning of March. However, if my bloggers get bored, they may have some (non-spoiler) blogs for you during the book tour gap in late January. We have created a new board for all the A Memory of Light spoiler discussions. If you have read the book and wish to discuss any part of it, you will need to restrict the spoilers to the A Memory of Light Full Spoiler Discussion forum. If you have read any of the pre-release materials, such as Chapters 1 and 2, but not the rest of the book, you may continue to discuss those in the A Memory of Light Pre-Release Spoiler Material Discussion forum. How did your Christmas shopping go this year? Your family and friends may be hard to shop for, but would you find it harder or easier to shop for your favorite Wheel of Time characters? Join this interesting thought experiment from our General Wheel of Time Discussion forum and let us know what you might buy for Egwene, Rand, and other favorite characters. Celebrate the New Year with the Green Ajah at the White Tower & Warders Social Group! Their annual Festival of Lights offers games, contests, and discussions galore. Be sure to stop by this forum to participate. That's it for now. Happy reading next week!
Dragonmount is pleased to announce the "Memory Keepers" for the A Memory of Light signing tour that will take place in just a few weeks. These volunteers will be at each event handing out promotional materials, assisting Brandon Sanderson and Harriet McDougal and taking notes for the official signing reports to be posted here. We had a large number of extremely qualified applications. Jason and I had to make some very difficult decisions. We wish we could have picked everyone! Atlanta, GA Betsy A Austin C Ross N Mack P Stephaine G James A Levi G Liz H Jennifer L James L Baltimore, MD Allen S Joshua S Kristen B David D Melody S Eric M Maureen S Renee F Robert M Cassy E Birmingham, AL Raymond L Jay D Randy W Seth L Lee C Amanda R Janice M Jennifer L James L Charleston, SC Christine D Katelyn H Billie Jo S Brandie H Suzanne H Meagan R Perry M Jennifer L James L Chicago, IL Michael E David W Anne C Ismail K Kelly G Jeffrey N Leonid V Dayton, OH Nicholas B Mikayla B Cassie C Erin R Duchess M Chuck E Michelle I Lexington, KY Andrew C Lara C Billie S Richard F Lydia K Tyler F Jennifer D Los Angeles, CA Katherine P Rob H Joe S Rebecca G Kenneth E Nathan B Kyle O Midnight Release - Provo, UT Jody C Shannon M Jared W Jeff E Tracie P Andrew G Joelene K Kristy L Luke J Matt H Milford, NH Frank G Peter B Daniel B Curt H Greg S Albert S Kalyani P Minneapolis, MN Kaitlin G Grant C Amber K Sarah F Benjamin L Chris B Vicky W Philadephia, PA Andrew C Bob S Sara-Jane R Phillip M Paul R Aishwarya S Robert B Portland, OR Andy D Sara G Brittany Y Tyler J Anna H Christine C Raleigh, NC Joel A Kerri C Gary K William T Oliver G Gary S Jaimie K Thomas B Sacramento (Citrus Heights), CA Deanna B Adam M Julianna K Jason R Jeff W Danny S Jim F Salt Lake City, UT Brigitte R Marc T Taylor O Michael W Deborah N Christopher W Charlotte C San Diego, CA Lyndsey B Tim C Justin L Eric H Manue C Alexei P Christopher H Chris C San Francisco, CA Matthew B Anthony A Shivam B Molly W Evan K Ashley K Amie C Seattle, WA Emilie N Eric P Alice A Wendell P Jeffrey S James B Jeffrey J Toronto Paul L Alex H Elizabeth O Praan M Rebecca L Karen C Alexander A Vancouver Michael K Alex R Dawn F Stefan R Not a Memory Keeper? You can still let us know if you plan to be at a signing by RSVPing to one of our Facebook events. The more accurate the number, the easier it will be for the Memory Keepers and venue staff to plan.
The official Wheel of Time playing cards you have eagerly anticipated are finally here! Our pals at Ta'veren Tees have these cards, plus a lovely "Tarmon Gai'don" poster for sale. Both the cards and the poster feature the spectacular artwork of Ariel Burgess. Check out the press release below for complete information: _____________________________________________________ “3 Editions of Wheel of Time Playing Cards Decks now available for Pre-Order and never before seen ‘Tarmon Gai’don’ Poster by Ariel Burgess” Ta’veren Tees is excited to announce the “Wheel of Time Playing Cards Decks”, featuring the artwork of Ariel Burgess, are available as of December 25 for pre-order at www.TaverenTees.com/novelties. For The Wheel of Time®, Robert Jordan created thousands of unforgettable characters – both good and evil – that fans have come to know and love. The Wheel of Time® Playing Cards bring over 60 characters to life through the breathtaking art of Ariel Burgess and are an essential addition to any WoT fan’s collection. Every card features a different character or characters from the series. A portion of the proceeds from each edition sold will be donated to Mayo Clinic to fund research on Amyloidosis, the rare blood disease that claimed Robert Jordan’s life in 2007. A complete list of characters included in the deck can be found at www.TaverenTees.com/cardlist Pre-orders begin shipping January 10th, 2013. All items purchased in the same order as the “Wheel of Time Playing Card Decks” will be held and shipped at the same time. Ta’veren Tees is pleased to offer 3 Editions of the Wheel of Time playing cards. ___________________________________________________________________________ Standard Edition: The Wheel of Time® Playing Card” The “Standard Edition: The Wheel of Time® Playing Cards” contains 54 cards, including two jokers, in a single deck box. ________________________________________________________________________ “Collector's Edition: The Wheel of Time® Playing Cards” The “Collector's Edition: The Wheel of Time® Playing Cards” comes in a double deck box, with a character list and two individually wrapped 54-card decks, so you can play with one and display the other! The Collector’s Edition is limited to 500 units. _______________________________________________________________________ “Limited Edition: The Wheel of Time® Playing Cards” The “Limited Edition: The Wheel of Time® Playing Cards” includes: · 1 Standard Edition single deck box. · 1 Collector’s Edition double deck box (with two 54-card decks and a character list) · 1 Autographed 11 X 17 one of a kind character portrait. The autographed character portraits are not available for sale except with the “Limited Edition:The Wheel of Time® Playing Cards.” Each of the 54 cards in the deck has been made into an 11 x 17 character portrait. There are exactly 54 of these portraits created and all have been signed by: 1. Ariel Burgess, Artist 2. Harriet McDougal Rigney, Robert Jordan's editor and widow 3. Maria Simons and Alan Romanczuk, Robert Jordan's assistants Robert Jordan was a poker enthusiast, and in the spirit of poker, when you order a “Limited Edition” version of the playing cards, one of the 54 posters will be randomly selected and shipped to you separate from the rest of your order. You cannot specify which character you receive. The Limited Edition is limited to 54 units. _________________________________________________________________ "Tarmon Gai'don" by Ariel Burgess. Just in time for the Last Battle, Ta'veren Tees is excited to provide this stunning piece of new, NEVER-BEFORE-RELEASED artwork by Ariel Burgess titled “Tarmon Gai’don”. This 16" x 20" poster features Perrin, Rand and Mat as they are before A Memory of Light and the Last Battle. Add it to your art collection today! To read more about Ariel Burgess, visit our Guest Artist page. Ta’veren Tees is an officially licensed creator of Wheel of Time® merchandise. Find them online at www.TaverenTees.com, on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/taverentees, and on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/taverentees.
This is the last of our pre-AMOL audiobook giveaways, so be sure to enter if you'd still like to win something! Here are the rules again for those who aren't familiar with them: This week, we will be giving away a copy of New Spring. I haven't received an audio clip from Macmillan, but will add it here if/when I do. This giveaway's question is: How do you feel about the Wheel of Time series coming to an end on January 8th? You have until Wednesday, December 26th to answer in the comments section. Good luck!
Tor Books has released their third promotional video for A Memory of Light. This video, called "The Final Chapter", is a telling of the familiar story many fans know: how, shortly after Robert Jordan's death, Harriet selected Brandon Sanderson to complete the Wheel of Time series. As with the first two videos, this one features interviews with Brandon Sanderson, Harriet McDougal, and Tor publisher Tom Doherty. Here's the video: Please pass this video on to your friends and family. This is a great way to share the phenomenon of the Wheel of Time with a wider audience. About A Memory of Light Dragonmount features complete coverage of AMOL. Check back regularly for updates! Visit our complete AMOL info page. Read our spoiler-free review of the book. Leigh Butler's spoiler-free review of the book (Tor.com) Purchase the prologue and support our website Read the opening portion of the AMOL prologue for free. Read the opening portion of Chapter 1 for free. Listen to Chapter 2 for free. (Tor.com) Read the opening portion of Chapter 11 for free. Book Tour dates and locations Get daily AMOL quotes emailed to you (Tor.com) Discuss A Memory of Light on our forums. Follow us on Twitter or "Like" us on Facebook.
'Twas a time of recov'ry, the Breaking now past The Dark One lay dormant, though 'twas sure not to last Strong new watch posts were set by the Blight with great care, In fear that Ba'alzamon soon would appear. Ten nations, in vigilance, lay cross the land, Backed up by Tar Valon, where the Tower did stand My Aes Sedai in her shawl, and I with my sword Had just been dispatched north for the passes to ward Oh, young fool was I then, for action did I long When from out of the mountains, an army did throng. The guardsmen did tremble, the watch posts did yield All our forces were pushed back, Trollocs took the field Then Barsine was destroyed as more towns were then crushed Ten nations were rallied to plug where it gushed, But once poor Aramaelle had lost the day The foul Trollocs' dark leader then entered the fray With a crash of loud thunder, our terror so stark, I knew in a moment 'twas the Heart of the Dark. On a steed made of smoke, laughing like a madman, He did curse them, and shouted, and drove them by clan! Now, Al'ghol! now, Ahf'frait! now, Ghar'gheal and Ghob'hlin! On, Gho'hlem! on, Ko'bal! on, Dha'vol and Ghraem'lan! To the lands of the south! Past the Borderlands' wall! Now clash away! Bash away! Smash away all! As all things must before the wild hurricane go, When they met with a foe, they did deal a deathblow. Down to Manetheren, past Aridhol they flew, With a couple of Draghkar, and some Myrddraal too. He was dressed all in black, from his head to his toe, And his mouth and his eyes had an infernal glow. A bundle of Dreadlords around him did stand, All ready and waiting to fulfill his command His eyes--how they smoldered! they sparked and did fume! His face was all ashen, so inspiring of doom! His foul little mouth then drew up in a sneer, And I knew what it was then to be seized by fear The hilt of a sword he raised high in his hand, And black smoke encircled his head like a band. His voice shook like thunder when he gave the order And quite caught off guard this frightened young Warder! He was evil and vile, a right troubling beast, And given a chance, on this world he would feast! With a glare from his eyes and a tilt of his head, I learned all to know that I could about dread. He spoke so few words, just went straight to the fight, it turned the whole battle, a dark day for the Light. but as quick as he came the dark lord did abscond, and I hope that he stays there, where'er he spawned! His forces now routed, thanks to the Amyrlin But the kingdoms were failing, much to our chagrin And Ba'alzamon's last words in my ears did burn "Let the Lord of Chaos rule, for I shall return!"
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