DRAGONMOUNT

Although many Wheel of Time fan artists are dedicated solely to the Wheel of Time fandom, many more either don't have the time or don't have the inclination to dedicate countless unpaid hours to the continued production of Wheel of Time art. For this three week series, the Fan Art Friday spotlight is on those lesser-known Wheel of Time fan artists who nonetheless demonstrated such impressive talent that I was compelled to hunt down their galleries and dig through their non-Wheel of Time works.   Just a quick note: This week, most of the Wheel of Time fan art I'm featuring falls more on the "inspired by" side of things. I apologize to all you hardcore fans of canon. The art next week will be truer to the series, and then we'll be back to our regularly scheduled programming.     1. ~aphostol Above (In memory of Robert Jordan): The Wheel of Time Below (original photomanipulation): True Romance       2. *medders Above (Wheel of Time): Moiraine Below (original work for Cyberpunk Co-op Action RPG Project Lodus by Leviathan Interactive): Project Lodus Underground City 3       3. Miles Collins (~NMEZero) Above (Wheel of Time): Some Wheel of Time Character Below (original work for the comic Mortifera): Mortifera       4. Krista A. Leemhuis (*krazykrista) Above (inspired by The Path of Daggers): The Rider Below (original work): The Wisdom of the Forest       5. ~leilasedai Above (I've featured this one before, but it's her only Wheel of Time art and I really like it!): Red Ajah Below (original work for The Pantheon Project, written by Erik Taylor): Pantheon Project Issue 01 Cover  

My reread was postponed until after A Memory of Light was released, so I was kind of stumped about what to do for this week. I've been enjoying some time off from work lately playing Guild Wars 2, Final Fantasy XI, Final Fantasy XIV, Dragon Ball Online (Taiwan version), and Tera Online. I've played a few others as well, but those are my preferred choices. After checking in on Dragonmount, I decided to go back to one of the games and it hit me--I like MMOs, so why not write an article about them?! I'm not going to get too deep into individual game specifics, but I will touch a little bit on the neat things that make the games stand apart. First, as you can tell, I'm really heavy into gaming. I run multiple accounts in several games so that I have a pocket healer or a place to stash extra stuff. Aside from that, I generally play a legit system, where I'm not running third party applications like the majority of the gaming community that goes endgame.   MMOs need the following things to really hold my attention: an in-depth storyline, better than average graphics, challenging endgame content, intense battle systems, and unique class systems. All of the games I listed above have at least one of those things except Dragon Ball Online (only due to the fact that I can't read it.) Below, I'll go into a little detail about each game.   Guild Wars 2: I actually had no intention of buying this game. I stumbled across the last collector's edition box at the store the day it was released, and since I was slightly miffed that I did not get the CE of Diablo 3, I bought it on a whim. A good selling point on this game is that it is free to play (or F2P for the gamers out there), so you can play it when you want for however long you want and your pockets aren't getting any lighter unless you are buying Gems from the online store. Some of the big things I enjoy in Guild Wars 2 are the crafting system and music. I'm a bit picky when it comes to crafting systems. Most games get it wrong or make it too hard to get materials; however, Guild Wars 2 makes it easy because each craft other than cooking only has one primary material for each tier. It also allows you to level up your profession as you level your craft. My main character right now is level 40, and about half of those levels came from just capping Jewel crafting to 400. The music is epic, but I won't get too far into that because I plan on doing a video game music article soon.   Final Fantasy XI: This was the first true MMO I played, and this game is by far my favorite. I have been playing it for six years now, and I still try squeeze in a few hours a week. I bought this game because of the franchise name; I've always been a fan of the Final Fantasy series, so this game was a no brainer for me.The plotline is unique. It's not the same "go here, kill this" type of MMO that some of these newer games are. There are a lot of side quests like that, but the main storylines are something more. The Chains of Promathia and Treasures of Aht Urhgan storylines were two of the greatest storylines I have ever seen, even beating out some of the regular RPGs out there. The music was really good, and so was the job system. There are twenty unique jobs to choose from, and you can go to town and change jobs at any given point so you aren't stuck on the same job throughout the entire game. Seekers of Adoulin will be coming out in 2013. If you don't count the three scenarios and the three Abyssea sets as expansions, this will be the fifth expansion of the game. Although I love this game, I don't recommend picking it up as a new player. Due to the age of the game, it has become not very beginner friendly, and all that's left are the hardcore endgame players. The endgame in this game is rather intricate as well, requiring a diverse set of jobs to successfully clear events.   Final Fantasy XIV: Like XI, this game was a must have whether it was top notch or a flop. The original release flopped, but Square Enix has made huge improvements since then. Final Fantasy XIV has improved on the job system of XI, and there are several battle mage jobs or attacker jobs with a two tier system. The base class allows for major cross-class customization for solo play versatility. Tier two is more structured for group play; however, you cannot unlock tier two until the base class is 30 with a second class being 15 (based on the base class). Again, like other Final Fantasy games, the music is top notch. The big thing that's new to XIV that XI didn't have is amazing visual graphics. The cutscenes still lack the voiceovers of later MMOs, but sometimes games are better without voiceovers. I recommend getting this game after the big revamp in December if you're going to get it, since it sounds like SE is releasing a lot of new stuff with it.   Dragon Ball Online: This game was more of just a fanboy type situation. I grew up watching Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z, so I had to at least try it. Currently, there is no English release for this game. The last I heard was this game will be released in English sometime in 2013. I play the Taiwan version of the game. It's difficult to play a game you can't read, but not impossible. The Taiwan version at least is free to download and play if you can manage to set up an account on the website. Overall, it's your standard "go kill this and come back" storyline with a few twists, since it allows you to play through some of the iconic scenes from the anime even though your character is technically fiddling with time. The class system is subpar; you get three races to choose from--Human, Namekian, and Majin. From those three races, you get two classes to choose from that have two paths later on in the game (though I'm not that far in the game). Honestly, this game is more suited for the anime fanbase and not the MMO community, which is not a bad thing, but it makes it a different kind of atmosphere in my opinion.   Tera Online: Tera is another game I played a foreign version of before its English release. Tera is now out in English, but I started on the Korean version. The big thing about Tera is the combat system--it's not a tab target auto-attack system. In Tera, it's hack-and-slash realistic combat. If you stand still in front of a creature, it's going to hit you, and there is no accuracy rating. You need to either block or evade depending on your class. The visual graphics in the game are insane; to play it on max settings, you need a decked out computer. The crafting system is simple but expensive. You have to buy certain materials and buy most recipes. Overall, even though it's your standard "go here and kill this" type of MMO, the combat system makes up for it most of the time. There is also a unique prologue function when you create new characters. You can try them out at level twenty before you really start at level one and it gives a bit of back story to why you're in the starting area.

"By Grace and Banners Fallen", the prologue to A Memory of Light, is now available! Due to some unforeseen mix-ups with other vendors, Tor decided to release the eBook prologue several weeks in advance of the original October 2nd release date. “By Grace and Banners Fallen” is available now for $2.99 as either an ebook or audio download. The DRM-free eBook version is directly available on our website. If you already pre-ordered the book, make sure you are logged into our website and go to this link to download the prologue. A man who loves the hunt begins a new pursuit, red veils appear, and one of the Forsaken stands newly revealed. The forces of the Shadow swell in triumph as the world unravels. By grace and banners fallen, the Last Battle has come. The full prologue is a lengthy, action-packed chapter that has intense scenes and some great surprises. "By Grace and Banners Fallen" is the final Wheel of Time prologue. There's no doubt that Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson left some great surprises for us. If you intend to buy the eBook prologue, please consider doing so from our website. You'll get DRM-Free versions for both the Kindle and ePub. You'll also be helping to support this website. It has been a tradition of the series since Winter's Heart (released in 2000) where the prologue was released as an eBook several months in advance of the actual novel. The prologues tend to be about 40,000 words; or the length of a short novel. For many fans, paying $2.99 is worth getting that much content, especially when it is released 3 months before the full book. We certainly think so, especially when "...one of the Forsaken stands newly revealed!" About A Memory of Light Dragonmount features complete coverage of AMOL. Check back regularly for updates as well as exclusives such as our early review of the book. In the meantime, there's plenty for you to enjoy: 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. Read the opening portion of Chapter 11 for free. Visit our complete AMOL info page. Discuss A Memory of Light on our forums. Follow us on Twitter or "Like" us on Facebook. Please consider pre-ordering the full book through one of our international Amazon affiliates, and help support our website.       

Fourteen years ago today Dragonmount first went online. We had only a handful of members, a couple of message boards and absolutely no idea where this ride would take us. Today we are the largest Wheel of Time fansite, with thousands of members, and over two hundred message boards being posted to daily. We've gone from being excited to have more than one person at a time online, to working directly with Tor Books, Team Jordan and Brandon Sanderson to bring you the latest in Wheel of Time news and community updates. The experience has been frankly humbling, for both Jason and myself. We are truly part of something greater than ourselves at Dragonmount.   What's a birthday without presents? In honor of our birthday we are giving away three sets of awesome Wheel of Time bumperstickers and maps. To win a set, just comment here wishing us a happy birthday. We'll pick three random winners. Tai'shar Dragonmount!

SCENE 1. HORN OF VALERE OPENING   MUSIC: (BRIDGE) OPENING FANFARE, ESTABLISH THEN FADE UNDER   NARRATOR   Ladies and Gentlemen, Ear of the World Theater presents "The Horn of Valere," a radio mystery in four parts. We now begin.   MUSIC: (STING) DRAMATIC OPENING, FADE UNDER FOR TITLE, QUICK FADE AFTER TITLE         NARRATOR The Horn of Valere   MUSIC: (BRIDGE) SOFT AND SLOW BIG BAND INTRO, NOIR STYLE, FADE UNDER     Mat [reminiscing]   It seems like an age long past since the troubles began, but standing here in the thick of it, I'm sure there's more yet to come. The winds had blown a storm into town that fateful day. I should have seen it as an omen of a beginning, for that was the day [pause for emphasis] she came to town.   SCENE 2. ROOM INSIDE INN. EVENING   (Rain falling outside window. Sounds of someone flipping through papers, humming slightly. Sturdy knock at the door)         Mat   You can come in.   (DOOR OPENS, MAN WALKS IN)   Bried, Landlord   Mr. Cauthon, I'm here to remind you about the agreement over the month's rent?   Mat   Yes, I've got your money right here.   (COINS PULLED OUT OF BAG, PLACED ON TABLE, THEN PICKED UP)   Bried, Landlord   [counting] Five, Ten, Fourteen. And will you be staying another month?   Mat   No, I finished up my last job here and I'm looking to move on tomorrow   Bried, Landlord   Well, Mr. Cauthon, I'll be missing your company around the bar. Not so much the fights, as it were, [chuckle] but you do tell good stories.   Mat   And you, Mr. Bried, serve good ale to go along with those good stories. Is there anything else? I'd like to finish up some notes I'm keeping.   Bried, Landlord   Well, now that you mention it, there's a man that's was asking about you earlier. [gossiping] Dreadful looking man, armed and with the face of a man accustomed to being in charge. He left a letter for you, said he'd be in town through tomorrow night and that he might have a job for you. [hands over letter]   Mat   Thank you [thoughtful grunt as he looks at the seal, speaks next bit quietly to self] Is that a crane of some kind? [Louder, to Bried] Did you read the letter yet?   (SOUND OF PAPER BEING UNFOLDED)   Bried, Landlord   [blustering] Why, Mr. Cauthon, the very idea of my snooping into a guest's message! [nervous] That and the, uh, gentleman in question made it clear that I was to leave it be, or else.   Mat   [Reads letter, is obviously distracted by whatever it contains] What? Oh, yes. I suppose so. [pause for thought, still distracted] If you could send Seraen up with some food in a little bit? I think I'd like a meal to eat while I think over this letter.   Bried, Landlord   [brightly] Of course, Mr. Cauthon. I just ask that, what with tonight possibly being busy at the bar, you not help her to dawdle at all?   Mat   That shouldn't be a trouble at all.   (FOOTSTEPS WALK AWAY, DOOR OPENS AND CLOSES, FOOTSTEPS CONTINUE DOWN THE HALL. SOFT TREAD OF FOOTSTEPS TO DOOR, DOOR OPENS SLIGHTLY, THEN CLOSES)   [quietly, to self] Well, that was most interesting. [reading letter softly aloud] Meet me at the Horned Stag, will be wearing green cloak next to lady in blue dress. [scoffs] Yeah, because that's going to stand out so well in a crowd. [pause] Come armed? [thinking aloud to himself] Blood and ashes, that's the bit I don't understand. Why tell someone to bring a sword, unless they're expecting trouble. Even then, I haven't talked my fees with him yet, let alone received any money, and already I'll be thrown into the thick of it. (KNOCK ON DOOR) Mat   Ah, good. Dinner is here. Hopefully there should be some decent wine.   (FOOTSTEPS, DOOR OPENS) [Frightened] You? NO!     MUSIC: (STING) (FADE OUT ALL SOUND) MUSIC: (BRIDGE) MELODIC THEME, FADE UNDER       Narrator   This has been Part One of "The Horn of Valere," an Ear of the World production. Who are the mystery man and woman at the Horned Stag? Who was at the door? Where exactly are the jokes I'm supposed to be telling? These questions and more will be answered, so stay tuned for Part Two, coming after this commercial break.

Welcome back to "WoT If?". As promised last week, this is my take on the possible outcomes of Padan Fain's presence in the last book.   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.   First, let's start with a quote from Robert Jordan:     So, according to this, it'll be easy to sort it all out.   Now, what the HECK is Fain? He was a Darkfriend for forty years before the story started. When the Seals began to weaken, he was picked to become a Hound for the Dark One, sniffing out the Dragon Reborn. He had his memories "distilled" (The Eye of the World, Chapter 47, "More Tellings of the Wheel") and fed back to him. Then, ordered by Ba'alzamon (Ishamael), he began his hunt for the three ta'veren. Along this chase, he encountered Mordeth in Shadar Logoth and merged with him, becoming a combination of their two personalities (The Great Hunt, Chapter 49, "What Was Meant to Be").   To understand more of Fain's current state, we need to find out more about Mordeth. Mordeth, according to the glossary in The Great Hunt, was a councilor for the king of Aridhol. Obsessed with his hatred for the Shadow, Mordeth sought ways in which to conquer the Dark One once and for all. He wanted to accomplish this by any means necessary. This is important because to Mordeth, the end justifies the means; that is, he's not concerned about who is harmed as long as he achieves his goals. This principle led to the city of Aridhol using methods as evil as the Shadow's.   An interview with Brandon Sanderson shows Mordeth's obsession with finding something that could beat the Shadow:     Another interview speculates about what choices Mordeth made in his battle against the Shadow:     Which of the Finns did Mordeth see? My guess would be both. So, he had three answers and three gifts. What would they have been? There's a lot of room for interesting speculation here. I won't go too much into it, but it seems like the Aelfinn gave him good answers—since he did go through with his plans—and he did receive something, from the Eelfinn or elsewhere, that made him gain these unnatural, evil powers.   Hypothetically, one of those questions might have been how to defeat the Dark One. As we know, the Aelfinn give riddles for answers, so Mordeth probably acted on their advice the wrong way, leading to his, and Aridhol's, downfall. Personally, I'd guess that his actions will still aid Rand in re-sealing the Dark One, which would fulfill the riddle given by the Aelfinn, but probably not in the way Mordeth expected. Just a guess.   The combination of Fain and Mordeth—we'll still call him Fain—gains some incredible powers, which increase as the story continues. Those powers include, but are not limited to, creating illusions. In fact, I was surprised to stumble upon an interview that said Fain was responsible for the visions Rand saw of Trollocs attacking a family (The Great Hunt, Chapter 10, "The Hunt Begins"). I always credited this to the "woman in white" (Lanfear). However, we see in the prologue of Towers of Midnight that Fain's illusion abilities have morphed into a sort of zombie-creating mist. I think this is an evolved version of Mashadar. Besides the illusion and Mashadar, I don't think we have a clear understanding of what kind of powers Fain has.   That leads us to the heart of the discussion: what will Fain's role be in the Last Battle? There are many theories out there already; I've found five that seem plausible. And on a side note, I'm going to point out that Padan Fain is not going to have the same fate as Gollum. There's been a lot of comparison between the two, so here's Brandon Sanderson saying so:     1. Fain will kill one (or some) of the Forsaken.   This one stems from Fain's line in Winter's Heart where he said, "He [Rand] belongs to me" (Chapter 22, "Out of Thin Air"). This theory suggests that Rand will be fighting the Forsaken, most likely Moridin, and Fain, in a jealous rage, will kill the Forsaken. This is very believable, and could easily happen. In all likelihood, the Forsaken will have all their attention focused on Rand. Fain could slip in unnoticed and easily do away with the Forsaken.   We know that Fain is heading to Shayol Ghul, in order to meet Rand there (Towers of Midnight, Prologue). However, how safe will Fain be near the presence of the Dark One? He's got powers to protect him—and his zombified Trollocs—but there are some pretty scary creatures on the slopes of Shayol Ghul. Also, with the price on his head, and assassins (Slayer) after him, Fain would be an easy target out in the Blight. How will he go about hiding until the Last Battle starts?   2. Fain will kill Rand.   This is the same as the one above, but substitute Rand for the Forsaken. Distracted by fighting, Rand could easily be killed by Fain in the same fashion.   There are a couple of arguments against this one. First is Alivia. She is supposed to help Rand die (Winter's Heart, Chapter 25, "Bonds"). So, if Fain kills Rand, Alivia doesn't. Unless, of course, she is a Darkfriend, or some other sort of evil creature, who has sided with Fain and helps lead him to Rand. Second, there's been a big Rand/Ishamael rivalry going on since book one. Having Fain turn up and kill Rand would be unexpected, but not in line with the rest of the flow in the series. Most of us believe it will come to a Moridin and Rand showdown.   3. Fain draws the Dark One.   I found this one on the Dragonmount forums, posted by bmunge.     I'll expand on this a bit and say that since we do see the Taint and Shadar Logoth's evil battling one another, there could be a connection, or attraction, between the two. If, after Rand breaks the Seals, the Dark One gets free, he could be drawn to the anti-Shadow evil of Shadar Logoth. All his negative effects and powers could shoot straight into Fain, rather than at Rand and the rest of the world.   That would be very interesting, and not at all expected, I think.   4. Fain breaks the Seals.   This came as a surprise to me. I naturally assumed Rand would break the rest of the Seals, because he told Egwene he would. But some argue that the Dark Prophecy at the end of Towers of Midnight might refer to Fain, not Rand. Here's the quote:     From this format, we may think the One-Eyed Fool is Mat, the First Among Vermin is Rand, and the Fallen Blacksmith is Perrin. Since three people are listed, our first thought is of our three ta'veren. However, these phrases are a bit vague. There are plenty of men with one eye (Uno?), many who can fit the description of First (Galad and the Whitecloaks?), and tons of blacksmiths (Aiel?).   However, the logic of it being Fain who breaks the Seals stems from his overwhelming hatred for the Dark One: he'd unleash his anger and break the Seals. That seems almost counterproductive. If he hates the Dark One, wouldn’t he want to keep him sealed up?   5. Fain is the buffer against the Dark One.   This one sort of evolved from the theory that Fain will be a buffer against the Dark One's backlash. However, I think saidar and saidin working together will be enough to keep the backlash from taking effect, if there will even be a backlash. If I understand correctly, the Dark One struck out blindingly when he was sealed by Lews Therin. It happened to hit saidin and taint it. I don't think it was actually planned.   Fain being a buffer against the Dark One seems plausible. As I said before, the Shadow and the anti-Shadow evil of Shadar Logoth are enemies. The two wounds in Rand's side show that they battle against each other, almost negating the other's evil effects. If Fain could get close enough, he could negate the Dark One's power, allowing Rand to seal up the Bore.   To do this, Fain's hatred for the Dark One would need to be more than his hatred of Rand. This could only happen if Rand is already dead, or if Rand is able to convince Fain to fight the Dark One instead. Is Fain past reason? Can Rand talk him into a different course of action?   Brandon Sanderson did say this about Fain being sealed in with the Dark One:     However, that could just be Brandon trying to get us off the scent.   The best argument for this theory is Robert Jordan's insistence that Fain is unique to this age:     If Fain is unique, that means something like him—and his counter-evil—hasn't been seen before. I think this piece of information could lead to the eradication of the Dark One completely. It could be the end to the battle, making this the Last Battle in truth. Ishamael has insisted that this battle happens every time the Wheel turns, but we do know that it's been called the Last Battle for a reason.   Are we actually going to have the ending, not an ending?   Out of all the five, I think the first and last (even without the ending of the Wheel) are most likely, though all could be possible. We'll conclude this week's edition there. Come back next time and we'll take a look at Dark Prophecy, among other things.

It's already time for another roundup! This week just flew by.   We've spent a lot of time talking about good books on these forums, but which books have you struggled to finish? Come to the General Discussion forum if you want to warn people about boring books you've read.   The Artists, Crafters, and Writers Guild has brought back its monthly challenges. The September Challenge is Let There Be Light! Use your art or craft of choice to demonstrate how that phrase inspires you.   The Black Tower Social Group has invited a special guest to discuss health and fitness with them. There are sure to be some good pointers in this thread, so check it out.   The Shayol Ghul Social Group just began a new version of their Gossip Ghul newsletter. Read this if you want to know what the members of this group have really been up to lately.   Calling all gardeners! If you enjoy this pastime, join the Wolfkin Social Group for their discussion on gardening. What is in your garden, and what would you like to have in it?   That's it for now!

I struggled to come up with a topic for Fan Art Friday this week. I spent a long time flipping through my art collection, mulling over all the ideas tucked away in the back of my mind, but nothing I could think of sat right with me. Finally, I realized my problem--no matter what topic I picked, I always found myself falling back on the same artists. My undying love of ~solitarium, *fee-absinthe, ~Forbis, *RoseMuse, and the many other cornerstones of the Wheel of Time fan art community aside (some of whom I've featured many times before, some of whom are still waiting in the wings), I finally had to face my fear that the world of Wheel of Time fan art just wasn't big enough to warrant a weekly post.   Discomfited, I did what any self-respecting scientist would do. I went looking for evidence that I was wrong. I looked past the most well known and prolific Wheel of Time artists, focusing my attention instead on the nomads of the fan art world, the devious denizens of the doodle-and-dash.   For the next three weeks, I've decided to push the boundaries of my role as a curator of Wheel of TIme art in order to demonstrate the surprising breadth and staggering talent of the Wheel of Time art community. For each artist, works on the top are inspired by Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time. Works below are original works (or fan works for other series) by the same artist. I hope you are as amazed by this hidden wealth of talent as I was.   Note that, while many of these artists are professionals, none of them (to the best of my knowledge) are officially licensed Wheel of Time artists.     1. ~Mudora Above (Wheel of Time): Rand and Mat Sketches Below (original work): We Are the Secret Books       2. Paul Duffield (deviantART gallery: ~spoonbard, online portfolio) (This week he posted a beautiful painting of Rand and the girls called "Distractions Outside the Void." It's rated R for full frontal nudity though. Consider yourself warned!)   Above (Wheel of Time): Twice, the Heron Below (commission for a multi-media fiction called Runaway Girl Army): Die Database       3. ~Lorrain Above (Wheel of Time): WoT 6 (Egwene and Graendal) Below (original work): Rest       4. ~Stuuuuu (online portfolio) Above (Wheel of Time): Bain and Chiad Below (original work): Ambush       5. Michelle Tolo (~Manweri) (Okay, so her art is actually very well known in the Wheel of Time fan community. But I couldn't resist featuring her non-Wheel of Time art anyway!) Above (Wheel of Time): WoT: Ta'veren Below (original work): Quest for the Dragon Treasure  

Tor Books announced today that "By Grace and Banners Fallen", the prologue to A Memory of Light, will be available as an eBook for purchase and download on October 2nd. “By Grace and Banners Fallen” is available as a pre-order $2.99 as either an ebook or audio download. The DRM-free eBook version is directly available on our website for purchase now. After pre-ordering, your eBook will become available for download on October 2nd. A man who loves the hunt begins a new pursuit, red veils appear, and one of the Forsaken stands newly revealed. The forces of the Shadow swell in triumph as the world unravels. By grace and banners fallen, the Last Battle has come. The full prologue is a lengthy, action-packed chapter that has intense scenes and some great surprises. "By Grace and Banners Fallen" is the final Wheel of Time prologue. There's no doubt that Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson left some great surprises for us. If you intend to buy the eBook prologue, please consider doing so from our website. You'll get DRM-Free versions for both the Kindle and ePub. You'll also be helping to support this website. It has been a tradition of the series since Winter's Heart (released in 2000) where the prologue was released as an eBook several months in advance of the actual novel. The prologues tend to be about 40,000 words; or the length of a short novel. For many fans, paying $2.99 is worth getting that much content, especially when it is released 3 months before the full book. We certainly think so, especially when "...one of the Forsaken stands newly revealed!" About A Memory of Light Dragonmount features complete coverage of AMOL. Check back regularly for updates as well as exclusives such as our early review of the book. In the meantime, there's plenty for you to enjoy: 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. Read the opening portion of Chapter 11 for free. Visit our complete AMOL info page. Discuss A Memory of Light on our forums. Follow us on Twitter or "Like" us on Facebook. Please consider pre-ordering the full book through one of our international Amazon affiliates, and help support our website.       

This week, I'd like to take some time away from my normal ramblings and share an Admin Q&A sesion with you. Barmacral is our Discussions Admin and oversees the discussion forums, including the Mafia forum. Remember to laugh at any jokes he might say. We don't want him to realize he's not as funny as he thinks...I kid, I kid! Here is the Q&A we had.       Q: When did you start reading The Wheel of Time?   A: Back in high school, I think around the time CoT came out? Not sure. Any number of years ago anyways, and I've read the series more than a dozen times since.     Q: How did you get involved with Dragonmount and the Admin position?   A: I stopped playing World of Warcraft and needed something to pass the time, and since I was on one of my many re-reads, I came to Dragonmount looking for a place to discuss the books. As for being an Admin, we'd had some technology changes on the site, and they needed somebody who could dedicate some time to making sure all the users could see the appropriate boards. About the time this position was no longer needed, the Discussion Admin role came open and I was offered the chance to shift my responsibilities. As I've been very active in the past in many of the discussion boards, I took the chance.     Q: Can you share a little bit about yourself with the readers?   A: I am 25, Canadian (gloriously so), and I love to partake in historical re-enacting, specifically the War of 1812, where I portray an American soldier of the US 25th infantry regiment. I read a huge amount of sci-fi and fantasy, and am a casual gamer with a love for novelty board games. Just recently, I had the opportunity to try the Order of the Stick adventure game, and it was a lot of fun.     Q: People seem to think you have jokes. Do you have any jokes offhand you'd like to share?   A: None that are safe for the front page of Dragonmount...The actual running gag is that I am not funny, as a number of years ago I won the Empy award for funniest member of the site, and Emperor, a former Admin, started teasing me that I clearly wasn't funny and that he should have won the award himself.     Q: Where do you picture yourself as far as groups or factions in Randland if you lived there?   A: Probably Andoran, as they have the least alien culture to my own.     Q: Are you a part of the Wheel of Time community outside of Dragonmount?   A: I am lightly active over at TarValon.Net.     Q: Do you have a favorite character in the series? If so, who is it?   A: No, I pretty much like all the characters, even the ones most people tend to dislike. I've never agreed with the hatred for Egwene, Elayne, Faile, and the others. Though I'm totally happy to hate on Elaida.     Q: What is the most memorable moment for you in The Wheel of Time?   A: Dumai's Wells when Taim gives the order, "Asha'man, kill." Very chilling. Very cool.     Q: You are the Discussions Admin; have there been any great discussions during your time in this position?   A: There's been lots of great discussions. General Discussion usually has some awesome reviews by Werthead and others about various books, Debates and Discussions is great for political and other hot button topics, there's always a few discussions I'm following in the Entertainment section of the site, and every once in a while I do love to stop in at the Mafia board for a good mafia game.     Q: Is there anything else you wish to share?   A: I think it bears mentioning that I am awesome. Well, not that it needed to be mentioned, as I am sure most people figured it out from the rest of the interview. I am awesome.