DRAGONMOUNT

Sure, I could dedicate several weeks to the landscapes and scenery of the world of The Wheel of Time, carefully interspersing weeks dedicated to character studies and action shots so that Fan Art Friday wouldn't lack for variety. But where would be the fun in that? Instead, I'm going to go a little crazy this week and feature all my favorite Wheel of Time landscapes and scenery (allowing for the fact that I haven't seen all the Wheel of Time art ever made and have probably forgotten or missed some really great stuff).   We've got a lot to cover, so I'll skip the flowery expositions this week and just get down to it.   (Note: A few of these break with canon in small ways, or are merely inspired by The Wheel of Time. Feel free to nitpick about canon in the comments, but please do it nicely!)       Dragonmount and Tar Valon   1. Dragonmount by John Irving (~NuttyMonk)   2. Tar Valon by Mike S. Miller and Andrea Di Vito (from the third volume in the comic book adaptation of New Spring)   3. Tar Valon by Henrik Lehtinen (I believe this is official Wheel of Time art, but I can't determine if this is from the computer game, the card game, or what...does anybody know?)       The Aiel Waste   1. Aiel Waste by Medo Farstrider   2. Three Fold Lands by Tyler Nixon (~Gypson)   3. The Threefold Land by ~TheNonSequitur   4. Craptastic Rhuidean by Tanya Wagemann (*fee-absinthe) (The title makes me laugh--sure, it's sketchy, but I love the colors!)   5. Jangai Pass by *Lupus-deus-est (Myfwnwy on Dragonmount)       Tear   1. Heart of the Stone II by Jared Magneson (~lordstormdragon)   2. Stone of Tear storeroom painting 2 by archedtin       Andor   1. Caemlyn from Tar Valon gate by Joe Trimarchi (*artguyjoe)   2. Winternight in the Westwood by *Lupus-deus-est (She also did the rendering of the Jangai Pass above!)   3. WoT-Westwood by Chase Conley (*saintchase)   4. Tower of Ghenjei by Drew

We're all fantasy fans here, or at least I assume we are since we're here on a forum devoted to a fantasy series. So, what is fantasy? I'm not talking about the definition, but about what fantasy is to us. Why do we like fantasy? As my opening article, I figured I'd put my opinion out there.   Fantasy is a world in which we can lose ourselves and escape from our day to day lives. It's a world full of adventures that keeps us wanting more and prepares us for our next adventure. A fantasy world is a place for mythical creatures and powerful magic, where the unexpected happens constantly. It's a world that we can see through someone else's eyes, and maybe add to it with our own imaginations if so inclined. Basically, it's whatever we want it to be, whether it's sparkly vampires, tainted Power, the struggle of good against evil, or just an epic quest.   We are always looking for that next adventure, that new fix for our addiction of reading. As I post new articles, I'll occasionally post a list of current or future books on my reading list. This list may include books you've already heard of or are already reading, but don't let it discourage your chances of finding new books. I'm always stumbling across new books. I have over 200 books in my dorm room and about as many back home in storage, so my list will constantly be updated.   My current reading list:   The Way of Kings Mistborn series The Saga of Recluce The Wheel of Time (reread) A Game of Thrones

Brandon Sanderson has completed A Memory of Light, the fourteenth and final Wheel of Time novel. He posted a touching blog entry on his website describing his feelings on the subject, as well as his plans for the future.   "I've reached the end of the journey and set down my burdens. It's wonderful, relaxing, and solemn all at once. I love the Wheel of Time. It's also great to be done."   Brandon has completed and turned in the final major revision of the book to Harriet, Robert Jordan's widow and editor. She and her staff will complete final revisions and copyediting.   The hardcover and audiobook editions are scheduled to be released on January 8, 2013. The eBook will be released on April 9th.   I remember speaking to Brandon almost five years ago by phone. The first time we talked, he sounded excited and a little shell-shocked. He had yet to fly out to Charleston to meet Harriet, so he had no idea what was in store. He'd not read Robert Jordan's ending or other notes. I remember how nervous he was about whether or not Wheel of Time fans would accept him, or support him.   I talked to him again yesterday by phone, and I could hear the relief in his voice. The passion for the final book was still there. He's eager for people to read it, and seemed even more eager to finally be able to share Robert Jordan's final scenes with all of us.   There's no doubt in my mind that all Wheel of Time fans owe an enormous debt of gratidue to Brandon for his hard work in completing the series. Like you, I look forward to reading the book, and look forward to having him be a part of our community for years to come.   Thanks, Brandon.   About A Memory of Light Dragonmount will feature 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:   Read the opening portion of the AMOL prologue. Read the opening portion of Chapter 1. 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 book through one of our international Amazon affiliates, and help support our website.       

It's time for another audiobook giveaway! Here are the rules again for those who aren't familiar with our giveaways: This month, we will be giving away a copy of Lord of Chaos. Click here for a clip from the audiobook.   This month's question is: Who is your favorite Forsaken? You have until Wednesday, August 8th to answer in the comments section.  Good luck!

"ARE YOU PONDERING WHAT I'M PONDERING, ISHAMAEL?"   "Sure thing, Oh Great Lord of the Dark, but I'm not sure you'd survive being a kid show host. Kids can be vicious."     TBC: The Ter'angreal Broadcasting Company   Good evening. I'm Trobran Fel, and this is the afternoon sports news.   A score or more of Warders lined up at the door of the Hall in their finest, laciest gowns today for the inaugural "Dangerous in Drag Race." This new event is set to occur on a course laid around the Tower grounds. Foul was cried by some competitors when a female Warder showed up in pants and was challenged to, quote, "Be a man and put on a dress." After being approached by the judges for a quick discussion, a short scuffle broke out after which the replacement judges agreed she was allowed to compete as dressed.   The big Two Rivers Archery Contest was put on hold today when, in the middle of practice rounds, several badgers were released into the stands. Head of security Matrim Cauthon was unsure where the badgers came from, and said that Lord Perrin was personally holding him responsible until the culprit was found. There were no injuries.   There's a big crowd on the slopes of Dragonmount today, as the Ogier and channelers have finished a new construction for games and competitions. Our eyes and ears at the stadium is Jurael Kekan. Jurael, how's the big game looking for tomorrow?   It's looking pretty spectacular, Trobran. As the first major game of Powerball to be played, spectators have been lined up at the gates of the Lews Therin Memorial Stadium for the last week, which is even more impressive considering that's about the length of time they took to build it. Kicking off tonight will be the Black Tower "Lords of Chaos" and White Tower "Servants of Ball" so it's sure to be an impressive match.   Now Jurael, I had heard from the gleeman that there was some speculation about the lineup for the Lords of Chaos. Do you have more information on that?   Well, Trobran, the team captain of the Lords, Mazrim Taim, was almost pulled off the team for a traveling foul committed during practice when he opened a gateway and severely injured nearby spectators at the Black Tower practice field. It was determined accidental, however, and so officials have clarified the rules to allow for more space between the viewing stands and the play field.   Thank you, Jurael. That concludes tonight's report. Remember that there are several locations in Tar Valon where these viewing ter'angreal have been placed. Check these every morning and night for the latest news, and watch us in the afternoon for full sports coverage.

Hello again. Welcome to another edition of "WoT If?". This week's topic might be a bit out there, but bear with me. I'll explain the method to my madness.   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.   So, the timeline of The Gathering Storm and Towers of Midnight is a little difficult to get a handle on. Luckily, there are excellent online resources that figure out the timeline of the whole series. On Theoryland.com, I found a tentative timeline for Towers of Midnight by the user morat'corlm. This helps explain where everyone is during each scene along the main timeline.   According to morat'corlm's research, there is a nine day gap between Androl pleading with Pevara for help (Towers of Midnight, Chapter 56, "Something Wrong") and Mat preparing to leave for the Tower of Ghenjei (Towers of Midnight, Chapter 52, "Boots").   This gap seems plausible for the battle for the Black Tower. After Androl asks Pevara for assistance, I don't think they'll just wait around day after day. Pevara is the type to act. When she listens to Androl, I think she and the unturned Aes Sedai and Asha'man will begin their escape or attack (since the dreamspike only negates Traveling/Skimming weaves) the next day. Also, Myrelle's group of Salidar Aes Sedai is still camped outside the Black Tower, as far as we know. Once attack channeling begins inside the grounds, I'm sure they will come and help fight.   Here's a note on the dreamspike. Mesaana thinks to herself:     What exactly does "except for those allowed" mean? Is the one who activates the dreamspike able to pick and choose who can enter the area? When Graendal activates hers against Perrin, is she still able to Travel into the area? I would assume so, based on Mesaana's statement. But what if the dreamspike's maker, or original user, is currently reborn and in the Black Tower? Would they still have access to Traveling within the area? I think it's possible. My first thought would also be that Androl has some connection to the dreamspike, since he's so skilled with Gateways. But we've already been shown that even his Gateways don't work. However, there could be another person there who is "allowed", even if by accident, to use Traveling within the dreamspike's perimeter.   What does all of this have to do with saving Caemlyn? Well, after the nine day gap, there's still another eight days or so before Caemlyn begins to burn. That's plenty of time for the surviving Asha'man to come to the aid of the city.   There's been a lead up to a fight between the Light and Shadow factions within the Black Tower for at least the past three books. Logain, most assume, will lead the Light side, with Taim leading the Shadow. However, there aren't too many Light characters still at the Black Tower since Logain says:     And a little later in the same chapter, Logain talks of Taim's "cronies":     This information isn't surprising. We've known for a long time that Taim is up to no good. So, with most of the men at the Black Tower loyal to Taim, not Rand—or even Logain—those Asha'man and Aes Sedai trapped inside are in pretty rough shape.   During that same scene, Rand admits he doesn't have time to deal with Taim at the moment, and Verin says:     Knowing what we know about Verin and her inability to divulge plots within the Shadow, I think we can assume the opposite is true. That is, Taim will have to act before the Last Battle, so the Asha'man can't help the Light. The Asha'man and Aes Seadi are prisoners in the Black Tower, trapped there by the dreamspike, being picked off one by one and turned to the Shadow by the 13x13 method.   During Towers of Midnight, Rand realizes he can't Travel to the Black Tower, so the dreamspike is still active. This is the day before he wants to go to Merrilor, the same day Olver opens Verin's letter.   Here's the quote:     However, we don't know why the dreamspike is still active. Perhaps it's being used by the survivors to make a place of safety for their wives and families. I don't think it necessarily implies that there's still trouble going on there. This quote also implies that Logain is already at the Black Tower. The last we actually saw of him was during the prologue of The Gathering Storm.   Mezar Kurin seems to be another 13x13 turned Asha'man. When Logain's Asha'man talk about Mezar, they say his memories are still present, but something is wrong with his manner, with his eyes, with his smile. This is the same way Bashere responds to Taim in Lord of Chaos, Chapter 2, "The New Arrival". Mezar sends along a message from Logain, but is it true or not?     Was Mezar turned before his return to the Black Tower or after his arrival? If before, perhaps more of Logain's or Rand's loyal Asha'man were turned, even those sent to Illian or Arad Doman. Either way, I'm sure they have all of Mezar's information about Rand and Logain's current whereabouts and some of their plans.   Since Logain disappeared from Rand's group, where is he, if not at the Black Tower? Perhaps he's doing a little recruiting of his own, to bolster his group before rushing in to take on Taim.   Perrin lends Grady's Gateway abilities to Mat so he can get to the Tower of Ghenjei and back (Towers of Midnight, Chapter 53, "Gateways"). Mat will have at least one Asha'man to help battle the Shadowspawn and Darkfriends destroying Caemlyn. Since I predict the drama at the Black Tower will be finished, Grady can summon the survivors to come help. They have been inspected by Elayne and her guards, and have been made to know that they are on Andoran soil. I think they will feel a debt to help protect the capital.   I'll stop there; we'll save the details of the battles for another time. Please join us next week for the first half of a two week special on the Eye of the World.

It's time for another roundup! Here's a fun topic from our General Wheel of Time Discussion forum:  Which Forsaken has done the most evil?  There's even a handy poll in which to vote.  I've already seen some amusing answers. Although it's wrapping up, there's still time to ask last minute questions in our Q&A session with Saladin Ahmed.  I'll be posting all the questions and answers here on the front page once this session is completely finished. Our Humor Blogger is running a competition in the Artists, Crafters, and Writers Guild to see who can submit the best potential image for his new blog.  If you'd like to see your art featured every week as the humor blog icon, there's still time to see if you have what it takes! Have you played the Band of the Red Hand Social Group's Originals vs. Covers game?  Two versions of each featured song will be posted: an original version and a cover version.  You simply vote for the version you like the best.  The song "Hallelujah" is currently on the hot seat. The Brown Ajah is just about to start their Travel & Olympics Month festivities in the White Tower & Warders Social Group.  The event will begin on August 1st and will last the entire month.  See the thread I linked above for an overview of activities. If you missed the A Memory of Light panel from LibertyCon, don't fret!  The guys from tWotcast have it available as a podcast episode that you can download from their site.

I never expected to dedicate an entire week to a single character, especially not a single bad guy. But Lanfear's stunning beauty has inspired so many stunningly beautiful works that I felt it would be a disservice not to feature them.   During the Age of Legends, Mierin Eronaile was one of the two researchers responsible for accidentally drilling the Bore in the Dark One's prison. Before this, she was briefly involved with Lews Therin Telamon, who she viewed as a path to power. After drilling the Bore, her ambition and jealousy towards Lews Therin's wife, Ilyena Moerelle Dalisar, drove her to swear loyalty to the Dark One. She took the name Lanfear, meaning "Daughter of the Night," and went on to become the most powerful of the female Forsaken, as well as a master of Tel'aran'rhiod. She was sealed into the Dark One's prison at the end of the War of the Shadow, when Lews Therin and the Hundred Companions marched on Shayol Ghul.   The seals on the prison weakened at the end of the Third Age, eventually allowing her to escape. Under the guise of the Lady Selene, she then attempted to convert Rand to the Shadow. Her stalking and manipulations came to a head in Rhuidean, where Moiraine famously saved Rand from her fury by tackling her, throwing her through the stone doorway ter'angreal, and trapping them both in the land of the Finns.   Lanfear has since been reincarnated as the Darkfriend Cyndane ("Last Chance"), who Moridin controls with a mindtrap. Her stated intent has always been to enlist Rand's help in using the Choedan Kal to destroy both the Dark One and the Creator. However, both her desire to see Rand dead and her subjugation by Moridin confuse the issue of her current intentions.       1. Lanfear by ~kotian82:   This artist is a master of light and composition. The opulent details and silvery light emphasize the ephemeral beauty and power Lanfear personifies. Her association with the night is beautifully conveyed.         2. Xmas Gift: Lanfear by =trishna87:   The flawless simplicity of this work--particularly the sparse use of color--strikes a perfect chord. Lanfear's coy smile and hipshot pose perfectly convey her sensuality and arrogance.         3. Selene by *EdselArnold (Edsel J. Arnold):   I really thought this work was done in watercolor with gold foil, and I was completely floored when I realized it was digital. In any medium, it's a carefully balanced, flawless example of Art Nouveau.         4. Daughter of the Night by Zephyrus (Zephyrus at Dragonmount, ~Gorgaidon at deviantART, and here's her online portfolio and blog):   In terms of the sheer physical beauty of the subject, this is one of the most beautiful depictions of Lanfear I've seen. The washed out colors used here have a sinister feel--appropriate given Lanfear's darker (or shall I say manipulative, sociopathic, and power-crazed) qualities.         5. WoT - Lanfear by *Rakiah:   I feel a little guilty because I just featured another one of *Rakiah's works last week. But beautiful work deserves praise, and the time is right! I particularly like the costuming details in this depiction of Lanfear.  

First off, I'd like to thank Tynaal Consen for the hard work she put into this position as my predecessor and for giving me a good base foundation from which to start. As of today, I will be taking over as the Rotating Features Blogger. Here's some information about me for those of you who don't know me. I guess you could call me a bit odd, for lack of a better word. I started reading The Wheel of Time back in November of 2010, and I finished the series around June of 2011. I absolutely loved it; I couldn't put it down, and I even read it at work. Besides reading, I'm an avid fan of manga, anime, and video games. I'm a fledgling mafia player as well. I am pretty active around the Dragonmount forums.   I have quite a few plans for my blog. Some of them have been greenlit already, and some are still in the idea phase. One of my biggest plans that has already been greenlit is a countdown to A Memory of Light series review. Each month, I'll post a brief review of my thoughts on the book I am currently on for that particular month. I'll try not to put too many spoilers in there, as I know not everyone is finished with the series up through Towers of Midnight, and I'll make it obvious in the article title when it's a Wheel of Time book review. Also, I plan to finish up the rest of the Dragonmount Admin interviews from where Tynaal left off. Hopefully, if all goes well, I'll be posting one each month. The rest of my weekly articles will just be random topics of interest. I hope to make these articles interesting for everyone. I realize everyone won't like every article, since that's just personal preference, but I hope to get in something for everyone and am not above taking requests when I can squeeze them in. Keep in mind, though, I will not encroach on the other front page bloggers' territory, so if your request would fall under one of their categories, I won't be able to cover it.

"ARE YOU PONDERING WHAT I'M PONDERING, ISHAMAEL?"   "Sure thing, oh Great Lord of the Dark, but even if we put a creamy nougat into every Trolloc, we'd still not be able to call them a tasty treat."   "NEVER MIND, ISHAMAEL. JUST MAKE SURE THAT PRESS RELEASE GETS DOWN TO MARKETING, WILL YOU?"     New from Thakan'dar Enterprises   Nae'Bliss   A sensual dark chocolate bonbon filled with an even darker core of blackberry brandy. Deliciously decadent, it'll be sure to please the Dreadlord in you. Thirteen pieces to every box, they'll turn your enemies to friends with but a taste.     and for the kids, don't forget to pick up     Candy Bubbles of Evil   A delightful treat for children of all ages. Candy coating on the outside, and a surprise inside every one. Now available in Blood Red Cherry (pictured), Shadow Black Licorice, and new Myrddraal Gray Grape.     Find these delightful treats and more from your local door to door Thakan'dar peddlers, coming to a village near you.