31 minutes ago, Fano'Lan Redux said:

Didn't take long and am not surprised to discover it was Sanderson putting it out there like gospel and everyone shrugged

RJ commented on the scenario when asked about it in a 1996 book signing. Here's the summary of his comments.
 

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RJ wrote the Mat/Tylin scenario as a humorous role-reversal thing. His editor, and wife, thought it was a good discussion of sexual harassment and rape with comic undertones. She liked it because it dealt with very serious issues in a humorous way. She seemed to think it would be a good way to explain to men/boys what this can be like for women/girls, showing the fear, etc.

 

https://www.theoryland.com/intvmain.php?i=65

 

The characterization of the situation as rape by Jordan/Harriet and fans certainly didn't originate with Sanderson.

I think people are underestimating the starting ages of the EF5. Rand Mat and Perrin are roughly 20 (Rand is 19 and a half at the start of EotW). Egwene and Elayne are about 17/18. Nynaeve 24. So if they're aging them up, they'll be in their early 20s.

9 hours ago, Fano'Lan Redux said:

Haven't seen the Dusty Wheel, I don't see a ring, just some stray fur from his cuff ?‍♂️ but a ring wouldn't bother me one iota ... probably wouldn't even notice it unless highlighted somehow in the show.

People are looking for a ring on Perrin's finger because there are rumors he's going to already be married when first introduced.

I always took the Jordan's descriptions of dress (at least for men, with their shirts and coats) to be very 18th century western Europe/American colonies. Granted, the Westlands are a large and diverse territory, but it's how I mostly pictured the EF5, with some leeway maybe for the embroidery on fancier coats reflecting some other styles. And even the women I see in that sort of period style.

I'm not "wowed" yet, but I want to see more. The costumes are kind of meh.

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Ravens was added as an additional prologue in the young adult literature paperback From the Two Rivers, a re-released first half of Eye of the World. 

 

https://wot.fandom.com/wiki/The_Eye_of_the_World/Raven

 

Rand's hardened himself. He's not allowing himself personal relationships with the Asha'man because he feels like he created their organization simply so they could be used as weapons. And that eats at him. He's not comfortable with it, or happy with it, and hates himself for it, but he feels obligated to do it. He forces himself to see them as tools and weapons because he feels like if he does otherwise he won't be able to complete his role.

On 7/3/2021 at 4:09 PM, redgiant said:

3. I hope ... REALLY hope ... that the deviations from George R. R. Martin's words and style that D & D pulled in GoT taught Rafe and Company a valuable lesson. The more D & D "did their own thing" in the last couple of seasons (whether due to the books lagging although GRRM gave them direct notes and events on what would happen, or just they aren't good enough to reproduce the level of grit and smart dialogue and characters as GRRM would), the more damage they did to the point that the unthinkable a few years prior (that GoT could have anything tarnish its quality and believable fantasy world-building epic) actually happened. The utter stupidity of the final season utterly ruined the full-on reputation of the entire series, it was so bone-headed. It even affects one's desire to rewatch the series, knowing how damn awful the ending is.

I have to disagree a little on the ASOIAF adaptation. In my opinion, D&D lost their vision, phoned in some of the writing, and really changed the type of show they were making. By the end things were just happening to happen, and the pacing, character focus, even the psychology and sociology of the show just changed. And I have to attribute the drop in quality of the show to this rather than to just the fact that they were condensing and adapting. Really, the show jumped the shark for me with the Dornish plot in Season 5. In keeping with the earlier seasons they could have still had Jaime and Bronn go, but on a diplomatic mission, with a loose adaptation of the Dornish plot from Feast but with just Jaime instead of Ser Arys. Or anything else, really. Having Jaime and Bronn's fantastic super secret agent adventure and the sand snakes was just the laziest and least in keeping with the tone of show choice they could have made.

I am accepting that this is an adaptation that will try to be true to the spirit of the books but may see some significant restructuring. I'm approaching this more free than I approached the ASOIAF adaptation.

There's 14 books. There will not be 14 seasons. And their are hundreds of characters. And they will be cut and condensed. And they'll need to be introduced and developed in a way that works for a TV format and actor's schedules.

On 5/27/2021 at 1:47 PM, Elder_Haman said:

Arabesque is a type of architecture:

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arabesque

 

And that word for the type of architecture is not 'modern' but dates back to at least the 16th Century.

I believe the complaint is that the etymology of the word Arabesque is referring to a specific real world culture that has no relevance to the world of the Wheel of Time. There are no Arabs in WoT, so there is not "Arabesque" architecture that would be reminiscent of Arab culture. It'd be like describing a character in the WoT as having an Americanistic idea of personal liberty. It's jarring because there is no America or Americans in WoT.

I'm aware of the counter-argument here, that the word has transcended actual culture references to just describe a style, and I don't necessarily agree with the objection. But some people find it jarring. Kind of like an anachronism, but to do with culture/history rather than being out of place in time.

2 hours ago, Thrasymachus said:

No, "any" does not mean "every" in this context.  It means that, given the palest Andorman, there are faces she sees that are at least as pale as that, and given the darkest Sea Folk, there are faces she sees that are at least that dark.  It's a comparison to the extremes found in those peoples, at least, the extremes known to Nynaeve, and has no meaningful implication about the norms of either.

I actually disagree. I don't think it's a reference to the extremes within either culture. I understand it to mean that there are people who'd blend in perfectly among Andormen and people who'd blend in perfectly among the Sea Folk. Now I'm sure we can have a broader discussion about how accurate such caricaturizations are, and even before modern globalization in our world people weren't 100% isolated ethnically and geographically. But I do think Nynaeve is generalizing here, and that is the intent of what is written.

I think the Aryth Ocean is just depicted as too wide on that map.

Regarding the nature of time in The Wheel of Time, it seems linear and without beginning. However, the course of events/history in the WoT is cyclical.

Hi, Chowie!

This topic was last active in 2008. Then again, I don't think people here care too much about "necro bumping".

My own thoughts on the why the saidar one melted is just a flaw in the making of the sa'angreal, or just otherwise the way it was constructed resulted in a failing. That and saidin and saidar being different.

While there is no official religion in the Wheel of Time, the Children of the Light and the Aes Sedai provide rather different takes on what human relations to the One Power should be, and that his theological significance for people. There are people who sympathize with the Children more than Aes Sedai, even if most governments formally recognize the Aes Sedai as a near religious institution in authority. And if you think about it, both Children and Aes Sedai tend to be bullies in their own way, using their respective power (or threat of it) to get their way.

The Children are tolerated in most nations, probably because of the sympathy people have for them. They have to be careful not to overstep their authority, at least not without risking war. The Almoth Plain was pretty much stateless. The only governments were the local towns.

Martin has always been protective of his characters. They are real to him, in a way. He has stated he doesn't want another author to pick it up if he passes. That may end up being the case, or he might just not want to be talking about such things just yet. Regarding whether or not he owes his fans anything, I can be on board with that. I think his comments there need to be taken in context the abuse he got from some fans while Feast and Dance were being written.

I think we're trying too hard if we're trying to work in real-world cosmology and evolution into The Wheel of Time. Randland is set on Earth. But obviously it's a fictional, mythological alternative history in which we suspend our disbelief. Everything going on is the origin of Norse mythology with Tyr, Thor, Odin, etc.... And it's also at the same time Ragnarok. Plus other mythological/religious/legendary motifs are worked in.

On 8/15/2020 at 6:41 PM, Harldin said:

The big issue against RW being Earth is the Global Map, it is completely and totally different.

I disagree with this. I made a topic eleven (!!!) years ago looking at the geography, and honestly I think Randland-through-Shara maps up to Europe, North Africa, and most of Asia insanely well. I know much of Africa is "gone" but looking closely at maps of North Africa I feel like hints of the Shadow Coast and even Tremalking are present.

I post additional pictures later in the topic, too.

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IT IS NOT HERE.
It was not Rand’s thought, making his skull vibrate.
I WILL TAKE NO PART. ONLY THE CHOSEN ONE CAN DO WHAT MUST BE DONE, IF HE WILL.
“Where?” He did not want to say it, but he could not stop himself. “Where?” The haze surrounding him parted, leaving a dome of clear, clean air ten spans high, walled by billowing smoke and dust. Steps rose before him, each standing alone and unsupported, stretching up into the murk that obscured the sun.
NOT HERE.

Perhaps it's not explicit and we've been told it's left to the reader's interpretation, but "I am not sure why you think..." is a bit of a strong criticism here.

We do hear from the Creator once. He speaks to Rand at the end of The Eye of the World.

The Dark One remains somewhat mysterious. We don't have a breakdown of who or what he is. But he seems very one-dimensional, and I don't mean that as a criticism of the books. He's influential, but he seems made up of the worst of all human traits, and this limits him as he's pretty much only these traits coalesced into some aware-of-itself force. He keeps running the same strategy over and over again. He doesn't think of anything else because he doesn't understand goodness. He seems ultimately focused on turning the Creator's champion specifically. Ultimately a force of chaos against order, but one who seems pretty ineffectual when he doesn't have humanity/intelligent beings to cooperate with him. Humanity ultimately broke the prison and in their selfishness allowed things to progress as they did.

Without him it seems humanity loses a part of itself. But is he the source or is he the result of their creation? I don't know, it seems like a chicken and the egg question. And is he on par with the Creator or himself a creation of him? Again, no idea.

On 4/25/2014 at 3:55 PM, Talmanes said:

Didn't it basically say he was just able to use the Source without channeling? That was the Sharan prophecy wasn't it?

That's sort of my take. He's so intimately familiar with the True Source now it's not even about weaving anymore.

Edit: Someone mentioned T'A'R above, and perhaps Rand learned to make possibilities of alternate worlds (like through the Portal Stones) present in some way. *shrugs*

Are they conceived before or after Rand's soul is in Moridin's body? The dark hair and dark eyes seems to suggest after, but it's been awhile since I've read the last three books.

To join the chorus, I understood it to be a Talent.

I'm not entirely opposed to these types of arguments. I know I've made them for other adaptations, while defending increased diversification in others. The nations in the books are all very carefully developed.

I don't know if I'm older, have seen more adaptations come and go (compared to myself in the past), or for some reason am just more okay with these types of liberties being taken in the WoT, but honestly... It just doesn't bother me here.

She probably would have asked more questions if not for Winternight, and the Shadow targeted all three. If the Shadow wanted them that's good enough for her. 

I expect A Place of Safety to be Shadar Logoth (an ironic title, but one the gang thought would be true since it sheltered them from trollocs) or have to do with evens soon after Shadar Logoth if the gang splits up. 

The Dragon Reborn will be Caemlyn and surrounding events. 

Episode 5 will be titled The Eye of the World and will be the climax of the first book. 

Episode 6 is the start of TGH. 

The only thing that very minorly gets me is Pike's height, but for a TV adaptation it's not a big deal for me. There are far more important concerns.

I'll add that it's very difficult for a younger actor to bring the sort of gravitas that Moiraine's character needs.