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DRAGONMOUNT

A WHEEL OF TIME COMMUNITY

Sid

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Posts posted by Sid

  1. Having just finished the book, I have a few thoughts.

     

    I set my expectations extremely low for AMoL, due to ToM, the pre-release materials, both 'memories' and chapter excerpts.  Had I not, it would have been next to impossible reading through the first over half of the book.  Many scenes were very flat, repetitive, and numerous horrible character representations gave a lot of very cringe-worthy moments.  Mat, Rand, and Tuon's meeting should seriously be stricken from the record.  I have a feeling a good portion of the battles could have been greatly condensed and saved everyone a lot of time, leaving room to perhaps tie up some loose ends with the many foreshadowed moments and secondary plot lines from previous books that never happened or got a mention.  There are many, many issues.

     

    That being said, around the chapters leading up to the big #37, I started to find myself being pretty excited about reading what was going to happen.  It seemed the moments that felt a bit righter started to at least catch up with and in some cases outnumber the ones that put me off like the earlier ones did.  At some point in 37 it was full speed ahead and I had to know what came next.  There were many satisfying moments, many that left me wide-eyed in shock, some that made me roll my eyes, some that made me almost want to put the book down to collect my thoughts.  By the end of the book, my opinion on the question of whether the series should have been finished was finally answered with a 'yes'.

     

    I know that personally there were moments while reading that I knew something was a mistake, and I'm sure I missed a lot of them in my somewhat hasty reading of some sections and incomplete knowledge of every line and implication in the series, and that re-reads will likely not hold up to even the smallest amount of scrutiny for things like that, but for a first read through my very low expectations were more than met by the end, so I enjoyed the experience of reading the last part quite a lot.  It shed light on just how difficult a task this was for Brandon Sanderson and Team Jordan considering how little direction they apparently had in several areas of the plot.  It isn't what it could have been, or probably even should have been, but in the end it did give the series another NY Times bestseller, and I'm fairly convinced that's what ultimately mattered.  I'm very hesitant to read it again soon, lest my somewhat good feelings be shattered to bits.

  2. Why were Elayne & Nynaeve upset when Mat said that it didn't feel right to let darkfriends run free? Is it because they thought he was being too critical after what they considered a serious sacrifice in coming to him, or was it because Moghedien had escaped by then and they were aware of it?

    It had nothing to do with DF's running free.  It was the fact that he said Birgitte and Aviendha didn't need minders, making it obvious that of the four Nyneave and Elayne were the only ones he thought were unable to take care of themselves.  Mixed in with their sacrifice (that he apparently didn't care whether they apologized or not), and the fact that he made the 'minders' comment with no hint of malice or humor at all, made them even madder at him because he had no idea he was insulting them. 

     

    This is a wonderful example of how people 'on the same side' can be so incompatible that they rub each other the wrong way just by being who they are, and how RJ wove their reactions together to create a hilarious scene among completely serious characters that didn't find a single thing about the situation the slightest bit funny.

     

    Later, the 'sacrifice' E and N made to apologize to Mat paled in comparison the one he was forced to make as a result of it, one that had it happened to either of them, they'd be murderous (and rightly so!) about but in reality they were completely oblivious to until Mat spilled the beans later.

  3. @Whizbang

    The broach is an angreal, and she did use it during the compulsion in TPoD's prologue (and again when she made a gateway for Mat and the Band).  Perhaps a potential confrontation with Cadsuane made her wear it, or she just took to wearing it all the time lately.  But when she was 'questioning' Ailil, she definitely would have needed it if it's the type of questioning we suspect it was, and simply may not have taken it off between that encounter and meeting with Cads.

  4. LOC chapter 5 A Different Dance

    He had been dead for sure until Rand cut him down and revived him. For the hundredth time he remade a promise to himself. From now on he was going to watch where he put his feet. No more jumping into things without thinking what might come of it.

     

     

     

    He had died, after all, swinging on that rope. If that was true, the rest had to be. No way out of that.

     

     

    Asmodean was the one (from his lone PoV) who figured out what actually happened in Caemlyn to fulfill the prophecy, but Mat seems oblivious unless I missed something.

  5. @ Theodril

    Balefire creates paradoxes each time it's used.  The Pattern is forced to make sense of them the best it can.  Apparently the only memories it tries to affect are those of people who die as a result of the balefired entity's actions.  Asmo, Mat, and Avi cannot remember dying, but several others remember seeing them dead or even seeing them die.

     

    Rand strangled Min.  After the balefire is used, she still has marks on her neck, which is a correct.  Rand wasn't balefired so the things he did, thought, felt, and his memories of that time don't change.  The effect on his mind would remain.  Had Elza or Semi used the power to hurt Min in that time, and then got balefired, the hurts would have vanished but Min would still remember them happening.

     

    @Paoli

    Tam is not a Forsaken in disguise, his character is all over the place because the timeline of ToM is all over the place.  Perrin's storyline is actually taking place much earlier than Rand's in that book.  In Chapter 30, Perrin finally catches up... to where Rand was at the end of TGS, even though both of their stories are being told throughout the first half of ToM.  It stems from a creative decision on where to split AMoL that many don't agree with, and many don't seem to mind.  I think people know by now what I think of it.

  6. I don't think there's a single female character that is universally liked from comments I've seen on this board and others. For male characters, maybe Tam and Gaul. Perhaps Elyas. I haven't seen much dislike for Lan, though there might be some out there. Lord Agelmar is pretty likeable from his screen time. For animals, Hopper. (not everyone likes Bela)

     

    The solid mentor figures, the intelligent and brave Lords, the supportive unwavering friends.

  7. If say, Beonin made a gateway in front of Elaida, she could obviously see how it was done. If she made one in the next room and maintained it, then Elaida walked in, could she or could she not learn the method from that? Or if she made one out of sight and then tied it off, then Elaida happened upon it? I can't recall any definitive passages aside from the Talent of being able to read residues, which apparently allow some to duplicate a weaving as much as two days after it has dissipated.

  8. Okay, here's one from a plot perspective: What was the point of the "Ajah leader conspiracy"? We get some early hints at something fishy, and both Saerine and Siuan pick up on it. It's made to be a pretty big deal, but by the time we see the intent of it they are already admitting it failed. Then we have Egwene raised and reconciliation. Why is that plotline even there? As far as i can tell, it affects almost nothing.

    The mystery of the too-young sisters was in the story because RJ knew the White Tower was going to be united with one group of sitters instead of two, and this was there to foreshadow how it might be accomplished smoothly. It also gave people something to think on, with all the undercurrents of politics that make the story more fleshed out. People that ran the WoT FAQ actually had it largely solved already after Crossroads of Twilight came out, including how Romanda threw a bit of a monkey wrench into the scheme by unexpectedly coming out of retirement. It lent a little credence to the fact that Aes Sedai were not utter fools, even though things didn't work out the way they hoped. The Ajah Heads came up with a contingency plan when an event that hadn't happened before came about, and under normal circumstances would have worked fine. And even so it did still smooth the way for consolidation of the two factions in the Hall of the Tower. The mystery was rather deftly woven into the story until the 'payoff/reveal' in TGS fell somewhat flat.

  9. True, thanks for reminding me of that. But the underlined quote above had me thinking that Ryma isn't acting as badly as Meylin; and there might still be some hope for her.

     

    You know, anything's possible. There might be a scene in there somewhere along the way where it's eluded that she's recovering from her time trapped by the leash (assuming it's ever removed). To be honest I'd put it at even odds that she'll never be mentioned by either name again. More prominent characters than she have been reduced to near-anonymity or vanished completely.

  10. Who are the two Aes Sedai that Miraj saw with Suroth in TPoD?

     

    The da’covale with the writing desk in her arms caught his eye. Scowls flashed across her pretty doll’s face, never pushed down for more than moments. Property showing anger? And there was something else. His gaze flickered to the damane, who stood with her head down but still looked around with curiosity. Brown-eyed da’covale and pale-eyed damane looked about as different as two women could, yet there was something about them. Something in their faces. Strange. He could not have said how old either was.

    The da'covale is Liandrin (perma-shielded by Moghedien), and the damane is Pura, formerly known as Ryma Galfrey, a Yellow captured in Falme. Ryma made brief appearances in New Spring.

  11. Well, Birgitte made it sound like when they're called by the Horn they're not there 'in the flesh', and the One Power can't touch them. I assume that normal weapons cannot harm them either. She was able to ride a horse on water and shoot an arrow that set a whole Seanchan ship on fire, so she certainly isn't following the normal rules of reality, almost like a reverse T'A'R.

     

    If they can be harmed, it would have to be something different. Maybe destroying the Horn, or the Dark One breaking free, or the True Power, or balefire could harm them.

  12. I didn't catch that thing about making her laugh. It's actually a very astute observation, Sid. Has it been verified?

     

    Well, I thought it was, but then ideal seek disproved it. She does laugh in New Spring, with Siuan, though that would be expected. But there was one other time in Fal Dara that she laughed at Anaiya wishing she had a sister from among the Aiel people.

    She laughed bitterly at Egwene's notion of her being able to kill Mashadar when they were in Shadar Logoth.

    The other times I could find were with Thom, though, so you could say he was the only man in the series to make her laugh, I guess.

  13. I have a question.

     

    When was it first clear that Thom and Morain were to be a couple?

     

    I didn't caught it until I read the letter for thom from Morain, and it kinda caught me by surprise.

    I knew that Morain had someone that she loved, but I didn't know it was Thom...

    It is not clear at all until the letter. They travel together and get split up at Shadar Logoth. Thom saves the boys from the Myrdraal. We meet him next in Cairhien, when Rand arrives there hunting the horn. Mat meets him on his way to Tear in book 3 in Tar Valon. Then, Moiraine goes to the 3 Fold Land while Thom goes to watch the BA hunters. Aside from the letter (which she gives him in Tear), that's all the connection they have on screen.

    It's not 'clear' until the letter, though there are some hints sprinkled in there. Thom is the only character in the series that makes Moiriane laugh. A few comments by Thom in the vein of 'a fine woman if she weren't Aes Sedai'. They have a chapter together in Tear where she basically manhandles him in the game of houses, and they show a mutual 'professional' respect. She doesn't even give him the letter directly, actually. She gives it to Rand before she dies at the docks, he gives it to Mat, and Mat gives it to Thom when he Travels to Salidar.
  14. This forum should be clear of spoilers, whether they're from the prologue, chapter 11, chapter 1, or anything AMoL. In the past Mods have been very good about keeping it that way. Occasionally they might seep into a thread if a poster forgets, but it's generally not there for long. Some of the thread titles from the AMOL forum might show up on the main DM forum page, as in the most recent thread/poster over there. Generally those threads start with the word "Spoiler" if there's a spoiler in the topic.

  15. Book 4, when Rand was going through the forest of glass collumns. (the Aiel flashback)

     

    Mat went through a second stone doorway and saw some fox people. They agreed to fill the holes in his memories but mentioned that he'd have to pay. When Rand finds him he's being hung from a black spear balanced in a tree. After he's cut down, Mat mentions something about the fox people being witty and that his punishment was funny or something

    On the spear is carved the words:

     

    Thus is our treaty written; thus is agreement made.

    Thought is the arrow of time; memory never fades.

    What was asked is given. The price is paid.

     

    Basically, he got what he asked for (in a way), but their price was higher than he would have been willing to pay. It was a cruel jest, and he was incredibly lucky that he didn't end up dead.

  16. This takes me back a ways. :smile:

     

    I remember knowing something was up with Dashiva after he coached Flinn with Healing, and thought he might be Osan'gar or at least someone other than what he seemed (especially after his outburst in Altara), but then again I was also just about positive Taim was Demandred, too.

     

    I was on my first re-read like, maybe on book 5? and all the great foreshadowing I found prompted me to search online for discussion of the series, and that was one of the first topics I came upon. This was between TPOD and WH and people had pretty much collected all the evidence and it seemed all but certain. So I didn't really figure it out for sure myself, but needless to say that by the time WH came out, the reveal was simply a concrete confirmation rather than any surprise.

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