See the future? See the past? You would think that they wouldn't have cracked the Dark Ones Prison if that was the case.

 

I don't think that the world was more advanced then ours.

 

I think it actually was our world. Just in a future time when we have Aes Sedai. Go ahead and laugh. But the descriptions of some of the Sangreal etc. Elayne found a statue of a hippy from woodstock. There are others as well. Planes and cars. Flashlights = Glowsticks. Tazers = Shock Lances. It's all there.

Our Age is most likely the First Age, the Age Before the Age of Legends - there is evidence of that in the books, such as Thom's stories. The AoL is more advanced that out own Age. Shock lances are directed energy weapons, not just tasers, their vehicles are more environmentally friendly than our own, and they can create a giant research station that floats in the air. That last without the OP.

It seems considerably more likely to me that our age is somewhere between the 5th and 7th ages, as we see in Aviendha's vision in Rhuidean a future of guns, cannons, steam-driven vehicles etc. If we take such a level of technology as the 4th age, which in our calendar would probably have been the late 17th century onwards, then following the logical technological progression from there, it makes sense. That is very much a convergent technological development system.

Yes, and if the Shadow hadn't come along and mucked things up, the Aes Sedai would likely have pulled themselves out of their public relations hole, and I agree that they nearly did so twice, first in the Compact, and second through cooperation with Hawkwing's early empire. My point is that they have a public relations hole to climb out of in the first place. I'm not some Tower hater who thinks the Aes Sedai suck in general. I'm actually rather impressed with the progress they have been able to achieve, limited as they are. Don't underestimate the power of the Breaking in making a general distrust of channelers very deeply ingrained. It lasted for 300 years, and reduced the population from what would have been at least 5 billion people at the end of the War of Power to no more than a billion, even after the whole 3000 years of relative peace of the 3rd Age. No war or plague before or since has ever been so fatal for humanity. Channelers rearranged continents, for crying out loud. I'd be surprised if more than about 500 million people overall survived the Breaking.

 

What evidence do we have for a 'public relations hole' before the trolloc wars? Aes Sedai ruled, Aes Sedai approved monarchs, Aes Sedai organised the Compact... And, from what we know, Manetheren's people gladly fought for their Aes Sedai queen.

I would argue that they fought more for their King

Why would you argue this? Yay for sweeping assertions without evidence.

Even if they fought "for their King", which the evidence already given makes me entirely sure they didn't, taking your argument at its strongest, they therefore approved of their King. Which means they didn't mind his choice of wife, and probably liked her.

If the King was seen as manipulated by a devious Aes Sedai Queen, then the people wouldn't have fought for him.

IIRC Siuan and Leanne were able to hold Moggy with the adam when they were stilled. Not sure if they were able to weave the OP through her but if they did then it brings out a possibility for the Seachan to continue to use Suldam and Damne. Spark the Suldam then still her and let her do her job. This way they not have to worry about the Suldam channelling.

Siuan and Leane were lucky it would seem. When Setalle Anan wore an a'dam with Joline back in book 7 I think but may have been 8? they both had the adverse reaction.

Furthermore, Siuan and Leane weren't able to use it to cause pain or to weave the OP, essentially it served no better purpose than it had before i.e. stopping the damane from channeling (although I suppose it allowed her to move).

When Rand roams the palace in Cairhien after the attack, Cadsuane passes him by. Interesting. Her ter'angreals should tell her that Rand is around. Do you think this is an erro?

We're never told whether Cadsuane's ter'angreals can detect multiple men channeling and locate them all. Remember, Rand was using as little of the power as possible at this point, and there were a fair number of channelers all over the palace holding saidin/saidar, either hunting Rand or to defend themselves from the attackers.

This probably doesn't have a solid answer but I just finished the Eye of the World for the thousandth time and I find myself truly wondering how did Aginor fight Lews Therin "stroke for stroke" with the One Power in the Age of Legends?

 

I mean first off Ishamael, the greatest of the Forsaken, is humbled by Lews Therin in the Hall of Servants and then specifically defeated by the Dragon at the gates of Paaran Disen, how could Aginor have done so much better without Lews Therin being at some unknown disadvantage?

 

Also, Rand at the end of Eye of the World pretty easily wrestles control of the Eye from Aginor, destroying him with little trouble although Aginor does have a lot going against him at the time least of which was just being released from his 3000 year imprisonment and Rand being a super powered ta'veren. But then Aginor as Corlan Dashiva fails to destroy or even hurt Rand and this time he has the help of several other Asha'man yet they still end up fleeing after their attack. Then finally Aginor is destroyed by Elza which was believable under the circumstances but not such a fitting end for one who had stood toe to toe with the Dragon.

 

Maybe I just like to assume that when Aginor met Lews Therin Telamon the Dragon wasn't at his best for some reason, any simple answers?

Aginor is the second most powerful of the male Forsaken, possibly the second most powerful of the forsaken [TBWB].

Simply put, we know the forsaken are capable of going head to head with the Dragon and surviving. Rahvin does it (albeit Rand probably wasn't at full strength and certainly not at full skill, and is disadvantaged in playing field) and in fact has the upper hand. We rarely see Rand destroy one of the Forsaken easily unless he has a huge advantage; for example tapping the power of the Eye as you mention.

Rather than thinking of it as Lews Therin not being at his best, consider it thus: Aginor is powerful enough to match Lews Therin pretty closely. All of the forsaken are. Similarly, they're from a generation of great skill and training, and are the most ruthless and skilled of the very best of the AoL forsaken. The forsaken we see die in the books are generally at some form of disadvantage: Aginor crushed by the power of the Eye, Balthamel surprised by the Green Man, Ishamael pretty insane and not really fighting with the power properly, and eventually destroyed by Rand using an incredible Sa'angreal. Both Lanfear and Be'lal surprised by Moiraine.

In fact, all I can think of is Sammael as a fight without any manifest advantage/disadvantage to either of them I suppose. And that fight was pretty close.

"I mean first off Ishamael, the greatest of the Forsaken, is humbled by Lews Therin in the Hall of Servants and then specifically defeated by the Dragon at the gates of Paaran Disen, how could Aginor have done so much better without Lews Therin being at some unknown disadvantage?" you said.

We don't know enough to say what this "humbling" was. I don't think it will have been Lews Therin simply walking all over him, but rather any defeat for men of their power and ego would be viewed as a humbling no?

Not an errata per se, but too many of the second line characters were missing. I can chalk up Logain to suspense - but where is Dobraine? Sorilea? The BA with Rand (Nelean? sounds right)? Talaan and Merilille (I think they've lost their way. Or they are both dead. Curious that the Windfinders didn't even ask about Talaan.)

 

And I'm still disgusted by Bain and Chiad touching weapons.

 

Maybe I should be glad that the book was actually published. Mr Sanderson better have some answers!

Dobraine's off with Logain somewhere possibly - Elayne remarked on how he was missing also (him being the most powerful noble in Cairhein/my favourite).