6. The self-plagiarism. If I see any more skirt-smoothing or braid tugging, somebody do be getting cuts.

5. Intentionally withholding information (e.g. who killed Asmodean).

4. The two-dimensional characterization, in particular of the Aes Sedai, but recently also extended to the Kin, the Aiel, the Sea Folk, etc. etc. etc. Also, gimme a break with the Domani hair, Shienarian topknots, and the Saldean noses already. Just say they're from Saldea/Arad Doman/Shinear already.

3. The bullying. Particularly, I find it grating to see the bullying and intimidation by anyone who can channel. Eamon Valda was just about the only bully who couldn't use the power.

2. The bloat. Seriously, we do not need to read about stuff a good editor should have cut out but couldn't simply because the book was a best-seller. Also, if the DO can bring back Forsaken any time he wants, this series will never, ever end.

1. The horrible pacing. It took Perrin 3 books to rescue Faile.

In addition to 1 and 2, because the story is so bloated and badly paced, the RS books seem overly fast-paced to make up for it.

My questions got lost in...

 

Okay I just finished tEoTW and I have few questions regarding the fight between Rand and Ishmael.

1) What was that pulsing black cord behind Ishmael? Saidin? Why black though? If TP than how was Rand seeing it? Asmo only hand a thin black cord protecting him from taint. What did cutting the cord do? Still Ishmael? Did it just heal later?

2) Did Rand balefire those Fades "holding" his mother? Is that why Ishmael screamed?

3) How did he wound Ishmael? Lightning doesn't come from sword. Felt more like balefire but everything caught fire or what not and Ishamel was alive after that.

 

I read the whole, Rand accessing Eye of World, Saidin scene bunch of times and still couldn't figure about this channeling the LIGHT and Power thingy.

 

 

Anyone?

1. I don't know exactly what the black cord was, but apparently it protected Asmodean from the Taint. However, Ishy was able to channel after the cord was severed without any ill effects. Imho, the first book didn't really clearly outline the rules of the universe, but later books will.

2. Ishmael screamed after the black cords were cut. Since Ishy isn't the DO, that part was purely illusion. Only the DO can bring back the souls of dead people.

3. Rand channeled Fire, Ishy escaped with a few burns from this encounter.

re: #8

For those that remember the end of the Age of Legends, shouldn't they remember reading history books of even earlier? For example, in the current age, much is known about major events, e.g. the Breaking, the Trolloc Wars, past Amyrlins, etc. even through hearsay. LTT should even remember more as he was 400+ years old when he died. Current history is shady after the Breaking up to the Trolloc wars, iirc, but even then, there's a surprising amount that has survived. On top of this, there's even the newly found ter'angreal that was used to store information.

I have a couple of questions:

1. How many trollocs have appeared "on screen?" How many trollocs total can be extrapolated from this? My guess would be 1-2 million have died so far, hinting that there may be 10 million+ reserves/in-training.

2. Given the relatively small population of the Borderlands and the lack of food in the Blight, how can that many trollocs be fed?

3. Of the Aes Sedai (as of ToM) who haven't returned to the tower since Egwene took over AND who haven't been outed yet (waiting to bond Asha'man at the BT, with the Borderlanders in Fal Moran, traveling with Perrin/Mat, etc.) how many are known BA's?

4. Do hiss-staves use standing weaves or gunpowder?

5. How many total heroes can be called by the Horn of Valere? It would seem to make sense that some of the heroes were already reborn, and thus couldn't be called, but it seems like 100-150 heroes (as were called at Falme) is a pathetically small number if there were hundreds of cycles of the Pattern already.

6. Why did the TAR Artur Hawkwing have the same name as the original when he was called by the Horn? Was he a first-timer who was added to the Heroes (like he hinted to Julian)?

7. Given that Machim Shin will also attack Shadowspawn, if they wanted to bring 100k trollocs through the Ways, how many would they have to send to get that number assuming a % would be lost?

8. Why do past memories only go back 3000 years up to the end of the Age of Legends (Mat, Bridgette, LTT/Rand)? Why doesn't Rand/LTT remember at least the histories that were available during the Age of Legends, or the beginning of the Age of Legends? It is implied that the Wheel has turned many times, possibly in the thousands. While it is possible that their original threads were created at that time, it seems too convenient that nobody remembers anything before the end of the Age of Legends.

Has Perrin seen Birgitte since he saw her in TAR? Does he even know she's bonded to Elayne? Don't remember her being present at the negotiation talks in ToM. If so, Perrin's suprise isn't mentioned then?

Nope, Brigette wasn't there during the "boon" talks.