He went to Wells Cathedral School by all accounts; and given his age and that it’s a small school, there’s a chance I’d have played him at rugby, so I’m on board. (Reader, we generally beat Wells when we played them)

7 hours ago, Elendir said:

Min is the key character ( in contrast to mighty  Elayne) for victory in the last battle and Rand's way to it. Min as a friend couldn't do it.

And since when a woman wear pants, it makes her transgender?

I guess, reluctantly, I’m going to come back to this. Given that it’s an adaptation, and the way gender identity is currently being represented in film/TV; all I’m saying in previous posts is that Min’s character could be portrayed differently to the ‘Tom boy’ she’s shown as in the earlier books. I’ll be super happy, just so long as Min is there and being baddass. I was a bit annoyed that at the end she kinda got given as a slave/servant of the Empress (wtf!). It didn’t feel like a great ending for her.

If she’s playing his wife, and ends up dying, it would make his single minded pursuit of rescuing Faile later in the series more believable and powerful. It would also make a 19/20 y/o mans attempts to resist a hot exotic girls interest in him in TDR more believable frankly.

“We are always more afraid than we wish to be, but we can always be braver than we expect.” In LoC when Egwene is leaving the Wise Ones and going to Salidar. Brings a tear to my eye.  That’s the one scene I want in. But for EotW/tGH I just want some ‘play for your supper action!

Well I wish I hadn’t mentioned it now. I do think, however, that if you are wishing for a book adaptation where all characters are exactly as you saw them in the book then you’re going to be disappointed. The art of telling the story on TV, and for an audience in 2019, will entail changes to story arcs, characters, and even some end points possibly. In order for the series to be commissioned beyond one series they will need to reach a broad audience. 

I wouldn’t be surprised if they simply adopted a very gender ambiguous role for Min; even more so than in the books, and possibly to the point where they’re fully gender fluid. It would allow them to go lots of different ways with their and Rand’s relationship, possibly even changing significantly throughout the series. And let’s face it, Min does struggle to a certain degree through the books with identity. I can see Rand meeting someone in Baerlon who is a ‘boy’ or young man; then when we see them again (perhaps in TgH) they are identifying as a woman. I don’t think it’s being cynical to think the producers wouldn’t be keen to add more diversity. 

I’ve just finished it. A final re-read through the series and other commitments have meant I’m a little late to the party, but my first thoughts are that while there’s lots to enjoy, there’s a fair amount of disappointment too.

First though, a few points in ‘defence’ and recognition of RJ and BS. Principle amongst these is that I feel I may have rather rushed through it. As the Eelfinn might say, I didn’t ‘savour’ it. I’m quite a slow reader normally, but blasted through the book in what were essentially four very long sittings (a record for me). By the time I finished, it was early in the morning and I was pretty tired. That was a mistake. Next up, I think there was always a risk that my level of expectation was too high, particularly since I’ve enjoyed the last three books so much after a bit of a lull during WH and CoT. Finally, the story itself; how do you end it? There’s a lot to cram in there, which is really my main problem with the book.

The overwhelming feeling I have is of something of a rushed ending. Reading it I kept thinking ‘he’s running out of pages’. Lo and behold at the end there’s very little on the Great Hunt, Padan Fain pops up and is immediately killed cheaply, Siuan runs into a tent and dies and there’s no real ending. After 300 pages of constant battle and death, there’s no winding down. For me it was simply too much finished too abruptly. Right up to The Last Battle chapter I was enthralled, but there was too little light relief within action that was too repetitive.

Anyway, as I’ve said, I loved the first 2/3rds. Androl and Pevara’s part in it was particularly good. As a couple, they’re one of the only ones in the series that make believable sense to me (Gareth and Siuan, Rand and Min being the other ones). The Sharans and Demandred was excellent, though this could have done with more backfilling of the story after the event. And, though it pains me to say it, as she was one of my favourite characters, Egwene’s death was amazing and a beautiful part of the final section. I also think it was right that there are unanswered questions and while I personally think Rand should have died, I’m kind of glad he didn’t – though I’m pleased that I guessed how he was going to seal the DO and get out alive!

For such a large set piece battle, I think BS managed to convey the scale (both big and small) of the fight. I never felt like I didn’t know what was going on where, which is an enormous credit to him. Olver blowing the horn was a master-stroke, and while I had an inkling that Mat probably wasn’t linked to it anymore, it felt a perfect way for that story arc to play out (yay for Noel too!). There were lots of other good bits too.

Basically, I need to re-read it, but my gut reaction is that I think it needed another book! There I’ve said it. Now where did I leave that rope…

I agree. I've always thought that Perrin was RJ's best developed character (I even wondered if there was a bit more of the author himself there). The only Perrin POV I don't like is the spiral he goes into when Faile is taken by the Shaido, which I find a bit (very) boring, but this is kind of part of the overall lull the whole series goes through. What I like about Perrin is the way he struggles with his emotions and the savagery within himself. His shame at killing comes very early on and is something that comes through very powerfully. I also like the way, like the other Two Rivers male characters, he stumbles through things but in his case pushed on by the ever ambitious Faile. He's possibly the most hen-pecked character in fantasy, which I find quite amusing! The whole dreamspike fight with Slayer was incredibly gripping in my view.