You can try and find reasons for the plot holes, but the clear fact is that Robert Jordan was still very much writing book to book when he started writing the dragon reborn, he was still finding his voice and the voice of his characters and was unsure how many books he would have to finish the story in. If you look across the first 3 books there are some big inconsistencies, many of these come from the fact he didn’t know how big a series he was writing and so didn’t know how to pace his characters development to have them reach the peak of powers by the end.

Ok yet another read through recently and I found myself wondering, why if all the fantasy I have read do I keep coming back to this one to re read. If I think about it then it really should have been a 1 and done but for some reason I do keep returning. It isn’t the best written set of books, I mean there are moments that are brilliant, the build up and culmination of the battle of Emonds Field is one. But, there are actually very few moments through the series that pack this emotional impact. There is boundless repetition of prose. The characters are not consistently written well. Many of the evil Characters are very one dimensional on the page compared to the modern writing style, and many of the heroic characters are at various points just irritating. There is some very dated prose, crossing of arms under bosoms, men and women never understanding each other, many characters have very one dimensional emotions. the last 3 books are just ok (my opinion) BS did his best, but the final 3 books, while they have some good moments, just come across a bit flat overall. all those facts mean the series really should not be a keeper. In fact it was highlighted by a very good friend who finally read the series having seen the tv show, and they are just amazed anyone would go back and read it again, pointing out a ton of flaws that I can’t argue with. And yet. It is the series I have read the most, other maybe then Lord of the rings, but I can get through those books now over a weekend I have read them so often. There are series that I loved more, the chronicles of Thomas covenant is one that I personally feel is one of the most perfect fantasy series ever written. But it is WOT I keep coming back to. The lore and the world is one, it was the first fantasy series I read that was about a post apocalyptic earth, and since then I have become fascinated with that kind of fiction (See on Apple TV and Horizon Zero Dawn are 2 examples of recent stories of that genre that I love). But I think it is also those rare but great moments, Emonds fields, Egwene taking control of the hall. Those are the moments that I think draw me back, the rest of it, well it is easy to take in and just get through, I don’t find any of the books a slog or hard to read. Compared to Game of thrones it almost feels like an airport fiction book, something you can read quickly and easily. But it has a complexity to it that is unlike any cheap thriller. So what is it that keeps you coming back to WOT despite all the flaws with the writing that we all know are there (and many many on this forum are open about them). Why is it your go to despite maybe not being the perfect 5 star book that other fantasy novels might be.

I found myself wondering, at the end of MOL Birgitte says she can feel herself being reborn into the world soon, Elayne is pregnant, so is there a chance she could be reborn as royalty in her new life?

Having re read the entire series now since Brandon's "big reveal" about Lanfer not being dead I have made the decision that, given it is not specified in the story, is not obvious to the reader and makes no sense in terms of the narrative that as far as I am concerned Brandon is wrong. The concept of the Death of the Author has always fascinated me when it comes to storytelling, it primarily focuses on the idea that whatever the Author's own meaning in writing what they write does not matter when it comes to the reader. It is how the reader interprets that work with the Author simply becoming a scriptor who puts words on a page. Now generally in Fantasy/Sci Fi etc the story is clear and there is non ambiguity, or the author purposely leaves questions unanswered either to return to at a later date, or to drive through and consideration about the story. Therefore it is hard to impart the "Death of the Author" concept to the writing because explanation and meaning are there in the story. Instead such conversations revolve around the wider meaning of the story, was LOTR an allegory for WW1 etc. With the Lanfer ending however I feel that Brandon really has no place in which to state one way or another exactly what happened. He has presented a series of events and, for him, the meaning of those events is that Lanfer lives. However given that it is not clear in the story. We don't see Lanfer alive at the end, we only see it from Perrins POV, then I would argue that even though he wrote it Brandons's thoughts as to what he meant when he wrote this are not entirely valid. He may have, in his head, intended to open the possibility that Lanfer is alive, but, it is entirely up to the reader to decide what they believe happened and, whatever they believe, is correct. There is enough evidence, maybe more so, to defend the Perrin killed Lanfer idea then the Lanfer tricked Perrin.

Not sure if we ever saw this event but. If someone channeled Balefire to kill a person and then someone else channeled Balefire to kill that person. Is the first balefire undone, even if there is no pattern to recover?

The age of legends is presented as a truly peaceful egalitarian period, where people wanted for nothing, there was no crime, no war. But on re reading the series I find myself wondering if RJ is giving hints that this isn’t strictly true. I am seeing now a world with a 2 caste system, those who channel and those who don’t. It appears channelers occupy every important role in society. They make decisions, they lead, they run the schools universities medical facilities. Channelers have everything. This isn’t surprising, every channeler will live far longer and so over time would become more and more in control not needing to retire due to age, or illness. Then you have non channelers, from the books you only catch glimpses but it seems almost like they are a 2nd lesser form of humanity. They act as servants, looking after and supporting, they tend crops. If you think of humanity this makes perfect sense. People with powers slowly taking over and controlling those without. Giving the sense that “this way is better” because war and conflict has ended. There is no crime because us with powers have ended it. I wonder if the age of legends was more like a benign dictatorship. Those without always seen as something lesser. This idea of superiority then leads to the great mistake. If you feel you are better then most of humanity you will be less likely to stop and question. So thoughts, was the age of legends truly as fair as those in rand land try to believe?

I am re reading the entire series again, and having reached LOC have either never realised, or forgotten, how much page space is wasted on RJ reminding us of everything that has happened to each character as you come to them. Generally through them remembering. For instance I have just gone through the scene of Mat dancing in the inn, which is a nice little scene, made far to long as he recalls the scar round his neck, the holes in his memory etc. This seems to be the case for each major character so far, and seems more pronounced in LOC then any of the prior books. Trying to remember if RJ keeps this up in future books, and wondering how many pages would be saved if he assumed that the reader started at book 1 and was capable of remembering the key story points. It all just feels like needless prose.

I have found myself recently wondering if the wheel chose not to create 1 dragon reborn, but instead create 3 aspects of the last dragon in order to win the final battle? It is clear that at the final battle, the way it plays out, the 3 boys have equally important roles. Yes Rand fights the battle with the dark lord, but, without Mat leading the battle on the physical plane and Perrin leading the fight in the Tel'aran'rhiod the battle would probably have been lost altogether. Therefore I wonder did the pattern effectively create 3 aspects of the dragon reborn. Rand the main splinter, consisting of the memories of Lewis, his spirit, of course his ability to channel. He is the Dragon reborn of the prophesy. But throughout the series he is never the general Lewis was, you could argue he does not have the natural leadership of Perrin and, he doesn’t have the same abilities in Tel'aran'rhiod as Perrin (although we don’t know what Lewis Theron’s abilities where there). Mat the general, at points even the forsaken mistake him for Lewis Therin in terms of how he uses his armies. He represents the martial experience of the original dragon but he doesn’t have the natural leadership of the 3rd aspect. Perrin, as well as being the force in Tel'aran'rhiod Perrin is the most natural leader. Where Rand rules with an iron fist through fear, power or because of prophecy he doesn’t inspire. Mat leads through experience and because he is a great general, but he would struggle to lead a city in peacetime, getting bored and not really inspiring the people. Perrin however represents that aspect of Lewis Therin that the people loved, the would die for him not because of what he was or could do but because of him. this is what many of the Forsaken hated him for, jealous not just of his power but his nature and ability to lead. Perrin leads because he inspires, those that follow him do so because they love him. Even Berlain could be considered Perins Lanfer maybe, the spurned women who then works against him. That may be a stretch though. I do think it Interesting that Lanfer attempts to seduce all 3 of them, almost as if she is drawn to the other 2 despite knowing Rand is Lewis reborn. So thoughts, did the pattern split Lewis into 3 in some way knowing that on his own he could not be in all 3 aspects he would need to be at the last battle, did Rand become weaker in some aspects because those sides of Lewis Therins personality where spin out to Mat and Perrin?

The concept of Free Will is an interesting one, if I am destined to do a thing, but make my own choices in getting there then have I set on a fixed path or did I haver free will to get there. Wanting to avoid a wide ranging debate about free will in our own world is there such a thing as true free will in the WOT, or, does everyone exist on a thread as pre determined on a pattern? Alternatively, do some honestly have free will while others, those more intrinsically linked to the wheel like Rand, Mat, Perrin, the Forsaken, Aes sedai etc, have a more fixed pattern. Personally I am torn, on the one hand the events leading to Rand just being born as the Dragon indicate that there is a distinct lack of free will for some. Events where set in place many aeons before to make sure Tigraine would become a Maiden and then die on Dragonmount. Alternatively the finn tell Matt he can make a choice, but, if he chooses the wrong path he will die. This indicates an element of free will in the world, but, by making the choices the pattern does not want you to make the result will be you are removed from the pattern. Min also suggests that people have a choice, her visions sometimes changing or weakening/strengthening based on what people do. Although, the visions themselves may be a way of prompting a person on a particular path. Additionally the very existence of Taveren by definition removes free will, how many people are forced to make choices they usually wouldn't just by being in close proximity to Rand? So did RJ or BS ever discuss this concept? What do other people think, does true free will exist in the WOT?

I was talking to a friend recently who lamented that ASOIAF was still unfinished, she had invested time in reading all the available books and questioned if she would get to read to the end. Her words to me "At least with WOT you knew it had ended". I had to explain to her that when I started reading WOT only 6 books had been released and throughout the following 18/19 years I had many moments of wondering if I would get to see the end. It is for this very reason that I never started reading George RR Martins work, and why, with the exception of the black libraries Horus Heresy series, I won't start any series that has not yet been finished. Even with a trilogy I find myself now waiting until the 3rd book has been released before I will start them. So for other WOT readers who where there at the start experiencing the waiting and wondering if it would finally, did that experience make you tentative to start a series before it has been completed?

A Stedding cuts someone from the one power, effectively working as a null field for them. However does this effect include any weaves that have already been set on a person, for instance Compulsion? Would someone under the effect of that power then become immune to it in a Stedding, either temporarily while inside it, or maybe even permanently?

So everyone talks about who their fav WOT characters are but I wondered what are peoples from other IP's. This can be fantasy, sci fi, comics, TV, Animation, Good Guy or Bad Guy and for any reason. I will start Lucius the Eternal - Warhammer 40K, take the most evil sadistic but very very vain being you can think of and ramp it up to 11. Lucius loves causing pain, suffering and just being a bit of a troll. But, he can't ever die. If someone kills him (and they have), then if they gain any satisfaction from his death, even for a microsecoond, the demonic god that Lucius serves starts the process of brining him back, inside them. It starts with dreams, then they start carving or getting strange scars, replicating the ones Lucius has given himself, then eventually he just posses them completely and they morph into him, the only sign sits on his armour, where an image of their face appears, screaming as their soul is forever tortured. This doesn't have to be a direct killing either, there is a fantastic short story where a guy, who works in a factory, building landmines, slowly goes crazy, kills his family and then becomes Lucius, all because one of the landmines he built blew him up a galaxy away. Why do I like him, the character just defines the Grim Dark of Warhammer 40K, there have been inordinate debates online about the ways you might be able to finally kill him, but also the story of his descent form arrogant but fairly good space marine to crazy chaos champion is told really well, and, he is just really really over the top cool :). Death - Discworld Need I say anymore, the ultimate in dry wit, the master manipulator while also being inept and sometimes very very lucky. I like him early on when he has a very different personality "Isn't it dark in here" still brings a smile to my face, and I like him later on when Terry P changed his personality and made him more of a distinct character. So 2 to get us going ?