I agree with the posts above. In re reading the series several times, I have a view of Elaida as a bit of a Lanfear shadow. She's self obsessed, convinced of her own power and importance, and ultimate weakened and betrayed her own cause to stay on top. That being said, she was always an interesting character. Her ending was very fitting to fall to the very bottom.

With Rand, I sometimes wonder if the mistakes he made as Lews Therin contribute to a depression. He failed, bad, as Lews Therin, killed everyone he loved, and doomed the world he loved. I feel once Rand realized who he had been, and the enormity of that guilt, it would hit him hard. Especially since he's already hurt and wounded by the events of his current life, and the deep trauma of the list he keeps in his head of the dead. Just my thought.

True, and I'm not saying as a person she's tragic. I'm more saying her potential and it's wasting was tragic.

I've re read the series a few times, and my take on Lanfear is of a more tragic figure. Yes, she's power hungry, selfish, arrogant, and a hundred other things. Seeing her story however makes me think. We have a wildly talented and intelligent lady, as powerful in saidar as a woman can be. She's passed over for a third name over and over. And becomes even more bitter, twisted, and hungry for the power she's denied. She becomes consumed by her rage and power hunger. Lews Therin becomes a stand in proper for everything she hungers for. Even when she's offered redemption she can't see past who she hungers to be, to what she could be (something even greater than a world queen etc). I always found that sad, a tragic waste of her potential on an impossible standard of power. Thoughts?

I've re read a few times. It's a fantastic experience! My advice is take a break when you hit book 8. I found with the slower pace of 9 and 10, the break helped me reset from the previous action.

I remember Machin Shin as being described as eating souls. I wonder though, does it eat them, or absorb them? It's described as chanting voices a lot. Then again, those voices could be a reflection of the madness of male Aes Sedai. Or maybe both. Perhaps Machin Shin is the madness made manifest, absorbing souls into it, until they go mad from the experience forever.