This is the Wheel of Time Reread Redux, Johnny. Do you have a problem with that? NO MERCY!! Yeah!
Today’s Redux post will cover the end of The Dragon Reborn, originally reread in this post, and a discussion of Where We’re At re: bloggening. OOOOOHHH
All original posts are listed in The Wheel of Time Reread Index here, and all Redux posts will also be archived there as well. (The Wheel of Time Master Index, as always, is here, which has links to news, reviews, interviews, and all manner of information about the Wheel of Time in general on Tor.com.)
The Wheel of Time Reread is also available as an e-book series! Yay!
All Reread Redux posts will contain spoilers for the entire Wheel of Time series, so if you haven’t read, read at your own risk.
And now, the post!
Before we begin: Since I once again didn’t do it in the original commentary, a last-post look at the cover art for TDR!
And, well. Other than the general inaccuracy of the scene, given that neither Mat nor Perrin were anywhere near the Heart of the Stone when Rand took Callandor, and Moiraine was, TDR’s cover was one of the less offensive to my sensibilities. The only real sticking point for me was Rand’s clothes.
Like, what is he wearing here? What is going on with his left side? Is that a half-cape, possibly the most pretentiously ridiculous piece of men’s clothing ever invented? Or does he have his coat slung over one shoulder for some inexplicable reason? Whatever it is, I hate it. Haaaate.
Nor do I think, by the way, that Mat had quite progressed to neck ruffs and shoulder puffs in his sartorial choices either at this point. Later, sure, but I’m pretty sure that this is not a coat one chooses to go skulking around roofs and blowing up impregnable fortresses with. Also, Perrin doesn’t carry a shield, and his headband makes me wonder if he’s gonna try and sweep the leg, but now I’m just nitpicking.
Other than that, though, it’s fine, I guess. Onward!
Chapter 56: People of the Dragon
Redux Commentary
In the original commentary for this chapter, I talked about how TDR is the last book in the series where there was storyline convergence. Or, in other words, for the first three books, no matter how separated their individual storylines were, Our Heroes always ended up together again by the end of each book, but from TSR onward, this was no longer the case.
I also opined at the time that while it was an inevitable consequence of the sheer scope of the story Jordan was writing, it did still seem to make each individual installment a little less satisfying than the first three had been. What didn’t occur to me at the time I wrote that, was that it would continue to be true all the way through the end of the series.
I’ve talked about this before, so I will try not to belabor the point too much, but it’s worth reiterating: I really was quite disappointed that Rand, Mat, Perrin, Egwene, Nynaeve, Moiraine, Thom, and Lan – the original party that left the Two Rivers in TEOTW – never got to all be in the same room again before the whole thing was over. Actually I’m disappointed we didn’t get a chance to see the whole crew in the same room – i.e. all of the above plus Min, Elayne, and Aviendha. And Faile, probably. Even though I am well aware that such a scene would be a logistical nightmare to write.
But really, I think I would have been satisfied had we at least gotten to see Rand, Mat, and Perrin together again. The Supergirls got lots of chances to see each other over the course of the series even when they were separated, thanks to Tel’aran’rhiod Teleconference™, but while Mat and Perrin each individually hang out with Rand for a period of time, and get one brief scene in TOM (I think) to see each other, after TDR all three of them are never together in one place again. I’m pretty sure I’m up to the point of harping on this, but it really did bother me, guys. It’s things like this that drive people to write fanfiction, I imagine.
But anyway! The point is, for this book Our Heroes are indeed all together again. Er, even if we don’t actually get to see them all together again. And even if, technically, Perrin’s still only in the immediate area, not the Stone itself. But we know they will be all in the same place. You know, off-screen.
Sigh.
All that aside, though, TDR concludes extremely satisfactorily taken on its own. The invasion of the Stone is a rather tiny campaign compared to the scope of what will come later, but for this early on, its size was actually perfectly appropriate. Not the big one, but a good ramp-up to what’s coming later. I Approve.
Thus ends The Dragon Reborn, and thus ends, incidentally, this phase of the Wheel of Time Reread Redux.
It’s probably not too surprising, really – or at least I think it shouldn’t be. The Shadow Rising, the fourth book in the series, is where the original Reread changed, because it was right around that time that Team Jordan announced that A Memory of Light, the final volume Brandon Sanderson was contracted to finish to round out the end of the Wheel of Time series, was in fact going to be three volumes, published over a period of years, instead of the one huge book we’d thought it was going to be when I was invited to do this Reread in the first place.
So instead of having only 5 to 6 months to get through all the previously published books in the series, as we had originally thought, I suddenly had years to do it. And thus, understandably, I quickly decided to stop killing myself trying to get through 5+ chapters a week when it was no longer necessary to do so. Which was great for me at the time, but it also meant that my commentary (and summaries) of each of the chapters became much more in-depth than they were previously. Which was great for you at the time, or so I fondly imagine, but it also meant that the Redux Reread, post-TDR, suddenly has a lot less to talk about than it had previously, on a chapter-by-chapter basis, than had already been covered by the original Reread.
Ergo, in the interests of not wasting either your or my time, the Redux Reread is going to take a slightly different tack from here forward. Instead of going on a chapter-by-chapter basis, as I have been doing, the Redux Reread is going to take a slightly broader approach from now on.
Since the entire purpose of the Redux Reread was to address my reactions to the overall story once I knew what the actual ending of it was going to be, from here forward I think we’re going to concentrate on addressing my reactions from when I actually have something different to say than when I first, er, had a reaction to it. So rather than go on a chapter-by-chapter basis, from here on out I am going to skip to the chapters where I actually have something significantly different to say, and leave the rest. A sort of cherry-picking arrangement, if you will.
To help reduce confusion, I am also going to be reintroducing chapter summaries into the posts, so you don’t have to link all over hell and gone to follow along. In addition to this, I will also be doing what I’ll refer to as spotlight essays, in which I will concentrate on one particular character or theme in WOT and how he/she/it evolved over the course of the series.
Basically it’s all a little undefined, how we’re going to proceed with the Wheel of Time, but I guarantee you it’s all going to be fun. Because that’s why we’re all here, right? I shan’t let you down, my Rereaders!
But in concurrence with my general slowing-down M.O., we’re also going to be moving to a slower publishing rate. Ergo, starting effective today, the Redux Reread is moving to an every-other-week schedule, alternating with my new blog series on Tor.com, the Movie Rewatch of Great Nostalgia, which y’all should totally check out if you haven’t already, because it is stupid fun.
So! In sum, what’s happening is, the Redux Reread will still go on, but in slower and broader fashion than it has previously. And I do devoutly hope that you will come back in two weeks’ time and join me in in our continuing endeavor of Seeing How It All Goes Now We Know The Ending, right? Right!
And I do have to say, at this time, that I have nothing but the most mad respect and hella love for alla y’all who have followed me throughout this journey, which has been years longer than I think anyone ever expected when it all began, lo these many years ago. I have met and known some of the most amazing people as a result of this thing, and while I have given y’all props before, there is no reason why I shouldn’t give you more, and so I will.
You are a kickass bunch of people, sez me, and I am honored that we are all on this strange and lovely fandom journey together. This will go on, and I hope very much that there will be even more things for us all to be excited about in the future. Stick with me, kids; we’re gonna have fun, I guarantee it.
But for now, here is where we stop! I love you all to itty bitty bits, and I will be back in two weeks with more WOT yumminess for you to consume, I swear! In the meantime, cheers!
Leigh, it’s been a fun ride. thanks. I stuck around this long, I can’t imagine I’ll be going anywhere else for the long haul.
With the exception of Mat and Lan, all those who left Two Rivers together (plus Rand’s harem) were all at the Field of Merrilor for the Team Light summit.
In retrospect, I was surprised that Rhuarc revealed that the Aiel are the People of the Dragon. One could argue that it was the ta’veren effect of Rand and Mat. The more we saw of the Aiel throughout the series, it was unlikely that a clan chief would ever reveal that knowledge to Rand without further knowing those individuals he told better. At this point, Rand is not yet He Who Comes With the Dawn. Had he not gone to Rhuiadan, the Aiel would have left Rand.
Leigh, as you are moving this re-read to an every other week schedule (on those weeks where you do not have a movie watch review), would you be willing to move this re-read to Thursdays? That way both the WoT re-re-read and the movie re-watch are on the same days. It will make it easier to keep track of when a new posting will occur.
Re the cover — I thought it was cool that the TDR book was in the background in a scene in Wolf. Wolf deals with the effects of Jack Nicholson’s character, who is a fantasy/science fiction author, having been bitten by a werewolf. Early on in the movie, Jack Nicholson is in a meeting in his publisher’s office. One of the books on the publisher’s bookshelf is TDR. You can tell by the picture of Ishamael on the book’s spine.
Thanks for reading my musings.
AndrewHB
My favorite thing about the cover is Ishamael on the spine…it just looks cool, especially when looking at the whole cover at once and seeing this scary floating head. Or maybe that’s just me!
I’m glad it’s not THE end! I knew that there wasn’t really any more reason to do the in depth analysis, but I DID feel like we would be missing out by not getting to at least discuss reactions/rereads of the books that were read before all 3 final books were out, now that we have the new information. It totally bugged the nerd complete-ist in me! But now we’re not, yay!
Not that I really have much to say these days; I’m more or less along for the ride and to read other people’s stuff.
Looking forward to the new format. I really like the idea of the spotlight essays!
Re: the cover art for TDR, I’m in 100% agreement with everything Leigh said. One additional thing, though: I love this Callandor. I really, really don’t like that it’s curved, in the books. It just feels wrong like that. I always picture the Sword in the Stone (as you do) as the basis for it in form, not just in legend.
Imagine Rand scaling the stone of Tear in that getup.
Thank you Leigh, I may not comment often, but have been here for the long haul. I remember, when I finally got the last book in paperback, that I had been reading this series for more than half my life. You’ve been a part of that and I thank you again.
Thank you, Leigh. I’ve been enjoying both the redux and the original reread as I go through my second time with the series. WoT has literally changed my life as I met my wife thanks to these novels, and you’ve been part of all that. I’m looking forward to the new format and seeing how it works out.
#5: I’m betting that outfit would be neither clean nor intact by the time he got to Callandor! Thanks for the chuckle.
First off. Sweep the Leg, Johnny.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3iYmgDJ4FE
If you haven’t watched that music video, you must, go. Do it. Do it now! A huge percentage of the cast of Karate Kid agreed to be part of it. Including Sensei Kreese and, of course, Johnny.
Ahem. Now that we’ve got that out of the way – I agree that the cover of tDR is the least offensive in terms of actually sorta being plot-correct, so far. The Shadow Rising’s isn’t bad either. I’m just going to jump ahead to Lord of Chaos and talk about how it’s the worst book cover like…ever. Is this Wheel of Time or Harlequin Romance? Yeesh.
Glad to hear the Reread Redux continues!
@8 – it’s called “Load of Choss.” Get with the program.
@7 – these books led to you meeting your spouse? Let me guess – you were carrying all 16 of them, plus Legends I with its original version of New Spring, you hurt your back and she’s the nurse or doctor or physical therapist who treated you. Right….
@6 – “…more than half of your life….” Gulp. Does that mean you are in early teens?
@1 – Hi Sam! *waves*
*sadly puts the half-cape back in the wardrobe* Ahem! Yes, I agree 100% about the cover art. Both that this probably one of the better and more evocative covers by DS, and that it has inaccuracies. I will say that the Aiel and Ishy look really good, and they–along with Callandor–really help take the focus off the superboy’s attire. In addition to Rand/Mat being overly foppish, Perrin underscores the point by dressing like he is responding to a casting call to Conan the Barbarian filmed in the 80’s (because headbands make everything better in the 80’s!). I can just see him showing up embarrassed and saying “Nobody told me there was a dress code! I just came in my Jane Fonda workout clothes”
I always had two minds concerning getting the original crew back together at the end: yes, it would have been nice for plot symmetry and closure, but the characters had grown so much and the plot spun so out of control, it would have been (as Leigh says) a nightmare to write and would probably end up feeling forced and more like fan service than anything else.
Hi Rob *waves*
@9 and 7 – actually, the books led to me meeting my spouse too. I have a journal on a journaling site (the original one we were on is now defunct) and you were allowed to add various interests to your journal. When my husband joined the site a few years later, he clicked on the Wheel of Time interest and saw that I was about his age and female (haha) so he clicked on it and saw that I had several other geeky and/or Catholic interests he also shared, and so we became friends. This actually did not have anything to do with us dating nor was our online relationship romantic or out of the ordinary in any way – we ended up both moving to the same city at the same time for post graduate studies (that sounds more stalkery than it actually was) so decided we should hang out and things moved from there :)
Hey Leigh, I’ve never commented here before but since this is changing I have to ask: do you ever think about writing your own novels?
As funny, precise and captivating as you are with these rereads I oftentimes wonder if anyone at Tor has approached you about it. Seems like it’s a thing people should think about. I always think about the “Waterboy” when I see you write these, where your obvious writing talent is a stand in for Bobby Boucher’s football powers…
Except apparent and not concealed in this case.
Anyhow, if you’ve ever thought about please know I for one would be first in line to buy a book by you.
Leigh, you could just write 5 chapters at once. I hate thinking you might skip something important, at least until we get to the, uh, slower novels….
Onward!
May the hunny live again!
Hey leigh, why not review the new cover art for wot that’s been released going forward? I’d like to see what you think of those.
In regards to the lack of a big reunion scene in aMoL: I wonder if that is one of the things which will change in the TV series.
I have to admit I thought you were going to end the WOT ReRead here and now. I breathed a sigh of relief when I realized that the format was changing versus the ReRead ending. I’m a bit disappointed the ReRead will be biweekly but am still grateful to have the series continue.
I had no idea that was Perrin on the book cover. I thought maybe it was some radical Aiel. And I didn’t realize it was Rand climbing up the side of the building when Mat made mention of a figure climbed the stone wall. At the time I read all the books one after another I didn’t really think about the details. I just wanted to know what happened to the characters!
Thanks for the post Leigh. Sad it will be bi-weekly but you gotta do what you gotta do. I hope you won’t skip too much though.
As for the cover – well this actually started my WOT journey and in many ways my journey as a fantasy writer and artist.
I found the Wheel of Time when I was nine years living abroad in a wild and exciting country (fitting starting point for picking up a fantasy book!) But I couldn’t read it then because the house I was in only had Books 3 and 4 not the first two and there was no English bookstores in the city (and no proper internet in those days – yes I am that old!). But to this day I remember being so inspired by the covers and the titles – ‘The Dragon Reborn’ ) and ‘The Shadow Rising . In a way they set my path – my own journey in ‘the Pattern’, long before I knew anything about the actual books themselves. I could only look at the covers, read the glossary and wonder…Years later I finally picked up EOTW and well that Prologue huh…Funny though Ive always been interested in the world that the cover and blurb on the back creates in our minds and how it differs from the actual book. I yearn to recapture that feeling even if I adore the book I read (like WOT). Sort of a Lost World thing I guess.
But yes Ive always found, like a lot of people, the Sweet covers a little odd and the clothes here strange but fun. Rand also keeps morphing appearances on every cover. Talk about Mask of Mirrors, perhaps this is why the Shadow couldn’t find him until the Plot I mean the Pattern demanded it.
@9 Load of Choss haha
I’m pretty sure that technically, Rand, Mat, Perrin (and Moiraine, Nynaeve & Thom) were all at Shayol Ghul at the end of aMoL… Not that the Superboys got to interact at all, with Rand both inside Shayol Ghul and outside the Pattern, Mat outside, and Perrin (with Gaul and later Lanfear) in TaR.
Been a good reading!
Hope you make a mention, or put in a segue, Segue, between the chapters you skip, for sake of completeness. Like a brief segment of what went on between. That would be ever so nice to read, I’ll comment where I have something!
I’ve always loved this cover the most. Sweet knew how to do architecture. Even if his humans were off.
I check in just in time to see the format change! Good to know. It will be fun to watch how it happens.
@@@@@ RobRob re:6 – Age, not necessarily. I’ve been reading the books for 23 years. Found them when I was 14, so more than half my life. But Leigh and all here have been part of my experience for 5 years. At this point, I have a hard time separating my love of the books and the love I have with the friends who read the books. Only 3 of them, do I live anywhere close to physically.
And Mat’s travails with the Maidens begins! LOL… Also, how in character that it’s Nynaeve who’s worried about the danger to Perrin while Egwene zeroes in on his companion.
Moiraine is quite right to point out the importance of the unbroken seal; in a series like this where everything is metaphysical and symbolic, Rand having “lost” before (because Ishamael got away, even if the fights at the Eye, Tarwin’s Gap, and Falme were otherwise victories) but finally winning this time by killing Ishamael would naturally carry through to the seals breaking/not breaking. Though it makes what happens to the Tanchico seal interesting; Nynaeve defeats Moghedien, Elayne rescues Amathera, they escape the Black Ajah, so the seal is rescued whole. But when they get to Salidar it has broken. Is this because the Dark One is just getting stronger, or is it because of the failures undermining the Supergirls’ victories? (The Domination Band not getting disposed of; Ronde Macura; the circus and Samara; bringing Moghedien to Salidar.)
Re: the People of the Dragon–ah Moiraine, if only you remembered later your line here about prophecies being fulfilled as they are meant to be, not how we might wish them to be! Also, although Rhuarc’s explanation is obviously correct (and corroborated by what Rand learns about the Da’shain in the columns), I can’t help thinking Mat is right too. Since in their own way, everyone who was in the Stone (him, Perrin, Moiraine, Lan, and the Supergirls) are all allies and followers of Rand whether they admit it or not, so they are People of the Dragon too. What makes this even more likely is Leigh’s point (past and present) about this being the last book of the series where all the heroes come together again for the ending.
While obviously Jordan was doing this for a narrative purpose, and ceasing to do so later was as much about the expansion of the story into so many disparate threads as a decision to dispense with symmetry, a point could well be made that this is the last time (before Shayol Ghul) where they all had to be together in the same place for the Pattern to be woven as intended–and hence perhaps why some of the reasons they all ended up there (Perrin and Mat especially, but also the coven and the Supergirls) came across as a bit contrived. So it stands to reason that if all the main heroes had to be there for this most prophetic of moments (the one that proved Rand was the real Dragon), that would mean they are all as much the People of the Dragon as the Aiel.
Ishamael/Ba’alzamon: I have to hearken back to my earlier commentary on the subject, that Verin studying that document right when Egwene came to visit her was no happenstance, and so Egwene figuring it out here and telling Moiriane was exactly what Verin intended–she wanted Ba’alzamon’s true identity exposed (he was the most likely one to be giving Verin her Black Ajah orders, so she’d know of him being out and using the Ba’alzamon name), and she did it the way she did so as not to abrogate her Oaths to the Dark One.
“Mat notices the girls’ faces become resolved, and thinks they needn’t think he’ll come rescue them again.” That’s what you think, Master Cauthon!
Berelain: her explanation that she acted as a messenger because the woman who told her to do it was “impressive” seems to hint at Lanfear using Compulsion again. And that, like with Perrin, it must have been a lighter form of it, since Berelain otherwise remains herself as far as we can tell. (We never get a POV from her, which is interesting.) What irony too, that Lanfear had the perfect opportunity here to Compel Berelain to pursue Perrin but didn’t (because we know from what she tells Faile later that it was her own reasoning and desires behind it), and that if she had also planted any suggestions in Perrin’s head when she was haunting him in TAR earlier she could have prevented her death at Shayol Ghul–if it had been Compelled love for Berelain Perrin felt instead of real love for Faile, she could have removed it and he would have been her puppet in truth. Thank goodness at this point Lanfear was of course still focused only on Rand!
On that note, the message Berelain was made to deliver was so practically identical to what Lanfear told Min at the end of TGH that I had to wonder why she bothered. Was this another artifact (like all the characters coming together again at the end and Rand facing Ishy three times) of the first part of WOT being split by Jordan into three volumes–i.e., he originally intended Lanfear to say/write this only once–or is it because Lanfear basically wanted to announce herself to everyone here, while in TGH she was only there to Heal Rand and thus only was able to give one brief message to the only person there (Min)? Or maybe she thought Min wouldn’t/hadn’t told anyone her first message. Though it could also be Jordan included this to sort of wrap up Lanfear’s subplot in TDR (seeing as how she was the one who got the Supergirls there) and to set up for her appearing to Rand in the Stone in the next book.
Also: apparently Berelain made good on her “offer” to dine with Rhuarc, and this is what led to his lecture and her being treated like a daughter by him and the Wise Ones’ affection? Or did that never get to happen because of the incident in Rand’s bedroom with the mirror images?
Re: all the characters being together in one place again–while I understand the impetus toward desiring this in a symmetry/symbolism/full circle/narrative sense, even setting aside the impossible logistics of it, I have to point out something. Not only are the majority of these characters at Merrilor together even if not literally in the same tent (Rand, Perrin, Moiraine, Egwene, Nynaeve, Thom), with the additions of Faile, Elayne, Min, and Aviendha, and most of them are also present at Shayol Ghul, but even in the first book there were times when the characters weren’t all together–Mat goes out sightseeing in Baerlon, Thom goes out advertising his staying at the Stag and Lion, then Rand goes out to explore while Perrin stays in his room. (And Nynaeve isn’t even with them yet.) They do all come together at the private dining room, and again in the common room, then they all go out on the road…and then in Shadar Logoth the Superboys go off on their own.
But I suppose the overall point is that despite these brief separations they still remain a cohesive group until Shadar Logoth. (Another LOTR parallel of course–although the actual division of the Fellowship didn’t happen until Rauros, Moria was where they lost Gandalf, Moiraine wanted to avoid Shadar Logoth as much as Gandalf did Moria, Thom pulls a “Run, you fools!” to Mat and Rand, and it’s not long after this that he finishes his Gandalf reference by sacrificing himself in Whitebridge (Gandalf the White plus Bridge of Khazad-dum?).)
Anyway, I guess the point still stands since even if they weren’t always together before separating, and they were mostly all together at Merrilor, there wasn’t an acknowledgement of this or a scene of them actually all together, so it didn’t have the feel Leigh was looking for. Ah well.
The cover: despite the issues with all the Superboys, this also has always been one of my favorite WOT covers. There’s Sweet’s usual wonderful use of color (the redstone columns are very striking and eye-catching, as well as the glowing Callandor), I love how the Aiel and the Defenders look on the back cover, and Ishamael is wonderfully creepy and evil on the spine, complete with True Power darkness manifestation. (I think I hadn’t even noticed him at first.) The only thing I can critique besides everyone’s clothes and their presence (though I can understand why having the main heroes all present would be too strong a pull to ignore, and technically they were all there, and Mat at least did see Rand, if not with Callandor) is Perrin’s axe. Because I kind of thought it was bigger than that? *shrugs*
As to the future of the Re-read Redux…while part of me had hoped we might go through the other books again too, at least up to KoD, I can understand why this would be avoided in favor of addressing just what is different/remarkable in light of knowing the end of the series now, plus the fact it was only the first three books that were rushed in terms of summation and commentary. And I was curious from the beginning to see the essays Leigh promised us on character arcs, prophecy, symbolism, and various other themes throughout WOT, so I am very much looking forward to that as well as the touching back on only certain points/chapters/arcs throughout the other books that bear re-examination in light of the ending. Also I’d be lying if I said having a slower pace wouldn’t please me, what with work and my life making it harder for me to stay up-to-date. (Though my recent absence was actually due to losing my Net connection for a while.) Plus if I really feel like it, I can always go back to the original Re-read and add in my own very late commentary there. While not everything bears commenting on, especially this long after the fact, and some entries were locked for various reasons, I can probably find most of the items from books 4 through 11 that I might wish to talk about. And at my leisure too! So there’s that.
Regardless, I very much look forward to what is coming. Whether I will comment on it depends on the exact content of a given entry, but I’ll certainly be reading and enjoying with fascination. And I have been so very grateful to read this, to enjoy Leigh’s summations and commentaries as well as most everyone’s responses, debates, input, and outside knowledge brought to bear, to get to know some of you, and to even introduce WOT to others I know via this blog (which has helped them approach Jordan’s prose when otherwise they wouldn’t or couldn’t).
So thanks for everything, Leigh, everyone. Here’s to what’s ahead!
@2 AndrewHB: I think you’re quite right about why Rhuarc revealed it. And of course keep in mind not only is Rand in the Stone, but Mat is right there in the room with him, while Perrin is out in the city, so with three ta’veren working on him… (This could be another reason why, as I theorized above, all the heroes had to be together for this moment but for no other till Shayol Ghul, because this revelation was so important and would set the stage for everything that came after.)
@@.-@ PallonianFire: Good point. I am glad Callandor is different to make it unique, but I have to agree I always pictured it as straight as well.
@5 nipper: LOL!
@8 KalvinKingsley: Really? Little Woman on the Oregon Trail? :P I do agree that it’s at least accurate in terms of who and what it’s showing–Rand and Mat were together at that point, I can only assume that’s a gai’shain since Egwene certainly never served them like that, and of course they did travel with Kadere’s cart through the Waste, which would fit some of the scenery (Leigh did compare some of its descriptions to the badlands of the American Southwest, while the Zuni people from there were one of the Aiel’s antecedents). But the execution of it all is still a bit…ennnh. I totally agree about LoC though…Whiskey Tango Foxtrot?
@9 RobM: *snerks, since the Companion has told us what choss actually means in the Old Tongue* Funnily enough though, LoC is one of the middle books that actually isn’t as throwaway/unimportant/less worthwhile as calling it a “load of choss” would imply. :P
@10 gadget: Or even that Perrin might randomly call out “Adrian!” perhaps? ;)
@13 Some Guy: I have to agree re: Leigh’s literary talents, but I believe she has a different occupation/activity keeping her busy these days, or soon will.
@16 Ed: I thought she had already done that to some degree? She certainly makes reference to them on the entries in the original re-read where the scene depicted took place and when she chose to use them as the blog header pics. Or did you mean directly within the re-read, and more specifically her thoughts on the pros/cons of the art?
@17 Wizard72: I wouldn’t be surprised, considering the series is a visual medium, fans will be more eager to see everybody come together, and I imagine both the actors and the director/producers will want to work together again.
@19 Stasaphire: LOL, that’s a great explanation for Rand’s changing appearance! Though didn’t Mat and Perrin change to some degree too? Mirror of Mists doesn’t work to explain it there. :P
@20 bungo: Also technically (if you believe it was really her and not just in Rand’s head) Egwene came to Rand outside the Pattern after her death, so even she was sort of there.
Hi all,
I am very sorry, but owing to a rather serious and on-going medical situation (a family member’s, not mine), I was not able to finish today’s Reread post. I will keep you guys posted in the comments here on what’s happening next. In the meantime, please keep my family in your thoughts if you would, we’ve been having a rough couple of weeks. Thanks.
Sorry to hear that. Best wishes.
-AndrewHB
Sending good thoughts to your family, Leigh!
Sorry to hear about this situation, all the best wishes for your family Leigh!