The Gathering Storm - Summary

The Gathering Storm is the most intense book of The Wheel of Time so far, profiling the meteoric rise of Egwene and the chronicle of Rand’s disastrous shunning of emotion and love. As one rises, the other falls. Both live through memorable scenes of triumph even as they follow opposing trajectories.

Rand is subjected to the most personal and traumatic of tortures. He overcomes them by turning his back on the Light and his friends, coming to see everyone as a thing to be used to advance his quest, failing to see them as people at all. In this distant emotional state, he has the power to do anything, but lacks the imperative to do anything at all. He follows the prophecies as though it were a script, playing his part with no care for how he interacts with the other players.

Egwene’s subtle resistance to Elaida’s physical and personal humiliation of her wins allies of ever-increasing rank. Novices, Aes Sedai, and Sitters all come to respect her, culminating in Verin entrusting her with her life’s work. The support she has built allows her to take on power during a Seanchan raid in which she singlehandedly hands the raiders a defeat. Egwene has demonstrated she embodies the best traits of all Ajahs, and reunites the factions of the White Tower under her rule.  

These two heroes stand at counterpoint to each other, Egwene demonstrating how to gain followers, and Rand demonstrating how to lose them. Egwene unites feuding factions while Rand can’t reach simple temporary agreement with the Seanchan nipping at him. Many dueling forces stand between Rand and victory: the Seanchan against the mainland nations, the male channelers against female channelers, Lews Therin against his own soul, Moridin’s nihilistic philosophy against the hopes espoused by Cadsuane and Nynaeve. All of these opposing forces must be reconciled, demanding sacrifice in the form of discomfort, concession, and acceptance.

Since the book is co-authored by Brandon Sanderson, the question of who wrote individual scenes in The Gathering Storm is inevitable. In the early part of the book, the difference in writing style from Robert Jordan’s earlier work is jarring, yet before long, the story takes hold of the reader, and the fate of Rand, Egwene, Verin, and other favourite characters overrides any apparent dissonance. By the time Rand finds himself in Semirhage’s clutches, the pace of the story carries the reader forward.

If Brandon has committed any sin in his handling of the story, it is one he could never overcome: he is not Robert Jordan.

Robert Jordan was facing his own mortality as he wrote this book, and must have found himself uncomfortably in the shoes of several of his characters. In the legend of Manetheren, in Seanchan imperial culture, in the Malkieri vows, in the historical truth shown in the glass columns of Rhuidean, there have been trans-generational commitments; tasks so vast, so important, that each generation must pick up the duty from their forefathers, and carry the burden onward. Best summarized in this passage from The Shadow Rising:

“I mean to save something here, and that something is you.”

“As you say,” he said reluctantly. “We will care for what you have given into our charge until you want them again.”

“Of course. The things we gave you.” She smiled at him and loosened her grip, smoothing his hair once more before folding her hands.

Like Verin in this book, Robert Jordan entrusted his work to loved ones who understood and could finish what he set out to accomplish. The words of the story and the order they appear in are merely things, unimportant compared to the messages they contain, the resolution of the characters’ quests, or the battle against the Shadow which permeates the story. Fighting the Shadow is more than one man can do alone. Rand tried that in this very story, and failed. Working together, the keepers of Robert Jordan’s legacy forged ahead with the story as he wished, knowing the criticisms that would be leveled, cognizant of the difficulties in living up to the level of his work, understanding that hesitation might cost the opportunity to ever complete it.

“So many decisions you must make, for one so young.” She yawned, then grimaced as a pain stabbed her.

Egwene rose, walking to Verin’s side. “Thank you, Verin. Thank you for choosing me to carry this burden.”

My thanks also.

Writing Lessons:

You are a writer. Never quit, never give up.

The Gathering Storm - Chapters 21-23

In this section, one of the most intense scenes in the series unfolds.

This blog had its 10,000th visitor last week while I was facing writer’s block over this extra-lengthy post. Thanks for reading! Don't be shy, contact me if you have feedback, questions, or suggestions.

First, on a much less intense note, Perrin and Faile have a minor squabble as they try to reintegrate their lives together in the aftermath of her abduction and possible dalliances on the side for both of them. What intensity exists is quickly dissipated as Faile overlooks the odd, sorrowful gaze in his eyes, tells Perrin she does not believe the rumours about him and Berelain, and bluntly admits in her own thoughts that she did not sleep with Rolan. She explains that she is jealous, in one of those moments where the author lays bare the truth about how men and women act with each other.

I am bothered by the blunt treatment of this revelation. Throughout the series, I’ve shown how Robert Jordan consistently made almost every character, background, action, and description fit a theme and represent more than just the action on the surface. Masema was unbridled adherence to a code of behaviour, and Faile killed him in secret. Does that really mean nothing more than tying up a loose end? Galina, even as a Black Ajah, was truth, and she made a jumble of dirty timbers trap Faile. Did that mean nothing more than the betrayal it was? If Faile considered sleeping with Rolan for the possibility of escape, is it not possible that Perrin could do the same to tie Berelain to him and use her to free Faile? For those events to be devoid of deeper meaning  would signify that Robert Jordan had gone against the behaviour he exhibited over ten earlier novels, suddenly deciding that it was no longer appropriate to create layers of meaning so he could rush towards the end. That possibility rings far less true than Faile’s declaration that she did not sleep with Rolan. Sanderson’s writing style does not easily allow for unreliable narrators, given that he typically reveals emotions as facts, and not through the prism of that character’s world-view.

So, I’m left with the uncomfortable possibilities that either the text means exactly what it does on the surface, or that Sanderson deliberately or erroneously overlooked the cheating that took place off the page. I fully recognize that I am in the throes of one of those theory-making episodes spurred by having emotionally committed to a position in earlier posts, in fact, blogging in this format without complete knowledge of what is coming lends itself to this type of mania. Once you are committed to a point of view, even blunt evidence refuting it tends to be dismissed for the simple reason that it inconveniently contradicts what you know in your heart to be true. This sort of thing happened regularly at Theoryland, and really opened my eyes to how people think and why they think that way. But the disparity remains, and in my mind can only be resolved in favour of Jordan’s original intent. It is unfortunate that a blunt statement is given when it seems to me Jordan went out of his way to pointedly never show Perrin or Faile directly addressing what happened, choosing instead to focus on what other characters think happened. It strongly undermines the efforts put into several books covering their trials, unless you adhere to the point of view that Faile is lying even to herself.

Faile and her followers gather to remember the kindness of Rolan and the Brotherless. Her explanations and feelings fit perfectly with the stated facts. She keeps Rolan's turquoise stone, for remembrance, not regret. The Saldaean proverb is equally fitting for what the women remember as it would be had Faile actually slept with Rolan. The past was a field of embers and ash, the remnants of the fire that was the present. Faile's story arc is complete, she has proved what she will do to save Perrin, including keeping secret the facts about Rolan's death that would undermine Perrin's faith in himself. It's worth noting that Rolan's fate is similar to Rand's, dying to save the one he loves, willingly accepting his own destruction.

Just to reiterate one more time, I find the topic of unreliable narrators never revealing whether certain events ever took place fascinating, especially given the intense quote-based scrutiny fans apply to the text.

In any case, Faile’s character arc is complete, and there is nothing left to add except the obvious moment in the Last Battle when Perrin must choose between her and his duty to Rand. Jordan frequently used the technique of setting up several examples of growing significance before getting to the final version. Perrin made tough choices to save Faile in the Two Rivers, upon returning to Cairhien, and again when freeing her from the Shaido. The same scenario will crop up again in the Last Battle, and Min’s Viewing tells us something bad will happen to Rand if Perrin isn’t there. Perrin will not be there, and the bad thing will happen to Rand, because Perrin has consistently chosen Faile over all else. Don’t be sidetracked by Sanderson’s text stating that Perrin thinks only the Last Battle matters.

Semirhage’s collaring of Rand is the most intense version yet of Rand being held prisoner by fate. Ishamael ranted about this repeatedly in the early books, and Rand denied being trapped by the Wheel. Rand was captured by Aes Sedai and beaten, yet broke free. Rand was locked away in darkness in Far Madding, and was freed. And now, Rand is finally, utterly trapped. The Black collar and bracelets are the latest, and most potent, representation of the eternal theme of will vs. fate. As one in a series of such events, the build-up to this moment is part of the fabric of the series, beyond the particular words used in this book building up to this scene.

When Rand frees himself, he does so by using the True Power, the Dark One’s own abilities, accessed through a surprising link between himself and Moridin. The True Power allows reality to be reformed according to the user’s will, typically by replicating alternate versions of weaves the user already knows. Unconstrained by any force, Rand is able to do whatever he wants, unlimited by anything so far as he can tell. This is the power of freedom, and free will.

Cadsuane represents the Light, and Semirhage represents living completely outside the Light. When the confrontation is done, Rand has decided to live outside the Light, relying solely on his newfound power. Let's take a closer look at the symbolism and how it is subtly presented.

Semirhage sat alone in the small room. They had taken away her chair and given her no lantern or candle. She is literally cut off from the Light. What light she desires is man-made: glow-bulbs.

Semirhage considers resisting Cadsuane in the same manner Egwene resists her captors. Unlike Egwene who sees each punishment as an opportunity to show resistance, Semirhage has no victory to claim from each punishment. She can embrace pain easily, it is torture of the spirit she is unprepared for since her focus is entirely on the physical, not the spiritual. 

Shaidar Haran lists her failures, not least of which is the loss of the entire Seanchan Empire as pawns.   Rand was not to be killed, but is that by the Dark One's order, or out of concern for the link with Moridin? Even Moridin wasn't fully aware of their link until Rand lost his hand, so keeping him alive must have been part of the Dark One's plan.

Semirhage's cold detachment established her usual behaviour, so when she is anxious upon hearing Shaidar Haran's voice, and she holds her breath opening the door to her cell, tension is immediately created. Returning to her prior state of mind as she learns her captors are dead, she has an ally, and the black bracelets and collar are in her hands, the tension increases even as it shifts targets, for readers must recognize the immediate danger to Rand.

A time-honoured technique in horror is to tell the reader what awful event is about to take place, and then to delay showing it for as long as possible. As soon as Rand's name begins the next section, readers expect the confrontation, but the author delays it by showing Rand engaged in mundane affairs in Saldaea. It is more effective that Rand's affairs are ordinary, simply giving orders to his generals, rather than being riveting or action-oriented. The reader could understand if Rand is surprised because he is distracted by important affairs, but the feeling of being blind-sided is more palpable when he is going through, what are for him, everyday motions.

Rand reflects that the most dangerous enemies are those who you thought you could trust, while Lews Therin rails that none of the Asha'man can be trusted, they will turn on him. This sets up his frame of mind for embracing the True Power later and also for blaming Cadsuane. Rand thought he could trust the Pattern, and the Light to guide him, and has been sorely disappointed so far.

Rand reflects on invasions, both the physical ones in Saldaea and Arad Doman, as well as the metaphysical presence of Moridin in his dreams. Semirhage waits to conduct a personal invasion into Rand's quarters, and the reader can't help feeling that Rand will now be blind-sided as he ponders the very thing he is about to face.

Rand focuses on the one person he does trust, wondering if he can trust her far enough to do as she says and not become hard. The reader can’t tell if this scene takes place before, during or after Semirhage’s escape, so far all they know Min has already become a pawn of Semirhage’s. The uncertainty created by keeping that detail from the reader heightens the tension further.

There is no coincidence in the timing or nature of the argument between Rand and Min. Rand worries that Cadsuane is trying to manipulate him through her, and mistrusts her motives. On the verge of turning on Min because of her possible association with Cadsuane, Rand is in fact contemplating turning his back on the Light itself. And then Semirhage collars him. Language relating to constraint and feeling trapped is used frequently in horror scenes, telling readers that the outcome is terrible, yet dragging them inexorably towards that outcome. This scene plays out bit by bit with visceral and literal horrific constraints placed on Rand and Min.

The collar itself forces obedience to the will of the woman wearing the bracelet, in this case Semirhage. Rand is forced to act according to her logic, a logic that places no value in the emotion of love. He is forced to destroy Min, for she serves no purpose in a world with no love. Even though Rand is able to free himself of Semirhage’s constraints, he has still embraced her way of thinking, shutting down his emotions, closing himself off from love and the Light.

When Rand uses the True Power, Lews Therin’s rantings about it replace tension with dread. How can it be worse to use the True Power than to murder his own loved ones?

Rand banishes Cadsuane, saying he never wants to see her face again, completing his metaphorical rejection of the Light. Following a logic focused on the outcome, not the means, Rand teaches balefire, insisting on its use.

Writing Lessons:

Guide the reader’s emotions as you building towards a climax by using the right language, establishing similar scenes to frame context, and pushing your characters beyond their limits.

The Gathering Storm - Chapters 17-20

In this section, new difficulties present themselves to the characters.

The way in which Brandon Sanderson jumps from character to character makes it harder to identify themes in the fifty-page portions I post about. Where in earlier books there was time to delve deep into a character’s psyche, in this format there is hardly time to start thinking in the same way the character does before the perspective changes to a new character. This format is a good fit for Sanderson’s sketchy descriptive style, where he is able to use minimal description to give the illusion of a fully-imagined location. Longer descriptions would hinder this jumping about, and would also have delayed publication in all likelihood. I can see ways in which several Cadsuane or Perrin viewpoints could have been combined into a longer single chapter or two to retain the format of earlier books. Sanderson may also have divided the chapters into these short bursts to better follow the chronological order of events, although the fact that Tuon is only now agreeing to meet Rand when her agreement was revealed to the Aiel several chapters earlier undermines that possibility.

Cadsuane breaks Semirhage by damaging her pride, and humiliating her. Semirhage will still never talk, but Cadsuane has at least proved who is the greater of the two. Recalling that in past books Cadsuane represented the Light itself, how can her interactions with Semirhage be viewed? On the surface, Semirhage represents pain, but her personality is sheer pride. She knows everything worth knowing, and whatever else Cadsuane may know is dismissed by Semirhage. She is cold and without feeling, the only emotions she expresses are calculated to raise her standing and diminish others. While Cadsuane knows that “a statue with no feelings could not face the Dark One”, she is faced with just such a personality in Semirhage. She has a staunch reliance on her intimate knowledge of the human body, seeing it only for its parts and treating the human spirit as worthless, something only to be destroyed.  Semirhage may dismiss the Light, or believe is has no bearing on her, yet Cadsuane’s simple punishment strikes at the core of her certainty very effectively.

Perrin can’t move refugees away quickly enough, and they cling to his protection, refusing to leave even if Gateways are provided. This is the second Perrin section in which he hardly spares a thought for Faile, concentrating on his unwanted leadership and his duty to Rand even though he has just complete a multi-volume single-minded quest to free Faile. While Perrin alludes to single-mindedness as his problem, and thinks he has a need to strike balance between these competing forces in his life, the switch to his current mindset is startling. The story demands that Perrin return to the Wolf Dream, and the rationale offered involves a character-driven plot that it is claimed has been set aside for some time. Perrin quite deliberately used his followers desire to follow him to serve his selfish purpose of freeing Faile, so it’s true that he doesn’t want to be their leader, and ignored that aspect of his personality in order to regain Faile. He used the wolves similarly, but now he resolves to treat both groups as they deserve, which has nothing to do with his broken relationship with Faile. The fact that he has dwelt this long on what still stands between them, when he has forgiven her any betrayal, implies that the fault still lies with him.

Since it’s unclear where Robert Jordan’s guidance ends and Brandon Sanderson’s ideas begin, I will accept general plot lines as being Jordan’s influence, but with Sanderson’s words telling them. This means that Perrin’s angst was planned by Jordan, and must have some deep-seated reason for existing. I still see this as confirmation of an event that Perrin doesn’t want to confirm, regarding his night with Berelain.

Grady explains the problem with moving so many refugees in engineering-lingo, placing a mathematical word problem in the text. It gets the point across, but does anyone in this fantasy world really calculate things with ‘per second’? A better suited measure would have been knowing how many men can march past a certain point in an hour, which has a practical application in the military forces of this world, and phrased the measurement as “Balwer and I figure we can move about seven thousand men through the gateway in an hour,” leaving Perrin to do the sums for his hundred thousand refugees.

Siuan learns Elaida can travel and figures out the implications for the army very quickly. With Sharina’s help, Siuan learns that Lelaine is trying to foment discord, and is angling to take over the rebels in Egwene’s absence. Again, this section could have been juxtaposed with Siuan’s earlier section, and presumably her later ones, to keep the format of earlier books.

Tuon hears of Trollocs in Altara, forgives Beslan for a rebellion, and prepares a raid on Tar Valon, before finally agreeing to meet Rand. After some reflection, it seems that Perrin, Mat and Tuon are in the same timeframe, while Rand’s sections may be several days ahead. It is certainly confusing and jumping from character to character with several days gap between each time we see them only adds to the confusion. The advantage of the format in earlier books is that readers had to perform these mental gymnastics once much less frequently. The disadvantage is when too many events are crammed into a single day, straining believability, yet it works quite effectively in this throne room scene, which compels characters to save their important business for this particular day.

Mat is in love, and is bound for Hinderstap. His section starts with rampant humour, which is startlingly out of place given the intensity and pacing of earlier chapters. Yet any humour has to be here, because in a few short chapters, the intensity will not allow for any humour but gallows humour.  

Writing Lessons:

Short viewpoints, writing style, description, pacing, and clarity all affect each other. Use them coherently so they support each other, and do not undermine each other.

The Gathering Storm - Chapters 2-5

In this section, the heroes slowly begin to think of the future beyond the Last Battle.

Egwene, forced to live as a Novice, must serve dinner to her antagonist, Elaida. Often, downcast roles of scullery maid or other menial roles showcase the hero’s ethics, hard-working, and struggling against odds, increasing the reader’s respect, which is probably why rising from a lowly birth station is an element in many traditional fantasy stories. Egwene’s struggle in the Tower is just such a plot, showing Egwene’s mounting ability to overcome physical abuse. Facing Elaida directly and being subjected to a more subtle and insidious mental abuse offers a different opportunity to do the same thing.

 Offering an example of what Elaida’s direct attention can do, we are shown Meidani, caught in a trap from which she cannot escape. Since Beonin betrayed Meidani’s identity, Elaida wasted no time in bringing her into proximity, so she can fully humiliate the woman, forcing her to research the very punishments she’ll have to endure once her true allegiance is revealed. Egwene realizes that direct confrontation with Elaida will end her crusade, but as soon as she decides to take a meek stance, Meidani is there to show the results. Elaida torments Meidani, a supposed confidante, relishing her power over the other woman. When Egwene arranges a distraction so she can also confide in Meidani, her gentle strength is in stark contrast to Elaida’s. Repeatedly, examples contrast Egwene’s behaviour with Elaida’s, almost always ending with someone considering what they have seen, comparing the two women. Egwene is being measured against Elaida, but no one has completely committed to her except for those with no choice in the matter.

Egwene understands by the end that physical pain is of no concern when compared to the pain of the spirit that comes from seeing what you love being rent by careless or bullying hands. This in turn stands in contrast to Rand’s plot, where he has been subjected to great physical pain, and is about to be put through an emotional wringer.

Similarly, Aviendha is being put to shaming work, as though she had no honour at all. She struggles to understand what the Wise Ones want of her, but is too proud to ask, and it is against her cultural upbringing in any case. Aviendha must figure it out on her own, as Egwene already have.

Gawyn has a short chapter, in which he questions whether he is on the right side. His reluctance to admit he chose wrongly when the Tower split has delayed this introspection. The realization that he faces his old mentor is presented as the instigating reason why he has reached a moral impasse, and must choose sides for once and for all. Earlier encounters with Egwene, and Min and Siuan forced him to make allowances for his behaviour, but pride as strong as Aviendha’s has kept him from switching allegiance completely. Gawyn serves as a proxy for Rand, whose pride is greater than anyone’s. The moral quagmire in which each of them finds himself makes them feel lost. The contrast between Rand and Gawyn and the choices and consequences they face will be more evident as the story progresses.

In Arad Doman, Rand is angry that despite all his efforts, no one easily believes that he has accomplished one of the greatest wonders ever. This angry and petulant attitude rings truer than introspective moments shared with Asha’man. But in those moments Rand begins to see beyond the immediate needs of the Last Battle, to the future and the legacy he will leave. I’ve contrasted this series, an American fantasy, to American History, beginning with the War for Independence, through the uncertainty of Vietnam, and the difficult choices of the 21^st Century. This is the first we’ve seen of anyone thinking to the future, beyond the modern era. Rand has begun to realize, as have Aviendha and Egwene, that the Last Battle is not the end of everything, their hope is that it is the beginning of something, and they must begun to prepare for it.

Elsewhere, Cadsuane realizes that breaking Semirhage is nearly impossible, and is forced into introspection about how she could be broken, hoping to use the answer against Semirhage. She feels the pressure of time, worrying privately that she won’t be able to prepare Rand for the Last Battle. She contrasts Rand with Semirhage, admitting to herself that her progress with him is not much better than her progress with the Forsaken.

Writing Lessons:

It’s not always bad to follow a well-established writing convention, there is usually a good reason it is used so frequently.

The Gathering Storm - Prologue to Chapter 1

In this section, conventional bonds and rules are broken while Rand makes a rule he vows not to break.

A borderlander farmer and his neighbors realize the Last Battle is upon them. They drop their lives, abandoning homes to set off to make a stand with their fellow men.

A sul’dam returns to deliver a message which will require her to break the taboos of her society.

A Seanchan banner-general learns that Trollocs are no myth, violently shattering her longstanding beliefs.

Graendal travels to Moridin’s fortress, where farmers try to plant crops that resist the Blight. Moridin lets her learn the other Forsaken’s plans, and unexpectedly, Semirhage is hung out to dry. Rand is to be unharmed, except in his heart, where she is to bring him anguish.

Ituralde surprises a much larger Seanchan army.

Masema the prophet is killed by Faile, who does what her husband cannot, killing the man who represents strict adherence to rules and the Light.

Most of these short sections show the bonds holding men being broken, in fact or metaphorically. The last one shows Faile killing the personification of rules that bind. The breaking of bonds, the end of custom, the shattering of ties between men. If this prologue matches the ones from past books, then we should see a lot more of this theme, and we will, especially as pertains to Rand.

Masema and Aram were each killed by Faile or Perrin, and each represented truth and strict adherence to convention and rules. This fits in with the discussion of their necessary dalliances in the previous book.

Demandred claims his rule is secure and he gathers for war. With talk of the role he should have been playing, keeping an eye on Rand the way Osan’gar was, his affinity for using proxies, the claim that his rule is secure, and the emphasis on channelers in the Last Battle, a reader should once again be hard pressed not to conclude that the least possible involvement Demandred could have with Mazrim Taim is telling him what to do, which is to gather an army of male channelers.

Rand surveys the countryside of Arad Doman, noting a pattern breakdown causing the wind to blow the wrong way, against itself. It is not the trees, but Rand’s banners which are blowing the wrong way though, a subtle clue that it is he who is at odds with the Pattern, that something is more wrong with him than reality, despite the many signs of it failing around him. The way his eyesight is blurred is a symbol for the difficulty he has in seeing things the way a normal man should. His sight and his view are both distorted. Setting the line that cannot be crossed, he says to himself: ‘ “You will question her, but you will not hurt her!”Not a woman. I will keep to this one shred of light inside of me. I’ve caused the deaths and sorrows of too many women already.’ No sooner stated, this rule is destined to be broken, as indicated by the themes in the prologue.

Moridin had ordered Semirhage to capture Rand, presumably to break him before the Last Battle. He must have two plans, one for if he is captured, one for if he remains free. The orders to Graendal to break his heart only become necessary because Semirhage failed. In either situation, the goal is to break Rand’s spirit.

A few bits of vocabulary and phrasing stood out as peculiar. I think they are more likely artifacts of Sanderson’s wording than Jordan choosing new words, because in past books his odd vocabulary included obscure words like widdershins, not contemporary words. Jordan was very good at avoiding contemporary words. Here are the examples I found:

Like the funnel cloud of a twister.

This ain’t no southerner wetfarm.

Rand’s peculiar apology to Merise: ‘Yes, yes Merise. I’m not trying to command you.’

Wouldn’t it just be ‘one of the High Blood’? Like the hair crest of a member of the High Blood.

They were well inside the Seanchan defensive perimeter.

Lews Therin’s rambles have no pronoun. Should have killed him. Should have killed them all. An oversight? Meant to make Lews Therin sound madder? There has usually been a distinct I, You, or We when Lews Therin speaks, signifying the distinct personality. Is this meant to show him growing indistinct from Rand?

Writing Lessons:

Using contemporary words, or older words, or futuristic words all have an effect on how the reader perceives the world you’ve created.

Knife of Dreams - Chapters 28-30

In this section, Perrin and Faile have a happy reunion, except for some overhanging doubts.

I was taken aback by the possibility that the chapters detailing Faile’s theft of the Oath Rod contained a second layer of meaning, one which pointed to her sleeping with Rolan, and being so secretive about it that she doesn’t even mention it in her own thoughts. I went back and read the chapters in Winter’s Heart where Perrin wakes in Berelain’s tent and found the same thing. Neither situation means that any cheating took place, but the author definitely used language and symbolism to infer the possibility of it having happened.

In the chapters detailing Faile’s rescue, I found other symbolism which continues to support the author’s intent for readers to question whether they are being told the whole story. Galina represents truth, and both truth and Galina let Faile down. This is symbolized by Galina plunging Faile and her followers into the basement of a burned out building. The ruined timbers that collapse on them represent the web of lies that must be concocted to hide their actions with the Aiel men.

The jumble of charred timbers and half-burned boards filling the staircase resembled one of those blacksmith’s puzzles her Perrin enjoyed. Almost everything seemed to be propping up something else. Worse, the heavier timbers might be beyond all of them working together. But if they could clear enough for them to be able to crawl through, writhing between the thick beams… It would be dangerous, that crawl. But when a dangerous path was your only route to safety, you had to take it.

Much of the effort to move the timbers fails, and further shifting causes more of them to tumble into the dirty basement. The soot and ash dirtying their faces represents their shame. It means that despite their best efforts, they cannot come up with a story that can’t be unraveled. It is only when they are able to signal Faile’s other followers that they are able to escape. Rolan, the Brotherless, and the gai’shain help Faile escape the basement, representing their pledge to preserve Faile’s secret. What she did, she did for them, and they will protect her. Rolan will keep her secret as well, but not without exacting his price. A pinch on the bottom for each of the women represents something more, a price willingly paid for freedom.

At Theoryland we put great stock in quoting the text, but here is a situation where the quoted text is of no value in understanding what may have happened. Readers can accept the story told as it appears, for after all, Perrin and Faile are in love, and would never betray each other. Or, they can note the hidden symbolism and wonder, how well do I really know these characters? The author’s goal isn’t to state the truth one way or the other, it is to cast doubt. Readers won’t know for sure, they must have faith and belief in their interpretation of events, just as Perrin and Faile will have to.

The question of how well you know someone recurs frequently in this book. Mat and Tuon state it bluntly, as they circle each other warily in their courtship. Elayne’s spies and traitors aren’t presented in the shock and awe style of writing where the betrayal carries important consequences. It’s more of a gentle questioning of how far Mellar, or Sareitha, or anyone can be trusted. The motives of High Seats are vague, and are interpreted in the obvious way, with a small chance of deceit, just as the Seanchan Banner-General is someone Perrin has to decide to take at face value, and to trust. Rand’s encounter with the fake Daughter of the Nine Moons was a more direct betrayal, but his gamble to put trust in this unknown person fits the theme which runs through the relationships in this book. Perrin and Faile’s relationship is the inverse of Mat and Tuon’s. Where readers are comfortable with Perrin and Faile’s fabled honesty, and wary with Mat and Tuon’s usual unreliability, the author inverts the roles, creating doubt about the trustworthy and giving confidence in the scoundrels.

Aram is another case of someone who we thought we knew well, yet he suddenly turns on Perrin. His motivation is to protect Faile from Perrin, as explained to him by Masema, who knows no shades of grey, only the stark black and white of the moral code he and his cult have constructed around the Dragon. Aram would have killed Perrin for not being perfect, but both Perrin and Faile easily conclude that the other may have behaved imperfectly, which doesn’t matter, so long as they are together.

Min’s Viewings about the falcon and hawk, and the tinker with a sword all involve this particular part of the storyline. Why were these images important enough to merit a Viewing? Why present them to readers unless they meant something to Perrin? The falcon and its leash are obvious, but what do the other two mean if not the scenario I have described?

This is the last we see of Therava and Galina. Therava’s ability to crush the spirit of one of the most powerful women in the world stood out far more than Anath’s mild spankings of Tuon. I was sorely disappointed Semirhage’s alter ego was not as impressive as the Shaido Wise One, though that will be rectified in the next book. Therava overcame Sevanna’s ineptitude, and Galina received a just punishment for her actions. A feeling of justice is important to convey to the reader, if it is desired to keep a hopeful tone to the story. In this case it is convenient to contrast Galina’s fate and actions with Faile’s. They both may have betrayed the faith placed in them, but the consequences for each match the severity of their betrayal.

Writing Lessons:

Contrast one relationship with another to drive a point home.

Knife of Dreams - Chapters 26-27

In this section, a jumble of viewpoints leads up to Rand getting injured.

Following Egwene’s lengthy chapter, the next viewpoints are short, and are divided oddly amongst the chapters. Here are the viewpoints, the number of pages in each, and the chapter they fall in.

Chapter 25: Tarna 6, Mat 12

Chapter 26: Tuon 12, Perrin 15, Faile 3

Chapter 27 : Rand 15, Mat 9

It is an odd partition to have Tuon’s viewpoint sharing a chapter with Perrin, when the viewpoint immediately preceding it was Mat’s, who is in the same locale as Tuon. Why not have shorter chapters with no shared viewpoints? Why throw a Mat section at the end of a Rand section, when there is no logical link between Rand’s and Mat’s actions? Tarna’s viewpoint was filled with trepidation, Mat’s also, but less so. Mat is more in control of events once he meets up with his army again. Tuon’s section is back to mild confusion and study of the situation. Perrin is nothing but preparation for conflict, and worry for how it may pan out. Faile is down to a desperate gamble. The range of emotions these characters feel is similar to what Rand has gone through in preparing to meet the Seanchan. Trepidation, study, preparation, and a gamble at the end. But it’s not just Rand; each of these characters also went through something similar in their predicaments. The viewpoints are divided this way to avoid repeating each character going through similar emotions, which could make for arduous reading. The emotions and concerns expressed in each of the sections stands for the others as well. And in the end, each of the characters will make their gamble, knowing that there is a knife-thin margin between victory and defeat, which relates back to the rhyme at the opening of the book. All of these plotlines are linked thematically.  

The Tuon section reveals that surprisingly, she knows as little of Mat as he does of her. Even as a willing prisoner, Tuon plots how to undermine the enemies of her Empire, considering ways in which she can make life difficult for him or his army. Tuon’s inner thoughts have been kept from readers to maintain the mystery around her, so that they are unsure of where Mat stands with her. As their royal wedding nears, it is finally time to reveal some, but not all, of what her goals are, and how she thinks of Mat. This is an excellent opportunity to switch from his viewpoint to hers, since the author’s objective is now to keep some mystery around Mat’s brilliant plan to escape Altara.

Perrin’s plans are much less secret. Readers have been told about the Forkroot, and how Perrin will sneak some men inside the city to help Faile escape, which are the major tricky parts, the rest simply being placement of the troops. Perrin is able to put aside worries about Whitecloaks nearby, more Shaido septs reinforcing his enemies, and a ripple in the Pattern that feels as though he will be undone. That ripple represents how he may become undone by the secrets Faile may be keeping, but his singular focus lets him dismiss it, as he would dismiss anything Faile had done amongst the Shaido. He has an objective, and he will not let moral obstacles prevent him from reuniting with Faile any more than physical ones.

Perrin’s thought on Berelain are so forthright, I can’t help but feel his perspective is wrong: “Light, how could anyone believe there was anything between him and her? She was as beautiful as ever, true, yet the scent that had minded him of a hunting cat was so long gone from her smell that he barely remembered it. The bedrock of her scent was patience and resolve, now. She had come to accept that he loved Faile and only Faile, and she seemed as determined to see Faile freed as he was.” Berelain doesn’t give up, and Perrin’s smells are unerring, so Perrin has either misinterpreted what the smell means or is not being entirely truthful. It’s quite a leap to start suspecting that a bluntly honest character such as Perrin is hiding something that he can’t even address in his inner thoughts, something that contradicts the text told from his perspective. Consider this possibility: Perrin was ready to make a deal with the Dark One to get Faile back, and may have needed Berelain’s help so bad, he gives in to her as the price. Having paid her price, he tries to pretend nothing happened, to which she replied: “Very well Perrin, if that’s the way you want it.” Whether it is true or not, the author has carefully crafted the discussion between these two the morning he woke in her tent, so that a hidden meaning can be gleaned. Enough to raise suspicion, not enough to prove anything. Other clues point to a hidden meaning in the above passage as well: how exposed must she be for him to know the bedrock of her scent?  Why would she no longer smell like a hunting cat, unless she had already caught her prey? Could his forgetting that smell represent him hardly remembering what they did together? Obviously, there is never a Berelain point of view because that would reveal what is meant to never be revealed. Writing with double meaning, or to imply a double meaning, takes a particular attention and skill.

For her part, Faile is involved in rebuffing Rolan’s suggestions that they play kissing games. She plays coy with him, unwilling to lose a potential escape route. Faile hopes that the Aes Sedai Galina proves true, or she may have to take up Rolan’s offer. Readers know Galina is lying, and this represents Faile’s only truthful option being taken away. Faile recognizes that her only slim hope of not having to hide anything from Perrin lies with this woman, who is frantic and unpredictable. Giving the Oath Rod to Galina represents Faile trying to tell the truth about Rolan. The results would be unpredictable, possibly wild, with no guarantees despite Faile trying to force one out of her. The next post will further delve into the symbolism of Galina.

Rand confronts Semirhage, and loses a hand and his eyesight for it. With two other characters having somewhat successful interactions with Seanchan, there is still some expectation for Rand to come out of this well, despite Suroth’s involvement. There is some mild confusion about timing, as readers may be led to believe this scene takes place after Tuon’s return to Ebou Dar, so that Rand can meet her. The confusion is quickly resolved by the revelation that Semirhage was disguised as Tuon. Semirhage represents pain, based on her reputation, but Rand refuses to acknowledge any pain, whether from his old wounds or the loss of his hand. He is effectively cutting himself off from feeling anything, the wounds to his soul somehow eclipsing the grave physical wounds he has taken.

This uncaring sentiment is echoed when Mat refuses to give aid to the Seanchan soldiers he has cut down with his new tactics. Tuon approves: “A lion can have no mercy.”

Writing Lessons:

Unreliable narrators may require you to write true things with double meanings, not deal with certain things, or write outright lies.

Lord of Chaos - Chapters 5-7

In this section, more deceit is underway.

Mat knows that his role is to be the decoy, the feint that keeps Sammael focussed on the massive force of Aiel, Cairhienin and Tairens marching towards Illian. Sammael sees the direct threat, and in both Rand’s hopes and in Graendal’s estimation, he will not see the subtle trap they are laying for him. Rand has a sneak attack in mind while Sammael is distracted; Graendal wants Sammael to engage Rand directly, and assumes that Sammael will have the edge in that contest, despite Rand’s victories against other Forsaken.

Graendal has been to the Pit of Doom, and been all but promised to be made Nae’blis. Her part is to sow chaos. Secretly she hopes her manipulation of Sammael will remove Rand. Whatever she thinks, she is undoubtedly part of the Dark One’s master plan if he gave her orders, as is Semirhage. Semirhage has been secretly torturing an Aes Sedai at Shaidar Haran’s orders. Shaidar Haran is to be obeyed as if he were the Dark One.

Information about the current plots of Demandred, Mesaana and Semirhage is scarce. Graendal learned about Mesaana’s presence in the White Tower because she was angry at Semirhage and in her rage commented on the threat of binding with the Oath Rod that first drove Semirhage to the Dark. Whatever dribbles of insight are given to the reader are revealed slowly, to maintain the sense of being kept in the dark, not knowing what plots are secretly unfolding. The reader is privy to some details, and is effectively walled off from others.

Semirhage was told to send Trollocs to the Stone of Tear to counter those sent by Sammael. Rand knows the Forsaken are using the Ways to move Shadowspawn, but that type of movement requires days of advance planning. So Sammael mobilized enough Trollocs to try taking the Stone by sending them through the Ways, which should have taken days, and right behind them, Semirhage is moving her own force of Trollocs and Myrddraal? The Dark One knew enough to give Semirhage her task that far ahead? The only reason we know they move through the Ways is because at some later point we will learn that Shadowspawn cannot use Gateways. Convenient, yet Sammael’s ability to throw not only this attack at Rand, but two more in remote parts of the Aiel Waste would be better explained if he had some other means of transporting them. Skimming? That would limit the number of Trollocs in a given attack force yet still allow some ability to plan an attack on short notice without the need for days of orchestrating movements through the Ways.

Elayne has been crafting dream ter’angreal that sometimes turn out as intended. That is the only thing she and Nynaeve have come up with that is their own, all the rest is extracted grudgingly from Moghedien. Moghedien’s captivity must be kept from the Salidar Aes Sedai. Siuan and Leane aren’t really fighting, another secret to be kept from the Aes Sedai. The Aes Sedai aren’t telling anyone what their plan is. Salidar is a nest of secrets upon secrets, keeping in line with the theme.

The nightmare in Tel’aran’rhiod provides an exciting example of how battles in Tel’aran’rhiod can be conducted. Force of will and belief can change the reality around the dreamer. I note strong similarities between nightmares in Tel’aran’rhiod and bubbles of evil in the waking world, in terms of the randomness of their occurrence and the strange ways in which the unimaginable suddenly becomes real. Some readers point out the impossible things which our heroes somehow achieve in the story. An impossible thing defined here yet again is that the waking world cannot be affected by what is done in Tel’aran’rhiod.  

The Elayne section could have been started in Tel’aran’rhiod, in the Amyrlin’s study. Why have so many uneventful things take place before we get to that scene? It is to establish certain behaviours and facts directly instead of through flashbacks or other less interesting ways. (Yes, there are less interesting ways) Let’s analyze!

To establish that the Aes Sedai have more than just the original dream ter’angreal and the two recovered from the Black Ajah, it must be established how they acquired more. So, right away, the text describes Elayne’s attempts to make more. This is also a good starting point because it brings something new and interesting to the reader’s attention. One hundred strokes of the hairbrush and attempts to heal songbirds establish Elayne’s character: methodical, and experimenting. These are characteristics of a researcher. The danger of stilling herself if she makes an error reinforces the finality of stilling, setting up Nynaeve’s storyline. A brief discussion of Egwene touches on Lan, Nynaeve’s other major ongoing plotline. The descriptive paragraphs serve to establish Elayne’s relationship to the Aes Sedai: she is Accepted, given certain freedoms, but not indulged. Knowing this before the Aes Sedai walk into the dream helps readers understand the context while keeping the pace when they meet.

Entering Tel’aran’rhiod allows for some descriptive text about its look, feel and properties. Having the small council finish the tail end of a conversation allows the reader to learn something about their plans which could not easily be done in a scene taking place in the waking world short of having a point of view from one of the six, or having Elayne or Nynaeve eavesdrop. Camouflaged in with all the Aes Sedai comments, Myrelle drops enough clues in her treatment of Nynaeve to remind us that she is carrying Lan’s bond. Finally, there is an opportunity to make an info-dump as Nynaeve reminds the Aes Sedai of certain dangers which they will unfortunately run afoul of anyway.

It took eight pages, but all that info would have been clunky if forced into the Amyrlin’s study passages.

Writing Lessons:

Even if you are trying to jump to the action, choose a starting point for your scenes that allows logical and natural exposition.