Towers of Midnight - Chapters 15-17

In this section, possible future plots are laid, both good and dreadful.

Nynaeve heals madness, a feat considered impossible by three millennia of Aes Sedai, who simply took the easy path of gentling men rather than study them. Once the easy path was institutionalized, deviating from it was not well looked upon. As has been done in earlier books, before Nynaeve does her Healing, it is established that she first Delves a person, telling her what is wrong with them.

Nynaeve healed gentling and stilling by building a bridge across a gap in the afflicted person. She can heal Compulsion by weaving its reverse pattern. She helped cleanse saidin by funneling the immensity of the taint through a filter. She heals madness by meticulously pulling one barb at a time and healing the spot where it penetrated the brain. Could stopping the Dark One and sealing the Bore again be done similarly to any of these, or as a combination of all four?

A bubble of evil once again represents the situation at hand. Everyone in a several block radius of a neighbourhood in Tear has been turned into a fine powder. When Nynaeve and Naeff pile it up, and she adds fire, the spark sets it all off in a fiery flash. A mad Asha’man acts similarly, having his very essence ground away, until something sets him off, and he is caught in irrationally mad behaviour, destroying everything around him.

Nynaeve feels insignificant in the face of such monumental forces of evil, but she realizes it is important to feel the little victories, for futility is what the Dark One wants her to feel. This is in line with Rand’s realization that it is not the big epic things that matter most, it is the immediate, local things that matter in the long run, that when repeated in the thousands across the land, create the fabric that the Dark One seeks to unravel.

Nynaeve is invited to Shayol Ghul, to accompany Rand at the Last Battle. Rand had decided this prior to seeing Nynaeve and learning of her feat, yet it is presented as a natural consequence of Nynaeve’s ongoing dedication to her community. Rand hands out compliments and takes criticism gracefully. He has taken on a role similar to his father, and is seen as such by Nynaeve, further cementing the fact that he has fully matured and is ready for the Last Battle.

Egwene learns the Oath Rod can be beaten, and rather easily at that. The weave allowing sounds to be heard differently is simply a means of doing what most Aes Sedai do anyway, which is to twist the truth. Egwene has the Aes Sedai researching Mesaana’s character traits, looking for clues to understand her and eventually defeat her. Egwene’s intense personal focus on Mesaana builds up interest in their eventual confrontation. That focus stems from the comparison of Mesaana being the Shadow’s Amyrlin, a direct and personal comparison to Egwene. The realization that she is the target, and the decision to use herself as bait adds to the personal nature of their conflict. Without these elements, there would be nothing but plot driving this storyline forward.

Perrin and Faile celebrate an anniversary, coming mostly clean with secrets they held back previously. As cathartic as it is talking about captivity and running with wolves, they both avoid the topic of infidelity. Perrin guesses why Faile won’t talk about Rolan, but now ascribes it to fondness, nothing more. Faile won’t let Perrin talk about Berelain, reserving the duty of dealing with her and the rumours for herself. On the surface, no cheating took place for either of them, but I still have nagging doubts that this is a case of willingly unreliable narrators, convincing themselves and each other of the truth they want to believe.

Perrin has a weakness: Faile, and he is told that he must accept that weakness, since it is a part of him that he cannot change, and makes him who he is.

Perrin contrasts his unforgiving attitude towards Rolan with the Whitecloaks’ attitude towards him. Empathy is something readers should identify with, since it is hoped they feel empathy towards the main characters. Showing empathetic characters who can see from someone else’s point of view makes them likeable, while unempathetic characters may feel readers with dislike, disgust, horror, or dread.

Mat’s followers are parting from his company, and will almost certainly be seen with Egwene next. I just noticed Olver shares a name with the author. Did he include a young version of himself in the story?

Elayne continues to believe Min’s Viewing makes her safe, then considers doing the very thing Rand warned Nynaeve not to: approach the Black Tower. No matter which order these two elements are presented in, the end result is dread.

Writing Lessons:

Show empathy to make characters likeable, and do not show it to make readers uncertain or negative towards the characters.

Knife of Dreams - Prologue Part 2 to Chapter 1

In this section, Aes Sedai, both good and bad, find reason to hope.

We left off the last section with the Black Ajah Hunters worried about being found by their prey. Alviarin has already been cast down to a status well below where she ranks with her strength in the Power, so her mood has nowhere to go but up. Since she is the very prey the Black Ajah Hunters are seeking, it is natural for the story to move from their unfortunate discovery and Talene’s failure to appear before the Black Ajah, to Alviarin’s thin hopes to restore her standing. The reader knows, but Alviarin doesn’t, that the two women she is having followed will not only lead her to Talene, but to the very plot she needs to fulfill the mission assigned to her by the Dark One.   

Alviarin’s rank raised a thought. The Black Ajah meet hooded, and only know a handful of members’ names, but any Aes Sedai can feel not only another woman’s ability to channel, but their strength in the Power. Some of them must have been able to deduce the identities of other Black Ajah with this method. Any particularly strong or weak Aes Sedai would be easier to identify in another setting if there are few candidates to match with what they sensed. I suppose the entire Black Ajah never meets at once, but meetings of up to fifty seem possible. Even with that many there is risk of drawing attention with so many conspicuously absent.

Galina is believed dead by the White Tower and is trapped under Therava’s thumb. She has waited patiently for Faile to deliver the Oath Rod to her, but learning of Perrin’s plans makes her need more desperate. She plans to motivate Faile, then kill her, and then escape her captivity at last. Unwilling to take a chance that she is discovered lying and exposed as Black Ajah, she sees killing Faile as the only solution. Ironically, it is being able to lie that binds her in this predicament. Had she freely helped Perrin, she likely could have been freed when he attacks, and escaped soon after. Perhaps the Oath to the Dark One compelled her down this path of reasoning, since she must not betray her secret.

With a message to Faile passed along, Perrin now appears ready to attack, holding off for a few days only to see whether the Seanchan can be of help. Presenting his readiness through an outsider’s point of view lets the author present only the most essential information, avoiding getting bogged down in the actions and reactions of every person in his camp.

Egwene is an outsider to the White Tower, and in short order she understands that the Ajahs are divided, sniping and challenging each other. She realizes this presents an opportunity to topple Elaida, and once she learns she will not be stilled or executed, she resolves to take advantage of her captivity in the Tower.

Siuan was in a sorry state when Egwene’s boat was found, but the message delivered in her sleep assuages her, summons the Hall to meet in Tel’aran’rhiod, and gives her leverage over a number of Egwene’s ‘loyal’ Aes Sedai. Importantly, Beonin has found the loophole she needs to escape, so off-page she avoids learning anything that may close it.

A variety of information has to be presented in Egwene’s section to set the stage for later chapters with Siuan, Beonin and Elaida. I’ll take a closer look at her section, in order to understand the structure of what is presented and when it is presented.

Her first realization is that her clothes are dry, which implies she is being physically cared for, not something that is done to those who will be executed, even though the women who captured her do not know that yet. This is the author’s trick, rationalized by the need to preserve the dignity of all Aes Sedai, for if grinding Egwene down had been the intent, they could have left her sopping wet, cold, and miserable when she gets dragged before Silviana.

Next, the state of Tar Valon’s streets shocks her. Refuse lies out in the open, a metaphor for the ugly divisions between the Aes Sedai in her carriage.

Third, upon being woken with a slap, Egwene learns she was drugged with Forkroot. Noting small divisions in the women who captured her, Egwene realizes she is not afraid.

These three concepts, punishment, division, Egwene’s reaction, will be revisited several times over, each time with more detail. One, two, three. There is near certainty Egwene will be executed. The Aes Sedai openly argue. A shield is woven before the Forkroot dose runs its course, provoking a mild sigh from Egwene.

There are taunts Egwene will lose her head this very night, the Gray sister is taunted as well by the Reds, and Egwene states the harbors will remain closed, but chooses to remain silent rather than be slapped yet again.

Egwene makes plans for what she can do before her execution, the Aes Sedai mistrustfully all hold the Power in each other’s presence, yet Egwene feels she has come home.

Now there is a slight unexpected change in the first concept. Egwene is to be handed over to the Mistress of Novices, the Red Sisters intimidate the other Aes Sedai, and Egwene is incredulous that they can give in to fear so easily.

There is a switch to the parallel situation with Leane. Leane is being flogged, the rancor between Ajahs almost cost them their chance to capture Leane, but Leane won’t budge from her story.

The Mistress of Novices takes charge of Egwene and sends the Reds away, not before they almost refuse to hand her over. Silviana notes that Egwene is not hysterical.

Egwene is told she is to be a Novice again, Silviana notes the difference between herself and her kindly predecessor Sheriam, Egwene means to resist as long as she can, doing as she must.

With the situation regarding punishment and division in the Tower now fully known, Egwene remains in control of her situation and her emotions. Other topics, such as her dreams about Seanchan attacking the Tower, Nicola’s defection, the state of the cuendillar chains in the harbours were brought up at the earliest available opportunity where a conversation could be carried out about them. Communicating with Siuan is only brought up at the last, when Egwene has a chance to muse over all she has seen and heard, and she has a chance to sleep.

Writing Lessons:

An outsider’s point of view can help the author focus on the most important details, and speed the story along.

Winter's Heart - Prologue

In this section, multiple plots are laid out clearly, and reader’s expectations are set.

Perhaps recognizing the previous book’s weak ending, the author immediately sets up several storylines with expectations to be met before the book ends.

In the White Tower, the Black Ajah Hunters get Talene to re-swear the Three Oaths. Talene is a tool that can be used now, but the Hunters decide to proceed with caution, bringing in the ten rebel ferrets to swear obedience first. That will bring their number to sixteen. Seaine also has her first doubts about what task Elaida actually assigned her. We expect this quest to net a second Black sister soon.

Elayne’s section reveals a little about Egwene, which is all we’ll see of the Amyrlin in this book. A simple primer about Elayne’s major competitors for the throne means we should see some of them interfering before the book is over. A number of reasonable contrivances explain why Elayne won’t be receiving any outside help. No allies are available, and in any case would unintentionally cost Elayne the throne because they are foreigners. The Sea Folk remain stuck in Caemlyn by their own mistrust that Elayne will break the Bargain. This character-driven obstacle is more powerful than a physical one could be. Renaile will not leave until she gets what was agreed to, which will keep her at Elayne’s side for a long time.

The confrontation between Taim and Elayne ends with him acquiescing to her requests to visit the Black Tower under supervision. When she later carries out her first visit and Toveine sees her, we then expect some interaction between the two.

After Taim, a Wise One enters, the third uninvited interruption in the last twenty minutes. Dyelin provides a comment which is likely echoing the reader’s thoughts, and is therefore meant to restore the plausibility of the scene: “Blood and ashes!” Dyelin muttered. “ Is the whole world just going to walk in here?” She uses exaggeration to make the current situation seem normal in comparison. Humour is another tactic which causes the reader to overlook the obvious by pointing out the abnormal situation. A reader who knows that the author has recognized their complaint will be satisfied and move on with the story feeling the problem has been resolved.

The first-sister ceremony provides a glimpse of a healthy relationship by Aiel standards. It amounts to knowledge, faith, and forgiveness of the first-sister. Elayne has already shown this behaviour is the basis for her romance with Rand, so now this example will allow Aviendha to learn how to love him as well, and maybe they will teach and remind Rand how to behave.

Toveine is crafty, and seems to have a secret plan to pull down Elaida, even as she agrees to publicly give leadership of the Black Tower prisoners to another sister. Readers expect this plan to bear some fruit by the end of the book. Logain’s unwanted presence at the Black Tower and the faction he is heading create interest in seeing matters advance or get resolved. The Asha’man voice concerns that Rand doesn’t care about them, that Taim is giving preferred treatment to certain Asha’man, and that Taim’s cronies have turned bad. The implication is that Taim is creating a private army and Logain will be the main obstacle he has to overcome.

Rand has decided he can’t wait to move forward with his plan to make his Asha’man into reliable tools again. As soon as he can lure his would-be assassins to him and dispatch them, he plans to cleanse saidin. This sets the reader’s expectations. There had better be an attempt to cleanse saidin before the book is done! He even describes how it will go down: everyone within a thousand miles will feel him channeling, and come to put an end to it, so he needs to whittle down the number of detractors he will face before he starts cleansing. That and get over the sickness that has begun to affect him whenever he channels.

Each of these points of view has created expectations that readers will want resolved.

Writing Lessons:

Set expectations purposefully, or your readers will set them for you.

Use humour and exaggeration and acknowledgement to have readers overlook the contrived scenarios you devise.

A Crown of Swords - Chapters 18-20

In this section major new characters are introduced.

There is always a difficulty when introducing major characters late in the story. It can appear they come out of nowhere, that they haven’t earned the reader’s respect as the beloved heroes have who were there from the beginning. Cadsuane is such a character.

Over the next several books, Cadsuane will constantly be at Rand’s side, alternately aiding or destabilizing him. She is established as a mentor character, keeper of knowledge that Rand may need to deal with his madness. This is revealed by way of describing the number of men she has gentled and her familiarity with Rand’s darkest secret. She knows of what she speaks. Rand has been without a mentor since Asmodean’s and Moiraine’s deaths and his foray into leadership on his own ended with his kidnapping.

Cadsuane’s introduction is sudden and awkward.

“An Aes Sedai has come to see the Car’a’carn.” She managed to sound cold and uncertain at the same time. “Her name is Cadsuane Melaidhrin.” A strikingly handsome woman swept in right behind her, iron-gray hair gathered in a bun atop her head and decorated with dangling golden ornaments, and it seemed everything happened at once.

Several legendary Aes Sedai have been mentioned in scenes with Egwene and Siuan. There was plenty of opportunity to tell the reader that Cadsuane is a person of power and repute, and to tell why. New Spring had not yet been published at this time, but following a chronological reading as I’ve done with this blog, readers may remember her, and they may even remember that Moiraine thought she must be Black Ajah.  By bringing her into the story with no prior introduction, the intent is to leave the reader as uncertain as Rand as to her identity and motives.

 “I thought you were dead,” Annoura gasped, eyes nearly staring out of her head.

With this line, the author conveys that Cadsuane is an oddity, and remarkable enough to shock the normally unflappable Annoura.

Merana darted through the ward, hands outstretched. “No, Cadsuane!” she screamed. “You mustn’t harm him! You must not!”

Merana perceives the threat to Rand to be sufficiently great that she disobeys his orders, which she should only be able to do if the need to serve him by keeping him alive clearly outweighs the need to stand in the corner. She knows what Rand is capable of and still sees Cadsuane as a threat to him. The immediacy of the danger is disorienting to the reader.

Having established that Cadsuane is a match for Rand and his Asha’man, we are also shown that she is completely calm and in control of the situation. The male channelers hold no fear for her, since she has been hunting male channelers so long she has captured more of them than any handful of Red Ajah combined. We soon learn from her own point of view that centuries have passed since she last encountered a task she could not perform.  No, the Asha’man truly do not worry her. She is probably the most powerful woman in the world in terms of ability and rank, and only her respect for an Amyrlin might make her follow that woman. She’s rumoured to have publicly disagreed with even Amyrlins on occasion.

She refers to the vileness after the Aiel War – the context infers it is probably the illegal gentling of men by the Red Ajah that has been hidden for twenty years. Alviarin and Elaida discussed this topic in the prologue. This and a few other clues tell us that Cadsuane has a moderate respect for the law, but she would toss aside law and custom to get what she wants.

What she wants is to stop him from being influenced or upset in the wrong way, the epitome of which was Elaida’s kidnapping attempt. This is the first overt discussion of Rand’s mood and mindset as a plot point, although Egwene has made reference to it as well. Once again, the physical obstacles of Tarmon Gai’don have become less important than the personality and character-related obstacles, and the true battlefield will be fought over Rand’s heart.

Elsewhere, Sevanna has realized she can’t get at Rand without help. What the Aes Sedai cannot provide, Sammael might. Sammael is playing a trick on the Shaido, and they are falling for it. Sammael is playing a trick on Graendal, and she has fallen for it. This trickery was a theme for Lord of Chaos, and the theme of this book –the relationships between leaders and followers- somewhat overlaps with it. The unresolved plotlines of Lord of Chaos make these two books halves of a whole.

A second mystery character shows up. Like Cadsuane, this watcher in the woods seems to be more powerful than his counterparts among the Forsaken, having abilities beyond even theirs. He fears a pair of Forsaken no more than Cadsuane feared the Asha’man. Because Cadsuane has already made her appearance, the watcher’s sudden arrival seems less disruptive and more natural. This despite the fact that there has been no prior indication of a new super-villain walking the world. Shaidar Haran was as close as it came. The resurrection of dead villains is a fine trick for the Dark One to play on his enemies, touching on the twin themes of trickery and the question of who the leader really is.

Writing Lessons:

Prepare the reader when you are introducing major new characters who will figure prominently, unless you have a good reason not to.

A Crown of Swords - Chapters 4-8

In this section, the heroes are back in command, for now

Colavaere has her lands and titles stripped from her as punishment for usurping the throne of Cairhien. She exemplifies the follower who gets ahead of herself, betraying her Lord for power.

Perrin has his own betrayal to deal with, as he reconciles with Faile over Berelain’s unwanted attentions and his slip of the tongue in the throne room. Unlike previous books where the theme was about rifts between men and women which would have dragged out any reconciliation, or where the theme was about deceit and trickery which is when the unnecessary argument between the two began, this time the theme is about the trust in people closest to you. Perrin comments on Faile’s disregard for her own safety and intent to do things her own way, as a wife should. Faile comments on her fears that the Aes Sedai had somehow turned Perrin. Sometimes certain events seem to have been set aside waiting for the book with the correct theme to come along before dealing with it. Other times the plot just rolls along and the author presents the plot elements in a way that fit the theme of that book, without delaying or forcing the plot’s progress.

Colavaere’s removal allows the author to draw attention to Rand’s scheme to invest Elayne in the thrones of Cairhien and Andor. Handing these nations to Elayne whole is important to Rand, and is a symbol of how he hopes to preserve the world itself through the struggles of the Last Battle. To pull this off, Rand must put faith in his trusted followers, who are few enough that he can name them. Rand repeatedly distinguishes between the followers he can trust, and those he can’t.

When the Wise Ones send word ahead to Melaine in Andor about Rand’s kidnapping and rescue, she shares it with Bael, Dorindha, and Davram and Deira Bashere. Rand has to quash his anger at the freedom his followers allow themselves. This group is split in two over the Aes Sedai captives. Rand is left to puzzle over how other Aes Sedai will be treated when he encounters them.

The Aes Sedai in question are led by Egwene, who must snatch what authority she can from the three competing factions among the rebels. She can barely control her official advisor, and she completely loses control of her captive Forsaken. Symbolizing how little control she has, in the first sentence even her folding chair can’t be trusted to stay erected. The discussion veers into spies in the camp, both for Elaida, sent to Elaida, and the most feared covert spies of all: the Black Ajah.

This is one of the first instances where the author has shown the same scene twice. This version is not exactly a flashback, but more of a fleshed out version of the short page-long scene from Lord of Chaos. Why do it this way?

In Lord of Chaos, Moghedien’s escape is meant to be a punchline and a disruptive plot element. It didn’t have to be long or detailed, it just needed to shock the reader into realizing that the villains have not been set back at all and are advancing their own goals. In this wordier section, the groundwork is being laid for Egwene’s storyline. But establishing the status quo among the rebels doesn’t require showing the same scene over again, or even continuing from that moment; it could even have been a meeting with Sheriam a week or a month later. What the scene does offer is establishing when the events happen to Egwene, in relation to when Rand’s events take place. This is of some interest to the reader, but not quite necessary, and could again have been handled with a ‘one week ago Moghedien escaped’ sort of line. The scene offers an immediate reason for Egwene to reason out which Forsaken yet live, noting that Ishamael was dead , ‘or so it seemed’, and also to wonder about the Aes Sedai look of agelessness, which will become relevant in the later Ebou Dar scenes.

Writing Lessons:

Have a good reason to show a scene twice, or from two different perspectives.

Lord of Chaos - Chapters 8-10

In this section, trickery abounds, and Rand is the victim!

Nynaeve’s weather sense is playing tricks on her. She thinks the weather should be one thing, but it just stays hot. Is she sensing the weather that the Pattern is calling for but can’t deliver due to the Dark One’s touch? There has been little detailed discussion of her weather sense in the series up until now, though in my post on The Eye of the World – chapters 35-39 I pondered whether this ability was related to Foretelling in some way. Note that what she is sensing is still not yet her ability to sense storms of a different type related to conflict.

Moghedien is giving up secrets grudgingly, and offering no more aid than she absolutely has to, correctly sensing that Nynaeve and Elayne are held hostage by the secret of her captivity as much as she is. She tricks Nynaeve into trying a weave that will give her blinding headaches, accepting the pain that the a’dam reflects back upon her as a worthwhile cost to see her captor brought down a peg. She even tells Nynaeve that the ability to not feel the heat or cold comes from years of using the Power, even as Rand learned it has nothing to do with the Power.

Sightings in Tel’aran’rhiod of Rand, or Lan begin. Slayer is back.

Myrelle is pushing hard for Nynaeve’s block to be broken. She wants Nynaeve to be ready to accept Lan’s bond, as per Moiraine’s instructions. Nynaeve has no idea that the wringer she will be put through will bring her closer to gaining Lan’s bond. A fine joke. It took a trick to break Theodrin’s block.

Logain has prepared his lies well, and Lelaine has gobbled it up as eagerly as the nobles she trots before him. If she were to suddenly have doubts as to whether Siuan was no longer held by the three Oaths, would she still be able to say that it was told to her by one who cannot lie? Would she need proof before she could utter the words, or would those doubts prevent her from ever saying them again?

The rebel Aes Sedai have not yet publicly committed to backing Rand or opposing Elaida, though Sheriam’s council is privately committed, having already made plans for… we won’t be told what just yet. The arrival of Elaida’s envoy is a catalyst, but everyone will have different ideas about what it will bring about.

Pedron Niall is a sly one, with a false spymaster working for him while the true spymaster is hidden under everyone’s nose. Are there any parallels with other hidden spies with Rand, or in Salidar? Or is this a false trail? Readers’ heads should be spinning with questions and suspicions by now.

Niall’s rumours will help maintain the rift in the Tower, just as the rumours of Logain’s Red Ajah benefactors spurred him to create them in the first place. Who is misleading who? What Niall thinks he is making up is so close to the truth, for all that it went through two cycles of the rumour mill.

Balwer himself has no apparent interest in the Children of the Light, he is simply employed by Niall because… he likes the job? He is eager to press Morgase, is that because he has an axe to grind, an old score to settle?

Following The Fires of Heaven, Rand is maintaining his decision to avoid the women he loves, and not to trust any others.

Rand finds Verin and Alanna in an inn with several Two Rivers girls on their way to become Aes Sedai. He lets his guard down, enjoys being Rand al’Thor for a few minutes, hears about his friends, and then stupidly lets Alanna bond him. This is about as big a surprise as can be, for Elayne was foreshadowed to be the one who bonds Rand, and Alanna is hardly even a second-tier character in the series so far. How was this surprise carried out?

First, both Rand’s and the readers’ guard is down. There are two pages of reminiscing, trading stories, and good times. There is no threat at all. Verin and Alanna helped Perrin after all, they are good guys. There is a strong element of humour as well, with Verin and Alanna acting as though they are in control while Rand wryly plans how to overturn their expectations. There is no doubt in the reader’s mind that Rand has the upper hand. His men can handle the warders, while he handles the Aes Sedai. When he says he wants to be alone with them, Sulin cracks a maiden joke that is surely about what men and women do when they are alone. Rand chortles as he wonders whether they notice his lack of sweat, matching theirs. Up until they discuss the rebels, Rand is presented as thoroughly in charge, unfazed, unmenaced.

Their lack of willingness to help reminds him of Moraine’s advice about trusting Aes Sedai. This is a last nagging thought before his guard is well and truly down. Alanna asks about Mat, Rand mirrors their response, refusing to tell, full of himself for having scored a point against the mighty Aes Sedai.

To pull off the surprise, it must be carried out rather quickly. Alanna immediately responds by implying they are not enemies, and makes a peace offering as she glides over to perhaps delve or heal him. Since she says straight out she will not harm him, he accepts her offer. She delves him, as expected.

Then, she bonds him. The choice of words implies the speed: flash of heat, for a heartbeat. The surprise is augmented by the next action, which is attempting to shield him. Creating suspense, Rand twice asks what they did to him before they tell him.

Writing Lessons:

Create surprise by reversing expectations in the mood you have built up.

The Shadow Rising - Chapters 47-50

In this section, The Center of All Good Things is riven from within, while Rand considers the snakes in his own midst.

The description of the White Tower in the prologue, as the center of the known universe, and the heart of opposition to the Dark One, pays off here. Rand had an ally in the Amyrlin Seat, the ruler of the Aes Sedai. While Rand has been worried about Siuan and Moiraine’s plots, the reader has been privy to Siuan’s thoughts at least, and knows that their aid should be welcome and useful to Rand. The White Tower and Siuan have been portrayed as difficult allies, but clearly on Rand’s side. Now Siuan has been deposed.

The new Amyrlin Elaida has been portrayed as a bully, difficult, controlling and egotistical, and a member of the Ajah who is most likely to gentle Rand. We’ve heard about the disastrous reigns of two prominent Red Amyrlins, one who betrayed Manetheren, and one who mishandled Artur Hawkwing. Elaida’s ascension is the worst possible outcome so far as Rand is concerned. There have been hints that the Red Ajah may flout the law, such as when Owyn was gentled without trial. Heck, after his escape even Mazrim Taim wasn’t getting a fair trial under Siuan’s rule. If Siuan can do that out of necessity, what can Elaida do out of misguided necessity or misinterpretation of her Foretellings?

The suddenness of the Tower’s fall provides a great shock to the reader. Watching Alviarin and Elaida plot would have removed any surprise and replaced it with dread. Instead, the last we saw was a murdered novice and farmer, with no indication of any immediate threat to Siuan or Min, just skulking in the shadows off-page. There is little advantage in dragging out the description of the schism in a step by step process for the sake of including some action or suspense. Due to Min’s viewings any overt buildup would give away the timing of it coming true and the end result. Readers may identify with Min since the focus has been on her, but they don’t have the same affinity for the other White Tower characters. Any danger which others are put in is of minor consequence, so just as well to gloss over it. Only three characters in the Tower have mattered enough to reveal much about them: Min, Siuan and Gawyn.

Since Siuan is an ally, and a knowledgeable mentor character that is meant to be trusted later, there is a need to make her more sympathetic. This is accomplished in part by taking away her power and authority, by forcefully changing her identity from ruler to peasant. Had the same happened to Elaida, we’d likely raise a cheer, when it happens to Siuan, the reaction is one of disgust and horror. How can they do that a woman? And it is a simple woman that the reader sees, not a ruler. The way Laras talks down to Siuan, the way Aes Sedai, warders, and Elaida herself won’t condescend even to glance in her direction when she is on her knees, the loss of her ageless look, her newfound ability to lie, all of these demonstrate that Siuan is no longer anything more than a woman with determination.

The fighting in the Tower should not have resulted in death, yet not everyone is bound against using violence, and they only form they are prevented from using under most circumstances is the One Power. Regular weapons may still be used, as may warders. Elaida understood that if her plan were to fail, she herself may be in mortal danger, so she made sure to have enough strength on her side to win any confrontation. With armed men stalking the halls, any Aes Sedai might interpret the incursion as menacing her life, that of her sisters, or even being an obvious Darkfriend attack, for who else would dare attack the Tower openly? Each side interprets the situation as only being possible if the opponents are Darkfriends. With such high stakes, there is more opportunity to rationalize and find loopholes in the Three Oaths, resulting in battle, death and murder. Doing everything short of outright naming Siuan a Darkfriend may have been necessary to Elaida’s side simply to motivate and enable their forces. Even if an Aes Sedai kills with the Power in the heat of battle, they need only find a believable rationale or loophole, and no one can call them Black Ajah.

Rand lacks the ability to interpret his dreams, or distinguish between ordinary dreams and foretelling dreams. Lanfear intrudes into the prophetic Waterwood bathing dream and also fails to understand its meaning.  She is also interrupted in her attempt to seduce Rand properly (I remember Thom’s line about an education every man should have once in his life) by Asmodean. This gives Rand the confirmation he wanted about the spies among the caravans. He now knows that Lanfear has brought an ally with her, and the ally is greedy and wants something extra to sweeten the pot for the risk he puts himself in. Does Rand make the connection to the goodies in Rhuidean yet? He suspects Isendre, does he also suspect Kadere instead of Natael?

Waking, Rand belatedly realizes that he is not so clever for keeping the spy he knows about, Aviendha, near him. The Wise Ones allow him to believe it, until Aviendha lets on that the real spying takes place in tel’aran’rhiod. Whether Rand makes a connection or not, the author is deliberately placing this latest insight about spying and decoys right after the exchange between Lanfear and Asmodean. Aside from being a decoy, the Wise Ones may have other motives in keeping Aviendha with Rand, based on insight gained from dreams or Rhuidean. Dreams seems most likely. They certainly have enough foreknowledge of events to avoid entering tel’aran’rhiod the night that Lanfear is there, perhaps because they do not want to let the Shadow know they have this ability. Lanfear or any other Forsaken could certainly act to protect their dominion over the World of Dreams, so discretion is the best course of action. Of course, Lanfear never does kill anyone, so long as she feels confident that her plans are not menaced. And her plans always revolve around making Rand love her.

The Shadowspawn once again provide a break in the relatively uninteresting travel across the desert. This battle is better than the last, with more danger, more substantial threats. Whichever Forsaken is trying to kill Rand hasn’t tried warding the Shadowspawn as Liandrin did when she tried to kill Moiraine. The stakes are raised when the Draghkar eliminate a Dreamwalker. Seana may have been a peripheral character, but the implication of a viable threat is better than what was served up in the Trolloc encounter at Imre Stand.

Writing Lessons:

Remove scenes which don’t serve your purpose or the story.

The Eye of the World - Chapters 35-39

In this section, the heroes score some victories, and things are finally looking up!

The reader can't help but feel relief when the boys finally reach Caemlyn. The Queen's Blessing provides more than just shelter and refuge, the innkeeper and Ogier allow Rand to finally trust someone again. Rand needed some way to bolster himself, as Mat has become a fun-sucking paranoid. The paranoia has helped them get this far by avoiding pursuers through caution. Could they have made it this far without Mat's mistrust? It can't get them much further, as Mat has confined himself to his bed. Mat's bleak outlook helps drive Rand to confide in the Ogier. Mat’s grim readiness to quit serves as a means to show Rand's ability to be patient and caring, and to reaffirm his determination not to give in. I can't help but feel this ability is key to the Last Battle. With the burden of his plight shared, Rand seems to find enough emotional support to gather his strength and maintain hope that Moiraine is still coming, and has the others safe with her.

Adding to the reader's feeling that things are looking up, we learn that Thom may not be dead after all, and are led to believe that Andor's Queen Morgase is a good ruler, and that Caemlyn will provide refuge from the dangers they’ve encountered on the road. The Ogier provides some comic relief, which has been in short supply since Baerlon. We certainly haven’t had so much of it in such a short time.

The rescue of Perrin and Egwene provides more uplifting action. Instead of a grim race to survive a Trolloc attack, we see some deserving comeuppance laid upon on the Whitecloaks. Justice, and a happy reunion make for a pleasant counterpoint to the grimness of the long flight across Andor.  

When we are first told about Queen Morgase, all expectations are that she is good, and may even be a source of aid, even indirectly though her fairness towards her subjects. Later, we learn that her links to Aes Sedai are undermining her rule, and she’s been unfair to Thom, choosing the side of the Aes Sedai over her rumoured lover. Which of these expectations is the reader most likely to believe? Is she a good ruler with some bad influences, or is she an Aes Sedai apologist with some good attributes? I think first impressions will usually stick with the reader, and being presented as a wonderful Queen before revealing her potential entanglements will significantly affect the reader’s feelings towards her.

Similarly, presenting Elaida as a source of discord in the city heavily influences perceptions of her, even if you haven’t read New Spring yet. She could hand Rand the solution to all his problems on a silver platter, and the reader would still have misgivings about her.

Another oblique reference from New Spring, Rand has read the ancient book Essays of Willim of Maneches, which Moiraine has also studied in New Spring (though spelled slightly differently). Moiraine has a formal education, Rand’s is self-made. For a country bumpkin, Rand has made good use of the limited tools at his disposal, and as result, he may be better equipped for some of the tasks ahead of him that others would consider above his station. The idea that merit and ability, not station of birth, should be the determinants in who is empowered to take action or to make decisions will come back frequently.

In Caemlyn, Ba’alzamon is down to his most subtle and weak servants, mere rats, as the last tools at his disposal to find the boys. He must be angry.

The Ways are introduced briefly, as a matter of making Loial’s later reference to them more believable. He’s talked about his knowledge of them twice already. When he hands the group a solution to their later problem, it’ll be easier to accept.

Did Moiraine use the One Power as a weapon when rescuing Egwene and Perrin? Even if Lan was in danger, wouldn’t she have to believe she needed to act to save his life in order to start saturating the area with lightning strikes? Is it even possible for her to believe there’s a situation he can’t handle? Imagine an Aes Sedai who chooses buffoons as warders so she can send them into danger and be free to protect them with the One Power! By the bond, she can even force them into menacing situations and then blast his opponents! I suppose the restriction on using the One Power as a weapon wouldn’t prevent her frying the horses with lightning. If you extended the Oath to every living thing, you’d soon be boxed in. Could she stretch it enough to include Egwene as a sister and be free to toast the Whitecloaks? Can she intend to miss the Whitecloaks with lightning but just be a really bad aim? There is some question over whether she hit a few tents or not.

With the relieving of a lot of the tension, some new threatening ideas are proposed. Ta’veren have fewer choices than most men, but the Pattern allows free will to dictate the course of your life unless it needs to use you otherwise. For the ta’veren, it seems like their choices are largely dictated, and the more ta’veren you are, the less freedom you have. Even though events conspire to lead the Dragon to the Last Battle, in the end he will have to choose to save the world. We’ll get back to this at the end of this novel.

Rand is surprised that Loial ‘believes’ in the Pattern. I had previously discussed in the Big White Book the oddity that the entire population takes reincarnation, the Dark One, and the Pattern as truth, despite a complete lack of evidence and apprehension at the best sources (Ba’alzamon and Aes Sedai) that could support these ideas. At the least, I’d expect competing ideas to have emerged, but the best we get is that you can join the Dark One if you don’t find the Pattern compelling enough. This discussion with Loial seems to imply that there are Pattern atheists who regard the whole thing as superstition.

Despite overcoming some obstacles, we are reminded by the beggar and the False Dragon that there are other obstacles yet to overcome. Is Ba’alzamon linked to the False Dragon? We’re being shown that he’s the most dangerous person yet encountered, he’d make a formidable opponent by book’s end. Rand is going to Tar Valon, and so is Logain. I can almost see how the rest of the book is going to go down: anticipation rising! We’ll wait to see how it gets dashed.

Most surprising to me is that Nynaeve has an ability which is similar to Foretelling, if not Foretelling itself. Foretelling has always been expressed as speaking of future events, and the manner of it differs from woman to woman. You don’t know why you know, and you don’t know how you know, but you know and you give it voice. Nynaeve’s ability is often referred to as Listening to the Wind, because she gives eerily accurate predictions of the future, usually weather related, though we’ll later see her talk of storms that are not weather related. In this instance (end of chapter 37), Nynaeve knows that if they leave riding double, they will be caught and killed. She compares it to Listening to the Wind, and is disturbed by the certainty of her foreknowledge. Aside from speaking aloud, this is exactly what a Foretelling is. I’ll remember to examine her later ‘feelings’ and see if they could be called Foretellings.

Writing Lessons:

First impressions stick. What first impression are your characters giving? Is it the one you want?