Towers of Midnight - Chapters 46-50

In this section, a glimpse of the future is given.

Faile participates in negotiations with Perrin and Elayne over the fate of the Two Rivers. Elayne cannot enforce her writ, so she avoids being a tyrant or a fool and creates bonds to tie the fledgling nation of the Two Rivers to Andor. Elayne soon does the same with the Cairhienin, binding their fates together with an exchange of lands and nobles.

Fortuona questions Elaida, and the Seanchan gain Traveling. Ominously, she decides to use this tool to subjugate the remaining Aes Sedai in an attempt to get Rand to serve her as prophesied.

Mat explains his quest to Perrin.

Aviendha goes through the glass columns in Rhuidean, in another fan-favourite scene. I’ll contrast this scene with the similar scene in Chapters 24-25 of The Shadow Rising, when Rand originally went through the glass columns to learn the history of the Aiel.

The glass columns scene in The Shadow Rising sets expectations for Aviendha’s visit. It isn’t possible to surprise readers with the mystery of Rhuidean, or the Tree of Life, or the visions because they are already all well known. The fog has lifted from Rhuidean, and there are no more mysteries. The author wisely decides to skip over what is known and expected, instead leaving Aviendha questioning “is that all there is?” Rhuidean is mundane now, just like the decisions which led the Aiel to pick up spears and fight.

Restoring a bit of mystery, Aviendha wonders about whether the columns have more capabilities that only what use they have been put to in Rhuidean. The mundane is made extraordinary again, and the weighty purpose of the columns is hinted at, but kept shrouded.

Aviendha’s first vision builds on prior knowledge of how she experiences the lives of the people seen in the columns.  Unlike with Rand’s earlier visit, there is no crafting of links between Malidra and Aviendha, no emphasis on how these two are really one. This first vision contains several links to the present and the familiar, referring to the Waste, Aiel, and a railroad which brings the steamwagons to mind. The mystery is about why Aiel are living like scavengers and why is Aviendha seeing life through the eyes of a random Aiel girl? The revelation is not only the details in the vision, but the fact that this vision exists at all. A need is established immediately, but it is mundane, a quest for food, instead of the character oriented need of Mandein in Rand’s visions. There is no firm historical link between Aviendha and Malidra yet, largely because Malidra has no character or identity, she is simply a scavenger looking for food.

As with Rand’s visions, each subsequent vision establishes more detail, eventually revealing that the visions are linked along Aviendha’s, and Rand’s future bloodline, containing links to each other, and to the current day. Whereas Rand’s visions began as known to be his personal and cultural history, of which he was then learning the details, Aviendha’s reverse this by showing the details and then establishing that this is her personal and cultural legacy.

Rand’s visions used parental relationships to convey the passing down of cultural responsibility from one generation to the next, giving great weight to the losses suffered by each of the lives he lived, and great importance to the sacrifices. Aviendha’s visions are bereft of such attachment to identity of the next generation, as shown with the casual indifference to the loss of children. In each of Aviendha’s visions, the women try to maintain the culture of the Aiel, at the cost of the people, overlooking that sacrifices are made for family, not only for the sake of sacrificing itself.

The lives of the women take on personal importance to Aviendha. Each of their failures is hers, and Rand’s. While so much of the history of this world has built towards the day when Rand faced the Dark One, until recently there was little attention to what happens after the Last Battle. Rand is not the end point of the cross-generational burden, he is a link in a chain which extends as far into the future as into the past.

Once again, the reverse chronological order the visions are presented in is effective in drawing the reader in, and the revelation puts the emphasis back on Rand and Aviendha to correct mistakes.

How can Aviendha find a new identity for the Aiel and overcome the Seanchan menace, or even craft an alliance with them that outlasts the Last Battle? One possibility is the Aiel clan chiefs and Wise Ones singing the lost Tinker Song, since they all learned it in the glass columns. The song is an act of creation, and can overcome the blight afflicting the crops of the world. Such a life offers an honourable and productive alternative to clan warfare. The Aiel once sealed a promise with a sapling of the Tree of Life, and they could do so again with the Seanchan, even offering them Avendesora itself. What good could come of Seanchan nobles walking through the glass columns, seeing the mistakes and errors of their ancestors? With this insight, the Seanchan and Aiel should be able to avoid some of the decisions Aviendha saw in the glass columns.

Writing Lessons:

Withholding context while establishing links to other parts of the story creates effective mystery.

Towers of Midnight - Chapters 21-22

In this section, the chronology gets confusing.

When Perrin’s scouts report back, readers get their first strong inkling that Perrin’s storyline is chronologically out of synch with the other ones. The reader requires some thought to sort it out. Mat’s letter established the timing of his storyline, and his meeting with Elayne establishes her chronology as well, though oddly she hasn’t commented on Rand’s mood or location sufficiently to say whether events take place before or after the final scene of The Gathering Storm. Egwene’s and Rand’s scenes are obviously placed after The Gathering Storm.

The confusing order of events has been pointed out as one of the major flaws of Towers of Midnight, even though other books had events take place in different locales without strong indications of when they occur relative to each other, primarily because they did not affect each other. Rand’s epiphany was a turning point and could have been a focus of suspense, but in this book the suspense centers on Perrin and Mat and other players, and discovering whether they survived their own perils while Rand was turning inward and ignoring them.

Confusion could have been reduced by establishing earlier in the story some stronger links to other pivotal moments in other plotlines. Alternatively, a two line preface explaining the chronology to readers would have instantly resolved confusion, but could have been seen as a radical departure from the customary format.

Aiel Wise Ones dismiss the idea of an alliance with the Seanchan, despite the fact that Rand has been working towards that very goal. Morgase learns, finally, that the Forsaken Rahvin was behind her behaviour during her final months as queen. Balwer tells Perrin he is content with his current station in life.

Ituralde’s forces panic and run before the Trolloc onslaught. A Saldaean soldier named Yoeli leads a charge to save Ituralde’s men and bring them inside the city despite orders not to. Once again, people work together, trusting to their own judgment over that of a being placed above them.

As a counterpoint, Gawyn can’t simply do what Egwene wishes, he must follow his own judgment on how to behave. This leads him to stop an assassination attempt on her which was in reality a trap designed to apprehend Mesaana. While he stopped the Seanchan Bloodknives, he inadvertently alerted Mesaana to the trap.

In Caemlyn, Mat plans his entry to the Tower of Ghenjei, and seeks out Birgitte for advice. She tells him a harrowing tale of her own demise in a world where time and space made no sense. Mat’s vulnerability is increased, since in addition to having no foxhead medallion to protect him from the gholam, even his luck offers scant hope of surviving the journey into the Tower of Ghenjei. Unrelated, though adding to the sense of impending doom, Elayne is in trouble, providing the first real cliffhanger ending to a chapter.

Mat encounters some street toughs and battles them in a seemingly pointless scene. Let’s look more closely:

Brooding as he walks the streets, the eerie solitude feels like an opportunity for the gholam to strike. He randomly stumbles upon a robbery, and three toughs leap out to mug him. Mat is relieved to see people instead of something worse.

Mat uses his staff instead of his sword, confounding his first attacker. Mat drops him with one swing and he falls into a second cutpurse, whom Mat quickly knocks out. The third man’s hesitation gives Mat the chance to leap towards him, knock him senseless, then toss a knife into the leader’s throat. This is pure action, but has little meaning, which is why it takes place so quickly.

Mat rambles some nonsense at the man he saved from the muggers, then that man recognizes Mat. Mat disarms him with his scarf, then launches two daggers into the man’s eyes, metaphorically becoming unseen by his opponent. Mat finds a paper with his own face on it, a reminder that Darkfriends and the Forsaken are looking for him. Unmentioned is the fact that wild rumours about him are circulating throughout the city, drawing unwanted attention.

Aside from acting as a reminder of the dangers Mat faces, this short battle offers little beyond a display of Mat’s prowess. Any intimidation created by the reminder about the Forsaken is undone by the astonishing quickness he dispatches his foes with. In this instance, physical action is confused with meaningful action, and the casual way in which Mat kills is contrary to other plotlines in which violence is intently avoided.

Writing Lessons:

Action can’t exist for action’s sake, it should be meaningful to the character or the story.

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.

Crossroads of Twilight - Chapters 8-9

In this section, Perrin and Faile become aware of Rand’s actions.

This is the second and third times in which characters become aware of Rand’s effort to cleanse saidin. The Forsaken were able to sense the immense amount of the One Power being used, and so are the various other channelers dispersed around the world. We already saw Mat’s perspective, now the Aes Sedai, Asha’man and Wise Ones with Perrin and Faile give warning of the event.

Up until now, important events such as the conquest of a nation, the fall of a ruler, or large-scale battles took place, and characters in other locales learned of them months, weeks or days later. The temporal gap in knowledge has been getting shorter and shorter as the series progresses. It took months for the Amyrlin to chase down Moiraine in The Great Hunt, or for news of Falme to spread across the continent. As Traveling, Dreamwalking and Bonding have been introduced, the ability to learn the truth of far-off events became quicker and more accurate.

The cleansing of saidin is the first time where events are being observed as they happen. Both Mat and Perrin, through some ta’veren link, are able, or forced, to see images of Rand taking place at that very moment. This new mechanism gives immediacy to each of their actions. It hasn’t made much difference yet, but in A Memory of Light I expect to see this ability used to its full potential, allowing the three ta’veren to coordinate actions across the continent, or even into other realms such as Tel’aran’rhiod.

The cleansing of saidin is also the first time that a world-spanning event has taken place. The fall of the Stone of Tear, the proclamation of the Dragon, the fall of Nations, or the largest battles since Hawkwing’s time have all been important, and have all had repercussions, but their scope was local first and foremost. Cleansing saidin has immediate consequences that matter to everyone in the entire world, which is one of the most important reasons for giving other character’s instantaneous perspective on it.

The other reason to show this event from multiple perspectives is to use it as an example of the personal battles each of the other characters is going through. Perrin quickly dismisses the event, since it has no relevance to finding Faile. This should heighten concern that he is neglecting important duties for selfish reasons. We’ve heard often enough from him since his return from Dumai’s Wells that the world can burn if it keeps him from Faile. Now we see direct proof that it is not rhetoric, but painful fact.

Perrin’s mood has the effect of creating a negative opinion in the reader’s mind. Aside from his single-mindedness, the brooding weighs on the reader’s spirit as much as Perrin’s. The only thing that elevates it somewhat is the comparison to a blacksmith’s puzzle. Now that he has seen all the pieces, Perrin is determined to solve it. In the face of overwhelming odds, that kind of perseverance inspires hope and approval. Leaving the scene with that mood is important to make the reader want to read the next Perrin section. You always want the reader to want to read more, no matter whether the characters are happy or despondent.

Faile has a pivotal discussion with Chiad. Chiad tells her: If I cast aside my honor and my obligations just because the Shaido have, then I allow them to decide how I will act. I will wear white for a year and a day and then they will release me, or I will walk away, but I will not throw away who I am. This lesson is equally applicable to Perrin and Rand, who are under intense pressure sufficient to make them consider paths that they would normally never take. Changing the way they act changes their character so much that the original version of them might as well be dead. Obviously, that is not the desired outcome for the reader.

Faile’s tangle is in many ways more interesting than Perrin’s, because the characters surrounding her are well-rounded individuals, unlike the generic Wise Ones, Aes Sedai, and soldiers following Perrin. Galina, Sevanna, and Therava have a solid strike against them based on their previous appearances, invoking negative emotions. Morgase, Bain and Chiad induce positive feelings. Rolan is man of mystery, and the new gai’shain introduced present interesting possible threats. The hazards Faile faces are specific, while Perrin’s are vague.  

Writing Lessons:

Be aware of the mood you end a scene with.

Winter's Heart - Chapters 26-28

In this section, Elayne and Mat are under pressure.

The clock is ticking down on both Mat and Elayne. Mat needs to escape Ebou Dar in ten days, while Elayne has to act to address an immediate threat from a Borderlander army, and a longer term one from her rivals. In both of their sections, there is an example of compressed time. Let’s take a closer look.

In Elayne’s case, she receives an invitation of sorts from the Borderlanders, and hastily departs to meet with them. The author chooses to focus on certain discussions and preparations she makes, and the reactions of a large number of supporting characters; a scene readers are familiar with which turns up fairly often now that the heroes travel with large groups of companions.

Elayne wants to go now, but it is not so simple. Aviendha and Birgitte try to talk her out of it.

Elayne explains why she has to go now, deciding she will present herself as an Aes Sedai. Birgitte tries to force her into the role of the Daughter-Heir. Elayne asserts herself. Birgitte says she can’t go running off to have adventures. Elayne asserts herself again.

Mellar stays back, which should help Elayne present the façade of an Aes Sedai instead of Andoran noble.  The Guardswoman are not so accommodating. Birgitte sets them straight, complaining the whole while.

Essande lays out clothing, and helpfully brings Elayne her special pregnant meal. Mistress Harfor is tasked with handling the delegations who had hoped to see Elayne, and announces she has acquired goats to milk for Elayne’s special pregnant diet. The Aes Sedai Careane and Vandene accept their assigned tasks and give advice, none of which has to do with pregnancy.  Reanne is summoned to weave the Gateway. Elayne emphasizes the need for speed. The Sea Folk are aware of this bustle, but are not told where Elayne is going.

Marking the passage of time, we read: Making haste seemed beyond Essande’s ability, yet everyone else flew, and by the time the sun stood straight overhead, Elayne found herself riding Fireheart slowly through the snows of Braem Wood.

Birgitte and Aviendha take one last stab at convincing Elayne that Braem wood is no place for her. Then Elayne realizes what is going on.

Elayne dismantles the all-too-common assumption that once a woman is pregnant, that is all she is. She puts Birgitte and Aviendha in their places by threatening to make them wet nurses and reminds them she does not need a wet nurse, she is the same woman she always has been, and she needs to take these actions to accomplish her goals. In stories, pregnancy almost always relegates the mother to becoming a sidekick to the new arrival, often because the female character is not well enough developed to be more than a brood mare. This passage is an announcement that Elayne will not be depicted in that fashion. She will continue to have adventures and fight for the throne. The pregnancy has become a threat to her identity, one which she hopes to overcome by establishing her own rules early on.

The Borderlanders decision to move on makes sense given they’ve expended what their current location can offer as food. However, they latch onto the wisp of guidance Elayne gives them too easily, and the reader will probably find the solution overly simple. This could have been remedied by emphasizing that the Borderlanders must move, giving Elayne’s arguments more weight.

In Mat’s chapter, once he assigns Juilin the task of stealing some clothing and a’dam, events are told out of chronological order, instead following topics of the steps of Mat’s preparations.

First, the servants’ reaction to Mat’s change of clothing is covered. Then the sul’dam’s reaction is noted while Mat builds his horse’s stamina. He sees Aes Sedai occasionally and wants to reassure them, but can’t go near the kennels for fear of meeting Tuon again. Mat notes which high-ranking Seanchan are in the palace and which aren’t. He worries about what Tylin will do if she catches him. Noal tells him daily about the gholam’s murders, and Mat changes sleeping quarters every night.

Then we move on to Mat’s allies: Thom was told of Mat’s desire to free Teslyn before the chapter began though it is only announced now. He develops a plan to get out the gates, and they plot with Juilin how to carry out the plan. Beslan learns of their plans and tries to insert his own uprising into the plan. Mat dissuades him. Beslan stops coming to meetings.

Juilin’s efforts at spying and chasing Thera are described, and he learns important things about the sul’dam’s schedule. They know they’ll have to make their move at night, and risk being seen by Deathwatch guards in the streets. Getting the items isn’t as easy, but there are no significant hitches in the plan yet.

Through Riselle, they learn they’ll need an order, or one of the Blood, to get damane out of the gates. Options for women to pretend to be sul’dam are rejected. Six days have elapsed, more than half their time, and the lack of order, sul’dam and a’dam ramps up the tension. The last bit goes back to chronological order, covering the seventh day.

Reading through those first six days chronologically would have resulted in much lengthier descriptions, covering Mat’s wanderings and explaining every time he changes location. By combining several days’ worth of events that happen in the same location, the author is able to compress the information into easier to read chunks. The pacing and flow are much smoother with this thematic and locational approach than by forcing the reader to follow a chronological description of mundane and repetitive motions.

Writing Lessons:

Don’t describe events chronologically if it bogs down the flow of your story.

The Path of Daggers - Chapters 10-12

In this section, old acquaintances team up.

Morgase’s group has already joined up with Perrin’s, tying up one loose end in this part of the world. There was a feint that her plotline would converge with some others in the last few books, but her part was simply to be a sympathetic character who could show us what was taking place in areas where none of the heroes had reached yet. Once she joins Perrin, it indicates that the main characters will take over and she will be relegated to the sidelines.

Elyas is the next old acquaintance to have a chance encounter. He immediately throws his support behind Perrin, not really asking for anything in return. He faces some risk in being near Aes Sedai, but will take what precautions he can, and be ready to aid however he can.  

A new acquaintance, Queen Alliandre, is brought before Perrin. She swears to follow him as well, though her reputation is not for steadfastness as Elyas’ is. Faile imposes restrictions on her that will keep her support from wavering.

When a contingent of Dragonsworn is hung for their brutal crimes, Aram wonders if their deaths are justified. After all, these men are sworn to Rand. Perrin says that Rand doesn’t want men like this on his side, driving a first wedge between him and the boy that will eventually result in him perceiving Perrin as the danger to the Lord Dragon.

Sevanna barely ends a rebellion against her by her Wise Ones. She had hoped to bind Galina to her service, but must concede on that point amongst others, and share her with Therava. Belinde begins the confrontation on Sevanna’s side, and ends it on Therava’s, physically moving to stand with her. Using a minor character to physically represent the shifting politics of the Shaido makes the change more believable than simply having Sevanna worry about how she stands with the others. The task is even harder when told from an outsider like Galina’s point of view, making Belinde’s actions all the more important.

Graendal is added to those who serve Moridin. She is the last to be brought in. The message is clear, there is only one boss, and there is no room to do anything outside his plan. A new Forsaken, Cyndane, is introduced, already in thrall to Moridin.

Cadsuane and Sorilea meet as equals, and pledge to work towards the goal of making Rand learn he must embrace his emotions. After several examples of how easily Cadsuane would ruthlessly use people and throw them away to get what she wants, we are unsurprised to learn Cadsuane knows that she will break this oath if it interferes with her end goal, as she suspects Sorilea will if it meant Rand would destroy the Aiel. Their tentative promise should allow both to accomplish what they want.

This problem is one of the central points of the entire series. It is not sufficient for Rand to win, which he seems well on his way to doing as he adds another crown to his brow. Rand must also win under the right conditions, in the right mood, for his victory to count. This makes the Last Battle more a matter of character than of logistics or strength. A great deal of tension is introduced since Rand’s victories to date are all leading him down the wrong path, and all the characters who have failed to approach him in the right way must now struggle to make amends, if it is not too late.

The layout of the book is similar to the last one, with several chapters concentrating on one locale before moving to the next, and brief chapters between them covering secondary characters and villains. In each of these sections, some cue is given to help the reader identify when these events happen in relation to the other events they have read about. When the locales are far apart, it makes little difference if they are told slightly out of order, but it will matter more and more as Traveling allows characters to bounce about.

In this case, we learn that events have been told out of order. The prologue and Bowl of the Winds sections at the beginning of this book took place before Rand’s confrontation with Moridin in Shadar Logoth. This means that those sections may have been intended as part of A Crown of Swords, while this Perrin sequence was intended as the opening of The Path of Daggers. Likely reasons for placing them in this book are not wanting to have an Ebou Dar overweight of chapters, fitting the theme better in this book, and a desire to increase the pacing of this book by starting out with an action sequence, since Perrin`s point of view feels like mostly talk.

Writing Lessons:

Don`t be afraid to tell your story out of sequence, you can always explain to the reader so they don`t get confused.

The Shadow Rising - Chapters 24-28

In this section, the three ta’veren find mysteries and revelations.

The Rhuidean sequence carries a strange sense of dread and destiny, slowly revealed to the reader. First is the city that no one will speak of. Second is the secret about it that is held by clan chiefs and Wise Ones. Third is that the city should not be there, the Aiel do not live in cities. Fourth is that Rhuidean cannot even be visited in tel’aran’rhiod. Fifth is the strange fog that envelops Rhuidean, hiding its secrets in the waking world. Sixth is its architecture, designed for grandeur and not the practical aspects of city living. Seventh is the plaza filled with objects of the One Power, each one unknowable and lost. Eighth is the Tree of Life, and the glass columns. Up until this moment, everything about Rhuidean is couched in mystery, little of it making sense, all of it ominous. Memories of the ruins of Shadar Logoth come to mind, even in the absence of a stated comparison. Many details have been revealed, but there are precious few links to enable readers to make sense of them.

Mat’s discovery of the second redstone ter’angreal is climatic. This is why he has come to Rhuidean. Mat has unfinished business with the Aelfinn, and now he can resolve it. The moment when the unexpected result is revealed drives the reader eagerly onward: “Wherever this was, it was not where he had been.” The use of simple words, lacking detail and vague in meaning, draws out the surprise. The Eelfinn says “a very long time”, establishing the first link to Mat’s earlier experience even as the new locale and different species makes clear that this experience will be different. In sequences where strange or alien experiences take place, some links or reference points to the familiar are required. The selection of these signposts and whether they are placed early or late will affect whether the sequence is mysterious, horrific, humourous, or some other outcome.

Rand’s experiences in the glass columns are my favorite of any fiction. Each short sequence shown stands on its own yet is linked to the others and to the main story in a well-crafted chain. The first link to the familiar and the main story in the present is the sight of Muradin several steps ahead of him. The strangeness is in Muradin’s angry reaction to what he is seeing. Readers may be reminded of the testing for Accepted since that is what was described to Aviendha.

Rand is first shown inside, but not controlling a body. The owner of the body is someone else. Rand eventually merges with the body’s owner, separateness fading. He becomes Mandein, strengthening the reader’s interest in this new character’s fate. It is established that this character is a sept chief, a link to the familiar. Further drawing the reader in, immediately a need is established. He must agree. The sequence would not work as well if these elements were presented later, or if they were not linked to Rand. A story about the newcomer Mandein is not as interesting as a story about Rand reliving a vital part of Mandein’s life, even if it does reveal interesting facts about the past. To further maintain the empathy with each new character presented, a reminder that each one is linked to Rand comes from the short interludes when Rand reflects on what he has seen. Eventually the reader understands that the visions of the past follow bloodlines from father to son over several centuries, and logically, since Rand and his father are Aiel, this is not only Aiel history, but family history. Each vision thus helps Rand anchor his identity, which has been cut loose from his links to Tam al’Thor. The moment when the reader understands the bloodlines, and later their link to Rand, is one of several climatic revelations in this sequence.

Each story is linked to the one before it by several elements.

The very next paragraph throws out a lot of information designed to draw the reader in. I categorize it below, because these components will show up in each of the visions in the glass columns.

Revelation: The Jenn built Rhuidean

Mystery: Why do the Aiel avoid the Jenn? Who are the Jenn? Why did they build an indefensible city?

Link to present day: Rhuidean is being built. The accursed Lost Ones search for their songs. Astute readers know these are the Tinkers.

Link to familiar: Aiel have militaristic thinking, hatred of Tinkers.

There are even more revelations, links and mysteries as the Mandein scene progresses. Each vision establishes how it fits with the others, reveals intimate information about the Aiel that has links to present-day Aiel, exposes new mysteries that will be solved in the next visions, and contains clues relating to other cultures, characters, and objects that are important in the series.

This first vision scene tells readers that the upcoming scenes will reveal why Aiel do not use swords, why the Jenn and Aes Sedai put so much effort into ensuring they learn and remember the Aiel. Each of the visions only takes readers a little way towards the final revelations. It reminds me of a word game in which you make one word become another but are only allowed to change one letter at a time.

The next scene establishes the timing of the visions by discussing the founding of Tar Valon. Later visions confirm the setting to be during the Breaking of the World. Eventually every cultural belief of the Aiel is shown to be a misinterpretation of what has come before, from sword-wielding, to veiling before battle, to their short hair, to refusal to ride horses. The Aiel truly forgot where they came from, largely as a result of some very humiliating personal failures that resulted from justifiable actions. By Jenn Aiel standards they were not justifiable, they were rationalized. The visions move gradually from stories that touch on several aspects of Aiel cultural life to Lewin’s, one that is intensely personal but almost devoid of Aiel culture since it is the true origin of Aiel.

Before there were Aiel, there were the Da’shain, who traveled the world in wagons, looking for a place of shelter. They also had a duty so important that it would lead to Lewin being cast out of the Da’shain wagons. Several generations believed that duty was to protect the ter’angreal in the wagons, but above all else, the Aes Sedai hoped to preserve the peaceful ways of the Da’shain, their belief being the last remnant of the Age of Legends. Even Rand sees the modern Aiel for what they are, not what they were. Those Aiel who will follow Rand will do so out of desire to fulfill their destiny, to atone for their sin and their failure to keep to the Way of the Leaf. But they will not be able to follow it themselves, both they and Rand see them as weapons to be used. The one who must follow the Way of the Leaf in their place is Rand, and to follow the Jesus myth, he will have to embrace non-violence against the Shadow and die.

Telling the collection of short stories that make up the visions in reverse chronological order works very effectively. An alternative would have been to start at the beginning, and leave the reader wondering how this would lead to the Aiel they know, but this approach would not have displayed the same keen sense of loss and failure felt when readers discover that each generation tried so hard, but ultimately failed at what they were supposed to do. Highlighting that knowledge puts the emphasis back on Rand and his duty to correct the mistakes and atone for the sins. The final scene of the visions shows the Dark One being freed, and is the origin of the entire story. The origin of the end of the Aiel, of their sin and their duty, and Rand’s origin as well, which will lead to his conclusive battle against the Dark One.

Dreaming was a somewhat common power through all the generations of Aiel. When the Tuatha’an splintered off from the Da’shain, did they lose the Dreamwalking ability? Does having Dreamwalkers in your midst keep you on the right path, while those without Dreamwalkers split off and wander away?

Mat is the only one who makes blunt assessments of Rand’s madness. His rash words are so often wrong they are overlooked, which makes his notice of something a perfect place to hide something in plain sight. As the reader and other characters dismiss Mat’s insight, it still serves to remind readers that madness will overtake Rand. They will clearly not believe it has begun already.

Perrin learns the hazards of dealing with Eelfinn AFTER it’s too late for Mat, a fun way of revealing more about the redstone doorway worlds that might have taken away some of the mystery had it been told to Perrin before Mat’s encounters. Slayer did not enter the Tower of Ghenjei, but making Perrin believe he did was an excellent trap. With dead wolves and Faile to concern him, Perrin now has enough reason to live to avoid immediately giving himself up to the Whitecloaks.

Writing Lessons:

Keep plots and events personal, keep your character’s identity mired in the events that transpire around him, and even when it all seems so obvious already, make it about your character again.

The Dragon Reborn - Chapters 25-29

In this section, The Black Ajah Hunt gets underway, and Mat makes a deal that will get him out of Tar Valon.

The information given about the Black Ajah has a pattern that consists of having no pattern at all. The mystery doesn’t last long before Elayne solves it, but it is one of the first times Robert Jordan has introduced a solvable mystery to the story, and told the reader about it. Later examples will have solutions presented several books after the mystery is introduced.

The main mystery drawing attention is the continuing back and forth debate over who may be Black Ajah, and who is not. Nynaeve’s insistence on caution and mistrust until they are sure wins out. As mentioned in the previous post, even the discovery of a second dead Gray Man in Sheriam’s bed, an obvious warning about the price of failure, did not persuade the majority of readers that Sheriam is Black Ajah. The emotional attachment established by her kind behavior is too strong to overcome even with this added evidence.  Elayne says it best: “And Sheriam? It’s impossible.”

Else Grinwell leads the girls to some planted evidence, and remembering the cue picked up from The Great Hunt, any flash of white that quickly vanishes is a banner proclaiming Lanfear’s presence. That must have been her in the oddly twisting corridors above the library in the last section also!

I am surprised at the simple descriptions of using Saidar. They say it is wonderful, it feels like being filled with life, they imagine rosebuds and riverbanks, but where are the lessons to surrender to it? It must only come when they compare notes with Rand. Maybe it wasn’t relevant enough to introduce until it’s time to worry about Rand’s inability to learn in the next book. It is also a critical component of Nynaeve’s weakness, so not mentioning the ‘surrendering’ aspect helps that plotline unfold over a longer period of time.

Elements of horror creep in, with Egwene reflecting that “We could scream our lungs out down here, and no one would hear a whimper.” Lanfear is going to a lot of trouble to send the women on their quest to Tear when she and her cohorts could surround them and do away with them on several occasions. Again, it’s that self-preservation instinct that kicks in. A circle of thirteen that can shield you is just as worrisome to a Forsaken as to anyone else. Time is not of the essence, Lanfear can plot to get them somewhere remote away from the Tower, and finish them off or use them.

Lanfear’s primary objective was to remove the Dreaming ter’angreal from the White Tower. Lanfear knows that Egwene has somehow acquired a dreamring. Keeping the monopoly over the World of Dreams maintains the secrecy of the Shadow’s communications network, removes one means for the Pattern to leave clues for the heroes, prevents movements through tel’aran’rhiod, and blocks the main approach to the Bore. As I proposed in the previous post, the actual Bore could have been drilled in tel’aran’rhiod, given Lanfear’s familiarity with this realm, and would explain why the World of Dreams figures so prominently.

Silvie is a strange character, waiting for Egwene to come, which is plausible for anyone who can navigate tel’aran’rhiod. She seems familiar with the Forsaken and their plots, mocking them openly. She asserts she can change her face, which anyone should be able to do in tel’aran’rhiod. The country bumpkin accent is the only thing that doesn’t fit Lanfear. She’s secretive enough to not want Egwene to see her true face again, but this is the first real sign of acting ability she’s displayed. Talking about Callandor is consistent with luring Egwene, Nynaeve and Elayne into the trap that has been laid.

Mat’s chapter once again provides humour after several somber-mooded chapters. Mat’s quest appears inconsequential so far, so there is opportunity to use his chapters as spacers in the more important quest undertaken by the Black Ajah Hunters.

Telling the story chronologically often does not meet the objectives of brevity and staying interesting. In Chapter 25, Egwene thinks back on a number of events in a chronologically jumbled order that makes sense thematically. This is an excellent example of how to condense the story to its essential elements and avoid boring the reader. It takes exactly two pages, and puts the focus on the information, not the series of actions. I list the relevant parts below, indented to show where ideas are nested within each other.

They are reading the list of names

                The first time they read the list, they argued

                Last night, she had hardly had any sleep, but she had dreamed

                                She dreamt about Seanchan, and home…

They are still reading names

                                She dreamt about Rand, who is ta’veren

                                                Months ago, she asked Anaiya about ta’veren in Dreams

                                She dreamt about other ta’veren, Mat and Perrin

                                                At his healing, Mat spoke the Old Tongue

                                                After breakfast this morning, they had gone to Mat’s room

Nynaeve interrupts the reading of names – end of flashbacks.

There may be other, better ways to write some sections than chronologically.

Writing Lessons: