A Memory of Light - Chapters 25-28

In this section, Egwene makes uneasy alliance with her personal Dark One.

Egwene has good reason to detest the Seanchan, having endured a short time in their clutches as a damane. She is tolerant of their help when she first hears of their arrival, but the matter of who leads who must be decided. So, she and Fortuona must meet face to face for the sake of expediency, despite the risk to their status being seen doing so.

She wore a glittering dress whose train extended a ridiculous distance behind her, carried by eight da’covale, those servants in their horribly immodest clothing. The use of the adjectives ‘ridiculous’ and ‘horribly’ not only describe the physical appearance of Fortuona’s garments and entourage, but also Egwene’s judgment of it. This sort of deep and personal attribution of adjectives is one way the author succeeds in crafting the third-person limited point of view.

In her confrontation with Fortuona, Egwene takes up the familiar theme of freedom to choose. Many of the evils in this world limit people’s freedom, and Egwene’s cause is one that Rand recently supported, and will again in his imminent confrontation with the Dark One.

Both Fortuona and Egwene can be excused for spontaneous bouts of uncharacteristic blurting out what they are really thinking when their minds should be keenly focused on the politics of this encounter.  Their minds may be sharp as diamond-studded bear traps, but all preparation and logic go out the window once a ta’veren is part of the conversation. If Mat weren’t present, readers might frown over the women’s lack of formality and veering off topic. I suppose Egwene’s eagerness to publicly beat Fortuona account for some of her behaviour.

Elsewhere, the generals are caught making mistakes, and Bashere is arrested as a result. Lan has verified his suspicions about Agelmar as well. Perrin would like to investigate this matter more, but he has been battling Slayer and protecting Rand.

In his battle Perrin sees an image of snakelike men battling as well. Are the forces of evil also attacking the Aelfinn? Or are the Aelfinn and Eelfinn secretly participating in the battle at Thakan’dar, staving off the threat to their own existence?

The dreamspike serves a major plot related purpose, keeping Rand safe from outside interference, though it may later slow his escape. The wolves add to Rand’s defense, summoning Perrin whenever Slayer approaches.

Perrin’s encounter with Slayer ends in victory as the other man is driven off before he can harm Rand. Perrin and Gaul also fight several red-veiled Aiel, defeating the last by changing them into idiots. I wonder whether the turning process somehow weakens their willpower, thus affecting how easily they are altered in Tel’aran’rhiod, or perhaps it is simply lack of training as Perrin surmises. Lanfear even shows up to aid Perrin yet again, and despite misgivings, it is difficult not to wonder if this most Forsaken of them all might be swayed back to the Light.

Moridin has no such second chances in his future: “Now? Now you beg me to return to the Light? I have been promised oblivion. Finally, nothing, a destruction of my entire being. An end. You will not steal that from me, Lews Therin! By my grave, you will not!” Moridin came forward swinging.

Shaidar Haran’s demise is anticlimactic, yet not without interest. The giant Myrddraal’s husk lies on the ground before an infinite Blackness, whose touch may spell the end of Rand. Moridin will try to bleed one last time to weaken him enough for the Dark One to prevail, perhaps even to defeat Rand himself. The stakes, emotion, and uneven odds all contribute to the intensity of Rand’s slow progress to the Bore. The slow pace of Rand’s battle, explained by the time differential, also keeps the tension high. The book is half over, and he’s just facing his opponent now. How much can be left? What will happen? So, so good.  

A raken hit by a fireball crashes atop a messenger in Byrne’s camp. With no one else to carry a plea for help, Min offers her aid. Necessity is a very believable reason for improbable coincidences to take place. In this case, it provides the desired motivation for Min and Bryne, and is quicker and more elegant than any other convoluted attempt to place her with the Seanchan could be. Added to Fortuona, Min and Mat now offer another convenient pair of viewpoints to show events from a more Seanchan perspective.

The use of an Ogier song of mourning makes the reader’s mood more downcast, especially in contrast to how the Ogier’s manic battle rage had provided an uplifting source of hope in an earlier chapter. Loial’s sections are short, and used to punctuate the plot with the desired emotion each time he shows up.

Writing Lessons: Use adjectives to simultaneously describe physical and symbolic elements, as well as reveal character.  

Use necessity as a means to make improbable scenarios more believable.

A Memory of Light - Chapters 10-13

In this section, two ta’veren take to the field.

With allies waiting for reinforcements, the failure to lure Trollocs out of Caemlyn hurts the heroes badly, though not personally. Androl too is failing to find a means of escape, adding to the building pressure, which culminates with Lan’s retreat from Tarwin’s Gap when faced with Dreadlords.

At last, the Trollocs take the bait and pursue the Andoran army, falling into a trap of gunpowder and shrapnel. Elayne thinks the invention of these cannons will change warfare forever, with their destructive power acting as a deterrent no sane person would risk facing. The comparison with the nuclear era is easy to spot. Early gains by Elayne and Bashere are whittled away as the Trollocs adapt to the tactics. Birgitte’s personal struggle to keep some part of her memories and her confusion serve as a nice metaphor for the skirmishes and stalemate that is emerging.

Rand tries to intervene to help the Borderlanders, but is rebuffed by well-organized Dreadlords trying to cut him off from the source. Incapable of helping any of the forces any longer, he must accept Moiraine’s urging for him to march on Shayol Ghul.

In his dreams, Rand encounters Lanfear, and a long-awaited opportunity for Mierin to turn back to the Light is rejected. So close. So close to the Light, like a feral cat in the night, stalking back and forth before the fire-lit barn! He found himself angry, angrier than before. Always, she did this! Flirting with what was right, but always choosing her own path. Yet despite her rejection of love and Light, and her dejection at discovering how little she means to Rand, readers may still entertain the idea that she can be saved, that she wants to be saved after Rand reveals himself fully to her. This perception is key to her upcoming interactions with Perrin.

Perrin feels a tugging which he knows is Rand. He decides to act as Rand’s guardian, facing dangers which he cannot, such as at the Black Tower, and countering the agents he suspects are arraying themselves against Rand. It is disappointing that even at this late juncture, Perrin doesn’t describe the dreamspike to Rand, and perhaps benefit from Lews Therin’s insight and memories, or even tell Rand about Slayer, if only to assure him that Perrin will finish him. Perrin and longtime friend Gaul enter Tel’aran’rhiod in the flesh, which readers will have trouble convincing themselves isn’t an act of evil, for the only person who says different is Perrin himself, whose rationale is simply that it is not evil, just incredibly stupid.

Bornhald’s revelation that Padan Fain killed Perrin’s family is the first reminder that he is still up in the Blight, waiting for Rand, another danger which Perrin may be better placed to face than Rand.

Inventiveness allows the heroes to make progress in Kandor, whether by the use of Gateways for observation of the battlefield or by plans to include Aes Sedai as part of the military forces, which soon gives humanity its first uncontested and complete victory.

A feature of these last three Wheel of Time books by Brandon Sanderson has been the inclusion of a number of fan-friendly initiatives, from auctioning off naming rights of minor characters, to featuring the guardians of the largest Wheel of Time fan sites as innkeepers, to acknowledging fan theories in text. While there is a certain glee at receiving acknowledgement, such Easter Eggs can prove disruptive, taking a reader who is in the know out of the story. The same is likely true for any scene which has been heavily advertised to fans ahead of publication. Involving fans on an emotional level both rewards their long dedication and keeps them attached, so some kind of balance must be struck despite the potential disruption to the story. In theory, a minority of the millions of readers will be in the know, so by keeping these references subtle, the desired balance is reached.

Mat returns to Ebou Dar, which he realizes is his home more than any place else. Among his many fond memories, are those of Tylin.  After a year of analyzing the story and finding deep meaning in even simple descriptive paragraphs, I find the sexual context surrounding his affection for Tylin offers surprising ways to interpret the rest of this paragraph:

Tylin. Bloody ashes, but that had been a fun game. She had had the better of him time and again. Light send him plenty of women who could do that, though not in rapid succession, and always when he knew how to find the back door. Tuon was one. Come to think of it, he would probably never need another. She was enough of a handful for any man. Mat smiled, patting Pips on the neck. The horse blew down Mat’s neck in return.

Readers may never know whether these words belong to one author or the other, or a combination of both, making it harder to judge whether their use is intentional. Since the relationship with Tylin sets the context for the rest of the paragraph, I think the imagery is intentional, not accidental, and very much in line with Mat’s unconventional behaviour. However, as an author it can be inconvenient to find out you’ve unintentionally implied something you never intended, and it seems the context of such oversights is often sexual.

Writing Lessons:

Check your text for unintentional meanings.

Towers of Midnight - Summary

Towers of Midnight is the next to last book of the series, and sets up an epic character-driven confrontation before the Last Battle, bringing everyone tantalizingly close to working together. Almost every hero and heroine will be at Merrilor to stand for or against Rand’s plan to break the seals on the Dark One’s prison. The lead-up to this reunion pervades the book, driving several plots forward while the remaining sections allow characters to tidy up loose plot threads.

Perrin resolves rumours about his dalliance with Berelain, understands his nature as a Wolfbrother, defeats Slayer, and confronts his guilt over killing for the first time. Egwene beseeches Gawyn to obey her, yet finds treating him as a partner is the path that leads to his love, his bond, and saving the Tower. Elayne gains cannons, another throne, an army, and uncovers a plot to invade Andor. Mat dispatches the gholam, creates cannons, and enters the trickster realm of the Aelfinn and Eelfinn to rescue Moiraine, who still has a role to play. Lan grudgingly accepts help on his quest, then leads his people towards a final confrontation with the Shadow. Aviendha becomes a Wise One but learns of a fate far worse than death for her people unless they find new purpose. And Rand fears nothing, unperturbed by any events or threats, whether a circle of channelers or an army of Trollocs, for he can seemingly do anything.

All of the characters have now attained the summit of their power and influence in the world, ruling nations and people, just in time for the Last Battle. While the title Towers of Midnight refers to the Forsaken, they are squashed before the newfound might at the Heroes’ command.

Several aspects of the book echo events early in the series, particularly The Great Hunt, with Ingtar and Noal’s eerily similar self-sacrifice to save the heroes, Lanfear’s presence twisting at Rand’s heart, or Morgase returning to Caemlyn. Tel’aran’rhiod reappears with great importance, and both Perrin and Egwene learn how to use it to its fullest potential. The Seanchan prepare their boldest invasion yet. It stands to reason that the author put the key elements in the story early on, and as the end approaches those elements resurface.

The last remaining unfinished plot lines in Towers of Midnight will present some of the most insurmountable difficulties yet. Setting up the dire circumstances surrounding each of these was an important part of this book. The Black Tower stands impenetrable as Taim secures his stronghold, turning its inhabitants to his side one by one.  The Seanchan remain unwilling to bend until Rand serves them. The Malkieri charge to their doom, alone.

Many of the early books had a magic item that acted as the focus of the story. The Eye of the World, the Horn of Valere, Callandor. Later books got away from this, but a new ter’angreal is introduced here. The dreamspike is a powerful tool, and one of them remains in the hands of the villains.

Also reintroduced is Dark Prophecy, last seen staining the walls of a cell in Fal Dara, now promising the death of Perrin before Rand is defeated. There seems no reason why these dark prophecies would be any less accurate than Min’s viewings or Egwene’s dreams or Elaida’s Foretelling. With strong allies and more personal power than ever before, the Heroes are more ready than ever to face a challenge head-on, but those foreboding elements are a reminder that there will be a price to pay for victory.

Aviendha’s future visions once again make the dire outcome of the Heroes’ decisions personal, affecting their descendents personally, and tying their future to the chain of cultural duty and responsibility stretching three millennia into the past. No matter how epic in scope the story gets, the authors bring it back to a personal level.

Writing Lessons:

Obstacles must remain challenging, no matter how powerful the characters are.

Towers of Midnight - Chapters 51-53

In this section, Mat learns the rules while other heroes unite nations.

Brandon Sanderson doesn’t mind using a modern term if it succinctly conveys the imagery he wants. Quite possibly the only in-world characters who would use the word ‘research’ are Brown Ajah, since the very concept of research for its own sake hardly exists. A quick check reveals only Siuan and Graendal ever used the word before Brandon took the reins, and Verin and Forsaken account for most of the uses of the word in these two most recent books. So when Min talks about ‘her research’, it stands out a bit, but it still conveys intelligence, certitude, and competence. Simply talking about her research, especially after continual reminders through half the series that she has taken up this task, implies that when Min tells readers what she has found, it will be factual and trustworthy.

Rand has tried to travel to the Black Tower, but the second dreamspike has prevented him from doing it. Perrin or Egwene are the best suited to help him assault it and depose Mazrim Taim, since one of them would have to use Tel’aran’rhiod to destroy it. What kind of defenses could Moridin have placed in Tel’aran’rhiod to stop them? Before Elaida’s Foretelling about the Black Tower’s fall can take place and it is rent in fire and blood, there has to be some way for the remaining Aes Sedai to Travel there. It would be ironic if Elaida, or Suffa as she is now called, led the Seanchan portion of an assault on the Black Tower, assuming they can see eye to eye with the other nations.

The Borderlanders relied on a Foretelling of their own, one that predicted that Rand would have all of Lews Therin’s memories, and if he did not, then he was to be killed. Rand names this reckless and foolhardy, but it implies that in all the delicate weaving of the Pattern, the only path to victory for the Light is once Rand has integrated Lews Therin’s life into his own. If he had not yet done so, perhaps his death would cause the needed integration, though the matter of his resurrection would then likely be more difficult, since it too is a delicate affair relying on certain other events. The Borderlander prophecy is a failsafe, allowing the Pattern an extra more farfetched chance to set up events as needed.

Rand unites the Borderlanders behind him, thanks to Lews Therin’s memories, while Elayne gains the throne of Cairhien thanks to her ancestry and deft political maneuvers.

Two fantastic comparisons make use of other characters to not only make the comparison but provide humour and describe other parts of the world.

People knew about his scar, but there was no need to show it off like one of Luca’s bloody wagons.

Her dress was after the Ebou Dar style, with the side pinned up to reveal petticoats colorful enough to scare away a Tinker.

In the Black Tower, Pevara learns that Tarna has been turned to Taim’s side. Pevara is not yet sure, but readers feel confident this is as a result of being forcefully turned to the shadow by a circle of channelers and Myrddraal. The result is that Tarna speaks and moves normally, but her smile is all wrong, the only visible sign of being coerced to serve the Dark One. I recall that Javindhra is Black Ajah, which would be obvious in any case since both she and Tarna now share the same opinions.

Perrin reveals he will side with Rand, which unnerves Faile. But his men, now humbly apologetic about the rumours they started, will follow him anywhere, unquestioning.

Mat’s discussion of boots with Setalle Anan fits much better on a reread than when I first read it. It is the author’s humour about metaphor which throws it off, because it feels like Anan’s comments on the topic are for the reader, not Mat. Mat still makes his point, it’s not about anything but boots. Mat is simple and straightforward, and saves his best for himself, setting his own rules. The rules and expectations around nobles, Aes Sedai, and lords make it too hard to know how to behave properly and certainly prevent one from acting the way they want to. The intent of the discussion is to show Mat’s attitude towards rules just before he enters a realm where the rules make no sense, and are as anarchic to him as he is to the people around him.

Another fantastic description sets the mood before entering the Tower: A trickling, musical stream gurgled behind them.  ‘Trickling’ sounds like tricking, the musical quality speaks to the rules inside the Tower, and of course the stream is not before them or beside them, but behind them, the best place to do trickery without being seen.  

The always necessary foreshadowing has Mat remembering what he will need to remember, just not quite in the right way yet: The Eelfinn had given him the weapon. Well if they dared stand between him and Moiraine, then they would see what he could do with their gift. By providing a particular context, it is less likely the reader will think of a second context until the author reveals it dramatically later. Any hint of an incomplete thought here might leave such an opening. A second later example: “Mat had asked for a way out. They had given it to him, but he could not remember what it was. Everything had gone black, and he had awakened hanging from the ashandarei.”

Mat discovers that even in this chaotic realm, there are rules. Openings can be made to enter the tower, but there’s a trick regarding their size. The openings work in both directions, but they close once you exit the Tower. For each surprise, Mat and his companions logically think their way through, seeming capable of overcoming the obstacles placed in their path. The reader is lulled into a sense of confidence and short-lived complacency.

Despite the surroundings looking different than in past visits, Mat proceeds down two passages before doubling back to check that the map is accurate. It is not, so Mat relies on his luck to set their path. Doubling back established that reversing direction doesn’t take you where you came from, so Mat’s continued doubling back has a proven basis for working before the author shows its success.

An Eelfinn appears and tries to charm them, but is put to sleep by Thom’s song and Mat’s singing. So far, Mat thinks he has the rules all figured out.

Writing Lessons:

Foreshadow your dramatic revelation by discussing the relevant clues in a complete context so that the reader’s mind doesn’t wander down the paths you want to keep it away from.

Towers of Midnight - Chapters 36-38

In this section, Perrin, Egwene and Gawyn conclude their greatest battles.

Egwene brings together Aiel, Sea Folk and Aes Sedai, the first of several groups who must find common ground before the Last Battle. She finally reveals her vision for their future cooperation, and by making a few concessions, she successfully gains their approval.   

Aes Sedai shouldn’t make laws that they can’t enforce – or they will appear to be either idiots or tyrants.

The battle follows a format that switches from character to character, which is useful given the tight quarters and different locales. Egwene- Perrin – Gawyn – Egwene –Perrin – Gawyn - Perrin –Egwene - Perrin – Gawyn – Mesaana – Perrin – Egwene – Perrin – Egwene - Perrin – Graendal. Mesaana’s appearance introduces the excitement of an impending trap, and its placement immediately after Gawyn succumbs to his wounds gives that threat an emotional boost.

Perrin and Slayer use Tel’aran’rhiod in a variety of inventive ways during their battle. As discussed previously, I anticipate a significant portion of the Last Battle to take place in Tel’aran’rhiod, so this back and forth parrying using the realm’s properties gives the reader a deeper understanding of what is and isn’t possible.

After speaking with his sister, Gawyn realizes he doesn’t need recognition, he needs to make the world better, which he can do by stepping aside and becoming Egwene’s warder and also be free to love her. He realizes Egwene is trying to set her trap that night, and rushes to her side, conveniently entering Tar Valon just before Perrin cuts off access to it by bringing the dreamspike there. The timing of Gawyn’s return is somewhat based on his realization that Egwene is in danger, and reminds readers that he is impulsive, but close calls like this always risk raising the suspicions of readers that it happened this way because the author needed it to, not because of the characters themselves. Perrin’s appearance in Tar Valon fits this bill even more so.

Other tactics in Tel’aran’rhiod are shown by Egwene and the Aes Sedai. Egwene is trapped by the dreamspike, but so is Mesaana. Mesaana’s authoritative knowledge reveals the dreamspike’s powers. Egwene and Nynaeve develop tactics to search and destroy Black Ajah. Bair has awesome camouflage. When Perrin and Egwene chastise each other, Perrin gives Egwene a clue about force of will when he deflects some balefire.

Perrin thinks he can destroy the dreamspike in lava, though he should be able to simply shroud it in lava as various Forsaken tried to do to Rand on several occasions. Less probable manifestations in Tel’aran’rhiod seem to be more susceptible to being undone, so it may not have worked as well as the nightmare did. The sudden appearance of the nightmare behind Slayer is once again too convenient, though Perrin’s anguish at seeing Hopper killed may have attracted it, or even caused it.

Gawyn enters Egwene’s chambers to find two Bloodknives. The addition of a third figure adds to the intensity and is a simple and effective way to make the situation direr. The author doesn’t have to reveal the entirety of the threat right away, revealing it gradually creates more intensity. Gawyn evens the odds by purposefully disadvantaging himself by extinguishing the lights.

Egwene acts predictably, falls into Mesaana’s trap. An a’dam on her neck, she calms herself, hearing words deep within her, deeper than her terror or fear, words which anchor her identity to the foundation of the White Tower itself. The verbal sparring goes heavily in Egwene’s favour, as every argument Mesaana uses is undermined by Egwene’s tenacious self-knowledge. As Egwene imagines herself as immovable as a mountain, Mesaana’s comparatively insignificant will crumples, shredding the Forsaken’s mind.  AWESOME! I expect Rand’s battle in A Memory of Light to resemble this. An earlier example of using Tel’aran’rhiod to alter someone’s identity made this slightly more understandable to readers, but was not necessary, given the rich and detailed explanation during Egwene and Mesaana’s conflict.

Egwene wakes and bonds Gawyn, a reward for each of them overcoming their deepest personal fears. Perrin wakes and moves his people to safety.

Graendal has one last tool near Perrin, but who?

Writing Lessons:

Beware of convenient events, which can raise the reader’s disbelief.

Towers of Midnight - Chapters 33-35

In this section, Perrin, Egwene, and Gawyn begin their greatest battles.

Egwene plans to lure Mesaana into attacking her in Tel’aran’rhiod and springing her own trap.

Perrin practices defeating nightmares, learning the skills he’ll use in his later battle with Slayer.

Gawyn and Elayne talk about Gawyn’s conflicted choices and his jealousy of Rand. He resents that Rand has acquired all the things that have been promised to him since birth, and finds him undeserving of it. Encountering a sul’dam captive in the Palace, Gawyn learns that the assassins stalking the White Tower are Seanchan Bloodknives, a foe which Egwene does not know about and has not prepared for. When he receives a terse letter from Egwene, he cuts off his nose to spite his face, sending her a letter instead of coming as she asks and as he originally intended to. Some people just can’t stand being told what to do.

Trials are often the climax of a story, and do not always succeed in sustaining the reader’s interest. The use of Perrin’s trial as a delaying tactic in a larger plot allows it to be condensed into one chapter, showing how the law fits into the larger world of The Wheel of Time, then getting back to the more familiar elements of the world.  

Perrin realizes the trial is part of a larger trap, but nothing else he says or does augments the excitement and anticipation as much as his blunt plan:

“We ride to this trial,” Perrin said. “And do whatever we can to keep from going to battle with the Whitecloaks. Then tonight, I see if I can stop the thing that is preventing the gateways. We can’t just ride far enough away to escape it; the thing can be moved. I saw it in two places. I’ll have to destroy it somehow.  After that, we escape.”

Perrin’s trial alternates between testimony and Perrin’s memories, giving the reader, but not the judge, both sides of the story. Perrin’s memories serve to remind the reader of these long ago events which give his testimony more weight in the reader’s mind, although it all sounds like it must be crazy talk when he testifies about wolves and the Horn of Valere.

Why don’t Bornhald and Byar just lie if they are under some Compulsion? Byar’s scent and Perrin’s earlier reasoning about the trap implies Graendal has been at Byar’s mind, so why not just compel him to implicate Perrin more directly if the trial turns in Perrin’s favour? The answer must be that Graendal’s subtle methods and desire to avoid detection require less intrusive Compulsion.

Morgase rules that Perrin is guilty of killing the two Children of the Light but lets Galad decide on the sentence. Galad’s decision will dictate the identity of the Children of the Light, and effectively allows them to choose who they will be and what they will represent, defining their own reality.

Egwene and Perrin both go to sleep with clear objectives in mind. Battles are imminent.

Perrin encounters Slayer first. Perrin feels a small tremble in the ground, which somehow foretells that Slayer has fired an arrow at him. There are enough special abilities and well-defined rules to give characters the insight they need to escape dangers. It is irritating when it stems from some peculiar feeling of no discernible origin. Mat’s dice and Nynaeve’s storm sense are ill-explained, yet oft-used so that readers forget how contrived they are. Readers accept them because they offer no usable information to the characters to help them escape danger.

Perrin’s practice pays off, and his affirmation that he is a wolf and this is his place helps his mental projections take on more force, as well as providing inspirational tension-building for the reader. The wolves are able to combat Slayer and draw him away while one of them sneaks away to find the dreamspike.

The dreamspike affects the waking world despite existing only in Tel’aran’rhiod. There has been some criticism about this ter’angreal’s abilities, but I find it provides a vital clue for the Last Battle, showing that this realm of willpower over reality can in fact affect the waking world. Tel’aran’rhiod was pivotal in early books, then vanished so readers would stop thinking about it, before reintroducing it in time for the Last Battle.  It fits the theme presented above with Galad, repeated several times over in recent books, which is that people shape their own reality.

Writing Lessons:

Don’t let your characters have unexplained or contrived ‘funny feelings’ that save their skins.

Towers of Midnight - Chapters 26-28

In this section, lengthy setups payoff!

Perrin makes a show of force to gain a second opportunity to talk with Galad and stave off a battle. Both men want to make sure they haven’t misjudged the other, even though they admit to themselves they are unlikely to change their minds. Galad’s reversal is shown in a more present tense than many past scenes on the series, and is tenser for it. Galad considers Perrin’s display of the One Power, argues with his subordinates, then in one short paragraph the scene skips ahead to his meeting with Perrin. Often, to limit the sudden surges ahead in time, Robert Jordan would begin the scene with the characters reflecting on how they came to this moment, with soft flashbacks or explanations. This scene carries more immediacy and tension since readers don’t know whether Perrin’s gambit will work, but it also makes it feel more plot driven than character driven, despite that Galad’s reaction would be the same no matter how the scene is presented.

Galad meets Perrin’s entourage. And though Alliandre is a queen, and Berelain shares a mutual attraction with him, he can’t trust any of them enough to judge Perrin in a trial. Discovering Morgase among Perrin’s people changes that, and he accepts Morgase as judge. At last, the convoluted series of events leading Morgase here is understood. Morgase often served as the best choice of character in her location to show the reader what was happening, given her links to the heroes. All of that helped disguise that the goal was to bring her here, to serve as Perrin’s judge, to allow him to complete his personal journey and discover whether he is exonerated or as guilty as he sometimes feels.

Traveling doesn’t work, which readers and Perrin are beginning to relate to the purple barrier in Tel’aran’rhiod. Hopper knows the barrier is man-made, and finding Slayer pursuing wolves on the other side of it implies he understands its workings well enough to exploit it, if he isn’t the one who created it in the first place. This time, using his recent training, Perrin is able to achieve a victory of sorts by denying Slayer his prize. Perrin escapes to Dragonmount where wolves have begun to gather.

Egwene is writing letters to world leaders, seeking help in dissuading Rand from breaking the seals. When she catches the Hall attempting to circumvent her authority, she allows the Hall to take over the War if she gets to deal with world leaders, as she was just shown doing.  The proposal to give Egwene this sole jurisdiction comes from Lelaine, which makes it instantly suspicious and undesirable to readers, given her past behaviour. There is only one indication that this might be what Egwene wants, which is her thought before intruding on the Hall that they are still reacting to what she did months ago, and don’t see what she’s doing next. Egwene, as Amyrlin, now has sole discretion about how to deal with Rand, who is King of Illian. This is the big payoff to Egwene’s rise to power, the fact that when Rand tries to rally the world to his cause, it will be his childhood friend and love interest who will either stand with him or against him.

Egwene also starts a rumour that she is meeting in Tel’aran’rhiod, hoping to draw Mesaana out.

In Maradon, Ituralde gets blasted from the top of the wall, giving proof to one Ashaman’s detection of male channelers among the Trolloc army. It was rather foolish to allow an Asha’man to make a visible signal from where they were standing. The wall itself collapses, and the city’s defenses have been breached. As with many insurmountable attacks in history, from Malkier to Manetheren, Ituralde will hold the city as long as he can, waiting for help to arrive. His instincts say flee, but he is staying on faith and a promise. Readers wait for the payoff: will Rand repeat mistakes of the past, or arrive in time to save Ituralde? Ituralde himself is fulfilling the promise to help his neighbours that has figured so frequently in the downfall of the nations of men.

Writing Lessons:

Flashbacks or inner thoughts showing very recent events change the tempo and feel of the story. Use them to provide the mood and feelings you want, not to maintain chronology.

Towers of Midnight - Chapters 18-20

In this section, characters learn they must set aside their differences and work towards common goals.

Perrin begins his training in Tel’aran’rhiod. His interaction with wolves is one of the more interesting facets of his character, and to be portrayed convincingly, the wolves’ language and culture has to be distinct and recognizable. For the most part, their vocabulary is monosyllabic, implying only cursory language skills, which are supplemented with detailed scents and impressions which they can send to each other.

The longest words Hopper uses are: follow, understand, sparrow, cannot, slumber, always, remember, unnatural, honey, memory, remain, again, quickly, ready, especially, strongly, holding , carrying, running, practice, wrongness.  Of these words, most have simple meanings that are easy for readers to attribute to a clever animal’s mind. The ones which don’t are especially, holding, and unnatural. Especially is suitable for a language that can distinguish levels of gradation, not the precise terms generally used by wolves elsewhere. Holding is something men do, and in other contexts the wolves have called the objects Perrin holds his claws, as though they were part of him. Unnatural is applied to Perrin, yet the purplish wall of the dreamspike is termed wrongness, and the difference is lost on the reader. Wrongness is the more wolfish of the two, in keeping with the majority of the examples in other wolf dialogue, but it’s odd that Hopper would call Perrin’s presence unnatural if men have historically walked the Wolf Dream.

Overall, the few words wolves use which are mildly inappropriate can only be identified as such because of the consistency in tone, sentence structure, and vocabulary in the rest of their speech.

Ituralde is defending Maradon from a Trolloc horde, yet they won’t come to his aid. He holds his position, waiting for Rand to send help as was promised.

Faile confronts Berelain about the rumours, and she denies anything inappropriate happened. Wouldn’t she consider it appropriate if Perrin set aside his wife for her? In any case, Faile makes Berelain realize that Faile will challenge her to a death match unless she can find a way to dispel the rumours. Berelain concocts a plan that requires Faile and Berelain to behave as though they were friends, with no animosity between them, one of many examples of characters setting aside differences to work towards common goals.

Mat is badly failing to keep a low profile, thanks to rumours in Caemlyn which he cannot hope to quash. He meets with Elayne, and they discuss the manufacture of his dragons. The negotiation scene is heavy on dialogue. Mat says the opposite of almost every point he had made to himself before the talk began, consistently upending expectations. The negotiation ends with both Mat and Elayne satisfied at the outcome. Each of them will benefit from their arrangement, keeping a portion of the dragons, which are primarily to be used in the Last Battle. Defending against lightning strikes with the One Power is simple, so these cannonballs should be stopped as easily, unless they are deployed against Trollocs.

Mat had to sweeten the offer by giving up his sole protection against the gholam stalking him. Writers can be backed into a corner when their heroes become too powerful, and readers can see through contrived attempts to bring them back to a more normal power level. Mat giving up his medallion works effectively, because the immediate threat to Mat is obvious, and he is trading a short-term risk for a long-term gain, which is an entirely believable course of action. The reader’s emotional reaction to the threat and outrage that Mat has to give up his only defense will likely override any analysis which recognizes this deliberate effort to place Mat in a situation which he can’t easily escape.

Nynaeve takes her test to be confirmed an Aes Sedai, to be given and judged by several of the highest ranking Aes Sedai. Throughout the test, she consistently ignores the precepts placed in her mind to save the inhabitants of the test realms. She later says that without context, she can’t know why the rules have to be followed so strictly, so it is right that she flout them to act as she thinks an Aes Sedai should. There is a fierce debate about whether she should follow strictures or be trusted with forbidden weaves, or the ability to decide what the greater good is. She is raised by a narrow margin, yet by undergoing the test, she has decided she already knows what she must do, and the shawl of an Aes Sedai is a worthwhile goal, but not her ultimate goal. For this realization, she is able to claim the prize she most desires, Lan’s bond. As with the Ebou Dar scene in which they were married, Nynaeve is instantly rewarded for her personal growth.

Writing Lessons:

Portray other cultures with a consistent use of language specific to that culture.

Towers of Midnight - Chapters 3-5

In this section, the penultimate confrontation is set up

Rand visits the White Tower, and sets a date for the beginning of the Last Battle. Establishing a firm time and date for an important action to be carried out has some benefits and drawbacks. It solidifies readers’ expectations more forcefully than simply laying out the order of future events. The obvious way to introduce tension is to throw off the date with some external pressure. In this case, Egwene’s reservations act as that pressure. By cementing her opposition to breaking the seals, there is an expectation that her opposition is the main pressure, and other possible ways of derailing the meeting between her and Rand in a month will not take place. Possible examples could have been Rand failing to show up, or the seals going missing, or some distraction such as the Black Tower throwing the schedule off. By making clear Egwene’s opposition to Rand’s plan, readers are more likely to believe that the plan will be carried out exactly as described. There’s some evidence this technique was successful based on the focus on the meeting at Merrilor in the numerous theories bounced around Theoryland in the last year.

From here on, Rand’s perspectives stop showing up, and we only see other characters’ perspective of Rand, which effectively keeps the details of his plan mysterious.  

Egwene’s dreams are prophetic, and the one touching on the book’s title, Towers of Midnight, is obviously describing the Forsaken. Thirteen towers stand, several crumble, one begins to fall, then rises higher than the others, the Nae’blis. In the end, six stand, representing Demandred, Graendal, Moridin, Cyndane, Moghedien, and Mesaana.

The Pattern is being reworked even further, with entire villages now being cut from their location and pasted elsewhere. Is this symbolic of Rand’s personalities and past lives being integrated into one? It will certainly pose some difficulties for battle and travel later, when existing maps are no longer useful and there is no certainty about the path forward.

Perrin and Galad continue to share chapters, and a link between the plotlines is established when Byar tells Galad about Perrin’s past actions involving the Children of the Light. Byar’s biased view of Perrin acts as an effective dread inducing element, which the reader hopes will be overcome by Galad’s unswerving desire to do the right thing. Galad is a mirror image to Mordeth, each uncaring of the cost to others when they take actions to prevent their own moral discomfort.

Perrin agrees to learn how to navigate the wolf dream properly. His motivations are nebulous, resting on his discomfort with Faile since her rescue, his need to learn the tools at his disposal, his avoidance of the darker sides of his personality. These fuzzy rationales are easily overlooked by readers because of relief that they will finally learn more about this interesting ability. Let’s just get on with the wolfing already!

Egwene has become too powerful, and has a position where none question her authority, so she has a new weakness introduced in the form of her love for Gawyn. Actions she takes to pursue romance can undermine her authority, and actions to maintain her authority could cost her a romantic relationship. Take away Gawyn, and Egwene becomes a purely political entity. Using Gawyn to keep Egwene rooted in normal relationships is a good concept, particularly as it centers on them feeling out how to interact with each other given the imbalance in their rank.

Graendal reads the Dark Prophecies, and is amazed, as are readers. There is an entire book of Foretellings which only the villains have access to. Moridin also has a collection of ter’angreal which he has disregards for the most part since he has the True Power as a crutch. I could never help imagining a storyline in A Memory of Light where the heroes raid Moridin’s base. A direct confrontation between a handful of heroes and a handful of Forsaken is very appealing.

A ter’angreal, the dreamspike, is introduced. Graendal is given one, and another is already in use. Out of all the items Moridin has collected, and Graendal’s elation at being loaned this one, readers ought to be salivating at the prospect of finding out what it does. The advertised confrontation between Perrin and Graendal appears dire, since she has the element of surprise and he cannot muster enough channelers to confront her directly. Good thing she is so cautious.

Writing Lessons:

Make an event more anticipated by creating expectations of the consequences to that event.