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.

The Gathering Storm - Chapters 46-50 and Epilogue

In this section, Rand has his lowest moment

Egwene completes her reunification of the White Tower by choosing a Keeper of the Chronicles from the opposing faction. She is setting an example for others to follow by reaching out to a woman who is well known to have been one of her adversaries, and if the others do follow her example, then the Tower should recover nicely. It is fortunate for everyone that Elaida was no longer there, because Egwene might have had less interest in reaching out to her, and she may not have reciprocated as nicely as Silviana did.

This mending of the rift between opposing forces and reaching out to the opponent mirrors situations with the Seanchan, as well as Rand’s internal strife against himself. The greater foe cannot be defeated unless the lesser foes put their differences behind them. Egwene’s situation demonstrates how difficult that may be, requiring her to berate those who first raised her and supported her over the last few months.

Rand and Min separately ponder Callandor’s role in the Last Battle. If its function isn’t for the amount of the One Power it allows to be used, then it must reside with its purported flaw, the fact that women must control the circle to prevent wild fluctuations. It would be irregular for a new property of Callandor to be revealed at the last moment, so I maintain that it is the circle itself that is the reason that Callandor is named in the prophecies. It forces Rand to act in harmony with two women, instead of lashing out on his own as Lews Therin did.

As though to demonstrate that point, Rand has begun obsessing over the Choedan Kal, as though more power is the solution to all of his problems, even as Lews Therin recalls that brute force cannot contain the Dark One. Rand is trying his utmost to fulfill his destiny alone, never considering or allowing that others want to help him fulfill it.

Tam, Rand’s father, attempts to intervene at Cadsuane’s behest. Rand’s responses to his father are mechanical and emotionless. Until Tam reveals he has been in contact with Cadsuane, which drives Rand into a rage. Tam is the oldest relationship Rand has, and by rejecting him Rand is cutting the final tie to his humanity. He is now ready to commit genocide. Lews Therin provides the final link to Rand’s failure when Rand asks himself what he is doing, spinning balefire for his father. No more than I’ve done before, Lews Therin whispers.

Tam argues with Cadsuane, and if she still represents the Light, Tam’s argument is that not even the Light can dictate how a man interacts with his son. The Light may provide guidance and goals, but a parent’s bond with their child is even more sacred than that.

In Ebou Dar, Rand takes note of the Tinkers and the fact they have finally found a place of safety. He is able to see the Seanchan in a different light. While they may treat channelers as animals, the Seanchan treat the peaceful Traveling people with acceptance, something no nation under Rand has ever done. They are different, but they do care about people, even about Rand himself as he stumbles with nausea before he can devastate the city of Ebou Dar.

Rand and Lews Therin merge as represented through three sentences spread across three pages:

The madman didn’t sound as crazy as he once had. In fact, his voice had started to sound an awful lot like Rand’s own voice.

He didn’t know if the thought was his or if it was Lews Therin’s. The two were the same.

Why have we come here? Rand thought. Because, Rand replied. Because we made this. This is where we died.

Atop Dragonmount, Rand contemplates letting the Pattern end. Allowing himself to feel when so much was demanded of him threatened to destroy him, so he tried not to feel anything. Now that he has reconnected with his emotions, he is frustrated that even if he defeats the Dark One, men will keep acting stupidly and selfishly. He doesn’t think his destiny is simply to stop the Dark One, but also to save men from themselves, and their poor decisions. If Rand feels anything, it is futility.

The last peep of Rand’s conscience went silent after he assaulted Tam. Lews Therin’s voice makes one final appearance, saying that a second chance is always worth having. Remembering Tam’s advice, Rand wonders why he would want a second chance, and realizes he will not be satisfied unless he gets it right. He wants to make up for his mistakes, to take responsibility for what was done wrong. This core of stubbornness and determination drives most of the heroic characters. They want to do what they feel is right, not because they have to, but because they need to in order to be true to themselves.

Writing epiphanies is tricky, because there is always the chance that the author can’t convey the grandeur of the realization and its profound impact on the character. In this case the words establish the sense of wonder well, but some part of the epiphany is lost because readers have known for a while that Rand must learn to feel again. This foreseeable outcome is camouflaged nicely by the depths of Rand’s dark mood which, until just one page before the conclusion, seems destined to overturn all of the Viewings and Prophecies. Stretching out the bleakness and condensing the epiphany at the very end augments the reader’s chances of believing that Rand has doomed himself.

The epilogue unexpectedly provides an opportunity to comment on Rand’s sudden reversal of mood. The gloomy weather could have been a result of Rand’s mood instead of the Dark One’s touch. It’s difficult to separate metaphor from true causes when they parallel each other so consistently.

Writing Lessons:

To make events feel logical as they unfold, split them into progressive steps, spending more text on the things you want readers to pay attention to.

The Gathering Storm - Prologue to Chapter 1

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

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

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

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

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

Ituralde surprises a much larger Seanchan army.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Like the funnel cloud of a twister.

This ain’t no southerner wetfarm.

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

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

They were well inside the Seanchan defensive perimeter.

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

Writing Lessons:

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

Crossroads of Twilight - Epilogue

The epilogue offers a rare opportunity to do a very detailed analysis of almost every word. My old friend Scartoe says that every word a writer chooses serves a purpose. Why is each word there? Why this word and not that one? The epilogue is 267 words long. First, read the full passage, then below, the analysis. In terms of action and plot, this is as simple as it gets. Rand is waiting for Bashere. Bashere enters and gives Rand the news he’s been waiting for.

Rand stared out of the window at the steady rain falling out of a gray sky. Another storm down out of the Spine of the World. The Dragonwall. He thought spring must be coming soon. Spring always came, eventually. Earlier here than back home, it should be, though there seemed little sign of it. Lightning forked silver-blue across the sky, and long moments passed before the peal of thunder. Distant lightning. The wounds in his side ached. Light, the herons branded into his palms ached, after all this time.

Sometimes, pain is all that lets you know you’re alive, Lews Therin whispered, but Rand ignored the voice in his head.

The door creaked open behind him, and he looked over his shoulder at the man who came into the sitting room. Bashere was wearing a short, gray silk coat, a rich shimmering coat, and he had the baton of the Marshal-General of Saldaea, an ivory rod tipped with a golden wolf’s head, tucked behind his belt next to his scabbarded sword. His turned-down boots had been waxed until they shone. Rand tried not to let his relief show. They had been gone long enough.

“Well?” he said.

“The Seanchan are amenable,” Bashere replied. “Crazy as loons, but amenable. They require a meeting with you in person, though. The Marshal-General of Saldaea isn’t the Dragon Reborn.”

“With this Lady Suroth?”

Bashere shook his head. “Apparently a member of their royal family has arrived. Suroth wants you to meet someone called the Daughter of the Nine Moons.”

Thunder rolled again for distant lightning.

Short and powerful. Here’s the analysis:

Rand stared out of the window at the steady rain falling out of a gray sky. Another weather-as-mood analogy. Steady rain implies long unhappy times. Staring implies he’s been looking for a while, which makes it a better choice than ‘watching’ or ‘looking’. Another storm down out of the Spine of the World. Saying ‘another storm’ amplifies the rain to a concept of continual rain and bad times. Using ‘down’ adds to the negative mood. The Spine of the World evokes a forlorn place, much better than a storm out of Haddon Mirk, or elsewhere. The Dragonwall. He didn’t have to say Dragonwall at all here. It has a dual meaning here, referring to the walls Rand has erected in his heart. He thought spring must be coming soon. Now Rand is looking for hope, symbolized by spring. “He thought it must be” is a statement that almost guarantees the speaker is wrong. Spring always came, eventually. This sentence starts out as an affirmation, but ends with doubt. The word ‘eventually’ has more impact placed at the end of the sentence, where it can undermine the entire section that precedes it. Earlier here than back home, it should be, though there seemed little sign of it. The words ‘it should be’ again showing that Rand is wrong. This sentence is not necessary given the earlier part of the paragraph, but it introduces the concept of home, with associated feelings of warmth and comfort. The reference to home shows regret on Rand’s part. He wants to get back to a place of comfort and peace. Lightning forked silver-blue across the sky, and long moments passed before the peal of thunder. A sentence with no apparent relevance to the plot. At first glance it only describes the storm further. But the choice of words makes it resonate very closely with the mood being crafted. ‘Forked’ is used to evoke a choice. ‘Long moments’ pass to evoke waiting. ‘Peal’ is close to ‘appeal’.  Distant lightning. If the lightning represents the Light, then it is far, far away from Rand. The wounds in his side ached. The wounds are always a representation of the Shadow and of the evil that comes from fighting the Shadow at all costs. Light, the herons branded into his palms ached, after all this time. Another reference to a long period of unhappiness. His brands never really hurt before; this is about the burden that comes with those Herons. It shows Rand in a state of mind where the pain caused by the Shadow is no greater than the pain caused by the Light.

The first paragraph is thick with mood, showing Rand moping, waiting, faintly hoping. It tells us where the story is happening and a bit about the environment where this scene will take place.

Sometimes, pain is all that lets you know you’re alive, Lews Therin whispered, but Rand ignored the voice in his head. Rand ignores Lews Therin like he would ignore his conscience. Lews Therin doesn’t ‘say’, he only whispers, indicating he is weak or timid. His idea is introduced with the word ‘sometimes’, as though he is scared to commit to an idea that Rand might dismiss. His tortured thought is still striving to find a bright side to the pain, but Rand won’t even allow that mild of a happy thought, which is a good direct example of his mood.

The door creaked open behind him, and he looked over his shoulder at the man who came into the sitting room. No knocks, no calls of “hello”, just a creaking door. Looking over his shoulder is an expression of mistrust. The man’s name isn’t given immediately, to heighten that mistrust. It could be anybody, maybe even an assailant. Bashere was wearing a short, gray silk coat, a rich shimmering coat, and he had the baton of the Marshal-General of Saldaea, an ivory rod tipped with a golden wolf’s head, tucked behind his belt next to his scabbarded sword. Bashere’s accessories convey wealth and power. His formal rank is given to remind the reader how powerful he is, which will be relevant soon. His coat shimmers, his rod is ivory and gold, all of which convey brightness and light. His sword and rod represent power, which is tucked away but ready at hand.  His turned-down boots had been waxed until they shone. Another representation of light and brightness. ‘Waxed’ has another meaning which implies he is in a state of fullness. ‘Turned-down’ and ‘boots’ have other meanings too, associated with rejection. Rand tried not to let his relief show. Rand’s first fully described emotion is relief. But he tries not to show it to the man he is relieved to see. They had been gone long enough. Is Rand worried they might have been captured or killed? Is he impatient to start his next endeavour? A blunt statement like this tells readers what Rand’s concern was, but provides no context, making it a mystery.

“Well?” he said. Using ‘said’ or ‘replied’ keeps the conversation normal. Normal for Rand is a vague monosyllabic demand which Bashere must interpret. Rand’s impatience and unreasonableness is conveyed powerfully by this single word.

“The Seanchan are amenable,” Bashere replied. Bashere also keeps the conversation normal. His response is blunt too, but uses a grandiose word. ‘Amenable’ implies the Seanchan can be persuaded or controlled. “Crazy as loons, but amenable. Loons have been used several times to describe crazy people, but lunatics only once, by Mat. The idea that they are crazy adds to the prejudice that Rand can control them. This sentence is the only one that gives an idea of what negotiations may be like. Without it, the conversation would be blander. They require a meeting with you in person, though. Persuading the Seanchan means meeting a condition or two. This is the first condition. The Marshal-General of Saldaea isn’t the Dragon Reborn.” This is the payoff for stating Bashere’s full title earlier. Despite his resplendent outfit Bashere isn’t who the Seanchan want.

“With this Lady Suroth?” Danger! Readers know she’s a Darkfriend.

Bashere shook his head.  The author could have just said no in the reply, but an action conveys the same and keeps this short discussion from being a pair of talking heads.  “Apparently a member of their royal family has arrived. Using the word ‘apparently’ shows Bashere doesn’t take everything the Seanchan say at face value. It’s a short way to convey that, because it would probably require a full sentence otherwise. Suroth wants you to meet someone called the Daughter of the Nine Moons.” This revelation should cause unease and confusion. It is uncertain whether this scene takes place long after Mat’s recent scene, so it is unclear whether Tuon is back in Ebou Dar. Using her title instead of her name adds to that confusion. ‘Someone’ makes the statement less precise, and may indicate more doubt from Bashere.

Thunder rolled again for distant lightning. Going back to the earlier metaphor, Rand is no closer to the Light than he was before, and the thunder has an ominous feel to accentuate the last paragraph’s revelation.

Robert Jordan isn’t always this crisp, so this epilogue is a pleasure to read.

Writing Lessons:

Every word a writer chooses serves a purpose.

The Path of Daggers - Chapters 23-24

In this section Rand and the Seanchan engage in warfare.

Robert Jordan gained a strong reputation for capturing the mood of battles. We’ll now dissect the first large scale battle since The Fires of Heaven.

Rand’s strategy has been shown, and with the advantage of surprise and Traveling, he should be unstoppable. The body count is very high, Bashere will compare it to the Blood Snows, the battle near Tar Valon during which Rand was born. Most of Rand’s followers are in some form of shock at the devastation. Rand’s losses have been limited. Unless they face damane, the Asha’man tear every opponent apart meeting little resistance.

Rand encounters a problem with prisoners. He can’t afford to guard prisoners so he leaves them behind, except for damane and sul’dam, who he keeps in order to weaken the Seanchan. Rand’s unfailing memory of every woman who has died as a result of his actions gets more unbelievable every time he adds a name, there are simply too many. That is one of the points being made: trying to take responsibility for every person you meet is an impossibility.

So far, Rand is winning.

More Seanchan with names and personalities are met. Furyk Karede has been appointed to lead the Seanchan towards Rand. He notices that raken returning from the front lines are anxious. He dispatches a man under his command for actions that have squandered lives. Furyk will luckily live through this battle thanks to his wise decision to retreat. What else could he do with no sul’dam to fight back against the lightnings?

Rand is still winning.

An Asha’man tells Rand about saidin’s strange behaviour, which he dismisses. Rand proves particularly reluctant to take advice or information that has not been solicited. He is not someone you would want to have to serve. Rand continues to lose few men in battle. A group of Seanchan slip past Weiramon and manage to hit Rand directly. Yet the nobles he has been so reluctant to trust come to his aid, charging the Seanchan to protect Rand, coming to his side to treat his wound. Morr is surprised to receive thanks, given that Rand has done such a good job of expecting obedience without question or reward. The Darkfriends in his party plant the idea of continuing the march against the retreating Seanchan, all the way to Ebou Dar. His staunchest supporters, the ones he trusts the most, advise ending the campaign. Lews Therin sagely says “I would not mind having you in my head, if you were not so clearly mad.”

Rand is winning, but we sense he’s about to make a mistake.

A third Seanchan, the short-lived Kennar Miraj, continues to humanize the enemy. Suroth pays him a visit with information she has gleaned from the network of Darkfriends around Rand. This is a fine opportunity to quickly tie off some loose ends by showing the current fate of Alwhin and Liandrin without wasting much page space on it. In mid-battle, the author wants to keep the focus on the battle. These Seanchan perspectives also are a great place to lay groundwork for future Seanchan-related plots such as the Crystal Throne. We are left with the conviction that the Seanchan are quite proficient in war, and also obedient to the point of a death which can be easily avoided. The damane are about to be reintroduced to the fighting, though they may still be ill. The author creates sympathy for the enemy by showing how they are not being given what they need to succeed, and by continually reminding us that the bulk of the forces Rand is killing so far are from Tarabon, who are technically his own people.

This is the Seanchan counter thrust.

Rand directs five columns to attack an assembled force of Seanchan. When the lengthy list of nobles is given for each of the five columns, it serves to place the actors for the next few scenes, as well as to humanize Rand’s forces. Lews Therin makes the same observation about saidin’s behaviour, and now Rand is willing to pay a little attention. Only a little, because he rejects Dashiva’s concerns and carries on with the attack. Yet he can’t help noticing little changes among the Asha’man.

The reader should be worried that the Seanchan counterthrust will succeed.

Miraj has planned for how to meet Rand in battle. But the question of how the sul’dam will do is still up in the air.

Now the reader suspects the battle could go either way.

Bertome Saighan overhears the Darkfriends plotting and disagreeing. They are two of the closest to Rand. The words they use are as confusing as the battle itself. Either their words are being misinterpreted, as other nobles were earlier when Rand fell during an attack, or it is strongly implied that Gedwyn will try kill Rand.

The rapid shifts from character to character represent the confusion and back-and forth nature of the battle. We can’t tell who is winning.

Varek is a Seanchan underling forced to take command and order a retreat. The damane had a difficult time controlling their weaves, and accidentally killed some of their own soldiers.

Bashere has taken heavy losses, and his Asha’man are tired and having trouble using saidin. Extreme caution is keeping Bashere alive. Bashere is alarmed about what would happen if Asha’man began deserting and walking the world.

The battle is still a draw, unknowable except for continued losses.

Adley has also slipped and killed some of his own men. Rand has taken him out of battle, concerned he might have begun turning irreversibly mad. When Bashere appears and tells Rand about orders he sent, we remember how Furyk killed an underling who did the same. Rand seems poised to copy that action in a fury. Bashere is able to direct his ire at the Seanchan, and Rand decides to prove how devoted he is to repelling the Seanchan invasion. Bashere points out the folly, and how good the Seanchan generals are. Rand’s ego prompts him to unveil Callandor.

As with Adley and the damane, Rand cannot control the torrents of lightning he unleashes. Bashere physically topples Rand and wrests Callandor from his grip. The damage is done, Rand has done as much damage to his own forces as the week of fighting has.

Rand has lost.

Yulan orders the final Seanchan retreat, given that Miraj has been killed by Rand’s final outburst.

The Seanchan have lost.

The entire battle has been a metaphor for the futility of war. Both sides retreat, the border hasn’t moved, neither Rand nor the Seanchan have given anything up. Rand can’t win because participating means he loses. The Tinkers may not have been in this book, but their saying that violence harms the axe as well as the tree it chops is apt here. Even as he routed the Seanchan, it was Rand’s own actions that caused the deaths of his men. Humanizing both the nobles and the Seanchan allows the reader to feel their loss. Meanwhile Rand is emotionless as a stone, unmoved by the tragedy of the wasted lives. The end result is that he and the Asha’man are even closer to going mad, as much from the horror of the battle as from the Dark One’s taint.

Writing Lessons:

Give your battles ebb and flow, and meaning beyond the immediate result.

The Path of Daggers - Chapters 13-15

In this section, the stakes for Rand are raised and Egwene has a problem she turns into an opportunity

The weather tells us Rand’s mood is poor, especially in light of what Cadsuane and Sorilea agreed moments earlier. Rand acts with all the worst behaviours of the nobility he has displaced. The nobles may not trust each other, but Rand trusts none of them. He starts off polite and firm, but quickly degrades and contemptuously tells the dregs of Sammael’s army to surrender or be killed. Furious at their continued opposition and doubt, he considers a number of other obstacles he is facing, and latches onto the rumour of an Aes Sedai amongst the Shaido as proof the White Tower would never give him peace. His experiences with Galina’s Aes Sedai have left him deeply mistrustful and paranoid about the Tower.

The introduction of several new nobles is pulled off effectively by tagging each by their nationality, sex, and rank. Gregorin is the head of the Council of Nine, Marcolin is captain of their armies. Weiramon leads the cavalry for Tear, Tolmeran is his rival, Rosana is new. Three other names are written off as soon to be dead, no need to distinguish between them. Semaradrid is a soldier from Cairhien. For a large group of mostly new characters thrown at the reader, it is remarkably easy to distinguish them.

The Asha’man were bit players in the last book, but we now see a number of them interact, just as the nobles did a chapter earlier. Again, each is given a tag of age or nationality or ability to distinguish them, which works well. Each is also well associated with the task he was assigned. The Asha’man have a discussion about numbers of male channelers, and the inevitable madness that will consume them all. Rand accidentally reveals to them his desire to cleanse saidin, and the Asha’man are enthralled.

Our attention is once more drawn to Herid Fel’s message about sealing the Dark One’s prison.

Lews Therin’s voice has been absent since before Rand took Illian. Having spent some time over the last three books making Lew Therin’s presence normal to the reader, its absence is disconcerting. He welcomes the return of the voice which of course makes readers uncomfortable. Not only is Rand in the wrong mood to achieve victory, he is plainly more likely to believe the voice in his head than anyone trying to get through to him. The voice returns because Rand has entrusted Narishma with a task that requires trust, which brings forth his mad desire to kill the Asha’man who return to the Black Tower. Rand has little choice but to stay away from the Black Tower, he can’t trust himself not to get into a fight with Mazrim Taim, whose attitude is belligerent, but he still appears to be doing what he is supposed to be doing. Readers are well on their way to adopting Lews Therin’s ideas regarding Taim, indicating that the author has very successfully made the mad voice seem reasonable, which is just what our mad hero would think.

This book is oddly straightforward, and feels like there are fewer layers of meaning in various passages. Is this related to the proposed theme of Darkfriends lurking amongst allies? Jordan is portraying people and events very directly to achieve a sensation of normalcy, that there is nothing lurking just out of sight. Revealing known Darkfriends like Aran'gar after telling readers about Moridin’s secret agents would be useful in getting the reader to drop their guard for when the hidden Darkfriends make their move later on. He tells the reader what to look for, and then shows the reader what they are looking for so they don’t search any further. This technique works even better by establishing a few cases in which the reader has been told what to look for, and then found it, establishing trust in the author’s directions.

In earlier sections it was established that no Darkfriends had infiltrated the Kin, or the Black Ajah would have known their secret. Perrin has people with secrets in his camp, but there is a remarkable lack of Darkfriends so far. In Rand’s section we suspect someone must be a Darkfriend. With Egwene, the main skulker we know about is Aran’gar, disguised as Halima, who has gotten close to both Egwene and Delana, a Sitter who is also Black Ajah.

Egwene learns of an army ahead of hers, so she arranges for parley, and tries to keep it from the Hall of the Sitters for as long as possible. This is the first step in her plan to assert her control. It’s a subtle plan, which we are told nothing of yet, and she expected to have to implement it once they reached Andor, but this is slightly ahead of her schedule. We’ll talk plenty about Egwene in the next post.

Writing Lessons:

Use misdirection to set your reader’s expectations the way you want them.

A Crown of Swords - Chapters 33-36

In this section, Rand regains his confidence and uses his unique abilities

In earlier chapters, the nature of being a ta’veren was discussed. Perrin hopes it will work for him while Mat’s ability was actively exploited by Elayne and Nynaeve.  Rand now decides to try use his ta’veren event-twisting to gain allies.

Ta’veren usually works in subtle ways, providing what is needed and drawing it near the ta’veren for the moment when it is needed. Being ta’veren altered the chance Min would fall hopelessly in love with Rand, providing a means for Rand to get glimmers of what lies ahead. Her personality is familiar and comforting, since she had an upbringing very similar to his own. Whatever she says, Rand can accept it more easily than from anyone else except maybe Egwene.   

Min tells Rand about a viewing of two men merging and one surviving. Rand decides it must mean that Lews Therin is real and that he is not mad after all. Hot on the heels of Cadsuane’s warning about the voices, Rand’s cobbled-together explanation based on more hope than fact is presented as the correct conclusion. It is still possible that Lews Therin’s voice is not there and he really is mad. The author’s ability to pull the reader one way while the evidence all points the other way continues to impress.

Rand finally visits the Sea Folk who have been waiting on him in two cities since Lord of Chaos. The ta’veren effect sweeps Harine up, and she spends the next few minutes conceding things instead of bargaining for them. She would likely have booted Rand right off the ship, Coramoor or not, except once told Min’s Viewing everyone realizes it is a done deal. Harine will make the Bargain, be punished for it, yet still eventually become Mistress of the Ships. The Sea Folk are a culture with very rigid rules for the hierarchy, but unlike the Seanchan who also have strict rules, there is a lot of mobility within Sea Folk culture. An ominous warning about the Seanchan is given just in time for their reappearance in just a few chapters.

With the Sea Folk firmly in hand and about to capitulate, Rand walks away from the table. Not because of a sudden attack or other plot device, but because he feels confined and it reminds him of his captivity. Cadsuane soon learns the truth of the captivity and how it affects him and realizes how difficult it will make her task. This major obstacle is character driven instead of plot driven. The implication that Rand can make mistakes because of this new behaviour is concerning since he rashly decides to see how far he can next push his ta’veren ability with the rebels. His optimism is summed up: “I’m the Dragon Reborn, and today I can do anything.”

Rand randomly appears in the woods, only meters from Caraline Damodred and Lord Darlin who are drawn into the ta’veren web. Caraline realizes who Rand is while her companions all accept Rand’s alias without question, inferring that the Damodreds are all smart cookies, especially Moiraine. Right then Min reveals that she had a Viewing of Moiraine that failed even though they just left a situation where the outcome rested on the assumption that her Viewings never failed. Min does not realize that her Viewing means that Moiraine is not dead. From the reader’s perspective, this apparent loophole is important in undermining confidence in Min’s Viewings, since that will come into play in later books. Other loopholes such as ‘if’ statements or choices help reduce certainty. The reader has to decide whether Min’s Viewing is wrong or whether her Viewings are always right and the other evidence is wrong.   

Min also drops hints that she is reading Fel’s books, looking for clues about what he was trying to tell Rand. Despite this and other later indications, her insights in this area still have a feel of implausibility, but I can’t figure out why; something to keep an eye on.

Being ta’veren draws Rand to Padan Fain. The wound he inflicts on Rand in just the right spot to not kill him instantly is another ta’veren twist. Grady’s healing provides Rand with the most important clue he will need for his later effort to cleanse Saidin. More importantly, Grady infers that the Asha’man are learning new weaves all the time, even without permission. This is akin to when the Aes Sedai were first introduced and every spell cast had no explanation, it was just Aes Sedai work, and needed no further explanation. Now that readers are familiar with the powers and limitations the Aes Sedai have, it is useful to the author to have a wild card that can be played by the Asha’man. “Oh this? Just a little weave I invented.” And now many situations can be resolved with an all-encompassing explanation, much like ta’veren. To a lesser extent he did the same with the Kin and their ability to do one Weave with the greatest proficiency.

Rand’s wound allows Cadsuane the opportunity to become part of his inner circle of advisors. Dashiva is already there, and is quite intent on making sure Rand has every chance to live, but is ambivalent to the outcome. The Asha’man are content to serve, so far.

The author uses verbs to great effect, and some of his choices stand out as different from the expected word selection, and symbolize something other than what they are describing.

Narishma colored, jerking himself stiffly erect. (several arousal-themed words to match the verb)

She was ready to leap if he crooked a finger (crooked implies improper behaviour)

Long trestle tables groaning with food and drink (groaning reveals Rand’s mood in the rebel’s camp)

Something crooked and red spiderwebbed across the outside of the void. (spiderwebbed is a new Jordan trademarked verb)

The fog seemed to deaden sound (threatening circumstances seem to invoke the word ‘dead’)

Fain’s dagger scored across Rand’s left side (scored implies a victory for Fain, a defeat for Rand)

Her eyebrows climbed halfway to her hair (climbing halfway symbolizes she doesn’t know as much as she thought she did)

Writing Lessons:

Use verbs that symbolize as well as describe the action.

Lord of Chaos - Chapters 53-55

In this section, the Heroes take desperate actions to free Rand

There are a series of reversals in the concluding chapters of this book: The Tower Aes Sedai turn the tables on Rand. The Shaido turn the tables on the Aes Sedai. And finally Rand’s allies turn the tables on them both. A constant theme has been the idea of chaotic, surprising events, often revealed in the form of humour or jokes. A second theme particular to this book is misunderstanding due to lack of context. Even when the reader knows what is going on, the characters don’t. The overarching way this is presented is through the Dark One’s orders to Demandred. Only the first part of the order is known, and the manner in which Demandred accomplishes his mission remains a mystery at the conclusion. This is a joke that only they two get, and the punchline is yet to be understood by Rand and his allies.

There were two very important cues that led to the inception of the theory that Mazrim Taim is Demandred. The first is a physical and behavioural resemblance: neither of the two ever smiles or finds anything funny. The second is related to timing: Demandred’s success immediately follows Taim’s moment of glory during Rand’s rescue. Together, these provoke a powerful reaction in the reader. However, the theme is deception and tricks. Any resemblance between the two characters may seem like the trick they are pulling is hiding Demandred in plain sight, but even that itself could be the deception intentionally played on the reader. In light of the theme, I have to recant my advocacy of the theory that Taim is Demandred. This book is filled with so many punchlines, I now feel quite certain this one is at the reader’s expense. The book was published just as internet chat groups took off, and on the heels of sudden intense fan interest in Asmodean’s murder, and I am now left with the sense that in reaction to this strange new phenomenon, the author placed a very deliberate red herring. A big fat joke to end the book, as befits the theme.

(Despite this, “RJ is wrong... Taim is Demandred!”, remains a hilarious statement befitting the madness that is Theoryland. If there’s one thing I’ve learned about emotional attachment to a position, it is that it withstands all reason and evidence, as true in life as it is on Theoryland. The author of that other reread blog on Tor.com took the statement (or one just like it) at face value, so bonus points to me for successfully yanking her chain: She fell for it!)

That still doesn’t answer what Demandred succeeded so well at that the Dark One’s laughter filled his head. Getting Rand to trust Taim? Unlikely since Rand never sets foot anywhere near him again. Getting Rand to mistrust Aes Sedai? He was already there. Getting the Aes Sedai to bend the knee? Maybe. The Lord of Chaos is akin to the King of Fools, a figurehead that everyone must obey, no matter how ridiculous the orders. Obedience is one of the characteristics of the evil societies in the series. There have been consistent thematic elements which have the Heroes representing free will, and the Dark One representing obedience. Forcing Rand to take on the role of the one who receives obedience from others is an attempt to crush him under the burdens of leadership and to give him an emotional stake in controlling the actions of others.

What was Demandred’s involvement in this success? If he wasn’t Taim, was he controlling Taim? Someone is. If Demandred used balefire up until now, readers didn’t see it. The Asha’man could unleash balefire at some later point, and have proven to be a force that Rand can’t control or even risk approaching. They have no equivalent in the world, unless it is the damane who could be equally battle-trained. Even if Taim isn’t Demandred, setting up Rand’s own force of male channelers to betray his purposes at some later point still fits best with the theme and with later events. This is likely what the Dark One was so pleased about.

Lews Therin’s progress from mad rants, to running from Rand’s calls to leave him alone, to reacting to what Rand sees and says, to finally carrying on a discussion with Rand is masterfully handled. Each step leads inexorably to the next one. The moment when they agree to work together is when Rand embraces the madness, agreeing to cooperate with a mad voice in his head, which again fits with the theme. Lews Therin agreeing in turn to work with whoever Rand is, assuming Rand is real, is a brilliant twist that makes the reader see Lews Therin as an equal of sorts, since he has all the same questions as Rand. Having the voice in his head or listening to it doesn’t make Rand that crazy. Trusting the voice can’t help but induce spine tingles. That is crazy.

The epilogue is a stream of almost one-liner surprise twists, the most effective of which are the gholam and Moghedien’s release. Out of nowhere, the Gholam kills a minor character. The only possible conclusion the reader can reach is that Herid Fel had something to say that the Forsaken didn’t want Rand to hear. The Gholam belongs to Sammael, so this murder is also an added pressure to take Rand’s attention from Illian and focus him to the north, where Sammael has also been prodding the Shaido. Moghedien’s disappearance is instantly exciting because her captivity has paralleled Rand’s experience in the chest, and we just saw Rand’s cold fury as he dealt with his captors.

For once, Perrin showed no hesitation or shame about his wolf abilities. He simply acted. In the context of this book, such concerns would have been misplaced since it would be difficult to present this in a way that shows deception, trickery, or chaos. Instead, it’s just handled straightforwardly, which also helps keep the tense pace of the final confrontation.

Writing Lessons:

A lack of context risks confusing the reader. Be certain that the payoff is worth the risk.

Lord of Chaos - Chapters 28-31

In this section, characters good and evil accomplish some goals

Rand reads two letters from the Sea Folk, and brushes them off. This will later allow Elayne to interact with them without having been preceded by Rand, which would have undermined her negotiations with them.

Rand continues to interact with the voice in his head. Lews Therin believes Rand is the voice in his head, which is a powerful means of establishing the voice is real (or the illusion of it).

Sulin’s example explains ji’e’toh a little more. No one can set your punishment or tell you how to meet your obligation; it can only be set and ended by the one undertaking it. Wise Ones do not dispense punishments by force, but by suggestion. If you can’t figure it out yourself, they will set you something awful, but they can’t make you do it except in the way it affects your social standing. This is why they have so much trouble with Shaido Wise Ones, who always push the bounds of acting reasonably. A person’s honour and standing is always in their own hands.

Taim luckily shows up to thwart a Gray Man, the throwaway assassins the Forsaken use to remind Rand they are halfheartedly trying to kill him. Even Rand can see this smacks of a set-up, and it will later be a ‘clue’ pointing to Demandred impersonating Taim. I was an eager proponent of this theory, even joking that obviously Robert Jordan is wrong, Taim IS Demandred. A discussion of this theory is best suited for the end of the book, when Demandred makes his final appearance. In keeping with the theme of trickery and double-dealing, Taim discusses Forsaken in disguise with Rand. But what is the deceit and what is the truth? The author is effectively creating mistrust with Taim’s timely intervention and Lews Therin’s homicidal desire to snuff Taim.

Padan Fain makes a surprise appearance, a reminder that events can get even more complicated quickly. Fain has some creepy interaction with his minions, and some powerful tricks up his sleeve. They could have been called abilities, powers, or a number of other things, but the author chose ‘tricks’, again fitting the theme. We are reminded that Elaida and Niall have been brushed by Fain, and are inherently mistrustful of Rand now. The implication is that whatever we’ve seen Niall plotting, and Valda’s dismay over it, is all a downstream effect of Fain pulling his strings. The implication is that Elaida’s embassy has similar bad intentions towards Rand. Even if the reader already had a strong feeling about this, Fain’s involvement, even from a distance, cranks up the tension over what they will do.

Nynaeve and Elayne are reluctant captors, telling Marigan to say she fell down stairs after Birgitte beats her. They worry they too will act as Birgitte has; they feel such anger and distaste towards Moghedien. It can’t help that they feel convinced Moghedien deserves such treatment. It doesn’t look far from the day when they’ll want to hurt Moghedien.

Nynaeve is not responding to any of her own treatments at the hands of Aes Sedai, which are worse that what Moghedien is receiving, the Birgitte incident aside. Dunking, beating, sleep deprivation and more are what she has been subjected to in an effort to make her channel without seizing the source as a man does. Nynaeve does not surrender, not even to saidar, she must be in control. But she makes her first step towards surrender when she wholeheartedly apologizes to Elayne or her behaviour. She takes her first step towards letting go, and within minutes she has performed a miracle. The idea of the heroes giving up control to win, while the villains ruthlessly try to control everything runs through the whole series. The Way of the Leaf and Aiel fatalism both involve accepting events, while Mordeth, Seanchan and Whitecloaks all seek to control other people. Control vs. acceptance. This mirrors Rand’s later epiphany atop Dragonmount.

Nynaeve heals Logain with a bridge of Fire and Spirit, restoring his power and will to live. Fire and spirit are words that represent desire to live; no wonder it wasn’t done with Earth and Air.

Many Aes Sedai are introduced, some of which will be prominent in later Rebel plotlines including the eighteen Sitters. Their roles are not yet relevant. The causal naming of every sister who passes by has the effect of making the rebel encampment feel like a community.

The effects of healing stilling are immediately revealed: Siuan can still lie, but her title is gone. Also gone is her standing, now that she is among the weakest Aes Sedai. A lot of stock has been put in the amount of the One Power that several heroes can use, yet by the end of Towers of Midnight, we’ll see the tables turned and some of the most powerful will have become the least. For now, Siuan considers it worth the risk of exposing the secret in order to gain foremost position among the Aes Sedai, by title since she can’t by simple Power level. She can’t get either, and is reduced to renewing friendships she tossed aside for the simple favour of accompanying Sheriam to meet Egwene.

Siuan’s old friend Delana is Black Ajah, and is keeping her own Forsaken hidden from the rebels. Aran’gar has made her appearance, and her interest is in guiding the hall. This implies that subtle manipulation from the shadows is the Dark One’s plan. And there are now a Forsaken with each of the Aes Sedai factions.

Valda has misgivings, Niall has a feeling he is compelled to follow, Paitr is hung, and Morgase capitulates. Plotting in the shadows can make for boring reading unless something happens to advance the plot as well. Here, Valda plots with Asunawa, but the event is Morgase signing the treaty, which can have far-reaching consequences.

Let’s analyze the paragraph where Nynaeve is worried about staying in Salidar and surprisingly heals Logain:

Worry about Myrelle keeping back a message from Egwene è the emptiness is small, then vast, as though this small worry could swallow them all, implying danger.

If she could talk to Egwene, she’d have help èwhat about the cut she found in Siuan, real but faint, echoing the feeling that there is a slim hope. Yes, maybe…

She just needs to talk to Egwene, and she will convince Elayne to leave, since Elayne respects her so much è She found the key, something cut, an impression that is the same as in Siuan.  

If I could find her, we would join up, and be together èif she bridges the cut…

The two problems play off each other, and as Nynaeve finds the solution to one in her mind, in parallel she solves the second.

Writing Lessons:

Associate obstacles to each other to make them symbolize each other.

Lord of Chaos - Chapters 19-23

In this section, Rand and Mat are making headway and gaining confidence.

With the help of some Ogier, Rand returns to Shadar Logoth to close a Waygate. Rand clearly lays out why he needs to monitor the Waygates: to prevent Trolloc incursions. He doesn’t yet know why hordes of Trollocs aren’t spilling out of Gateways made with the Power. As pointed out in previous posts, the planning required to set up the many Shadowspawn attacks to date suggest that they are not moving by can be moved by Skimming, which obviously limits the number in each raid. Each raid has been a means of creating excitement, but this book has offered the first real attempts to formulate defensive strategies. Rand is beginning to view the entire world as the battlefield, seeing every person and place as part of the battle. The author deliberately held off on explaining certain elements until he reached the book where that revelation best fit the theme. I am in awe of the patience required to do that.

The introduction of the Ogier is unlike any of their earlier appearances. Where their size is usually the first thing remarked upon, this time it takes three paragraphs until their size is commented upon. First, an entire paragraph describes the courtyard and the Ogier’s dress. Second, their names are introduced. And third, their size and other odd attributes are finally described. Why wait so long before stating their most outstanding characteristic? It is once again a matter of unbalancing the reader, of withholding information until the last possible moment, of implying there are secrets everywhere.

Identifying the Waygates and stedding allows the reintroduction of the idea that humanity is in a slow retreat spanning centuries, as the blight slowly advances and the number of humans dwindles.

Is it a false lead when Rand infers from Lews Therin’s rant that Demandred is in some way associated with Shadar Logoth? The author immediately has Rand conclude that it was a random thought, with no basis in fact. Now the reader must decide whether Rand is the one to be trusted, or whether Lews Therin has the right of it. This is a brilliant way of amplifying the concern over Lews Therin’s voice. Is it madness or is he a trusted ally? Rand has used Lews Therin’s insight before, but we’ve not yet had one point of view pitted against another.

Does Lews Therin really remember killing Ishamael? Did this really happen in the War of Power and Ishamael was resurrected then? Or is he remembering Rand killing Ishamael in the Stone of Tear? Or is he mad and wrong about killing Ishamael at all?

Rand observes that Shadar Logoth not only saved them from several fists of Trollocs, but set each of the ta’veren on their destined paths.  The Pattern provides before the need is known.

Rand’s meeting with the nobility in Cairhien introduces so many nobles and possible factions the reader’s head must spin. One or more are bound to try destabilize Rand’s rule or try get rid of him, but with so many to choose from, it’s hard to pick who. This is one of the author’s common tricks when placing a viper among friends: conceal them with numbers.

Rand also begins lessening his guards in places where he feels safe. This should seem reasonable since all past debates have pointed out that Rand has ample protection and layers of guards who wind up spending their time watching each other. With the feeling of smothering well established, Rand’s two-person escort feels like freedom in comparison.

Aviendha is trapped by ji’e’toh. The short and mild example between her and Liah demonstrates its intricate complexities. The reader must then interpret her toh to others. Killing the woman who slept with Rand (herself) is an obligation she owes Elayne, while killing Rand for cheating is an obligation she also owes Elayne. Light, I hope I have that interpreted right. The implication is that any Aiel, even the ones closest to Rand, are potential time bombs. The Wise Ones keep telling Aviendha to sort this out without telling her how. Eventually she will see a very simple solution that erases both obligations: she will become first-sisters with Elayne and share Rand. The Aiel tradition of having more than one wife is a natural outcome of the strict adherence to ji’e’toh. The alternative is a bunch of jealous Maidens killing each other over men.  For now, Aviendha continues to see everything as a Maiden would; obstacles are there to be killed.

Mat is shaping the Band into a force to beat all others.

Mat finds a Tinker caravan slaughtered to the last person for no apparent reason. The only one to ever suggest killing Tinkers was Padan Fain, because they were useless. Is he nearby? Shortly a few of his grubby Whitecloaks will show up. Could there be any other motivation for killing them? Mat surmises they may have had important information for Rand, such as they did when carrying the tale of the Eye of the World. Based on Rand’s behaviour in later books, we could guess that they wanted to lead Rand to the Way of the Leaf so he would avoid his later nastiness, but it seems unlikely. A Forsaken, likely Sammael, sends some Darkfriend Aiel to kill Mat in his sleep. Is the nearby Tinker slaughter only a coincidence? Could a Forsaken, or the Dark One himself, be worried this remnant of the Aiel of the Age of Legends could tell Rand something of value? Herid Fel will later be killed for the insight he might give Rand, so why not these Tinkers? Out of all these, Fain is the most likely culprit because of his earlier attitude towards them. It also sets up the ill-fated assassination attempt in future chapters.

Mat recruits scouts, and takes on a young messenger named Olver. The list of items Olver hauls out of his sack is reminiscent of the items Mat still had in his possession when he awoke in the White Tower. Mat sees himself in the boy, and cannot help but keep him near, which he realizes is a weakness that an enemy could exploit.

Sammael also gets the upper hand over Graendal, convincing her that he has immunity from Rand’s advancing forces. A subtle part of establishing he is now the dominant one is by revealing the cache of Age of Legends objects he has laid hands on. He has things that Graendal does not, implying that he is in a better position than she is.

Writing Lessons:

Use memorable and unmistakable cues to signal to the reader how current events are related to past events.

The Fires of Heaven - Chapters 2-6

In this section, the Aiel and wetlanders get to know one another

Rand meets the clan chiefs, and the topic on their mind is whether the chiefs will follow Rand. It is decided that they will, given time, except for Couladin and the Shaido. This is the first time the idea is strongly put forth that Rand will break bonds and ties, and it applies both in his favour to get the Aiel to leave the Waste, and against him in that the Shaido will follow Couladin even though he is not a chief. Individual warriors leave their clans to take the side that reflects their views. The Shaido numbers should swell with so many throwing down spears. As with Elaida, Rand now has a group of advisors in the clan chiefs, and simple tags are applied to distinguish them from each other.

Moiraine knows she may not be with Rand for long, and is more eager than ever to convince Rand she means him no harm. Moiraine sees Aiel armies forcing the Nations to stand against Rand, while he sees them as necessary to avoid the machinations of people like Moiraine. Discussions between Moiraine and Wise Ones echo this concern.

This is also the first time the context of ji’e’toh is explained, and the role of gai’shain in the Aiel culture. Before, detailed explanations were not necessary, and all we saw were a bit of the workings of Far Dareis Mai as applied to Rand’s accidental pursuit of Aviendha. Now that Rand is officially recognized as being one of the Aiel, many of his interactions depend on proper understanding of Aiel culture, so the inner workings must be explained, often through examples. The time to do this is before the action unfolds, and any of those rules play a role in the plot.

Rand’s strange romance with Aviendha continues. He is jealous of whoever gave her a necklace, wondering who gave it to her. He takes comfort in the way she treats him as himself and acts as herself in his presence, which is also a characteristic of the relationship he has with Min and Elayne. Aviendha tells him she hates him, she happily receives flowers but presses them on Egwene, and then has herself beaten for lying twice. Her behaviour is odd enough that a reader may just shrug at the whole thing, but the more time any character spends thinking about any other reveals the possibility of romance. All this attention on their relationship means it should play a role in this book.

Why didn't anyone connect the Car'a'carn to the Dragon reborn earlier? In the wetlands, no one knew what a Dragon was, in the Waste; no one told outsiders what their link to the Dragon was. The Wise Ones and Clan Chiefs must have been able to guess that the Dragon Reborn was also the Car’a’carn and simply didn’t care to share that information.

Mat is pursued by Melindhra, a Shaido maiden who has come over to join her society amongst Rand’s followers. There is no reason to associate this with the two earlier mentions of tying a string to those close to Rand. Aside from her interest in Mat, there is nothing suspicious about Melindhra, and there are plenty of other women who have expressed interest in Mat. The later Darkhound attack on Mat provides cover for Melindhra, since any association with the idea of targeting Rand’s friends is placed on the Darkhounds, not her.

Mat’s injury from the Darkhounds gives the opportunity to learn details about how balefire works for the first time, as well as details about how his medallion works.

Egwene and Aviendha also have a friendship that gets fleshed out, along with their student-teacher relationship with the Wise Ones. The major point of showing developments among the Wise Ones is to give examples of how ji’e’toh and other cultural baggage affect Aiel life. Discussion of Melaine’s interest in Bael and the sister-wife relationship is given so that there is precedent for Rand’s relationship with three women at once.

Lanfear’s interest in Rand’s love life is another way of indicating how important the romantic relationships will be in this book. Lanfear also manages to point Rand and Rahvin at each other by pointing out Rand’s Tairen armies in Cairhien are impinging on Rahvin’s interests in crowning Morgase. All the seemingly unconnected events and characters are now linked.   

Rand is forced to act as the jailor/captor, and this can’t help but affect him. He takes strong precautions with Asmodean, never trusting him out of sight for long, even if it means Asmodean learns his plans and must be in his presence as much as possible. How many of the strange things Rand says are a by-product of his discussions with Asmodean, and how many are true memories of past lives? The reader is meant to have some doubts as to where all Rand’s sudden knowledge is coming from. Since there is precedent set by Rand being able to figure out weaves instinctively, pulling other memories up from hidden depths doesn’t seem too far out of place. The idea that Rand might remember any of his past life was first put forth by Lanfear. Rand is now a little less trustworthy as narrator, to suggest to the reader that the madness makes Rand less reliable. Some examples:

Don't mention wagons again, little sister

They’ll accept my peace, or I’ll be buried in the Can Breat.

Ilyena never flashed her temper at me when she was angry with herself.

You were always ambitious Mierin.

Writing Lessons:

Use an obvious connection to an idea to hide a second less obvious connection to the same idea.