The Path of Daggers - Chapters 20-22

In this section, Elayne and Rand lead multinational groups and prepare for confrontations

Elayne spends an interlude chapter discovering that none of the women traveling with her will behave as expected. The Sea Folk finally declare their end of the bargain complete and begin drilling Merilille for all she can teach. The Kin see this as well as a Black Ajah being treated like a prisoner and begin to conclude that Aes Sedai are not that far above them after all. The people of Andor are not providing the expected support for the Daughter-Heir and Elayne realizes she has her work cut out for her.  When they run into money problems, Aviendha casually pulls out a handful of gemstones, which would seem contrived if she didn’t also subtly remind us how she acquired them from the scabbard she tried to give Rand.  By deflecting attention to their romantic relationship instead of Aviendha’s wealth, the sudden appearance of the jewels is amusing and interesting instead of unbelievable.

Elayne receives a warning to stay away from the rebels while Egwene deflects unwanted questions about how the bowl was used and the poor bargain made with the Sea Folk. This problem provides all the impetus needed to allow Elayne to focus on gaining the throne in the next few books, as well as keeping Nynaeve with other groups instead of amongst the rebels where she was of little value and of insufficient rank to be part of the action among the rebels.

As the battle against the Seanchan ramps up, I remember an earlier post where I discussed the reasons why using the Bowl of the Winds was included in this book, instead of chronologically in A Crown of Swords. It is obvious that in order to build up towards this battle, it is necessary to build up the opponent. By having a dire battle against the Seanchan to open the book, a lot of emotion and interest has been generated which benefits this battle immensely.

A key element of the battle is that Rand is leading men he cares nothing for, and there are some he actually hopes might meet their end. They are no more than tools for him to use. Nobles are too conspiratorial, Asha’man too dangerous, to be anything else. Rand knows the Shadow’s spies watch him closely, another reason to mistrust everyone close to him. A great deal of time is spent introducing the nobility, to humanize them before Rand begins making them pay his butcher’s bill. His logic to risk those who love him the least is darkly sound from his twisted point of view, but dangerous to his long-term goals.

The mood intensifies. We are eager to see the battle, eager to see Rand score a victory against his Seanchan opponents, and cognizant that even if things go poorly Rand is still not losing anyone but those who might have undermined him or betrayed him. To underscore that point, the man he pardoned a few hundred pages ago attempts to assassinate Rand. He not only provides justification for Rand’s actions, his actions imply that he is an agent Moridin was referring to, and the natural assumption a reader will make is that the assassination attempt has failed, that plot is over.

Lews Therin has several witty comments on Rand’s internal monologue, continuing to demonstrate that the voice in his head is more reliable than the people around him. Rand continually worries about when madness will take him or the Asha’man, and how he will be able to know. Rand’s predicament is neatly bundled in a contradictory sentence: “Mistrust of Gedwyn and Rochaid was simple sense, but was he coming down with what Nynaeve called the dreads? A kind of madness, a crippling suspicion of everyone and everything?”

Rand marches into battle, and we switch to a Seanchan point of view. This is an effort to humanize the enemy. Up until now the Seanchan we have met are either deliriously fervent in their loyalty, or are outright Darkfriends, with the exception of Egeanin. We don’t have a strong reaction to Bakuun, Nerith, or Tiras, other than awareness of their competence, which means Rand’s visions of an easy victory may be wrong. The illness affecting the damane adds uncertainty to the upcoming conflict. This should work to Rand’s advantage, but his lack of knowledge about it may also induce him to make mistakes.

Writing lessons:

Use strong personal reasons for your characters to choose where they are going, who they are going with and why they are doing it.   

Humanizing and dehumanizing people affects how readers view events and characters.

The Path of Daggers - Prologue to Chapter 1

In this section, sinister forces move in the background

The prologue shows scenes from the point of view of three characters. It is unclear what each of the situations means in the prologue, since no clear threat is presented in two of the three sections, and even the third is vague. The vagueness of the threat is the point being made; the heroes have no idea where the threat is coming from or what it consists of.

The first section, from the point of view of Ethenielle, Queen of Kandor, comes out of nowhere. A rumour of missing rulers from earlier is proven true, and they are joining forces to march south and do something with Rand. They commit to each other, a blood oath that none will break. We see the strength of their resolve and their dedication to this cause; they were willing to kill to avoid detection. What they intend to do when they meet Rand is untold, but they will not shirk in the slightest from doing it. The reader may have slight worries, after all these are Borderland rulers who have spent their entire lives fighting the Shadow. They can’t mean Rand any harm. Unfortunately they have acquired thirteen Aes Sedai in their travels, whose motives remain unknown.

The second section picks up on the vague threat posed by the Aes Sedai and shows Verin questioning Elaida’s Aes Sedai. Verin has gone to great lengths to convince her handlers Sorilea and Amys that she can bring value to Rand by learning what Elaida had planned with regards to Rand. She has been given slight trust and she works hard to keep it. We are shown that personal discomfort and distaste for the actions she must take are no deterrent to Verin. She gives Sorilea everything she asks for and is meekly compliant. She will do what must be done and seems to have accepted that she must serve Rand as she swore to. She expresses disgust that Katerine was allowed to escape, which was made possible by forces that infiltrated the camp. And just when it seems like she has proven her trustworthiness, Verin reveals a forbidden weave and Compels an Aes Sedai to do… something. Verin’s motives become suspect. Why is she compelling the Aes Sedai and for what purpose? Why is she so quick to consider killing other Aes Sedai? How should the reader interpret her desire to keep Rand alive until it is time for him to die?

The third section reveals Moridin gloating that in the struggle to control Rand, he is manipulating both sides so that Rand will ultimately do as Moridin wishes. A metaphor is presented suggesting that those closest to Rand, holding the Fisher, will drive him to where Moridin needs him. The implication is that Rand’s allies may mishandle him, but even if they don’t then Moridin’s agents will act to destabilize him. There is no mention of a link between him and Rand.

The three sections moved from the vaguest threat to the most specific, but none of them do more than menace.

In Ebou Dar, Nynaeve still has the ability to sense imminent metaphorical storms. Her demeanor recently improved, she reaches out to help Teslyn and is soundly rejected.   Aviendha fears she is growing into a soft-hearted wetlander despite that her immediate solution to every problem is to kill someone. Aviendha exhibits the uncanny ability to know when an enemy is watching her. She catches the gholam in her sights, but she may also have detected Moridin despite his special skulker outfit. Aviendha reveals that rank amongst the Aiel stems from honour, the first outright statement on the subject. She has a plan for her future involving Rand and Elayne. Elayne asserted her position among the Aes Sedai recently, which has the consequence of cementing the Bargain she made with the Sea Folk even further. No one can countermand the Bargain she made.

Let’s examine a few short descriptors the author uses when other words might have done as well and see what was accomplished with their use:

snagged at her eye: You might often see something pull your eye, or catch it. ‘Snag’ is a more visceral word. It is used to describe how the riches of the Wetlands attract Aviendha with a violence that she is usually the one to dispense. It is used in the 3^rd paragraph of her first appearance, setting the dilemma she faces.  

eye-wrenching cloak of a Warder: ‘eye-wrenching’ is a compact way of describing the cloaks readers have become familiar with.

Elayne could have made a roofmistress seem a goatherd: It is impossible to maintain dignity when goats are involved. The word ‘goatherd’ imparts an activity that is easily visualized: chasing after stubborn animals.

most with annoyance ill-concealed behind cool serenity: ‘ill-concealed’ could have been replaced with the synonym ‘visible’. Instead this compound word allows two words with negative connotation to be assigned to the Aes Sedai, helping set the mood and the relationship.

willowy, doe-eyed Chilares:  ‘doe-eyed’ describes not just her eyes but implies she is docile. Any number of eye adjectives could make her intelligent as in ‘bright-eyed’, crafty as in ‘keen-eyed’, useless as in ‘cow-eyed’. The reason she is doe-eyed is to describe the Kin’s general behaviour, not because the author preferred to describe her eyes over her hair, or had previously decided in his notes that Chilares was to be described that way.

Writing Lessons:

Use that thesaurus to find synonyms that convey mood, character, setting or action, or just cobble together your own with compound words.

A Crown of Swords - Chapters 21-24

In this section, working together, the heroes get closer to what they seek

Working together is how you get things done, but it can make for boring stories. Stories demand some form of conflict between characters. When characters finally recognize their divergent needs, but also find the common ground that will propel them forward, it makes for rewarding reading.

Mat is a rogue that no decent woman can tolerate. Elayne and Nynaeve are two decent women who can’t tolerate Mat’s behaviour. Mat needs to escort Elayne to Caemlyn safely and is willing to help the women do whatever they must so they can get on the road northwards. Elayne and Nynaeve need to find the Bowl of the Winds, but want to do it on their own, and have evaded Mat’s help so far. They have made no progress, and don’t foresee making progress locating the Bowl of the Winds any time soon.  Since neither of them can give up their goal, the only way for both to succeed is to cooperate. Mat has already made concessions in traveling to Ebou Dar on their mission, the action comes when Elayne and Nynaeve must bend their stiff necks to ask for the help they have dismissed.

It is more entertaining, and rewarding, when progress is made by the character because of their personality than when it comes from finding a random clue, or object that allows that progress. Elayne and Nynaeve both have to admit past errors, accept responsibility, and deal with consequences of their past actions before they can get any further in their search. Their reluctance to do so allows for some remarkably funny interactions. The process of doing so engages and pleases the reader from a variety of angles: The women are growing and learning, Nynaeve is edging closer to being able to surrendering control, Elayne is atoning for her pride and learning to accept Aviendha and her ways into her close relationship with Rand, Mat is gaining control of his situation, though he is really just trading control with the two women for loss of control with his men and Tylin. The entire process of sending Brigitte to speak with Mat, his demands, the drinking, the apologies and the restraint as they face each other down, the agreement, and the price to be paid by all participants, is quite simply one of the funniest and rewarding scenes in the story so far.

The cooperation is symbolized by the revelation of secrets, such as Birgitte’s origin and the One Power disguises, and the beginning of a new mystery regarding Setalle Anan and the Kin.

The mystery comes out of nowhere, having only faintly been touched on in an earlier scene with the Black Ajah. No sooner do the women step out of Mat’s room than they are swept up by his ta’veren thread-pulling, represented by Setalle Anan who takes them to some women who can help.

Setalle and the Kin have many strange and interesting characteristics, mostly related to knowledge they should not have come by easily. A large part of the mystery revolves around age of channelers, which has been a topic briefly discussed a number of times in this book. The number of channelers in the Kin is of interest, as is Berowin’s specially honed ability to shield anyone, acquired after long years of practice that even an Aes Sedai doesn’t get. Setalle appears to know an Aes Sedai from seventy years ago, one who looks remarkably like a woman in the Kin. The Kin’s questions are particularly focused on things that novices would know. And upsetting everything else about rank, strength in the Power has little to do with rank amongst the Kin. There are enough clues in there to for readers to stew over and probably get close to guessing the correct answer. But the intent isn’t to let the reader stew for long.

The Black Ajah make an attempt to kidnap Elayne and Nynaeve, similar to what happened to them in Tanchico. It isn’t said straight out that the Black Ajah were behind it, and there could have been several others with motive, but it is the fact that it comes right after the Kin learn of the murder of one of their number that cements it. The Kinswoman was murdered by the Black Ajah in an earlier chapter, so once the reader is reminded of that by discovery of the murder, the murderers should be at the forefront of the reader’s mind when the attempted kidnapping takes place. Juxtaposing elements in this way is overtly used often in film and comics, and it has turned up in a subtle fashion many times in Robert Jordan’s writing.

Writing Lessons:

Juxtapose sections of text that contain the same plot element or character to either subtly point to it, or to blatantly segue from one to the other.

A Crown of Swords - Chapters 1-4

In this section Perrin reveals how everyone feels.

Perrin’s ability to tell mood from a person’s scent allows a much more intimate understanding of the characters he meets than you would normally get from the typical third-person limited point of view. Without this ability, he and the reader would only have the usual visual and auditory clues to rely on. From any character’s point of view, there is always the chance that they are wrong, that they are an unreliable narrator like Mat or Nynaeve. Perrin’s ability is unerringly accurate. He lacks the context to understand many of the scents or emotions he is detecting, but he is never wrong about them.

Perrin can tell when Lews Therin is the more active of the two minds in Rand’s body. He knows how eager Aram is to kill. He can tell that a meek gai’shain is seething inside. He can tell when a man shifts from boasting to fear. He knows when the unflappable Aes Sedai are wary, or puzzled, or infuriated. In short, Perrin knows what you are thinking on the inside, which makes a Perrin point of view act as if told by an omniscient narrator.

So, Perrin makes a good choice of point of view character in situations where the author wants to introduce and establish the goals of a large number of characters, such as at the beginning of this book. Perrin is able to reveal the hidden moods of Tairens, Cairhienin, Aiel, individual Maidens, Mazrim Taim, the Asha’man, the Wise Ones, the captured Aes Sedai, the Two Rivers men, Alanna, Min, Loial, Dashiva.

In keeping with the proposed theme of subordinates choosing their path in this book, Perrin’s ability is also useful in establishing the relationship between the various leaders and their subordinates: Rand and Mazrim Taim, Mazrim Taim and the Asha’man, Bera and Kiruna and the other Aes Sedai, Sorilea and the other Wise Ones, Nandera and Sulin, and more. In almost all cases, the subordinates balk at what they have to do.

Aram seems like he’d do what Perrin told him not to the second his back was turned. The Two Rivers men never obey certain orders. Alanna is willfully stubborn to Bera and Kiruna in matters regarding her warder.  Mazrim Taim undermines Rand’s other followers implying only he can be trusted. The Aes Sedai try to set themselves above Rand even after they swore fealty to him. Feraighin struggles to tell Sorilea exactly everything she asked for, but fails to tell her something which she should have realized Sorilea would want to know.

All of this leads into the major obvious threat, which is that Rand’s followers in Cairhien are beginning to abandon him because they believe he has sworn fealty to the Aes Sedai.

A more insidious threat which also falls into the theme is that Perrin is ready to let the Pattern burn to save Faile. He will defy any order or action that puts Faile in danger. Surprisingly, of all the followers who may rebel against their leader, Perrin is not the one the reader would have expected.

Writing lessons:

To surprise the reader, give examples of behaviour the character disagrees with, then show what they care about enough that they would behave in just that way.

Lord of Chaos - Chapters 38-43

In this section, Mat’s appearance in Salidar sets events in motion.

Now that Rand has discovered Salidar, he has sent Mat to bring Elayne back to Caemlyn. Elayne has other ideas. The dance that ensues is comedic both for Mat’s misjudging of the situation and for his inability to accomplish his mission without jumping through several hoops first.

First, Mat somewhat correctly guesses that Aviendha and Elayne will confront each other over Rand. He misjudges who will have the upper hand, since he doesn’t realize ji’e’toh will prevent Aviendha from lifting a finger against Elayne, but will instead have her offering to die at Elayne’s hand to make up for her ‘mistake’.  Mat is so concerned about Elayne that he happily leaves Aviendha in difficult situations to keep her away from Elayne. Aviendha’s discomfort is all the funnier because it was unnecessary, even as it provides Mat with gleeful satisfaction that he’s doing well.

Next, Mat correctly guesses that there is no good reason why Egwene should have been made Amyrlin. He thinks only a poor blind fool would take a position all but certain to lead to the headsman, and Egwene has more sense than that! Yet for all his admonitions about the trouble they’ll be in for impersonating the Amyrlin, he shows no qualms about sitting in her chair and tossing her cushions on the floor! Just what was he expecting to say if the Amyrlin he expected walked in?

After much argument about who is right and who is in danger, Mat is able to foil Egwene’s prodding thanks to his ter’angreal. As wrong as he is about the details, he cannot be forced, budged or reasoned with until he gets his way. Once Egwene reasons that he’s made a promise, she is able to make him dance to her tune, and gets him to commit to a trip to Ebou Dar before Elayne heads north with him. If she does.

Egwene declares that Mat’s Dragonsworn will taint the rebels by association. They need to distance themselves from them. They also need to be concerned about the next surprise Rand might drop on them with Traveling: Asha’man. The fears and concerns are convincing, but Egwene still needs to present them in a way that will be accepted by the three factions vying for control of the rebels.

The ability to Travel opened up many story and plot possibilities, and several are quickly closed with the strategic consideration that the ability must not be given to Elaida’s Aes Sedai. By taking away all the possibilities where a rebel might be captured by one of Elaida’s people, the advantage of Traveling is reduced to very limited occasions, such as the trip to Ebou Dar. In essence, the rebels have a tool that can be used once by surprise.  

Thom tells Mat the story of the woman who needed rescuing, but didn’t in the end. He advises helping them do what they want instead of what he wants. Trying to force people to behave in a particular way is a characteristic of the villainous cultures: Children of the Light, Shadar Logoth, Seanchan, Tairen High Lords, and Forsaken. Thom’s appeal should work on Mat, since he is constantly complaining about being badgered to do one thing or another by someone who thinks they know better.

Once Elayne and Aviendha decide they can share Rand, they speak of Min, which naturally leads into Min’s chapter. For all that some readers find the three women’s acceptance of the situation unreasonable, men and women can have informal arrangements of the sort, the stereotypical ones being the sailor with a woman in every port, or the traveling salesman. For whatever reason, people are frequently capable of accepting they only get to share part of a person’s life and know that others are doing exactly the same thing with the same person. This discussion about Rand’s love life comes right after Thom’s appeal to Mat. The point is the same, and one the three women have embraced: Let Rand and the other women do what they want, do not try to impose your will on the others.

Min’s approach to seducing Rand is to pretend she’s not trying to seduce him while blatantly acting in just that way. She challenges Rand to admit he finds her attractive and will not relent in her behaviour until he does. Whatever he chooses to do, Rand is stuck either canoodling with Min, or admitting he’d like to do more. In this story, women always have the power over romance and sex, and any man who takes a more direct approach is a villain. Egwene notes even Mat somehow only pursues those women who want to be pursued.

Min instantly befriends Melaine, averting much trouble. Once she is treated as a Wise One, she is allowed to come and go as she pleases, passing through ranks of bodyguards unmolested. Giving Min the ability to move about unhindered avoids having to explain how she got past the guards every time she comes for a visit. A small investment in this scene avoids plot holes later on, and also raises Min’s ranking to be on somewhat even footing with the other women.

Taim reacts badly to Rand naming him the second Asha’man. The readers made the obvious connection with the tale of Demandred, who was always second to Lews Therin. Demandred hasn’t been seen since spying on Elayne in Tel’aran’rhiod, but Lews Therin mentioned him in possible relation to Shadar Logoth. If this scene didn’t put the idea in their head yet, they will still have it by the end of the book. But we’ll save discussing the theory that Taim is Demandred for the final post on this book.

In a scene mirroring the earlier one where Elaida’s Aes Sedai secretly met with the nobility of Cairhien, the rebel delegation is doing the same with the exiled nobles of Andor. Min’s listing of the delegation is forgettable, and Seonid and Masuri are stereotypical Green and Brown Ajah. Out of the delegation, only Merana matters, along with her position in relation to Verin and Alanna, who have managed to distinguish themselves in the reader’s mind due to their past actions.

Writing Lessons:

Look for plot holes by examining whether your characters are doing things that a minor character could never get away with.

The Fires of Heaven - Chapters 22-27

In this section, Rand and Siuan each find looming obstacles ahead.

Rand’s camp is attacked by Trollocs, in almost the exact same way as in the last book. This attack was designed by Sammael or someone seeking to implicate him, but was designed to fail. Odds favour that it is meant to draw Rand after him in Illian, as part of the plan hatched between himself, Rahvin, Greendale and Lanfear. The battle provides a bit of traditional action, as opposed to the recent subtler forms of action from Forkroot, discovery by Whitecloaks, or Black Ajah interactions.

Rand also has to commit to his altruistic motives. While he knew for certain that he meant to use the Aiel to peacefully unify the Nations, others did not. They are supposed to save the people they find, not kill them, which is obviously disappointing to a warrior culture. The Aiel who are ready for this radical change are with Rand, those who cannot change from their marauding clan warfare ways go to the Shaido. Despite his best efforts, the Shaido are keeping pace a week ahead of him, burning and pillaging, killing and enslaving.

As with other characters who try to guide Rand, Sorilea starts with the assumption that he must be hard to lead men. Rand is still learning how to be a leader, but he will begin to take such advice all too seriously.

Mat has boundaries given for his new memories: from before the Trolloc Wars to the War of the Hundred Years, a fifteen hundred-year period. Whatever interest this may have for the reader, there has been precious little discussion of centuries-past events in the main text. The Glossary is an important resource for such things, but an author has to weigh the cost of keeping this information outside of the main story. A glossary or other resource saves an info-dump, but now risks the reader flipping away from what they are reading to learn more from the glossary, taking them out of the story and requiring them to get back into it.

Min’s love for Rand provides only a tenuous link to the other storyline, and the main point of using her perspective is to delay the revelation of Siuan’s plan until the last possible moment. Siuan intends to create allies for Rand by influencing the rebel council to choose a new Amyrlin that she can manipulate directly. She has her Amyrlin chosen out already, but that is not yet revealed. Enough of the plan has been revealed that the reader will be interested in what comes next, so details such as that are held in reserve. Siuan implies that she and Logain will be able to lie to convince the rebels that Red Ajah conspired to have Logain proclaim him the Dragon Reborn. Even if Siuan’s plot is exposed, provided word leaks out about Elaida’s supposed role, it will be enough to discredit her and have her pulled down.  

Robert Jordan is reputed to write realistic battle scenes, so I’ll analyze one with Mat and see what I can make of it.

A critical element is to situate the action. The birdcalls tell Mat that the enemy is coming from north and south at the same time. The geography of the camp doesn’t matter so much as the fact that Mat is as far away from Rand as he could be, implying that no help from channelers is forthcoming, and Mat’s tent will be one of the first to be attacked. This is easily understood by the reader.

A short description of the preparation and equipment allows readers to picture the warrior and demonstrate a sense of urgency: Mat has his black spear and takes the time to put on his medallion because he is cautious of Forsaken.  Melindhra went naked into battle.

Before describing the outside scene, a Trolloc attacks Mat. A few words describe unpreparedness: he had no time, before he was completely out, brushed his hair, and threw himself. The paragraph ends with a word describing preparedness: with the spear ready. In three sentences, he has conveyed that although caught off guard, Mat has overcome the situation and is in control.

The enemy Trolloc is described in fearsome detail. It snarls, lunges, howls. Mat spins, knocks, thrusts. Its armor parts, it folds, cries. Mat pulls, dodges. The verbs describing Mat’s actions are packed with visual imagery and motion, telling readers that he is more agile and nimble than his opponents.

The immediate threat gone, the surrounding scene is described, situating Mat. Aiel are winning against Darkfriends and Trollocs.

Mat’s personal stake in the battle is revealed: He wants no part of battles; he wants to gamble and chase women. He blames Rand for his situation.

A third Trolloc, fearsomely described again, is casually dispatched. A Myrddraal faces him, having just killed two Aiel at once. The hierarchy of fighters has been established. Darkfriends are weak. Trollocs are a bit weaker than Aiel. Mat kills a Trolloc at a time with ease. A Myrddraal kills two Aiel at a time with ease. Mat is now faced with a foe that is his match or better.

The Myrddraal’s fear inducing gaze is described, and even Aiel acknowledge its effects. Mat roars and charges towards it.

The Myrddraal’s dark-forged sword deals festering wounds that can kill. Moiraine might be able to heal it, if she were near. Mat launches an all-out offensive.

Defending against it gives the Myrddraal the advantage, so Mat attacks with an intensity to keep the Myrddraal from having a chance to nick him with its blade. Any other random Shadowspawn could stab Mat from behind. Mat’s strategy is succinctly described, so that the reader knows the purpose behind the actions. The order in which it is shown is first to tell what action Mat is taking, and while the reader is surprised and excited at the prospect of the fight, the purpose fills the reader with understanding and a sense that Mat has the upper hand and is in control of the battle.

The battle is a draw, Mat can’t hit it, but it can’t stop defending either. Mat struck. Its hand flew away. Mat sliced, did not stop, thrust, cut, again. Mat steps away. It thrashes, flails, spills its blood. Mat’s verbs are controlled deliberate actions; the Myrddraal’s verbs are uncontrolled, desperate, reactive.

This battle description was structured to give the reader a certain impression of Mat, and to build up towards the battle with the Myrddraal.

Writing Lessons:

Describe where the action is happening as well as the action itself. The location is not simply the geography but is relative to other important things such as allies, healing, objective, or object.

The Shadow Rising - Chapters 24-28

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Revelation: The Jenn built Rhuidean

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Writing Lessons:

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

The Dragon Reborn - Summary

The Dragon Reborn is where The Wheel of Time really branches out to let each character have their moment in the sun, particularly Egwene, Perrin and Mat, the other original Emond’s Fielders. There were glimmers of this shift from a single hero to a full cast of heroes in earlier books, but the focus was always on the central character Rand. Keeping Rand off the page is unconventional, since the larger story revolves around his quest. Rand has the point of view for only 19 pages in this entire book, and makes cameos throughout various dreams and street scenes. Since his quest was simply to gain Callandor and confirm his identity as the Dragon Reborn, his plotline would have held less interest than the secondary characters, who have not yet found their new identity. They find that their role is partly based on their relationship with Rand; there is still loyalty and love between the Emond’s Fielders, no matter that they are being pulled towards organizations and allies that are far removed from the Prophecies of the Dragon.

Each of the Emond’s Fielders remains determined not to turn their back on each other, to oppose the Dark One, and to use whatever comes their way to maintain their independence.

Dire circumstance leads the Amyrlin to grant Egwene and her friends exceptional privilege. They may have to suffer publicly, but their special status as Black Ajah hunters is also a sop to their exceptional pride and self-reliance. Full sisters know well how much they will need to defer to these women when they gain the shawl. These are women you want on your side. Aes Sedai invented the Great Game, and the Amyrlin is the best there is at playing it. Swift advancement in the Power and the need to find Black Ajah are convenient excuses to bestow favours on Nynaeve and Egwene, solve a few problems, and gain powerful future allies, something the Amyrlin may need very soon.

When Nynaeve tries to cut Egwene out of the hunt for want of protecting her, Egwene begins building resentment towards her. She often tells herself that she will not be collared again, but Nynaeve’s overbearing manner and the Amyrlin’s schemes must appear to be collars of a different sort, no less damaging to her freedom. She is transposing her negative feelings about the Seanchan to anyone and everyone who impedes her freedom.

Dreaming, having control over tel’aran’rhiod, provides true freedom. She slowly begins to understand her abilities in this place, not yet realizing that it is force of will that sculpts the reality around her. Egwene’s role is to be the most powerful Dreamer. She can’t achieve that unless she is completely driven to accomplishing her goal, which is a way of showing her force of will. Her personality thus becomes a source of irritation for many readers, yet she has to be that forceful and arrogant or she could not be a powerful Dreamer. Doubt, insecurity, uncertainty are weaknesses in tel’aran’rhiod. Self-awareness, motivation, and desire are strengths. That hers are built upon her overcoming her abuse and attacks on her very identity at the hands of the Seanchan is admirable.

Perrin too is powerful in the wolf dream, because he is single-minded and sure of what is doing once he sets out on a course of action, as demonstrated in his blacksmith scene. Until he reaches that decision point however, he exposes a weakness. The major choice he must make to determine his identity is choosing whether he is a builder or a destroyer. Does he wield a hammer, or an axe? At this point he is still sounding out his tools, learning what they do, testing them as he battles Shadowspawn or enters tel’aran’rhiod to save Faile.

Mat tries hard to be a free spirit, but is dragged back into the struggle time and again by duty to his friends. Like Egwene, he wants to be free of constraints, but can’t quite manage to shake them off.   

The fact that the World of Dreams is a major ability of both of the featured characters, and of Rand as well, is noteworthy. Even minor characters’ lives are affected by the World of Dreams. With the limited insight provided, the World of Dreams has a more important role to play in the future. And with it will be continued focus on the characters’ identities.

Writing Lessons:

Your characters need to be consistent in some way, even as that consistency drives other changes.  

Bonus material!

My second hardcover of The Dragon Reborn (If you read this blog, you too find it normal to own two of everything Wheel of Time) is the signed copy I won in the Knife of Dreams contest a few years back. What a pleasure it is to be greeted by these words when I open the cover:

The Dragon Reborn first came out in hardcover in 1991, and it was the first Wheel of Time book I saw. I had read all of Robert Jordan’s Conan novels, and found him to be far and away the best of the bunch. Being a cost-sensitive student, I bought the two first books in softcover on the spot, and waited for the softcover of this one to come out a few months later. A year or two later, I forced The Dragon Reborn on my roommate during exams. His marks suffered. You’re welcome Scartoe!

I managed to convince my prof in Publishing to let me include a book review of The Dragon Reborn in the college’s Fall ’92 edition of Locus magazine. As one of the students most interested in publishing and not simply filling a hole in my schedule, it was an easy sell. Twenty years ago, I wonder if my insight was any better than what I wrote above. Let’s not spare any embarrassment and find out!

FANTASY REBORN

TYLER GOODIER

The Dragon Reborn by Robert Jordan, Tor, 1991, 699pp., $6.99.

Rand al’Thor is a young man with a blessing, or a curse. Rand is the latest incarnation of the infamous Dragon, the most powerful and dangerous man ever to live. His blessing is the ability to control the One Power, which gives him control over the elements. His curse is that the One Power is tainted, and the more he uses it, the quicker its evil will drive him insane.

Though the focus of Robert Jordan’s third fantasy book in The Wheel of Time series is Rand’s dilemma, The Dragon Reborn doesn’t deal with how Rand is affected, but how his friends are affected by the changes in their lives since Rand has accepted the fact that he is the Dragon Reborn. They must deal with the fact that their best friend is destined to save the world from the evil of the Dark One, and in so doing, he will destroy most of the civilized world, as he has done in past incarnations.

The wide array of characters in the book makes it very enjoyable. Everyone is able to find characters they sympathize with: There is Perrin, a man who is trying to deny his empathy with wolves in the same way that Rand was trying to come to terms with the tremendous power he wielded in the previous novel. Egwene is a country girl also capable of using the One Power, that Rand was to have married, until he discovered his curse. Thom Merrilin is a traveling performer interested in keeping Rand out of Aes Sedai hands. The all female Aes Sedai and the Children of the Light are two opposing factions who both want the Dragon killed before he breaks the world with his power. Rand is also hunted by Moiraine, an Aes Sedai trying to keep him alive and sane long enough for him to combat the Dark One. The relationships between these characters are extremely well developed and give the book just the right balance between adventure and character development.

Jordan’s tale is also lighthearted enough to make readers laugh and dire enough to make them fear for the characters’ future. The book is very reminiscent of Lloyd Alexander’s Chronicles of Prydain, in terms of the emotions provoked by reading the story. Jordan has brought new, innovative ideas to the fantasy genre, especially in terms of the religious and political conflicts in his story. The importance of women (Aes Sedai) in the society he has created is another example of his commentary on our own society.

When Rand al’Thor became the Dragon Reborn, so Robert Jordan’s books became the new standard for the genre: Fantasy Reborn!  

Aside from the gross factual errors, misrepresentations, and drooling celebrity worship, I like it!

New Spring Chapters 11-14

Moiraine enters the Tower life proper, Moiraine exits the Tower life proper. The Cairhienin succession provides a believable reason for her to scoot. Threats to the character’s identity always work best to me. In real life, unhappy people often seem to have threats to their identity, their destiny not conforming to their wishes. And since we want Moiraine to be happy, we want her to not be queen.

Knowing the rules of who you defer to and why, it is obvious that for most Aes Sedai, the path to power and prestige is to be a Sitter. The scuffles for those three seats must be epic. Those who lose, join the Black Ajah? Maybe settle for a decent rank in the Ajah as eyes and ears or Eighth Reasoner? Or just conclude that you should set out into the world where everyone defers to you and leave this political claptrap behind.

The introduction of so many more Aes Sedai by name nicely creates the impression of the numbers of Aes Sedai in the Tower and the complexity of their relationships. I’m not sure the same could have been done without introducing so many of them. Of course, there is a benefit to having half of the new introductees already known by readers in the main series, giving them tags for the readers to identify them and keep them apart in their minds.

Having only Elaida to base our perceptions of Reds on, we get Sierin, who should have been Red. Yikes. Stereotype reinforced.

Moiraine and Siuan are living each other’s expected lives, Siuan in the Tower administrating, Moiraine on the road living adventure.

Writing Lessons:

Providing motivation to a character is easily done by attacking their perception of their identity.