A Memory of Light - Chapters 38-43

In this section, in the most critical scene of the book, Rand can’t win by himself

Rand sees Lan fall, reinforcing the fact of his apparent death. Through Egwene’s voice, he is reminded that the responsibility was not his, it belonged to Lan himself. Rand could easily have imagined Egwene’s voice in his head, but her recent death adds some doubt as to its nature. Rand changes the purpose of his list of names, from one of victims, to one of heroes, who died for causes they believed to be noble. Relieved of guilt, he finds his strength returned.

Just as Rand is no longer pridefully taking responsibility for the actions of others, the author flips back to the battlefield as the Sharan princess shrieks that Bao the Wyld is dead. The six line interjection reveals little, its main purpose is in the symbolism of Rand’s pride being removed, since Demandred embodied pride. 

Refusing to give in, ever, Rand begins to see the Dark One for what he really is. The Dark One’s attacks lost meaning. If they could not make him yield, if they could not make him relent, then what were they? The author breaks Rand’s confrontation into very short sections, shuffling them between other perspectives which ever so slowly reveal what is happening. Rapid flashes between characters works well to slow down the action at this critical juncture, and may not have worked so well with the traditional Robert Jordan long section in a single point of view. Could the traditional Robert Jordan long section approach even have been used for the Last Battle? Or would he have opted for breaks as shown here, mimicking the breakdown of the Pattern itself?

With Demandred dead, Mat raises a cheer for Malkier, which the soldiers eagerly take up. The Sharans are stunned by the news, and the heroes have a resurgence of hope.

Rand’s voice switches to all caps, an indication that he is now on even footing with the Dark One. Adding in a few explanatory details to tie up loose ends, he states that even though the story has centered on him, it is really about all of his friends and acquaintances, about everyone. It is about their common desire to fight on no matter the circumstances, to stand when they should be broken. The Dark One taunts Rand with Lan’s death. Rand holds the whole world in his hands as his conflict magnifies its focus on Merrilor.

Mat strains to gain an upper hand, and hears the Dark One in his head. The Dark One’s titles for the heroes attempt to diminish them, and continue to show the overriding pessimism in his every thought and action. Arganda mirrors that pessimism with his perpetual negative outlook. Mat has never had a better chance to win this, he just needs an opening to give him some momentum.

Rand tells the Dark One he is wrong…

Olver raises the Horn to his lips…

Mat hears Rand’s voice now too. Everyone can hear it. Three critical and emotionally resounding elements combine: Rand shouts “That man still fights!”, Lan rises with Demandred’s severed head, and  the Horn Of Valere resounds across the battlefield. It is a potent combination and is likely the core scene that everything else was built to support during the writing of the book.

For a brief moment, Elayne remains in peril, until Birgitte returns to save her. Her perfectly timed arrival is heralded by an arrow to Mellar’s chest followed by another to the head. She announces the arrival of the Heroes, and it feels awesome.

Mat takes advantage of any superstitious or cowardly hesitation on the part of the Shadow to lead a charge. The contrast between humanity’s desire to fight even unto death and the Trollocs’ instinctive desire to avoid death helps explain away much of the battle’s details. Any parts which get skipped over can be explained by a stereotyping statement which the reader is all too eager to embrace, as they are riding high on a wave of relief and excitement. Mat meets Hawkwing, swears at him, laments women like Nynaeve, and leers at a female Hero, all in keeping with his character even as the inner workings of Horn sounding are explained.

Noal comes back for Olver, providing a warm response to all the loss and death. He had lost so many people, but one of them… one… had come back for him. This links directly back to the idea that when both Manetheren and Malkier fell, no one had come to their aid. Olver’s salvation shows that this time, help came, and that made all the difference.

Elayne joins the fight against the Darkfriends, and following a brief attempt to keep her out of the larger battle, she and Birgitte go to battle, together. Birgitte is overjoyed her memories have returned.

Aviendha meets Elyas as the Wild Hunt streams into the valley. Before she can gather channelers to repel the Darkhounds, she senses Graendal and summons Cadsuane and Amys. Outnumbered and outmatched by Graendal’s circle, it is Aviendha’s original ability to stalk silently that protects her until her allies arrive.

Elayne joins the fight waving a sword to little effect other than the inspiration it offers her soldiers. By putting herself in danger and taking up the battle directly, as one of them, her soldiers feel they have no choice but to return to the fray.

Demandred’s death is the card upon which Mat is ready to bet everything. He still faces ten to one odds in numbers, but the enemy is in disarray. Mat faces a desperate fight to push the Sharans off the heights into the Trollocs below, and just as he most needs them, the Seanchan join the fight, flying through Gateways in the air to assault the Shadow below and marching in rhythm onto the Heights. Having Mat imagine and predict the Seanchan movements once gain saves the author from having to explain or show it in any detail.  A mysterious detail is presented, leaving the reader to wonder what other trick Mat has in store.

Grady follows Mat’s orders without understanding them. His Gateway to Hinderstap allows the same people, cursed by a bubble of evil, to make use of that very curse to surprise their foes. With the Dreadlords down, Grady bursts the dam, releasing the river Mora.

Androl wants to hunt the Dreadlords instead of pursuing Logain’s quest for sa’angreal. He and Pevara concoct a plan.

Moghedien impersonates Demandred to rally the Sharans, having apparently practiced impersonating each of the other Forsaken, which explains several peculiar orders from Forsaken throughout the series. Moghedien now has full access to the True Power, and uses her advantage by ordering the death of the meekest and weakest on the field of battle.  A gateway opens and Dragons fire on her.

Talmanes enjoys firing dragons to kill the Trollocs from a hidden location.

At Shayol Ghul, the storm is out of control, unleashing lightning on friend and foe alike. The fabric of reality is breaking down as a grand bubble of evil envelops the valley. Aviendha notices Trollocs fighting each other and an odd mist which heralds Padan Fain. The clouds above form the ancient symbol of the Aes Sedai, and other impossible signs portend Rand’s conquest of his foe. As she creeps towards Graendal, she is attacked and kills her foe Rhuarc, seeming to contradict her earlier belief that any of her former allies would rather die than be used by the Shadow.

Dreadlords bicker amongst themselves and are tricked into following Androl’s imitation of Rand into a stedding. Mishraile expresses the only overt sexism that I can recall in the series, scoffing at the notion that a woman could be placed above him when the entire world is rife with examples of women leading men.

The Ogier will attempt a few decades of stedding-derived therapy to rehabilitate their new captives. Returning to the battlefield,  Androl and his friends find Trollocs slaughtering refugees and wounded.

Aviendha recovers from the shock of killing her former clan chief. Aviendha is wounded as she leaps into the air and plunges her spear into Graendal’s side, disappearing along with her as she Travels.

Logain feels threatened and seeks a sa’angreal to keep him powerful, and feels intense paranoia that others are trying to tear him down. Androl tells him of the Trollocs slaughtering the weak. Logain must choose between gaining strength or protecting the weak.

Mat watches the Trolloc horde get split by the river, then decimated by Seanchan and resurgent armies, as he battles alongside the Heroes of the Horn. For about a page, the text feels like an omniscient narrator describing the entire field of battle, no matter where Mat was standing at the moment. Because the focus is exclusively on military matters and takes place in a Mat perspective, it is a little easier to accept. Had it been written from any other perspective than Mat’s or Rand’s, it would stand out even more as a large deviation from the accepted form of third person limited narrator.

Mat asks Artur Hawkwing to speak with Tuon on his behalf while he goes to Rand’s aid. Perfectly placed punchline at the end of the section.

Rand speaks in all caps, like the Dark One, and reveals that nobility will always beat him, that death is no threat, and that he has never inspired love in any one. The Dark One sputters in response. Rand hurls himself into the blackness to bring Shai’tan’s death.

Aviendha can barely fend off Graendal. Isolated from her allies, she is able to open a Gateway before Graendal takes control of the situation, cutting off Aviendha’s possible attempt to kill herself before being enthralled by Compulsion. Graendal isn’t in great shape, but Aviendha can’t even keep hold of her belt knife.

Writing Lessons:

Design your story around the most important scenes.

A Memory of Light - Chapters 14-16

(Sorry for the long delay, life intervened... how did I ever maintain this pace last year?)

In this section, the Black Tower plotline is resolved!

Contrary to established rules, it is now possible to enter Tel’aran’rhiod from the Blight, which is explained with the mild observation that barriers are weakening between worlds. Importantly, it will allow Perrin, Lanfear, and Slayer to later interact with Rand at Shayol Ghul while they are in Tel’aran’rhiod. While the story is rife with examples of impossible things becoming reality, when the author starts tweaking rules which remove well established restrictions, there is a chance that readers will find it too convenient to be believable. This is overcome to some degree by simply establishing that a change in rules has taken place, with no commitment towards it being of benefit or detriment to the heroes.

Perrin not only feels he has to stay near Rand, but also needs to investigate dangers to Rand, appointing himself as a sort of bodyguard.  While it was expected that Perrin might take on this role, it was both thrilling and surprising to see Gaul join him. So they set off to the Black Tower where Lanfear makes an appearance. Two opposing ideas are now associated with her. The first is her obsessive thirst for power and prestige, which Perrin recalls quite well, and is wary of. The second is the recent idea of her coming back to the Light, as introduced through her dialogue with Rand. Due to the elements of Eve and Pandora I identified in her mythical roots, I am predisposed to her seeking or gaining redemption. The nearly equal weighting of these ideas adds to the mystery around her goals, indicating she could go either way and no one would be surprised. “I chose my master. This is my price – unless I can find a way free of it.” Whatever she is after, she achieves it by helping Perrin, allowing him to remove a dreamspike at a very opportune moment.

The coincidental timing of Perrin’s actions is a little hard to accept, but the Wheel weaves as the Wheel wills, and that logic-defying clause allows the author to push the limits of coincidence in a manner that is explainable, if not entirely satisfactory.

Androl’s Talent for Gateways allowed him to make a miniscule Gateway over a very short distance even when the dreamspike was activated. The small Gateway he uses to catch Taim’s balefire presumably also only carried it a very short distance. Perrin’s deactivation of the dreamspike then frees Androl to make Gateways of any size, and he uses some exciting techniques to devastate Taim’s cronies and send two Forsaken running. After such an intense build-up, the resolution is nothing but satisfaction. Importantly, Androl and the other Asha’man have claimed their own freedom, usurping control from Taim with no observable outside help.

Androl isn’t the only character whose desperate actions amazingly bear fruit. Rand did the same on several occasions, notably at the end of The Eye of the World, when he thrice appealed to the Light to intercede and save him, and then was able to regain control of the situation. Androl makes no such appeal for deliverance, instead drawing on his defiance and will to displace the barrier which prevents his Gateways from forming. Why does this work?

The simple explanation is that time runs differently in Tel’aran’rhiod, and Perrin’s deactivation of the dreamspike is mirrored over a longer time frame in the waking world.

A different explanation requires delving into Androl’s character and the reason for his Talent. Androl is a dreamer and a searcher, and has traveled far and wide across the world trying to find the elusive conditions that will give him closure and peace. He may have traveled to more places and tried more paths in life than almost every other character. He knows himself as much as he knows the places he has been. Androl’s Talent and lack of ability in other areas is therefore a metaphor for his inner quest and lack of satisfaction with what he has found so far. Knowing himself is equated with knowing where he is, a condition required to form Gateways. When Androl finally succeeds in crafting his tiny Gateway, he has dug deep within himself and found that which he always sought elsewhere: the will to make part of the world fit his needs, to take his place as the heart and soul of the Black Tower, to defy Taim with his last breath and create the place he has long searched for. With this understanding comes his salvation, just as the dreamspike is deactivated.

The Black Tower itself has been a metaphor for Rand’s inner turmoil over the last several books. As he allowed his humanity to wither away, the Black Tower festered. At first the Black Tower represented a cherished dream for Rand, a safe place for men like him. By failing to nurture this dream, it could not sustain itself, and eventually went bad, until it grew to the point where it threatened his life and the world itself. Androl demonstrated that a powerful dream will draw others to it, others who can share in keeping it vibrant and secure. Rand’s naive hope that his project would be successful simply by establishing initial conditions, and then walking away, was proven to be foolish. The failed Black Tower experiment serves as a precedent for the upcoming conflict with the Dark One, where Rand will again try quick and easy solutions that will predictably fail.

With the Black Tower plotline resolved, it isn’t long before Taim shows up in the Borderlands to disrupt the desperate tactics of the Borderlanders. Lan can survive a duel with two Myrddraal at once, and repeated sorties on the field lancing Trollocs, but must flee before the Dreadlords’ siege engine. There is some entertainment in comparing how Byrne’s later use of Gateways as windows provides immensely more advantage than simply elevating channelers on a siege engine to have a better view of the battlefield. But for now, the edge goes to the Shadow.

In Ebou Dar, Mat once again entertains readers with his banter with Selucia. Mat is either thinking out of character or subconsciously adopting Seanchan ways of thinking: She had shaved her head again properly, now that she was no longer hiding. Tuon’s adoption of Mat’s ways is much more in character, and funny: “Are you bloody insane?” Mat asked. “Are you bloody stupid?” she asked.

The Heroes’ ability to spot Gray Men is uncanny. Even when wounded, a Gray Man is unnoticed by the keenest eyes in the Seanchan Empire. I attribute the Heroes’ success versus Gray Men to the ta’veren effect, increasing the dim likelihood of noticing them into a certainty. I think channelers and Warders were the only others to ever notice a Gray Man. There’s been some debate as to why the Shadow didn’t use more of these assassins. I reason that there was simply a lack of good targets, with most potential targets either unfindable or able to notice and kill them. I also suspect they are not very numerous, since their creation requires a sacrifice on par with Padan Fain’s, a dedication that is decidedly rare.

Rand has a swordfight with Tam, allowing him to learn how the loss of his hand has affected his perception of himself.  The missing hand has been more of an inconvenience than an obstacle in terms of Rand’s abilities to confront opponents, since he can channel even without it. By showing an example of weakness, the author is able to better showcase the inner turmoil Rand feels in the face of the Last Battle. Rand regularly tries to express certainty about his plan to kill the Dark One, but just as with his sword prowess, there are deep-seated doubts and weaknesses he worries about. Aviendha previously suggested taking the Dark One gai’shain might be a better path, and Moiraine now tries to dissuade him from his chosen course of action even as she urges him to commence his assault now.

Moiraine gets good tasting tea from Rand, a symbol that he does indeed have the right balance that so many of his motherly mentors have sought. Each of them has correctly foreseen that  as with so many of the obstacles faced by the characters, it is not Rand’s battle training or ability to channel that will lead to victory, but a matter of his character.

Galad and his Whitecloaks are perturbed by the Ogier’s violence. Their first instinct upon witnessing their savagery is to consider them Shadowspawn.  Galad understands that evil does not reside in the act of chopping down opponents, but the reasons for that act can be good or evil. If the Ogier’s violence is startling in its intensity and rivals the murderous actions of Trollocs, it is because once riled and forced to actions the Ogier would rather not have contemplated, their resolve to carry them out is unwavering. They embrace violence as the tool that will best allow them to continue their peaceful lifestyle.

Writing Lessons:

Do not break your daily writing habit. Once missed, writing time is lost forever.

Knife of Dreams - Chapters 17-19

In this section, Rand and Elayne lose control of something.

Birgitte confirms that Elayne didn’t get lost; it was the Palace that changed. Since she can’t do anything about the danger or problems that come with locales changing suddenly, instead, she stoically goes on with the things she can do something about. The mutable geography is not necessarily the same as bubbles of evil, which have a more sinister and violent effect, but they are just as random.

Young Perival correctly deduces that a third of the High Seats of Andor are keeping their distance because of the nearby Borderlander army. Elayne’s earlier meeting with the Borderlanders in Winter’s Heart is still bearing fruit, yet it also gives the impression that not much has changed since then. That will come to an abrupt end with Arymilla’s apparent bribery of the mercenary companies guarding Caemlyn. Arymilla expects to have the city within a week. As with the Perrin storyline, establishing a firm countdown to disaster ramps up the tension and dispels any sense of drudgery or lack of progress. One way or the other, with Arymilla’s scheme unfolding, the plotline will be resolved.

A discussion of House Mantear, the House that Rand is descended from, added to Elayne’s unswerving confidence her babies will be born safely, linked a few ideas in my mind. Elaida’s Foretelling was that the Royal Line of Andor is the key to winning the Last Battle. She thinks it means Elayne, but readers know it probably means Rand, and there is a slight possibility it means Morgase, or Luc, or some other secondary character. However, I’m surely not the first to see that Rand and Elayne’s children are descended from the two most recent Royal Families of Andor. Could all of Moridin’s schemes be aimed at Rand’s children, to prod him in ways he couldn’t be prodded before? Could Rand’s children or his attitude towards them be the key to winning the Last Battle? To fit the themes in the story so far, the Last Battle will have to be about Rand affirming his identity for once and for all. In what ways could his children factor into that? Will they represent the humanity he is trying to save, or will they represent a sacrifice on his part?

Reanne’s death and the discovery of a doll that should have been taken by a fleeing Kinswoman rule out Merilille as the Black Ajah. Sadly, it means Elayne can add a number of probable murders to the bill, since it implies that most of the vanished Kinswomen were killed, and did not run away.

Loial interviews Rand for his book, and is told almost nothing really useful, something Theorylanders are familiar with from RAFO-filled author interviews. The boys from Manetheren have rubbed off on Loial, for he is ready to address the Stump with his views that the Ogier should stand against the Dark One rather than flee to another Dimension using their Book of Translation. Loial acquiesces to his Mother’s demand for a wedding, which takes place minutes after her arrival, the only hasty thing Ogier ever do. For all of his fear that his life would be dominated by a wife, she asks him what he would do, and then supports him in that decision.

I once asked Robert Jordan why Rand had never thought again about the mysterious stranger who saved his life in Shadar Logoth. At last, Rand does so now, recognizing his face as the one that has been appearing in his head shortly after he thinks of Mat and Perrin. It’s likely this was the point of the story in which this information was bound to appear, and not the direct result of a fan’s question. Rand also concludes that the stranger used the Forsaken’s so-called True Power. He stops short of realizing that the stranger may be a reincarnated Forsaken, failing to recognize that the Lord of the Grave is more than a name, it describes one of his abilities. The ability to parse out information slowly is often difficult, as authors are eager to show off the wonderful world they have created. The trick is in supplying just enough new information to keep the reader happy without going beyond the minimum that the reader needs. The Wheel of Time’s length, multiple plotlines, numerous characters and publication schedule have demonstrated that it is possible to dole out clues very slowly, over two decades, and still maintain an air of mystery and wonder with each revelation.

Rand’s madness isn’t getting worse, but he is at the point where he and Lews Therin seem evenly balanced, as represented by Lews Therin’s several comments that he doesn’t understand why he has voice in his head. Establishing how even they are, mirror images of each other,  is key to the surprise when Lews Therin grasps the One Power from Rand during a monumental Trolloc attack. Lews Therin wails that he can’t move his hands, as though it is his body and Rand has grasped physical control of the body from him. A Trolloc attack, even in numbers of hundreds of thousands, is no longer enough to threaten the heroes. Unless a monkey wrench is thrown into the works. As has often been the case, this obstacle is not a physical one but one of identity. Who is Rand? Is he really Lews Therin? Rand’s immediate need is to strike some agreement with the madman in his head or he will die. When the metaphysical argument has physical consequences that can put Rand and his allies in harm’s way, the stakes are raised far more effectively than if the attack had simply been overwhelming numbers of Shadowspawn.

 Writing Lessons:

Time pressure not only increases tension, but can dispel any concerns that the plot isn’t moving.

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 Great Hunt - Chapters 35-39

Misery is not reading or blogging for more than 1 day in a row.

In this section, the Heroes discover the scope of the menace is far greater than they guessed.

After getting a taste of two cultures entrenched in subterfuge and suspicion, Stedding Tsofu offers the opposite:  harmony, trust, openness, truthfulness. The Ogier hide nothing from their visitors, and allow them to take extreme personal risks, and do not try to stop them with force or persuasion. Once the heroes have the facts, the Ogier accept the decision they have made. Ogier society is similar to that of the tuatha’an, and the way it is introduced with a point-point-counterpoint is reminiscent of how we saw two societies rife with suspicion (Children of the Light and Shadar Logoth) before discovering the Traveling People and their trusting ways. When an Ogier spends too long away from the stedding, away from the qualities it offers, they begin to Long for it. Are any of us any different? The Ogier are an idealized society, a remnant of the Age of Legends when discord and conflict were all but unknown. There are some strong implications about what a society in the Light should be like, and what a society touched by the Shadow would be like. Yes, even as relates to their chivalric customs of marriage. I’ll remember to contrast with other marriage customs in later books.

Rand and Perrin both consider the virtues of staying in a stedding. They could be free of their new abilities; they could live out their lives in peace. Yet they quickly acknowledge that they are willing to pay a personal price and face great danger to do what they feel is right for their friend. Their sense of duty to their fellow man is forging chains that will shackle them to the destiny they are trying to avoid. Rand’s promise to safeguard Loial only adds to his duties.

The Black Wind blocking the Waygate, Machin Shin, forces Rand to instead attempt use of a Portal Stone to reach Toman Head before Mat dies, even if he has to use the One Power again. Rand can already channel enough to use the Portal Stone, but Verin, at full power, would be destroyed by that much saidar. Verin explains enough about the Mirror Worlds as alternate realities, the Worlds That Might Be, to allow the reader to understand the next few pages.  This explanation is what was missing from the House of Flies scene earlier in the book. As with the scene in the House of Flies, repetition with slight variations are used to illustrate that events are out of Rand’s control.

Three alternate realities are shown in full where past events occurred differently. Then more follow, only a sentence long, since the reader has grasped the concept. Rand is shown dying young, growing old, going mad, knowing he was born to fight the Shadow, battling Seanchan invaders, or Trollocs, marrying, living a hundred lives and more, variation on variation, each one different. A lot of thrills are packed into these few pages. Each scene also has a similarity. One phrase, powerful and meaningful, that reveals the epic scope of the story. In each world, when Rand finally dies, he hears a voice whisper: I have won again, Lews Therin.

In every other world that might have been had events unfolded differently, the Shadow is triumphant. The Mirror World Rand visited with Selene introduced this idea. The surprising revelation isn’t that it was a strange and unique world, nor was it a typical world, no, it was a stereotypical world where the Shadow won.  The implication is that no matter the circumstances, the Shadow always wins. After the Shadow wins, life is extinguished, as seen in Selene’s Mirror World. The concept will later get expanded upon, but for now, it elevates the stakes of the broader series-long quest to a multiverse-spanning battle against evil, while maintaining an intensely personal aspect since each of the Shadow’s victory is achieved by the Dragon’s demise.

I have won again, Lews Therin.

The ability to play with the flow of time using Mirror Worlds allows for several plot elements to join up in ways that might have seemed forced otherwise. With time travel, anything is possible. Tracking Fain from the future before he reached a spot would be a bit too convenient without Lanfear’s guidance. Egwene and Nynaeve needed time to begin their training and gain useful abilities and strong friendships, time that would have killed Mat. Time travel provides the answer, introducing a world of story possibilities. Assuming we’re following the three examples pattern: the first time travel was subtle and solved a small problem, the second brings the elements together for this book’s conclusion, and the third should come into play in A Memory of Light. What role could the best theoretical quantum physicist of the Age of Legends play?  How could Portal Stones be used to make a day dawn twice?

Egwene finally writes Rand off as a love interest, all while rushing to his rescue. The girls’ matchmaking deliberations are entertaining. Between Min’s viewings, Elayne’s interest, Rand’s Mirror World marriages, and the fact that Rand seems poised to see these girls again in Toman Head, enough hints have been placed to expect that love is in the air.

Writing Lessons:

Keeping the stakes personal keeps your readers emotionally involved in the story.

The Eye of the World - Chapters 35-39

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Writing Lessons:

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