The Fires of Heaven - Chapters 53-56

In this section, Nynaeve comes to Rand’s aid.

Coming off the emotional peak of the book, Rand barely has time to register Moiraine’s loss before Lan is gone too. With characteristic machismo, Lan makes a final statement about duty and life and not trusting love, which Rand takes seriously. Lan has inflicted his last damage on Rand. Although none of the women they love have inflicted any pain on them, Lanfear’s jealous display which cost Moiraine her life has had the effect of both men swearing off women for good.  

Moiraine’s letter states that all paths led to the docks, yet she herself is the one who directs Rand there. This is not a case of her creating her own future, since all paths led there. Rather, she is trying to control how events will play out at the docks by establishing who will be there, and where the wagons will be placed. Throughout the book, there were many reminders about how Moiraine fussed to place the ter’angreal just so in the wagons, though the rationale given by those who observed her turned out to have been wrong.

The Wise Ones tell Rand he is a fool about this and many other things. Many readers took this as a sign Moiraine yet lived. With Lan’s bond broken, she was stilled at the least. As I read it now, it is more of an accusatory statement, referring to how Rand’s stupid man-behaviour is the reason she is dead, and so many other things are going wrong, such as the Maidens’ sudden disappearance. Having lost Moiraine and understanding the price will be paid one way or another, Rand decides to accept the Maidens right to choose how they will serve him, and to die in the doing if it so happens.

Rahvin has somehow smuggled a few thousand Trollocs into the inner city and palace, as a defense against an attack by Rand or the other Forsaken. Lightning strikes down Mat, Aviendha and Asmodean. That is a significant surprise, yet having just lost Moiraine, how else can you raise the stakes for the climax of the book? Killing not one but three important characters is disorienting, and after all the talk about the mistake of seeking personal retribution, Rand stupidly sets out after Rahvin.

Mystifyingly, the story moves away from life or death action to Nynaeve teaching Siuan in Tel’aran’rhiod.  The only way to pull this off without irritating the reader is if the change is vital to the story, engaging, or short, but preferably all three. There are two pages of scene-setting and explaining or refreshing the rules of Tel’aran’rhiod before Siuan and Nynaeve begin pulling each other’s hair and kicking and rolling in the dirt, which is funny. Nynaeve has hit a low point in respectable behaviour. By page 4, Moghedien has been sighted, and the action is back on. Had a lesser threat than a Forsaken been the reason to shift to Nynaeve, reader reaction would be unenthused. If you leave off one major enemy, you should be moving to something equally as menacing.

Moghedien easily bests Nynaeve. Birgitte arrives in time to distract her giving Nynaeve the chance to try whatever she can think of. And that is the key to battling in Tel’aran’rhiod, you can do anything you think of.  Nynaeve crafts an a’dam and captures Moghedien in a heartbeat. Rand has just finished acknowledging that the women around him can make decisions about their own fate, and risk death or worse as they see fit, and then Nynaeve does exactly that. Both character arcs are wrapped up together. Rand cannot win without Nynaeve’s timely aid, and she can’t come to his aid unless she rediscovers her own desire to take the risks that he would rather she avoid.

For the first time, Rand has trouble remembering his identity, as Lews Therin’s memories are now a distinct voice.

The rules for the a’dam in Tel’aran’rhiod need some explaining. When sleeping, only Spirit can be channeled in the waking world, allowing a ter’angreal to be kept working. Once in Tel’aran’rhiod, any of the powers can be used, as in the waking world. Entering Tel’aran’rhiod in the flesh is a sensible move for one who is not experienced with it, especially if you don’t like leaving your sleeping body behind for your opponent to find unprotected. Someone in the flesh can draw significantly more of the One Power than someone who is merely sleeping, according to Moghedien. I suppose it means the amount is limited by the fact that you are sleeping, and it is not that in the flesh you can draw more of the One Power than you could waking. Based on Birgitte’s earlier transformation into a child, an opponent can change the reality of what you are. If you are sleeping, it will only be true when you visit Tel’aran’rhiod; if you are there in the flesh, it will be true forever, in which lies the danger. Rahvin tries this on Rand twice, once to unmake him, once to turn him into an animal. It seems this was Rahvin’s big plan, perhaps because he feared Rand would be as strong as or stronger than him. What affects you in Tel’aran’rhiod affects you in the real world, whether wounds, death, or Forkroot.

What happens as the balefire undoes actions? Memories remain, but actions were not carried out.

Rand never saw Rahvin make a portal to Tel’aran’rhiod. Rand believes he saw the residues, but no such portal ever existed. Rand simply chased a figment of his imagination through Tel’aran’rhiod. Rand believed Rahvin made a bubble of water and piranhas, but Rahvin wasn’t there so he did no such thing. However, Rand believed he did, and in Tel’aran’rhiod, that is enough to have created it himself, so the injuries remained even after Rahvin was balefired. Every attack Rahvin carried out was actually carried out by Rand on himself, since Rand’s belief it was happening was enough to make it actually happen. Had Rahvin had time to blast Nynaeve, she would have remained injured because she would have believed a blast of flame was coming down on her, which would have the effect of creating it even if Rahvin hadn’t.

Mat, Aviendha, and Asmodean, and other Aiel and Trollocs killed by Rahvin’s lightning all fell to the ground believing themselves dead. If the lightning flung them, they weren’t actually flung anywhere. Others walked past them, or over them, also certain that they were dead. At the moment of Rahvin’s death, they suddenly wake and hurriedly get up, realizing that there is a battle going on around them. They hold out until Rand arrives.

The key thing to remember is that balefire may not always undo actions in Tel’aran’rhiod, since the imagining of them keeps them real. Balefire damage to objects in Tel’aran’rhiod seems to be permanent. We didn’t see whether Rahvin’s balefire damage caused by his weaving the One Power was reversed. I think it would be. If Rahvin balefired a walnut with a thin stream of balefire, then Rand balefired Rahvin with a larger stream, undoing his original weaving of balefire, the walnut should be restored.

The mystery of who killed Asmodean was the holy grail of theorizing. Hindsight is 20/20, but on a reread, it does seem intuitively obvious that it was someone from this book, and only two Forsaken are unaccounted for.

Writing Lessons:

Give your multiple storylines plot, emotional, and thematic reasons to cross each other.

The Fires of Heaven - Chapters 18-21

In this section, the big villains establish their dominance while Rand tries to establish his own.

Moghedien takes charge of the Black Ajah, tracking them down in Amadicia. Whichever of the Forsaken had sent them on their original quest is now likely dead, since they were sent from the Stone of Tear just before it fell to Rand. Moghedien is a little more hands-on, and insists on giving lessons in obedience to each of the Black Sisters. There is closure from the last book. The reader now knows that the villains will be more organized and more focused on seeking revenge against Nynaeve. The whereabouts of several characters are now known, which serves to change the menace from a vague ambient one to a specific more dangerous one. Insight into the mind of the villains is given. Aside from Padan Fain, there have been precious few points of view from villainous perspectives.  

Often a point of view will cause the reader to have some sympathy and understanding for the character in question. To avoid this in this situation, the author very quickly displays some unsavoury personality traits of Liandrin’s: she is elitist and power-hungry. When Liandrin receives her lesson at Moghedien’s hands, the reader’s response will be that Liandrin is receiving just treatment of the sort that she would dole out. In contrast, Moghedien appears almost kindly and respectable due to her treatment of the servants in Tanchico, and her willingness to do things herself instead of relying on servants. The immediate danger from the cruelty of the Black Ajah remains, and is put to good use by being directed against Nynaeve as per Moghedien’s wishes.  

Many of the villains, Liandrin, Seanchan, Ba’alzamon, hold strongly to the idea that there is a hierarchy of worthiness, and that they are atop it and others must be made to keep their place in the lower echelons. The Heroes tend to be humbler with where they rank themselves and how strongly people should conform or if a hierarchy even applies. Of course, Rand is now stuck at the top of the Aiel hierarchy. Even though he sought out that position, so far he tries to conduct himself with compassion and interest towards those who follow him and the victims of his enemies, the Shaido.

Morgase manages to escape the clutches of Rahvin, who has made his dominion over Andor complete. He is manipulating the White Tower’s agent, has booted out the old guard and brought in people more reliably self-interested, and turned public opinion to the point where the idea of having a king instead of Morgase isn’t so offensive. Rahvin’s only failure is Morgase’s escape. The simplicity and ease with which the Forsaken can take control of a Nation is a stark contrast to Rand’s reluctant leadership over the Aiel. Had Couladin’s power grab been successful, Asmodean would have had dominion over the Aiel in much the same way that Rahvin and Moghedien dominate their subjects.

Morgase manages to momentarily snap out of her stupor when told of the red eagle banner flying over the Two Rivers. A ta’veren effect? All of her allies but Lini could have been snared in a Web of the Pattern as well from having met Rand and Mat. Lamgwin, Tallanvor, Gill, and the educator Breane Taborwin.

Gaebril’s toadies do not prove as memorable as the circus folk when they were introduced. For one, each of them carries two names: their given name and their house name, which greatly increases demands on the reader. Second, they do not have an immediate role to play: they will feature briefly in the next book, then be absent until Elayne’s attempt to secure the throne. Therefore, there is less need to attach tags to them, and the tags are less distinctive. They are all sycophants, and their current good standing and their mockery of Morgase is all the reader needs to know. These Lords and Ladies were introduced to make a point about how Rahvin runs the kingdom, not for Morgase or anyone to interact with.

If earlier clues were too subtle, Rand’s repeated dreams of Aviendha make it clear that her difficulties stem from her romantic attraction to Rand. I have previously said that if a point is important to make, it should be hammered home, and this qualifies since it has taken up a lot of page space. The reader is meant to think about it because the problem is always presented as one without a solution. In fact, the problem itself is never fully described, the reader only knows that Aviendha finds it difficult being near Rand so much.

Despite the visions from the glass columns, the sight of the dock on the mountainside is the first direct proof offered of the scale of the Breaking. Other ruins seen in the series indicate failure of cities to survive, not wholescale destruction of cities by flipping up a portion of the planet’s crust. When Rand brings the Aiel across the Dragonwall, he’ll be unleashing the most destructive force in a thousand years. The ruins of Shorelle also hint at what Rand might be capable of when he goes mad.

Writing Lessons:

Add symbolism to the cool details you show, to make them more personal and relevant to the reader and the characters.

The Fires of Heaven - Prologue to Chapter 1

In this section, lengthy prologues explain the current situation.

In the White Tower, a host of Aes Sedai are introduced. The point is to show that the Tower is made up of factions, and a crowd of new faces and names are necessary to convey this idea. A few are made to stand out, Shemerin and Joline particularly, the first Yellow, and a new Green. The most important thing is that Elaida and Alviarin are contending for power. Later Moiraine will describe how Siuan should now be approaching leaders of nations to unite them behind Rand, but the reality is that the Tower is unstable, and that anything might come out of Rand showing up there, most of it detrimental to him. There is a sense that Elaida is worse than Alviarin, simply because we know how bad she is while Alviarin is portrayed as cool and logical, and she must have been misled by Elaida.

Padan fain is in the Tower, doing to Elaida what he did to Pedron Niall. He tells her to tie a thread to one Rand trusts. It is now certain that whatever slim potential help Elaida might have been, she is now bad, bad, bad.  

Carrying over from last book, we are reminded Mazrim Taim is on the loose. Since the entire Black Ajah was in Tanchico, it is easy to overlook the supposed plot to control Mazrim Taim. Other happenings in the world are easily conveyed by the meeting of Elaida’s entourage. These briefings are used frequently to pack in information that is not worth showing to the reader directly.

This is the first time a point of view is given for a Forsaken. This makes it possible to give personalities to the Forsaken, since they won't usually be talkative in front of heroes. It is also the only way to reveal the villainous plot, unless the eavesdropping (Mat), dreams (Perrin or Egwene) or interrogation (Amico and Joiya) methods are used again. Typically, overusing any one method is picked up by the reader, except for direct revelation by the villain’s point of view, which can be done frequently. There is also now less reason to keep the Forsaken mysterious, since Rand has access to one and the air of mystery will quickly be undone.

Lanfear contrives to stay near Rand and keep some 'allies' away. Rahvin considers that knowing Lanfear’s activities is better than not knowing. Important information about the differences between men and women linking, or strength in the Power, are given by a true authority in the matter. This information would be somewhat untrustworthy coming from Asmodean, who may have ulterior motives. Internal thoughts about it from an authority outside the captor-jailor relationship are a better way to make the reader believe what is being said. Similarly, Rahvin confirms how the protection from the taint works. He describes the Dark One as a ‘greater power than the Light, or even the Creator’. He differentiates between the two. The ‘Light’ therefore represents the One Power, so earlier passages about Rand wielding a ‘sword of the Light’, or other references to the capitalized word ‘Light’ can now be put in a correct context.

The prologue and Chapter 1 act like continuation from The Shadow Rising’s 4th storyline. The focus on Min is a shift from other books, where she has played a peripheral role. Putting her front and center in Chapter 1 means she is a central character. The switch in viewpoint from Elaida to Siuan’s group is logical; it completes the White Tower characters updates. Bryne is portrayed as a cowboy leading a posse, a significant change from his days in Caemlyn. Under the pseudonym Jackson O’Reilly, Robert Jordan wrote his first book, a Western titled Cheyenne Raiders. Bryne reflects on whether the Nations will stand for or against Rand, a concern that Moiraine will echo.  

From Bryne, the logical people to look in on next are in Caemlyn. Alteima and Morgase have viewpoints, such that by page 55, not one of the original Two Rivers characters has been shown. Readers may now be anxious to get back to the central characters they know. All of the characters in this chapter are in Andor.  An expectation that they will meet up is being created.

Alteima's role is largely to provide Rahvin with information in a convincing way. Rahvin could get it elsewise, but information from someone with firsthand knowledge is more convincing. Alteima's role is also to heighten danger to Morgase. Morgase has already been described as stubborn enough to try get out of the Compulsion, and she is portrayed as being of two minds about many things. Morgase is well liked by Thom, Gareth, Elayne, Galad, and Gawyn, and may even be part of Elaida's foretelling about the Royal line of Andor (Rand is still the more likely though). She is therefore instantly identifiable as a good guy, and reader sentiment is with her.

Rahvin is interested in Rand's allies and friends. This is the second mention of tying strings to his friends. Unlike Elaida, Rahvin is a master manipulator, and uses everyone.

The very 2nd paragraph of Chapter 1, where a wind blows from Braem Wood can be contrasted with the situation of the refugees from the White Tower.  This is not simply telling readers about the geography, it tells how Min and her group are alone, exhausted, without relief, in danger of being exposed.

South and west it blew, dry, beneath a sun of molten gold. There had been no rain for long weeks in the land below, and the late-summer heat grew day by day. Brown leaves come early dotted some trees, and naked stones baked where small streams had run. In an open place where grass had vanished and only thin, weathered bush held the soil with its roots, the wind began uncovering long-buried stones. They were weathered and worn, and no human eye would have recognized them for the remains of a city remembered in story yet otherwise forgotten.

Wow, that is a great paragraph.

Writing Lessons:

Make sure the benefits of revealing the villain’s point of view outweigh the downsides.