The Gathering Storm - Chapters 13-16

In this section, the heroes square off against the villains.

Gawyn is offered a chance to become a Warder. First a mock combat with a pair of Warders establishes that Gawyn is a far better swordsman than them. He has the power to turn the battle in his favour, but has yet to fully commit to a cause he is comfortable supporting. Such a cause is the rescue of Egwene, the love of his life. Had the offer to be a Warder not been there, his choice would have been even more obvious, but dangling that possibility before him makes his choice one of character and not circumstance. Readers need to see that he has more than one promising road ahead of him, or his choice will have less meaning.

Gawyn’s troubled conscience bothers him, but that effect is undermined when, in the same paragraph, you find the two following things he is wishing for, one far more strongly than the other. Even had they been separated by several pages, the strength of the second desire is out of place compared to the angst he is feeling. Gawyn clenched and unclenched his fist, stalking across the village center, wishing he could extend the peace and stillness of sword fighting to the rest of his life. The air was pungent with the scent of cows and dung from the barns; he would be glad to get back to a proper city. Dorlan’s size and remoteness might make it a good place to hide, but Gawyn strongly wished that Elaida had chosen a less odorous place to house the Younglings.

Cadsuane and Sorilea observe Semirhage’s pride and her contempt for lesser women. Cadsuane once again notes that Semirhage’s character is uncomfortably like her own. She is facing some dark version of herself. Similarly, in Tel’aran’rhiod, Moridin observes that he and Rand are somehow bonded, though he himself doesn’t understand how. Rand is meeting with the Seanchan, a culture with twisted views of channeling and rank. Egwene faces her antagonist, an Amyrlin who in many ways is her opposite. Each of the heroes is facing some twisted reflection of themselves, and that may be a clue as to the nature of the Last Battle.

Rand and Moridin’s discussion, as with their earliest interactions, is fraught with hidden meaning. Moridin still believes everything he says, and he reveals some possible clues about their inevitable final confrontation. “Why do you always whine that way? Just a dream. Do you not know that some dreams are more truthful than the waking world?” He has said this before, and it does fit in nicely with the theory that Shayol Ghul is itself in Tel’aran’rhiod, and the Dark One is somehow manipulating reality using the properties of that realm.

Rand questions whether Moridin’s own logic destroyed him: “That is why his victory is assured. I think it will be this Age, but if not then in another. When you are victorious, it only leads to another battle. When he is victorious, all things will end. Can you not see that there is no hope for you?” Moridin has surrendered to the inevitable, yet Rand never has, nor have his inspirations, such as in the tale of the people of Manetheren, or the Aiel, or several other heroes in the story.

Rand reveals his plan to slay the Dark One. Moridin replies “I doubt you can understand the magnitude of the stupidity in your statement.” He is not simply saying the Dark One is immortal, but touching on a truth that Rand has yet to discover. One possibility is that just as we have seen the heroes face antagonists who are evil or opposite to their morals, the Dark One himself is a force that cannot be destroyed, because he exists in the hearts of all men. Rand could hardly destroy part of himself and remain who he is. None of the characters could.   

Moridin reveals the manner in which the Dark One reincarnates his Forsaken. Left unrevealed is whether his powers go any further, whether he can resurrect anyone. The only limitation Moridin offers is balefire, which Rand latches onto, never realizing that using balefire serves the Dark One by weakening the Pattern. I was very pleased about this discussion, because Robert Jordan never answered the question I asked him about why Rand never thought any further on the stranger in Shadar Logoth. We’re left with questions about the limitations on the Dark One’s power, and whether the dead people we’ve seen brought back to life in The Eye of the World were fabrications or the real thing. Does the Dark One’s promises to bring Ilyena back refer to a Tel’aran’rhiod replica of her?  

For the fifth book in a row, Min’s research is pointed out to the reader, and she finally tells Rand he has to break the Seals, and he agrees. The idea that someone can just pick up some old books and find the answer to the greatest question is far-fetched, and the technique used to overcome disbelief is to show Min not only reading, but reading for a long time, studying, comparing texts, and becoming an expert. Five books earlier, she would have had little credibility, but now her answer is more easily accepted, especially when reinforced with a second learned opinion, that of Lews Therin himself.

After impressing several Sitters with her keen mind, and pointing out that surrendering would not Heal the White Tower, Egwene is set to labor instead of lessons. She turns down a chance to escape, recognizing that only from within can she demonstrate her refusal to surrender. Immediately after, she must serve Elaida at dinner with several Sitters, one from each Ajah, each of whom Elaida belittles. Inevitably, a confrontation with Elaida ensues, and Egwene pulls out the dirt she has on Elaida regarding an Oath of obedience, goading her into threatening Egwene so that she can point out Elaida’s bullying tactics. Elaida obliges, beating Egwene with weaves of air, which she is able to withstand thanks to the last ten days of continuous beatings from the Mistress of Novices. Egwene is sent to rot in a cell until she can be publicly beaten before all Aes Sedai, a strategy that is bound to fail by the evidence before Elaida, but once emotion takes over, logical thought is lost on her.

Elsewhere, I noticed some consistent use of weasel words in straightforward text, such as: seems, probably, maybe, may, could, looks like, etc. I had an idea that this was an artifact of Brandon Sanderson’s writing, possibly reflecting timidity at stating facts authoritatively, given that it is not his original story. I’m out of space for this post, so I’ll look for confirmation in later sections.

Writing Lessons:

Present two or more equally good choices, to force the characters to make choices based on their values, rather than the plot.

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.

The Great Hunt - Chapters 40-44

In this section, the disparate plotlines converge, building tension for the book’s climax.

Weaving several plotlines together is challenging. In general, the author tries to make the different storylines have some bearing on each other, other than simply resulting in getting all the players to the same spot at the same time. Familiarity with Rand and Egwene makes meshing their two storylines easy. Bayle Domon’s storyline fits in clumsily, providing early introduction to the Seanchan and a possible escape route from the final battle. Bornhald’s plotline comes out of nowhere every time it shows up on the page. Obviously the Children of the Light are meant to play some role in the end, but their story is so far removed from what is happening to the others, it mucks up the flow of the book. The only similarity that can be drawn between Bornhald’s problems and the others, is dealing with authority figures that have turned traitor. In this, Egwene, Nynaeve, and Elayne had a similar problem but lacked the inventiveness and opportunity to find a way out of it.

Even Ba’alzamon, absent since Lanfear walked onto the page, comes back to remind Rand that the only way to take control of his own destiny is to give up his role in the Pattern. Having instilled in Rand the distrust and the urge to not be used and to throw off the authority of others, Ba’alzamon is offering a solution: serve the Dark One and throw off the shackles of destiny. He hints that getting Rand to meet the Seanchan was a goal he has been working towards for a millennium, and the Pattern even longer. Ba’alzamon has spoken often about how Rand will not be reborn this time. Given future events where the dead walk the earth, is it possible that this is true? If the Dark One can mess up the Wheel’s rebirth mechanism, what happens when Rand dies? With nowhere else to go, does the soul go back to his own body, or would he truly be dead forever?

Lanfear doesn’t show up in this section. What did she and Ba’alzamon do when Rand vanished for four months? Egwene simply stopped having dreams about him, but these Forsaken were actively looking for him. Oh, that must have been frustrating. No dreams to invade, no tracking possible, they just disappeared. Presumably, regular failure reports did not have to be delivered to the Bore.

The most alarming development is Egwene’s capture by the Seanchan. Her situation is bleak and hopeless. Renna’s teaching is implacable and dehumanizing. Every citizen in the Seanchan Empire must know their place, and Renna happily embraces her role in the institutionalized torture of channelers. Even knowing they look upon the damane as animals, it is difficult to imagine the level of societal complicity in this horror, without the rigid caste system to reinforce it. Ironically, the caste system itself can only be maintained by the power of the damane used against anyone who strays from their appointed place. Given any flexibility, any gap in the threat of power being used to keep you in your place, assassinations and power struggles would spread chaos through the empire. The metaphor about the powerless recognizing the power they hold, recognizing their worth and equality, will be built on later through the series. I suspect it will find its ultimate expression in the Last Battle, where every man and woman will count, where Rand can’t win without their backing.

As with Moiraine in New Spring, Nynaeve and Elayne’s first order of business trying to rescue Egwene is to buy new dresses. I will be disappointed if no new dresses are bought in A Memory of Light. In all fairness, Rand and friends got local style clothing as well. Describing not only clothing, but the reasons characters choose clothing, adds some rich detail to the story. It is often criticized as out of place in a fantasy setting, but how much time do you or your friends spend choosing clothes, fixing hair, making your appearance just right? Real-life concerns, even superficial ones, make the characters more real.

The sudden and lengthy shift in focus to Nynaeve, Egwene, and Min gives the female characters their first major plotline. Nynaeve has had action scenes previously, and there have been points of view told from their perspectives, but this is the first time where a reader might feel the whole rest of the book could be about them and feel it was justified. They are finally being set up as the female equivalent to the three male ta’veren.  Nynaeve might even end up as the female equivalent of Rand the Saviour. She is certainly the only one who could fit the role, should it exist. Rand may be the Dragon, but all the best work is done with males and females working together. I’ll watch for characteristics that Nynaeve shares with Jesus, or the other figures that Rand is based on.

Writing Lessons:

Different plotlines involving different characters still need links between them, or they will feel contrived and give away their purpose.

The Big White Book: The World of Robert Jordan’s The Wheel of Time Chapter 1: The Wheel and the Pattern

Before we get to the story, just a short post or two on the World of the Wheel (that name never caught on).

The workings of the World of the Wheel are better explained here than in the series itself. Maybe because this is a book of mostly fact, while in-series explanations are limited by what the character can know, though the Glossaries made up for that a little. Jordan’s in-story solution was to have the most-educated woman on the planet as a supporting character from the beginning: Moiraine. With her noble pedigree and an Aes Sedai education, there is probably no philosophical discussion Moiraine couldn’t hold her ground in. I suspect that a good deal of the Big White Book’s contents would have been spilled in-story by Moiraine or Loial, who appears to have spent 90 years doing nothing but reading. I wish.

I spent many hours debating the nature of the metaphysical aspects with other fans. In-story explanations were vague enough to leave us lots of room to theorize. And even the semi-certainty provided by the Big White Book was undone by the caveat at the beginning.

A few of the standout nuggets that should be considered when theorizing, or that might have saved us some good arguments:

The Wheel:

“The Wheel is Time itself.” The Wheel weaves reality. All of it. Mirror Worlds, tel’aran’rhiod, visions of the future in the rings. All of these are created by the Wheel and allow the Wheel to correct the Pattern should it ever get a little messed up.

What about Forsaken? Are their threads still woven by the Wheel, or has the Dark One’s influence somehow removed the Wheels’ influence to affect them?

Sorry Chosen, you can’t escape the Wheel. “The only known forces outside the Wheel and the pattern are

1.      The Creator, who shaped the Wheel

2.      The One Power that drives it (WHAT? It makes sense, but if I ever thought of it that way, I have forgotten about it)

3.      As well as the plan for the Great Pattern (you wouldn’t want someone in the Pattern able to read the Pattern, unless you wanted them to, which is where prophecies and future visions come in)

4.      And the Dark One.”

I reckon the Wheel is still weaving the Forsaken’s threads, using a Forsaken, and their misguided jealousy or lust to auto-correct the Dark One back into the Bore. Anything in the Pattern must serve the Pattern’s needs, right? And there’s only those four things that are outside the Pattern.

Anyway, having this info laid out in a reference book makes it a little more reliable than in-series philosophical musings by even a highly knowledgeable character. I’ll have to remember next time we theorize some mumbo-jumbo about the seals and the Dark One’s prison.

Reincarnation:

Recalling a particular scene when Rand is considering the implications of reincarnation, I find myself surprised at how blatantly reincarnation is laid out in the very 5^th paragraph of this reference book:

“No ending, even death, is necessarily final within the turning of the Wheel. Reincarnation is a part of the way of the world.”

We spent a lot of time at Theoryland arguing about various means of resurrection, others always keeping an eye towards limiting its use, myself arguing it was fair game and happened all the time. Between examples like *Finns having dead men’s memories, balefired killers, Heroes getting Ripped out of tel’aran’rhiod, Asha’man remembering past lives, and others, it seems clear enough to me that there is more than one way to bring a dead person back to life.

In-story, reincarnation was easy to dismiss since in the beginning there seemed to be nothing proving it was anything more than a catechism characters said in times of worry. We knew characters came back to life in another Age, but it might as well not be true for all the effect it would have had on the story. So was Jordan trying not to let readers think about it too much? If so, he succeeded. Every theory I ever read leaned towards the impossibility of resurrection. Or was he instead hoping to make us take it for granted as characters do? In that case it worked for the mythology surrounding the One Power and the Dark One, but not for the mechanics of reincarnation.

In-story, what proof could a character possibly have for determining the structure of the Wheel, and reincarnation as fact? I submit that these are the only true pieces of knowledge that have survived the Breaking. We can’t prove it’s true, but the Aes Sedai say that the Age of Legends people said it was, so we’ve got to trust them! I guess the characters just accept it as true and go on with their day. Trollocs from the Blight might remind you that you shouldn’t doubt these truths (and in interviews, it’s been said that no one in-story does doubt), I don’t see how southerners maintain this belief. Or maybe the doubters are the Cenn Buies of the world.

Writing lessons: Even when the mythology and rules are all worked out in your story, you’ve got to deliver the info to the reader in a way that is believable in-story, and is complete enough to make them correctly understand (and trust me, Theorylanders can ‘correctly’ understand a dozen different ways!)