A Memory of Light - Epilogue

In this final section, glimmers of the future are shown and loose threads are tied up.

Rand’s quest ended on exactly the last page of the story, and the epilogue has a scant sixteen pages to wrap up many loose ends, which it does quite successfully.

Rand is blind and burdened with weight. After escaping the Pit of Doom, Rand realizes an unfamiliar woman is kneeling next to him, guiding him on what to do. The major clue to her identity comes in the following paragraph with the juxtaposition of two ideas in successive sentences: He blinked, his vision fuzzy. Was that Aiel clothing? An old woman with gray hair? Her form retreated, and Rand reached toward her, not wanting to be alone. Wanting to explain himself. Rand not wanting to be alone refers to his attaining adulthood, which firms up the link with his mother, Shaiel. She is offering him final words of encouragement as he enters the world alone, and he is expressing his final regrets about leaving the dependence of childhood behind. It is reasonable that the last to let go of a child who grows into a man is his mother, and since there has been much ado over Rand’s father figures, it is appropriate for his mother to have her brief time on the page as well.

Shaiel’s death was only ever confirmed by Tam, and that came in a fever-dream. If she somehow survived Rand’s birth, it seems implausible that a woman of her renown could have returned to Aiel society without being recognized. She might have intentionally lived alone in the wilderness for two decades, if so motivated by Gitara’s original Foretelling. More likely is that she is a Hero of the Horn, which explains her appearance in Aiel garb and her apparent knowledge about what Rand should do. It does not however explain her appearance at Aviendha’s side when she was tested at Rhuidean, if she is the same woman, as seems likely.

Rand ambiguously reveals what he asked the Aelfinn. Rand had asked the Aelfinn how to win the Last Battle and survive, and the answer had been “The north and the east must be as one. The south and west must be as one. The two must be as one. To live you must die.” Given that this is the moment where Rand is dying, his newfound understanding of how to live and die could be what he is explaining to the Aiel woman, but the link is tenuous. His second question on how to cleanse the taint from saidin has been resolved. Was Rand’s third question to ask what his fate was and receive the answer ‘to choose’?

 “I see the answer now,” he whispered. “I asked the Aelfinn the wrong question. To choose is our fate. If you have no choice, then you aren’t a man at all. You’re a puppet…” 

The concept of free will has been present since the beginning of the series, and the revelation of Rand’s third answer from the Aelfinn at this late point in the story infuses the concept with even more importance. While the Wheel forces Rand to come to a certain place at a certain time, it cannot force him to do anything; it can present him with choices, but can’t compel him to choose one path over another. Even when the choice is to die or take another action, it remains a choice.

In the same Mat paragraph, the pleasantness of the sun is contrasted with the stinking blackness of Fain’s body. Mat wins every gamble he takes, yet even he won’t touch the cursed Shadar Logoth dagger. As the most reckless character, Mat is associated with the most instinctual behaviour, and he clearly rejects the path set out by Fain. Believing that the end justifies the means is the gamble that can’t be won; there is no way to preserve yourself when you start down that line of reasoning. The final phrase’s use of mess carries psychologically symbolic meaning: Behind, the dagger, ruby and all, melted away into the mess that had been Padan Fain. Again, this idea that absolutism is bad has been incorporated into the series from a very early point, and is reinforced by its placement here at the end of the story.

Perrin surveys the losses and celebration of victory in the camp, still worrying about his duty to protect Rand. He sees Rand dying in the tent, with the two best healers unable to prevent him dying. Perrin stands equal with Nynaeve: “Dogs obey that command, Nynaeve,” Perrin said, “not wolves.” He consoles her over Egwene’s death. Moridin is also in the tent, dying. Lan also sees Perrin as an equal. No one has seen Faile.

Loial’s walk through the camp, like Perrin’s, allows a couple of small plots to be resolved, including succession to a throne, naming surviving Aes Sedai, and planting straightforward clues to something odd: None of Rand’s loves seems to care that Rand is dying. Amusingly, Loial frets over the correct way to record dates after the Last Battle, an indication that with the Last Battle done, concerns are swiftly turning back to the everyday and mundane.

Mat is renowned amongst the Sharans, but when he calls the fireworks display the best in the history of “my land or yours”, he reveals that he does not see himself as one of his wife’s people. For Mat, being off the hook seems to imply he is free to leave. Tuon’s threat makes it clear that Mat can choose to do whatever he wants, but there will be consequences if he angers his wife. It is a ridiculous and funny predicament to leave him in at the close of the story.

Perrin faces the insurmountable task of finding Faile’s body amongst the hundreds of thousands of dead. Exhausted, he falls into sleep.

Moghedien has survived the Last Battle and no one knows that she lives. She too is free to act as she chooses with the Dark One imprisoned again, and she begins by strangling a worker and assuming her appearance. She thinks she can rule the world within a few years. Her own subterfuge works against her as a sul’dam captures her and deduces from her skulking that Moghedien will not be missed after she is dragged back to serve the Seanchan. Her poor selfish choices dictated her fate.

Nynaeve announces Rand’s death. She tries to corner Aviendha and bully her into revealing why she doesn’t seem upset, but Aviendha deflects her question. Aviendha, always representing Rand’s past, has been wounded and will never fight again, another metaphor of his having grown into adulthood. The fate of the Aiel, and of a couple of kings is revealed in passing.

When Perrin was last in Tel’aran’rhiod, Dragonmount was drawing near Shayol Ghul as the world shrank and large portions of it were destroyed and pulled up into the sky. That damage has seemingly been repaired with Rand’s victory. Perrin travels easily across the countryside as a wolf, lamenting his loss, struggling to understand why he has lost Faile when he did everything his duty compelled him to do. A clue draws him to Faile, whose wounds are healed in moments with Perrin’s creative use of the Wolf Dream to bring her back to the camp quickly. Their reunion is immensely rewarding despite its brevity, and also shows that Perrin’s decision to follow duty was well made.  Perhaps brevity is what makes this scene work; after having tormented the reader with doubt that Faile survived, once she is healed what further point is there in saying anything beyond ‘they lived happily ever after’?

Birgitte asks Elayne a blunt question in the same vein as that which Nynaeve posed to Aviendha, and gets a noncommittal response. She tweaks Elayne’s nose by telling her Olver and the Horn have been sent away, which Elayne recognizes was the best outcome for all. With a mature outlook, she agrees that there is little need to keep a powerful instrument of war such as the Horn as a deterrent. Birgitte is being reborn, and it turns out her interpretation of Gaidal as a young child somewhere out there was correct. Birgitte too gets her reward of being with the one she loves.

Tam notes signs of life in Shayol Ghul, a place that was once feared above all others. He reflects on what all humanity has been given by his son, how all men stand equal: In the evening, even with his light, it was hard to tell Aiel from Aes Sedai, Two Rivers man from Tairen king. All were shapes in the night, saluting the body of the Dragon Reborn. Tam stands next to Moiraine and Thom, pride and reverence in his heart.

Min stands with her two friends watching Rand’s body burn. Her Viewing fulfilled, they discuss the future and she nods agreement to the idea that they will make sure that the world believes Rand is gone. Leading toward the final revelation, she senses her bond pulsing stronger each moment.

Rand awakens alone, rested, healthy, and whole. The mirror shows Moridin's face, with a single saa held motionless in his eye, representing that Rand will always be able to see things with a bit of the Shadow's nihilistic or selfish point of view. But that dark viewpoint is held motionless; Rand will know it, but it will not drive him or affect him, he is in control. In effect, he now has a mature outlook on life, no longer carefree or innocent, one which acknowledges a wider array of possibilities, both good and bad.

Alivia has left him clothing and money, and a horse as means of transportation. He has Laman's sword. Shayol Ghul is blooming and full of life. From a distance he watches as his old body - Moridin's body now - is cremated. He leaves as the onlookers watch his funeral pyre. All but one whom he acknowledges with a nod of his head before heeling the horse away.

From that, Cadsuane deduces that inexplicably, Rand is in Moridin's body. She thinks she may be able to use this information in some unexplained fashion, but then is ambushed by four Sitters. They have decided that Cadsuane will be the new Amyrlin. This is quite appropriate, as Cadsuane has closely represented the Light itself, and now the Light is being forced to take up the responsibility of caring for humanity, the logical outcome of Rand choosing Light over Shadow. It is also the logical outcome of filling the void left by Rand’s death, for he would have been the obvious choice to lead the world under the Light. There will be no further abdication of leadership by the Light, no further manipulation of Rand, for Cadsuane and the Light have a more direct role to play in shepherding humanity.

Rand sees the world with a hint of Shadow, but has acknowledged the Light, and no one has impeded his departure. He has everything he needs, and is now completely free, with no restrictions over him from any person or agent.

Representing this ultimate freedom, he lights his pipe by thought alone, a matter of willing it to be so, just as if he were in Tel'aran'rhiod. The choice of a pipe in this symbolic act is appropriate, since smoking is often portrayed as a deliberate act of defiance and freedom in today's world. He inspected it for a moment in the darkness, then thought of the pipe being lit. And it was. This scene potently completes Rand's evolution from an uncertain youth into a grown man who can now literally do anything he puts his mind to.

While Rand embodies this new Power, and may be unique in using it, the story in its entirety implies that with the right driving forces and moral bearings to guide someone, they too can manipulate reality and get what they want. For physical explanation, the most logical is that some characteristics of Tel’aran’rhiod now exist in the waking world, and Rand is the first, perhaps only one, to have unlocked the secret of using them. Or perhaps Rand unlocked the secret for everyone, and the ultimate choice of what each person will do with it comprises their own eventual personal Last Battle.

Rand wonders which of his three lovers will follow, and which he might pick. As his past, present, and future, he is completely unable to pick one over the others; they are all a part of him. He can't leave his past behind (Aviendha), he can't simply live for the moment (Elayne) and he can't only dream about the future (Min).

With his newfound freedom, Rand is pleased to have the leisure to explore and experience the world as he sees fit. Funnily, he sees the royal trappings of powerful rulers he has seen as just one thing out of many to experience, not as the end point that many of the Forsaken sought. The final wind that rises showcases the duality that pervades Rand’s mental state and so much of the story: The wind rose high and free, to soar in an open sky with no clouds. It passed over a broken landscape scattered with corpses not yet buried. A landscape covered, at the same time, with celebrations. It tickled the branches of trees that had finally begun to put forth buds. The wind blew southward, through knotted forests, over shimmering plains and towards lands unexplored.

Writing Lessons:

Keep the story alive in your reader’s mind by inciting them to imagine what happens next.

Towers of Midnight - Chapters 6-9

In this section, Mat, Lan, and Perrin are moved in directions they did not foresee.

Morgase serves tea, her perspective that of an outsider looking in. When Perrin tries to marry her off to Tallanvor, she protests, telling him he has no right to decide what is right for other people. Since she is another of the elder mentor characters, a former queen no less, her philosophy is meant to be correct thematically, and give Perrin yet another clue about how to win his conflicts.

Morgase has links with both Perrin and Galad, which is relevant enough to be of significance later, so this is the first opportunity to re-establish who and what she is, so that any role she plays in the later conflict between them will not confuse or surprise readers.

Lan gets three more followers, and like Perrin learns the futility of trying to tell people what to do. The humourous circumstances surrounding his grim march to the Blight feel natural, since Lan’s intense behaviour can’t help but be ridiculous when it isn’t venerated.

Perrin and Galad scenes are shuffled together in a single chapter, leading towards their confrontation. Cutting down on all but the dialogue was used foremost as a means of giving more intensity to the imminent collision between the two forces, but the reduced descriptive text in the Galad scenes has an additional result:

Galad is convinced of Perrin’s evil by Byar. At first, some description sets the location inside Galad’s tent, and shows Galad’s perspective on things. Once the author moves into dialogue, the descriptive text is trimmed down, yet there are two obviously distinct people conversing. The dialogue continues in the next page-long section with only four pieces of description allowing the reader to distinguish whose perspective it is: Byar said, lowering his voice and Galad said flatly, recalling a particularly embarrassing lesson he’d once been given and A coincidence, or something more? and Byar was obviously thinking along the same lines. In the next section, there are only two pieces of text to say whose perspective it is: Byar leaned in close, sunken eyes alight with zeal and Byar smiled, looking eager. From then on, there is just ‘Galad said’ and ‘Byar said’, if that. All of the inner thought has been moved into the dialogue.

The effect is to make Byar’s and Galad’s thoughts more similar, less distinguishable, such that Galad becomes an extension of Byar’s will, meshing his follower’s thoughts with his own and arriving at a conclusion that is a fusion of the two, without confirming that we are still following Galad’s perspective: “We have no choice. The Light has delivered him into our hands.”

To a lesser extent, the same technique is used between Perrin and Gaul in the scenes shuffled between Galad’s, though Perrin’s voice is more obvious.

Mat has received a letter from Verin, and is held hostage by his promise to do what it says if he opens it. The letter is used as motivation, providing incentive to keep Mat away from his stated goal of saving Moiraine for a time.  

The gholam has returned, kills two of Mat’s oldest followers, and threatens his closest allies. The threat is used as motivation, providing more incentive to keep Mat away from his stated goal of saving Moiraine for a time.  

Teslyn promises future help to Mat. Her role as a former damane will give her a unique voice in the White Tower, and common ground with Egwene.

Writing Lessons:

To show a character being convinced of something, associate them with other elements of the person convincing them.

Towers of Midnight - Prologue to Chapter 2

In this section, old and new characters give meaning and emotion to the story.

The prologue has three sections which are truly prologue material, involving Graendal, Fain, and some new Kandori characters. The other three sections involve main characters who figure prominently throughout this book. Lan gains his first follower, while Perrin and Galad share the first of several chapters in which they are inexorably drawn into conflict, though for now they are simply moving towards each other, though even that is not yet clear. Placing their perspectives in the same chapter, or in back-to-back chapters, creates the feeling that their stories are intertwined early on, which will allow later chapters to increase the tension as they draw ever closer to opposing each other.

Graendal survives Rand’s balefire attack by a narrow margin. One flaw I had identified in the balefiring of her palace was that none of the food her servants prepared for the last several hours or days ever made it to her plate, since the servants were balefired too. For all intents and purposes, Graendal was sitting in a forest for some time, imagining that she was in a castle surrounded by her pets. It may be that the balefire simply didn’t undo events very far back.

But once again, balefire has been used, and readers have yet another opportunity to have its properties explained, heavily implying that it will feature in the Last Battle, either as a tool of Demandred’s as suggested when the Dark One asked if he would unleash balefire, or in the hands of the heroes. Balefire’s most important property, revealed long ago, and only recently discovered by Rand, is that the Dark One cannot step outside of time any more than the heroes can. So what can Rand balefire to make use of this property in defeating the Dark One? The obvious answer is that the seals can be balefired. The Dark One’s prison can be broken open using balefire without him knowing that he was free to leave it. Rand can prepare his new seals, and while he balefires the seals, his allies can place the new ones at the instant he does so, cutting off any opportunity for the Dark One to take advantage of the gaping hole in his prison.

Fain enters the Blight, and readers are reminded that he has a role to play. His powers have increased immensely. He represents both the Shadow and intense opposition to the Shadow. He also represents a side of the heroes that they have turned away from, a dedication to a cause at all costs. His final role in A Memory of Light should play off of the heroes’ dedication to their causes, such as Perrin’s protectiveness of Faile, Rand’s desire to win, or Egwene’s pride. There have been two examples of how his evil can counteract the Dark One’s evil, with Rand’s wound and the cleansing of saidin. Fain is a trickster, so the third and final example where he counteracts the Dark One himself is not a foregone outcome.

Rand has had an epiphany of sorts, and where his immediate surroundings used to have all manner of bad things happen, such as spoiling of food or fatal accidents, now his presence makes things grow and provide sustenance. This change reinforces the idea that the spreading bubbles of evil and bad ta’veren effects were a result of his mental state, following the prophetic words that the Dragon is one with the land.  

It stands out as odd when new characters are introduced so late in a story, or when peripheral characters not seen since the first book make a return to the story. In Almen Bunt’s case, Rand is able to return a favour given long ago, and this is a second chance for him to treat people correctly, since he realized everyone should have a second chance during his epiphany atop Dragonmount.

Let’s take a quick look at how a scene of disposable characters, meant to introduce the dire forces massing against the heroes, is presented:

Malenarin expresses frustration, and has never accustomed himself to having the Blight nearby, yet he exhibits a casual ability to overcome difficulty by taking matters into his own hands, all presented with a short scene in which he latches a window to stop a hot breeze.

More detail of the sort of difficulty he must overcome is given in the form of the talents of his recruits, a memento of battles past, and the necessity to trick men into joining the ranks.

Malenarin’s son Keemlin is turning fourteen, and will be presented an heirloom sword. As he surveys the fortress, providing more details on the difficulties its men may face, the author forges a link between Keemlin, the fortress, and the difficulties, by talking about duty and burden, and how Malenarin’s philosophy encompasses them. In only two pages, the reader gains a strong understanding of Malenarin’s motivation, setting, and character.

A problem is introduced, Jargen says that another tower has signaled trouble. The author brings attention to Jargen joining the ranks of soldiers on his fourteenth birthday, further establishing the idea that Keemlin will do the same. Malenarin quickly decides to treat the event as though it represents the most serious possibility. Riders are to be sent south in case the flashes prove ineffective, and Keemlin thankfully happens to be on the list.

Malenarin’s worst fears are realized when the other tower southward does not respond. The hopes of the kingdom now ride with Keemlin. Malenarin orders the fortress made ready for a siege, and is dismayed to find Keemlin before him!

Keemlin explains that he let another younger rider take his place, out of concern for a friend’s family, and for the slight advantage that a few less pounds may have on the horse’s endurance and speed. Malenarin realizes that his son needn’t wait until his birthday to be raised to manhood. He has acted selflessly, and responsibly, choosing the least worst of his available options, even though it means his own death. He is thus able to stand with his fellow soldiers, having adopted behaviour that fits solidly within the philosophy presented earlier.

These few pages introduce new characters whose ideals are explained, challenged and met. The author accomplishes this rapidly by presenting several concepts and then linking them under a common idea, so that it stands in for all the subordinate concepts.

Writing Lessons:

Link ideas under a larger common idea to efficiently represent them all at once.

Knife of Dreams - Chapters 31-34

In this section, Elayne turns a sour experience into crushing victory!

A professional purse snatcher does what no one else has been able to so far, following Mellar to the Lady Shiaine’s home. Giddy at the prospect of capturing a circle of Darkfriends, two Black Ajah, and giving the boot to Mellar, Elayne hastily assembles the Aes Sedai and Warders to raid the manor before they disperse. Mellar’s treachery is strongly downplayed; his arrest is but a footnote.

Elayne cleverly gets the two Aes Sedai she is unsure of in linked pairs, so they cannot channel to disrupt her plan. The raid goes perfectly, until the unforeseen arrival of four other Black Ajah, seemingly still bent on capturing Elayne as Moghedien ordered so long ago. Shiaine is grateful for the rescue, but is quickly put in her place; these women have their own agenda which has nothing to do with Moridin’s or Shiaine’s. This is not the first time that one evil plot has been undone by another concurrent evil plot, where the villains do not share information or objectives.

Careane is unveiled as Black Ajah, and is stabbed by Vandene. Careane’s treachery is strongly downplayed; her death is also but a footnote, since the immediate menace is the six Black Ajah who will have no trouble killing the remaining Warders and carrying Elayne off. Fortunately, none of them know Traveling. Maintaining control over who can Travel is important for several plotlines, and devising ways to keep it secret from the general population of channelers and Mat’s group, while simultaneously allowing other heroes to make liberal use of it must have required intricate planning on the author’s part. Be careful of the tools you give your heroes, because they may make life too easy for them.

Birgitte responds correctly to Elayne’s capture and the death of the Warders. She goes for the only help capable of stopping channelers: other channelers. Birgitte appeals to the Sea Folk’s sense of self-interest, and the Black Ajah are captured and Elayne freed. In minutes, they had destroyed several hundred soldiers, providing yet another example of the escalation of the battles and their outcomes. Obviously, the Last Battle will involve large numbers of channelers, and the value of soldiers will be much less than in traditional warfare.

Birgitte had been forced to give away a number of soldiers to Dyelin to defend the city gates, which made a big difference in the city’s defense, but little difference in Elayne’s rescue which depended on the One Power. With the city under attack from one of Elayne’s rivals for the throne, she Travels into position and catches them between the city walls and her army. It is enough to win, yet the thin margin of victory could have gone the other way several times.

Elsewhere, Karede divines Mat’s plan, and moves to intercept him, setting up another tense conflict where small chance-driven events may make the difference between victory and defeat.

Robert Jordan has a particular way with his sentence structure, often crafting lengthy sentences filled with descriptions, information, the character’s personal views, symbolism, and inference. Since I’m nearing the end of the books he wrote himself, it’s long past time to study these more closely.

Just  two of the mirrored stand-lamps were lit, six flames filling the sitting room with a dim light and the scent of lilies – so much of the lamp oil had gone bad that it was always perfumed, now – but a crackling fire on the hearth was beginning to take away some of the early hour’s coolness.

In this sentence, the room’s temperature, odour, and lighting are described, establishing a mood. There are links to other ideas and plotlines: the Dark One’s touch, Elayne working at early hours of the morning, insufficient supplies to meet needs. Elayne’s situation is symbolized, she can hardly shed light on the solution to her problems, but another source will give her what she needs. So many things conveyed with just one sentence.

Gliding to one of the carved sideboards, she wrinkled her nose at the silver pitcher holding goat’s milk and poured herself a cup of dark wine before taking a chair across from Elayne.

In this sentence, the first part might have been dropped but leave the entire meaning intact. Instead of breaking the sentence into smaller parts, Jordan links them together as a complete sequence of related events. He does it again with the next sentence:

Deni made a move as if to try dragging her out, but Elayne shook her head.

In this case, an action is begun, another is contemplated, and then both are negated. Three actions in one short sentence.

The gag, a dirty piece of rag with a vile, oily taste, tied so tightly that it dug into the corners of her mouth, had been meant to keep her from shouting for help at the gates.

This is not simply a description of her gag, but has added links to explain her captor’s attitude (tightness of gag), and the reason why she has a gag in her mouth, which will lead to an explanation of Elayne’s own strategy.

At last, however, even the most diehard began shedding weapons and armor, and if not every voice cried for quarter, the roar was still thunderous.

Here, large scale events are summarized with a quick series of events. The words ‘at last’ convey Elayne’s hopes as well as the finality of the situation. Using words like ‘roar’, ‘thunderous’, and ‘every’ conveys the large scale of their surrender. Describing the actions of many through the actions of few, either by making them representative, or extraordinary, allows the entire scene to be condensed.

Writing Lessons:

Give longer descriptive passages more weight and interest by linking the ideas and actions within them.

Knife of Dreams - Chapters 11-12

In this section, Mat and Perrin are targeted by Darkfriends.

Tuon has the idea to visit a rough tavern of the lowest sort, a hell. Setalle may have given her this idea, so that she can see Mat in his natural habitat. Thom wagers that Tuon has let a sheltered life, winning a gold coin off Mat when she falls for their deceit that a tavern full of merchants is in fact a hell. Little examples about Mat’s petty wagers on just about anything are a good reminder of that aspect of his character. The same applies whenever he assesses the defenses of any location he enters, or the cleavage of any woman he encounters.

Mat plays a game of dice, winning as usual, and raising suspicions that he is cheating. When the stakes are raised to gold instead of silver, he knows that winning will trigger the accusation, and so would refusal to play. He rolls the dice, and luckily loses. Mat may not read, but he can count, and always knows the score: Laughing just as if it were not just their own coin won back, Camrin and Kostelle began dividing their winnings. His calmness and eye for subtle danger impresses Tuon.

Thom learns that Seanchan soldiers are looking for Tuon not to rescue her, but to kill her. She reckons it could be a plot by one of her sisters. Sending a secondary character off-page to gather information is a convenient way to introduce new elements quickly. Thom walks away, and returns with a plot twist in hand, no explanation required. Just in case the convenience of Thom learning about the plot to kill Tuon seems too far-fetched for readers or Mat, he adds he heard this from three different sources. Once again, almost no effort is expended to make the new information more credible. No convoluted explanations, just a simple one.

Moridin’s earlier orders to kill Mat and Perrin come to fruition, when a Darkfriend recognizes Mat, and leads a dozen men against him. Faced with tough odds, Mat takes action he deems will increase his odds of survival, no matter how odd they seem. Some of his memories come from nasty, efficient killers, and he never hesitates, once again displaying the rare traits that are suitable for life in the Imperial Family. His only lapse is to call Tuon by name, so that she can say she won the game after the battle is done. Mat has yet to find anything she will shirk from.

One of the Darkfriends is a local merchant, and Mat concludes he can’t explain away this man’s death in a satisfactory way, so they need to leave Valan Luca’s circus as soon as possible. In the next chapter, amid a swirl of colours, Perrin sees Mat leading a group on horseback into the forest, providing not only an idea of when Perrin’s actions take place in relation to Mat’s, but linking the chapters that makes the separate storylines seem like parts of a whole. The ta’veren viewing mechanism has not yet been explained, other than to say it is ta’veren, but it creates this link effortlessly, which is useful for the author, and will later be useful to the characters. I suspect A Memory of Light will involve concurrent events depending on each other’s success in different locales, such as Perrin waiting for Rand to do something before entering the Wolf Dream. The ability to monitor each other’s progress and actions will create links between the separate storylines, making them feel part of a whole, and allow for rapid pacing as the Last Battle reaches its climax.

Another link to Mat’s storyline and the earlier scene with the Forsaken is provided when Perrin is also set upon by Darkfriend assassins. There is also the man who turns into bugs, the fourth bubble of evil/failure of the Pattern shown in this book, providing another link between different storylines.

Perrin isn’t romancing Tylee Khirgan, but she as impressed with his toughness as Mat is with Tuon’s.

Balwer serves the same purpose as Thom in the previous chapter, wandering off to return with important information later, no further explanation required. It’s just what Balwer and Cha Faile do.

As a nannycrat working with the blind cord police, I love Tylee’s nervousness about dealing with an Imperial functionary. Almost every character in the story to date can be reasoned with by arguing about need, affiliation, honour, or some other ideal. Functionaries care about process. The fact that the manufactory has been successful at producing Forkroot is of no consequence, the functionary would have been just as dedicated to the correct process and procedures if the project was failing. Just one of the Goat’s thousand heads.

Robert Jordan sometimes uses uncommon words which make his prose richer, even though a simpler word may have worked as well.  

A farm on rolling ground hove into sight

I’m afraid there’s no jaunt into Maderin for you, Precious.

Small piles of gold and silver admixed with a few gold coins lay in front of each of the players.

In this next one, he repeats the fact to emphasize it, adding a word for even more emphasis: She hissed at him. She held the entry flap open, but she purely hissed like a cat.

Writing Lessons:

Look for ways to cut back on explanations while retaining their credibility, like having a competent character state a fact, learning things off-page, or using a simple explanation instead of a lengthy one.

Crossroads of Twilight - Chapters 10-12

In this section, Elayne does all the things the readers don’t like.

There’s a reason you rarely see characters doing menial tasks. It takes time away from them doing the things readers enjoy, such as battling, or romancing, or striving, or accomplishing. Menial tasks make the characters that much more ordinary. But it also makes them relatable. If you never see a character eat or sleep, you might wonder where they get their energy. In Elayne’s case, readers feel they are all too often treated to hair brushing, choosing clothes, and bathing.

Elayne is unique amongst the main characters, in that she grew up and still resides in a world of politics. She will be judged for improper attire, unkempt hair, or smelling bad from a day in the saddle. Some of the others might get away with those things, but they are as much a part of Elayne’s routine as practicing sword-forms is to Rand or Lan.  A princess who doesn’t spend time doing these things is not a believable princess. Nonetheless, readers yearn for less of these trivial things.

The way Elayne is judged is important to her success in gaining the throne of Andor. She is trying to present herself as the impeccable choice to be Queen, and is courting the nobility of Andor. She is successful in portraying the desired image, but the Houses have little left to give, certainly not enough to make a difference in the defense of Caemlyn. But their presence is worthwhile for the symbolism.

Elayne reflects on the power of rumour and hearsay to create an identity for her. The image she portrays must be completely infallible. This is similar to how Rand tried to manage his own image, except that he took a very firm hand in direct dealings with the people he encountered. Elayne’s own dealings are subtle, never veering in a direction that can be misconstrued. The amount of time she spends dwelling on it reflects the intense non-stop effort it requires.

Everyone still insists on mothering Elayne, treating her as a fragile specimen whose only purpose is to bear a child.

When a character makes an analogy, the author is able to write one that conveys not only Elayne’s privileged lifestyle, but relates back to the topic being considered. Thinking of Rand always makes Elayne think of the babe, so the analogy that follows is: One followed the other as surely as cream rose in the milkpan.

Elayne’s romantic relationship with Rand puts a different spin on the importance of the cleansing. She reminds herself that it is the taint on saidin that will kill him. With the cleansing, that is no longer true, for him as well as for all the Asha’man. The blazing beacon she senses to the west is a source of concern for her, which it wasn’t in the last few perspectives considering its meaning. Aviendha sets her straight: they need to have faith that Rand can deal with this on his own, rather than rushing to his side and introducing an unknown factor he isn’t expecting.

Of the five Elayne chapters in a row, three of them end with her relating how Andor is what matters most, more than any other thing could matter. This feels repetitious in the same way Perrin’s continual quest for Faile was, but without the same dire outcome waiting. If Elayne doesn’t gain the throne, and Arymilla runs the queendom into the ground, Elayne would still be free to partake in the rest of the story. Her identity is wrapped up in becoming queen though; it is all she has been told from birth. Failing to become Queen changes her identity, which is the main threat she faces. The obstacles she faces are mostly circumstantial, and are not the result of any of her character traits. If anything, her character in this regard is flawless, and it is the shadow of her mother’s character she is trying to escape from under.

The Black Ajah in the palace is brought up again, but there are no good clues pointing to her. If anything, Sareitha’s praise of Mellar causes readers to view her as sympathetic to him, a known Darkfriend. That vague and tenuous connection from a single conversation creates a strong connection because of the pre-existing link between Mellar and the Shadow.

The Sea Folk make a new bargain with Elayne. They are in a rush to leave because Zaida wants her chance to become Mistress of the Ships. This gives Elayne a chance to be rid of some of the inconveniences thrust on her by the agreement to provide teachers. She gives up some future concessions that will cost her more than she can foresee, in order to keep what help she can for now.

A theme running through this entire section is that good help is hard to find. Maids gossip, Lords provide feeble old men or boys for Elayne’s armies, Mellar is a dolt, the Sea Folk are running off, the Black Ajah in the Palace still hasn’t been found, and her own closest friends and advisors don’t trust her to care for herself or the baby. Amidst all these unreliable people, only Elayne is strong and true, never erring, always seeing to the heart of the matter. Readers tend to interpret this as Elayne being overbearing instead of the commentary on the followers failure to live up to expectations which it must be, or the same message wouldn’t keep coming back. Based on how Jordan has used this repetition technique in the past, he is trying to expose Elayne’s worst fear that she won’t live up to expectations. Unfortunately, by the end of all this, a significant portion of readers won’t care whether she does or not.

Writing Lessons:

The events a character spends time on should be consistent with their background and goals.  

Crossroads of Twilight - Chapters 5-7

In this section, Perrin undertakes the long search for his wife.

The sequence consisting of Faile’s abduction and eventual reunion with Perrin begins in The Path of Daggers (Book 8) and ends in Knife of Dreams (Book 11), over a publication span of seven years. I suspect it’s the lengthy publication dates more than the writing that is at fault for making this one of fandom’s least favorite plot lines. A closer look will tell us more.

Perrin was last seen discovering Faile’s capture, and hastily setting out in pursuit of her abductors. We return to him now twenty-two days later, after he has learned some hard lessons. Perrin is not a hasty person. He usually considers things, takes his time, and thinks things through before acting. At first he didn’t do any of those things when pursuing Faile, and it cost him a chance to get her back. As usual, Perrin uses a blacksmithing analogy, reminding himself that haste ruins metal.

Having learned the hard way, Perrin is staying true to his nature now, proceeding cautiously, meticulously, and determinedly. He is gaining ground on the Shaido, slowly but surely. He thinks of himself as a hammer, moving with purpose to strike its target. Now, every action, every tool, every relationship is viewed exclusively in the lens of how it can help him rescue Faile.

Balwer tells Perrin he is clever, but Perrin thinks it is simply the result of his nature, thinking and considering before acting.

Aram reveals his mistrust of Aes Sedai, Balwer, Selande, heck, practically everyone. Perrin says you have to trust somebody.

Perrin finds Darkhound tracks circumventing the camp. Their presence was felt in his dream, which did not take place in Tel’aran’rhiod.  It begs the question of whether Darkhounds can also enter Tel’aran’rhiod. If they are supposed to confront each other in the Last Battle, then Tel’aran’rhiod is the only place suitable for them to congregate.

The Darkhounds were looking for someone else, and the only plausible someone or something is Rand, Mat, or the Seals. The timing corresponds roughly to when Rand may have left Far Madding, vanishing from the Forsaken’s radar. They obviously knew he was there when they sent the Asha’man to kill him, but could have been urgently searching for him if they discovered he had left the city. Whatever the case, they are trying to avoid notice, so they circumvent Perrin’s camp.

A great deal of discomfort is caused by Perrin learning of secret meetings between Masema and the Seanchan, and Masema and the Aes Sedai. While there could be reasons why Suroth would extend a hand to Masema as a regular part of advancing the Return, the letter from her is more likely to signify they work for the same dark master, since we already know Suroth is a Darkfriend. Masema would have to perform mental gymnastics to rationalize working with Darkfriends, but he’s already made an exception for Perrin, who he thinks is a tame Shadowspawn. The problem with vague possibilities of characters teaming up for some vague reason is that it is vague, and doesn’t clearly direct the reader anywhere. If the intent is to confuse the reader, or introduce doubt, then it can succeed wonderfully. The link from Suroth to Masema to Aes Sedai to Wise Ones creates a resilient doubt about whether any of them can be trusted, despite the vagueness of the secret relationships between them. Berelain herself now puts more stock in Perrin than in her own advisor Annoura.

Masema serves as a counterpoint to Perrin. Perrin’s single-mindedness is leaning towards the fervor of Masema’s logic. Someone who disregards all else for a single purpose is insane. Masema warns Perrin that all else is dross and trash, but you could substitute Masema’s dedication to the Light for Perrin’s need to find Faile. Perrin’s sequence opened with his dream of Darkhounds, and in it the Darkhounds’ presence spurs a mad thought: Hatred, and a sure knowledge of death coming. There were no choices to be made, not now. He ran harder, toward death.  The search for Faile threatens to be Perrin’s undoing. Changes to his character from his own choices will kill him as effectively as any weapon could.

Writing Lessons:

A strong association between two characters can be passed along to other characters through weak associations.  

Crossroads of Twilight - Chapters 2-4

In this section, Mat tries to re-establish command.

Mat has an awful time trying to earn respect. His own men know all he is capable of, and Thom and Juilin know enough to respect him. The Seanchan he has picked up only know him as Tylin’s Toy, and treat him accordingly. Even the Seeker searching for Tuon considers Mat a pawn being moved by Thom Merrilin. Earlier scenes with Gawyn, Logain, and Samitsu established that having two captains is terribly inefficient. Mat is in a similar plight, with both he and Egeanin fighting for dominance among their followers.

Mat is finally able to throw Egeanin off balance by mentioning Tuon’s name. This gains him a precious advantage over her, for the time being. He has no such hold on Tuon herself however.

Tuon is angered over being called a servant as part of the cover story Mat has cobbled together. She hurls a cup at him, and Setalle presents her with another one to throw should she desire it. Mat promises to set her free once he figures out how to do so safely. After some intense seemingly random questions directed at each other, Tuon makes a promise herself. She will not betray Mat or try to escape.

Mat learns that the search for Tuon is being carried out secretly and that Tylin has been killed by the gholam, which Tuon calls superstition. Importantly, Joline senses the cleansing of saidin, far to the north, which frightens her so much she wants Mat to get the circus move as far from it as possible. The cleansing is a convenient marker for establishing the timing of these chapters, but it isn’t necessary unless there is some chance of these separate storylines being brought together.

Noal takes too long to reach Mat’s Wagon, which Mat thinks is due to him dropping off his fish, but it comes so close after the last clue that Noal is not what he seems that the reader should be distrusting him. This is a very deliberate attempt by the author to introduce doubt about Noal. The first clue was Noal finding a dark-skinned man with blue eyes familiar, and the second is that he vanished for a few minutes. It’s not much, and it’s not menacing, but it does have the desired effect, and the reader should be watching Noal very closely, even if Mat is not.

The chapter featuring Karede allows a glimpse into the most secretive parts of Seanchan society. The supposed conspiracy around Tuon’s disappearance prompts the Seeker and Karede to establish their own conspiracy, so secret only they know of it. Their persistence is played up, and builds up some tension as they set out to find Tuon. Mat never had a chance to fight Seanchan, and this could be building up towards a great battle.

Let’s take a closer look at how new ideas are introduced in the text.

In chapter 2, we first learn Valan Luca has a circus.  We next see that attendance is down, so the bouncers are playing dice. Next, the strongman and his wife are engrossed in the dicing, which is atypical for them. Any behaviour out of the ordinary catches the reader’s attention. The flow from the first idea to the next, and the next after is smooth and logical.

The circus folk react to Mat and Egeanin’s arrival, giving an opportunity to describe Mat and Egeanin’s cover story. The strongman warns Mat about Seanchan speaking with Luca. Egeanin interrupts. Noal is ready to flee. The strongman’s wife tells Egeanin the Seanchan are just talking. The strongman adds to Mat that he doesn’t think there’ll be any trouble. The bouncer adds that they’ll protect Egeanin, admitting her gold is a factor in that loyalty.  Egeanin lays down the law and renews the promise of gold. Mat is angry because it’s actually his gold. He launches into all the other things that Egeanin does wrong, and then, out of nowhere, asks himself the original question again: why are the Seanchan there?

These pages allowed the introduction of a danger to reveal aspects of Mat and Egeanin’s relationship. They jostle for control, and each of them is seen as the leader by some of the circus folk. After a short while, the author brings the reader’s attention back to a previously raised point. The fact that the Seanchan’s presence had been revealed and discussed earlier allows the sudden shift in Mat’s thinking back to that topic. By placing that sudden shift in the middle of a paragraph, the author makes it feel even more like a sudden thought interrupting Mat’s other thoughts.

Considering the danger, Mat doesn’t even think of making a run. He tells everyone he’s confident it will work out, and they are mostly surprised he even spoke since Egeanin had done such an effective job of presenting herself as leader. Mat says he’ll slip near Luca’s wagon. Noal implies they will all die. Mat searches for signs he may be right by listening for dice rolling in his head. Egeanin catches up to him. Mat worries she will be recognized by one of the Seanchan. Egeanin dismisses the idea. Mat warns her not to glare at everyone. She angrily agrees.

Now the control has shifted back to Mat. Note how Egeanin ruins his plan by showing up immediately after he has dismissed the danger. Mat is not given any time to find solid footing, and it is not done through physical inconveniences, but through relationships. There is no time pressure, no imminent threat, just a chance of impending doom if he can’t regain control of his followers.

They traverse the circus grounds, spotting Aludra on the way. Egeanin berates Mat for blowing their cover by staring at her. Mat gives a snide comment, winning that particular skirmish. They see the Seanchan, as well as a number of their followers who are also watching the Seanchan. Mat worries about the clues they are giving away to the Seanchan. Egeanin recognizes the officer as he leaves. Mat realizes his luck is all that kept him from recognizing Egeanin.

The Seanchan wanted horses, but Luca’s warrant was enough to send them on. Luca worries about them returning and insists they should have left Ebou Dar earlier. Mat says leaving that night would have drawn attention. He says not to worry, they can leave right after Thom returns from the city. Luca dances a happy dance. Egeanin is angry her orders were not followed. Luca points out that Mat has the gold so he gives the orders.

As each event unfolds, it allows the strained competition between Mat and Egeanin to be revealed. Every other danger is subordinate to that one. Except the one that Mat eventually uses to finally beat her out: the danger posed by Mat’s relationship with Tuon.  

Writing Lessons:

Allow the solution to a problem to pose its own problems to the heroes.

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.

The Fires of Heaven - Chapters 38-42

In this section, one heroine makes some rash decisions while another hero makes carefully planned ones.

One of Nynaeve’s qualities is that she is very decisive. There are many situations in which this turns out well, and she never really led the others astray in Falme or on the road to Tear or in Tanchico. On other occasions, leaping before looking gets one into trouble. It is this angle that is being pursued as Nynaeve meets Uno and makes him take her to this Prophet, which in turn brings her to the attention of Galad. That first spontaneous decision to head into the city begins a fateful chain of events. At this juncture, Nynaeve looks like she’s got in all under control again. An opportunity has arisen that just happens to coincide with her desire not to get shot at with arrows. The Prophet is set to finding a boat. As a back-up plan, since the Prophet seems unreliable, Galad is set the same task. And Uno is looking as well. She has quickly and efficiently gathered up several allies and urged them on due to her private concern over her performance in Luca’s show.

Rand has been planning how to best attack the Shaido surrounding Cairhien. He has acted on the idea of a tower from which to observe enemy movements. He has planned how to get rid of his most troublesome follower, the High Lord Weiramon. He has consulted with the clan chiefs and Lan over the best strategy to save the city and drive the Shaido off. He fantasizes about leading men in battle to engage Couladin and personally killing him. He exploits circumstances to better learn Mat’s abilities so he can better use them in the future.

The burden of responsibility has been building upon Rand’s shoulders, and he shows signs of strain when he thinks “Tears were a luxury he could no longer afford, not even inside.” Lessons and pressure from Moiraine, Lan, Sorilea and the Wise Ones, the clan chiefs, and his followers have led Rand to adopt an outward bravado and solemnity that fits his idea of what these people expect him to be. He is struggling to be a man, and overdoing it, as might be expected of a young man thrust into the role for the first time.

Mat is able to look over the battle formations and divine the optimal strategy in minutes. Aside from displaying Mat’s abilities, this short passage is an effective way to describe how the battle should progress and the geography of the main events such that the reader will easily be able to follow the actual battle in later chapters. An author’s fear is always that they may not have correctly reasoned out the best strategy for the characters to follow, and the readers will easily find the gaps in the plans. Other than relying on their own worth as a military historian or strategist, a few tricks can be employed to give readers more confidence in what is being presented. In this case, Mat’s observations are immediately agreed to by Lan, already known to the reader as a great warrior and leader of men. Shortly thereafter, we are told that the clan chiefs also came up with the same plan, so every character whose input could be trusted agrees with Mat’s view. One alternative plan was presented, and it had obvious glaring flaws. Had a second good plan been shown, the reader may have some hesitation as to which should be followed. By contrasting with a bad plan, the other option looks comparatively good, which in the reader’s mind soon becomes ‘the best plan’. To portray Mat’s insight as something veering on genius, Asmodean’s jaw-dropping reaction is used.

Also noteworthy as the story progresses are the increasing detail of memories that are not Rand’s (or Mat’s for that matter), the near constant barrage of comparisons between male and female perceptions of each other, and continuing keen interest in Rand’s love life.

Writing Lessons:

Give the reader confidence in the ideas presented by contrasting them with other ideas held in either high or low regard.

The Shadow Rising - Chapters 1-2

In this section, three major characters are attacked by magical menaces, while several secondary characters skulk in the wings waiting for their chance to strike.

The Shadow Rising is my favorite book ever, but I haven’t read it in a decade or so. Right off the bat, a sense of danger and impending doom is evoked, as Min Views a variety of horrific fates for a random sample of Aes Sedai she crosses. Incredibly effectively, a logical progression shows the reader that the stakes have been raised dramatically since the last book.

First, the city of Tar Valon is described as the greatest city in the world. It is filled with wondrous towers. Greatest of the Towers is the White Tower. The Wheel of Time turns around Tar Valon, and Tar Valon turns around the White Tower. The White Tower is the heart of Aes Sedai power. The Amyrlin Seat rules the city as she rules the Aes Sedai. We are reminded of how small and insignificant everyone is next to Aes Sedai. And then, four pages into the story, Min begins to see portents of future doom. She sees example after example, ending with the Keeper and Amyrlin themselves. She concludes disaster will strike at the White Tower itself. The Amyrlin herself is partly disbelieving, partly too pragmatic to worry about it. Min knows her Viewings always come true. Always. The heart of goodly power in the world is not only threatened, but fated to fall. This scene is a powerful tool in building reader interest, and an excellent starting point for the adventure.

It is followed with a familiar antagonist, Elaida, setting in motion the events that Min has seen. Elaida has made the life of every heroine who passed through the White Tower miserable. Whatever she is involved in, the reader should have misgivings about. Her background reveals enough to conclude that she is likely not Black Ajah. Like Siuan and Moiraine, she is on a secret mission to save the world, following her own Foretelling that the Andoran Royal line plays a key role in staving off disaster for the world. Although there have been two earlier references to Rand’s resemblance to the long-vanished Tigraine, it may not yet be obvious that Rand is the one she should have been interested in. Had Siuan and Moiraine not set off on their own quest, it is likely that the Pattern would have had more Foretellings for Elaida. She is the failsafe, and would have been forced to take up the quest for the Dragon Reborn had the others failed. A Red helping a man who could channel, that would have been interesting. As it is, she is free to act on her own, though perhaps seeing the ta’veren that one time has already set her off on a path that the Pattern requires.

An immediate threat to the Two Rivers and a long-term threat from the Seanchan are introduced as well. The story is spreading in scope.

The three male heroes, Mat, Perrin and Rand, each get attacked by unusual opponents. A bloodthirsty animated axe lets readers learn everything important about Perrin in a few pages. Mat’s card game with the delinquent young lords shows off his personality and abilities. Having a drunken, self-serving, aristocrat spout offensive drivel sets the reader against him, and Mat’s opposition to that lordling invokes instant admiration for Mat, even if the reader knew not a thing more about him. Rand fends off the advances of a beautiful young woman, the first of many attempts to curry favour with the new ruler of Tear. Now that other people are recognizing him as an important person, he is being thrust into situations with which he has no familiarity, and no way of navigating. If only he could go back to being a shepherd. Each of the three young men deals with a tricky social situation in a way that inspires admiration, and fends off danger, demonstrating their competence. They are portrayed as classic heroes.

As with each of the other books, a concise explanation of the world and the important myths in it is provided early. I’ll look at the order and speed in which this information is conveyed. After the relevant paragraph number of Chapter 1, I’ll list the critical mythic element presented, and a short comment on well the introduction of that element works.

2: The Dragon died and will be born again. Directly related to the sight of Dragonmount, a logical and natural way to introduce the Dragon.

4: Aes Sedai are powerful. A logical point to make when talking about their home city.

6: Aes Sedai can help with special or unusual problems. This is given as introduction before describing the most important special problem they deal with.

10: it seemed nearly as awful as the Dark One’s prison at Shayol Ghul. An exaggeration and a clumsy way of introducing the villain.

13: Most men were nervous around Aes Sedai. It was male Aes Sedai who broke the world. An awkward segue way. The two are seemingly unrelated. It is unlikely men actually worry about this unless they can channel, or see the Aes Sedai as secret police who will grab you on suspicion of channeling ability.

13: The Dragon was the worst male Aes Sedai. He will be reborn to fight the Dark One. The Red Ajah hunt male channelers. Once you start talking about male channelers for the first time, it is logical and natural to finish with all the other related information.

14: Some men become Warders. After making a point about mistrust between men and Aes Sedai, it is logical to speak of the exceptions, but it serves to undermine the original point about mistrust as well.

16: Rand got Min into this uncomfortable situation. Thinking about her circumstance and how she got there is natural.

73: There are troubles in the world. False Dragons. In an epic fantasy, someone has to talk about the big events in the world. Gawyn happens to be the first that could be introduced if Min is to succeed in passing unnoticed.

115: The troubles in Almoth Plain caused by the Dragon Reborn are inconsequential. Rand himself is the focus of everything. The link is made between Min’s boy problems and the other mythic elements. When the most powerful person in the world calls Rand the focus of everything in the same paragraph that the other mythic most important person who will ever exist is discussed, the two ideas are merged in a memorable way.

120: First plain statement that Rand is the Dragon Reborn. And the reader already understands what he has to do as the Dragon, and the forces arrayed against him.

Writing Lessons:

Link two ideas together in the reader’s mind through a common element.