tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4833204375789249557.post2023699221249867741..comments2024-01-14T15:52:43.644-05:00Comments on The Thirteenth Depository - A Wheel of Time Blog: Towers of Midnight Read-through #55: Chapter 48 - Near AvendesoraDominichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17610557134981958201noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4833204375789249557.post-37040282798654259412014-12-30T15:20:42.667-05:002014-12-30T15:20:42.667-05:00Thanks, Lelya. Sorry I did not get to this sooner,...Thanks, Lelya. Sorry I did not get to this sooner, but I am on vacation in New Zealand and downloads are limited.<br /><br />I should have said redstone doorway! Thanks for spotting the error.<br /><br />I agree that Malidra is the end of that line, but there might have been descendants of other lines from Aviendha's children that survive. Her/Rand's children seem to have been singled out for destruction at first, so I agree that it is not likely any were left. We don't know though.<br /><br />And yes, it was a very sad scene.<br /><br />She may well have reset the glass columns, but they <i>knew</i> her and may have <i>allowed</i> her to do so. This day had to come, when you think about it.Lindahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14767984732078916662noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4833204375789249557.post-64157537664819442262014-12-29T19:10:14.526-05:002014-12-29T19:10:14.526-05:00Linda,
As always, I am blown away by your skills ...Linda, <br />As always, I am blown away by your skills in interpreting literature. I used to think *I* was good...until I came to your site ;)<br /><br />Um, just one correction: Mat ruminated under Avendesora before he entered the redstone doorway, not the columns. <br />Although.. he did get very, very close - as a fool would - practically taking a step into the columns so that he could shout to Rand "I'm not waiting more than an hour!" In my mind, whenever I read that scene, I have an image in my head of a kid peering through a window of something he knows he's not supposed to see, just to communicate a message. <br /><br />I think Malidra is the <b>end</b> of Aviendha's line. Unless we're including parallel worlds in the mix, I strongly feel this sentient ter'angreal was showing her the end - partly to make her take another step forward, perhaps? <br />If she had a baby, she would have mentioned it...right? Unreliable narration only works [for me, anyway] up until a certain point. Purposely excluding the existence of a baby is a very sneaky move.<br /><br />Was it just me, or was this a truly sad scene? I actually cried a little when she described what her own death felt like. <br /><br />I thought Sanderson did a superb job tracing the decay of the warrior Aiel, making sure to echo, as you pointed out, certain characters and phrases of RJ's. <br />I always felt the phrase "Rand's steps took him forward. And back in time." was a great one. <br /><br />Also never thought about the fact that the Aiel shaving is a sign of advancement! I need to read some anthropology books.<br /><br />I'm so glad you talked about the sentience of the ter'angreal. Your explanation for why Aviendha can't "read" the ter'angreal is perfect! I think all the fans did some hard thinking about the glass columns...still, a question remains: Aes Sedai in the Age of Lengends were really advanced enough to construct a ter'angreal that basically...attaches itself to the Wheel of Time? Jordan said that the Wheel of Time should be considered much more complex than a "wheel" - more like the most sophisticated computer ever built. I suppose a good question for Sanderson - at the next Con - would be how the AS constructed the columns. Perhaps it has more to do with getting inside the DNA of the person than the other option, but still, to read both past AND future is incredible indeed.<br /><br />I think it's pretty clear she did reset the glass columns, right? <br /><br />I think her Talent for Reading T'A is shown [here] to be incredibly strong, as most people trying to get even an "aura" from the t'a would probably feel completely overwhelmed. Also, the fact that she reset it shows that she somehow tapped into some facet of Reading T'A that allows one to alter a ter'angreal's function. This reminds me of how there are different facets to Dreaming, but they're all different Talents: reading Dreams, touching other people's dreams, and entering t'a'r.<br />So, I'm not sure if Aviendha's resetting of the glass columns was a different Talent, but related to Reading t'a, or simply part of the Reading talent altogether.<br /><br />I also used to think that Nakomi was some kind of avatar for the glass columns. <br /><br />I love how you ended the article with the real-life implications.<br /><br />You're a genius, Linda :)<br /><br />--Leyla<br /><br />Leylanoreply@blogger.com