The Gathering Storm Read-Through #24: Chapter 21 - Embers and Ash

By Linda
Perrin POV Black clouds and silence spread all through Tel’aran’rhiod from Shayol Ghul. They are very persistent and reflect the real blighting of the world, not the usual transitory weather. It’s a Foreshadowing that the Last Hunt comes that can be read in the dream long before it happens in the waking world. The wolves believe that:

If Shadowkiller falls to the storm, all will sleep forever. If he lives, then we will hunt together. The Gathering Storm, Embers and Ash

And the title of this book is The Gathering Storm... Perrin has been literally left hanging in Tel’aran’rhiod. He needs Hopper to show him how to jump down from the sky since he’s somewhat hamstrung still by his fear of the wolf part of himself and of losing his humanity. Perrin asks Hopper for help in controlling himself or suppressing his wolf side. Hopper encourages Perrin to be more wolf-like, if anything, in Tel’aran’rhiod. Perrin demands that Hopper teach him and then endangers himself by pulling himself more strongly into Tel’aran’rhiod. Unimpressed with Perrin’s petulance, Hopper boots him out of the dream. Faile POV Even Aes Sedai told Faile that Perrin spent the night in Berelain’s tent. I wonder which ones? Faile has not doubted his faithfulness though. Perrin assures Faile that if she was pressured to be unfaithful in Malden to acquire a protector, then he accepts this. Faile is insulted a bit, but it is close enough to what happened. It’s one reason why she keeps her relationship with Rolan secret. The other is that she thinks Perrin would have been upset he had killed Rolan unjustly after he aided them. Perrin would not have been though; he lumped the Brotherless and the Shaido in together as equally culpable. In Malden Faile learned the true responsibility of a noble. Perrin is still learning to accept the responsibilities of a leader. Faile is content that both of them grew a lot in the last two months:

She actually felt a stab of guilt for the times she had lorded over Perrin, trying to force him—or others—to bend to her will. Being a noblewoman meant going first. It meant being beaten so others were not. It meant sacrificing, risking death, to protect those who depended upon you. The Gathering Storm, Embers and Ash

noble in character as well as rank. Faile is very fond of Bain and Chiad and says they are more loyal than those who have sworn to her:

They were more loyal—even—than those who had sworn to her. Loyal to her, yet free of oaths to her. A contradiction only Aiel could pull off. The Gathering Storm, Embers and Ash

Actually what they show is true friendship. It says a fair bit about court life and nobles’ relationships that Faile thinks this is something remarkable that only the Aiel would do. Gaul fought twelve men to get Chiad back and also managed to acquire Bain in all that fighting. He is doomed to have the pair of them. Gaul, Bain and Chiad mirror the situation of Perrin, Berelain and Faile. Both men love one woman but can’t seem to escape the other. Each pair of women makes their male sweat. Bain and Chiad perhaps aim to get Gaul to be fond of, or at least appreciate, both of them. Their teasing of Gaul is one of togetherness and friendship, while Berelain and Faile are rivals where there can be only one victor. They are contending over Perrin. Faile and her three fellow ex-slaves hold a memorial service for those who helped them escape Malden and died for it. They acknowledge their debt, their toh and their guilt. Faile still doesn’t know if her distraction of Rolan was deliberate or not. Lacile actually killed Jhoradin herself. Faile killed Kinhuin, Alliandre’s protector. All to protect Perrin. How wise of Bashere to prepare his daughter for situations when she has to kill someone that she didn’t want to because she sees it as necessary. Rolan’s piece of turquoise is kept from the miniature pyre of belongings by Faile as a memento of the dead and their sacrifice. Turquoise is popular with American First Nations and the Aiel have parallels with the First Nations. In Europe turquoise is a symbol of friendship or esteem and means “forget-me-not”. The embers and ash which are all that remains of their Aiel protectors’ belongings reminds Faile of a proverb:

The past was a field of embers and ash, an old Saldaean proverb said, the remnants of the fire that was the present. The Gathering Storm, Embers and Ash

I thought it so succinctly wise. Perhaps my favourite bit of the chapter. Perrin POV Laying alone in the dark, Perrin decides to make decisions. He has three issues to work out: his acceptance of leadership, controlling his inner wolf and allowing Faile to go into danger. He resolves to face his problems over leadership:

He wanted either to be free of all of these people who followed him, or to learn how to accept their loyalty. The Gathering Storm, Embers and Ash

but still has no idea which way he will jump though. That’s not surprising, considering that a short while earlier he needed help jumping in Tel’aran’rhiod. He’s stuck mentally. Perrin needs to allow Faile to go into danger. Perhaps the realisation that she will be in danger whatever she does will help him face up to it. He hasn’t decided which way he will go on each of the three problems, just that he is going to think about each problem first. The decision that he will consider and decide eases his mind a little.

The Gathering Storm Read-Through #23: Chapter 20 - On a Broken Road

By Linda


WARNING: CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR TOWERS OF MIDNIGHT

The map-maker’s map allowed them to find an old road, possibly dating to the Age of Legends. Is it a road from the past or to the past? Or the road to the Underworld?

Talmanes mocks Mat, but Mat is too busy mocking womankind to notice. I guess the Cairhienin lord is amused by twenty year old Mat’s claim to vast experience. And why is Mat complaining bitterly? One reason is that Mat feels bad about the deaths in battle that he is responsible for. Another is that Mat thinks he can’t be lucky because he couldn’t escape battle – or marriage. Yet he appears to have come out ahead from both. Certainly richer! (And Mat is the god of wealth.) That’s good if you take the materialistic view of life. And Mat often does. Mat always wanted to be rich, and now he’s married to the richest woman on the planet. So why is he complaining?

Which brings us to the third reason: he’s missing Tuon and worried about her safety. Talmanes appals Mat by saying he sounds husbandly. In defiance, Mat is determined not to give up gambling and drinking. Talmanes teases him again, saying he’s becoming boring, but he stops and offers sympathy when he realises Mat is miserable. Mat won’t talk about it. He’s very tense but refuses to admit it is because of Tuon.

Vanin feels his position is threatened by the map maker. Mat used to really admire Vanin as a mature man with the sort of trickster skills he’d like to acquire. But he is a fully fledged trickster now and finds Vanin’s insecurity and weaknesses amusing (see here for an analysis of Vanin’s character development).

As egalitarian as Mat, Vanin tries to treat Aes Sedai exactly as he does everyone else but backs down at just a look from Joline.

Mat naively thinks Joline couldn’t hurt him with the Power if he wasn’t wearing his medallion because she is bound by the Three Oaths. He is mistaken: she only has to think of it as ‘discipline’ or ‘punishment’. Teslyn stopped Joline from hitting Mat with indirect weaves of the Power in Knife of Dreams, A Short Path.

Teslyn respects Mat; the first man she ever has (see this post analysing Teslyn’s character). Mat almost regrets rescuing the Aes Sedai because they show little gratitude. Yet as far as appreciation goes, Teslyn was well worth rescuing.

Joline and Teslyn are on poor terms with each other, partly because Teslyn is starting to stand up for herself again. Prior to her capture she used to be very dominant:

As inexorable as Elaida, she ground down whatever lay in her path. They stood as equals in every real way, certainly, but not many managed to prevail over Teslyn without a clear advantage.

A Crown of Swords, The Triumph of Logic

but she no longer is; an effect of her traumatic enslavement.

Joline tries to get more horses than is reasonable out of the Band. This, and Vanin backing down makes Mat be rude to her and bluntly show her the faults in her plan. Ultimately he will earn her respect too.

Teslyn is disappointed in Mat for being rude to Joline. Not necessarily because he is being unpleasant to an Aes Sedai, but because he is showing bad manners. Mat has rarely insulted anybody before. Mat is ashamed; he wants Teslyn’s respect. This is not something he’s ever worried about before with Aes Sedai. Talmanes is surprised that Mat is not prepared to pay such a price to get rid of the Aes Sedai, but Mat won’t be ripped off by them or pushed around. After all, as he keeps telling himself in Towers of Midnight, he’s a married man now.

Mat realises that to get food will require a lot of money and so brings his whole chest with him into Hinderstap. Perhaps he already has an idea of how he is going to get them to sell food: which is to be an Odin/Loki combination; a trickster. (An essay on Tricksters in the series is currently being written.) Talmanes openly goes along for the ride. (For an in-depth analysis of Talmanes, see here).

The Gathering Storm Read-Through #22: Chapter 19 - Gambits

By Linda


WARNING: CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR TOWERS OF MIDNIGHT

It is the day after Suroth’s demotion. Her interrogation is already yielding information. However Suroth can’t have confessed to being a Darkfriend because Tuon has no thoughts on that and also the Shadow hasn’t killed Suroth.

This chapter has the first usage in the series of the title Highest Daughter when referring to Tuon, but then Tuon hasn’t held court as Daughter of the Nine Moons before.

Yuril, Tuon’s Hand commanding her Seekers has not played a part yet. It’s striking that she never thinks of any information he has passed to her, or anything he has ever done or organised. Does the corruption we know is present in the Seekers start at the top?

Tuon doesn’t think of Anath as being able to channel; as a marath’damane. She doesn’t believe all of the reports regarding Anath’s attempt to capture Rand, especially that Anath is a Forsaken or even a marath’damane. Well she wouldn’t want to, would she?

The omens Tuon observes work as well as others’ dreams and soothsaying do. Note that reading omens is egalitarian in that it requires no special ability and thus all can do it. We were introduced to the Seanchan’s way of reading the Pattern late, making it too easy to dismiss it as superstition. It is well to remember that Tuon dismisses as mere superstition many things the reader accepts as reliable precognition or a manifestation of the Pattern. For instance she still refuses to believe in ta’veren.

Tuon sees her first Trolloc heads and realises Mat wasn’t lying. She wants Mat back (purely for information, of course!) and is surprised that she admitted this to Selucia. So Tuon does keep some things hidden from her. Both women realise that other information from Mat that they have previously dismissed could be true. Even with the heads – and the Seanchan are big on evidence – some of the Seanchan didn’t believe in Trollocs, or that they would attack Ebou Dar.

Tuon is surrounded by white – flagstones, pillars, spires – and brightness. She prefers white tiles to coloured rugs. Rand, on the other hand, is surrounded by shadow and darkness, gloom. She has a very positive attitude, he is despairing. She is order, he is chaos. The bright light around Tuon reflects her very positive attitude. Or perhaps helps inspire it. Another leader surrounded by white is Rand’s half-brother Galad, although in his last POV he was mired in mud. The Whitecloaks were stained by the questionable beliefs and attitudes of the Questioners.

This chapter encapsulates many of Tuon’s roles and parallels, especially of goddesses. As her passion for the proper order of things shows she is an order and justice figure:

Order, Tuon thought, keeping her face still. I represent order.

- The Gathering Storm, Gambits

Bringing the world back into order was going to be very, very difficult. Perhaps impossible. Tuon straightened her back. She had not thought to become Empress for many years yet. But she would do her duty.

- The Gathering Storm, Gambits

Chaos. The entire world was chaos… Order. Here in Ebou Dar, there was order, even in the fields of tents and wagons outside the city. Seanchan soldiers patrolled and kept the peace; there were plans to clean out the Rahad. Just because one was poor was not a reason—or an excuse—to live without law. But this city was just a tiny, tiny pocket of order in a world of tempest.

- The Gathering Storm, Gambits

Tuon has a very different leadership style to Elaida. She is consciously preventing division and squabbling – as Elaida has not, and as Egwene also will. Like many justice figures she is merciful and just and not tyrannical, again in contrast to Elaida and also Rand. See Tuon essay for more discussion on Tuon’s parallels to order and justice goddesses.

She also has links with sea goddesses. Tuon, who crossed the ocean with thousands of great ships, announces publicly in her audience hall with its ceiling painted with gulls and fishers at sea, and the walls a soft blue, that maritime Ebou Dar will be her seat, and this while wearing a pleated gown of the deepest sea blue, a white cape fluttering behind her like wave foam (The Gathering Storm, Gambits). Her fingernails were lacquered blue in this scene, instead of their previous red.

Tuon was originally going to rule from Tar Valon (Knife of Dreams, A Village in Shiota) to destroy the influence of the Aes Sedai and emphasise that she conquered them. This is ironic, considering that Tuon herself can learn to channel and will very probably do so and thus could join them. But she has now stated that her capital will be a sea port.

As the wife of lucky Mat, Tuon is Lady Luck and will soon take the name of the goddess of Fortune. It helps to explain her survival of so many assassination attempts. Another reason, as the name Tuon indicates, is that she is Queen of the Dead (see Tuon essay) and who can kill such a figure? In Finnish mythology the Underworld is called Tuonela and is ruled by Tuoni and Tuonetar. In this chapter Tuon says she thrives on death attempts and only the Queen of the Underworld would do that. Her husband Mat is King of the Dead (see Mat essay). Later she will bless the living, declare them dead and send the living dead to fight in her name as though they were shades from the Underworld.

Tuon thinks all oaths equal in importance. She is yet to realise that if people feel coerced into an oath, they do not feel bound by it. She feels they shouldn’t swear in the first place if they refuse to be bound by it, and be prepared to die instead. Elaida, like most Aes Sedai, has to keep the letter of her Oaths, but avoids keeping the spirit of them. However, if an Aes Sedai believes she has to keep the spirit of her Oaths, then she will. Shemerin is one such. Tuon recollects that Mat said something that implied there was a way around three Oaths and may yet work out how to use Aes Sedai damane in battle. Here is my theory on it.

Finally, Tuon shows her links with war goddesses such as Freya, and the Morrigan, when she considers the Return to be at war with the Aes Sedai, and soon, with Rand as well.

Beslan is much more kingly and responsible than Tuon thought. Tuon spoke to him directly to startle him out of his perfect act, but actually he was worthy of the honour as well as able to act with the best.

Tuon knows she can’t afford to provoke the Altarans into uprising. If Beslan swears fealty to Empire he will have a more secure and effective rule. She proves to him with reports of how the Seanchan have improved order and conditions in Altara. The Seanchan are big on evidence - well, evidence that they collect themselves; not so good on evidence others show them. (I’m thinking of the Trollocs’ heads here, which some in the audience refused to accept.)

Galgan disrupts Beslan’s oath of fealty saying it is not the proper way to do it. I am somewhat suspicious of his motive. Suroth was able to weaken the Seanchan forces greatly by wasting them. Yet could she have done as well without the general agreeing to it? The Seanchan lost one hundred thousand in Arad Doman. Galgan showed very little dissent for orders that led to disaster. Perhaps he too is a Darkfriend – with both of them ignorant of the other’s allegiance – and takes advantage of what he sees as Suroth’s “mistakes”. Dark clothing is often a sign of a Darkfriend and Galgan wears dark armour...

Galgan discourages Tuon from meeting the Dragon Reborn, again, seemingly innocently. It is adding up though. He thought Tuon would head back to Seanchan, and said he thought they should stay here. Was he trying to sow confusion in her mind? If so, it didn’t work. Galgan is known to be prudent as well as ambitious. This is a recipe for an effective Darkfriend. Or just a negative man.

The Return is slower than expected in conquering the mainland, despite the nations not aiding each other. This, too, is suggestive.

The Seanchan want to raid the White Tower to weaken the Aes Sedai and to gain access to weaves. Galgan is all for it. They think such a large number of Aes Sedai could disable Seanchan if they fought. It would be true if the Aes Sedai were not bound by the Three Oaths. Galgan says he doesn’t know if the Dragon Reborn is connected to the Aes Sedai or not. They must assume an attack on the White Tower will anger him, but also weaken him. (Actually it triggered the reunion of the Aes Sedai and the purging of the Black Ajah and so strengthened them.)

Tuon and Galgan think it is more urgent to weaken and subdue Dragon Reborn. Tylee enters at a crucial moment. Galgan says she should speak. Tylee hasn’t shaved her head much, just the minimum acceptable. It shows she is not that keen on her change of station and is not overwhelmed by it either. Tylee dares to speak up in dissent – even though she is newly Low Blood – saying that the Seanchan should ally with the Dragon Reborn and not be his enemy.

Many of the low Blood would be so in awe at meeting one of the Empress's household, much less the Highest Daughter, that they would not dare speak. Yet this woman offered suggestions? In direct opposition to Tuon's published will?

The Gathering Storm, Gambits

Only Selucia follow Tylee’s advice and advises Tuon as Truthspeaker:

"A difficult decision is not always a decision where both sides are equally matched, Tuon," Selucia said suddenly. "Perhaps, in this case, a difficult decision is one that is right, but requires an implication of fault as well."

The Gathering Storm, Gambits

It is interesting that Selucia was against the attack. Tuon had thought to go to Rand

in strength, his armies defeated, the White Tower torn down? She needed him brought to the Crystal Throne under very controlled circumstances, with the understanding that he was to submit to her authority.”

The Gathering Storm, Gambits

but decides to delay the attack on the White Tower and meet Rand first. For order’s sake:

Order must be brought to the world. If she had to do that by lowering her eyes slightly and meeting with the Dragon Reborn, then so be it.

The Gathering Storm, Gambits

It buys her time to plan and to secure her position. It also delays her attack on the Tower until Gawyn is able to rescue Egwene, Elaida is thoroughly undermined and Verin passes on her crucial information.

The Gathering Storm Read-Through #21: Chapter 18 - A Message in Haste

By Linda


WARNING: CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR TOWERS OF MIDNIGHT

The messages passed on in haste were not just to Bryne; there were also messages to Siuan and to the rebel camp.

Bryne wants Siuan to learn self-defense. Obviously he senses the dangerous undercurrents among the rebels besides the exposure of a Forsaken some time earlier.

Siuan guesses – or hopes – that Beonin was the one to betray the Travelling weave to the Tower Aes Sedai and not Egwene or Leane. The risk that the Tower breaks one or both of them is weighing on her mind. This plus Lelaine’s efforts to replace Egwene as Amyrlin are what spurs Siuan to rescue Egwene against orders.

Siuan takes responsibility for the poor state of the Aes Sedai. She recognises that she should have worked harder at fostering cooperation between the Ajahs when she was Amyrlin. Elaida has only been Amyrlin a short time (12 months), not long enough in Siuan’s view to cause a collapse in a strong social structure, therefore the Aes Sedai were not strongly knit. To her credit, Siuan does not make the excuse that the Black Ajah has played a part in the schism; if she were leading well enough they would not be able to make the inroads they did.

There is evidence of the influence of the Black Ajah among the rebels in this chapter. The discussion about replacing wooden walkways with something more permanent is a sign the delaying and divisive tactics of the Black Ajah are working. The Shadow wants to keep the Aes Sedai divided, and encouraging the rebels to stay put is a logical move. The Black Sitter Moria casts doubt on Ashmanaille’s report that Elaida has Travelling because the Black Ajah are under orders to make sure the siege continues, and this news marks the end of the siege.

Lots of novices were gathered around the Sitting when Narishma revealed that Aes Sedai had been bonded and the taint cleansed. However the news that a Forsaken was exposed on that day is apparently not general knowledge. (Certainly the Shadow wouldn’t want it known. And few Sitters would want the camp to know that one of the Forsaken had easy access to the Hall and the Amyrlin.) Novices are feeling free to stop their activities to be spectators at Sittings of the Hall, so Tiana is not an effective Mistress of Novices. Is she a poor choice, or has her status been undermined by Sheriam?

After Aran’gar fled the camp, Sheriam lost weight stressing out over whether the Forsaken would return. She has been calmer recently because no Forsaken has turned up. Sheriam frowns when Siuan wisely warns Bryne that the Tower has Travelling because as a Black sister Sheriam’s task is to prolong the siege. The message has gone and she is powerless to prevent it. Other Aes Sedai are too busy being indignant that they don’t have sole rights to a weave anymore. Aes Sedai are engrossed in politicking rather than the Last Battle.

Sharina thinks Narishma’s revelations were more important than those of Ashmanaille. She has never been to the Tower and is probably going to be like Nynaeve and be unimpressed by Tower politics.

Lelaine takes full advantage of the novices’ lack of supervision in her exercise of crowd psychology. When people are anxious they thirst for news. By letting crowds hear something moderately exciting they will overreact and one can distract them so the really important news can be kept secret. Sharina says Lelaine did this; Ashmanaille reported to her first and Lelaine let the news ‘slip’. Lelaine also discouraged the Hall from being Sealed to the “Flame”. Sharina is right that the news that was kept secret last time was of Aran’gar’s exposure and escape. This time the secret news is of Lelaine’s manoeuvrings to replace Egwene. (Even the Hall is not fully conscious of this yet.)

Lelaine wanted everyone in the camp to listen in and then stew over the uselessness of the siege and the army. If Lelaine can make Elaida seem more a threat to the rebels, she can arrange for a call for Egwene to be replaced. Siuan did not see this; Lelaine is not confiding in Siuan and Siuan is also distracted by Bryne. Sharina notices that Siuan has been working hard to keep Lelaine and Romanda too busy to push for Egwene’s removal. Ironically Lelaine’s efforts to make Elaida seem a threat are balanced by the Blacks discounting it, and so nothing is happening.

Sharina tells Siuan her insights because she knows if any Sitter becomes Amyrlin her progression will be halted or derailed. She really wants to channel so she wants Egwene back. That is ample reward on its own.

Many Borderlander nations still send tribute to the Tower – Kandor is one. They are financially penalising themselves compared to other nations, but maybe they get more consideration by the Aes Sedai in return. The Aes Sedai started out dependent on tributes, but three thousand years later they have their own more lucrative resources now – bridge tolls, levies, income from properties. Those Aes Sedai who die without relatives probably will property to the Tower. Grateful rich clients probably make donations to the Tower.

There are a couple of errors in this chapter. The Sitting should have been Sealed to the Hall, not the Flame. Sealing to the Flame is for the Amyrlin to impose - and she isn’t even in the camp.

Sharina thinks that it has been “a few months” since Narishma visited the rebels. It has been two months.

The Gathering Storm Read-Through #20: Chapter 17 - Questions of Control

By Linda


WARNING: CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR TOWERS OF MIDNIGHT

The chapter title refers to internal and external control. Semirhage controls herself and her captors despite their best efforts, until Cadsuane works out how she can be broken. Perrin worries about his self-control and leadership. He feels too inadequate to be a leader because if he can’t manage himself how can he be responsible for others?


Cadsuane POV

Cadsuane has performed remarkable deeds in her career. The Gathering Storm tells us that when she did these things her main motive was to become legendary. In previous books she did not foster or revel in her reputation, but took advantage of it when it helped her achieve a goal. Sanderson is more partisan toward the characters and Cadsuane is one who is portrayed more negatively. He has said he has never liked her. In this chapter Cadsuane compares herself with Semirhage and thinks they both nurture their images.

With a flash of insight, Cadsuane treated Semirhage as da’tsang. This is something which the Aiel didn’t suggest, yet Wise Ones know from experience how shame can break a person.

It is a measure of Semirhage’s shock that she began cursing in the Old Tongue when she was smacked; she would know that curses aren’t effective if they are not understood.

Semirhage is made to eat off the floor. Degradation and humiliation of a prisoner is common in the interrogation of an enemy captive. It probably occurs much sooner in a real world interrogation than it did here. The Nazis used it routinely for any they considered undesirable and the Forsaken have many parallels to Nazis (see Three Strands Common to the Forsaken essay) – eg Semirhage has parallels to just such Nazi camp commandants who did this (see Semirhage essay). Not that the Nazis were the only ones who did this before or since.


Perrin POV

Balwer is forcing administration on Perrin, especially paperwork. It looks like he is going to get a seal! Perrin is the last of the three ta’veren to do so: Rand has long had one and Mat has used his ring as a signet. It is a sign that Perrin is a leader even if he doesn’t fully accept it yet.

Perrin feels Rand pulling him north. Rand isn’t literally there yet; but Perrin is sensing Rand’s future need of him.

There are too many people with Perrin to be moved by Grady’s modest gateways. They probably don’t have enough food to reach Andor by road. Obviously bigger gateways are needed and they will soon work out how to make mixed circles to do this.

Perrin is aware he needs to find balance within and without. Despite his doubts he has done well balancing the various needs of those he is responsible for, as Tam says to Rand at the end of the book:

That boy's put on a balancing act to impress any menagerie performer.

- The Gathering Storm, The One He Lost

He will do just as well internally, too, but that is a more private balancing act.

Perrin has to work out whether he wants to be a leader and what style of leader he should be. He realises what lack of leadership and temperance has done to his group. The sorry state the Shaido social structure was reduced is a warning in itself. Despite the difficult and uncertain conditions, Perrin’s group did not become lawless and destructive as the Shaido did, proof that Perrin is a much better leader than he is aware.

Perrin worries about being a berserker, of losing control of his emotions while fighting. He fears the wolf dream because he thinks running with the wolves is to blame. In this book Perrin and Rand are both forced to realise that the dark, violent side of themselves is truly them and not anyone else - not wolves, not mad Lews Therin.

Ironically it is a wolf that guides Perrin to this realisation and helps him gain control and balance within himself through his training in the wolf dream:

The trick, it seemed, was to be in complete control of who you were. Like many things in the wolf dream, the strength of one's mental image was more powerful than the substance of the world itself.

- Towers of Midnight, Oddities

The strength of this place, Hopper sent an image of a wolf carved of stone, is the strength of you. The wolf thought for a moment. Stand. Remain. Be you...But do not come too strongly.

- Towers of Midnight, The Strength of This Place

Self-control and restraint are as essential as strength. The themes of
strength and temperance are important in Perrin’s sub-thread. Perrin already has strength and fortitude, but Hopper teaches Perrin how to be more temperate as well as how to temper himself and his love for Faile gives him something to be temperate for.

The more Perrin masters Tel’aran’rhiod, the more he masters himself. Once he does that, the master craftsman feels qualified to master others.

The Gathering Storm Read-Through #19: Chapter 16 - In the White Tower

By Linda


WARNING: CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR TOWERS OF MIDNIGHT

Egwene in novice white is serving White Ajah Servants of All, although she doesn’t realise one of them, Ferane, is Ajah Head as well as Sitter. Ferane was subtle enough that Egwene doubted her original judgement that her serving was a pretence and they wanted her there to question her. So... she was not serving the Whites in truth until she did them an unexpected service with the quality of her answers.

Aes Sedai now ignore Egwene’s disregard for the rules – which shows that the only discipline that would be effective would be execution or exile. Later in the chapter she is ‘exiled’ through hard labour.

What with the siege and the administrations’ mis-management and neglect of the city, Tar Valon is stinking now, which it never used to be; and no one remarks on the change, they just accept it.

Egwene says Elaida’s leadership and the Hall’s compliance have created the White Tower’s problems. Even if she renounced all claims in favour of Elaida they would still exist. She is trying to get all sisters to see that they are all responsible for the divisions. Egwene herself won’t sit by and do nothing about the division. She lets the Whites know how she has been working to reunite the Tower by making the most of the fact that novices can go anywhere – fateful words considering what Elaida and Katerine are planning.

Ferane, as Ajah Head, takes up Egwene’s points. Egwene will arrange for Sitters to meet together amicably in public. Ferane dismisses Egwene but the two women bow to each other as equals. She offers Egwene a place in the White Ajah despite Egwene making it plain she would have been Green. Bennae offered her a place in the Brown, and Suana wants her to join the Yellow. Yet her favoured Greens are uninterested in Egwene joining them. It is a sign that she would be of all Ajahs and none. If Egwene were weak in the Power I wonder if the Ajahs would be so interested in wooing her or accept that the rebels made her their Amyrlin. Of course, the rebels would never raised Egwene Amyrlin if she were weak. It really drives home how little rank is earned among Aes Sedai.

The presence of the Black Ajah makes a subtle appearance in this chapter. Miyasi’s preference for, and insistence on, consuming whole walnut halves, with their brain-like appearance, is made to seem sinister. She is later shown to be a Black sister (who also possibly has OCD.)

The red and charcoal tiles in Reds’ quarters are a sign that the infiltration of the Black is strong there. A higher percentage of the Red Ajah is Black compared to the other Ajahs (see The Black Ajah article).

For once the Black sister Katerine is not wearing the black slashed or dark clothing she usually wears and which is such a typical marker of Darkfriend Aes Sedai. Instead, her red dress is described as “a flash of red cloth, like the blood of a dead rabbit in the snow”, associating it and her with violence and death.

Most of the Aes Sedai, including Egwene, still assume the White Tower must control the Dragon in order for the Last Battle to ‘proceed’. They don’t seem to realise that the Tower has been largely irrelevant (though independent individual sisters have made important contributions) so far, yet the Last Battle is ‘proceeding’ apace - without their control or guidance.

Egwene thinks it is illogical to have a Red Amyrlin when the Dragon is around. However in over two thousand years the only time Red Amyrlins have been elected is when Dragons, false or real, are active; and they failed miserably each time. Talk about not learning from history. Ferane tells Egwene why they are raised: to deal with the Dragons. Egwene says the Aes Sedai should work with, not ‘deal with’, the Dragon.

One Aes Sedai attitude Egwene does agree with is that Rand should not have been left to run free, but she means he should not be left to make his own decisions. Elaida’s embassy should not have abused or kidnapped Rand. Aes Sedai should be subtle and manipulative.

Egwene recites the “Rand needs guidance” mantra. Rand already gets some – from those he trusts or have been shown to be trustworthy. Rand should have ‘relied’ on the advice of Aes Sedai according to Egwene. She thinks he shouldn’t be allowed to realise the Aes Sedai think he is behaving like an unruly child when/if he does. Cadsuane is more direct and leaves Rand in no doubt of her opinion of his childish behaviour, when he disregards courtesies, flies into a rage, breaks bargains, etc.

For Aes Sedai, the major bugbear of Rand’s actions is the bonding of Aes Sedai by Asha’man. (Though some Whites, eg Tesan, still didn’t know of it. Miyasi knew because the Black Ajah were ordered to spread the news to undermine Elaida and fracture the Tower further.) If Aes Sedai had not been captured by Asha’man Egwene would have much less justification for ‘managing’ Rand. Nevertheless Egwene insists dealing with or managing Rand has to wait until the Tower is reunited.

Ferane’s first question is a challenge to Egwene to put her money where her mouth is and show how she would have done better than Elaida in handling Rand. After all, it’s easy to criticise, but harder to propose a viable alternative. Egwene would study him, then send three Aes Sedai (Grey, Green and Blue) to honour him. This is the standard embassy to kings, nothing more. As Egwene says it is modest and not lavish considering who Rand is. Nor is it threatening.

Katerine and Elaida are going to limit Egwene’s access to sisters by making her do only chores 15 hours per day. Egwene cuts short Katerine’s gloating by walking off to kitchens. Inside she starts to panic though. She considers pretending to be humbled, but realises such and act will be taken as victory anyway. Thereafter Elaida would use the same method to force Egwene to adopt any behaviour. It would be the thin edge of the wedge so she decides not to bend at all.

Laras sneaks up to Egwene and takes her to a secret hiding place to wait for garbage collection. She has arranged for Egwene to be taken across the river and has friends among the guard. It appears Laras has gotten misfit novices and Accepted out before; she is confident she can bluff Egwene’s captors and that they won’t find her hidey hole. Her motivation this time is disgust at the attempts to break Egwene:

I've served loyally these years, I have, but now they've told me that you're to be worked as hard as I can push you, indefinitely. Well, I can see when a girl has moved away from being instructed and into being beaten down. I won't have it, not in my kitchens. Light burn Elaida for thinking she could do such a thing! Execute you or make you a novice, I don't care. But this breaking is unacceptable!"

The Gathering Storm, In the White Tower

Egwene is exasperated that she is stuck doing menial labour when the Dragon Reborn ‘runs free’ and the Last Battle is approaching. She refuses to take Laras’ offer of flight and stays to fight Elaida by refusing to bend.

After one session of work Elaida changes her mind and summons Egwene to serve in her rooms because she wants to exhibit Egwene as a trophy to Sitters. Katerine disagrees with Elaida’s decision. She is a better tactician or judge of character.

Egwene plays Cinderella in the kitchens and Elaida’s quarters and there’s no doubt who the ugly stepmother is... She questions Elaida on her tactics for Rand and proves with quotes from the prophecies to Elaida’s guests, but not, unfortunately, Elaida herself, that Elaida’s plan would be a failure. However all Aes Sedai have wanted to follow this plan (or a variation of it) including Siuan and Moiraine. Elaida says in reply:

"Bah," Elaida said, "you ask meaningless questions. The prophecies would have to have been fulfilled. There was no other way."

- The Gathering Storm, In The White Tower

Elaida sees no other tactics as viable and believes that somehow the prophecies would have been fulfilled anyway. This sounds like what Taim said to Rand (and note that Taim has a similar attitude to massaging history as Elaida does):

All I had to do was fulfill just one of the Prophecies."
"Like managing to be born on the slopes of Dragonmount?" Rand said coldly. "That was the first Prophecy to be met."…
"Victors write history. Had I taken the Stone of Tear, history would have shown I was born on Dragonmount, of a woman never touched by a man, and the heavens opened up in radiance to herald my coming.”

Lord of Chaos, A New Arrival

That is why Rand never came to the Tower and why Siuan and Elaida were deposed and the Tower broken. To fulfil the prophecies.

Elaida’s idea was to show Egwene as a servant in front of the Sitters. So little regard do the Servants of All have for service, that, for some at least, to be a servant to the Servants is to be demeaned. In fact Elaida dismisses Egwene’s quote of an Amyrlin saying the Amyrlin serves all as nonsense. Her tactic shows Elaida knew who Egwene was influencing.

Elaida was not under Alviarin’s or the Black Ajah’s influence here. No Blacks were even present. Her arrogance leads Elaida to promote the divisive attitude and decrees the Blacks began.

Egwene has to speak up to Elaida to prove her courage and determination. She then provokes Elaida by saying she is too cowardly to answer her question of what is Elaida doing to heal the rift in the Tower. Elaida is going to condemn Egwene without trial or charges.

Elaida is quite a violent woman. Here she uses the One Power to force others to do what she wants. Strength in the One Power is the only power or authority Elaida recognises; she has taken the Aes Sedai ranking to its logical extreme. This is an excellent example of why this ranking is not a good idea. Elaida can beat Egwene senseless with the One Power (despite her Oath not to use the Power as a weapon and the law against using the Power to abuse an initiate of the Tower) because she believes she is Tower Law ie as Amyrlin she can do what she wants. She warns the Sitters to take her abuse of Egwene as an example of what she will do to them if they don’t show true deference and obedience to her. Not good tactics; it is now very much in the Sitters’ interests to unite against Elaida. Even Tower staff think Elaida’s behaviour is unacceptable.

Egwene says she follows the spirit of the Three Oaths, whereas Aes Sedai are forced by the Oaths to follow the letter of them. It is what the Wise Ones like about Egwene and find objectionable about the Aes Sedai.


Errors

The White Sitter (and Ajah Head)’s room is on the third level of the White Tower. The World of Robert Jordan’s The Wheel of Time says the lower half of the White Tower is for communal rooms, the upper half for Ajah accommodation:

Slightly wider at the base than at the top, the Tower was designed to house the Ajahs in the top half; each within its own pie-shaped section, while leaving the wider bottom to general purposes.

Also in The World of Robert Jordan’s The Wheel of Time Balladare is listed as the first Brown Amyrlin of the New Era, not the first Brown of all Amyrlins as Egwene stated.

Post #29 of Wheel of Time Costume

By Linda

In this post of the Wheel of Time costume series I look at the fashions of the distant past in the Third Age in the form of what Aes Sedai ghosts "wore" in Knife of Dreams. This is the final post of this very long-running series. I hope you have enjoyed it.

How appropriate to end on a prime number (29), since primes feature a lot in Jordan's number symbolism.

For the full Costume article from the beginning click here.

The Gathering Storm Read-Through #18: Chapter 15 - A Place to Begin, Part 2

By Linda


WARNING: CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR TOWERS OF MIDNIGHT

Min POV

Min is reading Fel’s history books; in particular, Pelateo’s Ponderings which would be a reference to the Ancient Greek philosopher Plato’s writings. I’ve summarised a few relevant works of Plato here. The first few detail the last days of the Greek philosopher Socrates, who was executed for not believing in the state gods, but in “other daimons that are novel”, and for corrupting the young. Plato wrote a version of the speech Socrates gave when he unsuccessfully defended himself against these charges as The Apology of Socrates. Ishamael is a philosopher who rejected the Creator of the Pattern and followed the Dark One. He has corrupted many with his words, action and channelling. Some of the population have ambivalent feelings about the Dragon, claiming he is as bad as the Dark One, but extremists such as Elaida regard male channellers as “unbelievers” (see Aes Sedai Attitudes to Male Channellers: The Unbeliever).

In the dialogue Euthyphro, Socrates and the self-proclaimed religious expert Euthyphro attempt to define piety. Euthyphro claims that the Socrates had charges brought against him because he claimed that a daimon (god) or divine sign indicated to him courses of action to follow. Rand himself is a divine sign to the pious and he and Min are studying the prophecies to work out what course of action Rand should follow against the demonic Dark One.

Crito is a dialogue between Socrates and his wealthy friend Crito on justice and injustice. Socrates rejects Crito’s offer to help him escape from prison even though his sentence is unjust because that would also be unjust and two wrongs don’t make a right. Crito tells Socrates that he is impressed with how calmly Socrates accepts his approaching death sentence. In The Gathering Storm, Rand became increasingly dark about his prophesied death and contemplated destroying everything, but had a change of heart and in Towers of Midnight appears to accept his sacrifice calmly.

In the dialogue Phaedo, Socrates discusses the nature of the afterlife and the nature of the soul before being executed the next day by drinking hemlock (a parallel of crimsonthorn used by the Black Ajah to kill Adeleas and Ispan, perhaps at Moridin’s orders). One of Socrates’ arguments for the immortality of the soul is that people have in-born knowledge, which implies the soul existed before birth and brought this knowledge.

In Timaeus Plato discusses the nature of the physical world, the eternal world, and human beings. Crucial to the outcome of the battle against the Dark One is the nature of the Pattern and the role of the If worlds, the parallel worlds and Tel’aran’rhiod.

In Critias, Plato tells of how the island kingdom Atlantis failed in its attempt to conquer Athens, because the Athenians were too ordered and strong a society. Plato wrote that the gods divided the Earth among themselves and each tended the humans in their regions like livestock or possessions, although using persuasion rather than force.

Currently there are two invasions that may succeed if the mainland society is too disordered: that of the Shadow and that of the Seanchan. As Fel said: “Belief and order give strength” so if the nations don’t have this they are doomed. The Seanchan enslave female channellers and those who rebel or commit crimes. The Shadow uses people ruthlessly and with force.

Plato’s Laws discusses the interaction between divine revelation, laws and rights. These are questions at the heart of the series.

(It is a moot point whether Min is literally reading any of these writings, and if so how much they have changed over the Ages, or whether she is reading some other works now ascribed to an author whose name is similar to Plato. The allusion to Plato is meant to remind those readers who are familiar with Plato’s works of the applicability of Plato’s writings to the situation here.)

Min is reading Fel’s books because she thinks they hold answers to the Last Battle and the Seals on the Dark One’s prison. She thinks she might be thinking along the same lines as Fel – but it is not good news and she wonders how Rand will react. He’s fine with it, and so is Perrin, but many others, notably Egwene, will not be. Min realises that when Fel wrote that Rand has to clear the rubble before he can build he meant that Rand would have to destroy the Seals to open the Bore. Rand agrees, and says the others (almost everyone else, it seems) won’t like it, due to the danger. Min sees vague clues in the prophecies and the history books about how to stop or contain the Dark One. Rand is determined to kill the Dark One or at least seal him away long term (for longer than Lews Therin did.)

Min persuades Rand to open up to her. She is very intelligent and has excellent judgement and people skills. However she panics when Rand’s life is at stake, such as when she saw in Lord of Chaos that Aes Sedai would hurt Rand (Min's Viewings).

Min understands Rand’s mental illness probably better than he does:

Light! He let the voice in his head wield the One Power? What did that mean? That he let the mad part of his brain take control?...
Was this how it happened to all of them? Each one assuming that they were really sane, and that it was the other person inside of them who did horrible things?

The Gathering Storm, A Place to Begin

As we shall see later in The Gathering Storm, this is exactly how it happens. Rand has been able to claim that he won’t do the mad, evil things that Lews Therin did, no matter what the prophecies appear to say, until his attempt to kill his own father forces him to realise otherwise.

Rand thinks Lews Therin is a separate soul from him; Min that Lews Therin is a memory of a past life. Semirhage told Rand that Lews Therin is a hallucination, a psychosis. Rand thinks he can’t be because Rand is not insane and won’t be a Kinslayer. It is the shock that he could be a kinslayer that drives him first to contemplate genocide and then to destroy the world, until he is able to fight off his despair on Dragonmount – the axis mundi that is Rand’s and Lews Therin’s death and birth place - and apparently reintegrate the personalities.

Rand admits the possibility that Min is right about Lews Therin:

Lews Therin knows things. Or ... or / know things. Whichever it is, the knowledge is there.

The Gathering Storm, A Place to Begin

Rand seems a bit softer here thanks to Min, a respite from the harshness he displays all through The Gathering Storm.

Aviendha POV

Amys tries to upset or anger Aviendha by shaming her with pointing out her punishment, and thus get her to make a stand. It doesn’t work; so Amys hints that it is Aviendha’s duty to think about what she hasn’t done. By this stage I was getting as impatient with Aviendha as the Wise Ones were.

Aviendha looks down on Flinn because he volunteered to learn to channel before the taint was cleansed.

The Aiel are angry about treating with the Seanchan. They think Rand is pandering to them when he should be fighting them. It is a pointer to how the Aiel will react to Aviendha’s news of her visions of the future in Rhuidean and gives background to Aviendha’s opinion that the Aiel should return to the Waste after the Last Battle and live according to their traditions. Aviendha agrees with Rand’s actions that the battle against the Shadow takes precedence. The Shadow is trying to distract people from the Last Battle by setting up invasions, civil wars, and chaos. The Aiel have selected the most palatable parts of their prophecies and expect Rand to lead them to glory – demand it almost - rather than battling the Shadow with him and being broken by him. He has broken the Aiel some, but not enough yet ( see The Aiel Need to Adopt the Way of the Leaf Before the Last Battle theory).

The Seanchan’s collaring of Aiel as damane have the Aiel in a fury. By custom, Wise Ones cannot be made gai’shain. Of course, they never fought in battle either, until Dumai’s Wells. Amys says they will be avenged after the Last Battle. The unity of the Aiel and their obedience to Rand is being undermined. It is an obvious strategy for the Shadow to take. Are Aiel Darkfriends, especially Wise Ones, promoting this? I fear this will be worse after Aviendha’s news, with more open objection and debate.

The Gathering Storm Read-Through #17: Chapter 15 - A Place to Begin, Part 1

By Linda


WARNING: CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR TOWERS OF MIDNIGHT

There's a lot in this chapter, so I've split my discussion into 2 parts and will post Part 2 later in the week when I've had time to edit it.


Rand POV

Rand comes to in Tel’aran’rhiod in a place he’s met Ishamael twice before - in The Eye of the World The Stag and Lion, and The Eye of the World Against the Shadow. The story arc comes full circle, and this time he is not afraid. However, he nearly loses himself in the dream. The Wise Ones don’t speak of Tel’aran’rhiod much to Rand, and Lews Therin isn’t prominent in Tel’aran’rhiod either, so he’s more or less on his own there.

As the striated sky and boiling, burning red clouds indicate, this is a special part of Tel’aran’rhiod strongly under the influence of the Dark One and probably near Shayol Ghul. Clouds of tortured faces and the molten lava look to the stones are new, as are the rats being burned by the heat in the stones and the flames depicting tortured bodies.So typically of anything made by the Shadow, the fire holds cold comfort.

Rand has no visions when he thinks of Mat and Perrin in Tel’aran’rhiod; they only appear in the main waking world. Perrin had none of Rand either in the dream, nor did Mat in the *Finns’ world in Towers of Midnight.

Rand’s link to Moridin is more close, more physical, than his links to Mat and Perrin. It is more limiting too, which is why their channelling is affected. Mat and Perrin are not limited by their link to Rand. The three ta’verens’ fates are intertwined, and they are connected by bonds of friendship, as well as by this spiritual link.

Lews Therin did not react to the mention of his kinslaying. In this part of the dream Rand appears to be more integrated:

Oddly, Rand felt more stable—somehow—here in this place where all else appeared fluid. The pieces of himself fit together better. Not perfectly, of course, but better than they had in recent memory.

- The Gathering Storm, A Place to Begin

and also less influenced by his various links.

Rand recognises Ishamael’s soul, but Moridin seems to reject being Ishamael and identifies himself to Rand. Rand thinks his name (Death) is irrelevant. Wrong. Just as he did when he was Ishamael, Moridin tells Rand that many dreams are more real than the waking world. This is a somewhat “Platonic” philosophy and ties in with the book Min is reading during this scene as we shall see in the next post. I’m not sure Rand accepts Moridin’s statement.

Rand sees the saa in Moridin’s eyes but doesn’t appear to know their significance. He is not interested in Moridin’s offer of sanity, which would mean being touched by the True Power.

Moridin tells Rand he and other Forsaken were restored to life by the Dark One – except those that were balefired. Presumably he wants to use Rand as an instrument of punishment and to vanquish his rivals. It’s less risky for Moridin to get someone else to do it; someone the Pattern is taking pains to keep alive, and someone the Dark One would accept as killer of his henchmen. And if Rand is killed instead or as well, that’s not too bad either.

Moridin says it is a wonder the balefired can be remembered. But that is the point: balefire undoes actions, but can’t undo the fact that actions were done or erase the memories of those actions. If balefire could undo events completely seamlessly, perhaps it wouldn’t disrupt the Pattern as much as it does. As the paradox goes: if a tree falls and nobody witnesses it, did it happen?

Moridin is suffering from the link to Rand – he is over whelmed by tiredness, physical and psychological, and perhaps pain. Certainly despair. Rand is better in comparison, or perhaps bears it better due to his accepting character, whereas Moridin is selfish and has not had practise in bearing adversity. Again, while Rand is used to being very close to people yet not being overwhelmed by that closeness, Moridin can’t seem to separate his feelings from Rand’s.

The two champions have both been reborn: Rand naturally, Moridin unnaturally, as reflects their respective deities. Rand assures us that they will have a final duel. Moridin is not certain what the outcome would be if he and Rand killed each other – as Arthur (parallel of Rand) and Modred did and as the Norse gods and giants did at Ragnarok (a parallel of the Last Battle).

Rand is determined to defeat the Dark One. Moridin thinks the attempt is pointless long-term:

"Perhaps you will," he said. "But do you think that matters? Consider it. The Wheel turns, time and time again. Over and over the Ages turn, and men fight the Great Lord. But someday, he will win, and when he does, the Wheel will stop.
"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?"
"Is that what made you turn to his side?" Rand asked. "You were always so full of thoughts, Elan. Your logic destroyed you, didn't it?"
"There is no path to victory," Moridin said. "The only path is to follow the Great Lord and rule for a time before all things end. The others are fools. They look for grand rewards in the eternities, but there will be no eternities. Only the now, the last days."

The Gathering Storm, A Place to Begin

Moridin despairs. He had a nihilistic philosophy in the Age of Legends:

He called for the complete destruction of the old order - indeed, the complete destruction of everything.

The World of Robert Jordan’s The Wheel of Time

and still does. In The Eye of the World, Against the Shadow, which significantly was when they last met in this part of the dream, Moridin told Rand that he will gain unimaginable power from the death of Time. However, Moridin now doesn’t seem to look forward to this at all; his despair is such that he just wants Nothingness.

Is Rand stupid, as Moridin believes, to think he can kill Dark One? The Pattern has to have both Light and Shadow to be a Pattern according to Moiraine (The Dragon Reborn, Within the Weave) – the Dark One and the fight against him is a, or really, the, major part of the Pattern.

Rand wonders how he got to Tel’aran’rhiod when his dreams are warded. Moridin doesn’t understand their bond, but deduces that is how and why Rand came to Tel’aran’rhiod. If they were both dreaming at the same time, and Moridin went to Tel’aran’rhiod, perhaps Rand would be pulled there too, despite his wards. Or maybe it was arranged by the Pattern. Rand was able to pull himself away by seizing saidin, even though he was distant from it.

Post #28 of Wheel of Time Costume

By Linda

In the second last post in the Wheel of Time costume series I look at the fashion sense of Birgitte, Min and Mordeth, three very influential individuals - and more than just sartorially.

For the full Costume article from the beginning click here.

The Gathering Storm Read-Through #16: Chapter 14 - A Box Opens

By Linda


WARNING: CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR TOWERS OF MIDNIGHT

Cadsuane is surprised that her equal among the Wise Ones is one who can barely channel. Sorilea is strong and capable in Cadsuane’s opinion. She arrived recently with a group of Aiel reporting to Rand on Bandar Eban. This would be at the time of Chapter 7 or later, ie within the last 5 days. It’s Sorilea’s first (and only?) visit to see Semirhage. Despite being a weak channeller, Sorilea copies a weave she has seen only once. This impresses Cadsuane.

Bair thinks pain will break Semirhage. Cadsuane doesn’t. Cadsuane saw that Semirhage reacted to Sorilea dismissing her as disappointingly human and felt somewhat outdone by Sorilea.

Semirhage is very knowledgeable about the Aiel and their descent from the Da’shain and reverence for blacksmiths. While this makes the Forsaken seem more powerful and omniscient in the eyes of her captors, a little thought would reveal to them that the Shadow has good intelligence gathering through Darkfriends, including Aiel Darkfriends. After all, until the last few books no mainlander knew much about the Aiel and their customs, let along their origins –and few do so now.

While Sorilea suggests Semirhage be killed out of hand and not kept for her secrets, she already knows that Cadsuane doesn’t agree because she would otherwise have done so long since. Sorilea also knows that Rand might not permit it anyway, since the three women discuss his reluctance to harm women in this scene. Cadsuane is keeping Semirhage alive because she wants information on Age of Legends weaves. It’s a reasonable strategy for battle preparation and one dear to Cadsuane’s heart since she researches weaves and thus thirsts for such knowledge.

Cadsuane’s obligation to Sorilea showing her the travelling weave leads her to accede to Sorilea’s request to be shown where she keeps a male a’dam. She also needs their help in handling Rand, because she knows Rand is not ready - or more correctly, is too dark - for the Last Battle. So both Sorilea and Bair learn its location. Note that it was only after Sorilea (and Bair) saw a) its location and b) the weaves protecting it, that the a’dam was raided. But more of this in subsequent chapters of the read-through.

Cadsuane is not interested in gold or glamorous surroundings beyond reasonable comfort and security. The trunk is a decoy for where the real valuables are stored: in a battered documents box. She disarms the box’s traps while Sorilea closes the door.

Cadsuane innovates with the Power in a relatively safe way. Most Aes Sedai don’t at all. During their training, just about all desire for experimentation is squelched out of them in the name of safety. This is a laudable motive but is it taken too far? Few Aes Sedai take up weave research and experimentation when they are raised. Cadsuane recently developed the weave over the box which restrains an intruder and sounds an alarm. The traditional weave would have destroyed the box’s contents of male a’dam and access key, but Cadsuane doubts that it would work on the a’dam. It wouldn’t, since it’s cuendillar and she should have known that. The weaves are inverted so no one can see them.

The women largely ignore the access key (as does whoever raids the box) and concentrate on the a’dam. It implies that the thief perhaps did not know its function – as a Wise One would not, because Rand had not used it after the cleansing of saidin, and the mechanics, indeed the cleansing generally, has not been widely discussed among characters. If the thief believed that no male should use it, then they likely would have taken it. Shaidar Haran would know what the access key was and taken it as the highest possible inducement or sign of favour for a male Forsaken, or to prevent an ambitious Forsaken from trying to supplant the Dark One. Therefore I don’t think Shaidar Haran raided the box. This would be discussed further in Chapters 22 and 23 of the read-through.

Cadsuane has studied the bracelet of the male a’dam with her group and she wants to test the collar on a man, so she kept one. However Rand won’t allow her to because of his own trauma from captivity. Egwene would agree with him, as we see in her reaction to Elaida’s enslavement. Bair thinks testing it is too dangerous, however Sorilea agrees with Cadsuane. Cadsuane tested a female a’dam earlier but was unable to escape the collar and had to be released by the bracelet holder. This was quite brave and dedicated of her; it could easily have resulted in her losing face among the Aes Sedai or in her leashholder revealing herself to be a Darkfriend.

Sorilea and Cadsuane are agreed that the male a’dam is evil. Nynaeve told Cadsuane there was only one and it was supposed to be thrown into the deeps. She did not explain how she knew. Sorilea and Bair fear Rand being enslaved with it. Sorilea says the Seanchan can’t be trusted and implies Rand shouldn’t treat with them. This is attitude is increasingly prevalent in The Gathering Storm and Towers of Midnight and Aviendha witnesses in the glass columns where it will lead to.

Cadsuane told Sorilea and Bair that the other a’dam are stored elsewhere and are being studied by retired Aes Sedai. She did not say they also have Callandor. Cadsuane believes Callandor has secrets that need to be researched and she tells more of this towards the end of The Gathering Storm: that it probably has other flaws besides magnifying the taint and lacking a buffer to prevent overdrawing the Power ( see Callandor section of the Sa'angreal article). Moreover it appears to feature extensively in the prophecies, which is what has spurred Cadsuane to research it (see Prophecies of the Dragon).

Sorilea suggests that they need to work out a plan to manage Rand for the good of all and Cadsuane agrees. They meet in the Wise Ones’ tents in the next day and the a’dam is burgled while Cadsuane is out. But, as I said above, this is for Chapters 22 and 23.

The Gathering Storm Read-Through #15: Chapter 13 - An Offer and a Departure

By Linda


WARNING: CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR TOWERS OF MIDNIGHT

Chapter 13 is Gawyn’s POV and follows on naturally from Egwene’s POV of the previous chapter. Egwene thinks Gawyn is too independent in his thinking. We see he’s not comfortable at all about his situation and is only content when he’s sparring because then he can stop thinking. Like Aviendha, Gawyn is a person of action. He finds peace and stillness in working the sword, which is great for his military prowess but not so good for planning a course of action or for self awareness. The Pattern is holding Gawyn in stasis until sheer frustration forces him to change.

Gawyn’s admiring recount of Sleete’s tale is interesting. Apparently someone (of the Shadow) wanted people from the Dumai’s Wells battle:

The villagers there had been tempted to sell Sleete to a local band of bandits—their leader had visited earlier promising them safety as a reward for revealing any refugees from the nearby battle. However, the mayor's daughter had argued for Sleete's life, convincing them that the bandits must be Darkfriends if they were seeking wounded Warders.

The Gathering Storm, An Offer and a Departure

Male or female, channeller or non-channeller was not specified, and the word ‘revealed’ indicates that the bandits may also have been after information – say of the location of an Aes Sedai or an Asha’man.

Gawyn admires Warders for their humility and dedication. He has neither and this is a pointer to where his sub-thread is headed in The Gathering Storm and Towers of Midnight. He is prophesied to be Egwene’s Warder yet is currently unsuitable to be one, not in fighting ability, but in character.

But then Moiraine complained that Lan, the best of the Warders, was lacking in humility:

Moiraine sniffed. "Your humility, Lan Gaidin, has always been more arrogance than most kings could manage with their armies at their backs. From the first day I met you, it has been so."

The Great Hunt, Watchers

and when he fell in love with Nynaeve she started to doubt his dedication too.

Gawyn’s resentful dig at Rand (as well as Aes Sedai):

While Aes Sedai manipulated the world and monsters like al'Thor got the glory,

The Gathering Storm, An Offer and a Departure

shows another important issue in his thread: his envy of Rand which has developed into hatred. The full extent of this comes out when he talks with Elayne in Towers of Midnight.

Gawyn is described as a creature of light and shadow, an ambivalent figure because he has aided evil as much as good; the very thing he rails against Rand for doing.

In his efforts to secure Gawyn as Hattori’s second Warder Sleete says Gawyn belongs with the Warders, that he is one of them. This is not yet true as Gawyn himself recognises:

That was one reason that Gawyn wouldn't make a good Warder. He didn't trust Aes Sedai. His mother had, and look where that had gotten her. And how the White Tower had treated Elayne and Egwene . . . well, he might support the Aes Sedai, but he certainly didn't trust them... Sensible men stayed away from them when possible, and obeyed them with alacrity whenstaying away was impossible. Gawyn had trouble doing either; his bloodline prevented staying away, his pride interfered with obeying them.

The Gathering Storm, An Offer and a Departure

Gawyn is briefly tempted by Sleete’s offer but thoughts of Egwene stop him from committing.

Sleete says Hattori would have herself assigned to Andor to be Gawyn’s Aes Sedai. He pointed out to Gawyn that all decisions were bad on the day of the coup, which consoled Gawyn because he respects Sleete. Sleete is convinced that there are wise women in the Tower who will end the division. He seems to know Aes Sedai politics and certainly is aware that Hattori is low-ranked because she is a weak channeller:

”But she's also not influential, so the others don't listen to her. Aes Sedai. Sometimes, all they seem to care about is who carries the biggest stick."
Gawyn leaned closer. One rarely heard talk about Aes Sedai ranking and influence. They didn't have ranks, like the military, but they all instinctively knew who among them was in charge. How did it work? Sleete seemed to have some idea, but he didn't talk further on it, so it would have to remain a mystery for now.

The Gathering Storm, An Offer and a Departure

Hattori sounds almost more Brown than Green in that she chose a Warder who is more natural than polished, and is too “busy with other tasks” to find another Warder. Perhaps she is a good delegator and trusts Sleete’s judgement - although trusting a man’s judgement to that extent is also unusual, even in a Green.

According to Sleete Hattori disliked the divisiveness of Elaida’s regime and wanted out of the Tower. After the failure of the Embassy she was concerned to report to the Greens about Elaida’s “true plans” but was kept from telling senior Greens what Elaida’s orders were as long as possible, and had to send her report via message, rather than in person.

Gawyn’s consciousness of the responsibility to pay workers a fair wage is one of the few times he appears in a positive light. In contrast, Elaida’s Aes Sedai are woefully arrogant and ignorant about it.

Katerine returned to Dorlan to show the Aes Sedai there Travelling so they and the Younglings can raid the rebels. She deliberately let Gawyn overhear that Egwene is being abused in the Tower as punishment for being rebel Amyrlin. Gawyn is convinced that Egwene is being tortured (true) and will be stilled and executed. In a flap he rides off for the rebel camp. Sleete deduced his intentions but let him go because a) he sympathises with him and b) he thinks Gawyn might find a way to help end the conflict.

Post #27 of Wheel of Time Costume

By Linda

The costume styles of the Tuatha'an and the Whitecloaks were added to Part 2 of the Wheel of Time Costume article today. The Whitecloak uniform is medieval in style, whereas the rest of the current mainland nations have costumes dating from 1500s to 1800s in the real world. Thus Whitecloak dress is 300 years or more 'out of date', reflecting their old-fashioned views.

For the full Costume article from the beginning click here.

I am almost at the end of this series. There are only 1 or 2 more posts to go.

Post #3 for JordanCon 2011

By Linda


Goldwork Embroidery Workshop
























First thing on Sunday morning was my workshop on how to apply gold and silver thread and coils (purls) onto fabric to embellish costumes, particularly dresses (I'm wearing an example of my work, see photos above) and coats. In earlier times the gold coils were real gold wire and the thread was made out of thin strips of gold wrapped around a silk core, and only nobles could afford such expensive materials and the skilled needleworker that applied them. The silver tarnished eventually and turned black after some years. These days we have synthetic gold thread, usually metallised polyamide or similar.

My students all were experienced at embroidery and they learned the techniques quickly. They were a lovely class and I really enjoyed demonstrating for them.


Black Tower and Red Blood

The dark doings at the Black Tower have spawned almost as many theories as the death of Asmodean. Most attendees agreed that channellers are being turned to the Shadow by a circle of 13 with 13 Myrddraal. Some think that Taim was one, if not the, first of these. But Taim’s eyes are not dead as the turned channellers are. Logain said in Knife of Dreams News for the Dragon that Taim was so eager to learn where Rand was that:

His eyes were practically on fire.

We also talked about Logain being missing, and the six Reds and Androl. Tarna has been turned and Javindhra is probably Black.

Many readers are exasperated that Rand has not gone to the Black Tower to find out what is going on. Most of what is happening there is very obviously being held over to the last book.


Last Theory Panel

The last WOT panel for JordanCon was billed as the Last Theory Panel Ever, but since A Memory of Light is not likely to be published before the next JordanCon it won’t be. It was the place to discuss anything that fans felt the previous panels didn’t touch on enough. The role of Lanfear/Cyndane in the next books and the degree to which Moridin is controlling her was a major topic of discussion.

I finished JordanCon quite exhausted but had a great time. The only thing I wish was that we all had more time to sit and chat.

Now I’m in New York for about a week to walk a lot, and visit museums and (book) shops. Less than 4 months until WorldCon in Reno!

Post #2 for JordanCon 2011

By Linda


This recount of day 2 at JordanCon is brought to you from New York City where I will be holidaying/resting for a week or so.

Bright and early on Saturday I helped costumer Pinky Shear on her “The Devil’s In the Details” costume panel. She is a brilliant designer and creator of costumes as was evident in the work she displayed. Her aim was to give advice on how to make a more authentic-looking, yet flattering, costume:

• Take into account your body type and personality when choosing the character or national dress you wish to emulate.


• Appropriate accessories are essential for a really believable look. Pinky recommends using my costume article and the period paintings it contains.


• Drapery fabric is a good choice for costuming because it stands up to the wear well. Besides, in earlier times they used heavier fabrics than we do these days.


• Using a lot of a cheaper fabric and highlights of a more expensive fabric makes costuming a lot more economical. So you can make more costumes! Or buy more books!


• Appliquing motifs, stripes, braid or decorative ribbon can add interest or contrast. A small amount of a different colour in your costume can really give it a lift.

Aviendha’s visit to the Waste panel

Matt Hatch, Amanda Keene and I discussed Aviendha’s trip to Rhuidean in Towers of Midnight. We had heaps to say, and so did the audience, which is as it should be! We could have gone on twice as long.

For instance, was Nakomi really there, or in Aviendha’s dream, or in Tel’aran’rhiod? Is/was she a Wise One, or Verin, or a Forsaken? Myself, I think she was a Wise One.

And what of the glass columns? Amanda made the great suggestion that they have sentience. Others think they work via need, as Tel’aran’rhiod does.

Were Aviendha’s visions a Foretelling or a possible future? Do the Seanchan take over the world no matter what Aviendha does?

I think that the Aiel will break over whether to be warriors or peacekeepers and the Seanchan will break over sul’dam being able to learn to channel and whether to continue to collar damane.


News of A Memory of Light

I was not surprised to learn that A Memory of Light will probably be out later in 2012 rather than earlier. (Northern hemisphere autumn/fall, say, rather than spring). Not rushing the book is a very good idea.

Post #1 for JordanCon 2011

By Linda


What with 20 hour flights, jetlag and the onrush of events at JordanCon, I’ve had little time to post anything since Monday.

I’m delighted to say that I’ve met up with so many WOT friends from last year, plus some new ones. At dinner on Thursday I sat next to the JordanCon guest of honour David Coe, who is awesome, and also met the ever entertaining Leigh Butler or Tor.Com. Among the many things discussed over dinner was publishing trends in fantasy, especially changes in book length, something of great interest to Brandon Sanderson. I was amazed to learn that David Coe and his family spent a year in my own home town in Australia (which isn’t a major city, so that is quite unexpected). Good news is that Brandon is coming to Australia about May/June next year.

The Con was opened on Friday afternoon by Richard Fife with lots of really fun participation from guest participants and Con goers.

Jason Denzel, Leigh Butler, Amanda Keene (of Tarvalon.net) and I were on the Towers of Midnight review panel straight after. One thing we were asked was whether we liked Towers of Midnight or The Gathering Storm more than the other. Jason loved the close focus on two characters of The Gathering Storm. Leigh liked Towers of Midnight. It’s a tough call though, because neither book is independent of the other. There was lots of audience participation, which was great and many good points were made. All agreed that Perrin’s hammer forging was the best scene. Many thought that Mat’s scene was predictable because it was foreshadowed so much.

The next panel I attended was the Boom Boom panel, where Alan Romanczuk and I talked about historic development of cannon and gunpowder versus how this is being shown in the series. In the Wheel of Time world, it’s the military organisation which is furtherest behind in development. The Whitecloaks are from the medieval era and so is the lack of gunpowder weapons. Other technologies and organisations are further along: there are a few renaissance influences, but most are 17th to early 19th century. The audience had lots of creative ideas for using channellers to protect the gunpowder weapons or to make gateways to assist in their deployment. The appropriate length and thickness of the cannon were also much discussed.

Next there was an interlude for dinner during which we had spectacularly stormy weather, with hail and very heavy downpours. Some people flying to the Con that evening suffered lengthy delays to their flights.

The Looney Theories panel – brought to us by Theoryland and Team Moiraine - matched up to last year’s inaugural version. The two top looney theories were 1) that the Song will be used to kill the Dark One and 2) that Min will conceive babies which will gateway into Aviendha’s womb to join Aviendha’s two already there (2+2...) to fulfil her viewing that Aviendha will have 4 babies at once. Third most popular was that Cenn Buie is the Dark One.

Three Days to JordanCon!

By Linda


In nine hours' time, at dawn, I shall be off to the airport to fly to Atlanta and JordanCon. My husband accompanies me this time. Consequently, what with being in transit, then recovering from the journey and jetlag, I shall not be posting until JordanCon starts on Friday. I will then post regular short updates on what is happening at the convention and hopefully what new information is revealed about the series.

After the convention we have a weeks' holiday in New York, plus we shall meet up with Old Salt, who posts here on the blog sometimes.

The Gathering Storm Read-Through #14: Chapter 12 - Unexpected Encounters

By Linda


WARNING: CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR TOWERS OF MIDNIGHT

In her confinement, Egwene rightly feels at risk of being distracted by the long list of problems the various Aes Sedai have:

Keep focused, she told herself. Clean the patch of floor you're working on first before you move on to the rest of the house.

The Gathering Storm, Unexpected Encounters

An appropriate metaphor for the servant of the Servants as well as an inn-keeper’s daughter.

The White Tower is divided and Rand’s men Bond sisters. How could Rand allow it, Egwene wonders. The same way that Aes Sedai could allow division: by being subverted by the Shadow. It works because no one speaks up. Even Egwene hasn’t said: stop the division, you are being subverted while the fate of the world is at stake.

Egwene thinks Gawyn is competent at looking after himself. This is not what she usually says about men. Perhaps this is to stop herself worrying about him. She thinks Gawyn might be too competent at looking after himself, possibly a reference to his founding of the Younglings to serve Elaida. I’m not sure that Gawyn would agree with Egwene’s assessment.

Egwene consoles herself that the rebels would deal with Asha’man Bonding. This is not so; no one has achieved anything yet. The rebel Aes Sedai are just penned outside the Black Tower where they can be taken and turned to the Shadow.

Bennae’s room is full of books and skeletons – some still being constructed – symbolic of the Aes Sedai depositories, and the skeletons in the closet that is the thirteenth depository. Bennae has made notes on the bones of the human skeleton and she took note of all Egwene said about the thirteenth. Her room also contains mummified birds and astronomical instruments. The latter refer to Bennae needing aid to find her way out of her predicament. Birds symbolise wisdom and intelligence, here preserved in secret where few can access it.

Egwene bends her head for a model of the Sun, a reference to her future acknowledgement of Rand, who is the solar character (see Rand essay especially here). Then she moves the dusty skeleton of a rat. Rats are creatures of the Shadow and the Forsaken were long preserved in the Bore. In Towers of Midnight Egwene moves the infestation of rats that is Mesaana and the Black Ajah from the Tower...

Bennae tests Egwene with her own problem that she can’t solve. Her very question shows why she is in trouble. Bennae’s not circumspect or subtle enough. As the symbolism of her room anticipates, the Brown’s council are upset she knows about the thirteenth depository. Naturally the Council suspects someone of the Brown in the know has blabbed. Egwene suggests Bennae reassure the Council no one has been indiscreet and put herself forward as trustworthy enough to join the select group that looks after the depository. This means Egwene is condoning the existence of secret archives. She never questions whether they are a good idea or right. In contrast, Rand, until he came under the influence of the Shadow, revealed such secrets so that people would know why things were and what they were fighting for.

Egwene gives Bennae some good advice:

"Unjust punishment sometimes cannot be avoided, but it is best never to let others forget that it is unjust. If she simply accepts the way people treat her, then it won't be long before they assume she deserves the position they've placed her in." And thank you, Silviana, for that little bit of advice.

The Gathering Storm, Unexpected Encounters

which she takes; advice which came from Silviana, who was duty bound to discipline Shemerin for accepting her unjust punishment. Bennae’s situation is not as fraught as that of Shemerin: an Amyrlin gives Bennae helpful advice, whereas an Amyrlin gave Shemerin her unjust punishment.

Egwene proved this was not a fluke by advising Nagora. Then she went to Suana, who is the first Ajah Head to show Egwene she wants her in her Ajah. All these scenes show Egwene is being accepted as Aes Sedai by other Aes Sedai. Egwene will be of all Ajahs, in the sense that nearly all of them feel she might fit in their Ajah. Egwene’s situation is rather like that of an apprentice Wise One: she declared herself an Aes Sedai and they are coming to accept her as one. Note that Wise Ones are not divided into formal groups. They are not even touched by clan feuds.

Suana’s room is full of life and fertility, but affected by the Shadow’s Blight. Suana is here described as plump and round-faced, but later in The Gathering Storm Sealed to the Flame, she is bony and lanky.

Meidani’s rooms symbolise all nations – in fact, all continents except Seanchan – by containing examples of their weapons and crafts.

Egwene stares down Meidani until she becomes uncertain, then questions her, rather than accept Meidani questioning of her authority. She thinks that Meidani should have run even if this betrayed to Elaida that she and the other ferrets knew that Elaida was onto them.

Egwene describes the hallway under the Tower as spiralling like the Great Serpent. It could represent another serpent, a Forsaken, since Mesaana has rooms down here in Tel’aran’rhiod.

Secret meetings in the basement, and oaths administered without a warrant are crimes. Egwene points out that the Tower Aes Sedai are committing crimes as much as rebels are. In retaliation the Sitters threaten to order Meidani to send Egwene for penance. Egwene uses this to prove they are using the oath road as a tool of division and bullying. This is why an oath of obedience is a bad idea. Yet she made rebel Aes Sedai swear to her.

An Amyrlin is not a bully:

"Is the Amyrlin Seat's authority, then, in her power to channel?" Egwene asked. "Is she nothing more than a bully, obeyed because she can force others to do as she demands?"

The Gathering Storm, Unexpected Encounters

A large part of Elaida’s status comes from her strength in saidar, as it does for all Aes Sedai. Egwene doesn’t go down this path far though to reconsider the justness of Aes Sedai ranking.

If the Amyrlin couldn’t channel she wouldn’t be Amyrlin, so Egwene is not entirely right.

Since Siuan’s removal is “unorthodox” Elaida was not “properly” raised. Even worse, as Egwene deduces, the Black Ajah hunters found a Black Sitter, so Siuan’s deposition is invalid. Egwene thinks it is worth considering the validy of Elaida’s election:

"You call us false, Yukiri? Which Amyrlin would you rather follow? The one who has been making novices and Accepted out of Aes Sedai, banishing an entire Ajah, and causing divisions in the Tower more dangerous than any army that ever assaulted it? A woman who was raised partially through the help of the Black Ajah?”

The Gathering Storm, Unexpected Encounters

From which Egwene decides that it is wrong to raise or depose an Amyrlin without the full Hall sitting. This is one belief that Egwene does follow up in Towers of Midnight.

Egwene’s most telling point is one few Aes Sedai have openly realised, even though it is obvious:

"I think we all are serving the interests of the Shadow," Egwene said sharply, "so long as we allow ourselves to remain divided.”

The Gathering Storm, Unexpected Encounters

Egwene congratulates the four Sitters of different Ajahs for working together and orders them to work for unity and to release Meidani from the fourth Oath of obedience. They do both these things. They might have done the former unasked, but probably not the latter.

Post #26 of Wheel of Time Costume

By Linda

The costume styles of the Tear were added to Part 2 of the Wheel of Time Costume article today. Tairen nobles wear clothing strongly influenced by 16th century Europe, notably "Spanish fashion" for the men. The commoners wear clothing with South East Asian and Mediterranean and Armenian influences. Spain once owned colonies in East Asia.


For the full Costume article from the beginning click here.

I am almost at the end of this series. There are only 2 or 3 more posts to go.

The Gathering Storm Read-Through #13: Chapter 11 - The Death of Adrin

By Linda


WARNING: CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR TOWERS OF MIDNIGHT

In Aviendha’s POV we get a completely different cultural perspective on recent events and on mainlander society. The Aiel are not worried about the overcast sky because it is shade to them; whereas mainlanders feel oppressed by it. What upsets the Aiel is if there is no fighting, or the hunt was unsuccessful.

Aviendha and Maidens are careful not to step on each others’ dignities, careful to play their assigned roles properly. Like the Seanchan, the Aiel have defined roles and obligations in their respective societies with sanctioned and formalised movement from one station to another.

The Aiel are affronted that Rand did not take Aiel guards with him when he met with Ituralde. As Rand should have explained to them, had he done so, at the least the Domani would have been unreceptive to him, considering Ituralde’s comments on Aiel. At worst, the Domani would have attacked Rand’s group. Rand uses people as tools rather than accepts their aid or works with them.

Useless labour is extremely shaming to Aiel. Aes Sedai use Labour, too, for discipline, but it is low-ranked rather than useless labour. Note though, that when Sulin worked as a servant for a few weeks she found it extremely shaming.

Aviendha accepts the mainlanders’ fondness for complaining because Elayne does it - and Elayne does it a lot! She thinks it is a way of bonding or showing humility. Elayne laughed at this misunderstanding and Aviendha misread that too. Now Aviendha thinks complaining is a mainlander way of showing honour. It is unthinkable to an Aiel that some people don’t care about honour at all, or that some actions don’t affect honour.

Aviendha wants to think over problems more as Elayne does and not be so much the woman of action. A double irony here: many of Elayne’s actions are impulsive, and Aviendha thinks over her problem of why she is being punished for many days and only solves it when she is goaded into snapping and acting.

The Wise Ones’ “tests” show Aviendha that they are consulting her as a Wise One and effectively meeting her half-way. All she has to do is have the confidence to say she is one of them. In a way she is as overly concerned with rank as with honour. In this she reminds me of Elza:

Elza was always very conscious of where she stood with respect to other sisters, perhaps too much so.

Winter’s Heart, Bonds

The Saldaean soldier Adrin turns to bitumen and spontaneously combusts. This evil fire – hellfire? – resisted Aviendha’s attempts to put it out with a direct weave. She had to use indirect weaves to pull water from the river to quench it ‘naturally’.

The bubble of evil makes Rand fly into an intense rage and yell challenges at the Dark One. Aviendha remarks on his erratic moods. Mental instability would be more accurate but she cuts Rand slack because she loves him and because he has earned so much honour.

Melaine faces down Merise when she gives Aviendha a back-handed complement on her channelling; falsely claiming that Aes Sedai teaching could improve her weaves further. Interestingly, Melaine thinks that Cadsuane might have been able to do what Aviendha did. It’s true that Cadsuane is next in strength in saidar in the camp, but presumably she’s next in dexterity as well.

Melaine wonders aloud to herself what the Aiel will do after the Last Battle, broken as they are prophesied to be. Aviendha takes this in; she has not considered this much before now. This will be crucial once the penny drops on why she is being punished and she is sent to Rhuidean.

Aviendha reacts negatively to mainland comforts because they would lull an Aiel into a false sense of security and thus would be too risky. This attitude too will crop up in her visit to Rhuidean.

The violence and feuding in Aiel society is evident here and explains much of what Aviendha will see in the glass columns in Rhuidean. The Aiel need to change or else the Peace after Armageddon will not include them and they will bring everyone else to the brink with them.

JordanCon 2011 panels - a couple to whet your appetite!

By Linda



Here are fuller descriptions of two of the Wheel of Time panels at JordanCon 2011 Atlanta from April 15th-17th.

Black Tower and Red Blood

Bullying, cronyism, impenetrable barriers, mysterious disappearances and even more mysterious identities: it’s all happening at the Black Tower. Who is Taim really? What is going on in his palace? How will the Tower be rent in fire and blood? Come and tell us your theory and hear ours.


The Boom-Boom Panel

Gunpowder itself, matches, early grenades, and mortars have been developed so far. True cannon are just around the corner. What other brilliant things will Aludra invent? What brilliant tactics will Mat use to deploy them? What problems will they face? Will cannon be used against damane as well as Shadowspawn and Dreadlords? Have your say.

Details on JordanCon are here.


Hope to see you there!