Tag Archives: robert jordan

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The Shadow Rising Read Along: The Schedule

JordanShadowRisingBannerHello folks, the WoT Quad will be continuing our merry adventures in The Wheel of Time series by doing a read along of Book 4, The Shadow Rising. Here is the schedule.

6/2/13 Week 1: Chapters 1-3, 92 pages, Hosted by Coffee, Cookies, & Chili Peppers
6/9/13 Week 2: Chapters 4-10, 96 pages, Hosted by Eivind (our most active & entertaining commenter)
6/16/13 Week 3: Chapters 11-17, 93 pages, Hosted by Dab of Darkness
6/23/13 Week 4: Chapters 18-23, 95 pages, Hosted by Musings on Fantasia
6/30/13 Week 5: Chapters 24-30, 100 pages, Hosted by Coffee, Cookies, & Chili Peppers
7/7/13 Week 6: Chapters 31-36, 103 pages, Hosted by Eivind
7/14/13 Week 7: Chapters 37-42, 103 pages, Hosted by Dab of Darkness
7/21/13 Week 8: Chapters 43-48, 102 pages, Hosted by Musings on Fantasia
7/28/13 Week 9: Chapters 49-53, 89 pages, Hosted by Coffee, Cookies, & Chili Peppers
8/4/13 Week 10: Chapters 54-END, 89 pages, Hosted by Eivind

Anyone is welcome to join us. If you would like to receive the weekly discussion questions a few days ahead of time, leave me a comment below and an email address.

I’m really looking forward to learning more about Rand Land, the Dark One’s plots, and future of our heroes. Being a part of this read along makes it that much more fun. Join us if you can.

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The Dragon Reborn Part V

JordanDragonReborn BannerWelcome back all! Here we are in week 5 of The Dragon Reborn, where we cover chapters 40-48. I’ll be hosting this week, so please leave your link to your post in the comments so we can visit one another. Spoilers roam free below.

1) In this section, we see Mat putting on a tough demeanor and then shelling out coins to those who need it. Do you think such behavior will perpetuate his good luck, in a karmic sense, or will he be taken advantage of?

Can I say both? I know, I made up the questions this week. But Mat needs all the karmic help he can get because 1) He’s up against some mighty foes and fumbling around in the dark and 2) He keeps trying to slack off his load. Slacker. Yep, I just called Mat a slacker.

And yes, sooner or later, someone may well use Mat and his kind inner core to do either him harm or someone close to him. I applaud him for shucking off Lanfear earlier in the book, but can he recognize a sneaky male foe in the same way? Well, some dude who wants to be buddies as I don’t get the impression that this epic fantasy will be inclusive of the homosexual or bisexual male population (pouty face).

2) Loial is writing a journal of sorts of his adventures. What do you think he is focusing on?

OK, so the little kid part of me that still believes that The Neverending Story is for real, says that we are reading Loial’s journal. Yes, that Loial and all live in some alternate universe and Loial wrote down the adventure and then somehow, through some worm hole or other, Robert Jordan was gifted with it. Then Jordan spent decades translating the work and putting polish to it to bring us The Wheel of Time.

That’s my theory, and I am stikcing to it.

3) At Easing the Badger Inn, Perrin is treated to some bawdy songs, making him blush furiously. Have you ever found yourself in such a situation unexpectedly?

The first time I saw The Rocky Horror Picture Show was the college stage silliness with the movie playing in the background. I had not seen it in highschool and my housemate was playing the blonde lady (Janet?). So, she dragged me along to it on Halloween night. I was also to meet my new-ish, sort of boyfriend there and perhaps go to some party afterwards. Well, I didn’t get a lot of the audience participation because it was all brand new to me and the fishnets were so fishnetty and the androgynous characters made me think of 80s rock bands (I grew up on country music – which I abandoned for alternative as soon as I left the house). Anyway, it was culture shock – in a good way. Yes, I was blushing. And then my date stood me up.

I went back to the house after the show. He called, gave me some lame excuse, I called him on it. 20 minutes later, he showed up drunk, dressed as an angel. We chatted. He fell asleep on the table. I kicked him out. He called late the next day, sober, apologized profusely. 15 years and 6.5 months later, we are still together.  The power of fishnets.

So, maybe this blushing episode will mean a future lasting relationship for Perrin. And I wouldn’t mind seeing him in a fishnet shirt.

Pico is fixated on another kitty off-camera.

Pico is fixated on another kitty off-camera.

4) Illian has issues. Darkfriends, Darkhounds, Grey Men, and a Forsaken. Do you think all that badass evil is there for Perrin or Moiraine, or is there something else about Illian that brings them?

Ooooo! This is a good question because I still haven’t made up my mind on it. On one hand, we know that Perrin is ta’veren, so the Dark One wants him in a bad way. We know Moiraine has done much to thwart the Dark One, so he probably wouldn’t mind removing her from the picture – but has he designated resources to do that? Hmmm… But on the other hand, Illian seems to be in the throes of some mass depression and paranoia. So, I am guessing some of these baddies have been in residence for at least a few months. But why? That I don’t know yet. Let’s say the Grey Men are after Perrin. Moiraine is simply bonus points if eliminated. And the group of good guys happened to walk into a snake pit that was busy minding it’s own evil business ruining lives and trying to take over the world.

5) Mat makes it to Caemlyn and proceeds to play delivery boy for Elayne’s letter to her mum. As luck would have it, he overhears a plot to take Elayne’s head. Whose danger is greater: Morgase’s or Elayne’s?

Right now, I would say Elayne. Obviously whatever dark forces want Elayne dead have decided that Morgase is currently useful to them (I assume without her knowing). Elayne has plenty of danger on her plate to avoid, but she isn’t expecting this danger. So while she is on high alert, she probably is tightly focused on the Black Ajah she hunts and looking out for Grey Men.

6) Egwene, Elayne, and Nynaeve make it safely to shore and nestle down with a Wise Woman called Mother Guenna. What do you think of Nynaeve’s caution and Egwene’s snippy behavior?

OK, you know how several people find Nynaeve’s abrupt behavior annoying in the first 2 books? Well, Egwene is turning into that annoying person with all her snippy behavior. On one hand I understand she wants to be treated as an adult, not a child. On the other hand, I think she is seeing conflict where there is no conflict. Perhaps she is being subtly influenced by her dreaming, some dark influence as I believe that TAR place is, and has been for many decades, the stomping ground of grief, consternation, and evil concentrated.

Nynaeve’s caution does her credit and I can see that she has learned the benefits of trying to blend in and stay below the radar. Perhaps she will live a few more books.

Other Tidbits:

Mat has fireworks. Is anyone else concerned? I know Thom is concerned.

Hopper is very concerned that the Grey Men are after Perrin. But Hopper doesn’t really answer Perrin’s questions. I think this is because Hopper was deeply concerned, perhaps shocked, and then focused on keeping Perrin safe, which means kicking him out of Dream Land while warning him to flee.

I found Mat’s whole escapade to get into to see Morgase quite amusing. He made it sound so simple. Then he was denied at the gate. So he climbed Rand’s wall and lurked around corners and in bushes, where he overhears that plotting death conversation. He ‘brilliant’ idea to simply tell Morgase about the plot didn’t work out so well.

What Others Think:

Musings on Fantasia

Coffee, Cookies, & Chili Peppers

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The Dragon Reborn Read Along Part IV

JordanDragonReborn BannerWelcome back everyone. This week covers Chapters 31-39. Evind, our awesome commenter, came up with the discussion questions this week. He doesn’t have a blog, so please leave your links, and any comments/questions you have for Evind, in the comments below.

Spoilers dance riotously below. Just saying.

1. So Thom is back! …again! What do you think happened in Cairhien since we were there last?

I was very happy to see Thom. Unfortunately, I had hoped that he would have gone into some sort of superhero vengeful training, making his super fit and ready to kick some major ass. But, alas, no. He is drunk. And wenching. And puking. Sigh. Thom, Thom, really? This is how you are going about making revenge on those who killed your latest love?

As for what has been going on in Cairhien since, well I would say not as much butt kicking as I had hoped. Has anyone else read The Dark Angel trilogy by Brent Weeks? Yeah, well, I wanted Thom to go all dark angel on the high, mighty, and evil of Cairhien.

2. Perrin and the girls bring us some more info on the Aiel, turning them towards Tear in the process. What role do you think this elusive people will play?

I am very excited to see some Aiel. They have this prophecy that seems to not only involve Rand, but themselves, in being instrumental in marshaling in a new world, a new age. So, I hope that means we will be seeing a lot more of the Aiel. I like that the women, as well as the men, can be deadly hunters and warriors, and that the Aiel don’t think this odd at all. As for what they may or may not do specifically in Tear, assuming they make it there around the same time as Rand, I am not sure. Put on their black masks and dance a bit with some bad guys? *fingers crossed, hoping*

3. Our newest character is Zarine Bashere, or Faile, or whatever. She fulfills half of Min’s viewing. What do you make of this one?

I am ambivalent. She started off skulking, but not tattling. So this probably means one of two things: 1) She is to gather intel and report to someone else (good or bad?); or 2) She is in this for herself and is seeking adventure. I am not sure I like her yet, though she does have a practical streak that shows in her clothing. This bodes well. Plus, she carries knives, which is a plus in my book. You rarely catch me without at least 1 knife. Mandarb might be a little presumptuous of her to call herself. I liked how Perrin pointed out the horse of the same name.

4. We get a rare bit of insight into the workings of the enemy when Perrin overhears a conversation between Lanfear and Ba’alzamon. Does it strike anyone that they could be more effective if they worked together a bit more? What do you think of the nature of Ba’alzaman?

If the bad guys were united, the Two Rivers folks would not stand a chance. So, I am glad to see that Lanfear and Ba’alzamon are not the best of buddies and seem to be at cross purposes. So far, through the first 2 books and Book 3 up to this point, Ba’alzamon does not seem to be of high intelligence. He has all this great power and seems to be use to using his single trick – dream messaging – to bully people into doing his bidding. Lanfear, on the other hand, strikes me as a planner and schemer and someone I would lose easily to at chess.

5. For a book named after him, Rand PoVs seem conspicuously rare. This time we see him slay a dozen people unprovoked. Madness setting in, or justified?

He slaughtered folks unprovoked? Am I a bad listener? I don’t recall that. Hmm… rifling through paperback……this may take a moment. OK, I found it. The end of Chapter 36 – Rand kills a woman and her guards. Then he has all 10 corpses kneel to him, but oddly there are 11 and the 11st holds a dagger. So, at first I think this is all real, that he has actually killed those folks. But then the kneeling corpses and the added 11th makes me think that may be a dream sequence. For some reason, Rand felt the woman was the most dangerous – perhaps fearing Black Ajah? I hope we hear more on this bit.

Tofu being Shy Kitty.

Tofu being Shy Kitty.

6. There seems to be a connection between Egwene’s T’A'R and Perrin’s wolf dream. Do you think he is a dreamer, too? Can Egwene speak to wolves? Does Rand have anything there to do? Speculation is welcome.

We’ve seen Perrin chitchatting with the wolves in dreams for all three (or two?) books so far, so yes, in a this one way at least, Perrin is a dreamer. Now is it all T’A'R, or is it two different dream worlds that occasionally overlap, I don’t know.

No, I don’t think Egwene can talk to wolves. Well, perhaps if there was a great need and Perrin taught her, if that is possible. But right now, no. In the future? Who knows, long series, lots of crazy shit can still happen.

Does Rand have anything to do in T’A'R? Well, for the last two books, Rand had to fight Ba’alzamon in a dream sequence, which was probably T’A'R. So, I am going to guess that he may have to do so again because it seems to be the only way Ba’alzamon has of interacting drastically with mortals.

Other Tidbits:

So, last week we had a question about Mat escaping from Tar Valon anytime soon. Well, here we are, one week later, and Mat did escape. Haha!

I like that Loial is able to travel with the crew and not be completely an anomaly. In fact, several places seem to think he is good luck and have special beds just in case an Ogier happens by!

I do get tired of Moiraine telling all the younglings to not question her. really, Moiraine, how the hell are they to learn anything, comprehend the situation if you treat them like mushrooms all the time? I love Perrin for pushing back.

Nynaeve, Egwene, and Elayne fall prey to brigands, and are being sold to Myrrdraal. Shudder. Then Nynaeve whips out some balefire to set things right. Hmm….Note to self: Do NOT piss off Nynaeve.

What Others Think:

Musings on Fantasia

Coffee, Cookies, & Chili Peppers

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The Dragon Reborn Read Along Part III

JordanDragonReborn BannerApologies for the late posting. I spent yesterday arguing with inanimate objects (busted water pipe, raspberries, and warp threads) and my hands, back, and mental acuity were used up by these endeavors. Anyway, this week is being hosted by Sue at Coffee, Cookies, & Chili Peppers, so make sure to stop by her place to see what everyone else thinks. This week covered Chapters 21-30. There be Spoilers throwing a party below.

1. We see Verin hoarding a collection of Corianin Sedai’s writings on Dreaming. Do you think that she should share them (or selected portions) with Egwene or do you think that blundering around in the dark is the best way to learn how to do something?

If Verin is secretly Black Ajah, then letting Egwene blunder in Dreaming is a great way for the Dark One to influence her or at least see what she is up to. If Verin is not Black, then she is a short sighted idiot in this manner. Or she was directed by someone, perhaps the Amyrlin Seat, to let Egwene blunder in order to fulfill some brainless prophecy. Either way, makes for an entertaining story and that is why I am here.

2. In her testing for becoming Accepted, we see Egwene as Amyrlin. Can you accept this as a possible future for her or is it too improbable?

Well, this is a 14 book series, and I expect the Two Rivers folks will age at least 2-5 years during the course of this adventure. Supposedly we are going to be dodging breaking the world and yet still defeat Mr. Black Supremo, so a lot can happen. You guys have seen Battlestar Galactica, right? Chain of command and all put the Secretary of Education as Head of State. So, yeah, it could happen to Egwene. I expect lots of folks would have to die to make it so.

3. Mat seems fairly nifty with a quarterstaff, even when he is half dead. Did his defeat of Galad and Gawyn seem to be based upon his skill, rather than luck, and did you find it convincing?

At first, I was like, Where the Hell did that come from !?! But I really enjoyed the scene, so I am willing to give Jordan time to build in some backstory to make it more believable. And I want to see Mat trounce some other arrogant folks again. I’m greedy that way. At this point, not too sure about the luck thing. Is Luck it’s own beast, or does it belong to one side or the other in this fantasy of Good and Evil?

4. It seems that the realm of Dreams, Tel’aran’rhiod, is very important to the Black Ajah because they have stolen many ter’angreals that were thought to be associated with Dreaming or Corianin Sedai. Why do you think they are so interested in Dreaming? 

Dreaming is a portal to places best left unmentioned, if you are a Good Guy. The Bad Guys rule in dreaming, because they can create infinite terrors there. Anyway, this seems intuitive to me. If a good Sedai can safely, and secretly, navigate these waters, they could gain lots of intelligence on the Bad Guys. But as we know, Egwene has been left to stumble around a bit on her own.

5. Now that we know that Else was definitely an impostor, it seems that Lanfear has more than one set of tactics. Do you think that she might also be the true identity of Silvie, the old woman that Egwene encounters in her Dream of the Stone of Tear and are you surprised by the way in which she approaches women? 

I was wondering how Landfear’s sex mojo would, or would not, effect women. I am a little sad that she doesn’t enrapture the women quite as well as the men. I had not really made the connection between the old woman in the dream and Lanfear. Perhaps since this is my first time reading this book, I am still trying to figure out all the side characters who later become major characters or important characters. While Lanfear has been interesting so far, she hasn’t really accomplished anything. So, I simply put her on The Watch List, rather than The Pay Attention To List.

Tofu being Shy Kitty.

Tofu being Shy Kitty.

6. We know that the Black Ajah ‘evidence’ is a trap set by Lanfear. Do you think their plan to spring the trap intentionally will work or will it lead them into some other trouble?

Well, the evidence points to Tear. And Rand is going to Tear. So, either way, the ladies have got to go to Tear. Rand is ta’veren, and secretly I believe Nynaeve, Egwene, and Elayne are too, so they pull the world around them to shape destiny, whether they like it or not. So, yes, all the good guys will end up at Tear with some heavy weight bad guys to duke it out and create lots of entertainment for the reader.

7. Suddenly, Mat has been revealed as a gambler with incredible luck. Does this fit with the young man that we met in the first two books and did you detect any unusual luck before his Healing in the White Tower?

I found this a little convenient. I have mulled over whether or not this is some left over evil from the dagger doing what it can to get what it wants – namely, to get away from the Tower full of Aes Sedai. While Mat liked to think himself lucky and clever before being hauled off to the White Tower in a sick bed, he often got caught at this pranks in Two Rivers and often had to have his butt saved by one or another of the party as they ventured forth. On the other hand, this little turn in Mat’s character has made him much more interesting.

Other Tidbits:

Does Mat judge all women on their pretty faces first, danceability second, and everything else third? If so, can I take my quarterstaff to him?

The Amyrlin, if she is Black Ajah, could have been lying abut burning the left over objects that once belonged to the Aes Sedai that fled.

We don’t know for certain that all those missing Aes Sedai are Black – some could be prisoners….or stuffed down some unused well.

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The Dragon Reborn Read Along Part II

JordanDragonReborn BannerHello everyone! This week, our host if Liesel over at Musings on Fantasia. Make sure you stop by over there to leave your link and catch her savvy comments.

This week’s reading was Chapters 9-20. Spoilers roam free and eat the unwary from this point on.

1) Perrin saw Hopper in his dreams right after Moiraine warned him to be cautious of them. What do you think it means that he saw Hopper? Should he be as paranoid about his dreams as Moiraine leads him to be?

I don’t really think being paranoid is helping Perrin, just like with Rand. Moiraine and Lan keep saying to be cautious of this and that, but without the background knowledge, it is only making these boys paranoid and freaking them into poor choices. Personally, I like to think that the wolf’s spirit goes on, so seeing Hopper protecting him in his dreams by waking him the only way Hopper could is a good thing. Perrin has folks on his side, they just happen to have four legs, fur, and butt sniffing predilection.

2) Some kind of large, deadly dog was hunting Rand. What do you make of it and Rand’s plans to go to Tear?

I’m listening to the audio….and there’s a large dog hunting Rand? Hmmm….Was that a dream sequence? I always find those a bit vague. Well, if it’s a real dog, and it does catch Rand, I am sure I will make note of it. As for Rand’s plans to go to Tear, same kind of answer as I said for #1. Moiraine provides a great big serving of Be Careful, Caution, Guard Yourself, etc, but not enough background info for Rand to make real good, informed decisions. Her reasons for this are not clear to me. Perhaps she is trying to protect him. Perhaps she is trying to maneuver him. Could be both. Could be Moiraine is playing us all and is Black at heart and we will all be crushed emotionally to find out.

3) What do you think of Nynaeve and Egwene being asked to hunt the Black Ajah and the all-access passes the Amyrlin gave them? Do you think the Amyrlin is wise to trust them and Verin?

See, this section got me all paranoid. Basically, we know Min, Nynaeve, and Egwene are NOT Black Ajah. At least, not now. This is a long series. But the Amyrlin….well, we’ve heard a little of her internal monologue, but not enough to know if she herself is on the Good Guy side. Same for Verin. I really want Verin to be on the good side because I love her geeky, scientist nature. But I could see how she could be all about the knowledge gained and not so interested in good Vs. bad. Unfortunately, I can see Nynaeve becoming all about the payback and not so much about the Good Side in the future. In short, this could get very complicated very quickly.

4) Who do you think sent the Gray Man and who was he aiming to kill? (Who stabbed him, for that matter?) Nynaeve seems to suspect Sheriam of something. Do you concur?

Egwene holds great potential. So does Nynaeve. So, a simple rival for power could have wanted either of them dead. Both those ladies know what was brought to the Amyrlin – the Horn of Valere. So, someone could want them dead for their knowledge. If Verin is naughty Black Ajah, she would be logical. Supposedly, she told the Amyrlin everything about their adventures and the Seanchan. But the Amyrlin never verified that info with Egwene and Nynaeve. So, Verin could be playing both sides. If Egwene and Nynaeve know something that Verin doesn’t want the Amyrlin knowing, then they are targets again.

As for Sheriam – nah. Too damn convenient. Nynaeve suspects everyone expect Two Rivers folks. I hope this turns out to bite her in the ass. Even peaceful villages have dark friends.  I could point my little finger at some folks in my little village.

Pico is fixated on another kitty off-camera.

Pico is fixated on another kitty off-camera.

5) Elaida’s visit to the Accepted’s quarters was…interesting. What information do you think she was fishing for? Between the two, who would you more readily believe to be Black Ajah–Elaida or Sheriam?

Elaida obviously wants Rand, and not in a good way. More like in a vivisection way. But is she Black Ajah? Well, Robert Jordan already was obvious about Leandrin being a bitch and then also Black Ajah. But can we say that all the bitchy Aes Sedai are Black Ajah? I hope not – I hope Jordan wasn’t that obvious throughout the series. So, no; Elaida is not Black Ajah. Sheriam could be, but I still think it was convenient of her to walk onto the Gray Man issue. She would be in the perfect place at the perfect time to take the suspicion from someone else.

6) Once again we find Mat plotting to “get away” from all Aes Sedai. Do you think he’ll succeed this time?

Hell no! He’s Ta’veren. He sounded the Horn of Valere. There is no way the Aes Sedai will let him wander free. Heroic efforts would have to be made to free Mat from their clutches – which could happen. We still have like 11.7 books to go. But for right now, no. Mat is not savvy enough, hasn’t fully grasped the stakes, and is still weak from his near-death. Plus, there may be just a touch of evil left in Mat, which will make things complicated – and entertaining for me the reader.

7) Selene came to visit Mat and when he wasn’t as submissive as she wanted, she started doing something to him that gave him a headache. What do you think it was?

Naughty Selene. tsk, tsk. Normally it is the woman’s role to have a headache at an inopportune time, driving the man a little nuts. Perhaps since Mat was driving her a little nuts, she chose the vicious headache as a form of gender payback. I don’t know how she did it. Certain odors can do so, visual stimuli (like pulsing beams and such). But most likely, since this series is all about the mental powers, she used her enormous will to try to wake to dormant, weakened evil within him.

I know. It’s a piddly little theory.

Other Tidbits:

When Perrin went to Moiraine about his dreams, how he wants it all to stop, and she made that morose joke about being Blue, not Green, Ajah, so she could only have one Warder, I thought Perrin’s blush would last 3 chapters. hehe.

I am a bit frustrated for Egwene and Nynaeve – having nearly everyone at the Tower believe they ran off….when they actually put on their Super Hero costumes and saved the world, with no little cost to themselves.

Gawyn and Galad. Interesting pair. One a goody two-shoes to the point of being slightly evil, and the other too much of a good guy to act. It will be interesting to see what happens with them.

The Amyrlin actually considered NOT healing Mat just so the Aes Sedai could control the Horn. I wonder if Robert Jordan left room in this world for a woman to sound the Horn?

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The Dragon Reborn Read Along Part I

JordanDragonReborn BannerWelcome one and all! Here we are at Book 3 of The Wheel of Time Read Along. Book 3 will be hosted by the WoT Quad – Liesel of Musings of Fantasia, Sue of Coffee, Cookies, & Chili Peppers, Eivind – the King of Comments, and myself here at Dab of Darkness. You can check out the schedule over HERE if you would like to join us.

This week, the discussion questions cover the Prologue through the end of Chapter 8, so beware of the free-roaming and ravenous Spoilers with Claws from here on in. Fellow readers, please leave a link to your posts (if you made one) in the comments so we can hop around enjoying each other’s thoughts.

1) Both Niall and Carridan seem to be playing with two-edged swords. Niall wants the Dragon Reborn to create enough panic, sorrow, and destruction to have the populace begging the Children of the Light to do something. Whereas Carridan vows to one lord to keep the Dragon Reborn alive and vows the opposite to another. Did you enjoy this beginning more or less than the first two books in the series?

I love seeing all these enemies stacking up to use or eliminate Rand and his friends. Right off the bat, we get the very real sense that Rand and crew are going to have to go up against some real opponents in this book, opponents with detailed and immediate plans. Also, I like that this book started off where the last book left off (timeline wise), instead of some nebulous history lesson (Book 1 – breaking of the world) or mysterious half-dream meeting of the masqued bad guys (Book 2 – Dark Friends post luck).

2) Throughout this section we see that Min believes herself in love with Rand. What do you make of this one sided romance?

Robert Jordan has told us through Min that Rand’s love/sex life is going to be complicated. But I have to wonder if poor Min fell in love with Rand first or rather convinced herself that she was in love with him because of what she saw in his aura (which is up for interpretation, right?). I have to wonder if Min has had other loves in her life or if this is the first, and since there isn’t really anyone else with her gift for her to commiserate with, perhaps she is taking her fate as given, instead of making active choices about relationships.

Besides, Min would be so cool with knife or bolo skills. And she needs time to develop those, so romance of any sort probably needs to be put on hold for a few years.

3) Within a few chapters, the big picture story arc of this book starts to follow the story arcs of Book 1 and Book 2 – trollocs unexpectedly appear and shortly thereafter our main heroes are separated for one reason or another. What do you think of this pattern?

As with Book 2, this set pattern makes Book 3 feel like an old friend before we even get a quarter of the way into it. I can see that Jordan may have done this on purpose for this reason – familiarity. On the other hand, I am definitely keeping an eye out for a river and potentially a sinking ferry – predictable plot?

Pico is fixated on another kitty off-camera.

Pico is fixated on another kitty off-camera.

4) Rand has run off and some of our heroes follow, tracking him. At one place they come across a village that recently suffered a bout of weddings and Whitecloaks going AWOL. Did Rand make the right choice, leaving? Do you think the decisions made by folks while Rand is around will hold after a few days?

While I can understand why Rand ran away – or at least part of it (not wanting to inadvertently harm friends) – I am not sure it is a useful thing for him to do. Perhaps there is no right or wrong to Rand’s decisions at this point, but simply trying to navigate his way to the least amount of collateral damage.

I have to wonder if the weddings will hold up – Randy Fever may keep them together for a year, but a life long commitment is a much bigger thing. I truly do hope the Whitecloaks that wen walk-about find better lives for themselves and that Rand’s mere presence encourages more of that behavior.

5) Do you believe that Moiraine had not caught fish before in the manner Perrin and Loial ‘taught’ her or do you think it was some clever ploy of her’s?

Either way, she was being clever. By asking someone to teach you a skill, you put them in a position of superiority (Moiraine is such a good kiss ass) but then by catching 3 large fish so easily, she shows them up (forcing Perrin to rethink his near-constant questioning of her decisions and actions). But let me be honest, a little part of me wants to see Moiraine questioning her handling of the Two Rivers folks. Perhaps if they saw her as flawed, and hence, as human, they would be more inclined to put their trust in her.

6) Perrin’s wolfish gifts are growing in strength. Then we come upon a man, Noam, who has lost himself completely to such gifts. Have you ever found yourself in a similar situation as Perrin, facing what you might become if you lack self-control?

Throughout this entire scene I kept hoping Perrin would be able to reach out to him and make some sort of connection, explain things enough to keep Noam from harming folks in general, and to advise Noam to stay away from humans. But things didn’t fall out that way, and it makes it bitter sweet. On a personal note, I have several alcoholics in my family, so I have some idea of what it is to face someone and see the consequences of loosing self-control over a long period of time. Usually, it happens bit by bit and not all at once.

Other Tidbits:

It seems Rand’s power, if not his control, is growing – shaking the earth the way he did. I enjoyed Min’s grumbling about the men being OK with Rand doing that, but not an aes sedai.

The Tinker lady’s philosophy on non-violence was interesting, but not very practical. Can we say ‘Enabler’?

What Others Think:

Musings on Fantasia

On Starships & Dragonwings

Coffee, Cookies, & Chili Peppers

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The Great Hunt by Robert Jordan

JordanGreatHuntWhy I Read It: We have this active and fun read along going on The Wheel of Time series.

Where I Got It: Own it.

Who I Recommend This To: Those who enjoy sweeping epic, yet PG-rated, fantasy.

Narrators: Kate Reading, Michael Kramer

Publisher: Macmillan Audio (2004)

Length: 26 hours 8 minutes

Series: The Wheel of Time Book 2

It’s almost impossible to chat about this book without spoilers for Book 1, The Eye of the World. Still, I will attempt to keep key things vague. If you have not read Book 1 (and you care about such things), continue at your own peril. So, Rand and crew start off at the keep, with Rand getting sword lessons from Lan. Pretty soon the book starts to follow the same story arc as Book 1. Something evil and unexpected shows up and the folks have to leave the keep for various reasons and are separated. Yep, there is even a river and ferry involved early on. Yes, I do have to gently joke about this. In a way, Robert Jordan made Book 2 feel like an old friend before you have even finished it. In another, this similar beginning was a little predictable in the big sweeping story arc.

In general, in this book we get to meet more Aes Sedai and learn what the different colors of Aes Sedai mean. Rand, Mat, and Perrin all get to go gallivanting off in the hunt for a powerful item. We see a lot of growth in Rand and Perrin, coming into their powers. Mat was still on the sidelines, providing some comic relief here and there but far less of a presence than in Book 1. Loial is still around being the cutest Ogier possible. We learn about these transportation stones that are remnants from before the last breaking of the world that allow a person to access a parallel world and travel a short distance there equal to great distances in their home world. We also get more info on the world myths of both the various versions of the Dragon Reborn and also of the ancient hero Artur Hawkwing and how he took his folks across the seas.

So there is the set up without giving much away. I really enjoyed the adventuring through the land, getting to know the various cultures better. Also Min, Nynaeve, Egwene, and Elayne all get some time to bond and grow a bit. Nynaeve and Egwene especially are tested and show some character growth by the end. The pacing and detail was excellent. On the flip side, there were two things that didn’t really do it for me. The climatic ending went by too quickly and was rather nebulous compared to the rest of the detailed narrative. Honestly, I wanted details, in full glory, peoples’ thoughts and feelings, etc. But that wasn’t there and I noticed it’s absence immensely.

The second point it spoilerish. SPOILER ALERT! The Seanchan are a highly organized, hierarchical race from across the sea. In the last quarter of the book, give or take, they show up and completely overwhelm the various forces of …..Randland (for lack of a better term). I don’t remember much of the book from ~2 decades ago when I first read it, but I remember this. Sad to say, it through me off balance again and I felt it was something thrown in by the author to shake things up a bit. Still, with that said I am interested to see how the Seanchan fit into things in the future installments of the series. END SPOILER ALERT.

The narrators were excellent – Michael Kramer and Kate Reading. We got to hear things from the ladies’ points of view quite a bit more in this book, so we got a lot more Kate Reading. Michael Kramer provided a variety of male voices – and I think my favorite was Loail.

What I Liked: Character and world development; good use of myths and prophecy; various characters from Book 1 turn up eventually in Book 2; I am loving hating Padan Fain.

What I Disliked: The ending wasn’t as detailed as I would have enjoyed; the sudden appearance of certain folks near the end threw me for a loop.

OnceUponATime7Tis the season for the reading event Once Upon A Time, hosted by Stainless Steel Droppings. This event goes through to Summer, and is a bloggity celebration of fantasy. Head over there to find out what all the fuss is about.

If you would like more detailed discussion, check out the read along blog posts:

Part I

Part II

Part III

Part IV

Part V

Part VI

Part VII

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The Dragon Reborn Read Along: The Schedule

JordanDragonReborn BannerHello Folks! As you know, a few of us bloggers have undertaken the crazy quest to read along The Wheel of Time series. We recently wrapped up Book 2, The Great Hunt, and will be starting Book 3, The Dragon Reborn shortly. The WoT Quad will be hosting – that’s right, there are 4 of us taking turns hosting. Liesel from Musings on Fantasia, Sue from Coffee, Cookies, & Chili Peppers (she made our awesome banner), Eivinid (a most entertaining & insightful commenter), and myself here at Dab of Darkness. Anya from On Starships and Dragonwings had to bow out of hosting on Book 3 due to grad school, work, and life in general. But she will be popping in and out as time allows her to. It was great of her to get me started on this series (my man definitely thanks her as this is one of his favorite epic fantasies).

If you would like to join us in our madness, simply leave me a comment below. I’ll put you on an email list to receive the discussion questions a few days before post date. As you can see from the schedule, we will be taking an easy pace of ~100 pages a week.

1) Prologue – Chpt. 8 (114 pages) 04/21 (Dab of Darkness)
2) Chpt. 9 – Chpt. 20 (111 pages) 04/28 (Musings on Fantasia)
3) Chpt. 21 – Chpt. 30 (116 pages) 05/05 (Coffee, Cookies, & Chili Peppers)
4) Chpt. 31 – Chpt. 39 (110 pages) 05/12 (Eivinid)
5) Chpt. 40 – Chpt. 48 (106 pages) 05/19 (Dab of Darkness)
6) Chpt. 49 – END (108 pages) 05/26 (Musings on Fantasia)

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The Great Hunt Read Along Part VII

JordanGreatHuntBannerWelcome everyone to the final installment of The Great Hunt Read Along. Today, we cover Chapters 43-End. Thanks to everyone who has participated in this awesome ride. Don’t forget to leave your link in the comments so we can all jump around and visit.

1. Wow! Those a’dam are real mood changers (i.e. Nynaeve’s reaction to having all that control over another). Would you be tempted to put any of the characters we have met so far in The Wheel of Time world in an a’dam? Anyone in real life?

So far the few extremely distasteful folks we’ve met in WoT (Fain, Liandrin), I wouldn’t want to keep alive. At this point, I don’t see a need for their talents and let’s face it, Mother Nature abhors a void and would provide someone else with those talents and hopefully more sense and better personality. Now, in real life, yes, there are several folks that I wouldn’t mind using an a’dam on from time to time. Folks would just be so much happier if they would simply do what I say ;) .

2. Perrin still hasn’t revealed the full extent of his wolfish powers to his friends. Do you think he’s making the right choice? Would you do the same?

Well, Mat hasn’t really gotten better at watching his tongue. So, I can see keeping it from him, or telling him and then threatening his life to keep the secret (tho that isn’t Perrin’s way). Still, rand could use some brotherly support and sharing Perrin’s secret might help him emotionally. However, Rand may very well go insane and either blab or decide Perrin’s wolfish nature is evil and kill him, so I guess that isn’t really an option wither. He could safely tell Egwene, except she wants to be part of the sisterhood who would happily dissect Perrin to figure out how the wolf communication works. Damn! I guess Perrin is making the right choice by keeping it to himself as much as possible.

3. We finally learn what has been driving Ingtar to find the Horn. Do you think his final act makes restitution for whatever ills he did as a Dark Friend?
The families of those who died back at the keep due to him letting in the Trollocs may or may not think so. But I have to go with Rand’s belief that once you no longer want to serve the dark, then that is that. Yes, you still need to do acts to follow it up, and you may never make up your past transgressions fully in this life, but I don’t think Ingtar’s soul is going to the Dark One’s Hall of Questionable Deeds and Foul Friends to be a bouncer.
Pico & Heldig don't often snuggle, so I joined them with a book.

Pico & Heldig don’t often snuggle, so I joined them with a book.

4. The Horn was sounded and warriors of old appeared and did mighty battle. How did you like the final large battle scene with Seachan, Whitecloaks, Dead Heroes, and Egwene (running amok)?

Ummm…. well, I have to say that I was really, really looking forward to seeing the Warriors of the Horn stomp some Seachan and/or Trolloc ass. Alas, Robert Jordan went all nebulous on us and kind of glossed over what must have been a very epic battle, a battle of the ages (even if it was brief). Sigh.

5. We get to see Rand in 2 sword fights – one with Turak and one with The Dark One. Which one did you find more satisfying or entertaining?

Definitely the sword fight with Turak. Turak was all smug, and I disliked him because he brought grief and woe to Egwene, Nynaeve, Min and Bela. Jerk. And we actually got to see it play out. Once again, the confrontation between Rand and the Dark One goes all dreamscape on us and, as with the ending of the first book, I did not find this very satisfying.

6. Lanfear chose to reveal her existence to Min, and gave her a message for Rand. Why do you think Min was the lucky one?

I think Min just happened to be in the awkward place at the awkward moment – Rand’s bed. Otherwise, Lanfear would have simply stopped by while Rand was still unconscious from his epic, but nebulous, battle with the the Dark One and tousled his hair, perhaps rearranged his clothing, maybe even left some monkey bite in an awkward and embarrassing place. But no, there would be a witness to this admittedly juvenile behavior. So, she goes with Plan B – looking all ethereal and badass and threatening, nay promising, to make Rand hers. Plan B was probably more effective anyway.

Other Tidbits:

At the end, Loial offers to stay with Rand and see the adventure through, because they are friends. And Lioal would be bored otherwise. Too cute.

Ouch, Min! She said the truth, but still, I could feel the sting of those words from here, a world away and decades after they were put down on paper. Poor Egwene. Still, Egwene had pretty much made her choice when she joined the aes sedai, so this is probably a good example of tinkle or get off the pot. Not that I would compare Rand to a toilet seat – that would be very wrong!

I think Egwene may have gone a little mad once her collar was removed. She definitely didn’t seem to be holding back when it came to blowing up….uh, city blocks.

What Others Think:

On Starships and Dragonwings

Coffee, Cookies, & Chili Peppers

Musings on Fantasia

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The Great Hunt Read Along Part V

JordanGreatHuntBannerToday we are dissecting Chapters 28-34. I hope you have all enjoyed some of the interesting points in this section. Make sure to leave your link int he comments so I can visit all of you. Looking forward to reading your thoughts.

1) Ingtar is really gung ho about the Horn. Is anyone else worried about his obsession? Have you ever experienced such an obsession?

I think perhaps the potential glory has gone to Ingtar’s head. He is desperate to find this horn. Perhaps he feels the need to obtain a certain level of glory before….becoming a ruler? asking a certain lady to wed him? I’m not sure what the underlying cause is that is driving him, but he has monovision for sure.

I often tell folks I have only 2 addictions, which can be like obsessions in the right light: my man, and Dr. Pepper. Yep. Something deeply moving (or sappy) and chemical sugar in just the right combination with a variety of preservatives and cancer-causing agents. Moving to shallow – in the snap of a finger. That’s how I roll.

2) In Chapter 28, we hear about the Jenn Aiel, Rhuidean, and their prophecy of a man of their blood from beyond the Spine of the World. It appears that Rand isn’t tied to just one people/culture and their prophecies, but multiple peoples. Are you enjoying guessing (or watching, if you have read before) how Rand will be ensnared by all these demands upon him?

Poor Rand. Even if he did manage to truly get away from the Aes Sedai, it sounds like he would not escape the prophecy – because it is everywhere, in one form or another. Perhaps he should have the various versions laid before him and he could pick his favorite. All these different titles probably come with different costumes…er, uniforms. He could pick the one that best shows off his physique. He’s been sword training and traveling, so he must have a physique by now.

3) Through White Cloak Bornhald and Captain Domon, we get our first rumors and glimpses of the Seanchan, descendants of Artur Hawkwing’s armies, from across the sea. What do make of them? How do you think the military forces we have met so far will fair? If you have read before, feel free to critique their hierarchy and style of armor.

These Seanchan are really and all or nothing kind of folks. Either you are too far below for them to take notice of you, or they demand everything of you – and if you don’t give it, they will grind you into little flakes of dust to be lost on the wind. I really do hope the military forces we have seen so far – Ingtar and crew, the Aiel, even the White Cloaks, Aes Sedai + warders, – can set aside their squabbles for a little and do some righteous kick-ass action on these Seanchan. Besides, i have grown rather fond of Cpt. Domon and I don’t like the way he was treated.

Waffles & Streak sleeping in the bed. Yes, I did tuck him in.

Waffles & Streak sleeping in the bed. Yes, I did tuck him in.

4) Just for fun, what do you think Padan Fain had on Lord Barthanes?

Fain had something so deeply disturbing on Barthanes to force him to 1) allow Fain to use his Grove, 2) allow a troupe of trollocs through his grounds to the Grove (I assume Fain took at least some of them with him), and 3) carry a verbal message to Rand (way beneath his dignity). Now, Barthanes is one of the most powerful in the city, and I assume he not only has his share of secrets, but knows how to hide them well. It’s got to be something that, if it came to light, he could not bribe his way out of hte consequences (with money, or other people’s naughty secrets he has tucked under his pillow). Hmmm… That leaves a) child sacrifice, b) mating with animals, c) bedding the king, his wife, or his relations,  or d) Fain got a hold of Barthanes’ little black book of Other Peoples’ Secrets and offered it back in exchange for Waygate use. Your guess?

5) Machin Shin, the Black Wind, was waiting for them in the Waygate in the Grove at Barthanes. Coincidence, or set there on purpose?

Ooooo! I know Verin says it is not possible, but yes, I think the Black Wind wants Rand, in a totally bad way – like R for violence kind of way. I wonder how the Dark ones are controlling/negotiating/directing it to sit at the Waygate? What could it want or be afraid of so badly that it would do the bidding of another? Or it is strongly attracted to Rand because he can channel. I am guessing we won’t have the answers to that one for this book, but I definitely look forward to this little puzzle being solved.

6) Ah! Poor Thom! How do you think the latest turn of loosing Dena will affect him? If you’ve read before, feel free to comment on how Robert Jordan’s ability to write in characters and then kill them off pull on your emotions.

Damn! Triple juggling knives damn! I was looking forward to having a female character who isn’t necessarily tied to the Aes Sedai. And I wanted to see if Dena would encourage or discourage Thom from pursuing the Horn. On the other hand, I think it would probably take an act like this to pull Thom out of his hiding and fling him into action. I definitely look forward to seeing what he will do. I think  Thom bent on cold revenge will be quality entertainment for me.

Other Tidbits:

Seanchan = Bug heads *snickering every time their armor is mentioned*

I am listening to the audio version, and Verin & Perrin are traveling together and sometimes I miss the V or P and I have to listen very carefully to figure out who is chatting. Nuts.

I want Fain to piss off Turak very, very badly.

What Others Think:

On Starships & Dragonwings

Musings on Fantasia