Berelain – Dab of Darkness Book Reviews

Towers of Midnight, Part VI

Welcome everyone to Book 13 of The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan. You can find the schedule to Towers of Midnight over HERE. Everyone is welcome to join us!

This week, I am the host. Eivind, our WoT encyclopedia, can be found in the comments. Make sure to swing by Liesel’s at Musings on Fantasia for cool fan art. Sue at Coffee, Cookies, & Chili Peppers has the insight and wicked humor.

This week, we covered the Chapters 34-40. Spoilers run rampant for this section and all previous books below!

1) Perrin goes through his trial. What did you think of it? Morgase provides judgement but hands off the punishment decision to Galad; why do you think she did so? What do you think Galad has in mind for punishment? Will Perrin ever see that punishment?

I found the trial to be incomplete, anticlimatic, and not really satisfying. I didn’t feel that Perrin particularly explained the situation. Also, I really wanted the Two Rivers stuff to be covered, at least in part. I think it is important for both Morgase and Galad to hear how the Whitecloaks and the Andorran government failed Two Rivers. So even if that is not relevant to the death of the two Whitecloaks, I was sure Bayar was going to bring it up to ‘disprove’ Perrin’s character.

I think Morgase passed the buck on assigning punishment for multiple reasons. She just got back in the saddle of acting like a ruler and probably needs to share the power; Galad obviously needs to have some accountability in the outcome instead of simply ‘following his mom’s orders’; and I think Morgase is genuinely curious to see what Galad does.

Right now, I don’t think Galad had decided on the punishment, especially with Bayar’s testimony proving to be unreliable. He was probably relieved when Perrin insisted it wait until after the Last Battle. As such, I am not sure Perrin will ever see a punishment from the Whitecloaks as there is so much that could happen by then.

2) Perrin spent a lot of time in the Wolf Dream during this section. He and his small band of wolves fought Slayer more than once. What did you think of these multiple fights? How about Egwene’s reaction to Perrin (and vice versa) in the Wolf Dream/T’A’R?

I really liked these fights. They were intense and showed more of Slayer’s personality, which is great since we have only had glimpses of him up until now. It was pretty hard to lose Hopper, and the other wolves. In some ways, Perrin has now lost a second family.

Egwene’s reaction to Perrin was so funny! OK, I know, each of them assumed that the other had simply wandered in and didn’t know what they were doing and needed to be kept safe. But Egwene actively attempted to wrap Perrin up in bands of air, and then ropes! Her Amyrlin stole has made her a little arrogant, just a teensy bit.

3) Egwene has a meaningful meeting in T’A’R with the Sea Folk, the Wise Ones, and some of her Aes Sedai. Why do you think the Kinswomen were not invited? Will these leaders be able to convince their folk that trading apprentices is a good idea?

I am not sure why Egwene left them out. Perhaps she felt it would have been too much for the Wise Ones, Sea Folk, and Aes Sedai to accept all at once. After all, a good chunk of the Kinswomen are rejected women who weren’t powerful enough to be Aes Sedai. So if Egwene set them down at the same table, it would be proclaiming them as equals (which Egwene could probably do in her head, but the other ladies might have serious issue with). Perhaps she will make that a future step.

And, yes, I believe these leaders will be able to convince their respective folks that this is a good idea, and if not that, then inevitable and necessary. Some of the Aes Sedai argued that the White Tower’s surpeme dominance among Channelers should not be given up, but Egwene made excellent arguments as to why that was a dumbass idea.

4) Egwene battles Mesaana and wins. Do you think Egwene received a valuable nudge from Perrin (he blocked Balefire!!!) and was able to apply that to the a’dam? Who do you think Mesaana was impersonating in the real world?

Yes, I believe Perrin’s easy blocking of Balefire in T’A’R and his comment about how they are just weaves was in Egwene’s background thoughts as she struggled with Mesaana and the a’dam. Perrin rocks!

I am not sure who Mesaana was disguised as in the real world, but I am not convinced that she was in the White Tower. Tar Valon is more than the Tower, it is also a main city, with plenty of nobility and ruling merchants.

5) Gawyn and Egwene are now Bonded! But at what cost? Was it too little too late? Or are these stubborn lovesick fools going to have a lifetime to irritate each other?

You know, I am going to go against the flow here and say I do hope it is too little too late. These guys have been idiots for far too long and this story line needs some real consequences. So, I am OK with either Gawyn dying here and now or the two of them turning out to hate each other and having to get separated by the end of the book.

6) We spent just a tiny amount of time with Aviendha as she is headed to Rhuidean. She meets a mysterious woman, Nakomi, in the wastes. What did you get out of their conversation? Any guesses as to who/what Nakomi is?

This is one of those meaningful moments that is also a WTF moment. Nakomi does give Aviendha plenty to think about and since she is First Sister to Elayne, bonded to Rand, and will most likely be a leading force of the Aiel, her thoughts, words, and actions will hold importance. Their conversation was interesting and I am pretty sure it will turn out to have significance later.

But it was also out of the blue and it appears that Nakomi has powers that Aviendha can’t explain. She may very well be something that us readers haven’t been introduced to yet, at the 11th hour of the series.

7) Perrin has forged a new hammer. Feel free to comment on this scene. What powers do you think the hammer has? Will Perrin & his Channelers make more weapons for the coming Last Battle?

Perrin is finally getting his shit together, thank goddess! The hammer forging scene was pretty awesome. Perrin needed to create, since he had spent so much time of late destroying, and he did an awesome job making something new with a skill that hasn’t been seen in an age.

I am not sure what powers the hammer has but I am hoping for imbued strength & endurance to the wielder, shielding, and lightning. That shouldn’t be too much to ask for, right?

I expect that once Perrin & crew get a moment to breathe that they will either teach others how to make such weapons, or do the making themselves.

Other Tidbits:

I liked that Morgase left with Perrin after the trial, showing everyone that Perrin has her confidence in the fact that he is a good man.

Did anyone else get a Samwise, the Ring, & Mount Doom vibe when Perrin destroyed the Dreamspike?

Slayer and Perrin fight & fight and then Perrin sees this door of Darkness and charges Slayer. So, did I miss it? Is Slayer dead, falling through the dark abysses of the The Ways? Are we not suppose to know yet?

Berelain tells Faile that Rand wanted her to pursue and marry Perrin. This woman is rather delusional. So she should be a good match for the equally delusional Galad.

Speaking of Mr. Delusional, I really hope he figures out quick that Perrin & army are fighting the trollocs, instead of directing them to attack Whitecloaks.

Towers of Midnight, Part V

Welcome everyone to Book 13 of The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan. You can find the schedule to Towers of Midnight over HERE. Everyone is welcome to join us!

This week, Eivind, our WoT encyclopedia, is our host and can be found in the comments. Make sure to swing by Liesel’s at Musings on Fantasia for cool fan art. Sue at Coffee, Cookies, & Chili Peppers has the insight and wicked humor.

This week, we covered the Chapters 26-33. Spoilers run rampant for this section and all previous books below!

1. Slayer prowls the World of Dreams, where a strange violet dome prevents access. Meanwhile, gateways fail in the real world. Is there a connection? It’s building to a battle between Perrin and Slayer very soon. Do you think Perrin’s work with nightmares will bear fruit or is it still too soon?

Yes, definitely a connection between the failing gateways and the violet dome, and possibly even the bubble of evil that turned nearly everyone’s weapon against their users.

I think Perrin will have to face Slayer before the armies can leave the valley through gateways. But since Perrin’s timeline is behind everyone else’s, we might not see that fight until next book.

2. Perrin avoids a battle by submitting himself to a possibly pointless trial. Do you agree with this choice? How risky is it for Perrin? At the same time, Morgase is finally revealed and will act as judge! What do you think about that? Does Berelain strike you as smitten by Galad?

Personally, I think the trial could wait until after the Last Battle, you know that big looming, possibly world ending battle with the Ultimate Evil? Yeah, prioritize guys!

I think Morgase is making Galad recall his sense of honor (like proving someone guilty before killing them) and making him question his ideals of ultimate right and ultimate wrong. There is plenty of grey between the two. So, this trial might not be so risky for Perrin. Plus, Perrin hasn’t agreed to submit to punishment and Faile is secretly planning an escape route for him. If anything, this trial is probably more dangerous for Galad – he could loose face with the Whitecloaks, he could force a confrontation that leaves him dead, or (worst of all) his ideas of right & wrong could be shattered and he will loose all confidence and go hide in some cave for the rest of his life.

I think Morgase will do fine as a judge. She may still think Perrin is beneath royalty, but she is not about to have him hanged for being an upstart.

God, yes! Please let Berelain and Galad distract one another to prevent them from wrecking other peoples lives!

3. Sitters attempt to undermine Egwene (again) and Egwene wraps them up neatly (again). Have we seen the final political battle or do you expect more? What do you think of Egwene’s proposed changes?

I hope this is the last Tower politics we see, at least until after the Last Battle. These ladies need to get their shit together or they won’t be able to make a difference in the Last Battle.

I am glad the Egwene has cut off most of their political maneuvering power, for now. Until they think of something creative. But she also set them a big task (minding the armies) and that should keep them sufficiently busy.

4. Shots fired! The dragons are in production and work well, but the Last Battle is near and time is short. How many will they be able to make, and much of an impact will they really have? Birgitte thinks the world has changed. What are your impressions?

I am thinking that time is getting short, so perhaps they only have enough time to make cannon for the palace. But as it is a governmental seat, that could mean a lot in the Last Battle.

Since so few people have seen cannon and know what they can do, I think the initial impact on enemies will be large. But, as with every weapon, folks will find ways to counter them or avoid them. So Elayne will have to plan carefully and get the most out of their initial use.

Apparently, the world in times past has come up with cannon before and Birgitte has seen it. And, yes, the world has changed. City states can no longer rely on strong, high walls for protection (both because of gateways and now because of cannon). Instead, leaders will have to build strong relations and cooperate in order to maintain healthy cities/kingdoms/etc.

5. Wolves gather at Dragonmount and Perrin observes the “Veins of Gold” event from the World of Dreams. The Last Hunt is now upon us and the wolves are mobilizing. What are your thoughts? Did you enjoy seeing this scene from another perspective?

This was an awesome scene! I really enjoyed revisiting this pivotal moment through Perrin’s eyes. And seeing the wolves so excited, relieved, and battle ready was awesome too. I want to think that Perrin’s presence in the dream world just might have helped Rand, all in the background, of course.

6. Mat finally disposes of the gholam, helped out by some Kinswomen and a gateway. What do you think? Was this the solution you had in mind?

I think this was the best they could do at this time. Of course, I always want to see such evils things destroyed completely. We all know that evil things tend to come back around (like certain Forsaken). Still, it was an awesome fight scene and it was pretty satisfying. Also, I like to see that Mat has learned to play nicely with at least 1 Channeler instead of insisting he do everything on his own.

7. Rand lands in Maradon in the eleventh hour, bringing aid. He then shows off some impressive channeling. Do you think he made a dent in the shadow army? Do you agree with his assertion that he must stay away from the main battle? Feel free also to comment on Torkumen and King Alsalam.

Since we don’t know how the Trollocs, Myrdraal, etc. are spawned, then I am not sure if he made a dent at all. My guess is that the Dark One can generate at least the Trollocs pretty easily, so this blasting of the bad guys, while satisfying, probably didn’t affect the total numbers all that much.

I am not sure what he considers the main battle – Lan’s fight? Ituralde’s battle? Breaking the final seals? They are all important, but I am not clear on where the Dark One will appear and have the one-on-one with Rand (and wouldn’t that be the main battle then?).

Well, it turns out that Torkumen was a Dark Friend of some kind. I thought he was just a self-interested idiot. But that may be enough in these times to allow the Dark One into your heart.

Have we met Alsalam before? Ituralde seems to hold him in high regard so that speaks well of him.

8. Egwene plans an elaborate trap in the World of Dreams. Do you expect it to be as easy as she imagines it? Meanwhile, Gawyn has discovered important information in Caemlyn, but refuses to return. Does this strike anyone as a potentially disastrous case of miscommunication?

No, nothing is going to easy in these last fights & battles. Egwene is underestimating her foe. But, you know, she has only recently become a badass fighter (and part of that is because she had a foretelling and know the Seanchan were coming). She doesn’t know about the Seanchan assassins and while she is pretty sure who lurks in T’A’R, she could be completely wrong…again. How many times did she and Nynaeve walk into traps earlier in the series?

Gawyn is a twit. May I slap him? I know lots of the characters are getting prickly over their pride lately, but this strikes me as extreme.

Other Tidbits:

Elayne being hoisted up in a bed was an image! Birgitte found this amusing and so did I.

Yoile is dead. sniffle.

It was very good that Gawyn could let go of his anger at Rand (of course, part of the reason he can do so is because he believes he will die – what happens if rand doesn’t die?).

The captured Seanchan channelers are being so silly! I say that if collaring makes them more comfortable and useful for the Last Battle, then do so, save the world, and then work on rehabilitation.

Towers of Midnight, Part III

Welcome everyone to Book 13 of The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan. You can find the schedule to Towers of Midnight over HERE. Everyone is welcome to join us!

This week, Liesel’s at Musings on Fantasia is your host. Eivind, our WoT encyclopedia, can be found in the comments. And Sue at Coffee, Cookies, & Chili Peppers has intellect and teensy violins.

Sorry for posting late, late this week. I had a big show last weekend and this week I have been prepping for 2 smaller shows.

This week, we covered the Chapters 14-20. Spoilers run rampant for this section and all previous books below!

1. Egwene gets Nynaeve and Elayne to agree to obey her as Amyrlin. Then she slays a member of the Black Ajah and catches a glimpse of Alviarin. What do you think Alviarin is up to these days? How big a part will she continue to play? How will this turn of events change the relationship between our girls?

Well, it appears Alviarin is spying, but I am not sure if she is spying for herself or on someone else’s orders. I can’t recall if we have seen her in T’A’R before or not. I want to say, no. So perhaps she was given a dream ter’angreal by the Forsaken that ordered Sheriam to gather them up. If this is the case, then I expect we will see more of her.

I can see Elayne and Egwene coming at odds eventually. Elayne still refers to Egwene by her first name when chatting with the Kin, instead of using the title, Amyrlin. So, I think Elayne has some work to do. But Elayne is also looking at Emond’s Field and Two Rivers and seeing a potential ‘uprising’ there. Egwene being from there might be a bit peeved if Andor finally decides that the area truly does belong to the crown, after neglecting it for so long.

I think Nynaeve and Egwene will get on better and that there won’t be any major conflict until long after this series when Lan and Nynaeve are rulers and parents of the Golden Crane nation, newly reformed in the wake of saving the world.

2. Nynaeve heals madness. Will she be able to heal Rand? Does she even need to?

I tend to think the best healing comes with time and from the inside, but in this case, it wouldn’t hurt for Nynaeve to have a peak. If Rand is stable, then I think she should leave him be for the most part. After all, that bit of madness has brought his far, made him bolder, made him consider things he wouldn’t have before.

3. Sounds like Egwene wants to use herself as bait to capture Mesaana. Do you think this is wise? Will it work? Will she and Gawyn ever be married?

I am not convinced that Mesaana is running around the White Tower, so the ruse may only bring Seanchan assassins…..Still, there was that discussion about how an Aes Sedai could weave sounds and thereby trick everyone into ‘hearing’ them take the oaths on the oathrod. So if a Black Ajah slipped through the nets, she could tell Mesaana (if she isn’t there in person) and if Egwene sets up her trap loudly enough, word of the opportunity to take out Egwene could also get to Mesaana.

In short, if Mesaana falls for the trap, i expect it to work. We only have like 1.5 books left, so it’s time for some of our heroes to start capturing/killing the bad guys.

This is one of those series where the good guys get married and have kids. So, yes, I expect Gawyn and Egwene to get married – unless Gawyn dies. Then Egwene can feel bad for her very long life for having been so very harsh with him.

4. Ituralde seems to be in big trouble in the Borderlands. Do you think Rand will come through for him and keep his promise?

Yes! We need a superhero moment and this seems to be the perfect time and place for it. Plus, I like Iturlade and his fashion sense.

5. Berelaine and Faile have a heart to heart. Do you think their plan will work to dispel the rumors? Can they pull it off when they hate one another so much?

I think this will turn out to be one of those cutsy-wutsy female bonding things. At first the ladies will detest each other, but then through this ruse they will come to know each other and become true friends.

Personally, I think I would have enjoyed a duel much more.

6. What do you think of Mat and Elayne’s contract about Aludra’s dragons. Will this work? Cause contention?

I think it will work. After all, Aludra has more allegiance to Mat (more than she does to Elayne or anyone else we know of). If Aludra is smart, she has left out one or more important bits in those basic plans Mat handed over. With time, Elayne’s engineers could perfect it, but there isn’t time. So, they all need Aludra and Aludra likes Mat and still owes him for having her back a time or two.

Of course Elayne being bossy will cause contention and Mat’s skittishness about Aes Sedai and female leaders of any sort will make him contentious. But that is all part of the humor.

7. Share your thoughts–anything that stood out to you–on Nynaeve’s testing and her finally obtaining Lan’s bond.

I think most of the testers wanted to fail Nynaeve before she even stepped into the room. And those that didn’t at first probably wanted to take her down a few notches due to her ‘arrogance’. But I think she did very well. She couldn’t set aside the Aes Sedai cloak, even for this test, without taking away from Egwene’s authority (past and present).

That said, this test is suppose to be excruciatingly hard. I am not so sure it was any harsher than Moiraine’s raising. But having only seen two now, it is hard to say what is too harsh or not. I do believe Egwene should have to go through it at some point, even though she feels she has already been tested and proved her pace, etc. I think this kind of test provides deep insight for the one being tested and therefore is valuable to each woman on a personal level.

I am very, very happy that Lan and Nynaeve are finally Bonded! Perhaps each will sleep better at night, resting in each other’s minds. And the good sleep will make them each a bit less crabby.

Other Tidbits:

I think Elayne is wise to give the Kin a home and a source of income in exchange for gateways (and free healing).

I really like how Egwene is hearing from multiple corners that the White Tower needs to evolve (or it will be left behind). Gawyn wants her to consider the Aes Sedai as a battle resource and the need for more Warders. Nynaeve wants her to consider that the love of someone/thing outside of the Tower balances the Aes Sedai, instead of weakening or distracting them.

Mat has given his medallion to Elayne for 3 whole days. Is he fucking insane? That is the only thing we know of that can harm the gholam, and that creature wants to harm Mat and/or his friends any way it can. I am a little worried!

Perrin & Faile shared some deep truths. Hooray! It’s been a long time since I felt that Faile was a worthy character, but I found her quite agreeable in this section.

Crossroads of Twilight, Part IV

And the WoT Quad returns with Book 10, Crossroads of Twilight! If any of you silent stalkers want to join us, you are always welcome to. You can leave me a comment or email me (nrlymrtl [at] gmail [dot] com) to get on the weekly email of the discussion questions. Check out the schedule.

This week, our host is Sue over at Coffee, Cookies, and Chili Peppers. Eivind, our keeper of esoteric WoT knowledge, can be found in the comments over at Sue’s. Make sure to swing by Liesel’s at Musings on Fantasia for cool fanart.

This week, we cover Chapters 9-12. Spoilers for this section run free below!

1. Well, I suppose that we now know that Faile is alive and well, more or less. Do you think that Nadric will avoid her from now on, or will he simply wait until she is more alone? What do you think is going on between Galina and Therava?

I think Faile will keep a better eye out for single men around the camp now, since she knows now that her status does not protect her from harm. And I also doubt that Faile is the first captive to be treated this way. So, yes, I expect Nadric or another to have similar ideas about Faile (or the other women she was captured with).

I really want Galina hurt, or stilled, or banished to the Seanchan homelands. She is double crossing Faile and crew and messing up their plans for escape, and getting them hurt.

As for Therava, well, I think she wants to undermine Sevanna, perhaps even take over. And I also still think Therava makes a better predatory bird than Berelain. Surely there is some discussion board somewhere that thinks the two predatory birds perched on Perrin’s shoulders are Faile and Therava?

2. Still with Faile, what do you think of her growing relationship with Rolan? Do you think that he might even help her to escape, or is that simply wishful thinking on her part?

I think the term ‘awkward’ covers much of this growing relationship. After all, he forcibly stripped her naked, made her march through snow, then carried her slung over his shoulder occasionally slapping her bum, later rescues her from Nadric, and now….is massaging the cramps out of her bound, naked muscles. Hmmm….I think Robert Jordan is once again playing out some sexual fantasy using these characters and elaborate setting that he created. Not that I mind so much, except that so much of his books are PG rated, so it always stands out to me.

I am not sure if Rolan wants to be free of Sevanna and sees a potential path with Faile, or if he simply wants sexy times. If Rolan does escape with Faile, it could make for a very interesting conversation with Perrin down the road.

3. Poor Elsie sees a ghost, but Elayne dismisses it as nerves. We do not seem to have had much supernatural activity in this series, so this seemed very significant to me. Was the ghost real or do you think that there might be some other explanation? Feel free to say if you think I am simply being overly suspicious! 😀

This incident stood out to me too. I think it was a Grey Man, or some Aes Sedai that has learned how to cloak herself in invisibility. Either way, I think Elayne should be more suspicious all around (see Q.4).

4. I am getting rather tired of Mellar and his evil smugness, but I am a little concerned about Elayne’s decision to berate him in public. Does this mean that she realizes that his moment of heroism was completely staged? Do you think that he might try to retaliate for the embarrassment?

I don’t think Elayne has even considered that Mellar’s heroism during the assassination attack was staged. Again, I think she (or Aviendha or Brigitte) needs to be way more suspicious of the people around her. Mellar is giving everyone the bad vibes, except for that one Aes Sedai who was singing his praises…what was her name? She and two others are on the list of possible suspects for killing Vandene’s sister.

And, yes, eventually Mellar will retaliate for the embarrassment. Of course he might save it all up for his final move (assassination or kidnapping) and be real nasty about it.

5. We have lots of coming and goings in Caemlyn. Do you think that the Aes Sedai at the Silver Swan are Elaida’s, independents or parts of Cadsuane’s group? What about the group that Mellar ‘helped’ to get into the city: are they trustworthy at all?

Let’s see. They are Aes Sedai, so no matter who they ‘promised’ to serve, they have their own agenda. Elayne thinks they are watched closely, but yet we haven’t heard about their agendas. And if Mellar helped a few in, then I would watch out for Black Ajah or Forsaken.

6. What is it with the Seafolk and square miles of land? I thought that Rand had granted them that as part of his agreement with them, but maybe Zaida does not know about that yet. Do you have any ideas about why this land is so important to a sea-faring people?

Perhaps this land is in addition to what Rand had already grated. And perhaps it has something to do with the location? I think the Sea Folk want several basses of operation throughout Randland – safe harbors, places to conduct business, trade, etc. Have we learned where the Sea Folk come from? Do they have a set of islands they call home or are they strictly ship and sea? If they don’t already have a homeland, then perhaps this is why the land gained during the bargains is so important.

Other Tidbits

I liked that part where Faile admits to herself that her only weapon is her wits. Oh boy! She is definitely not armed for this situation!

the whole point of babying Elayne (no wine, early to bed, goat’s milk) is to keep her well rested and healthy. It seems snide of Brigitte to be getting drunk every night and being hung over every morning. I know she is sad, but she has a job to do and being drunk every night can’t help with that.

Crossroads of Twilight, Part III

This week, our host is Eivind, our keeper of esoteric WoT knowledge, can be found in the comments over somewhere (perhaps at Liesel’s). Make sure to swing by Sue’s at Coffee, Cookies, and Chili Peppers for excellent guesses as to what the future might hold and Liesel’s at Musings on Fantasia for cool fanart.

This week I am a little slow as I am suffering from a head cold and a kidney infection. If my answers seem a bit dimwitted, just kindly pat me on the head and pass me some kleenex, Tylenol, or vanilla icecream with fresh strawberries.

This week, we cover Chapters 5-8. Spoilers for this section run free below!

1. We learn a lot about Darkhounds from Masuri and Elyas. Do you expect that this will be the wolves’ role in the last battle? Whom could this large pack be after, if it’s not Perrin?

I was surprised when signs of the Darkhounds showed up again, and yet no dead bodies, not yet. And, yes, it sounds like the wolves are going to have be the one to free their brothers from the torment of being encased in Darkhound bodies and forced to serve the Dark. I bet that will be epic if a bit sad.

Since this large group didn’t tear Perrin’s encampment apart, but instead circled, and then left, I have to wonder if they are hunting Morgase. I wonder how they got her scent to hunt her in the first place?

2. Perrin has no goal other than freeing Faile. Could he be fixating on her to the degree of endangering the actual mission at hand? Does he need a wake up call?

Yes, his fixation on Faile has already endangered the mission. And while I think Faile is probably not the right woman for Perrin (with her ridiculous jealous ways), I don’t think she would want him to fail at his mission for the sake of her. Especially since she knows she isn’t in imminent danger from the Shaido – just uncomfortable and inconvenienced.

But I doubt Perrin would accept a wakeup call even if it came from Faile. In some ways, I really like this about Perrin, in others….well, the fate of the world does rest on the shoulders of a few individuals, and one of those individuals is Perrin.

3. Masuri and Annoura have been meeting with Masema, and so, it seems, have Suroth. What are all these characters planning?

Suroth is a Darkfriend, Masema is insane, and I forget where Masuri and Annoura sit on that spectrum. Masema won’t settle for less than the entire world swearing allegiance to the Dragon Reborn (through Masema, as his prophet). While Suroth is playing two lords – the Empress (may she live forever) and the Dark One. I expect Suroth is making false promises to Masema in order to bring him and his followers under some control while the Seanchan deal with total domination of Randland.

As to what they are planning together or separately….well, I am too medicated to come up with a even a silly guess.

4. Masema’s letter from Suroth conveniently does not mention his name or description, so Perrin could potentially use it himself. What would be on your wishlist?

When I heard that letter being read off, at first I thought it was one of those letters Siuan issued (when she was Amyrlin Seat) to our lady heroes many, many books back. Very similar wording.

And if Perrin, or someone riding with him, is smart enough to point out that Perrin can use the letter to his benefit, well then:

1) Enough armed soldiers to safely take the Shaido and rescue their captives

2) More armed soldiers to safely ‘escort’ Masema to Rand

3) More armed soldiers to protect the people and villages Perrin designates

4) Supplies – lots of roasted pheasant and bread and tents and blankets and mead. Yes, we need mead.

5. Everyone in camp believes Perrin was unfaithful with Berelain, and she’s not too concerned with denying it. Could she be endangering morale? Do you really believe that she’s as concerned with rescuing Faile as she seems to be?

I think Berelain was hoping that if everyone believed Perrin had bedded her, he would eventually do so. She has now seen that is not how Perrin works. I am hoping that she has shifted her motives and will assist Perrin in every way, just as she says. And yet…..She hasn’t denied the rumors of bedding Perrin nor has she asked her maids to do so.

And, really, it is quite stupid. I know she is the ruler of a small country and has to play these silly games to keep her seat. But with Perrin, and Rand, she doesn’t. Perhaps she is finally seeing that she won’t get what she wants by playing Perrin the fool.

I don’t think she cares for Faile at all, but she is also the daughter of a ruler and rules Perrin’s heart. So it wouldn’t hurt Berelain to do well by her.

6. Mat is heading north from Ebou Dar at the exact same time as Perrin finds the Shaido in northern Altara. Could we… could we have a meeting?

I hope so! These boys need to synchronize their Rainbow Swirls! And if we do, I expect it to be epic – since the Darkhounds are following the Shaido to get Morgase. Then if the Borderlanders we saw in the Prologue are also marching on the Shaido, that could add some unexpected excitement to the meeting. Plus we Tuon and the Seanchan looking for her.

Has Mat ever met Morgase? Can he ID her? Haha! I’m such a dork. Thom is traveling with Mat, and he can definitely ID Morgase.

Other Tidbits

I know Elyas is already wondering about this, but I wonder too: What has Masuri been doing with her life to put her in near contact with 7 packs of Darkhounds?

The Tinker’s lad (forgot his name) seems jealous of Perrin giving his time to anyone else (except for Faile). I have to wonder if this will be a problem in the future? Will there be a one-sided bromance?

Winter's Heart Read Along Part II

Welcome everyone to the continuation of The Wheel of Time saga. Here we are with Book 9, Winter’s Heart. As always, anyone is welcome to join us, so check out the schedule if you would like to do so.

This week, I am our host this week. Eivind, our commenter with an encyclopediac knowledge of WoT, can be found in the comments. Don’t forget to swing by Sue’s at Coffee, Cookies, and Chili Peppers for in-depth analysis and Liesel’s at Musings on Fantasia for non-spoilery fan art.

This week we covered Chapters 3-7. Spoilers are having a party below!

1) What did everyone make of the Shaido’s treatment of Faile, Maighdin, Alliandre, Bain, Chiad, Lacile, and Arrela during the march through the snow? Harsh? As expected?

At first, this made sense. It is much, much harder for captives to get all uppity and host ideas of escaping if they are trussed up naked and forced to march through the snow. But then things got a little weird. We had Faile being carried over Rolan’s shoulder and repeatedly slapped on the ass – and her deepest thoughts liking it because it kept her awake (nudge, nudge, wink, wink). We had two of the ladies thrown naked into the snow and switched, leaving red stripes on creamy white buttocks. Uh…..yeah. Totally the wet dream of 13-30 year old males. If we had a few males captives that received the same treatment, I could have lent this scene more credence. As it stands, I think it was written to appeal to a certain segment of the fans.

Why don’t we take a moment and picture some of the guys naked, trussed, and marching through the snow. They have learned to ignore their nudity and are just focused on surviving. But now they are faltering. Do the Shaido sling them over their shoulders and carry them the rest of the way? Do the men balk at it? Do they scream and contort as they get switched? Do they learn to like the slaps on the ass because it helps keep them awake? Hmm…..Well, I know who I pictured for this scene. Who did you picture? 😉

2) Faile and crew meet the Shaido Wise Ones (Therava & Someryn) and also the Aes Sedai Galina. What do you think of the Wise Ones speaking so openly of Sevanna’s orders? Will Galina be of any help to Faile?

I was a bit surprised that the Wise Ones were so openly disparaging Sevanna’s plans to take so many captives. I wonder if this is a reflection of the huge level of dissent among the troops, or is it a reflection of Aiel culture – meaning that the Aiel don’t expect gaishan to make anything of their comments, good or bad, about the leadership. It’s build into the Aiel culture that the gaishan are completely subservient, so they might feel 100% comfortable discussing nearly anything around them.

Or they might be ready to gut Sevanna themselves.

If Galina does help Faile and crew, I expect it will come at a high price. I do have to say I am a little concerned that Faile and crew will botch any escape attempt and have to pay a steep price for it. Galina knows this and I don’t think she will lightly risk her hide to help Faile (even if Galina stayed behind).

3) It seems that Berelain is taking advantage of Faile’s absence and Perrin’s fatigue. Where do you think her flirtations will take her? Given the chance, what would you do with her at this point?

In general, I don’t agree with hitting people in the face (unless it is a bit of slap to bring them out of some hysteria or to keep them from sticking a knife in someone you care about), but I may just make an exception in Berelain’s case. And I think Perrin should be the first allowed to smack her.

As to what it will get her? I am not sure what she is playing for. Is it simple lust? Does she think that Perrin has lands and armies to offer Berelain and her country? She would have a stronger alliance in Faile if only she could make friends with her, but I can’t see that happening after this last bout of stupidity. Perrin isn’t going to want to bed her, even if she manages to break him and Faile apart.

Perhaps the Aes Sedai could lend her a smooth white rod? 😉

4) They are on the hunt! Talanvor left on his own to pursue the Shaido hours ahead of Perrin and crew. Perrin had to chastise the Cha Faile for their spying activities. The Asha’men want to lead the charge. Add to that, Masema offering to assist. Will Perrin’s anger explode? How can this hunt possibly be derailed?

So many possibilities! For entertainment’s sake, let’s say Talanvor finds the Shaido first, but decides to try to rescue the ladies all on his own instead of heading back and getting reinforcements. So he ends up captured and forced to walk naked in the snow, trussed in his own pants. Maybe he will even get switched or carried like a sack of grain. We can only hope, as we have heard how handsome he is.

I expect the Cha Faile will totally forget they promised to follow Perrin’s orders as soon as they catch sight of the Shaido. They are not thoroughly trained as warriors, not like the Aiel, and I expect plenty of blundering into the Shaido, ending in them being captured too. Meanwhile, the Asha’men are teleporting all over the area scouting for the Shaido. They may have some success and it would be interesting if one or two of them actually teleported directly into the Shaido camp. They may even kill a few Shaido before teleporting out or being killed. This should stir the pot.

Then we got Masema and crew who are fanatical idiots. I am sure they will find some reason to hate the Shaido and therefore, want to eradicate them from the face of Randland (for the good of the Dragon Reborn, may the light illumine his name for all eternity!). At this point, I think Perrin should lead a group of his Aiel into the fray and quietly and quickly collect all the people they want left alive and remove them to some hilltop to watch the fracas.

5) The men escorting Naean and Elenia were ambushed and killed outside Caemlyn. What do you think this portends? Will Elayne be able to unite the houses behind her or is this move the first of several by houses against her? Should the ladies be more concerned about defenses instead of clothing?

It didn’t sound like Naean and Elenia were killed, so I am guessing they were either freed and helped away or captured for whatever info they can give on Elayne and the current state of Caemlyn. Is Elenia one of those ladies who came on to Rand and then had to explain to him how she is not related (at least not even closely) to Elayne?

Anyway, sounds like someone wanted these two free of Elayne – and probably so that they can go against Elayne. I know Elayne is concerned that not all the house are for her, so I am expecting at the least some major political pushing and shoving, and at worst some kind of rebellion, even civil war. Knowing that we still have so many books, I am leaning towards the later.

And, yeah, if I can be concerned over the possibility of civil war, than Elayne can too….which means a focus on defenses is needed instead of forcing her most trusted friends (and now guards) into ‘proper’ attire.

The Wheel of Time, bringing angry cats together again and again.

Other Tidbits

Is Someryn (one of Sevanna’s Wise Ones) the one with the hawk nose? Is this suppose to be the hawk that Min sees around Perrin? Is she and Faile going to hook up and become the best of friends?

Haha! When master Gil was going on about Perrin sampling from too many dishes and Perrin pointed out that he had not even had breakfast, I had to laugh. Giggling over that aside, I was a little sad at how easily people believed Perrin had been dabbling in Berelain, even against his protests.

That short scene with Perrin as a wolf was great. Really enjoyed the switch from wolf-Perrin to groggy, confused, angry, naked Perrin.

The Path of Daggers Read Along Part VI

Here we are at the final week of The Path of Daggers, but don’t worry, we’ll be continuing with Book 9, Winter’s Heart, next week. Anyone is welcome to join us, so check out the schedule over HERE.

This week, Sue from Coffee, Cookies, & Chili Peppers is our host. Don’t forget to check out Liesel from Musings on Fantasia. Our walking WoT encyclopedia, Eivind, can be found in the comments at Sue’s.

This week we covered Chapters 27-End. Spoilers run free and in their birthday suits below!

1. The Sea Folk have made a Bargain with Rand. Do you agree with him that it is not as restricting as it might seem? Were you impressed with his scheming way of immediately seeing a way to their demands to reduce their impact?

I have been pondering this one all night. I have obviously missed something. I recall that there is a deal to allow the Sea Folk a port in every coastal/big river city and that they actually are to be given a small slice of each city. But that was way earlier in the book, right? Hmm….was this is passing before Rand’s rooms exploded?

2. I honestly thought that Cadsuane had met her end and that Rand was going to burn her into a tiny, crispy pile of ashes. Knowing what we do about her intentions, were you surprised by how she dealt with him? Are you worried about his anger management issues?

I am glad that Cadsuane will be serving as Rand’s adviser and also glad that she won’t be groveling when she does so. Rand already has enough people groveling at him (those who do so willingly and those who are forced to). This week, Cadsuane was wearing the Big Brass Balls (in her brazier of course!).

Of course we’re all worried about Rand’s anger management issues, but we also know that he hasn’t lost all self-control (remember that beating he took at the beginning of this section? He totally could have annihilated all those Aiel Maidens if he had wanted to).

3. The Super Girls have a murderer in their midst. This was a total shock to me, but did you see it coming? Do you have any suggestions for the murderer’s identity and the reason behind the deaths?

Halima is still with them, right? In many ways, this death of Ipsan, a Darkfriend, makes a lot of sense with Halima, a Forsaken in disguise, hanging around. Still, this was pretty brutal. Not only were Ipsan and her keeper-of-the-day slipped some paralyzing poison which would eventually kill them, but then they were slaughtered on top of it. I would say that whoever the murderer is, they have some anger management issues. And the list of suspects isn’t limited to Halima. We know that Moridin can come and go as he likes. Plus if Ipsan was the only Drakfreind in Egwene’s army, I will eat my man’s shorts. (He won’t be happy about that as he gets quite attached to his underwear).

4. We witness the rather unpleasant demise of Jaichim Carridin and Falion Bhoda being terrified into submission. Any thoughts on Lady Shiaine and her activities? Is anyone else seriously creeped out by Daved Hanlon and his unpleasant memories?

Daved seems to be the kind of mercenary that revels in his work, specifically the rape and pillage kind of work. And Lady Shiaine asks him if he has ever put hands on a queen before. That limits the list a bit. Perhaps the Darkfriends are trying to recapture Morgase, or they want Elayne taken out. Those would be the first 2 I would worry about. Of course there are other queens. Still, I am not sure what else Daved can do besides fantasy and go for easy targets. Perhaps he looks helpful or harmless or charming and this lets him get hired on and then later, grasp an opportunity.

5. It would seem that there are some rogue Asha’man. I think that Dashiva has always seemed rather ‘off’, but were you surprised that they attacked Rand so openly? Do you think that this will postpone any chance of him ‘visiting’ Elayne in the near future?

Yeah, this attack seemed to lack planning and forethought. Still, if Rand had not made off to go deal with matters at the drop of a hat, it might just have worked. You can’t distrust everyone.

Min needs to toss the boy through a portal into Elayne’s arms. This needs must be for 2 reasons: 1) They need to have an argument about Rand ‘giving’ her the throne; 2) They need to play kissy face.

And, yes, Rand is giving her the throne. He held it long enough for her, kept it fresh and unsoiled, protected it with blood, cussing, and warriors. She was off playing circus performer and savior of the weather. In this matter, I think Elayne is being childish. I hope she grows up a tad and takes note of how hard it is to hold a crown in waiting for someone else, someone who rather be doing highwire acts.

6. The aftermath of the attack was rather strange and I was seriously disturbed by Rand’s murder of Fedwin Morr. Why did he suddenly have the mind of a child and why did Rand kill him? Did Taim’s appearance make you more or less suspicious of him?

I am not sure how Fedwin got the mind of a child. I am guessing that someone’s use of the Power burned his mind – but I don’t know if that was his use or the close proximate use of the Power by another spilling over onto Fedwin.

As Min noted, she had to use all her skills to convince him to play with the wooden blocks instead of taking stones out of the castle walls to play with. I think Rand felt that he had to let Fewin go for 2 reasons – that it was a mercy to release him from a damaged mind and also he was now an unpredictable child with the powers of a full Channeler and could in a temper or in play do real harm to so many people. Still, I wonder why they couldn’t keep them sedated while they check around with the Healers (of all varieties) to see if anything could be done. That would have been less poignant though.

OK, so a few week’s back I popped onto WoT Wiki or some basic info. I was just looking for a list to jar my memory and I accidentally came across a spoiler about Taim. I have been on the fence about him, feeling he is an arrogant sot, but not sure if he is evil or good. Now that I have this blasted spoiler in my head, I know which he is. But I will not give anything away. If I didn’t have that spoiler, I would suspect Taim more because of the Asha’men attack, but I wouldn’t necessarily be convinced. Stranger coincidences have occurred. For instance, for a while, I was very suspicious of Bashere, but of late he has proved himself a true friend and a good guy.

7. The last ‘real’ chapter was packed with “Argh!” moments! Do you think that Masema might give himself a coronary if Perrin aggravates him enough? Did Berelain escape to warn Perrin about the Shaido taking Faile? Why on Earth did we have to stop just as the rebels arrived at Tar Valon??????

Haha! Yes, I do hope that Masema simply undoes himself with some embolism or such. What a hard ass! I would like Perrin to show him a little more disrespect to push him over the edge.

I hope Berelain escaped and I think she will warn whoever she bumps into first. Afterall, it doesn’t necessarily have to be Perrin. Rand or Mat or Birgitte or Nynaeve will do. Really, any of our main good guys.

Next book should have a ton of goodness for us, since the ‘rebels’ have reached Tar Valon. Shit is going down!

Extra Tidbits

I found it very touching that 1) The Maidens were pissed enough at Rand to give him a good beating (but also avoid his lingering injuries); 2) That Rand did not turn them into puddles of goo and agreed with the beating; and 3) That Min tried to protect him instead of joining in. Of course, this beating was followed by a rather public bath, which I found amusing and also may have served as a kind of punishment too.

I think these books are getting progressively a little darker each time and more adult. What does it say that I am enjoying this series more and more as it matures?

I have to admit that I have missed some people this book – Mat and Loial are the two main ones. Looking forward to seeing where their storylines sit.

The Path of Daggers Read Along Part II

Welcome everyone! This is the second week of the dissection of Robert Jordan’s Book 8 of The Wheel of Time Series. Anyone is welcome to join us, so check out the schedule over HERE.

This week, Sue from Coffee, Cookies, & Chili Peppers is our host, so make sure to swing by her place. Liesel from Musings on Fantasia will also be joining us. And you can catch our walking WoT encyclopedia, Eivind, in the comments at Sue’s.

This week we covered Chapters 4-9. Spoilers run free and in their birthday suits below!

1. The Super Girls finally got to use the Bowl of the Winds. The power needed and the weaving involved were both certainly impressive, but were you a little underwhelmed by the immediate lack of results?

I guessed it would take time for the overall weather to change. Still, I was hoping a bit of a localized wind around the Sea Folk, considering all the hot air they were spewing out.

As I side note, the day I read that chapter, it finally rained here. Our first moisture in perhaps a month and our first real amount of precipitation in perhaps 2-3 months. It has been a very dry winter. So the goof inside me likes to think that the Bowl of Winds called the rain here….and eventually it will get to Randland. Eventually.

2. The different groups of channelers can certainly work together when faced with the Seanchan. However, do you think that Elayne and Nynaeve have any hope of keeping them together as they travel to Caemlyn, and will Egwene be anymore successful?

I think the Sea Folk will try to bolt as soon as possible. They definitely all need shirts, or sashes for the shirtless, that say DOES NOT PLAY WELL WITH OTHERS. Plus, they miss their beloved boats and don’t really get on well with horses.

Then Nynaeve versus the highly organized Kin. Nynaeve definitely likes to be the one bossing people around. That is her comfort zone. Hopefully she will find another group that needs her bossing, otherwise she may very well drive the Kin away.

I expect Egwene will run into similar issues and I look forward to seeing what they are. 🙂

3. Holy Exploding Weaves, Batman! Last week we saw Merilille’s terror as Aviendha unpicked her weaving, so were you surprised by how much damage Elayne caused? Do you expect the Seanchan to accept the Chulein’s assessment that it was a weapon of some sort?

No, I wasn’t surprised by how much damage Elayne’s unpicking weave caused. Robert Jordan built in the consequences pretty clearly earlier int he story and the little imp in me was hoping we would see it used in the story at some point. I wasn’t expecting it to be used this early, but I was quite happy with the scene as it had me on the edge of my seat.

Yes, I expect the Seanchan will go with the Chulein’s assumption. I believe the Chulein and her co-rider were the only 2 survivors? And, in a way, collapsing a gate like that could very well be used as weapon in a desperate situation.

4. The channelers with Perrin saw the weaving from the Bowl and it appears to have had a lasting effect over a huge area. Do you think that Perrin is really hearing thunder and is it actually starting to get cooler as he and the others mention a few times?

Since multiple people are experiencing the cooler temps, I think that is real. And we know Perrin has great hearing, but I would want to check with some equines first as they and their twitchy ears are good indicators of coming storms.

Of course, Perrin’s distant thunder could be the impending cat fight between Berelain, Faile, and Queen Alliandre…….

5. A certain group of travellers is not quite what they seem. Were you surprised that Morgase did not reveal her identity to Perrin? Do you think that she will give the game away when Perrin tries to marry her to Tallanvor?

No, I was not surprised when Morgase kept her ID to herself. This is completely in keeping with her character….cough…recent bad decisions, lack of judgement, and snap assessments of people that prove incorrect. Not that I am trying to be harsh on the woman…..But I do think Andor will be in much better hands with Elayne ruling.

It was quite fun to watch Linni repeatedly tell Morgase to shut the hell up and act like a proper maid. I liked this section quite a bit just because of that. 🙂

I think Faile will be the true organizer behind the weddings and I don’t think Morgase will give away her ID before the wedding. I think Morgase the Queen could never marry the ‘lowly’ Talanvor. But Megan the maid could marry the and some, dashing, honorable, well-muscled, lithe, obviously knows what to do with his hands Talanvor. Morgase really is a silly woman.

6. Oh good, the Faile-Berelain antagonism is still in full flow. What do you think the Cha Faile are doing in Bethal? Will it work with or against Berelain’s attempts to make an alliance with Queen Alliandre?

Once again, Faile acts rather childish and my original affection for this character is quickly waning. First, she is sneaking out at night and making secret plans with her Cha Faile. These aren’t silly tasks she is sending them on, like scour the countryside for strawberries, or fetch champagne from cellars of some once-fine inn. No, she has bigger plans.

And I think she intends for her Cha faile to kidnap Queen Alliandre and bring her to Faile and Faile will present her to Perrin. Of course, this will completely undermine 2 things: 1) Any possibility for a trusting political alliance between Queen Alliandre and the Dragon Reborn. 2) Perrin’s trust in Faile.

Hence, the big impending cat fight between Berelain, Faile, and Queen Alliandre – which sounds like distant thunder in Perrin’s ears.

7. The Wise Ones have decided that Masema must die and at least one of the Aes Sedai agrees with them. Given that he has followers collecting strings of ears, do you think they are correct and the Prophet is too dangerous to be kept alive?

This is a messy one. Personally, I am quite fine with Perrin taking an axe to Masema’s neck. In fact, I wouldn’t mind doing so myself. But I think Rand needs to be a little more politic on this one. Not a whole lot. Just a pinch. Basically, if Perrin can get Masema to acknowledge Rand’s rule, then Rand can have Masema tried by law (of whatever the lastest country he has run through and left earless people mucking about in sorrow) and then executed. But most of Masema’s followers would be transferred to Rand. Hopefully.

However, I expect Masema to be completely uncivil and that Perrin will have to execute him to save others. I look forward to this very much. 🙂

Extra Tidbits

Isn’t Birgitte the greatest badass in the entire series? I love the way she calmly tells Elayne to piss off when Elayne tries to send her off. Such loyalty and machisma all at once.

Small little tear for the dead horses. RIP Lioness.

Lamgwin and Master Gil trust Perrin. And Linni thinks he’s a good man. But Morgase is still convinced Perrin is a henchman. Sigh……Can I slap Morgase? Any objections?

I know Perrin has a lot on his mind, but don’t you think his character was dense in this section concerning Morgase? I mean Perrin has been around enough royalty by now to recognize it when he sees it.

A Crown of Swords Read Along Part VI

Welcome back everyone! This week Sue is our host over at Coffee, Cookies, and Chili Peppers. And don’t miss Liesel’s Musing on Fantasia. Eivind, our awesome commenter should be at Sue’s.

This week we covered Chapters 25-30. Spoilers Below!!!

1. It would seem that we have the identity of the Watcher from last week, but Moridin is not the name of any of the Forsaken. Is he a new Forsaken, just as Shaidar Haran is a new type of Myrddraal, or is he a reincarnation of one of the dead ones? Were you surprised that Moghedien was allowed to live and do you think she will ever escape the mindtrap?

I wonder if Moiridin is a vessel for the Dark One to go on walk about. He does have that dark fleck in his eyes that seems to move around of it’s own accord and he does seem to be pretty bad ass. So I am thinking he is something we haven’t seen before and held in higher regard than most if not all the other baddies we’ve seen so far.

Moghedien is a tool, and still useful, and Robert Jordan doesn’t seem to kill off the personable baddies very often and not for too long. So, no, I wasn’t surprised that she lived. Will she escape the mind trap? I kind of hope she does, because I think her plotline will be more fascinating if she is free to cause grief & consternation, yet also be on the run from the baddies.

2. So, Valda has proven to be a rapist as well as a murderer: lovely! Do you think that Morgase will successfully evade the Seanchan and do you expect her to tell anyone about her renunciation of the Lion Throne?

I think we just need to leave Valda alone in a room with Elayne and he will no longer be a problem. To anyone. Ever. 🙂

I do expect Morgase to evade the Seanchan and hopefully, fingers crossed, make it to some safe harbor. I think Morgase has learned enough by now to be able to keep a low profile and not order everyone else around like she’s a queen and they are servants. Surely, she wouldn’t do something as asinine as that, which would give her away? Yeah, all fingers crossed on that one.

To me, her renunciation of the throne seemed to have some magic to it. In fact, I have expected Elayne to magically know that the throne had passed to her…but of course, if that was possible, she would know that her mom wasn’t dead, since the throne hadn’t magically passed to her. Anyway, I expect sooner or later, she will have to tell someone – maybe just Elayne. Maybe that lad with the fine legs when she beds him. 🙂

3. I guess we can assume that the Seanchan were that storm that Nynaeve could detect. What did you make of their attack on the Fortress of Light? Our previous impression of Suroth was that she was wildly overconfident about capturing Rand: do these latest events change your opinion?

The Fortress of Light was full of arrogant White Cloaks. Now it is full of arrogant Seanchan. I thought the attack was quite the light show – pretty fun to watch as long as you don’t have to be involved. Honestly, I wasn’t sure who to root for. White Cloaks? Seanchan? Pretty much, I was just hoping they created enough chaos for Morgase & crew to escape. Alas, she chose to stay, thinking it was Aes Sedai coming to the rescue.

It seems the Seanchan put a lot of faith? honor? in giving their word to obey the Empress. But not everyone is going to play by their rules. I think the Seanchan, including Suroth, are still pretty self-assured that their way is the best way and can’t really imagine anyone going against it. Should be spectacular when Rand gets a hold of them. 🙂

4. Sneaky! Although I hate a writer doing this, I was happy to discover that the fight between Rand and Perrin was a way to distract their enemies. How successful do you think Perrin will be at finding Masema and subduing the Dragonsworn? I am getting truly sick of it, so any ideas on how and when the whole Faile / Berelain thing will be resolved?

Yeah, that Perrin – Rand fight was faked…at least until Rand threw Perrin into a wall! Rand gets so passionate sometimes and loses his sense of balance in things. Perrin so far has gotten the job done every time he has committed himself. And I expect that tracking down Masema and subduing him will be far easier than returning to Two Rivers to discover his family wipes out. Got a tough job? Get a Perrin & wolf crew!

I think that if Faile and Berelain were to bed each other, that would resolve all the tension and silliness between the two. Alas, The Wheel of Time doesn’t appear to be that type of series. So I think we are stuck with their annoying behaviors until one of them dies. At this point, I am not sure I have a preference.

5. Fancy NOT telling Loial about the subterfuge: I could hold that against certain people, even if they are the Dragon Reborn and a sexy blacksmith! The Asha’man traveling with our favorite Ogier seems mighty untrustworthy: are they all like that or am I getting paranoid?

Sexy blacksmith, indeed! Let me just take a moment…..

OK, back to the question. It seems that many of the Asha’men have chips on their shoulders. To some extent, this is totally understandable as they have been told all their lives that they are not worthy of compassion and should be exiled, stilled, or killed. But I think Mazrim Taim has definitely encouraged this chip on the shoulder to a weighty arrogant boulder that requires both shoulders to carry. I do think the Asha’men have loyalty to Taim first, Rand second (hopefully), and no one beyond that. So, should Perrin and crew be worried? Hell, yes!

6. Tylin manages to snare her ‘little rabbit’, although it seem to scare him half to death. Was I the only one chortling away at Mat’s discomfort? It seems that the plan to use Mat’s Ta’veren luckiness has paid off, but will it be that easy to simply find the Bowl?

I keep going back and forth on Tylin and Mat. On one hand, Mat is being treated like a bed toy, kind of like he has treated a number of women. They were objects, yes, always willing, looking for some fun, but nothing beyond that to Mat. So I giggle at Mat being irritated, even angry, at being seen as a walking sex toy.

But then I swing the other way. Tylin held a knife to his throat as she used another knife to remove his clothes. Reverse the rolls and if Mat had held a woman at knife point for even part of the sexy times, I would have to put Mat on the Predator List.

So my man (who reads the books along with us but almost never comments) and I had this big discussion on this. Now, we both enjoy our sexytimes together. So I asked how he would feel about me using a butter knife at his throat while I peeled his clothes off (just to spice things up), and the answer was a flat NO! Which, of course, put an end to the sexytimes that night, so we chatted about Tylin and Mat in depth. After all that, I think I have to put Tylin on the Predator List.

But your real question is about the Bowl. No, it won’t be easy because both Nynaeve and Mat are involved and those two will butt heads until one walks away with a flattened face. Does Nynaeve’s stubbornness cancel out Mat’s luck? I am starting to think so.

7. Can Elayne’s chin get any higher? Whilst I find the Aes Sedai totally irritating, I am amazed that Elayne managed to browbeat them so successfully. Is this the end of the super girls being treated like idiots? How will Nynaeve cope with this sudden change in their circumstances?

Once Elayne takes the throne of Andor, her chin will go higher. That’s in the job description.

No, it is not the end of the Supergirls being treated as idiots….because I will continue to think of them that way for some time to come! Now, I expect Robert Jordan will continue to throw in new characters and from time to time some of those characters will treat the ladies with scorn, indifference, or as idiots.

I hope that Nynaeve will follow Elayne’s lead for a little while at least. I think that is the safest way for her until they get out of Ebou Dar.

8. Ooooooo, Moghedien tried to totally kill someone in a little boat. Is there any doubt at all that it is Nynaeve? Will Lan get there in time to save her or will she pull her braid out trying to make the water get out of her way?

Yeah, I think it is Nynaeve too. Moghedien probably wouldn’t risk breaking so many Dark Side rules for anyone else.

Will Lan save Nynaeve? I think Nynaeve will save herself just in time for Lan to have stripped out of most of his clothes and dived in. At least, this reader can hope there is a lack of clothing in the upcoming rescue. 😉 I am so looking forward to these two getting together. I wonder if it will be all kisses, or if there will be some Nynaeve shouting? At any rate, should be entertaining.

Other Tidbits:

The mindtrap seems to very delicate. How does the holder keep from inadvertently squishing it? Like when they sleep, or lean forward against a table, or get slammed against a stone wall by a good guy?

One of Morgase’s men saw a large winged beastie of some sort. And then another landed, for Morgase & crew to seem just before the Seanchan attacking. I suspect Dark Friends escaping, or at least sending messages out. I wonder how they contacted the beasties and their riders? Instead of the Pony Express mail service, we have the Winged Beast Express – special rates for all Dark Friend messages!

Loial and his story! He is so cute and so focused on writing his history of events. Sometimes I feel like the tale we are reading is Loial’s completed works. I know, we already discussed that possibility, and it is unlikely. Still, the idea has a certain charm.

A Crown of Swords Read Along Part II

Welcome back everyone! This week Sue from Coffee, Cookies, and Chili Peppers is our host, so make sure to swing by her place for intelligent discussion. You can find cool fanart of the non-spoiery kind over at Liesel’s Musing on Fantasia.

This week we covered Chapters 3-8. Spoilers Below!!!

1. The bleakness has returned in force and Rand’s Aiel are seeping away. Do you think that this will stop once he is visibly back in control in Cairhien or has this episode done permanent damage to his position as Car’a’carn?

Quite frankly, I think he will need to defeat the Shaido, specifically Sevanna, and marry an Aiel woman before his position as Car’a’carn is secured 100%. Also, I expect that those Aiel that stay with Rand will want to see the idiot, rebellious Cairhienen punished too. Equality and all.

Perhaps the Wise Ones and Aviendha can convince Rand to marry? 😉

2. On a scale of 1 to a Google, how cute is Loial offering relationship advice to Perrin? Does anyone understand what is going on between Gaul and Chiad?

Haha! That was funny! Even Loial had noticed Faile’s jealousy. And then later in the story, Loial reveals some feelings for Eirth and immediately kicks himself for doing so, blaming the ta’veren influence. I wish I could use that excuse for every time I slip up in a conversation and reveal a bit more than I wanted too!

I think Chiad secretly wants to marry Gaul. But she wants him to submit in all kinds of ways before she finally asks him to marry. But poor Gaul wants marriage, not friends with benefits arrangement. Plus there is Bane (spelling?). He doesn’t like Bane particularly, but Chiad may very well want her as sister-wife. That makes things all kinds of awkward, wouldn’t you say? Here, wed and bed my best friend, who you detest, so that the three of us can be happily married.

Gaul, cut your losses. Move on.

3. Were you surprised or impressed by Faile’s actions during Colavaere’s power play? Do you think she was actually in any real danger?

Faile was too valuable a hostage, if not a maidservant (I could only think she would be horrible at this). Can you see Faile being in charge of helping another lady dress? Assisting her into and out of under clothes? Fetching stupid stuff likes fans and face creams and toilet tissue? I know Faile only had to play this role for a few days, but it must have been ever so hard on her.

I hope we get flashbacks to pay witness to her frustration and seething anger. *evil grin*

It took a little bit of courage to take an active role in that powderkeg conversation, but not much. It would have been much harder to do when Rand first appeared in the throne room.

Would you think me an ass if I said that I really liked Faile when she first showed up as a Hunter for the Horn, but that my opinion of her keeps steadily going down?

4. What do you think of Rand’s decision not to execute Colavaere: was it wise or foolish? Were you surprised that Perrin agreed with him?

I know Rand had to do so in order to help hold on to his core self. But he already has this long, long, long list of enemies and leaving one alive and devoting resources to getting her set up on a farm and then guarding her….well, someone needs to quietly slip a knife between her ribs.

Still, a life as a peasant farmer isn’t going to be pleasant for her. 😉

No, I was not surprised Perrin agreed with him. He doesn’t like killing the females any more than Rand does. They are both ‘chivalrous’ in that way.

5. I am still completely confused by Faile’s reaction to Berelain, how about you?

Faile obviously has self-esteem issues. I am not sure why she didn’t punch Berelain in the mouth and then show her the knife collection when she was spreading such lies, merely for her amusement. Supposedly Faile is a capable woman, so she should have been able to get her point across to Berelain.

And even if she couldn’t, blaming Perrin for the actions of others, especially when Perrin has done everything he could to discourage those actions, is childish.

Would it be OK if we simply ducktaped Faile and left her in a cozy closet for a book or two?

6. It seems that Dyelin has also seized power in Rand’s absence. She previously said that she would only hold the throne for Elayne: do you think that she means to stick to that pledge?

Publicly, she has stated she is holding the throne in Rand’s name for Elayne. If this is so, I think she will fair better that Colavaere. But if she is a dumbass, she’s going to get the Dragon Reborn Nasty-gram too. If she has spies or contacts in Cairhein, and has heard of what happened there, she may very well rethink her game plan by the time Rand knocks on her door. I am expecting things won’t be as dramatic as they were with Colavaere.

7. It seems like Egwene is managing the Aes Sedai quite well, even though it is like herding very headstrong cats. Does this seem likely to continue, or do you think they will start to realize how she is manipulating them? Do you think they will ever get to Tar Valon?

Egwene is very strong in the Power. I think sooner or later, a show of that strength will be needed to unite a good chunk of the Salidar Aes Sedai behind her. Which will be very fun reading for us I expect. And I think this will have to happen before they get to Tar Valon. But, yes, they will get there and I believe so because of Elaida’s prophesy.

Other Tidbits:

Big, sweet, scholarly Loial, book and ink well in one hand, pen in another. Plus that big, deadly axe resting on his shoulder. Wow! Love the imagery.

Did I miss something? Rand travels from Cairhein back to Andor and finds out there are several (10?) Aes Sedai staying at some inn, right? He then thinks he should warn Taim, but then he wonders why Taim didn’t already no, because for certain Taim would have told him. Did I misunderstand that? So, if I have that correct, this is just one more thing to add to the ‘Reasons to Distrust Mazrim Taim’ list. I think I need to get this list to Rand before Taim does him in one way or another.

Haha! Did anyone else take delicious enjoyment in Rand and the Wise Ones completely ignoring the demands, foot stomping, and pouting of the Aes Sedai?

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