RAND AND ELAYNE KISSED BABY, LET'S GO!

EVERYBODY CAN SHUT UP.

It wasn't how I imagined the kiss scene happening, y'know? I was expecting an angry, heated love confession, followed by some spicy kissing.

But apart from that, this book is a significant upgrade. Like, in the previous three books, the flirting was minimal, if not nonexistent. But in TSR, it's got me clutching my imaginary pearls like some scandalised maiden, 🤣as if I haven't read worse in other romance books.

And I've got a question: do Lan and Nynaeve get married in this book? The line confused me when I read it. What wedding feast? Whats going on? MIND YOU IN THIS BOOK

In the last post, most of you said the third woman had already been introduced, and I'm still blind. ( https://www.reddit.com/r/WoT/s/gPqSbeDw2U )

I know it's not Egwene, because obviously they both split on agreeable terms, if you can even call it splitting.

But I still think it's Aviendha🤔. Berelain is obviously introduced as an annoying character. But there's no hint as to whether Aviendha has feelings for him or not.

But who else could it possibly be? There's no way it's Moiraine. She's like a mentor figure, and someone told me she and Siuan were "roommates in college", so I'm assuming she doesn't swing that way.

Then who? Ugh, come on, guys, give me a clue! Or is this person someone not emphasised enough so far?

Also Perrin and Faile are so on.

And Mat's love interest if he ever has one, hasn't still being introduced. Am I right, or am I right?

I know I shouldn't be posting like this but I'm like so excited...

Listening to the audio book and I can't help but be touched by the description of Verrin giving all of her research on the black Ajah to Egwene as she dies. There's many elements of the plot that seems inevitable or just filling prophecy but this element springs up as unexpected and completely saving the white tower. It's completely unselfish (which no other dark friends can do) and unexpected - but is also supportive of Egwene showing herself as the ideal of an Amerlyn. It's a complete validation of the trials Egwene has suffered before this.

There's a lot of egos involved in the plot in both the dark and the light but this action seems by far the most egoless action in the whole series. She's not sure if her soul is going to be forever tortured by the dark one but she does the right thing. IMO it's the most important plot twist that actually saves the white tower.

The series doesn't suggest what happens when this ends but Egwene suggests Verrin should be remember forever and I agree. If the White Tower didn't reunite without being purged of dark friends the last battle might have been lost.

Finished The Shadow Rising and something occurred to me that made me appreciate the Tanchico chapters a lot more.

Rand goes into Rhuidean and discovers that practically everything the Aiel believe about their own history is backwards. They're a warrior culture descended from people who refused to fight. They despise the Tinkers, who actually preserved the Way of the Leaf their ancestors abandoned.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the world, Egeanin is discovering that sul'dam aren't fundamentally different from the women they've spent their lives keeping on leashes.

These are two societies whose entire understanding of honor depends on a distinction that turns out to be false.

For the Aiel, it's the difference between honorable warriors and contemptible people who refuse to fight. For the Seanchan, it's the difference between respectable women who control the Power and dangerous women who must be controlled.

And in both cases, the people who learn the truth have a very good reason to wish they hadn't.

What I find particularly interesting is how differently the revelations happen.

The Aiel have an entire sacred place dedicated to confronting their history. Their leaders have been carrying this knowledge for generations, even though it apparently destroys some of the people who encounter it.

Egeanin, on the other hand, discovers something that her society has absolutely no mechanism for admitting. There's no honorable way for her to process this information within the system she has spent her life serving.

It also made her character much more interesting to me. She's not some cartoonishly cruel Seanchan officer. She's capable of being reasonable and even decent to people, which makes watching her question her beliefs more uncomfortable. She has participated in something terrible without ever having to think of herself as a terrible person.

I went into this book expecting the big revelations to be about Rand and the Dragon Reborn. I wasn't expecting so much of it to be about what happens when people find out the stories their cultures tell about themselves aren't true.

Maybe I'm reading too much into the parallel, but I genuinely think these two plotlines make each other better.

Please keep discussion to book 4. I'm starting The Fires of Heaven next.

Been reading the series since ~ ‘98 and love it. Lost my original copies but a few years ago I bought the whole series again. Unfortunately they’re softcover and I prefer hardcover books. If I were to buy a book at a time (even used) how hard would it be to replace the series over time?

.....gets dragonnapped. How did they get him back to the house without getting noticed by any wise one that can channel? So I get they set up the 'smoke screen' of channeling at the house but they had to get him back there shielded and so they had to go back all the way through the city with 6+ Aes Sedai channeling for all they're worth and not one woman noticed??

​

I'm on my way to start Book 8, the Path of Daggers.

Since I finished the previous book some months ago, can someone help me fix in time and space all the Forsaken?

There are so many, I find it difficult to remember them exactly.

Thanks!

A little nod to Rand being the son of Tigraine, Daughter-Heir to the Lion Throne of Andor. 🦁

Leane looked Rand over with a slight smile. Despite the smile, her voice had a snap to it. “What have you brought the Amyrlin Seat today, Lan Gaidin? A young lion? Better you don’t let any Greens see this one, or one of them will bond him before he can take a breath. Greens like to bond them young.”

...

Leane returned, motioning Rand to go in. When Lan started to follow, she thrust her staff across his chest, stopping him. “Not you, Lan Gaidin. Moiraine Sedai has a task for you. Your lion cub will be safe enough by himself.”

I love these little details ✨

Hey y'all

I've been looking for some good art of the Raven and Tower tattoo that the Deathwatch Guard have, but cannot find anything

I know a while back someone asked someone associated to Jordan for some official art, and it was confirmed they didn't have any

Does anyone know if any fan-art has been done of the tattoo and/or any WOT fan artists that might be willing to do a commission?