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.

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...

Scaling a business has me thinking about leadership structures in the books way more than I expected. Siuan running the White Tower is basically managing a massive org where everyone thinks they should be in charge. The Ajahs are departments that all have their own agendas, and she has to keep them aligned enough to function. I used to find the Tower politics tedious, but after dealing with team conflicts and people undermining decisions because they felt like it, the whole thing hits different. Siuan balancing competence with the fact that everyone is watching for a reason to challenge her authority is the most realistic part of the series to me. Even the way information moves through the Tower feels like a company where the org chart says one thing but the actual influence is completely different.

Elaida taking over is the nightmare scenario every founder worries about. Someone who wants the title more than they understand the work and immediately starts breaking what functioned before. Thom playing the Great Game actually got me thinking harder about stakeholder management too. The way he reads rooms and figures out who actually holds power versus who just has the title. Curious if anyone else here connects the leadership stuff to work situations. Which characters do you think would actually survive running a company versus crashing it in a week?

By the time we reach this book, there is a certain level of commitment to the series, maybe more than any other story before. Jordan tests our resolve. He challenges us to persevere through every perspective of one event. The challenge is also a promise, of something worth waiting. This is beautiful teasing by Jordan. Right?

.....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??

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?

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?

​

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!

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.

I deeply love him, and tried to draw him how I imagined. Hope you like it!

custom piece inspired by the heron marked blade. I really liked the detail in the leatherbound and updated the pommel to look a little less... phallic

Ya know for as often as people moan about the repeated character quirks: Folding arms beneath breasts, tugging braids, sniffing, skirt smoothing…

They never really bothered me. Except, that every character in the Wheel of Time must find a moment to comment on the “strangeness” of Aiel Humor. Everyone talks about it, and it’s weird! Especially when I found it funny! Here’s a good one:

“Thank you Perrin Aybara,” he said, glancing at the ham. “Quite a feast. Do you celebrate?”

“Nothing besides breakfast.”

“A mighty victory,” Gaul said, laughing.

Like I don’t know man it made me chuckle!

Last scene with Rand

Goddammit, and here I was so excited theorizing he'd taken Callandor and he does this. Calls out the Dark One's name on top of everything. Kills many of his own army. Goes mad with power. I really was excited because Callandor is one of my favorite aspects of this story and I was waiting so long for him to take it, but now I'm angry and just downright not wanting him to have it. Sigh.

As far as I'm concerned, he did lose. LTT can laugh and rage in his head as much as he wants.

The One Power dilemma

This is really weird. My running theory is that it's some weird effect of the Bowl that phased out of knowledge across 2000 years, or the Link used a weave that caused this effect. It specifically has negative effects. Saidin doesn't want to weave together properly unless forced to, in a way, while Saidar makes channelers sick; almost a weird reversal where the women feel a taint while men revel in the force that is the OP.

I'm really not sure where this is going. Earlier, Rand said he had an idea of how to cleanse Saidin, and if the Wheel weaves as it wills, perhaps this will be relevant whenever he does cleanse Saidin? Maybe this will give him a deeper understanding of Saidin or the OP in general to be able to cleanse it? I have no clue what this idea he has is and I don't think I'm supposed to know until Rand reveals it.

Suroth

Liandrin is here and she's a damane. I don't care, hope she stubs her toe. Miraj kinda feeling familiarity to her makes me think he's a Darkfriend. I'm not sure if Suroth is, but she has a spy in Rand's camp. Torval? If she is a Darkfriend, then Dashiva might be giving her information. Then again, Rand never mentioned anything about Dashiva being away for too long, although if he used a gateway then he could slip by. For context, I think Dashiva is Osan'gar (Aginor) and my latest piece of evidence is the whole muttering in the Old Tongue moment from Rand's first chapter of this book.

All in all, this is going to bite Rand really hard. I'm predicting that Logain will show up at the Black Tower and we'll begin to see Rand going on a huge losing streak. Not sure how it'll turn out, but Taim is going to turn, Logain will take over the Black Tower. That viewing Min had of Rand concerning a beggar's staff has been coming to mind as of late. I'm always expecting Rand to lose, and it seems like he's going to feel it now

High Flight by John Gillespie Magee Jr.

Soar like an eagle, my friend.

I have no clue what's going to happen. There are a good chunk of books left until the end and I'm not certain what to feel. These are the hardcover editions.

Book 9 has my favorite color scheme so far. Book 10 is surreal to me because this is the first volume I ever saw of WOT in an interview RJ did when it released. And book 11 is his last. It's insane thinking he wanted to finish everything in one huge 2k paged volume, but part of me wishes he could have let his characters go on his own. I'm very glad Harriet found trust in Brandon and I'm excited to see what he does.

I don't know how the Last Battle will play out. I don't know where any of our characters go. I don't know where I'll go after the story is over but I will be here when the end comes. I think that once I reach book 10, I'll be convinced that the end is almost here.

It's been an absolute blast so far reading with everyone here. Stick around with me to the end. I'm almost done with book 8, and I can jump right into 9. Stick with me, and maybe I'll see the memory of light that you all saw before

My expression when I was reading that line: I was like huhh???? Ba'alazmon...fleeing??? Also this gives Harry and Voldemort vibes so much 😭 do you think Rowling took inspiration from WoT?

So I posted a few days ago about starting this series after having read one of the WoT books years ago (https://www.reddit.com/r/WoT/s/u848KURoPi).

At the time, I was convinced it was the third book, but I could only remember a few vague scenes.

Having finished TDR, though, I don't think the book I read back then was actually TDR.

Now listen. These are some of the scenes I remember:

1. Rand telling a joke to Aiel or Aes Sedai, and them not getting it.

2. A woman who I think was Leane having a terrible curtsy.

3. A man trying to talk to his wife, but she keeps avoiding him because a woman who's interested in him has shown up at the door. If I remember correctly, the wife had chased this woman away with a stick a few days earlier.

4. A man dancing with a woman who usually doesn't dance. I THINK this was Mat.

If any of these scenes ring a bell, please tell me which book they're from! Don't tell me the characters' names or anything else, though. I want to figure this out myself.

Now, going back to TDR.

I'M BEWILDERED.

Honestly, this book was a bit of a drag for me, but the last 30 pages were quite exciting.

And now, my thoughts and theories:

1. Mat is some kind of king reborn, or there's something significant about his fate. I've suspected something was up with him since Book 1.

2. Perrin is obviously connected to the wolves for some reason, and he and Faile are 100% a ship. But what was it about when Egwene dreamed of a falcon wrapping a leash or whatever around Perrin's neck. Is she going to be toxic?

3. WHERE THE HELL WAS MIN??? HELLO? Did she get to Tar Valon or not, lol. I like Min, she's very likeable.

4. We didn't get a Nynaeve and Lan interaction. EXCUSE ME? My shaylas😭😭😭

5. Who the hell is the third woman who's supposed to fall in love with Rand? Just tell me if she was introduced, DO NOT tell me her name.

6. And I mourn the friendship between Rand, Perrin, and Mat, even though it wasn't prominently mentioned before.

7. And obviously this Berelain girl is going to be some trouble

8. And also I don't like Galad, he is too slimy to me...idk if that makes sense.

9. Also the Morgase scene...to much going on. I think when Elayne inherits the throne, she will be a cruel queen at least thats what the arches hinted at. Mikd you I THINK.

I have so many thoughts, and somehow I also have no coherent thoughts.

Please keep the discussion spoiler-free beyond The Dragon Reborn!

I know he's a silly douche and he's responsible for his actions but it still always makes me sad. He was so desperate to find a place to belong and a leader he could follow, his story could have been so different if Perrin had gotten his act together sooner.

I don't think it's Perrin's fault but it still makes me sad. I can't bring myself to blame a kid who suffered so much trauma, was failed by his remaining family, and had all of his cries for help either ignored or taken advantage of.

I’m almost done with my first time re-reading the series and wow did I forget how much Gawyn and Egwene annoy me and frustrate me in the last couple of books. I mean, Gawyn always frustrated me because of his obstinacy around certain rumors he heard, but I forgot how truly immature he is right up until the end. And it almost feels like Egwene devolves a bit at the end of the series- I actually didn’t mind Egwene as much when she was studying under the wise ones and when she was going through her arc to stand up to Elaida, but her character almost seems to regress a bit and become more frustrating in the last two books, specifically.

I know it seems to be a running joke along the fan base that Egwene and Gawyn are unpopular, but I forgot why people joke about that until I read the series again. I’m trying to reflect on their character arcs and like I said, it kind of always made sense for Gawyn, he was always sort of that way, but Egwene puzzles me a bit. Maybe I’m forgetting how young she is, how stubborn everyone out of the Two Rivers is, and how deep her trauma from her brief stint as a damane runs, but to me, Egwene’s character development in the last few books seems a bit out of place- does anyone else feel this way?

TGH CH.8 The Dragon Reborn, Rand is summoned to see the Amyrlin seat.

The silence stretched on in the room after Rand left until it was broken by a long breath from the Amyrlin. “I cannot make myself like what we just did,” she said. “It was necessary, but. . . . Did it work, Daughters?”

Moiraine shook her head, just the slightest movement. “I do not know. But it was necessary, and is.”

“Necessary,” Verin agreed. She touched her forehead, then peered at the dampness on her fingers. “He is strong. And as stubborn as you said, Moiraine. Much stronger than I expected. We may have to gentle him after all before. . . .” Her eyes widened. “But we cannot, can we? The Prophecies. The Light forgive us for what we are loosing on the world.”

“The Prophecies,” Moiraine said, nodding. “Afterwards, we will do as we must. As we do now.”

“As we must,” the Amyrlin said. “Yes. But when he learns to channel, the Light help us all.”

The silence returned.

So.. what did they do to Rand? The scene heavily implies use of One Power.

• Did they use Compulsion to make him accept that he is the Dragon Reborn? It seems like it didn't work very well...
• Did they use Compulsion to keep him focused on retrieving the Horn? (Though he was willing to go anyway.)
• Did they place some sort of trace on him in case they lost track of him?
• Or was it something else entirely?

"For the honor of the Red Eagle! For the honor of the Rose of the Sun! The Rose of the Sun!"

I liked Crossroads of Twilight.

Yea, I said it!! I enjoyed this book!

Now, given I'm a first time reader with the whole series released, I also understand why it gets a bad rep. My opinion or disappointment would probably be similar to many fans who were waiting for each book to be released. Was it perfect? Of course not, and some parts definitely dragged and the plot barely moved. However, after reading the epicness that was the end of Winter's Heart, I approached this like a very extended epilogue from the cleansing of Saidin. It was cool to read many different POVs experiencing from afar what was going down. Just adds to the importance and scale of what Rand and Nynaeve were undertaking.

I have enjoyed the majority of this series, and all of the major POV arcs as a whole. That probably made it more tolerable and not a slog. With how expansive this series is, it's nice to see how each of these characters are growing to become the heroic leaders once the Last Battle finally happens. Makes it feel more realistic even though it's clearly fantasy. Some of my favorite Perrin chapters came toward the end, and I didn't think anything could get close to his earlier arc in TSR!

I think the biggest surprise for me was getting to enjoy Egwene's chapters again after I felt it was getting a bit stale after she became Amyrlin back in LoC. Her sections in PoD were probably my least favorite in the series so far (some parts were good, but that was the most slog-like experience I had), so it was a delight to see how she has grown and how she is trying to learn from previous Amyrlins in history. I'm curious who betrayed her now!

The most unexpected part I never considered was seeing a possible truce with the Seanchan. Also for all three taver'en to be/will be involved with different groups of them in different parts of the world! It's very much, "the enemy of my enemy is my friend," vibes. That also makes sense in the grand scheme of things. All of these plots have been steadily building, and Jordan has done such a great job making the Seanchan be this easily hated faction, yet the real enemy is coming. And they don't care whose side you're on. Perhaps in the end all of the Light will have to put aside their differences to survive.

I could be wrong about all of this of course, and I'm excited to see what the last four books bring! If I liked this infamous one, I'm sure I'm in for a good time.

New Spring is next for me, though I expect to blitz through that in anticipation for what the Wheel wills.