Follow me to the end of The Shadow Rising - Spoilers galore

Teavin Calayna

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I was going to wait to make a thread when I started The Fires of Heaven but I have too many thoughts now that I'm hurtling towards the end of TSR where everything is taking off like a never ending roller coaster. These will be a jumbled hot mess that's basically been my stream of conscious for the past two days so bear with me

The peddlers in the waste are incredibly sketchy and I especially don't like Isendre because after everything with Lanfear pretending to be Selene who can you trust anymore when someone is heavily interested in Rand?

Learning about Rand's parents was super interesting but more than that HE HAS A HALF BROTHER SOMEWHERE.

I'm warming up more to Faile and am interested in the clear slip ups she's had regarding her father.

Why do so many people seem to hate Aviendha? I like her character quite a bit and had a good laugh with the conversation she had this Rand regarding Elayne.

Mat should have specified more about how he wanted the holes in his memory filled.

It's bad enough that Linadrin is there in Tanchico with the other Black Ajah members but one of the Seanchan and the White cloak that's a dark friend are also there? Elayne and Nynaeve don't need this.

Who is the woman that's appeared twice now first to Perrin at the Tower of Ghenjei and now to Nynaeve when she accidentally went to the Waste in her dream and saw that dangerous man in Rhuidean? Is he the same one Perrin saw that Hopper called Slayer?

I really dislike this Lord Luc guy.

It really sticks out quite far that Perrin mentions the rain (that is still presumably Verin's doing) washing away the scent of trollocs and the fact they were basically ambushed? Alanna sending Ihvon to help is also interesting and makes me turn a side eye towards Verin now.

Also, after reading a bit back to the beginning of the book I think I know what the danger for Rand in Tanchico is now and I don't like it. It makes me stressed and scared for him in future books
 

Aduiavas Ida

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Well, without spoiling too much, I think you'll find the answer to most of these thoughts in later books ;)
 
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Ooh so many good things in this part of the series! I'm looking forward to your continued thoughts as you read!
 

Llewyn Felvera

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Wow, you picked up on a lot of things I missed when I listened through TSR. Makes me feel like I already need to reread the series :laugh: Can't wait to hear your reactions to the end!
 

Toral Delvar

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TSR was my favourite. It's also a good reason for not starting with New Spring, as some of the information in that takes away from some of the surprises in this book
 

Teavin Calayna

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Ooh so many good things in this part of the series! I'm looking forward to your continued thoughts as you read!
I'm seeing now why this one is a big favorite so many. It might just take The Great Hunt's place for me now. I'm really on the edge of my seat about what's going to happen.


Wow, you picked up on a lot of things I missed when I listened through TSR. Makes me feel like I already need to reread the series :laugh: Can't wait to hear your reactions to the end!
I've been sort of analyzing as I go along and stopping to think about things when they stick out heavily or anything that feels odd.


TSR was my favourite. It's also a good reason for not starting with New Spring, as some of the information in that takes away from some of the surprises in this book
It had a slow start for me but once things took off I'm really enjoying TSR! I'm also glad I didn't go ahead and read New Spring for that reason after reading it contains information that would spoil later books. I plan to read it when I'm done with the series and also get my hands on the companion book
 

Teavin Calayna

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I didn't get to read as much today because it ended up being a pretty hectic day but wow, there are still several things to unpack here.

Learning even more about Faile and her family has given her a lot more depth and I understand her motivations even more.

The return of The Slayer in Perrin's dream and I'm beginning to think he must be one of the forsaken if not a darkfriend.

The Waygate being unlocked which made me read back a ways to read what was said in regards to that when Perrin and co. joined up with Alanna and Verin in the abandoned sick house. Which again hit upon a line from Verin that I didn't think much of at the time but reading it again when she says the locked gate will cause some trouble in the future is an odd statement. Especially when she didn't elaborate not that she ever does but you know.

Got a good laugh at Perrin asking Gaul if he'd spent his night playing Maiden's Kiss and how affronted he became by it.

The Emonds Fielders rallying and building defenses! I love that and that they made a banner! Seems Perrin Goldeneyes (lol) will end of being the hero that Mat never wants to be.

Swinging back to Verin and now she is incredibly suspicious for how much she deflected Perrin's questions about why she was really there and overall behaved oddly. She seems completely fine with being out in the open. I'm also beginning to wonder if she's just left the tower of her own accord like she did in TGH but if so then why did Alanna tag along? Obviously she's not there looking for new Tower recruits at all because if that were true then where are they? They wouldn't just send them to Tar Valon alone without an escort.

Also, where is Alanna? Her warder has been around quite a bit but we haven't seen her at all since the group left the old sick house. Shouldn't Ihvon be remaining close to her? He also seems pretty darn chummy. More chummy than any of other warder we've witnessed before. Green ajah seem to be particularly close to their warders more so than any other ajah seeing as they tend to bond more than one
 

Alexr al'Petros

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I plan to read it when I'm done with the series and also get my hands on the companion book

I found New Spring fit in well for me after Book Five.
 

Teavin Calayna

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Okay there is a LOT to unpack from what I read today ( and yesterday) and I'm glad I remembered to mark each place so I didn't forget anything this time.

I don't want to focus too heavily on the parts with Perrin that I read yesterday but do want to mention a couple things. The battle between the trollocs and Emonds Fielders felt too easily won for there to have been as many as Bain and Chiad said. Feels off to me.

I'm glad Alanna finally showed back up again but also what has she been doing all that time? Now I'm not sure where I stand on her because her behavior is weird too even if she DID heal Perrin.

Aram wanting to take up a sword is interesting but his reasons are justified even if it does mean turning his back on the way of the leaf. Curious to see where this goes.

Egeanin is pretty darn interesting to me but it concerns me the way she's insisting she learn about Aes Sedai and that Nynaeve and Elayne aren't what she expected. I could not have face palmed harder when Thom happened to mention Bayle Domon while she was still talking to the two of them. None of them know but it also makes the situation that much hairier. Also not thrilled about the strange man mentioned that's outside as she was leaving the inn.

More than that I don't like this mystery woman that's suddenly shown up to speak with Elayne and Nynaeve making them feel compelled to tell her things while also talking about them being collected and undergoing retraining. Even if they left Tanchico I have a feeling she could just show up anywhere they go and it makes me nervous for the two of them.

Now for the other big elephant in the room and the moment everything felt like a rug was being pulled out from under me was Elaida's entire coup against Siuan to take the Amyrlin Seat for her own purposes while also stilling her and Leane. Not to mention sitlling/killing any of the other Aes Sedai who didn't follow her. I didn't think this was what all those visions Min had in the beginning would lead up to.

Speaking of Min I was relieved she was able to rescue Siuan and Leane from their cell and help them escape. When Gawyn showed up I thought for sure he was going to rat them out but I'm glad he didn't. Also Logain joining their little group of escapees. I feel nervous for them but also excited about where they'll go and what it is they'll do now.

Back in the Waste I'm beginning to wonder now if Aviendha is really only meant to be a spy for the Wise Ones or if they have some other motive for pushing her together with Rand. He seems to be falling for her a bit and hasn't yet realized but after all, Perrin is better at talking to girls than him. The reverse also feels true. The moment he approached the Maidens to get a gift for Aviendha I groaned because I knew how that would be taken.

Also appreciate how his "I will not be used" mantra has changed to "I will not be Aiel" now like Rand you are what you are and nothing you do will change that.

I stopped at the weird "dream" he was having with the Forsaken showing up in it. I had to look all the way back to the beginning and this is the second time Moghedien has come out so now I'm wondering who that is and their significance

Phew, that was a lot. Only just under 200 pages to go and then it's onto book 5!
 
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