Slightly controversial thread about Rand

[Ananke Zaresh]

That's definitely one of Elayne's positive qualities! I also think she has a little bit of an advantage in some aspects of the problems the characters confront, especially where politics are concerned, because she was literally raised and trained from childhood to face those kinds of challenges. She's also at a disadvantage in other areas because she's been sheltered, so she is ignorant of experiences some of the other characters have had growing up. So in that regard, I think she's pretty well balanced.

One thing I really loved back in the day and still love is how the girls go about saving themselves at the end of The Great Hunt.

Same reason I love Elyane! Even when she's immature, it's believable given her background. Same with Rand, really, even though he grates a bit more usually.

Absolutely. I remember reading the chapters where they talked about Rand going to rescue them and I was so glad he never even got the chance. It's one of my favourite parts of the wheel of time series, how all the women are represented as not only 3 dimensional characters but ones who aren't just there for the purpose of needing a love interest. I've been burned before with fantasy books who abandoned character development for the female protagonists the moment they get a boyfriend.

That's one of the things I love about how Jordan wrote women in comparison to some of Sanderson's interventions.... Jordan treats them as intelligent, well-rounded, 3D people not just exposition points. (Case in point: Aviendha. No spoilers.)

 

[Viktara Fen]

Pretty much one of the things that's most enjoyable about RJ's characters generally, in my opinion, is that they are believable. Not purely good, not purely bad, by anyone's estimation of what those words mean--but realistic. Like IRL people, they're a mix of virtues and flaws, and they make hard choices about which they don't have all the relevant information, leading them to make mistakes that are easy for us to spot watching from the sidelines, but which would likely be very difficult to point out or avoid in the moment.

As for Sanderson, I have my thoughts, but that's for another thread entirely. I think it's good to keep in mind that OP has not reached any of the books coauthored by Sanderson and should be permitted to form her own opinions about them.

(Edited for pre-coffee typos. )

 

[Toral Delvar]

It is interesting how people often have really strong but different opinions on characters. I can’t stand Elayne, she is my second least favorite character (my least has yet to arrive, and my contempt for Elayne fades into mere dislike in comparison to my burning hatred for this character) and have no idea what Rand sees in her.
Similarly, a lot of people can’t stand Faile, and she is annoying and immature, but Perrin shouldn’t indulge her so much.

 

[Satara al'Caelahn]

I think most of the characters are more or less insufferable from the beginning, but they grow as the story progresses. There are many that I couldn't stand at the beginning that ended up being very likeable by the end.

 

[Leira Galene]

Tbh, can't really defend him. I don't dislike him but I do have similar feelings about him as you, @Amylia Lerato. I do think he has a nice character arc, but especially for the first few books he's very self-centered. And I don't really mean selfish, it's just that he's focused on what's going on with him, sometimes to the point of just completely missing so many other things, or hurting others. It's understandable though because he's young and he has a lot going on, but it does make him annoying at times for sure, haha.

I think most of the characters are more or less insufferable from the beginning, but they grow as the story progresses. There are many that I couldn't stand at the beginning that ended up being very likeable by the end.

But also, this.

That's one of the things I love about how Jordan wrote women in comparison to some of Sanderson's interventions.... Jordan treats them as intelligent, well-rounded, 3D people not just exposition points. (Case in point: Aviendha. No spoilers.)

>_> 👆

 

[Silencia Roamadred]

I think we have to cut Rand some slack because he has a pretty traumatic few books:

His village is attacked by fairytale monsters.
He finds out the person he loves and respects most in the world is not really his father.
He has one of the Forsaken raiding his dreams and taunting him.
He begins to learn to channel, including feeling the Dark Ones taint which begins to influence him.
Unlike the EF girls he has no guide for the One Power, he does things on instinct and then has no idea how he did them - a complete lack of conscious control.
He has Aes Sedai pulling his strings (you can argue that Moiraines intentions were good, and they were good, good for the World but even so at the expense of Rand).

All of this is against the backdrop of increasing madness, suspicion and fear.

Poor Rand - he literally just wants to raise sheep and sell Tabac.

 

[Toral Delvar]

Tbh, can't really defend him. I don't dislike him but I do have similar feelings about him as you, @Amylia Lerato. I do think he has a nice character arc, but especially for the first few books he's very self-centered. And I don't really mean selfish, it's just that he's focused on what's going on with him, sometimes to the point of just completely missing so many other things, or hurting others. It's understandable though because he's young and he has a lot going on, but it does make him annoying at times for sure, haha.

That's also the case for most of the young characters - certainly Mat and Egwene fit this description. Perrin not so much, and probably not Min, but every time she looks at certain people, she gets a visual reminder of the kind of things going on in their lives. Egwene especially, is insufferable in the first book because of this.

 

[Nadezhda al'Lanahrin]

I agree with @SilentRoamer. I think that Rand has all of these factors (a lot of them out of his control) that have made him what he is. Normally, I would I say that people are still responsible for their actions and, to an extent, Rand is responsible for what he has done. But, there is a part of me that understands that his mind has been marred by the taint on Saidin.

 

[Boreas Silverfir]

I think every character gets annoying in certain part

Oh absolutely. Matt is overly flippant at times. Rand can't control his temper. Elayne can be headstrong. Nayeve can be arm strong. The list goes on. But that's why I like the series, all the characters are people. People living their best lives.
I like how Rand's arc ends. Sounds like you have a ways to go to get there though.
TBH Perrin is my favorite which makes it hard for me to find faults with him.