The Wheel of Time Re-read (currently reading - Lord of Chaos)

Toral Delvar

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It could be from one of the waygates outside the stedding, or maybe a portal stone. The distance from the waste to Jangai Pass seems a little more than from Tanchico to Amadacia, so it would likely take over a month for them to walk there and I think we can discount that.
 

Toral Delvar

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Bringing this over to re-read, so we can spoiler as necessary....

@Chiema Purvene'Caba , so speaking to things that I didn't really pick up on during earlier reads. Nynaeve recognizing the Yellow symbol hanging in the window. As I look at it now, it speaks to me that she (Nynaeve) did a lot of specialized study and relationship building while at the Tower. When I consider how briefly she was there and yet how deep some of the "secrets" that were shared (like coded messages); it's a bit amazing. Either the Tower really is a sieve of information or she as a person was able to develop some deep close connections relatively quickly. I
She also thinks it was Shemerin who told her, and as we see later, Shemerin is particularly weak willed for an Aes Sedai
 

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Chapter 28
Myrelle says of Suian and Leane 'you may rest assured that they already regret running away after giving it" - They don't regret, so what loophole is she using here? Hyberbole? she believes it? inexact language?
The Aes Sedai are suprised he works out that they want him to build and lead an army, but really, what else could they want of him?
His conditions seem reasonable to me, but I'm still a little surprised they agreed
I didn't know what a dog robber is, and neither did Siuan
What was it about Dulain that made the Tower think he could one day unify Murandy? They wree clearly wrong
There is actually a little progress in this chapter. They have decided to take the Tower back from Elaida, though they for sure are going to drag it out
Chapter 29
Despite everything, Isendre was still trying to bed Rand, but the Maidens finally broke her, so Kadere murders her. She had assumed he was bedding Aviendha
Chapter 30
Moiraine is spending as much time with Rand as she can, he finds it anoying
Sulin comes to complain that they were gambling and all started throwing sixes - ta'veren effect. A few others are mentioned, stone dogs falling into a viper pit, and Tel Nethin falling over and breaking his neck.
Bael and Jheran have mended the blood fued between Shaarad and Goshien - barely even realising they were doing it, so again, likely ta'veren effect
They meet up with Tairens and Cairhienen - Edorion, Estean, Meresin Daganred and Daricain Annalin
Couladin has been playing with prisoners
Rand learns that he is entitled to the fifth. He is considered battle leader and chief in tear for some reason, which entitles him to one tenth of that fifth.
Chapter 31
Rand walks in on Aviendha naked, which she hadn't planned, so is extremely uncomfortable. She Travels, he follows and they have sex. He again uses his trick of stopping the gateway from closing
She thinks she now has toh to Elayne
Although she doesn't say it outright, she does say the rings don't lie and she has been trying to avoid them, so it is obvious, if it was not already, we now why she has been so surly with him
Chapter 32
Aviendha is able to sense that the sul'dam and damane can channel - how long does it take to develop this ability
Aviendha can handle several flows at once - Egwene taught her. She has also learned much faster than girls in the Tower do
The Seeker orders the arrest of Lady Morsa for keeping secrets of Falme, even though the Empress has ordered that no one speaks of it
Asmodean hides the gateway, which reminds Rand of just how many things there are with the Power that he doesn't know
Aviendha's sister has told everyone she and Rand had sex
 
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I’m finally up to Fires of Heaven in my reread. Catching up to you all so I can join in.
 

Aduiavas Ida

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In chapter 30, you can really sense Moiraines desperation to teach him as much as possible. She knows her time with him is running short. :cry

The scene in Seanchan is always funny to read. The Seeker basically ignores Rand and arrests Lady Morsa whilst being trapped with the Power :laugh: Such arrogance.
I wonder if the shields Aviendha tied off are dissolved when the gateway closes? She is literally a world away from them...
Is this the first time we learn that Aviendha has a sister? Is she ever mentioned again?
 

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Chapter 33
Nynaeve is letting herself be pushed into prcticing with Thom, to basically shut Luca up
We again see a double standard in views on men and women. Nynaeve thinks that Thom will tell Luca had she got her black eye and this is tobe expected as men can't help gossiping. But really, two of the people he is with fighting is not gossiping, it is something Luca needs to know, and if it was the other way round, she wouldn't have viewed it as gossiping if two of the men had got into a fight and she told someone about it. I donfind the whole "oh, men and women are so very different" to be irritating, even if the whole "men channel saidin, which is tainted and women channel saidar, which is safe", and how that had impacted society, and the expectations of the dragon whenhe was reborn to save the world was one of the things that drew me into WoT in the first place, and set it apart from so many other fantasy series,along with the visions, dreams and prophecies
Rand has been watching every execution - this is a little morbid
We have another ancient structure - a stone bridge over the Eldar between tall metal pillars that glistened without a speck of rust
The prophet has crowds that spill out of Samara, a fair sized town
Aludra is still trying to perfect her matches
Nynaeve shook Cerandin. She is resorting to violence a lot more
Elayne has been studying the adam and thinks she could make one. Nynaeve is really slow to understand why this excites her so much
Nynaeve thinks she would sneak away without paying Luca the money they owe- Elayne is shocked at the idea
Galad thinks caging, but not eating or hunting animals is cruel. Elayne seems to find this odd
I'm not sure this chapter really contributed much of worth
Chapter 34
When Nynaeve cooks, Thom and Juilin always find an excuse to eat somewhere else. She can't understand why
Elayne is wondering why the Wise Ones don't go in the Tower - It seems obvious to me, but perhaps she just trusts Egwene too much
Nynaeve wants to learn Healing, but still does not want to be Aes Sedai
Nynaeve watches a meeting of the Forsaken in Tel'aran'rhiod. Moghedien, Rahvin, Sammael, Graendal and Lanfear
Moghedien senses them and captures Nynaeve, till Moghedien frees her. Moghedien does something to Birgitte
Chesmal Heals Moghedienwithout hesitation, but Liandrin is not so sensible
Moghedien uses Compulsion ro tell Liandrin to live. She shields her in such a way that the shield will not dissapate
Temaile is then given the chance to torture Liandrin and does not hesitate
This chapter did feel as though some important things happened
 

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I got a little behind last week, so will try to catch up this week. From what I remember, it's really about to actually get going
 

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Chapter 35
Elayne Heals Nynaeve's black eye. This is the limit of her abilities, and from what we know, something she shouldn't do without an Aes Sedai to supervise
She is wanting to try making a second adam, but doesn't have enough silver. Why silver? Just because it is easily available? She does say it isn't the only metal
She thinks she rarely makes the same mistake twice and one day might me worthy to follow her mother onto the throne - this sort of "I'm not worthy" attitude rubs me the wrong way, even if I agree she shouldn't beriuling anything
Brigitee appearing is just weird. How did that even work?
Physical contact is necessary for the bond - Are Elayne and Aviendha touching when for their first sister bond. I think when Min,Elayne and Aviendha later bond Rand, all three lay a hand on him to do it
What prompts Elayne to think of bonding her?
Elayne thinks if it gets out, any Aes Sedai will likely wish
Nynaeve is completely blaming herself for not been careful and assuming she could do with the Forsaken on her own. Which is a good lesson, if she would actually learn it, but the way she totally disregards Birgittes own (the word won't come to me) is really insulting to her.
Elayne actually gives good advice to Nynaeve about not feeling sorry for herself. This is a common thing in the series - if it was the other way round, Elayne would be whining just as much as Nynaeve
There are eleven menageries round the city. Are they just popular here, or are there hundreds around the whole continent?
Chapter 36
Elayne is watching Birgitte sleep - can she sense her?
Despite how obvious it is that this is somehow Birgitte, Elayne holds to her promise of not confirming it
Elayne finally decides to be honest with Thom and Juilin and tell them all the dangers they face. Both insist they will stay, Juilin for pretty sexist reasons
Birgitte says she never cries
Something from another age "the Torag took Mareesh"
Birgitte says she vaguely remembers a tale of a female warder from an age long ago - is this her? I think probably, as there were no Warders in the Age of Legends
Birgitte also can feel Elayne
Birgitte tells of one of her lives, during the Trolloc wars when she new an Accepted, Barashelle
Birgitte makes a weird joke about telling on Elayne if she is pushed too hard, which Elayne quite reasonably takes as a threat. Though her reaction is somewhat immature.It seems to be one of those "I upset someone, isn't that funny" jokes
Elayne starts letting out her dress to make it large enough for Birgitte. I'm surprised she knows how to do this
White henpepper is apparently some sort of dye that turns hair black
Nynaeve claims she can sew as well as anyone when she wants to - I remember her previously thinking about how she basically can't sew, and maybe Rand being surprised to learn that she can do some basic things
One of the menagaries basically has a couple of clowns, which is something new to Luca
Birgitte thinks that tall men with a pretty face are always unsufferable
Birgitte demonstrates her skill with the bow and arrow and Luca plans to use her in the show "Birgitte and her arrows", which is going to make them much easier to find
Chapter 37
Birgitte tries to talk sense into Nynaeve and says "Only men and dim witted girls take blame when there is none". this doesn't seem accurate, and I'm sure that the opposite complain "men don't accept responsibility" is as common. It seems another example of "oh, men and women are so different" that only works if you are really committed to confirmation bias
We get a description of some performances
Uno appears
 

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I just finished chapter 47, and there is an inconsistency I noticed. Here, we see Birgitte call Elayne Daughter-Heir of Andor, but in the later chapter, she doesn't believe it. Is there a reason for that, or just a plothole?
I can understand why Cerandin no longer believes it, but Birgitte should know...
 

Toral Delvar

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Hmm, I got the numbering wrong somewhere

Chapter 39

Nynaeve saw "faces as pale as any Andorman's or as dark as any of the Sea folk"
She sees two men with braids and bells - Arafellin, though she doesn't recognise this
She sees a Domani in a barely opaque red gown and wondered how safe the woman would be after dark. Apparently victim blaming is a thing in this world as well.
Nynaeve is in disguise, wearing clothes well outside her comfort zone and travelling with a menagerie, but she considers Ragan a food for wanting to take care of her
Masema remarks tat she shows too much concern for the flesh and she loses her temper and snaps back at him
Uno says "the Lord dragon cares for her as for a mother" That made me laugh, and her irritation even more
There is a saying "a man is an oak, a woman a willow" - I suspect only women use this saying
Nynaeve thinks Rand might enjoy having many people kneel to him if he is half as arrogant as Egwene claims. One of them is really not understanding him. Probably Egwene, her view of him seems deeply tinged with jealousy
Masema says that if Nynaeve persists in clothing herself in that manner, she will attract men with vile thoughts - basically the same as she thought about the Domani woman
Uno is impressed with Alliandre and how she managed to impose some degree of order on the chaos Masema created.
Chapter 40
Galad is utterly confident he could take Uno and Ragan - This is probably foolish, he is not yet a bladesmaster, and for all he knows, one or both of them are
Galad had orders for Salidar - what were the Whitecloaks wanting there?
He offers to find her a boat. Masema has already done this. This can't end well
Nynaeve asks why she should trust him now that he is a Whitecloak and he is offended. He has said repeatedly that he wouldn't let harm come to Elayne. If she listened to Gawyn or Galad, rather than Elayne, she would have known this.
Nynaeve is just an afterthought to him
Galad threatens to kill Uno and Ragan if any harm comes to Elayne. This isn't a surprise to me, but it absolutely is not consistent with "Galad always does what is right" unless his view of what is right is "protecting Elayne" above anything else
Birgittism "shoulders like s'Gandin quarrynien" - I assume this is a typo in my ebook, and it should be quarrymen, but I didn't find s'Gandin in the library. Two errors or a new entry? We shold probably have a "Birgittisms" section on her page - every time she says some saying or reference to a previous age or time
Galad swore by their mother. Elayne says he would sooner break an oath on his hope of salvation and rebirth than that one. Really, she should hve known better than to think there was any possibility that he would turn her over to the Whitecloaks.
 

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I am confused by "their mother". Morgase is not Galads mother, is she? Their common parent is Taringill, Galad is Tigraines son...
 

Toral Delvar

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Morgase raised Galad from a fairly young age, he calls her mother
 

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Chapter 41
Weiramon is clearly an idiot
Aviendha is now being at least slightly friendly with Rand
Rand thinks he will probably never understand women
Egwene has agreed to help Rand - Moiraine did not forbid this
WE meet Kin Tovere, and see something else that comes from the Academy (the spear)
Chapter 42
Apparently Trollocs can scale ladders. I wouldnt have thought they had the discipline
Mat is now able to actually talk of leaving
Couladin's forces are around 160000, Rand's seven clans about 300000
Lan tricks Mat into coming up with a battle plan. He thinks of four battles from history that it resembles. He does it quickly
Mat starts whistling "Dance with Jak o' the Shadows"
Chapter 43
I really liked this one - Mat becoming a general despite wanting to run away
Rand is worrting if he could have made better decisions - not excessivly, and in this case, I think it good that he is willing to question himself
Bael says he hopes to see Couladin's head on a spike, Han that it is bad luck to talk of what will be
Lan has noticed Rand is wearing a sword and asks why. It is so he can fight Couladin if he comes for him, which is pure foolishness. Lan tells him so, but not harshly - this is probably what Lan would do in Rand's position
Rand has tried to push the Maidens away from the battle. I apreciate he grew up in a "protect women" society, but this level of disrespect angers me
Rand thinks "women seemed to enjoy jabbing the needinle in just when you thought the danger was past"
Aviendha is helping fight - partially because she thinks Egwene is an Aes Sedai. I am surprised the Wise Ones let her, but she says they said she must do as she must
We have a "Ilyena, my love, forgive me"
Mat seems an ambush the Aiel have prepared and finds himself surprised that he goes to help the Tairens
He quickly comes up with a defensive plan
The Cairhienin are more receptive, largely because Talmanes is no fool. HE agrees to Mat's plan if Mat will lead half the troops. Is Talmanes in charge because his house ranks high, or because they recognise some ability?
Only around half the Cairhienin did as Mat instructed - the ones that went on the attack are quickly killed
 

Aduiavas Ida

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Yeah, I like that chapter too, how Mat knows the right thing to do and does it, even whist complaining all the way :laugh:
Weiramon is clearly an idiot. I'm almost disappointed that he is also a Darkfriend, I am surprised the Shadow even bothered to accept him...
I pity the men under Meilan, he isn't that much better than Weiramon. They really would all have been wiped out, if Mat hadn't been there...
 

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Chapter 44
Much of this chapter is Rand thinking about the battle. The Tower was destroyed and he seems lucky to survive
Mat has about 3000 men following him
Mat assumes that it is Sammael attacking
Mat sarcasticly exclaims "wonderful" when he learns 5000 Aiel are closing in. Nalesean and Estean think he means it and look eager (despite Estean's earlier bout of sense. Daerid doesn't react and Talmanes just raises an eyebrow. Talmanes seems to know battle
Despite his general sense, Daerid thinks Mat is hoping to duel Couladin
Talmanes is already dedicated to Mat
Mat decides to focus the Aiel's attention by pretending they have Rand with them
Dice tumbling in Mat's head again
After the battle, Rand is exhausted and speaks as though he is Lews Therin
Chapter 45
Apparently, Talmanes and Nalesean nearly came to blows over who would escort Mat. They both consider him their general and compete with each other for who can best serve him
. They both pledge themselves to him.
I like the saying "The fox often offers to give the duck it's pond"
First mention of Dobraine and Colavaere - it seems they will offer Rand the throne. He says he has someone else in mind (Elayne), though as Galad is older, shouldn't he have a stronger claim?
 

Aduiavas Ida

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I had never thought about the fact that Galad had a claim to the throne... But he would have one, and stronger than Elayne. Why was that never brought up?
 

Toral Delvar

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I suspect it is because both he and Elayne are raised to see themselves as subservient to Elayne and that their duty is to serve and protect her, which would be why neither of them think of it, but I would have thought someone else would.
I think it’s even mentioned that Taringail had hoped to see a son on the throne of Cairhien and daughter on the throne of Andor.
 

Toral Delvar

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This is good. After many chapters of basically walking and talking, things are finally starting to happen in Fires of HEaven
 
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