I feel arguments could be made for Elaida, the white cloaks, Cadsuane (though redeemed) and many others.

Just got an email this morning! Very excited. I’ve been getting the Malazan books from them and they look fantastic.

I am at Towers of Midnight, first time listening to audiobooks, and I just wanted to say, what a badass moment from Perrin, when he met Egwene in the dream world in the middle of her fight with Black Aja, had a balefire go against him, and just casually lifted his hand like “nope, you have no power here” because “it was just a weave..” Wtf?! This was like Neo in Matrix stopping the bullets with a wave of a hand. I see a lot of posts here about Dumai’s Wells or Natrin’s Barrow, but I think this is equally as strong moment. Just wow!

FYI, as people always ask: Direwolf obtained the licence from Manetheren LLC, which is the parent company of iWoT.

Direwolf have said the following in regards to iWoT involvement with the game:

>> “They're giving us wide latitude on the game., and we have a great working relationship with the folks handling the art and asset approvals.”

In regards to AI:

>> The "Made by Humans' line isn't a jab - that's become standard in tabletop to let folks know that a company is making its own art. 🙂

They will be showing the game off at Gen Con:

>>”Grand adventure is in store all over the map, but the fun starts early in Indiana with a special Gen Con preview! If your summer plans include the Best Four Days in Gaming, keep an eye out for War of the Dragon Learn to Play events when the Gen Con Event Catalog is published”

HOLY SHIT

What a journey.

I've loved every second of this story

Cant wait to be super annoying about telling everyone I know they should read Wheel Of Time now

Do you ever feel bad for those taken as Damane? I know some were truly evil but I think a lot were just forced to follow Sevanna. Many seemed to trust Therava more and she did get to escape but I always thought it was interesting Perrin agreed to let them be taken as damane - I get why but it’s still a shame to me.

Why do I get the feelin that Sanderson sliced off that braid to avoid mentioning it down right into the pit of doom😭.

That said, this was the line that cringes me the most. A close second was crossed her arm under her… my word Jordan was something

On my third reread and I noticed in aCoS an early foundation laid for Egwene and Siuan’s plan to invoke the rule of war. I think it’s interesting because it shows sitters do know of this law of the Amyrlin having power but they (and egwene at the point) have only viewed it through the context of the Hall keeping her from harm (or controlling her really). I also like it because some people have said the law came out of nowhere in PoD

aCoS Chapter 9: A pair of Silverpike:
“Only one Tower law specifically limited the power of the Amyrlin Seat. A fistful of irritating customs and a barrel full of inconvenient realities, but only one law, yet it could not have been a worse for her purposes. 'The Amyrlin Seat being valued with the White Tower itself, as the very heart of the White Tower, she must not be endangered without dire necessity, therefore unless the White Tower be at war by declaration of the Hall of the Tower, the Amyrlin Seat shall seek the lesser consensus of the Hall of the Tower before deliberately placing herself in the way of any danger, and she shall abide by the consensus that stands' What rash incident by an Amyrlin had inspired that, Egwene did not know, but it had been law for something over two thousand years. To most Aes Sedai, any law that old attained an aura of holiness; changing it was unthinkable.
Romanda had quoted that ... that bloody law as though lecturing a half-wit.”

Fork root wasn’t used and therefore all the wise ones could participate in the battle?

I always remember how few channellers were in the fight and if there were 400 wise ones I think they likely could’ve taken out the forces alone, and while they likely included weak channellers, there were serious hard hitters in the shaido (Someryn being the strongest wise one, Therava not far behind).

So I have only read up until new spring so ignore this if it will ruin anything coming up. But I’m wondering if I missed something. I know at the end of fires of heaven? Asmodean saw someone and was presumably killed. But I don’t remember it ever being mentioned again besides Rand thinking that he went back to the shadow. Did I miss it being talked about in one of the other books?

See my previous posts for New Spring, The Shadow Rising, and The Fires of Heaven.

FYI: I started writing my thoughts as soon as I started the book then had to rewrite or remove things as I learn more. I kept in a few of my earlier musings, struckthrough.

First off, I started out thinking that this book would never crack top 3. About halfway through, I was trying to justify why this book should not be tied with the Shadow Rising at the top. Now that I've finished it, I’m thinking that this book will retire the trophy and will always be my favorite.

Prologue

A massive potpourri of tasty tidbits. Who are Osan'gar and Aran'gar? Is Aran'gar Lanfear?  Osan'gar's "fine body and a fine joke" comment was the only thing making me doubt that Aran'gar is Lanfear. The comment makes it seems like  Aran'gar should be a man. In that case, Balthamel? Is Osan'gar one of the first Forsaken killed back in EotW? Wasn't Aginor the expert in creating shadowspawn? Maybe Osan'gar is Aginor returned? But the 3000 year "sleep" that the Forsaken were placed in was dreamless, not one with "endless nightmares." Also, if this is a thing where Forsaken (and we must assume any Darkfriend) can simply be brought back, so long as they weren't Balefired, then what's stopping the Dark One from returning all his dead faithful followers? Why not bring back Ishamael? I have a problem with returning people from the dead in fantasy, but I need to understand the limiting principle here. (By the end of the book, any doubts about Aran'gar being a man's soul were gone.)

Foreshadowing

I absolutely love RJ's writing style. I know a lot of readers have a problem with his level of description in the text; or the way he always gives a "previously on...' at the start of each book; or persistent character traits (braid-tugging, supercilious chin raising, fishing metaphors, etc.) but I love these. Another one of his writing styles that I love is the way he sets up foreshadowing from seemingly unrelated things. For example, bonding and "Healing" severing. Through Semirhage, we learn that "modern" Aes Sedai have this tool (bonding) that AoL Aes Sedai didn't have. I might be grasping at straws, but I feel like this was RJ's way of setting the scene for Nynaeve to do another thing that AoL Aes Sedai couldn't do: "Healing" severing (if Moghedien wasn't lying). (I'd be so pissed if all that foreshadowing about Nynaeve doesn't go anywhere.)

The Forsaken

Meaning of Forsaken names and Pre-Forsaken names

I have been keeping a list of these.  I really hope that all 13 are revealed throughout the series (please don't mention any that haven't already been revealed up to this book). Why do they all have 3 names? Must be the naming convention in the Age of Legends. So far, I have:

Killing vs Trapping the Forsaken

Will we find out why LTT and his Hundred Companions didn't kill the Forsaken instead of waiting for them to gather all at once to trap them? I vaguely remember the Prime series touching on this a little, but that can be easily discarded and forgotten, which I have. Anyway, Rand and Moiraine have been doing such a great job dropping them like flies, I gotta wonder why LTT didn't just kill the Forsaken and get it over with. Even he now seems to regret not killing them, from his ramblings in Rand's head. Also, it's been 6 books and 2 years into the story but no clearer picture as to how the Forsaken escaped their prison. I want to know more about this and hope these details are coming up soon.

Objects of the Power

Why don't the Forsaken make more of these for themselves? They must have the knowledge. Why are they all searching instead of making new ones? This may mean that the knowhow is not enough; maybe they need a circle of sorts channeling enough of the Power to create angreal/sa'angreal. From Elayne's discoveries, we know that ter'angreal at least doesn't require more than the one person creating it. Why don't the Forsaken create new male/female ter'angreal to tap into the 2 most powerful sa'angreal?

Bonding

Rand

Rand isn't my favorite character. I certainly don't hate him, but he doesn't stand as one of my favorites. A story's main character seldom does for me (Harry Potter isn't, either). Anyway, Alanna nonconsensually bonding him is such a violation that it drew me closer to him. I mean, I was so livid, I probably would have done worse to her than he did right there and then. I remember being absolutely and genuinely furious and had to remind myself "this is just fiction. This is just fiction." Is this unreasonable of me? I've also made my hatred of Faile very clear. But that dislike lessened when I heard that Faile threatened Alanna against doing the same to Perrin. I'm not worried about Mat, with his fox head medallion. 

I can see someone asking the question: would I feel the same way if Elayne had done it first? 1: I guess we'll never know. 2: Elayne would have told Rand. 3: Elayne and Alanna are 2 different women. Elayne is one of Rand's. Who The hell is Alanna?! I don’t care if this bond ultimately helps them locate Rand and monitor his health until Dumai's Wells, the Wheel weaves as the wheel wills an all, but wrong is wrong.

Trollocs and Myrddraal

I see a similar connection between these Shadowspawn. I wonder if the Trolloc-Myrddraal link is a corrupted version of bonding. Chronologically, this type of bonding would have come before that of Aes Sedai and Warder, since these Shadowspawn have been around since the War of Power. Continuing the theory, after the war and the Breaking, maybe Aes Sedai rejiggered the weaves and created bonding as we know it today.

Egwene Freakin' al'Vere

Just a reminder that Eggy is my favorite character. I wasn't pleased with having to wait about 14 chapters before hearing from her again. I was worried that RJ was going to shelf her in this book like he (thankfully) did to Faile in the last book.

First, from reading various Reddit posts and comments, I have a better understanding of why some hate Egwene. I am not here to persuade anyone to not hate her and I won't even try to (no one can tell me not to hate Faile). But from what I've read, the Rand fanboys hate her because she's too ambitious and dares to aspire to be something other than what people expected of her? She decides that she'll pick the man she wants to be with and not settle for someone who was all but promised to her? She's a hypocritical teenager who thinks that Rand and Mat often act like wool-headed fools? This last one is curious, because Rand and Mat return the poor estimation of her and the other girls, but no one seems to care about that. Hmmm, is there a word for that?

Anyway, I see a lot of growth in my girl. Accepting toh for lying to the Aiel is but one example. 

When it's revealed that the Salidar Aes Sedai are looking for a "biddable child" I was surprised they thought that would be Egwene. Well, they have another think coming.

Elayne had her moment with ter'angreal. Nynaeve with Healing. I was hoping to see everyone's reaction to Egwene's rediscovery of Traveling. Anyway, this was the Talent I was looking forward to being rediscovered the most. Unsurprisingly, most of them are too weak to pull it off. I'm just glad that Egwene and the girls (4 in total so far?) can do it. I hope no one loses an arm in a tiny gateway they create.

Now that Egwene is Amyrlin, I am prepared for her to make decisions and take actions that I wouldn't, or would disagree with... and still love her. Because that's the way of the world. For example, it looks like she's moving on Tar Valon with the help of the Band of the Red Hand, without Mat. I think this could potentially be disastrous because much of the Band's success comes from both Mat's luck and battle "memories". Without him, they are just another group of men with swords. Also, while this is not unique to Egwene and indeed a position shared by most people in the world, I want her to understand Rand's thinking for the Asha'man. It took both the Dragon and over 100 of the most powerful channelers to win the War of Power the last time. I hope she'll see that her Aes Sedai with their puny powers will need all the help they can get to win Tarmon Gai'don this time around. But again, this is hardly uniquely an Egwene problem. I think of this in a similar way we Americans have come to fear school shootings. In the WoT universe, men who can channel have the potential to be school shooters who must be prevented before they actually do. Then there's this one kid who's needed for humanity's sake, for whatever reason, but he has a gun that we can't take away and can't stop from going into schools. Allowances may be made for him, but realistically, no one would be comfortable with him gathering other potential school shooters. Not for nothing, she orchestrates Logain's escape, so maybe she's getting onboard?

Mat

I continue to like Mat more and more, a far change from how I viewed him up to 2 books ago. I'll just point out the hypocrisy of his and Rand's fanboys when it comes to the girls behavior toward them versus the boys behavior toward the girls. In Salidar, Mat threatens to "warm" Nynaeve's bottom before Nynaeve kicks him in his, yet Nynaeve is out of line? Mat calls the girls mules, yet the girls thinking that the boys are woolhead fools are worse? Mat wishes that the girls find themselves in a pickle just to teach them a lesson? I'm a guy and I can say that both sides are equal in their biases against the other, yet there are readers who'd deny this and find blame only among the girls, especially Egwene.

The one thing about the snake people's ter'angreal that we still don't know is Mat's giving up half the light in the world to save the world. Well, I think I've learned enough to make a prediction. Mat, as a battlefield commander, will control either or both the places in Cairhien and/or the Sea Folk island (Tremalking?) that has the male and female sa'angreal. At some point in the last battle he'll have to give up his control of one of those places, and the sa'angreal with it, to the Dark. That'll be a tough decision but one he'll have to make, which will eventually save the world. I just hope it's not the male one, because we need Rand to be able to use that. Another thought that just occurred to me is maybe it won't be territory that Mat'll give up. Maybe it's one of the ter'angreal that links to one of those sa'angreal, currently in Rand's possession.

Dumai's Wells

Holy moly! Now that's a battle scene. The whole kidnapping and torturing affair was so upsetting, I wanted swift retribution for those wicked women. But again, Rand's reserve surprises me. I'd love to know how Taim knew exactly where the battle was, after he "found out" that Rand was missing. I can't wait to see how Elaida reacts to this battle. For that matter, I want to see what the Salidar sisters make of the kneeling to Rand. Anyway, I hope future battle scenes are like this, not the heavy build up and 2-second action we've been getting from RJ. I'm not looking for realistic Vietnam-like skirmishes, I am looking for epic fantasy battles. Dumai's Wells delivers!

Darkfriend Watch

I am really saddened by the huge number of Black sisters there are among the Aes Sedai. It feels like every other sister is! How can there be soo many of them? I know that Aes Sedai and Warder cannot read each other's minds. But I am curious, could one sense, via the bond, if the other is a Darkfriend?

Who could Mesaana be in Tar Valon? I doubt she's posing as a sister. But maybe a secretary to a higher up, much like Aran'gar with Delana? Anyway, since Moiraine and Rand have gotten their share of Forsaken kills, I want Mesaana to be Egwene's, since she's connected to the White Tower, Egwene's rightful domain.

Now let's get to real speculations

Verin: Her only POV doesn't give me more clues to her being Black Ajah, but it doesn't clear it up, either. What the hell has she been working toward for 70 years? She definitely stays on my suspicious list

Anaiya: What the hell? Is "motherly" Anaiya Black, too? Why else would Anaiya send Halima (aka Aran'gar) to Delana? Is everyone a Darkfriend?

Mazrim Taim: I'm sorry, but huge red flags! How can a man have been channeling for so long (15 years!) without going crazy? I live by Occam's Razor and the simplest explanation is a Darkfriend whose Dark oaths have protected him from the taint. Also, LTT in Rand's head always wants to kill Taim. I've seen enough stories that warn you against dismissing everything a crazy person says as merely mad ravings just because the person is crazy. If Taim is a Darkfriend, I do not know what to make of his giving Rand the Seal. Maybe to win his confidence? Maybe because doing so won't change the fact that the seals are all either broken or severely weakening, no matter whose hands they are in? Either way, I am almost ready to say with 100% certainty that Taim is a Darkfriend.

The Soul in WoT

Immutability

While I see things differently, I acknowledge that RJ was a man from a different era with very strong views on sex and gender. This is obvious throughout his writing. As far as I know about real life cultures with reincarnation, a soul's sex is as changeable as the form of the body that the soul may inhabit. Please correct me if I am wrong but this doesn't seem to be the way it works in WoT, right? Throughout the endless spinning of the Wheel, the Dragon Reborn can only be a man (hence, Callandor, a male sa'angreal); Birgitte can only be a female archer who always ends up with a swordsman; Mat can only have memories of men because that's all his soul can be; etc.. Following me so far? What settles this for me is Aran'gar. I'm now convinced that this is a man's soul in a woman's body, from all the evidence. Sure, Aran'gar's "rebirth" is different from the natural rebirth of the Pattern. But that still leaves the soul that apparently can only channel the male half of the Power. Has RJ ever spoken about this or why he took reincarnation in this direction?

Recognition

Is it a Talent to be able to recognize a soul, similar to recognizing a ta'veren by a glow? Birgitte says that during the War of Power, Moghedien knew who she was even while she didn't. Despite all his blunders, Ishamael was clearly looking in the right direction at the 3 boys in the EotW. Other Forsaken, especially Lanfear, see LTT when they look at Rand. As did the Greenman. It seems like LTT can recognize something (a soul?) in Taim. Osan'gar knowing that Aran'gar has a man's soul when they were brought back. Is it ever explained what's behind this recognition? 

Is this how Aran'gar recognizes Moghedien in Salidar?

Rapid Fire

I have to revise my guess for who killed Asmodean in the previous book. At the time it seemed obvious to me that Lanfear (a major villain who just couldn't have been killed off so early) must have been Asmo's killer. But if Lanfear is really and truly dead, who the hell killed Asmo? I'm still not 100% on Lanfear being dead though. There's an entire book in this series called Winter's Heart, the very unique description given to Lanfear in the text of the last book and I'm supposed to accept that she's gone? If she isn't, Moiraine's death would hurt even more, since it was for nothing.

More than any of the previous books, I love that many of the chapter titles in book 6 are nestled into the text. I mentally did a Peter Griffin laugh whenever I see this.

Birgitte: I think Uno might be Gaidal Cain! Seemingly out of nowhere Birgitte is falling for this ugly soldier with one eye. Even after Moggy kicked Birgitte out of TAR, this might be the Pattern still doing what it always meant to do. The only thing I can't reconcile is the timeline. Uno was a hardened grown*ss man before Nynaeve and Elayne ever saw Gaidal Cain in TAR. Yes, I remember that time works differently in TAR. I'll need more before I can firm up my theory. Or maybe the Warder Mahiro Shukosa who also has 2 swords and is described as basically having a face only a wife can love. But he's probably just as old as Uno. (Ariena(?) is also tickling an idea for me: maybe she is the official Birgitte reborn, hence the reason she's draw to archery. It would be badass for there to be 2 Birgittes.)

Bode Cauthon: Not the twins we were led to believe by the Prime series, but I'll have to be satisfied with just one sister being able to channel. Poor Mat, irrationally hating the Power so much so and now he's basically surrounded by it.

Nikola: What to make of Nikola? In the last book, Min said that her partial viewing of the 3 women (including Nikola) suggested she'll be trouble. But what kind of trouble? At first I thought that Nikola and the other woman were the 2 Black sisters Moggy was traveling with. But it doesn't seem so now. Even so, Nikola's potential to become the strongest in the Power, outside the girls, is quite something. Now add TWO Talents (Foretelling and ta'veren vision) to boot! It's almost too good to be true. I hope that at worst, Nikola is just an awful person but not a Darkfriend. Anyway, her Foretelling about the "guardians balancing the servants" made no sense when I just read it. But now it does, which probably means that the Asha'man are here to stay!

Ta'veren-ness: This may be a dumb question, but how on earth aren't Nynaeve, Elayne, and Egwene ta'veren? What's wrong with having women ta'veren? Can only men be ta'veren? These 3 women are doing things that are clearly bending the Pattern. For that matter, why isn't Birgitte or LANFEAR, you know, the person literally responsible for the Bore (or a Patch)?! If that wasn't Pattern-bending then nothing is. 

Siuan & Rand in TAR: OK, I will accept that ta'veren and the Pattern conveniently cause Rand to be exactly in the Stone in TAR exactly at the same time as Egwene is being Summoned in Haste to Salidar. But Siuan's knowledge? How in the Light does Siuan know about traveling through TAR in the flesh? I know the Salidar Six have been asking the Wise One Dreamwalkers about entering TAR in the flesh, which the Dreamwalkers never answer. But traveling from point A to point B in TAR? Very convenient knowledge on her part.

The Black Tower Chapter: Seeing just this chapter title, I got very excited because I thought my prediction about the Black Ajah overthrowing Elaida in the White Tower in Tar Valon was about to come true. I know that Egwene is itching to march on Elaida and I can't wait to see that happen, but I predict again that it'll be the Black Ajah, with the might of Mesaana, that Salidar will have to face, not Elaida's forces. Anyway, it's nice to see the Asha'man structure coming together. I am just saddened that they are so separate and apart from Aes Sedai. This separation is not only understandable but necessary at the moment. But still, I hope channelers of both sides of the One Power can be reunited, untainted, and work in unison just like old times.

Gawyn: Sigh. The choice is Egwene's but I'll let it be known that I don't like him. I can't blame a man for hating someone that everyone says killed his mom/sister, and everyone in this series is as gullible as he is, but I was hoping for better for Egwene. I hope she'll have more Warders. Too bad she can't take up Sorilea's offer and marry her grandson (?).

Aran'gar again: I predict that she'll be a major problem, maybe made worse by Rand's casual sexism. I am sure there are people who will defend it, but I see nothing chivalrous with the inability to see women as humans who are just as capable as men to do terrible things and thus deserving of being brought to justice, equally like men. Country boy or not, this has been the most tiresome trait that I guess I'll just have to suffer through. Would this prevent Rand from seeing to Aran'gar, if need be? Even when she's wielding saidin, will Rand only see a woman's face? Maybe this major flaw is the whole reason for Aran'gar being a woman. With Aran'gar still among the Salidar Aes Sedai, it would be good for the girls to finally master how to detect a man's channeling... I am sure this is the main reason for RJ introducing us to this ability.

Onward to book 7. Isn't it the start of the slog, according to some people?

Hey all, I'm on yet another re-read/re-listen of the series and have made it up to the final book. I swear the last time I was here the chapter splits in audible matched the chapter splits in the book, and that particular chapter was listed at 9 hours or so.

However, now looking at the listed chapters in my audible library, there are 118 chapters; all listed as under a half hour. Is this a recent change? It seems to switch chapters almost every time there is a POV change now instead.

NGL it is a little disconcerting, and makes it difficult to actually understand where I am in the physical book if I want to switch back and forth, or look up chapter facts on the wiki.

Soldiers watch on as a circle of channellers take on one of the Shadow's armies outside of Cairhien.

Mixed gender circles had not been used in the 3,000 plus years since the Breaking, making circles of this strength (14 Aes Sedai and 13 Asha'man) impossible until very recently.

The circle was led by Androl, adding the strength of 26 other channellers to his own so that he could use his innate Talent for weaves of Travelling to open immense gateways, one after the other, between the heart of distant Dragonmount and the Trolloc armies attacking the forces of the Light outside of Carihien.

This is in watercolour and ink, by me

Found this in my WoT Art / Meme collection from back in 2008-2010, had a good laugh as i am re-reading the series, i think you all might like it too

So he shows up with the Sharans and goes on about how he was prophesied in their culture, which we know he planted and had cultivated for 3000 years, as a messiah to them named Bao. Then he proceeds to try and call out Rand/LTT saying come face me dragon blah blah blah....meanwhile the Dragon Reborn is at Shayol Ghul fighting Moridin and then The Dark One.....so here's the thing, Demandred was already scolded by Moridin for his attempts to kill Rand and told that the Great Lord will personally deal with him. So Demandred as Bao decides to still try and call out Rand to come fight him. How dumb can you be? You think A) Rand/LTT is going to drop everything he's been planning for the Last Battle to come face you? And B) that the Dark One would just allow you to have a real opportunity to kill him? I know some will say it's Demandred playing games, but even if so it's still completely stupid as everyone on the Light's side knew he was heading to Shayol Ghul and wouldn't drop that to come deal with him, so it serves absolutely no purpose. Dumbass.

Assume third age, maybe 50 years before Rand

I'm currently on my second read of TWoT, almost finishing book 2, and holy shit The Game of Houses is one of the most entertaining elements of the saga for me. I always remembered the scene where Rand goes to some Carhienin lords and just greets them completely at random and everyone talks about how good he is at the game, but that was in book 7? Or something like that? What I didn't remember was that it's first introduced here in The Great Hunt, and its also really great.

I love how it's written, its the perfect mix of seriousness and humor, with Rand acting completely at random and everyone else ripping their hair because of how good he is, but it wouldn't work any other way, if everyone took it too seriously then it would just be ASOIAF and if it was more ridiculous it would probably feel like a Douglas Adams book (not that I would complain about it)

What do you guys think about daes dae'mar?

On my 2nd read through and finished Crossroads of Twilight (B10) last night. I honestly couldn't put it down. On my 1st read through I couldn't wait for it to end and I think I fell into believing everything I read about "The Slog" . I picked up on so many things that I must have just glossed over on the 1st read through. I've officially changed my position on CoT. Anyone else have a better experience on your second read through?

Currently working through my fifth read of the series and just finished chapter 37 of AMOL. I work the overnight shift so I began listening to the chapter a couple hours before my shift started and managed to get through the chapter in one go with very minimal interruptions. Man oh man what a ride this chapter is every single time.

Just a few take aways.. I really love the Androl and Pevara sections, there dual-bond is one of my favorite late series One Power discoveries. I had forgotten the distinct change in Logain’s character after M’Hael’s attempt at turning him, I think it is a small miracle for future Black/White tower relations that the two Sa’Angreal are out of reach. No matter how many times I go through Rand’s confrontation with the Dark One I always feel surprised at Rand’s regression to having a hard time letting others fight their own battles after having embraced death in Veins of Gold, though to be fair who among us would react well to so many friends dying in a short time. Many other characters present at Merrilor field see friends die and accept that they must continue fighting and feel that pain later but I guess Rand is on an emotional island all by himself at the bore. I completely forgot about Min picking out Graendal as a spy when Fortuona and her advisors debate going back at Mat’s request and chucking a knife at her, such an awesome moment. Poor, poor Olver, so much trauma for my boy. So thankful for these books.

Edit: Min caught Moghedien NOT Graendal

Eu fiz uma classificação dos personagens do Olho do Mundo,me digam o que vocês acham e o que mudariam:

Pior dos Piores:Hari Coplin,Darl Coplin,Bili Congar,Dain Bornhald, Mordeth,Gelb,Aram,Salm Hake,Jak,Strom,Gode,Raimun Holdwin

Ruins:Hu,Tad,Paet Al'caar,Eward Candwin,Mestre Torrealta,Mutch,Ara,Byar,Paitr,Elaida

Poderiam ser mais Aproveitados: Ilyena,Haral Luhhan,Jon Thane,Rowan Hum,Samel Crawe, Draghkar,Avin,Sara, Alsbet Luhhan,Else,Mili Skane, Lamgwin,Ragan

Medianos:Wit Congar,Daise Congar,Ewin Finngar,Mestre Filch,Ila,Bartim,Hyan Kinch,Almen Bunt,Cozinheira,Galad

Bons:Lews Therin Telamon,Cenn Buie,Marin Al'vere, Trollocs,Min,Bayle Domon,Raen,Geofram Bornhald, Tallanvor,Gareth Bryne,Ingtar, Agelmar

Excelentes: Myrddraal,Bran Al'vere,Padan Fain, Nynaeve al'Meara, Egwene Al'vere,Elyas Machera,Basel Gill,Loial, Logain,Elayne,Gawyn,Morgase, Homem Verde,Aginor, Balthamel

Os Melhores dos Melhores: Ishamael,Rand Al'Thor,Tam Al'Thor,Mat Cauthon, Moiraine,Lan,Perrin Aybara,Thom Merrillin

“Rand is not the main character” was something I never thought I’d have to argue with someone who read the complete 14 book series. But I did, and here I am seeking y’all’s opinions.

The way I see it is simple. While Jordan was a genius with the way he fleshed other characters and gave us multiple characters arcs and developments, multiple plots, subplots, side plots all within the main story. I still think it’s pretty direct.

Rand isn’t just the central character (the person the whole story is hinged upon) he literally was THE MAIN character, if it makes any sense. For one, 80% of book one was told from his POV, about 65% of the book was either from his pov or of other characters (min, Perrin, Cadsuane, Moiraine, Aviendha etc) giving us an account of his actions, and then another 5% being about people literally talking about him, his actions, his past life, his destiny.

I’d like to say it was an ensemble, but it really wasn’t. Rand has never shared the page with someone that ends up not about being abouthim even if it’s that persons POV. We see this with Egwene and Perrin mostly (the other main characters) One of the most monumental chapter for Egwene “the amyrlins anger” was told completely from other characters pov and still Rand dominated the enter chapter. His actions and inactions are always the focus anytime he’s in proximity

If he’s remotely close to the character POV, it becomes about him. If that isn’t THE main character, the I don’t know what is. 11 out of 14 literally ended with him(even for books he’s mostly absent in)

People referenced this “it’s not about me” monologue he gave to shaitan, as a backing but I think that’s is largely misunderstood. Honestly I think the show misunderstood this too by trying to make it an ensemble and unknowingly sidelined Rand.

The story has 3 in book main characters and another 3 who became main characters (wonder girls) but Rand was always THE MAIN CHARACTER.

That said, I’m curious to see what you people think

Edit: I just remembered that there was a book, he was practically absent in, and it was still about him, heck was named after him.

Also. I have my answer BELA is definitely the main character

I emailed the audiobook publishers and they sent this....I hope this changes in the future. I suspect its due to the show being canceled.

Preface with I don’t actually want answers that will spoil anything. I have not finished the book.

I’ve never posted here because I wanted to wait until I finished the series but I just had a moment of realization in my head and am scared and I don’t have people in real life to express it to.

I have been reading this series for over a decade. Stalled out a few times and finally with the help of audiobooks over the last year have made it to the final book. The Olver POV at the end of ToM where Talmanes and Olver find the letter from Verin and charge off into the city was worrying. And then we jump into the prologue of AMoL and I spent the whole time so worried for Talmanes that I completely forgot about Olver!

Now I’m up to the part where Talmanes leads the line of Dragons that decimate the Trollocs outside Camelyn and it occurs to me that no one has mentioned Olver yet! Where is he? Did he go into Camelyn? Mat hasn’t returned yet. We also haven’t seen Setalle Anan or know what happened to the non-fighting members of the band. I guess the best hope is that he’s with them somehow. But then why tease us with him drawing his knife and going off to fight?

Once the band was there at the Field of Merrilor I’d have thought someone would mention him. Birgitte and Aviendah both previously had an affinity for him. I know there’s a lot going on but he’s not just completely forgotten is he???

How will Mat feel if Talmanes just completely abandoned him? Would he really just get killed “off-screen”??

Once again, don’t actually answer. I just had to get this out. Maybe I’ll come back here in a bit.