Wheel of Time Books

In one of my more recent re-reads, I started thinking about the tests for Accepted and Aes Sedai, and got to wondering how effective they are. I don't have books on hand so I apologize for imprecise references. First point: one of the main tenets of the test for Accepted is that you have to want to be Aes Sedai more than anything else - more than any of the 3 possibilities you see in the ter'angreal. However, as evidenced by Nynaeve and Egwene's trips, they don't even have any memory of what they're doing in the test. Essentially it seems like they're abandoning people based on some vague voice telling them to be steadfast. Second point: I forget the exact figu…

Ha - if Randland is supposed to be Earth 1 billion years from now or whenever... After continental drift or 'the breaking'.... Wouldnt that make Australia the land of the madmen? I'm basing this off the maps of randland i've seen around, and then looking at how many aussies post here...haha.

So with the three oaths we have the main one that i think serioulsy puts the Aes sedi at a huge dissadvantge is the one about not being able to kill ppl with the power. have never liked that one my self. I just thought of one way around the oath its self. Have them learn the sword. Since they live for such a long time any ways they woul dhave an exrta advantage if they were able to spend a little amount of time after there final test before they leave the tower and go out in to the world. Make them take 20 year sor so to spend on nothing but the sword until they were a blademaster. The they would be able to defend themselves far better than with the power, it would m…

I'm currently doing a read-through leading up to MoL and just got to Ingtar's last stand toward the end of Book 2, when he admits to Rand that he was a Darkfriend and Rand wishes that "The last embrace of the Mother welcome you home." Man. RJ really had a god given gift for getting to the heart of the matter. My eyes are glistening and I am so happy I am reading these through again. Just wondering which moments in the series bring tears to your eyes or make you sigh or have an emotional reaction? Another that springs to mind are some of those memories that Rand sees of his ancestors in Rhuidean.

Not sure if anyone has ever asked this on here, but I was recently re-reading The Great Hunt and was wondering why exactly the Shadow, via Liandrin, wanted to lure Egwene and Nynaeve to Toman Head. I had always thought it was a trap for Rand, but Rand only finds out that Egwene is a damane by accident when he sees her out a window at High Lord Turak's palace. So my question is this: why bring them to the center of the action in the first place (aside from giving the characters something to do for the book)? When Liandrin is orchestrating the handover to High Lady Suroth, this exchange occurs (The Great Hunt, Chapter 40: Damane): "You must find the woman Nynaeve,"…

Ok here is a little bit of humor for you all. So what if the things that they are (as in TOR) letting loose so to say, are things that are not in the books. But in fact things that got taken out. Didnt Peter say somethign along the lines of no new material will be let loose until the book comes out lol. So all of these things could be things that we will never actually see hahahahahah. Everyones thoughts on this would be fun. But lets keep it on track for once and no sidelining the main topic or ill get it locked right quick.

Okay. I'm 2/3 of the way through Lord Of Chaos. I'm at the part where Rand finds out about Salidar. I just had to stop when I reached that scene. I need answers. What's the deal with Ta'veren-ness? Bar none the concept of Ta'veren has to be the most infuriating aspect of this series for me (yes, worse than the women). It's almost driven me to abandon the series several times. The reason why is very simple: I have no idea how it works! What are it's limitations? It's failings? How do you counter it? As it stands, it's robbing the series of the one thing any story desperately needs, especially a fantasy story that heavily features battles and warfare: Te…

I think this may have already been discussed, but I've just searched 9 pages of thread titles in spoilers and didn't come across it so... It's been mentioned several times that you cannot walk so long in the shadow that you cannot come back into the light - but the only time we really see this is with Ingtar, I'm not convinced Verin really counts as she never completely left the light. I think this has to mean one of the Forsaken comes back to the Light (whose been walking in the Shadow longer?). But their aren't many candidates left: I think the time involved should rule out the M'Hael. So that leaves us with Moridin, Hessalem (sp?), Cyndane, Moghedian and Dem…

So, RJ's concept of the Wheel is that all the myths and legends of our time are vague remembrances of the events in WoT, and their stories are sometimes very vague remembrances of events in our Age. Hence we have a lot of Arthurian legend and real world religions referenced, etc. This gets a lot of discussion. It occurred to me that there are at least three references to modern pop culture in the books. I think there are more that have occurred to me, but these three come to mind, and I think they're all deliberate: 1. Karate Kid (1984). The crane kick seems to have been referenced with Heron Wading in the Rushes in TGH (1990). 2. Terminator II (1991). This se…

I'm going to the idaho falls book signing today in a couple of hours. Any suggestions what I should as our dear Mr Sanderson? WoT or Stormlight related. Mistboenceven if you'd like. I just need ideas!

If agelessness is due to the Oath Rod (as I believe to be generally accepted?)... why does it affect the Wise Ones? "She and Melaine could both channel - not many Wise Ones could - and she had something of the Aes Sedai look of agelessness about her." Fires of Heaven, Chapter 5

Does anyone know if it has ever been confirmed about who, between RJ and Brandon, wrote the beginning quote/excerpts to TGS, ToM and AMoL? Not just the beginning excerpts but the ending prophecies and what not? I feel like they are all RJ but wasn't sure if it has ever been said if they were in RJ's notes or if Brandon wrote them to fit certain scenes that happen.

this is a bit of a spoiler for those of you who haven't read Towers of Midnight yet... I'm listening to the series again and I'm just past the part where Matt defeats the Gholam...and I he's says that he hopes he can't die because he likes thought of the Gholam falling through nothing then I remembered something. Isn't a Gholam a contruct of the one power like Trollocs, Myrddraal and even the Green Man, and contructs of the power can't survive Passing through a gateway so kicking the Gholam through the Gateway would have killed it right? Or is a skimming Gateway Diffrent somehow?

Just wondering if anyone knows if the audiobooks will be available as a digital download on January 8th from places like AudiobookstandDL and the like.

Aplogies if this has been discussed before, the search function is still not working properly for me since the downtime. If there is a thread on this, feel free to hit me over the head and direct me there I started thinking about the other day; how will the cleansing of Saidin affect the ways? Do you think they'll gradually brighten again and restore themselves to former glory? Or will someone have to "heal" them? Or will they be forever tainted? I don't think we've seen anyone using the Ways since the cleansing. Thoughts?

When Rand removes his exile of Cadsuane, he tells her he has a task for her. He says " I need to locate someone. Someone who is missing, someone I now suspect may be in the hands of well-meaning allies. You see, I've been informed that the White Tower is holding Mattin Stepanos." Cadsuane asks Rand if he wants her to fetch Mattin Stepanos. He says "Not at all. I haven't decided what to do about him yet, so he can stay Egwene's problem. The person I wants is probably somewhere in the Caralain Grass. I'll explain more when we are not out in the open". Who did he want her to go find for him? And why send her instead of an anonymous Ashaman or Aes Sedai?

Sort of quick question... Everyone assumes that Callandor must be used in a circle with two women and one man. Since this type of circle must be lead by a woman, Rand cannot be in control. The purpose behind using this circle is to: 1) provide a buffer so the wielders aren't burnt out by mistake, and 2) to allow a woman to use Callandor which magnified the taint and created erratic behavior in men. However, without the taint, the second reason is irrelevant. The first is still important, though Rand appears capable of using Callandor without severing himself. But if creating a buffer is of concern, there is another circle of three that could be used: two men a…

Firstly, note that we are not considering tGS material spoilers any more, and therefore you may find them in any thread. If you wish to discuss something without tGS spoilers make sure you put (No tGS Spoilers) in the thread title. That goes for any of the books, but if you are one of those who have yet to finish all books, I recommend Structured WOT Discussions, as that board is somewhat more strict when it comes to spoilers. The Rules 1. Before you post a new thread have a look around and see if there is already a thread discussing your topic. A helpful tool for this is the search function at the top of the page. It is better to revive old threads than cre…

I never really dug through the books to find Demandred myself. Ofcourse I followed and participated in the debates on several forums, but Im way more interested in the bigger picture of the Wheel and all things concerning the Dragon and Ishamael. But after recent debates out here about Demandred (the Timolan thread, for instance) and the tongue-in-cheek thread I made for Barid (the mod, not the character) about Demandred and BBM asking some questions about Demandred in general in the new D’mount Chat Room (it’s fun!), it got me thinking…. why not search Demandred myself for a change..? Sure, I’ve read the series and wondered who Demandred could be when I saw a charact…

Chapter Two entitled 'The Choice of an Ajah' is now availliable on Tor.com http://www.tor.com/blogs/2012/10/audioslice-a-memory-of-light-chapter-2-qthe-choice-of-an-ajahq This thread is for full spoiler discussion.

How was it that the Andoran monarchy never taxed the Two Rivers when they had world renowned tobacco? And how were they so isolated when they had such a fantastic product? I would think that merchants and peddlers would be making an annual trip to stock up but Rand mentions that Padan Fain is the only peddler to regularly come through at the beginning of tEotW.

I'm curious if there was a moment or a topic in the books that really, really made you scream/cringe/throw stuff/curse out loud while reading. I'm not asking for a list of what simply annoys you or smaller elements, but if there is something very specific you feel/felt so strongly about and got to you in such a way that it caused real rage. I'm hoping for some interesting insights and stories about how one element in this series really got to you, and not just a poll or listings.

Aviendha gives Rand King Laman's Sword. He accepted only the blade because the hilt was ivory and would be impractical. Ivory? Ivory comes from elephant tusks, elephants were not introduced until afterwards, the seanchan's S'redit. Even if he somehow managed to get the ivory for the sword how would they know what it was?

In TEoTW, when Rand first meets Loial in Master Gill's Inn The Queen's Blessing, Rand reveals that he is not Aiel as Loial seems to think, but from the Two Rivers, a place which was once called Manatheren. Loial laments of the loss of the Ogier Grove there, then tells Rand, "Your pain sings in my heart, Rand Al'Thor. We could not come in time." This indicates that at the time the Ogier had long-handles on their axes and were engaged in fighting in the Trolloc Wars. It is just me or did just about everyone fail Manatheren except for Aemon and his own army? The army marched the incredible distance it did and with such speed to arrive even though everyone thought h…

So, Verin has given some important messages to Mat, Rand (via an Aes Sedai, I forgot who), and a bunch of others, including Alanna, who I just thought of. Now, I cannot remember this ever being discussed - WHY and HOW does she know all those things? This seems to be tied with her meeting Mesaana twice. Was she maybe in the High whatever-it-is-called, the leaders of the Black Ajah? But still, how does she know about other things, like the invasion in Caemlin and such things?

My friend and I were discussing WOT the other day, and he said that he did not understand how the DO revives the forsaken. I told him that the DO exists outside of the pattern of space and time, and as such, has the ability to reach into the future, and pull their reborn selves out of time and bring them to the present, and that is why they become new people when they are revived. Am I wrong or right on this?

I have already made my guess on Twitter (as has Luckers; we're quick like that), but the sky's the limit! (I will drop the interesting tidbits from Twitter here until AMOL probably, unless others beat me to it which of course anyone is welcome to do because it saves me work.)

I've been thinking about various viewings and prophecies related to Callandor and I have a hard time coming up with a plausible sequence that would include all of them. First, it has been long noticed that the prophecy "He shall hold a blade of light in his hands, and the three shall be one" means that Rand will get himself a second hand at some point. On the AMOL cover we see Rand, Moiraine and Nynaeve going to the Pit of Doom. His left hand is behind his back but the artist confirmed that this is just to hide the stump. If that info is correct it means that Rand won't have his left hand back by that point. It also means that he'll have to go to Shayol Ghul at leas…

So i remember that couple years ago i stumbled on somr post on some website where the person was posting very, very funny summaries of books. I dont remember much details but i do remember that it was argued that rj himself was making the posts. So please, anyone knows where i can find that website again???! Id be very surprised that if more than very few old dwellers would know what im talking about, but i hope that i will read it again (last time i read it i was literrary crying from laughing so hard).

There is a scene where Mat fights both Galad and Gawyn and wins. Is this practically possible? Lets look at the odds against Mat: 1) He has just been under coma (practically) for several days and has been wasting away for several months. He has just recovered from severe damage. 2) Gawyn killed Hammar and Coulin who were the Warder teachers. They were most likely very skilled. And yet Gawyn was able to kill them. Furthermore, Mat was able to beat Gawyn! I might point out that Hammar and Coulin were killed in Book 4 but this duel occured in book 3. But there isn't much of a time gap. 3) Galad was able to kill the Commander of the Whitecloaks, who has an exce…