Wheel of Time Books

I've recently been doing some traveling, and doing research on different places to go. Looking into Lisbon, Portugal, I've learned that its called a City with Seven Hills based on its topography. For some reason it reminded me of WoT and I think one of the Cities of WoT has a reference to hills (But can't remember which); the same as Lisbon. This got me wondering if RJ based any of the WoT Cities on real world locations. I always thought Ebou Dar, Illian, and Tear were based on actual places, or many amalgamations of several places, but I don't remember readings if this was the case or not. Anyone able to point me in the right direction? Than…

Rereading A New Spring, first reread since completing the Series, and I'm enjoying some of the brief appearances or mentions of certain character (e.g., Elyas). What are your fave New Spring cameos? Why? Anybody you thought should've made an appearance, but didn't?

So given it is the world cup (come on England) :). I got to thinking. Horse racing is a common sport in WOT, but are any team sports described, I am struggling to think, on my current read through (book 5 so far) I have not seen anything indicating there are. Am I missing something or did RJ just not mention it in his world building?

I'm rereading Lord of Chaos, and I'm at the part where Berelain begins to stalk Perrin. What I don't understand is why Faile treats him like crap. He does everything he can to stay away from bloody Berelain, and yet his wife treats him as if he was cheating on him!! (I'm not alone in the books in this opinion it seems. Min also expressed distaste at Faile's behaviour when she met her :D)

OK, For all the debates I have ever seen on this topic, there are a few points I notice always seem to be either absent or downplayed. 1) Nowhere in the text is there ever even the haziest implication that the Whitecloaks even have permission to be in any country besides Amadicia, and even there, the fact the king of Amadicia was considered a puppet of the WCs implies their "authority" in that nation flowed from threat of main force. There is certainly no implication that the WCs possess any more authority outside Amadicia than any other group of bandits or sell-swords. During the early books, when there's a high concentration of WCs in Caem…

At the end of the series the dark lord is locked away, the one power is cleansed and peace has settled over the lands. It is presented as if this is the start of the new age, the 4th age, and Rand has worked out the dark lord will remain sealed until he is forgotten about. But, I have been trying to work out how this new turning happens. If you consider the 1st age was now, us living in 2022 and the age of legends started with the discovery of the one power. Then that would suggest humanity in the WOT will need to suffer a catastrophe far larger then the breaking to reset humanity to a “pre one power” civilization. initially I thought the idea that the…

Ok. I haven't seen this discussed yet. Doesn't mean it hasn't been, just that I've not seen it. Please. If it has... I am sorry But the reincarnation of Brigitte.. in the end of A Memory of Light it says she feels herself being reincarnated that someone is giving birth. Does anyone know how far along Amys was at this time? Could it be one of her twins?

Folks have said WoT starts by following the pattern of LotR. But there are many similarities to the Belgariad as well. I just started reading 'Pawn of Prophecy' again and here is what I'm finding so far: Garion is raised by people not his relations, and he looks distinctly different from those around him - at least by those that are well-traveled Silk and Capatain Brendig spar with each other like Mat and Talmanes do The hooded/cloaked figure that only Garion sees. And he doesn't tell those that can help him just like Rand, Perrin, and Mat didn't mention their dreams The 'mad' god Torak cracked the world - though the actual madness may have co…

I've just finished Greg Bear's novel Songs of Earth and Power, comprising The Infinity Concerto and The Serpent Mage. In it we have a young chap by name Michael Perrin, and he becomes a mage, a master of magic. In the process he crosses between world to world, initially from Earth to Sidhedark (the realm) where the Sidhe live. On the way beack, he finds that there are a wide variety of variations on the Earth (though he doesn't stop and chat) and also finds himself and his ladylove trapped in the bad guy the Isomage's failed world-building attempts. I re-read it and thought, Sidhedark's got some similarities to Tel'aranrhiod; we've got the multiverse happening…

Given the WOT is our own world in the future has RJ ever discussed what happened to the known main religions? There is no real concept of Christianity, Islam, buddhism, Hinduism etc in the books. Were religions as we know them phased out in the age of legends as technology and the discovery of the source overtook civilisation?

Apologies if this has already been asked and answered, but I didn't see it. In TPoD, Chapter 23, Dashiva complains about an oddness to Saidin which Rand ignores. Then Rand loses control with Callandor. Is it every explained what that oddness is? I don't believe anyone attempted to take control of Rand through the flaw in Callandor. I would think a major item like this would be explained at some point.

I wonder if this will be as disappointing as the Encyclopedia. The Encyclopedia is good for keeping facts straight. Where was a specific character encountered, what were the former, current and/or recycled names of Forsaken, etc. But was so disappointed when it didn't have new information - i.e. details on the Aiel warrior socieites, even just a paragraph. Will definitely wait for reviews before purchasing.

Re reading the series it is starting to stand out more and more to me that there are some very clear cultural similarities between different cultures in the WOT universe. I wonder if these have a common source either from the age of Legends, or even later on when Artur Hawkwing ruled the land. One main example I wonder if there has ever been an explanation about is between Aiel and Seanchan, 2 cultures that should never have interacted before the end of the 3rd age. One link between the 2 in my mind are the Aiel Gai'shain and Seanchan Da'covale, yes I know they are very different in many ways but there are also large similarities. But I also wonder if the 2 wo…

When trollocs attack Tear Matt’s POV after the event shows trollocs attacking and killing a Fade that was about to attack him before moving on away from him. I know Lanfer hints to Rand she is behind trollocs saving him although refuses to admit it in fear he will expect it in future, but, why save Matt? Or does something else cause the trollocs to save him?

Rand managed to achieve the Aiel, Aes Sedai and Sea Folk prophesies but, until the last battle brought them to the war? We as readers and Rand where seemingly unaware even of the Sharan prophesies. Now Demandred takes advantage of that to form a Sharan army for the Dark Lord, but, was it Demandred who was always prophesied to be Bao or could Rand have also taken that crown. Alternatively, was Rand only ever destined to achieve some of the prophesies, if he gains the Sharans does he not gain the Aiel and is it they who appear out of nowhere led by a forsaken?

One of the very small loose threads that has stayed with me since finishing the books is how Alivia helped Rand "die". She made sure he had everything he needed to start a new life, but left out one seemingly minor but if you think about it, very important item. What name was Rand going to use in his new life? Clearly can't keep his original name. Not saying this was Alivia's responsbility, but I have always wondered what he would do the first time he met someone. I probably have too much time on my hands...

I read most of the books as they came out years ago then stopped when they did not come out for a while. Now I have lots of time on my hands I have gone back to the beginning and sarted all over again. I have read them all in the last 11 weeks and am now on the last book just over 650 pages in and am struggling to not either just walk away or skip to the end. I have read loads of books over the years but dont think I have ever read one as hard work as this its like it has been dragged out to 1000 pages just because the others were. Am I the only one who feels this. I have read all of Brandon Sandersons books but am struggling here. Sorry just needed to vent and walk away …

Hello fellow WoT lovers, Just a little preface: So I am continuing my first re-read of WoT. I have read the series before, along with New Spring and the companion books, mostly before I had access to the internet. I am really enjoying this re-read and rediscovering why I fell in love with WoT in the first place and why I regarded it as my favourite Epic Fantasy series. The writing is just sublime, the PoV unreliable narration really works for me, sometimes we know more than the PoV characters and sometimes less and it allows events to unfold. There are criticisms, don't get me wrong: "Lan, Moiraines Warder" - I don't need reminding of this after 4 books,…

I started the wheel of time series over half a year ago and am just now finishing it On 10/24/2022 And i will say this the ending is as mat Cauthon would say a gamble. It made me want to laugh and cry at the same time and im going to be honest i fell a little bit depressed. I always knew the series would end but back when i was on like the second book i thought it would last forever. I have now finished all fourteen books and own them and am now feeling melancholy. the only book i have left of this series is a new spring showing moraines time learning to be aes sedai in the white tower. I can say from experience that rand al thor does indeed survive sealing away the dark …

Was listening to The Shadow Rising again on Audible, when I noticed this, The scene in the tavern where the innkeeper comes in and tells Elayne & Nyneave a handsome, middle-aged woman gave their descriptions and asked if they were present. Elayne & Nyneave were attacked by would-be kidnappers in the previous scene, and fearing the inquiring woman might be one of the Black Ajah members they're hunting in Tanchico, Elayne embraces Saidar prior to the woman entering the common room. Note that as the woman is entering, Elayne is actively channeling flows of the Power in preparation for the possibility of conflict. Moghedien enters the room, the glow o…

Hello all, I am brand new to these forums because for the first time I just don't understand something that also could not really be found in explanations or summaries that I Googled, and that is Faile's plan with Alliandre, with Berelain and Annoura present. I am just trying to find context in her plan that makes it clearer but I am at a loss. I know the jist - It is to fool The Prophet and Alliandre's nobles as to her whereabouts so they can march against the former, but the how is what is confusing me. How does this plan work though? I don't get it. And I know it is supposed to be clear because Annoura says something like "No one will know who is who." What does she me…

When the people leave Two Rivers in the beginning of Book 1, they meet people in western Andor and across the world that have no idea of Two Rivers, and then the Sheinaran leader is like “I only use the best tabac from Two Rivers.” And then the rest of the entire series every single person is like “yes, two rivers tabac is the best.”

Just wondering what people think is the future of the Black Tower after the end of the 3rd Age? I think they could eventually be equal to the White Tower or may even merge with it but it would be a rocky road to get there and I wouldn't be surprised if there are a few clashes between them and Andor and the White Tower along the way. The main problem is I think many people would still would be distrustful of men who can channel coupled with the fact that the White Tower would probably see them as a rival faction and would probably not like another group doing what they do who could potentially have as much influence over the world especially as they have been the in their …

Haven't been on this forum in quite some time (mostly was active on the TV side of things as I started reading the books only 6 months or so before the show started) and am excited to say I finally finished the books! I laughed, I cried, I sometimes wished there thousands fewer pages. It took me a long time because I mostly listened to the audiobooks from my library, and often had to wait a few weeks or a month between books because of their popularity (maybe it was always this way? maybe the show got a lot of people excited?). Wanted to share some thoughts on things I wish had been different vs. things that really worked for me. Rest assured that everything I…

Hi all, so im a new fan of the wheel of time (bit late i know). But i liked the tv show, so now im working my way through the books (im currently halfway through the great hunt). I was just wondering are their big battles coming up in the book series to look forward to (ala like lotr?). And also although its called the wheel of time, i am assuming there isn't really any time travel in it, more about the breaking of different ages? I ask this last question who i want to try and get into this, and he is a massive time travel fan, but i do not want to miss sell him when talking about this series. thanks

From time to time an Aes Sedai would ask themselves if certain things were something new in the pattern or something very old and forgotten (eg: Perrin and the wolf connection). I suddenly started wondering if Nynaeve was that "something new". She does things that no one thought possible and seems to pick up on older things like using balefire quicker than others. She also uses a different mental image when wielding the one power (or whatever it's called for women; it's been a while since I've had my head in this): thorns instead of a flower bud opening up. Previously I had always chalked this up to Nynaeve being... Nynaeve, but then I can't recall any other …

Hi folks. So I just finished Winters Heart, but I'm still wondering about something from the end of book 8 PoD...that is, the renegade Asha'man attack on Rand in Cairhein. 1) Why do they decide to try and kill him, and 2) why then? As for (1) we know generally the Forsaken have been clearly commanded in the last few books to not kill him. It's clearly not some absolute decision, since in WH when Moridin finds out about his plan with the choden kal (how does he know about that anyway?) he commands everyone to kill him. But at the end of book 8 that has not happened yet. The darkfriend asha'man are under Dashivas command I'm assuming, since we find out in WH th…

The fourth andoran succession war animated, culminating in the siege of Caemlyn by Arymilla Marne, and the defense of the city by Elayne Trakand.

Is it just me, or is the whole idea of the Coramoor and Sea Folk, nothing more than filler and a waste of paper? At the very least, the Sea Folk seem thoroughly neglected by Jordan! Do you agree with at least that much? Are any of you fans of them and how does The Coramoor or Sea Folk add something pleasing to this series for you?

So I've been wondering ... from the perspective of the Salidar / rebel Aes Sedai, on what basis d id they see Elaida as a usurper, and why did they think (initially, before the Logain/Red Ajah stuff came out) she is bad enough to break the tower over? Yes, as readers, we know that Siuane was doing the right thing in seeking out Rand to guide his steps to becoming the Dragon Reborn, etc, and we know Elaida is an unhinged and incompetent power-tripping megalomaniac... But from the perspective of the rest of the Aes Sedai, they know nothing of what Siuane was up to, don't approve when they do find out, and it is always made clear that Elaida followed the bare requirements of…