General Discussion

You may know him as the guy with that excellent Rand al’Thor cosplay, but his name is Paul Bielaczyc and he is a JordanCon staple. I got a chance to talk to Paul about JordanCon, being toastmaster, and his love of The Wheel of Time. Ebony: First things, first: When did you start reading Wheel of Time? Paul: I first picked it up my senior year of high school, and stopped reading at what I like to refer to as "The Hump." I feel like most people read a few chapters of a new book to see if they are hooked, and for Wheel of Time, that magical point is the end of Chapter 4. I know I got to that point, put the book down, and then life happened. And I kno…

Long time Wheel of Time commentator, Leigh Butler, has released her top five scenes within the series. With a rekindled reading of The Wheel of Time currently underway at Tor.com, Leigh seems eager to get back on her soap box and sing the praises of this wonderful collection of books. Warning! Spoilers follow! In her full article, Leigh argues why each one is especially significant to the plot, the characters, and the entertainment of the readers. Do you agree or disagree with Leigh's picks? One of my personal favorites is when Mat finds out Tuon is really the Daughter of the Nine Moons (which didn't even make the list of honorable me…

If you are part of the Facebook Wheel of Time Community, you may have run into Drew McCaffrey. He has been an active part of the online community and is an excellent resource for anyone that needs information about the Wheel of Time series. But Drew is more than just a Wheel of Time fan, he is also an up and coming author. He recently began writing for TOR.com, and I had a chance to sit down with him to discuss this new opportunity. Ebony: How did you get involved in writing for Tor.com? Drew: One of my friends, Alice Arneson, has been writing the Brandon Sanderson Cosmere re-reads on Tor.com. She encouraged me to submit a proposal t…

Dragonmount's co-leader, and JordanCon founder, Jenn Liang, and her husband Jimmy Liang, will be next year's Fan Guests of Honor at Kansas City's ConQuesT. From the ConQuesT site: ConQuesT takes place every Memorial Day weekend, at the end of May (May 24-26, 2019). The year's theme is "mad science and experimental wizardry." Tickets are on sale now for the early bird price of $30. On November 1, that price will increase. View full news item

That’s right, twenty years ago, today, Jason Denzel started up the website Dragonmount. For those unfamiliar with its humble beginnings, Jason wanted a place to converse with other Wheel of Time fans, as well as have a hosting site for his "Dragonmount" animated fan-film he was working on. It’s evolved greatly from its origins, and here are screen shots of Dragonmount’s main page for the past twenty years! 1998: 1999: 2000: 2001: 2002: 2003: 2004: 2005: 2006: 2007: 2008:…

At the beginning of the month, Rafe Judkins—showrunner for The Wheel of Time television series—began to give us hints on Twitter about his involvement and progress with script writing and other behind-the-scenes details. This quickly morphed into #WoTWednesday (it had started out in July as #WoTMonday). Each Wednesday, Judkins has been posting small snippets for us to drool over. Here’s a quick recap of August’s posts: August 8th: “So I thought for #WoTWednesday this week I’d post something that gives you a little insight into how I broke down the books (without giving away too much), so I decided to open to a random page in the EoTW (…

Earlier this week, Jason Denzel, Dragonmount’s found and webmaster, hosted an Ask Me Anything panel on Reddit.com . The questions ranged all over the board, but there were a few about The Wheel of Time. And, of course, everyone offered congratulations and praise for Mystic Dragon, released July 17, 2018 from Tor. Naturally, people had questions about where the inspiration for the Mystic series came from. You can read the questions and answers in their entirety, here. View full news item

Since the news of a potential Wheel of Time television series was released in April of 2016, right after JordonCon 8, we’ve all been waiting for news of the show’s progress. Last year, again, around JordanCon 9, we learned the rights had landed with Sony Pictures, and that Rafe Judkins was the lead writer and executive producer of the project. And earlier this year, in January, we had the first tweet from Judkins in relation to a possible Wheel of Time script. Considering we’ve waited two years just for those snippets, it seems almost like overload when we’ve seen several tweets from Jadkins over the past two months teasing Wheel of Time fans with pictures o…

Today is the release day for Mystic Dragon, the second novel in Jason Denzel’s Mystic series. This captivating story is a great addition to the series, expanding the scope of the plotlines, the characters, and the world. Slight spoilers will follow. Synopsis: The first book, Mystic, showed Pomella AnDone, a commoner, summoned by the High Mystic of Moth to trial for an apprenticeship. Though Pomella shows strength and courage and cunning, she’s not selected to be the High Mystic’s apprentice. Instead, she is chosen by Grandmaster Faywong, a man retired from the position of High Mystic of Moth, and becomes his apprentice. Mystic D…

Recently, the Antiquarian Booksellers' Association of America (ABAA) compiled a detailed list of all The Wheel of Time related material it’s possible to own. The list contains many items most fans have heard of—the soundtrack, the comic books, the calendars—and plenty I own myself. However, it also highlights more obscure items, like a poster and program showing Robert Jordan’s permeant display at Daniel Library of The Citadel, or a custom embossed stamp used to denote Jordan’s own books within his library, or a copy of The Fires of Heaven where the dust jacket proclaims the Amyrlin is named “Flaida” instead of Elaida. Not to mention all the foreign-translated novels a…

Our friends at the Wheel of Time Spoilers podcast have a new project in the works: Mistborn Spoilers. Following the same format, Patrick and Seth scrutinize Brandon Sanderson’s Mistborn series—one chapter at a time—and discuss all the nitty-gritty details, backstories, foreshadowing, and wonders that make up this fantastic series. The first three episodes focused on the background information needed to comprehend the world, the Lord Ruler, and the current life of the people. After that, they delve right into the books. I was very pleased when Seth and Patrick allowed me to be a guest host for the Prologue and Chapter 1 episodes. I’m a huge fan o…

As announced last month, PBS will be hosting a new series called “The Great American Read.” Through a national survey, they identified the best 100 books. PBS states: This is exciting for us as booklovers, but it’s also exciting for us as Wheel of Time lovers. The Wheel of Time (the complete series) is one of the 100 nominated. The two-hour pilot airs tonight (Tuesday, May 22nd, 2018) at 8/7c. Check your local PBS station for exact time. Now here’s where devoted fans of Robert Jordan and The Wheel of Time come into play. When the pilot airs, voting for the best book begins. From May 22nd until October 18th, viewers can v…

It’s time for another author interview! I’m very pleased to be able to have J.S. Fields with us. J.S. is the author of the Ardulum Series, with the third book, Third Don, being released June 4, 2018. J.S. is an author, an artist, and a scientist, with a special interest in wood spalting. Q: Thank you for taking the time to talk with me, J.S. Can you tell us a bit about yourself? Thank you for having me! I’m a professor, parent, professional sculptor, and most recently, author. I live in the Pacific Northwest of the USA but am not a dog person, which is sort of a perpetual issue in this region. I love dark chocolate, dark fantasy, and anything with a s…

This year’s JordanCon was epic in proportion, first because it was the tenth year of the convention (according to Jennifer Liang, everyone thought the first JordanCon would be the last JordanCon), and second because this year marks the 20th anniversary of Dragonmount. Arriving Thursday night was like coming home to a group of very good friends. After checking into my hotel room around midnight, I headed down to the lobby and promptly began deep, philosophical discussions about The Wheel of Time series with none other than Paul Bielaczyc—though there was a moment when he got The Wheel of Time mixed up with HG Wells’ The Time Machine…. That, in a nutshell, is J…

Most Wheel of Time fans know that Robert Jordan, besides being an avid writer, was an avid reader. On the lastest episode of Wheel of Time Spoilers, Wilson Grooms—Jordan's relative—stated that Jordan was reading one book a day. This led his personal library to reach over 10,000 books. And that collection will soon be available for purchase from Mr. K’s Used Books, CDs, DVDs and More: For those in the areas, the four Mr. K's locations are in Asheville, North Carolina, Charleston and Greenville, South Carolina, and Johnson City, Tennessee. You can see a map of their locations here. Don't miss out on the opportunity of owning …

Our friends at Wheel of Time Spoilers reached their milestone 100th episode while attending JordanCon 10. To celebrate this prestigious event, Seth and Patrick sat down with Jason Denzel, Brad Kane, and Wilson Grooms. To listen to Episode 100, click here! This episode, recorded live at JordanCon, delved into many topics. Most importantly being the current status of The Wheel of Time television show. During the Team Jordan panel at JordanCon, Jason asked Harriet McDougal of the show’s fate. For those unable to attend that panel, Jason shares the basics here. Wilson, who has been a big part of The Wheel of Time fandom, including helpi…

This year marked the 10th anniversary of JordanCon. It's truly amazing that the dedication and loyalty of so many Wheel of Time lovers has turned this convention with a modest beginning into a yearly pilgrimage for many fans. The depth of love from all the people involved--from the staff, to the volunteers, to the attendees--is a testament to Robert Jordan and The Wheel of Time series. To celebrate the milestone of ten amazing years, during the opening ceremonies, a video overview was shown. It highlighted Robert Jordan, his fight with amyloidosis, and the following years of JordanCon where his life and his life's work were/are celebrated. After this playe…

It wouldn’t be JordanCon without a new, Wheel of Time related costume. The convention starts tomorrow, so in preparation, I made myself an Asha’man coat. I’ve been wanting one forever—some of you might remember when I posted this picture of what I envisioned a female Asha’man coat to be like. JordanCon 10, plus Dragonmount’s 20-year anniversary, seemed like the best time to make my dream a reality. First, I started with this pattern, selection D. The military style seemed to fit my vision, and I loved that it had a high collar. The pattern is classified as “easy,” but it was the trickiest patter…

Dragonmount’s Ebony Adomanis, who is also the director's assistant/manager of the World of Wheel of Time track at JordanCon, recently had the opportunity to sit down with Seth and Patrick, the voices of the podcast Wheel of Time Spoilers. This interview shows a lot of the behind the scenes intricacies that make Wheel of Time Spoilers such an enjoyable, and engaging, podcast! Ebony: Thank you for visiting Dragonmount. Please introduce yourselves for our readers who might not be familiar with your podcast. Patrick: The Wheel of Time Spoilers Podcast is a show that's released 3 times a week. It's a book club in audio format, made by fans of the ser…

Only a week to go until JordanCon! The convention, dedicated to Robert Jordan and The Wheel of Time series, takes place April 20th through the 22nd in Atlanta, Georgia. I’m very excited to see many of the authors this year, including Aaron-Michael Hall, the award-winning author of The Rise of Nazil series. Q: Welcome Aaron-Michael! Your tag line says you are a writer of “diverse epic fantasy and science fantasy with an edge.” What does it mean to have an edge in your works and how do you incorporate it while writing? Thank you for having me! When I speak of an edge, it’s in reference to content that many would refer to as ‘dark fantasy’ or ‘g…

JordanCon is just around the corner! The convention, dedicated to Robert Jordan and The Wheel of Time series, takes place April 20th through the 22nd in Atlanta, Georgia. This year, there are many authors that write across the large spectrum of speculative fiction. But Sargon Donabed started with academic non-fiction focusing on folklore before starting to write his fantasy novels. He also has a PhD in Near and Middle Eastern Civilizations and is currently working on a MS in Anthrozoology/Animal Studies. Q: Thank you for joining me, Sargon! Your rich background in ancient and modern societies is impressive. Does this knowledge give you a jumping off poin…

We are almost there! JordanCon, the convention dedicated to Robert Jordan and The Wheel of Time series, takes place April 20th through the 22nd in Atlanta, Georgia. Just two weeks away! Today’s interview is with Paige L. Christie, author of the acclaimed The Legacies of Arnan series. Q: Welcome, Paige! How does your love of other cultures—specifically Middle Eastern and North African—shape The Legacies of Arnan series? This is such a great question! In this series, most of influence from ELTAM (Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco) is subtle – mostly in the dances and music mentioned. However, there is a good deal of influence from a different part…

JordanCon is fast approaching. The convention, dedicated to Robert Jordan and The Wheel of Time series, takes place April 20th through the 22nd in Atlanta, Georgia. In preparation for the convention, I wanted to highlight a few of the authors who will be attending this year. Today’s author is Gerald L. Coleman, a sci-fi/fantasy author, poet, philosopher, and theologian. Q: Welcome, Gerald. Can you start by explaining how all your writings connect? Is there a thin line between your prose and your poetry, or do they both come from the same place inside you? Hi, Mashiara, and thank you for the invitation to share here on Dragonmount. I spent many year…

JordanCon is only a few weeks away. The convention, dedicated to Robert Jordan and The Wheel of Time series, takes place April 20th through the 22nd in Atlanta, Georgia. There are many new guest authors who will be visiting the convention for the very first time. I wanted to introduce a few of them before we get to see them in person. Today’s author is Tom Fallwell, an indie sci-fi/fantasy writer who gets his inspiration from decades of playing Dungeons and Dragons. Q: Welcome, Tom. Can you elaborate on how roleplaying games fueled your love of storytelling? Hello and thanks. Yes, as a Dungeon Master playing D&D, I spent many hours creating adven…

The Call by Peadar O Guilin

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Today, Tor.com released a very detailed analysis of the Old Tongue--the ancient language used during the Age of Legends. Written by Richard Littauer, who is a linguist, this article sheds some light on how Robert Jordan did follow some rules of languages and when he made them up. This was a very interesting read. Looking at the Old Tongue from an academic and historical perspective was enlightening. Though I had heard several instances of inconsistencies in the dynamics of the Old Tongue, Littauer does a great job of explaining why these phrases can't be constructed into one, cohesive language. And though Littauer concludes that Jordan was on…

Welcome back to another “Fantasy Review.” This edition is for J. Scott Coatsworth’s Skythane, the first in the Oberon Cycle trilogy. Slight spoilers follow. Synopsis: The planet of Oberon is missing half its mass. Some scientists speculate the other side is filled with dark matter—balancing the inhabited hemisphere and making it stable. Most citizens of Oberon don’t even think about it. For them, life continues like normal. The rich live in splendor while the poor are forced to scavenge in the Slander. Xander began his life in the Slander. Orphaned at an early age, Xander grew up on the streets—abused, neglected, and forgotte…

This edition of “Fantasy Review” is for Brandon Sanderson’s Oathbringer, the third part of The Stormlight Archive series. For a quick refresher of what’s happened in the previous two books, you can read a synopsis of the story so far from Tor.com. Some spoilers follow. Synopsis: After battling against the Parshendi and their new storm, Dalinar Kholin and his Alethi troops take shelter in the city of Urithiru—the ancient home of the Knights Radiant. They set up a base there to try and regroup as the Everstorm rages around the entire world. Reports show that when the Everstorm hits a location, all the Parshmen change into warform and flee. B…

This “Fantasy Review” is for The Stone Sky, the third and final book in The Broken Earth series, by N.K. Jemisin. Synopsis: Essun is still determined to find her daughter, Nessun. The comm of Castrima Under—where Essun currently dwells—has been damaged by their war with Rennaris. The people must find a new place to ride out the Fifth Season. Due to Essun’s annihilation of the Rennarin people, the comm decides to travel the far distance to the now-abandoned city. Essun’s still plans to grab the moon when its orbit circles close, but there is still time before she must leave her place within the com. Nessun, meanwhile, begins her trek to the…