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Casting Announcement: the Tinkers

The latest casting announcement for the Amazon Prime Wheel of Time television show has been announced.
 
Darryl McCormack as Aram
Maria Doyle Kennedy as Ila
Narinder Samra as Raen
 

 

 

 
These new announcements shouldn't come as any real shocker.  Darryl McCormack and Maria Doyle Kennedy were introduced as characters ages ago.  Many speculated that Darryl McCormack could be Aram, but most thought Maria Doyle Kennedy was sure to play an Aes Sedai.  It's nice to finally have confirmation for these two characters, and the addition of Narinder Samra as Raen.  
 
I personally love the idea of the Tuatha'an within the series.  Their way of life is simplistic and idealistic.  But like Perrin, I agree it's not really applicable in society.  Still, I cannot wait to see the Tinkers on the screen.  Perhaps the show will even give more closure for their society than what we received in the novels.  Maybe they'll find their song.
 
You can check out the latest edition of The Wheel of Time Community Show where Thom gives you all the details you'll need about our beloved Tinkers.
 

 
Did anyone anticipate Maria Doyle Kennedy as Ira?  Let us know in the comments!
 




 

  • Teaser Paragraph:

    The Tinkers have been announced!  See the latest information about the Amazon Prime Wheel of Time television show.

Mashiara Sedai
Mashiara Sedai

Casting Announcement: Basel Gill

The latest casting announcement for the Amazon Prime Wheel of Time television show has been announced.
 
Darren Clarke as Basel Gill
 

 
Basel Gill plays an important role in reuniting our beloved Two Rivers characters, and this announcement could mean we're getting closer to the in-book scenes in Caemlyn.  Will Elyane be revealed next?  Or maybe Morgase?  Gareth Bryne?  Maybe Elaida?
 
Or is this an indication that Master Gill's character is changing or evolving from his role in the books?  The Twitter feed for @WOTonPrime seems to be aligning their announcements with what's happening in the books--based on the #TwitterofTime book club reading of The Eye of the World.  If we get this information when Basel isn't even mentioned (they read chapters 19-22 this week), it could be foreshadowing about changes to the storyline.
 
What do you think?  Is the Two Rivers group heading to Caemlyn?  Or will Basel Gill appear elsewhere?  Let us know what you think in the comments below!  
 




 

  • Teaser Paragraph:

    The latest casting announcement for the Amazon Prime Wheel of Time show reveals Darren Clarke as Basel Gill.

Mashiara Sedai
Mashiara Sedai

Adam's Wheel of Television: Min, Elayne & ... Dana?

Adam Whitehead is Dragonmount's TV blogger. Adam has been writing about film and television, The Wheel of Time, and other genre fiction for over fifteen years. Be sure to check out his websites, The Wertzone and Atlas of Ice and Fire (including The Wheel of Time Atlas!) as well as his Patreon.
 
Things have been surprisingly busy since our last check-in, with Amazon revealing multiple new castmembers for the show.
 
To quickly get up to speed, the new characters announced are as follows:
 
Christopher Sciueref as Abell Cauthon. Juliet Howland as Natti Cauthon. Mandi Symonds as Daise Congar. Lolita Chakrabarti as Marin al’Vere. Michael Tuahine as Bran al’Vere. David Sterne as Cenn Buie. Abdul Salis as Eamon Valda Stuart Graham as Geofram Bornhald. Jennifer Preston as Mistress Grinwell. Pasha Bocarie as Master Grinwell. Izuka Hoyle as Dana.  
With the exception of “Dana,” these are all characters well-established in the books, consisting of a sizeable chunk of the Emond’s Field supporting cast, two of the Whitecloaks and two farmers met by Rand and Mat on their journey.
There are two questions that the latest casting announcements encourage: who is Dana and why haven’t we heard anything about Elayne or Min?
 
There is no Dana, there is Only…?
In the Wheel of Time novels, the name Dana is notable by not actually existing. The closest approximation is “Dena,” the name of a young gleeman whom Thom takes on as a student (and lover) in The Great Hunt. Changing “Dena” to “Dana” seems fairly pointless, but it is possible that they will introduce Dena much earlier in the TV show and perhaps have Thom meet her after he parts ways with Rand and Mat. Keeping Thom’s story on screen saves it disappearing for a large stretch of time (probably well into the second season), which is useful for keeping the actor gainfully employed in the meantime.
 
It is also possible that the producers have already decided not to feature Dena (a very minor character in the books) and borrowed her name for Else Grinwell. With several “E” names already present in the first season (Egwene, Elayne, presumably Elyas), introducing some name variety is a good idea. It seems a bit silly, but other shows have also done this kind of name-changing on occasion (most famously, turning “Asha Greyjoy” in Game of Thrones into “Yara Greyjoy” because they deemed it too similar to the already-introduced wildling character of Osha). The fact that Dana was announced at the same time as the Grinwells adds credence to that theory, although you’d assume that they’d also have just announced her as “Dana Grinwell” in that case.
 
There is also the possibility that “Dana” is a codename for another role, ranging from Mili Skane (the last Darkfriend standing, first introduced in The Eye of the World) to the intriguing (if somewhat farfetched) possibility that she is actually “Dana Bornhald,” the genderflipped daughter of Geofram Bornhald. That seems unlikely, but remains a possibility, since Dana and Dain are closely related names.
 
Is Min MIA?
Another discussion engendered by the announcements is the fate of Elmindreda Farshaw, or “Min,” a fan-favourite character who appears early on in The Eye of the World. Min only has a small role in that book but goes on to have a much bigger role in the rest of the series.
 
Min first appears in the town of Baerlon. Curiously, we have not heard any casting at all for notable characters in Baerlon (such as Dain Bornhald, despite his father being cast) and the episode titles suggest that if our heroes are stopping in Baerlon at all in the show, it’ll be for a very brief visit (the second episode is called Shadow’s Waiting, suggesting that most or all of the Shadar Logoth storyline will take place in that episode, which limits the time that can be spent in Baerlon). This has led to the speculation that Min has been cut from the first season and will appear in Tar Valon in Season 2, or, more intriguingly, will show up in the Queen’s Blessing Inn instead, working for Basel Gill. The rumour mill suggests that
Gill has also been cast, but we have had no official confirmation from Amazon yet. This latter idea has a lot of promise, since it means that Min and Rand can meet up and spend several days together rather than the comparatively brief meeting in Baerlon.
 
My strong suspicion is that Min has been cast for Season 1 but not announced yet, and appearing later in the season would explain why the announcement has not yet been made. Of course, it could be that “Dana” is a code name for Min.
 
Trakands or Not Trakands?
Another question is hovering over the fate of the entire family Trakand. The royal family of Andor has a small but key role in The Eye of the World, when Rand’s curiosity gets the better of him and he ends up in an ad hoc royal audience with Queen Morgase and her court. Particularly important in this sequence is that he meets Elayne Trakand, Daughter-Heir of Andor, but many characters critical to the later storylines show up at this point: Gawyn, Galad, Gareth Bryne, Elaida, Morgase, Lini and Martyn Tallanvor.
 
That’s seven characters with multi-season roles to introduce at once, which is why I’m increasingly sceptical that it will be adapted faithfully. It might make more sense, especially from a budgetary point of view, to skip this scene and introduce Elayne, Gawyn and Galad in Season 2 instead, and potentially Morgase and Gareth as well (Lini and Tallanvor are relatively minor characters who are ripe for the chopping, although I think fans would hate to see Lini and her endless quotes cut from the series). The only problem with this approach is that Elayne and Elaida are such major characters that introducing them as early as possible seems like a much better idea. They could also cut the difference: cut the court scene but introduce Elayne and Elaida via the expanded Logain storyline, as we know there will be new material for Logain relating to his capture in battle and subsequent journey to Caemlyn and Tar Valon (it’s also likely that this is where we will meet Alanna and Liandrin).
 
These are key questions that will, of course, keep fans guessing until Amazon confirm the full cast for the first season.
 
As usual, let us know your thoughts in the comments and keep checking in with the Dragonmount TV page for the latest developments.
  • Teaser Paragraph:

    Lots of new castmembers announced, but two major characters remain unaccounted for...and some strangers have joined the story.

Werthead
Werthead

Exploring Harriet's Garden

Harriet McDougal is best known for her illustrious career as a book editor, including for her work on the Wheel of Time. She's also been an acclaimed sponsor, donor, and all-around humanitarian, but now she can add one more thing to her list of accomplishments:  being featured on TV.
 
Recently, TV personality Monty Don featured her home on his program, Monty Don's American Gardens. In this particular episode he explores the gardens of the Southern United States, including Harriet's hometown of Charleston, South Carolina. 
 
We coved this topic in our latest episode of The Wheel of Time Community Show on YouTube. Take a look:
 
Tell us what you think in the comments, and don't forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel.
  • Teaser Paragraph:

    Harriet McDougal and her estate were recently featured on Monty Don's American Gardens TV program on the BBC.

Jason Denzel
Jason Denzel

Casting Announcement: the Grinwells

Amazon Prime announced today, via social media, the casting of three actors for The Wheel of Time TV show.
 
Jennifer Preston as Mistress Grinwell
Pasha Bocarie as Master Grinwell
Izuka Hoyle as Dana
 

 

 

 
There’s already been some debate on who Dana might be.  Listed with Mistress and Master Grinwell, logic would say she’s Else Grinwell but with a different name (we already have two major characters with E names—Egwene and Elayne—so this change might be to cause less confusion for TV viewers).  There’s also Dena—Thom’s apprentice in The Great Hunt.  It seems too early to have her appearing, though.  But in the world of cinematic storytelling, who know!
 
Let us know who you think Dana might be in the comments below!




 

  • Teaser Paragraph:

    Amazon Prime’s Wheel of Time television show has some new casting announcements: Mistress and Master Grinwell and Dana.

Mashiara Sedai
Mashiara Sedai

Casting Announcement: Whitecloaks

Amazon Prime announced today, via social media, the casting of 2 actors for The Wheel of Time TV show. 
 
Abdul Salis as Eamon Valda.
Stuart Graham as Geofram Bornhald.
 

 

.
These actors have been rumored for a while, but we've only now reported on them because of Amazon's confirmation. 
 
Production on the TV show has been halted since March due to the global COVD-19 pandemic. It's believed that filming will resume this summer, perhaps as early as July, in Prague where most of the show has been filmed. So far 6 out of the first 8 episodes for Season 1 have been shot. 
 
Casting for the TV show is primarily handled by the KVH Casting Agency in London. For more information on The Wheel of Time TV show and cast, visit our TV section.
 
Check out what we thought about this casting announcement on The Wheel of Time Community Show on YouTube. 
 
Tell us what you think of these casting announcements in the comments!
 




 

  • Teaser Paragraph:

    Amazon revealed two new cast members playing infamous Whitecloaks in the upcoming Wheel of Time TV show.

Jason Denzel
Jason Denzel

Book Review: Binti by Nnedi Okorafor

Binti by Nnedi Okorafor
 
There is great beauty in a willingness to see the world through someone else’s eyes. I have come to find it even more important in our world’s changing and uncertain times to surround myself with media that helps to broaden my worldview. In my opinion it is truly one of the best things about literature, more so than any other medium. Reading requires you to use your imagination and visualize. A well written book can take you to another world and allow you to walk in someone else’s shoes.
 
Binti is a 2015 award-winning science fiction novella by Nnedi Okorafor. Our main character Binti is a sixteen-year-old minority prodigy.  She is offered a position at the prestigious Oomza University, something that no one else in her village would ever consider. Part of the Himba people, Binti was always destined to succeed her father in their business. The Himba people are deeply tied to their ancestral land, and they believe that if you move away you will begin to diminish. They even coat their bodies in a special material “Otjize” made from a red clay from the earth and the oil from local flowers. It is what makes Binti’s resolve to venture out into the universe even more inspiring. 
 
Surrounded by people foreign to herself, Binti finds similarities in a love of learning. She quickly makes friends and becomes more comfortable with the idea of being so far from home. Much like in real life, Binti’s leap of faith is not met with an easy road. She is faced with challenges and strife and is forced to find her own inner strength. I would recommend this book to fantasy and sci-fi readers alike. It is a quick read and offers a story that is richly woven with ethnic issues. I am excited to read the next two novellas in the series. 
 
Binti by Nnedi Okorafor is available from Dragonmount's store as a DRM-free ebook. You can also purchase it on Barnes & Noble, Amazon, and your local independent bookseller. 
  • Teaser Paragraph:

    Crystal Fritz reviews Nnedi Okorafor's novella Binti, the 2015 winner of the Hugo Award and the Nebula Award for Best Novella.

Eqwina
Eqwina

Casting Announcement for Six Emond's Field characters

Amazon Prime announced today, via social media, the casting of six actors for The Wheel of Time TV show. 
 
Christopher Sciueref as Abell Cauthon.
Juliet Howland as Natti Cauthon.
Mandi Symonds as Daise Congar.
Lolita Chakrabarti as Marin al’Vere.
Michael Tuahine as Bran al’Vere.
David Sterne as Cenn Buie.
 
 Christopher Sciueref as Abell Cauthon.
 
 Juliet Howland as Natti Cauthon.
 
 Mandi Symonds as Daise Congar.
 
 Lolita Chakrabarti as Marin al’Vere.
 
 Michael Tuahine as Bran al’Vere.
 
 David Sterne as Cenn Buie.
 
Several of these actors have been rumored for a while, but we've only now reported on them because of Amazon's confirmation. These specific roles are likely limited in their scope, with the actors appearing only or primarily in the first couple of episodes of the season. 
 
Production on the TV show has been halted since March due to the global COVD-19 pandemic. It's believed that filming will resume this summer, perhaps as early as July, in Prague where most of the show has been filmed. So far 6 out of the first 8 episodes for Season 1 have been shot. 
 
Casting for the TV show is primarily handled by the KVH Casting Agency in London. For more information on The Wheel of Time TV show and cast, visit our TV section.
 
Check out what we thought about this casting announcement on The Wheel of Time Community Show on YouTube. 
 
Tell us what you think of these casting announcements in the comments!
 




 

  • Teaser Paragraph:

    Amazon announced six new cast members for their upcoming Wheel of Time TV show. The characters are minor roles from Emond's Field

Jason Denzel
Jason Denzel

Adam's Wheel of Television: The Season 1 Budget

Adam Whitehead is Dragonmount's TV blogger. Adam has been writing about film and television, The Wheel of Time, and other genre fiction for over fifteen years. Be sure to check out his websites, The Wertzone and Atlas of Ice and Fire (including The Wheel of Time Atlas!) as well as his Patreon.
 
Money may not always make the world go around but it is certainly important when you want to make an expensive fantasy TV show featuring nonhuman creatures, sorcery and vast ruined cities.
 
It’s been known for a while that Amazon have dramatically increased the money they are spending on their shows. A few years ago, Jeff Bezos, the head of Amazon and Richest Man on Earth™, told his TV division to start spending big and look for the “next Game of Thrones” to help popularise Amazon’s streaming division. They took that to heart, snapping up not just The Wheel of Time, but also J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth for a new prequel TV show set in the Second Age, telling the story of the forging of the Rings of Power and the original rise of the Dark Lord Sauron.
 
The budget for the Middle-earth show is widely-known, having been discussed in the trade magazines at the time. The Tolkien Estate sold additional rights to the Middle-earth books to Amazon for an unprecedented sum of $250 million. They also included a stipulation that each of the show’s seasons was to have a budget of between $100 million and $150 million. With apparently ten episodes per season, that gives the show a budget of $10-15 million per episode. For comparison’s sake, HBO’s Game of Thrones was given a budget of $100 million for each of its final three seasons, which, due to a declining episode order per season, gave them a per-episode budget of approximately $10 million (for Season 6), $14 million (for Season 7) and $16.7 million (Season 8), so the Tolkien series will be in the same ballpark.
 
The budget for the Wheel of Time TV show has been much more of a secret, at least up until recently. WoTSeries.com did some digging and found publicly-disclosed funding which seems to indicate how much money is being spent on the project.
 
The Wheel of Time TV show is being shot in the Czech Republic, in studios in the capital city of Prague with location filming in surrounding areas and across the border in Slovenia. As is common, the Czech government has tax rebates and incentive funding available for shows that film in the country, the idea that by spending a certain amount of money to encourage the production to remain in the country, the production will spend more money and the local economy will benefit, encouraging more shows to shoot there. This has been successful in recent years, with the Czech Republic becoming a hub of filming with numerous projects setting up shop there (Carnival Row is shooting in studios near the Wheel of Time production base, for example).
 
The rebate is based on the idea of “Czech spending,” how much of the budget is being spent in the country itself, with the production able to expect 20% of the budget refunded by the government. In the case of The Wheel of Time, we now know that $14.9 million was refunded by the government to Amazon for Season 1 of the show.
 
Some rather simple back-of-the-napkin maths shows that Amazon must have spent $74 million in the Czech Republic to qualify for a $14.9 million rebate. Of course, that’s not the total budget for the show. Casting was carried out in the United Kingdom and a large chunk of post-production is likewise being handled in the UK, by Cinesite Studios and several other CGI companies. There is also editing, mixing, musical composition and other post requirements taking place in the United States.
 
All of that comfortably lifts the total budget to well over $80 million and likely significantly more (the CG effects requirements for the show will be enormous). With showrunner Rafe Judkins recently confirming eight episodes for each of the first two seasons, that puts the per-episode budget of The Wheel of Time at well over $10 million per episode, comparable to Game of Thrones circa Season 6 and not far off the budget of the new Lord of the Rings project.
 
It’s worth noting that Game of Thrones’ budget only started at $6 million per episode when filming started in 2009 (about $7.2 million in today’s money, thanks to inflation). The Witcher’s first season had a budget of around $70 million in total (about $7.7 million per episode), although some figures place it at closer to $80 million (around $8.8 million per episode), so Wheel of Time will certainly outrange its Netflix competition.
 
The show will live or die on its writing, direction and performances, but it’s good to see that Amazon is providing enough financial resources to bring Robert Jordan’s grand vision to life.
 
In other news, WoTSeries has an interesting feature on the set of Emond’s Field being removed and on the logistics of location shooting, as well as finding confirmation that the Emmy Award-winning Ondřej Nekvasil is the main production designer on the show.
 
Daniel Henney (Lan) has posted the second part of his recent online Q&A, confirming that he sees himself working on The Wheel of Time for many years to come. Zoe Robins (Nynaeve) has also been interviewed in her native New Zealand, in which she discusses the show and seems to confirm the previously-mooted 2021 release date (although how the pandemic impacts on that remains to be see).
 
As usual, we will bring you all the latest news here on Dragonmount’s TV page.
 
Also, sure to watch our latest video on The Wheel of Time Community Show on YouTube where host Thom talks about this budget topic. 
 
  • Teaser Paragraph:

    Money may not always make the world go around but it is certainly important when you want to make an expensive fantasy TV show featuring nonhuman creatures, sorcery and vast ruined cities.

Werthead
Werthead

Jaymie's WoTEver: The Most Badass Aes Sedai by Ajah, Part Three

Jaymie here. I’ll be discussing a wide variety of topics related to The Wheel of Time. Like many of you, I’ve been reading WoT since the Age of Legends, so we’ll have lots to cover together…WoTever comes to mind.
 
WARNING: THIS POST CONTAINS MAJOR SPOILERS
 
Affecting change out in Randland or as Sitters in the Hall, who’s the biggest badass of them all?
 
In this series, I’ll take a look at our own G.L.O.W. – the Glorious Ladies of WoT, specifically the smooth-cheeked, serenity-filled, skirt-smoothing, shawl-adjusting, butt-kicking Aes Sedai. I’ll select the most badass sister from each Ajah, as well as a runner-up for the title.
 
In Part One, we chose out the most badass Aes Sedai of the Green, Red, and Gray Ajahs.
The Blue, Yellow, White, and Brown Ajahs saw their badass representatives hailed in Part Two.
Part Three…well, let’s see what dirty deeds comprise a Black Ajah Badass.
 
ANOTHER WARNING: THIS POST CONTAINS MAJOR SPOILERS
 
Black
The Black Ajah. Oh, these nasty, nasty ladies.
 
After lauding the bravery and accomplishments of the Badasses in Parts 1 and 2, it was tough to give these minions of the Dark One the same kind of distinction. But someone had to do it. And thanks to Robert Jordan, I was given some complex, startlingly well-written, and deliciously evil characters through which to sort.
 
At first, I tried to think of characteristics that distinguished the Black sisters from the non-Dark sisters, like sneaking, conniving, word-twisting…then I saw Blight in my head yelling at Batman, “DO YOU HAVE THE SLIGHTEST IDEA HOW LITTLE THAT NARROWS IT DOWN?”
But for real, we can add murdering—LOTS of murdering—to the Black Ajah resume, along with actual lying. We can also add aligning events to the desires of the Forsa—I mean, Chosen and the Dark O—dang it, Great LORD.
 
A Few Contenders
The obvious literal choice for Most Badass Aes Sedai of the Black Ajah is Verin Mathwin. But as she sacrificed her very life to thwart the Dark and reveal herself as a double agent for the Light, we simply cannot, in good conscience, brand her as Black. Besides, as we saw in Part Two, she wholly and unequivocally already owns the title of the Badass of the Brown.
 
Liandrin was our first real introduction to a sister of the Black Ajah, as she and her pretty face and hostile personality led our young heroines straight into Seanchan hands. (And I am stoked to see Kate Fleetwood play Liandrin in the upcoming TV show. STOKED, I say!)
 
Liandrin was mean and nasty and just what we as readers hoped to get from our first real glimpse at a member of the nervously-whispered-about Black Ajah. Sadly, she was but reduced to a sniveling mess by her mistress Moghedien before the end of Book 5 (The Fires of Heaven).
 
A multitude of other Black sisters did their jobs well (and were fun to read while they did them):
 
Elza Penfell was compelling as she served Rand in hopes of delivering him to the Dark in the Last Battle. Katerine Alruddin’s ambition and sheer viciousness made her one to watch. Sheriam Bayanar’s revelation as a Black sister was fairly shocking, since she felt like our Mistress of Novices, too. Her impact was huge as she had the trust of the heroines (and of US, dammit) early on, and later kept things lively and discombobulated at the Rebel camp. But she was also a scaredy-cat and her reasons for going Dark (other people are better at stuff than me!) were quite lame.
 
We also got to know very well the unpleasant ladies who fled the Tower with Liandrin. They each had Dark shiny moments in their own right, with lots of torture, murdering, cat adopting, and bawdy song-singing with ousted monarchs.
 
But two Black sisters stood out from the pack in terms of nastiness, their impact throughout the series, and their fascinating endings. And both were so obnoxiously exceptional that I flip-flopped between Winner and Runner-Up right up until press time.

Alviarin Friedhen (Black/White)
This woman was a straight-up sociopath. The Black Ajah normally recruits from among novices and Accepted, but this nut job had committed her first murder long before coming to the Tower; hell, it was before she even knew she could channel.
 
In terms of impact, Alviarin ended up with two of the most powerful titles a woman in the series could have: head of the Black Ajah (a title bestowed by Ishamael himself) and, after helping Elaida depose Siuan, Keeper of the Chronicles in the White Tower. As Keeper, she at first manipulates Elaida, then outright controls her. Later, Alviarin does fall from her Keeper power, but shows back up at the Last Battle as a new Dreadlord.
 
Alviarin’s character receives an unexpected (and, oh, I’ll just say it: fun!) ending during the Last Battle as she is tricked into entering an Ogier stedding (Androl, holla!). She and the Dark channelers with her are greeted by the stedding’s Eldest, who will accommodate them for as many years as they need to “reconsider their path.”
 
Runner-Up
Galina Casban (Black/Red)
The wicked ways of Galina gave us some huge story arcs: she got to kill sisters gathered by Tamra Ospenya to hunt for the Dragon Reborn; 20 years later she got to capture the Dragon Reborn in a box and beat him daily, thus beginning the downward spiral of Rand into his counterproductive harder-than-steel persona (Dumai’s Wells, anyone? Yep, we can thank Galina for that). Additionally, her character gave us eyes on the Shaido and their leadership.
 
After she was captured by the Shaido and severely, relentlessly abused by the Wise One Therava, Galina’s grit and perseverance saw her through multiple escape attempts. Each time the attempts failed, and each time she was harshly punished. That didn’t stop her from taking one last shot at flight by blackmailing fellow Shaido captive Faile into helping her. Faile complied and Galina was so tantalizingly close to freedom. But she was caught for the final time, right before Therava announced the Shaido were done in the wetlands and would return to the Waste.
 
“Something had broken in her. She was Galina Casban, Highest of the Red Ajah, who sat on the Supreme Council of the Black Ajah, and she was going to be Therava’s plaything for the rest of her life. She was Therava’s little Lina. For the rest of her life. She knew that to her bones. Tears rolled silently down her face.” (Knife of Dreams, Ch. 30, Outside the Gates)
 
Wow. What an ending.
 
What do you think? Who did I miss? Do you agree or is someone else a bigger badass of the Black Ajah?
 
  • Teaser Paragraph:

    Affecting change out in Randland or as Sitters in the Hall, who’s the biggest badass of them all?

Jaymie Greenway
Jaymie Greenway

New Covers for The Eye of the World and New Spring

This year, The Eye of the World celebrated its 30th anniversary.  To commemorate this special occasion Tor Books is releasing a new hardcover and paperback versions of The Eye of the World as well as a new paperback cover for New Spring.
 

 
The 30th anniversary The Eye of the World hardcover will be published October 6th, 2020.  This amazing cover has a metallic jacket.  It will include a new introduction written by Brandon Sanderson.  The Eye of the World’s official birthday was January 15th, 1990, and the Wheel of Time Community Show celebrated this milestone earlier this year.
 

 
The artwork will feature the original image of Moiraine, Lan, and Rand drawn by Darrell K. Sweet, but in a format similar to the other trade paperbacks in the series. The publication date for this version will be August 4th, 2020.
 

 
The new paperback version is the first time New Spring will be released in the trade paperback size. The cover will feature artwork by Jason Chan, showing the moment Moiraine bonds Lan as her warder.  The publication date will be August 18th, 2020.

Fans have wanted New Spring in trade paperback for some time.  With this addition, our trade paperback bookshelves will be complete!
 
You can watch Ebony go over the details in the latest episode of the Wheel of Time Community Show! And as always, check out our Books section for more info on each book. 
 

 
So, are you as anxious as I am to get the metallic cover?  Let us know in the comments.
 
  • Teaser Paragraph:

    Tor releases three new trade paperback covers; two for The Eye of the World and one New Spring.

Mashiara Sedai
Mashiara Sedai

Community Round-Up: June 9

Welcome back to Community Round-Up, a look at all the happenings within the Wheel of Time fandom and the larger sci-fi/fantasy community.
 

First off TorCon is happening online this week!  Tor Books teamed up with Den of Geeks to bring a virtual convention with amazing panels.  TorCon kicks off Thursday June 11th with Brandon Sanderson talking about his latest projects!  This is a prerecorded event and only available this weekend.  You can register for this event here, or see what else TorCon has to offer!
 

Sticking with the Brandon Sanderson theme, you can now take an official quiz to find out which order of Knights Radiant you would be.  The Knights Radiant are a group of fighters in the Stormlight Archive series.  Each order focuses on different missions, skills and bindings, and they also bond different spren.  I tied for Truthwatcher and Windrunner, which sums up my personality perfectly.
 

The Dusty Wheel interviewed Joshua Stolarz, a cartographer, and Joshua shared an amazing drawing of the Two Rivers.  You can download Joshua’s map here.
 
I cannot get enough of these sword dances.  When thinking about the Amazon Prime show and how some of the sword forms will be shown, I imagine over-the-top stylized fights.  Here is a video posted by Stance on Facebook, from Taipei, Taiwan.
 
 
As always, let’s end with some of the best memes I can find on the internet.
 

While I love Nynaeve's character and her growth throughout the series (and getting over ingrained prejudices), I'm sure the draw One Power was also a factor in her change of view.
 

The evolution of the Aiel (as seen through the flashbacks from the ter'angreal in Rhuidean) is one of my favorite in the series.  It's amazing how just a small step each generation can change a whole belief system.
 

While this might seem true on the surface, the Two Rivers folk do have the necessary courage to fight for the Light when it matters!
 
That's all for this edition.  Which Order of the Knights Radiant were you?  Let us know in the comments!
Mashiara Sedai
Mashiara Sedai

New French Wheel of Time Covers

Les éditions Bragelonne, the publisher of the French versions of the Wheel of Time series, is re-releasing each of the novels with a new cover.  Even for those of us who aren’t able to read French, this publication still gives us something to gawk over.  These new covers are amazing! You can watch the latest episode of The Wheel of Time Community Show to hear more about these covers, and you can check out the images below!
 

 
 

Clearly an image of Tam’s heron marked sword. The detail on the hilts shows how Rand could be branded by it when Ba’alzamon heats it in the The Great Hunt.  Also, the Serpent spinning the Wheel seems a lot fiercer.
 

A seal to the Dark One’s prison, already broken.
 

Mat’s ruby dagger retrieved from Shadar Logoth.  I love the snakes on the hilt.
 

An interesting interpretation of the Horn of Valere, complete with Old Tongue script along the edge.
 

The Dragon Banner.
 

Callandor.  I really love how crystallized it is.  Most renditions of Callandor are smoother and not nearly as detailed.
 

An Aiel spear and buckler.  And maybe a shoufa wrapped around it.  But what is it balanced on?  The design at the top looks like a Seanchan helmet.
 

Perrin’s axe.
 

Mat’s ashandarei.  I love it!  The ravens are amazing.
 

A Cairhienin helmet.  Note the sunbursts, which could stand for the Rising Sun of Cairhien, also featured on their flag. 
 

The flag for Tar Valon and the White Tower.
 

A trolloc helmet.  Quite horrifying.
 

A marriage knife worn by women in Ebou Dar.  The white stones indicate four female children, and the red stone in the center indicated one male child.  Possibly Tylin’s, since she does have one male son, and it doesn’t state how many others she had.
 

The Laurel Crown of Illian, also called the Crown of Swords.
 
These covers are amazing to look at.  It’s wonderful to get new perspective on anything within the series, especially when it’s official.  Each novel within the Wheel of Time will be split into two novels, making a total of 28 when completed.
 
Books one through ten are available now, with eleven and twelve available August 12th, and thirteen and fourteen available November 18th.
  • Teaser Paragraph:

    Les éditions Bragelonne, the publisher of the French versions of the Wheel of Time series, is re-releasing each of the novels with new covers.

Mashiara Sedai
Mashiara Sedai

TarValon.net's Annual Scholarship Now Open

TarValon.net’s annual Robert Jordan Memorial Scholarship is now accepting applications:
 
 
This year’s topic is: How do you plan to use your education in a way that exemplifies being a Servant of All?
 
If you're interested in combining your academic studies and your love of The Wheel of Time, make sure you submit your applications before June 5th!
  • Teaser Paragraph:

    TarValon.net’s annual Robert Jordan Memorial Scholarship is now accepting applications.

Mashiara Sedai
Mashiara Sedai

Adam's Wheel of Television: WoT on Prime Updates - May 2020

Adam Whitehead is Dragonmount's TV blogger. Adam has been writing about film and television, The Wheel of Time, and other genre fiction for over fifteen years. Be sure to check out his websites, The Wertzone and Atlas of Ice and Fire (including The Wheel of Time Atlas!) as well as his Patreon.
 
With Wheel of Time filming on hold due to the global coronavirus pandemic, you’d be forgiven for thinking there’d be no news to share. Fortunately, the cast and crew of the show have put their time in quarantine to good use.
 
A couple of weeks back, Rafe Judkins dropped in on a virtual JordanCon panel (with Matt Hatch, Shannan Lieb, Daniel Greene, Jennifer Liang and myself) to drop some nuggets of new information about the show. He confirmed that six episodes of the first season – rather than the previously reported four – had completed filming before the lockdown, leaving only two incomplete. Editing and post-production of those six episodes are in progress even during the lockdown. Rafe also confirmed that the show’s first two seasons will consist of eight episodes apiece.
 
Encouraging news has also come out of the Czech Republic, where The Wheel of Time has been shooting. The Czech Republic enacted a severe lockdown very early in their outbreak of the virus, sealing borders with more adversely-affected countries and reinforcing their health service. As a result, the Republic has seen cases and fatalities both plummet. The country began easing restrictions two weeks ago and there has been no sign of a surge in new cases. As a result, the country’s government has given permission for shooting on various productions to resume, as long as cast and crew subject themselves to several days of isolation and testing after entering the country. The second season of Carnival Row is expected to resume shooting in the next few weeks, and discussions are underway with Marvel and Disney to remount the aborted Prague leg of shooting for The Falcon and Winter Soldier. In the latter case there was only a few days of shooting booked for Prague with most of the remaining shooting to be undertaken on the main sound stages back in Atlanta, Georgia, which so far remains shut down for filming (but likely not for much longer).
 
Interestingly, The Wheel of Time is apparently not rushing back to filming. About six weeks of shooting were left on the clock for the first season, so more work definitely needed to be done but the current reports suggest that a resumption of filming is further out. This may be a nod to the show’s more international crew, with actors and crew having to return from other countries where pandemic restrictions and lockdowns are still in place. Interestingly, Rosamund Pike (Moiraine) chose to remain in Prague during lockdown and seems raring to get back to work.
 
Still, the situation is better there than it is for countries still at the peak of their respective outbreaks; the UK, where filming of the second season of The Witcher and the first season of Joss Whedon’s new show, The Nevers, were in full swing, is unlikely to allow production to resume for many more weeks.
 
In additional news, actor Daniel Henney has hosted one of his online Q&As. He confirmed that he is in the process of reading the books and notes that Lan in the show will retain his commitment to loyalty and duty, elements he finds inspiring. He also noted that he found the sets built for the show to be overwhelming, and the most impressive he’s ever worked with.
 
Back to Rafe, he recently asked a question on Twitter about how fans think the prologue should be handled. He’s previously confirmed that the first episode will open with Rand and Tam on the Quarry Road, so the prologue is not opening the series, and there have been no signs that it’s been filmed in the first season (no possible casting, so far, for Lews Therin or Ishamael, for example).
 
It’s likely that the scene will appear eventually as a flashback. My feeling is that the producers want to avoid the problem of other productions where they’ve hired actors for the first season, had a long break before getting back to them and then finding them unavailable, so have had to recast (a repeated bane of casting on Game of Thrones, for example). It may make more sense to hold back until the studio can do a better deal with the actors to lock them in place for a longer stint. That may also feed into how they want to handle Lews Therin’s “voice” in the film, whether it’ll just be a voiceover or maybe a more physical presence, and also whether they want the same actor to play Ishamael/Ba’alazamon and Moridin.
 
As usual, please follow the Dragonmount TV page for the last developments and let us know your thoughts in the comments.
  • Teaser Paragraph:

    With Wheel of Time filming on hold due to the global coronavirus pandemic, you’d be forgiven for thinking there’d be no news to share. Fortunately, the cast and crew of the show have put their time in quarantine to good use.

Werthead
Werthead

Community Round-Up: May 10

Hello, all!  Welcome back to another Community Round-Up!  Let’s dive right in.
 

 
Some major news on the Amazon Prime Wheel of Time show, Daniel Henney—who plays Lan Mandragoran—did a Q&A on Instagram this week.  It was amazing to listen to the obvious reverence Daniel has for Lan.  As someone who has loved Lan dearly since I first read the series (my Dragonmount name is Mashiara, so my love for this character should be pretty obvious), I am beyond excited to see Daniel in this role.
 
The happiness of JordanCONline last month can’t be put into words.  I am so thankful for Jenn and Jimmy Liang, as well as all the JordanCon staff and volunteers who helped put the event together.  It was amazing to spend time with friends and listen to Wheel of Time related discussions.  The highlight, of course, being when Rafe Judkins—the show runner for the Amazon Prime show—joined the WoT on Prime panel.  Rafe, obviously under a non-disclosure agreement, was limited in what he could say.  But he did share plenty of great information that already had the panelists, especially Matt Hatch of The Dusty Wheel, theorizing.  You can read a quick synopsis of Rafe’s Q&A here, or check out all the JordanCONline recorded panels on their YouTube channel.
 
Dragonmount’s The Wheel of Time Community Show recapped all that happened at JordanCONline!  You can watch Ebony and Thom discuss here!
 

 
Along those same lines, JordanCon’s March Madness Fantasy Artifacts brackets came to a close. The ultimate winner was: the Chodean Kal!  Not really a surprise there, in my opinion.  This event was a lot of fun and I’d love to see it happen again next year.
 
Tor.com’s Sylas K Barrett—who is currently doing his first time read through of the series—highlighted the changes we see from Mat Cauthon as the series progresses.  Sylas is currently on The Shadow Rising, which is where Mat visits Rhuidean and goes through the second doorframe Ter’angreal.  That trip certainly does change him!  But Sylas also points out how the other characters are unable, or unwilling, to see these changes.  It’s a very interesting read!  You can check out all of Sylas’s writings on The Wheel of Time here!
 
Is anyone play Animal Crossing in their downtime?  I know I am.  And here’s great news, there’s a WoT Animal Crossing Group on Facebook!  You can play with Wheel of Time friends—some of which even have WoT themed islands, clothes, and landscapes. (As mentioned above, I love Lan, so my island is named Malkier.)  You can even find random Animal Crossing things in other WoT spaces.  Christopher posted this in the JordanCon group: his creation of the Wheel and Serpent pattern you can use in the game!
 

 
Now onto the memes!
 

 

 
This one I really like because I think Galad will help the Children of the Light become less evil.

 

 
And of course everyone is so happy for the new reaction of Facebook!

 
That's all of this edition.  Don't you think Daniel Henney is going to be amazing as Lan?  Please leave your comments below!
  • Teaser Paragraph:

    Daniel Henney talks about his role as Lan, JordanCONline was a huge success, and some fun WoT Animal Crossing resources.  Oh, and there's memes.

Mashiara Sedai
Mashiara Sedai

A Memory Called Empire

A Memory Called Empire
By Arkady Martine
 
Some of my first and fondest memories as a child are of hiding in my closet with a camp light so that I could read, undisturbed, for the entire day. I devoured all forms of fiction, with the exception of one.... Science Fiction. Over the years I have given several Sci-Fi novels a chance, but none managed to hold my interest till the end. When I was presented with A Memory Called Empire to review, I knew that for the first time that streak was going to come to an end. What surprised me was how thoroughly I enjoyed this science fiction novel.
 
We are launched into a world where small, planet-less stations do what they can to remain just outside of the control of the Empire, Teixcalaan. A young Ambassador, Mahit Dzmare, is being sent from Lsel Station to Teixcalaan to replace her recently deceased predecessor. She is equal parts trepidation and excitement; with all the vigor of someone young and eager to prove themselves. Mahit very quickly finds herself utterly alone and unsure who she can trust among the stoic and expressionless Teixcalaanlitzlim. The entire novel takes place in the span of days, not months or years, which means that it moves along at a lightning pace. Many of the choices Mahit is forced to make are born out of urgent necessity. She is forced to think on her feet and move with profound purpose.  
 
Arkady Martines’ debut novel is a fantastic blend of political intrigue and personal ambition. I found myself repeatedly impressed with the depth of detail she created surrounding both culture and political conspiracy. At times the poetic nature of the language takes a second reading, and the intense vocabulary requires careful concentration. I am happily shocked to report that I am anxiously awaiting the next novel in this series. The story is beautifully designed to pull you into the Lsel Ambassador’s psyche and leave you aching to know of her future. 
 
A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine is available from Dragonmount's store as a DRM-free ebook. You can also purchase it on Barnes and Nobel,  Amazon, and your local independent bookseller. 
 
  • Teaser Paragraph:

    Crystal Fritz review's "A Memory Called Empire," the debut novel by Arkady Martine.

Eqwina
Eqwina

JordanCONline Rafe Judkins Q&A

This weekend, JordanCon hosted an online version of the beloved convention dedicated to Robert Jordan, The Wheel of Time series, and all things fantasy.  The Wot on Prime panel had some amazing panelist: Jennifer Liang, Shannan Lieb, Matt Hatch, Adam Whitehead, and Daniel Green.  But the surprise guest blew us all away: Rafe Judkins, the show runner for the Amazon Prime Wheel of Time show.
 
Rafe’s presence was a complete shock to watchers on YouTube.  Once everyone calmed down, the group talked about casting choices (discussing the amazing acting by Peter Dinklage in Game of Thrones and how it won over the fans), the progress of the series (Rafe did nod when Matt said the series will not premier in 2020, and nodded again when Jenn said there won’t be 14 seasons), and how new fans who haven’t read the series might react to the show (Daniel promotes peace between book fans and show fans).
 
Rafe spoke about how fans will react to his adaptation.  A lot of factors play into it—alluding to what they could get a dog to do on a Saturday—but Rafe insists he’s keeping the heart and spine of the series whole. He’s casting actors on the ability to portray the soul of the character, or keeping the heart of the scene, even if it’s different from the actual scene from the books.
 
Rafe went into detail about how hiatus has affected the show, including having all eight scripts for season two finished before they start filming it and how that will positively impact editing and the flow of shooting.  He shared a story of Josha Stradowski (Rand), Marcus Rutherford (Perrin), and Barney Harris (Mat) sneaking out together in a very similar way the three ta’veren heroes are often out finding trouble.  Jenn asked why Rafe wanted to be involved in The Wheel of Time show and Rafe’s answer was perfect—and reminiscent of Brandon Sanderson’s answer for finishing the series—he doesn’t want anyone else to do it because they might mess it up.  Rafe continued on this topic and praised Brandon for his support on the project.  Adam asked about how gender will play into the show and Rafe answered that the Wheel of Time series addressed many gender issues when it was first released and wants to focus on making sure those points are made in a modern way (my interpretation is the show will not be focusing on feminism from the 1990s, but address it from a 2020-ish perspective).  He also talked about major themes of fate, hope and destiny will be prominent within the show.  Matt asked how the show will honor Robert Jordan, and Rafe answered there’ll be more of a feel of Harriet McDougal (Robert Jordan’s widow), Maria Simons (Robert Jordan’s assistant and member of Team Jordan), and Brandon Sanderson.  He also uses audio clips of Jordan’s book signings for help with pronunciations.  Rafe feels behind the scenes footage is better left until after the actual footage has been seen.  He says pictures will be released before any behind the scenes footage. Before leaving, Rafe did praise Wheel of Time fans for our kindness.  Jenn had to reiterate how we try to have a “No Jerks” policy in all our spaces.
 
After Rafe left, panelists speculated about tidbits Rafe said.  The first being the reference to a dog not doing what it was supposed to on a Saturday—Jenn suggests it might be the scene where Mat flours Haral and Alsbet Luhhan’s dogs?  There was also heavy emphasis on how Rafe is a huge fan of the series and how similar his answer was to Brandon Sanderson on why he got involved with the show.
 
You can watch the recorded video on JordanCon’s YouTube page, including real-time fan chat!  You can check out other JordanCONline videos here!
 
So what do you think?  Will Rafe’s fan status ease your worries?  Let us know in the comments below!
  • Teaser Paragraph:

    Rafe Judkins joined surprised panelists at JordanCONline's "WoT on Prime" panel.

Mashiara Sedai
Mashiara Sedai

JordanCONline 2020

Though the annual JordanCon was canceled in the physical realm, they’re taking the party to a mystical place similar to tel’aran’rhiod… the internet.  More specifically, JordanCon’s website, their Discord server, and other meeting apps like Zoom.
Today, JordanCon released this weekend’s schedule:
 
Thursday night will have a JordanCon countdown.  Join the Discord server and party till the party starts!
 
Friday’s events start with the “Kilts and Crowns Kickoff on our Social Media.”  This event can be accessed several places, including JordanCon’s website, their Facebook group, Twitter, and Instagram.  Don’t say they’re not giving you options.  There will also be a “Dragonsteel Kickstarter” where Brandon Sanderson and Dragonsteel will reveal their latest project.  There will also be livestreams with artists Ariel Burgess and Paul Bielaczyc—Ariel’s will be demonstrating digital painting techniques, while Paul’s will host other artists for a game of Drawful.
 
As usual, Saturday is the day for cosplay!  Follow or post your own pictures on all of JordanCon’s social media accounts.  Jennifer Liang and Adam Whitehead, along with other panelists, will discuss “WoT on Prime,” delving into all we know about the show and other things we can guess.  No Texas Hold-em Tournament this year, but JordanCon is still raising money of the Mayo Clinic—this year’s game of choice will be “Celebrity DnD.”  And no JordanCon is complete without the Saturday dance party!  You’ll need to head to Zoom to see the dancing and Discord to hear the music.
 
Sunday concludes the convention with “Fantasy Debate,” where the panelists will discuss Wheel of Time versus fantasy elements.  And finally, Jenn and Jimmy Liang will end the event with the JordanCon Awards.
 
Though we can’t be together all in one place, at least we’ll be able to spend digital time with people we love and discuss the series that brought us all together.
 
Keep up-to-date with the details by following JordanCon on social media, or check out their website!
  • Teaser Paragraph:

    JordanCon is moving online!  April 17th-19th.

Mashiara Sedai
Mashiara Sedai

Community Round-Up: April 13

Welcome back to “Community Round-Up,” which highlights all the latest fun and news within the Wheel of Time and Sci-Fi/Fantasy community.
 

First up, the Hugo Award has its list of Finalists!  Our sponsor Tor, and its subsidiary Tor.com, have four novels up in the Best Novel category:
The City in the Middle of the Night, by Charlie Jane Anders (Tor; Titan)
Gideon the Ninth, by Tamsyn Muir (Tor.com Publishing)
A Memory Called Empire, by Arkady Martine (Tor; Tor UK)
Middlegame, by Seanan McGuire (Tor.com Publishing)
 
The other two novels nominated are:
The Light Brigade, by Kameron Hurley (Saga; Angry Robot UK)
The Ten Thousand Doors of January, by Alix E. Harrow (Redhook; Orbit UK)
 
The Wheel of Time series was not nominated, but Dragonmount contributor Adam Whitehead was nominated for Best Fan Writer!  We wish him the best of luck as voting begins later in April.  You can find more information on casting your ballot here.
 

Most of you saw (and voted) in the March Madness Fandom Madness matchup hosted by the fansite Winter is Coming.  Unsurprising, to us at least, Moiraine Damodred won the whole tournament!  Here’s what the organizers have to say:
You can read the details of the matchup here.
 

Dragonmount’s Wheel of Time Community Show has two new episodes to keep you entertained while stuck at home. In one, Kitty Rallo dives into the directors of the Amazon Prime television show.  She also speculates about the titles and the timing of the shows versus the books.  And in the second Lanfear is back and giving advice on parenting (and flouting the quarantine rules).
 
And let’s wrap up with some great memes!
 
This is an oldie but a goodie from our friends at Ta’veren Tees.

 
Something we're all excited to hear someone say in the Amazon Prime show:

 
And since Lanfear is so hot right now....

 
This meme from the Facebook group Screw You All, I Love Wheel of Time, can stand on its own, but sometimes the comments can make it more meaningful. 


 
That's all I have for today.  I'm super excited about the Hugo nominations.  Which of the nominees for Best Novel have you read?
 
  • Teaser Paragraph:

    Hugo nominations are in!  Plus, Moiraine wins the whole March Madness Fandom Madness bracket, and more Wheel of Time Community shows!  Oh, and there's memes.

Mashiara Sedai
Mashiara Sedai

Jaymie's WoTEver: The Most Badass Aes Sedai by Ajah, Part Two

Jaymie here. I’ll be discussing a wide variety of topics related to The Wheel of Time. Like many of you, I’ve been reading WoT since the Age of Legends, so we’ll have lots to cover together…WoTever comes to mind.
 
WARNING: THIS POST CONTAINS MAJOR SPOILERS

 
In this series, I’ll take a look at our own G.L.O.W. – the Glorious Ladies of WoT. Specifically, the smooth-cheeked, serenity-filled, skirt-smoothing, shawl-adjusting, butt-kicking Aes Sedai. I’ll select the most badass sister from each Ajah, as well as a runner-up for the title.

In Part One, we chose out the most badass Aes Sedai of the Green, Red, and Gray Ajahs.

The Ajahs of Part Two can claim some no-brainers: is there really any question as to the most badass Aes Sedai of the Blue, Yellow, and Brown Ajahs?

IS THERE?

But we love talking about them anyway, and their runners-up are truly deserving of the Badass distinction.

Here’s the rundown of the Most Badass Aes Sedai of the Blue, Yellow, White, and Brown Ajahs.
 
 
 
Blue
Moiraine Damodred
Moiraine is calm serenity and intense drive. She shows us (and Randland) what it is to be Aes Sedai, and we measure all others against her.

She’s our first. Our last. Our everything.*
 
Runner-Up
Siuan Sanche
“There is a saying in Cairhien, though I have heard it as far away as Tarabon and Saldaea. ‘Take what you want, and pay for it.’ Siuan and I took the path we wanted, and we knew we would have to pay for it eventually.” – Moiraine (Fires of Heaven, Ch. 15, What Can Be Learned In Dreams)
 
Siuan as the next-baddest Blue may need no explanation, but let’s do it anyway:
As a young Accepted, she attained knowledge that could literally kill her. Instead of running from it, she takes up the cause, knowing the risk (death, or worse yet, stilling) from the start. She is skilled in solving puzzles, seeing patterns, and maneuvering others without their knowing. And let’s not forget the icy blue gaze at which even the most powerful monarchs flinch. 
 
After the unthinkable happens, she doesn’t lay down and die, as most stilled women are known to do. She fills with purpose the hole left by her inability to channel. And it’s a badass purpose: revenge on Elaida.
 
Finally, she advises her extremely young and inexperienced successor, a role seen by others as a blow to her pride. But when Siuan realized that Egwene “would be an Amyrlin to make thrones tremble,” she freely threw in her lot and began helping Egwene accomplish her plans. (Lord of Chaos, Ch. 37, When Battle Begins)
 
Yellow
Nynaeve al’Meara
A discussion of Nynaeve’s accomplishments, acts of bravery, and…ahem…distinctive worldview could fill up its own essay. Hmmm…maybe check back in a few weeks ?
 
Runner-Up
Romanda Cassin had the makings of a badass, but let her stubbornness over nemesis Lelaine dictate her actions. Doesine Alwain, a Black Ajah hunter in the Tower with a penchant for cursing, also deserves a look. And after being captured as a damane and escaping with Mat’s help, Edesina Azzedin tries to convince Tuon to form a truce with the White Tower, making her one of the few former damane that can approach a Seanchan without cowering in fear.
 
But how about...

Corele Hovian
Corele’s fun personality and wild appearance make her interesting; her skill with Healing and her contribution to one of the major moments in the series make her a badass.
 
After helping to Heal Rand’s Shadar-Logoth-dagger stab wound, she bonds Asha’man and super-talented Healer Damer Flinn, making them the Healing power couple. Corele Heals and assists all over the place, essentially following Rand where she’s needed. But her claim to runner-up fame is helping to protect Rand from the Forsaken Demandred’s attacks as Rand cleansed the taint on Saidin; linking with Damer and Sarene Nemdahl, the three of them driving Demandred away helped ensure Rand’s victory.
 
Even after an encounter with Shaidar Haran, Corele recovers and keeps on going, lending her Healing all the way through the Last Battle.
 
White
Members of the White Ajah, devoted to questions of philosophy, logic, and truth, are generally seen by other Aes Sedai as cold and detached women who consider shows of emotion pointless, as they cloud logical judgement.
 
For the most part, readers don’t see much to indicate otherwise. Alviarin Freidhen’s POV sheds a little light at times, but, as a member of the Black Ajah, she’s not a true White. Carlinya Sorevin, as one of the six sisters who “advised” Egwene upon her raising in Salidar, saw some screen time, but still not enough to determine her level of badass.
 
However, two White sisters in particular stand out in the later books.
 
Daigian Moseneillin
Daigian spent 27 years as a novice and 21 years as Accepted. Read that again.
 
Daigian is the absolute weakest in the Power of any woman currently wearing the shawl. Knowing full well how other sisters would perceive and treat her, and how she would rank in any size gathering of sisters, she still spent 48 YEARS training to be Aes Sedai. And she did this without knowing that, through her achievement, she would aid the world in its time of greatest need.

What she lacked in Power, she made up for in immense intellect. She had the respect of fellow Badass Cadsuane Melaidhrin (see Part One), who knew Daigian was much more than a messenger or tea server for other Aes Sedai.
 
Uncharacteristically for a White, Daigian bonded a Warder – young Asha’man Eben Hopwil. She was distraught when their heartwarming relationship ended in Eben’s death, but she refused Nynaeve’s offer to attempt to “heal” her grief. Daigian wanted Eben’s memory to remain alive through her pain.
 
Daigian herself was taken out by one of the greatest villains of the Dark, Shaidar Haran, while she guarded one the most-feared Forsaken, Semirhage.
 
This woman was a badass.
 
Runner-Up
Ferane Neheran, Sitter and First Reasoner, is a pretty cool White, known to actually show emotion here and there and possessing loads of intelligence. An exchange during one of Egwene’s private “lessons” in the Tower showed Ferane to be thoughtful and willing to listen while still maintaining her authority. She might have been in the running if we’d had just a little more screen time with her, but we didn’t, so…
 
Seaine Herimon
Seaine scores major points for being a Black Ajah hunter in the Tower, but also for being super tight with Red Ajah Badass Pevara Tazanovni.
 
Better known to readers since we are more often treated to her POV, we know that Seaine (inaccurately) interprets an order from Elaida as a directive to search for Black sisters within the Tower. From there, she exhibits some badass traits: she recruits a smart, strong woman to help achieve a goal and she courageously continues even when she’s scared out of her mind (especially after her first Black sister discovery).
 
Even though Seaine can get a little whiny, she trusts her logic to help her power through uncertainty and follows sense when she sees it.
 
Brown
Verin Mathwin
“Please see that they know, although the word Black may brand my name forever, my soul is Brown. Tell them…”
“I will, Verin,” Egwene promised. “But your soul is not Brown. I can see it.”
Her eyes fluttered open, meeting Egwene’s, a frown creasing her forehead.
“Your soul is of a pure white, Verin,” Egwene said softly. “Like the Light itself.”
Verin smiled, and her eyes closed.
(The Gathering Storm, Ch. 39, A Visit From Verin Sedai)
 
Please. Take a moment for yourself. Just leave the crumpled tissue there next to you. Resume reading when ready.
 
Runner-Up
Adeleas Nemelle
At age 264, this woman comes out of her peaceful retirement (along with her sister, Vandene) upon learning the Dragon is reborn.
 
She joins up with Moiraine and Co. and ends up fighting Shadowspawn, traveling to Salidar to hang with the Rebels, and jetting off to Ebou Dar for business with the Bowl of the Winds…and maybe to check in on some Tower runaways. After 30 years of the quiet life, Adeleas comes out calmly swinging for the good guys.
 
Though her jump back into the fray ultimately cost Adeleas her life at the hands of the Black Ajah, Vandene was able to avenge her sister just before her own death. The death of the Nemelle sisters was among the most heartbreaking in the series, but also among the most badass, as they fought evil until their final breaths.
 
 
Part Two concludes! Did I miss anybody this time? Who do you think are the most badass Aes Sedai of the Blue, White, Yellow, and Brown Ajahs? And can you believe, there’s a Part Three still to come!
 
*paraphrasing credit to the Walrus of Love himself, Mr. Barry White
  • Teaser Paragraph:

    Affecting change out in Randland or as Sitters in the Hall, who’s the biggest badass of them all?

    Jaymie Greenway
    Jaymie Greenway

    The Unspoken Name

    The Unspoken Name by A.K. Larkwood
     
    Leaping into the unknown with a debut fantasy novel is equal parts trepidation and excitement. Will familiar themes enchant or disappoint? Will the author live up to the promises made in the book's synopsis? Can the book hold your attention to the very end? Diving into The Unspoken Name, I was intent to answer these questions and more. 
     
    From the first few pages, the novel struck me as something wholly unique and exciting. I was instantly enchanted by our humanoid protagonist Csorwe, and her willingness to walk headlong to her own demise. She was young and seemingly pious, and completely resigned to her fate. Csorwe was the Chosen Bride. While alive she prayed, gave blessings, dispensed prophecy, and walked ever closer to the day that she would walk into her god’s shrine and never be seen again. 
     
    Call it fate or simply a choice, but when the sacrificial day came Csorwe chose to flee her faith and live, rather than die in the tomb of her cruel god. She did not come to the choice to leave on her own, but rather was prodded towards heresy by a wise old wizard. From that moment the wizard, Belthandros Sethennai, became the compass that directed her life. Sadly, Csorwe’s life had been promised to her god from a young age, and debts such as those always seem to find a way to be paid. 
     
    Throughout the course of the novel Larkwood repeatedly puts her characters in situations where they are forced to make a choice between who they are and who they want to be. The gift of choice is presented time and time again, and yet fate always seems to intervene. At times it can become almost dizzying to keep up. There is often an abruptness to major changes in the novel that left me feeling a bit dissatisfied. What kept me turning the pages was the beauty and uniqueness of the world and its magic system.  
     
    A.K. Larkwood created a vivid universe that is a seamless meld of traditional fantasy, and science fiction. The lives of the characters are steeped in medieval mundanity and yet they travel using flying ships and a complex lace of a Maze that transports them between worlds. These two different styles were expertly blended and completely captivating. I also couldn't help but cheer the normalcy created around queerness. The love and lust felt between characters was both beautiful and compelling. The magic system, one which is derived completely through god worship and extracts a toll on the body, is also a compelling subplot throughout the story. 
     
    In whole, The Unspoken Name is an intriguing and promising debut novel. It is a modern take on the fantasy genre that has me curious about what the future holds. While the novel could certainly be a stand alone, I have a feeling it is not the last I will read about this world. 
     
    The Unspoken Name by A.K. Larkwood is available from Dragonmount's store as a DRM-free ebook. You can also purchase it on Barnes & Noble, Amazon, and your local independent bookseller. 
    • Teaser Paragraph:

      Crystal Fritz reviews The Unspoken Name by A. K. Larkwood, the first in the The Serpent Gates series.

    Eqwina
    Eqwina

    Brandon Sanderson interview with The Dusty Wheel, plus prank scene

    The Dusty Wheel YouTube channel hosted an interview with Brandon Sanderson tonight. They talked about the Wheel of Time books and the upcoming Amazon Prime TV show. Some WoT-related highlights of the program included:
     
    Brandon discussing his excitement (& hesitations) for the upcoming TV show. Brandon's on-set discussion with Barney Harris, the actor playing Mat Cauthon.  Some behind-the-scenes discussion about writing the final 3 WoT novels.   
    The full, 90+ minute interview can be found here:
    "Prank Scene"
    10 years ago, Brandon asked a select group of fans to read early drafts of Towers of Midnight, the thirteenth and penultimate book in the series. Today, he revealed a special scene from that book that he wrote exclusively for one of those fans, Matt Hatch.  Matt is the founder of Theoryland.com, a WoT website known for its obsessive passionate attention to details. If there's ever been a "looney" theory made about the books, chances are that it's been discussed in extreme details on that forum.  Today, in addition to maintaining Theoryland, Matt is now the Innkeeper of the Dusty Wheel. Because today is April 1st (April Fool's Day), Brandon received permission from Harriet to share the scene he wrote for Matt. The scene is only ~250  words long, and takes place during Chapter 57: A Rabbit for Supper.
     
    Here's the scene, in its complete form. (The italicized text is from the actual book, and is included to provide context for the scene.)
     
     
    It's unlikely that any other fan had a scene written exclusively for them, even it was intended as a joke and obviously not included in the final book. 
    Michael Kramer, one of the audiobook narrators for the series, made a recording of this scene that you can listen to here. 
    Be sure to check out the video from The Dusty Wheel on YouTube, and subscribe to their channel. 
    • Teaser Paragraph:

      The Dusty Wheel YouTube channel hosted an interview with Brandon Sanderson where they discussed the Wheel of Time and revealed a "prank" scene from Towers of Midnight. 

    Jason Denzel
    Jason Denzel

    Community Round-Up: March 30

    Welcome back to another Community Round-Up!  There’s been a lot happening online within the Wheel of Time fandom since we’re all locked up with nothing to do.
     

    First off, Rafe Judkins—the showrunner for Amazon’s Wheel of Time television show—is also bored!  He answered fan questions on Instagram!  You can see a full analysis from Adam Whitehead here, including the complete transcript of the questions and answers.
     

    Speaking of bored, there are plenty of WoT themed online activities.  One JordanCon’s Facebook page, Rick Martin posted an acrostic puzzle for people to try!
     

    Some crafty people are also using this time to craft WoT inspired items.  This cross-stitch pattern made by Caz Willows caught my eye!  It’s an amazing design and I love the mix of Aes Sedai colors and scary Trolloc skulls.  If you’re interested in trying this—and cross-stitch is pretty easy for beginners!—you can purchase the pattern from Caz’s Etsy shop!
     

    And Dee Tee has a Discord channel with WoT Spoilers dedicated to testing your Wheel of Time knowledge.  Stop by for a visit and play a game, or just mingle with the amazing people!
     
    And as tradition dictates, we’ll end with some memes.
     

    Okay, not really Wheel of Time related, but I thought this was fantastic!
     

    This raises an interesting question.  If Mat's wily ways had continued in the Two Rivers, would any of his pranks gone far enough to land him in jail?  Does Emond's Field even have a jail?
     

    The Pattern's face says it all.

    I don't think the Black Ajah is as cute as this, honestly.
     
    That concludes this Community Round-Up.  Let's try to keep our spirits up as much as possible during these trying times!  Besides re-reading Wheel of Time, what other actives are keeping you from going stir crazy?
     
    • Teaser Paragraph:

      This Community Round-Up includes Rafe Judkins answering fans questions on Instagram, plenty of Wheel of Time related activities you can do online to cure your boredom, and another batch of memes.

    Mashiara Sedai
    Mashiara Sedai