Jump to content
We have a Patreon! Support this website and get exclusive content

News

Manage articles
Show all categories

Weekly Roundup, April 13-19 (Super-Sized)

Good morning once again! Now that all the post-JordanCon dust has settled, we return to the Weekly Roundup with several moments of exciting news stretching all across the world of the Wheel of Time and Dragonmount.
 
Because it has been a few weeks since we’ve had a Weekly Roundup, this one is super sized, packed with all sort of exciting information!
 
First, and perhaps the most exciting is that The Wheel of Time series has been nominated for a Hugo Award! The entire series is nominated as a single work because it is (finally) a complete set. This award is the most prestigious Science Fiction writer’s award. To be eligible to vote, you must be a member of this year’s World Con, taking place in London from August 14-19.
 
Second, we have two brand-new shiny Social Group leaders. The Black Tower is now led by the one and only Panchi! The Wolfkin are now officially led by their long serving former Beta wolf Davrick. With the new Social Group leaders, the Social Groups are sure to make some amazing new changes.
 
The ACW Tuathan’an Camp is also undergoing some changes: to help track their new Way of the Leaf System the Tinkers are restructuring the Showcase to track the Way of the Leaf ranking system. Tinkers are encouraged to check out the new pinned threads in the Showcase to learn more details about the new ranking system.
 
Game of Thrones fans: After last week’s exciting episode, many of you might want to know where you can go to discuss the television series and the book series that inspired it, A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin.  Never fear! In the Entertainment board, there are two Westeros-centric threads: the Spoiler Thread and the Non-Spoiler Thread.
 
The Aiel have posted their new monthly discussion on Markets. What is it like to shop in your area of the world, in the small, local markets? Read here to find out the interesting places where some of your fellow Dragonmount members spend their money.
 
In the slow times of JordanCon, the Band of the Red Hand discussed alternate places to host a meet-up, other than the famous convention.  Where would you host a meet-up for fellow Dragonmount members?
 
The Kin have some excitement as well! First, they have a wonderful discussion on Herbology. Do you have any herbal remedies you use for your illnesses? Discuss it here! Also, the Kin have announced a new Council Member: Ryrin has agreed to help the Kin as a staff member responsible for membership (including new members) and the sashes.
 
In Shayol Ghul, the Ghoulie Voting season has begun! This is your chance to tell us who, of those nominated, you think is most deserving of these elite awards.
 
And finally, from the Dragonmount Twitter feed:
 

 
Remember you can get up-to-the-minute updates for Dragonmount and Wheel of Time related news by following the page on Twitter and Facebook!
 
That wraps it up for this week’s Weekly Roundup. Remember, you still have time to sign in to your Social Groups!
Moon Sedai
Moon Sedai

The Wheel of Time Nominated for Hugo Award

We are very pleased to announce that the entire Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan and completed by Brandon Sanderson was nominated for a 2014 Hugo Award in the category of, “Best Novel”.

The Hugo Awards are science fiction and fantasy's highest honor. They are awarded each year by the members of the World Science Fiction Society at WorldCon. These awards have been given annually since the 1950’s and are often referred to as “the Oscars of science fiction.”

We are incredibly pleased at this nomination and would like to congratulate Brandon Sanderson and Team Jordan, and especially Harriet McDougal, for their incredible work seeing the series to completion after Robert Jordan’s death. We only wish he could have lived long enough to see his masterpiece honored this way. We’ll have more thoughts on the nomination and what it means in a few days.

To vote on the Hugo Awards, you must be a member of this year’s WorldCon, taking place August 14-19 in London. For information on the convention and a complete list of nominees, please see their website. http://loncon3.org
JenniferL
JenniferL

A look at Robert Jordan's Notes

We all know that Brandon Sanderson completed The Wheel of Time based off of Robert Jordan's notes. We know that those notes were so extensive that Harriet McDougal, RJ's wife and editor, claimed there were easily more words in the notes than words in all the books.  Many of those notes, along with many original items from Robert Jordan's office were donated to The College of Charleston Special Collections department. An entire blog exists to showcase some of the items in that collection. From their website:  
 Recently, our good friend Terez had the opportunity to explore these archives. In particular, she had the opportunity to read many of Robert Jordan's detailed notes and early outlines for the series.  While she's unable to share everything she saw (out of respect to the College, and to Harriet), she was able to give us a peek at several exciting things.  Here's what Terez had to say: 
 Here's a look at that page from Robert Jordan's notes. (Click to enlarge) 
Here's the text from the page:
The title of the document is "Notes on Books Two Through Six." As Terez mentions above, this document was written well before the publication of The Eye of The World. Back then, Robert Jordan had been given a six book deal from Tor, so this outline was his vision for the entire series at the time.  Note that the last paragraph closely resembles the ideas used by Brandon in the final books. 
There are other many interesting tidbits found through these archives. Rand was originally named Ryhs. Elayne was originally named Elyn. Galad was originally going to turn to the Dark One. Morgase was going to be Rand's lover for a time. 
To read a little bit more about what Terez found at the archive, visit this link from Theoryland.
If we're able to post more photos or information like this, then we'll do so. In the meantime, tell us what you think, and be sure to visit the resources above. 
A Wheel of Time Encyclopedia is currently being developed by Team Jordan. Much of the information from Robert Jordan's notes will be included in it. No release day has been announced, but the common expectation is that it will be completed this year, and possibly be released in early 2015. Dragonmount will have more information as it becomes available.
  • Teaser Paragraph:

    An examination of some of Robert Jordan's early notes on The Wheel of Time.

Jason Denzel
Jason Denzel

Gleeman's Tales: Wetlanders vs. Aiel

Happy Wednesday everyone, it's time again for some Wheel of Time laughs. I think we all remember, some fondly and some not-so-fondly, the countless pages dedicated to the Aiel confusion and incredulity with Wetlander customs, and vice versa. I thought this week I would share a couple comics and images that poke fun at this constant back-and-forth befuddlement. 
 
First off, Wetlanders seem incredibly slow to catch on that every Aiel game somehow involves knives and spears.
 

image from roflwot
 
Poor Bad Luck Brian. Reminds me of the time Mat Cauthon made a similar mistake with the Maidens when he agreed to play Maiden's Kiss in The Shadow Rising, hilariously illustrated by aiconx (whose Deviantart account has unfortunately since been deactivated). 
 

 
On the flip side, the Aiel never can seem to understand the Wetlander's more, um, let's say non-violent brand of humor. Who can forget Rand's attempt at a joke in Lord of Chaos that bombed harder than the Guild of Illuminators Chapter House in Cairhien (oooo burn)? Here's a discussion about Rand's joke, if you don't remember. The deviantart user johnplaystuba pokes fun at the Aiel's incomprehension of Wetlanders in a couple hilarious comic strips.
 

johnplaystuba
 
Rhuarc...didn't find that so funny, I guess. Maybe Rand will have better luck?
 

johnplaystuba
 
NOPE NOPE NOPE never mind, sorry Aviendha. You know nothin', Jon Snow Rand al'Thor.
 
The ways of ji'e'toh are as mysterious to Wetlanders as rivers, lakes, and oceans are to Aiel, and so it goes with their humor as well. This concludes Wetlanders vs. Aiel, a case study. Who do you find funnier?
 
See you all next week!
Meghan Rayburn
Meghan Rayburn

JordanCon Pictures

JordanCon 2014 has come and gone.  The three days of the convention were packed with so much excitement, it felt much longer.  Or perhaps it was staying up so late to spend just a few more minutes talking about Rand, Mat, and Perrin, that made it seem that way.  Either way, it's over.  But it's not the end, because there is always next year.
 
Sunday was a bit more laid back than Saturday.  Things were winding down, but there was still a ton of events.  Since I was eliminated on the very first question during last year's trivia contest, I decided I would try even harder this year.  For the "Daes Dae'mar" trivia contest, we were able to be in teams of up to five, and my team was filled with dread because of Terez's mighty knowledge.  Would you believe we nearly tied for first place?  In the end, due to the Tarmon Gai'don round, we wound up losing.  But still, second place is better than being the first one out.
 

 
Sunday was also the kaffeeklatsch with Brandon Sanderson.  We were lucky enough to get in to see him.  It was an amazing hour, just talking about anything and everything.  The winner of the costume contest--she had dressed up as Syl from Brandon's Stormlight Archive--was also in attendance and pondered on the nature of a Spren's bond with a human.  Interesting stuff, but I won't go into it here.  My questions tended to focus on The Wheel of Time--like if the very last scene seemed a bit too happy to fit in with the darkness of the rest of the book--and what Ajah Brandon would chose if he were an Aes Sedai--his answer was Blue, surprisingly.
 
Numerous people wore costumes, and most didn't even enter the costume contest.  This picture of Min was among my favorites costumes.  Though, a cosplaying Lews Therin and Ilyena--whom lay unmoving on the floor while he tired to feed her chips--was probably the funniest.
 

 
I completely missed the Blademaster Tournament, but have every intention of seeing it next year.  I'm not even sure who won, but it looked like everyone had a fun time.
 

 
Supposedly, during an earlier JordanCon, a cardboard cut out of Rand (the one from A Crown of Swords) disappeared in the night.  Well, by some miracle of the Light, he reappeared this year.  Everyone was pleased to see him, though he was taken to the safety of a locked hotel room during the night.  Here he is, punching my sister.
 

 
I honestly had more fun this year than last year.  And that means I'll have an even better time next year.  I cannot wait for JordanCon to come around again.  I want to thank everyone who helped with this event, including the honored Guests, the Directors, the volunteers, and the hotel staff.  Everything went smoothly, everyone was friendly, and the environment was so welcoming.  Wheel of Time fans are the best!
 
If you want to see more of my photo gallery, please click here.  And if you want to share your pictures, put a link below in the comments!
Mashiara Sedai
Mashiara Sedai

JordanCon Recap

Here we are, day two of JordanCon. So far, the Con has been a blast, full of activities and events. There's been panels, the Blademaster tournament, vendors, art shows, and costume contests. In short, anything and everything you could hope to experience in relation to The Wheel of Time.
 
If you're following Dragonmount on Twitter, you've already seen some of the events that have unfolded, as well as pictures of our favorite people--authors, artists, and fans. If you don't follow Dragonmount on Twitter (and you really should), here's a quick update of some of the goings on.
 
First off, the Toast Masters (who actually ate toast during the opening ceremony) are none other than the tWoT Cast--known for their foul-mouthed antics. Hilarity ensued, complete with an airhorn to make their rants viewable to a wider audience. Our own Jason Denzel, and past JordanCon Toast Masters, Leigh Butler and Richard Fife, were called from the past, to the present, to save JordanCon from the tWoT Cast's grip (a al Back to the Future.
 
 
For panels, there are several tracks with a wide veriety of purposes. Writing workshops, Wheel of Time discussions, gaming groups, and even speed friending. Something for everyone. Naturally, I gravitate towwards Wheel of Time related events, but even people who haven't read the series--and there are some here who fit that description--can have fun and enjoy the company of like-minded nerds. Of the Wheel of Time panels I've attended so far, "Loonie Theories" has been the funniest. The winner this year: The Wheel of Time series is a metaphor for childbirth. And a close second, Rand al'Thor is Santa Claus.
 
Patrick Rothfuss--of The Kingkiller Chronicles fame--is the Author Guest of Honor. It's been incredible seing him around, and seeing his willingness to speak with fans. He even took part in a Q&A session for Waygate Foundation's Write-A-Thon (hosted by Brandon Sanderson. The two greats talked shop, reminisced, and answered questions from audience members and those following along online. Brandon's illustrators, Ben McSweeney and Isaac Stewart also helped out, donating some drawings to help the event raise money.
 
 
There's plenty more going on. Currently, a silent auction is being held, and a masquerade ball shortly to follow. There's still one more day left, we we're going to party like it's our last night!
Mashiara Sedai
Mashiara Sedai

The Wheel Turns: One Does Not Simply Walk to Mordor...

...unless one has a kick ass map!
 
Hello, friends! The Wheel has turned all the way around to Thursday again, which means two things: the weekend is not too far away, and it's time for our Rotating Features blog!
 
This week, all the fandom nerdling rage in fantasy fiction land is of course centered on the return to television of HBO's adaptation of George R. R. Martin's A Game of Thrones. However, I won't focus on that in this article because not too much happened in in the first episode of Season 4, although it was good, and also because I have written a couple of articles about the series already.
 
What I did want to bring to your collective attentions, however, is a little project which a certain Frodo Baggins would have found useful on his epic quest on foot across Middle Earth in J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings books, had he had a computer and the internet to use it with, of course... I digress.
 
There is a website, or a project, rather, which all Lord of the Rings fans should be aware of--simply and aptly named LotrProject. It is a compilation of resources and researches based on Tolkien's masterpiece of fantasy fiction, currently including genealogies, statistics, timelines, and references. But a particularly cool feature is this interactive map of Middle Earth! It shows you, for example, the route taken by the Company of Thorin Oakenshield in The Hobbit, and you can select a whole host of locations in Middle Earth to get all the pertinent information about that area or city. It's quite fun to have a look at.
 
The Project is still being worked upon, expanded and updated, I believe, but as well as the fun map there is definitely plenty to check out and have a look at, especially if you are an ardent Tolkien fan. Take a look!
 
That's all for now! Have fun!
 
Until next time, friends!
The_Fnorrll_Reborn
The_Fnorrll_Reborn

Fan Art Friday: JordanCon Special!

It's Friday, and that means fan art! For all of those going to JordanCon (and those of us deadly jealous we can't go), I've got a real treat. We're taking a look at the artists participating in the art show, and I've also got an interview with one of the artists.
 
 
Edsel J. Arnold
 
 
Edsel is a dad to three, he lives in Atlanta, and his favorite Disney characters are the blue fairy and Pocahontas. He also makes, really, really awesome art, strongly influenced by Art Nouveau. You've probably seen some of his Wheel of Time art before! How about we look at his awesome art first, and then on to the interview!
 

Pink Ribbons - Mat and Tylin
 

Selene
 

Graendal
 

Semirhage
 

The Ecstasy of St. Nynaeve the Healer
 
I think Edsel's art is so special and precious. The Mucha-inspired style is very unique when it comes to Wheel of Time fanart, and it is a style he truly masters! My personal favorite is the one of Selene, but I find it very, very hard to choose. I'm very much looking forward to following this artist in the future and see what he comes up with next!
 
Now let's get to know him a little better shall we? Interview time!
 
1. What is your own personal favorite Wheel of Time fanart artist/piece?
There are so many, because I'm such a WOT fan… I love all the e-book covers, especially the New Spring cover by Jason Chan, Moiraine by Dan Dos Santos and the Bowl of Winds by Julie Bell. I also like Seamus Gallagher's character sketch of Faile.
 
2. What will be your next Wheel of Time project?
I plan to finish the Nouveau Female Forsaken… including one wielder of saidin <>. I also have major ideas for Lan, Mat, and Rand.
 
3. Who's your favorite characters, and moments in the books?
Nynaeve and Mat are my favorite of the Fab Five… mostly because I relate to both. Like Nynaeve I come from a small conservative town and strike a balance between keeping my old values while being attracted to the trappings of exotic cultures. Like Mat, I always complain the whole time while I'm doing the right thing! LOL My other favorites are Verin (BIG fan) and Moiraine.
 
4. How long have you been doing digital painting?
Probably about 3 or 4 years.
 
5. Did you do traditional art before going digital?
Yes, I used to paint solely in Watercolor. Pink Ribbons is watercolor which has been scanned and placed on a darker background than the original white paper. However, digital painting works best for me these days because of my scattered available working time between 3 very busy kids and my regular job and my wife working full time, too. I can put it down and pick it up as often as I need to, and nothing's ruined in between!
 
6. What can those going to JordanCon expect to see from you? Are you bringing prints etc?
All the paintings from last year plus 2 new WOT pieces and a new non-WOT piece. I'll be selling pieces in the silent auction and will also try to make a few open edition prints available as a pre-launch to the print page I'm adding to my website around May 1st.
 
7. If you could go back in time and talk to Robert Jordan, what would you talk about?
I want more information on Alanna… was she a dark friend… and especially more information on Verin's letters to see if my guesses are correct. In a general sense, I'd like to talk to him about the Seanchan, who I find fascinating, and also about his personal religious beliefs and how they influenced a world without a specific religion.
 
8. Is there one thing you've always wanted to paint (WoT or not) that you've never been able to do?
I have so many ideas… but some are beyond my current Digital skills. They stay on the list though, and I'll eventually do them as I learn what I need to create them. I have an idea for a Galadriel piece I need to get working on soon.
 
9. What others books do you like beside Wheel of Time?
Lord of the Rings was my first love, I was enthralled with the history book Warriors of God by James Reston, Jr., and Devil in the White City, and Song of Ice and Fire.
 
10. Do you have any tips for new artists?
Practice, practice, practice. No fear in art… experiment. Not necessarily the best advice in life, but certainly the best advice in art and design. If art is really what you want to do, don't give up on it even if life throws you roadblocks… unlike a sports career, you can draw until you die. I'm coming back to it at the end of a successful Architecture career. Honestly look at what's unique about your work and enhance it to strengthen your personal style.
 
 
If you have the cash, I'd absolutely recommend buying a print from Edsel! And someone stop by and say hi to him from me!
 
 
Let's take a look at some of the other artists showing!
 
 
Larry Elmore
 

 
The Artist Guest of Honor this year in the art show is Larry Elmore! If you haven't heard the name before, you must be pretty new to the fantasy genre! His art is iconic. I was introduced to his art through the Dragonlance books (shown here, Raistilin and Crysania from the Twins trilogy.). He's made art for Dungeons and Dragons amongst others, and his career is spanning 40 years! You can see more of his art at his website.
 
 
Melissa Gay
 

 
She works in several mediums; acrylic, oil paint, digital art, pencils, and watercolor. Her art ranges from book covers, to t-shirt illustrations. Her works has been in a roleplaying book for the Dresden Files, among other things. Check her out at her website.
 
Sam Flegal
 

 
A specialist in oil paintings, Flegal has made art for Warhammer, among other things, and he specializes in epic fantasy and graphic horror. His works have been used both as book covers and game art. View more at his website.
 
Ariel Burgess
 

 
Our well known and beloved Wheel of Time artist, the maker of the card deck and the calendar for sale through Ta'veren Tees. Burgess is a natural to find at JordanCon! Among other things, you can buy a poster of the image featured above (The Dragon Reborn)! Here's her website. And for those of us unable to go to JordanCon, the print will be available at Ta'veren Tees after the Con!
 
 
Now this is just a small amount of the artists you'll see at the JordanCon art show! So for those that are going, the art show is absolutely worth your time!
 
So, are you going? Which artist's work are you most looking forward to see? And if you're not, how are you gonna spend your weekend?
 
Until next week, my darlings!
michellem
michellem

Gleeman's Tales: Alternate Universes

Greetings all! I'm Minnie and I'm your new Humor Blogger! I haven't had much of a Dragonmount presence up until now other than a passive one (reading posts, blogs, etc.), but I am active on Tumblr, from where many of you might know me. On Tumblr I am also known as minnielikes and I run the blog asthewheelturns. My way of interacting with the Wheel of Time community has been primarily to make silly graphic art or doodles which you can find at my deviantart account minniearts (some of my better known ones are the advertisements for Sea Folk Porcelain and Two Rivers Tabac).
 
Now that introductions are out of the way, on with the show! I want to share with you some "Alternate Universe" posts, and I think this might turn into a monthly feature because there are so many great ones. Alternate Universes, or "AU" as they are more commonly referred to, is the idea of placing a character from one world into another world, or placing them in another version of the same universe--think the flicker-flicker-flicker chapter from The Great Hunt. A popular AU that I've seen in the Wheel of Time community is the "modern" AU: if the characters lived in our current world, what would they do?
 
Here are a few:
 

provided by knifeeared and failemyfalcon
 
 

Wish I could give credit to whoever this was!
 
 
Or another in which Moiraine and Siuan use Snapchat to catch up, also by failemyfalcon. For anyone unfamiliar: Snapchat is an app you can use to send pictures or video to people which then automatically delete themselves after a few seconds. Great for sending top-secret information...like news of the Dragon Reborn perhaps? Or just, you know:
 

Siuan to Moiraine. *Insert fish metaphor here*
 

Moiraine to Siuan, looking terrified of some Darkhounds.
 
You can see more of these Snapchats at karaburrito.tumblr.com, where there are even more Wheel of Time sketches to enjoy (fair warning, one of them contains nudity).
 
Although today the funnies come from Tumblr, I will also feature things I find from other sources in the future. I've been known to lurk around the Wheel of Time subreddit from time to time. By all means, if you have created something or found something funny that you'd like to share, please send it to me and I will most likely feature it. 
 
I hope you've all enjoyed my first post! I'm looking forward to getting to know the community here on Dragonmount.
Meghan Rayburn
Meghan Rayburn

Fantasy Review: DemonWars: First Heroes + Giveaway

[EDIT:  The deadline has been extended to April 30th, 2014 for anyone who would like to enter!]
 
Welcome to this special edition of Dragonmount’s Fantasy Review. This month, I want to take the opportunity to present to you the two books that make up R.A. Salvatore’s latest release: DemonWars: First Heroes. This book is not a new book, but instead encompasses two books: The Highwayman (2004) and The Ancient (2008). The two novels are the beginning of Salvatore’s epic First King series, a prequel to his popular DemonWars Saga.  And to celebrate this new release, Tor Books is giving away one copy to our Dragonmount readers!  Post in the comments section below before April 30th, 2014, and you could win a free copy.  The winner will be randomly selected from all those who leave a comment (unfortunately, only residents within the US or Canada can win).
 
Or, you can buy these books separately in Dragonmount's DRM-free eBook store: The Highwayman and The Ancient.
 
 
Synopsis:
The Highwayman
 
The Highwayman is the origin story of the series’ hero Bransen Garibond. Bransen was born to parents who were members of two vastly different religions. His father, Brother Bran Dynard is a priest of the church of Blessed Abelle; his mother, Sen Wi, is a mystic of Jhesta Tu, a foreign and mysterious philosophy that Brother Dynard set out to study.  Due to circumstances of fate, Bran is killed and Sen dies in childbirth, leaving the boy to be raised by his father’s dearest friend.
 
Bransen is born with severe birth defects, causing him to be the source of ridicule in his small hometown. As he grew up, he discovered his father’s notes on Jhesta Tu, and began practicing the methods of his mother’s people. After spending several years in a Abellican monastery, he finds a magical gemstone (a powerful piece of the Abellican faith) that allows him to walk, talk, and live the life of the Highwayman.
 
As the Highwayman, Bransen becomes a local Robin-hood type hero. He robs from rich, helps out the poor, and romances his childhood crush, the woman he later marries.
 
The world of the Highwayman is dangerous. The Abellican faith is still in its infancy; the church was founded less than a century before the events of the series, and the Abellicans are struggling with other religions. Bransen’s father was ostracized for marrying a Jhesta Tu heathen, and Bransen was later forbidden from studying his mother’s religion.
 
The background plot of the Highwayman involves a war. Pryd Holding, where the story is set, is at war; there is a prince who is desperate to produce an heir, religious conflict, and the ravages of war on the common folk.
 
The Ancient
 
The Ancient picks up shortly after the end of Highwayman. After the events of the first book, Bransen, his wife and mother-in-law must flee Pryd Holding, and are headed south, when Bransen is tricked into traveling to a distant land to help fight in the war. The story gets complicated when Bransen loses his Abellican gem, making it next-to-impossible for him to fight.
 
The war is more readily evident throughout The Ancient. The Samhaist religion, along with the Ancient Badden, the most powerful of their numbers, wish to destroy the Abellican order that threatens them. A small monastery is built in the shadow of the Ancient Badden’s palace, on a lake near a small, tribal civilization that the Abellicans hope to convert.
 
War breaks out on all sides: the tribe verses the Abellicans, the tribe verses the powries (a race of dwarves that are fierce and warrior-like), the Abellicans verses the powries, and ultimately, the Ancient Badden verses everyone else.
 
Pros:
I like the exploration of Bransen as a disabled hero, and how he looks back to his parents and their varying faiths to overcome significant birth defects. His wife loves him both as the Highwayman and as his ‘alter ego’ the Stork, showing that this disabled hero loves and is loved, no matter what. The first book sets the stage for the remainder of the Saga of the First Kings and for the later events in the DemonWars Saga.
 
I also really enjoyed reading the stories of the young Abellican church. In the main DemonWars book, the Abellican church is the most important religion. The years are marked in Corona from the death of St. Abelle. I enjoyed reading of the religious struggles, and of the wars surrounding them.
 
Cons:
I have not read all the DemonWars books, and thus I felt like I was missing out on some of the references within the story. As prequels, I’m certain that the two books contain a few hidden gems of references that long-time readers of the DemonWars will enjoy. I feel like I missed out on something there.
 
Missing references is a minor complaint, one that can be rectified with a read of the complete DemonWars Saga. The only real big problem I had with either book was in the Ancient. Bransen was tricked to travel away from his wife and mother-in-law, conscripted in a war. I missed the interaction between Bransen and his family. His love and his wife, gave Bransen a reason to struggle, something beyond revenge or money, and away from his wife, I found Bransen to be a little colder, less relatable.
 
Conclusion:
If you’ve read the complete DemonWars Saga, these books (or the special DemonWars: First Heroes edition) will be a great read. If you have not read the DemonWars, the stories are still fascinating, and a good read, but be prepared to possibly miss references to the other works.
 
My Rating:
4 of 5
Moon Sedai
Moon Sedai

Fan Art Friday: Mistborn

It's Friday, and that means fan art! I'm excited to introduce you all to our new feature: The first Friday each month, will be focused on fan art of Brandon Sanderson's non-Wheel of Time work. There is so much amazing fan art for his other books out there! I can see why; he creates very special and unique worlds and there is a lot of special imagery in his works, it must be like a candy store to artists.
 
We'll kick it off with my favorite of his stories: Mistborn. I will try to keep these posts as spoiler-free as possible for those who haven't read them, but it's impossible not to give a single little spoiler. I'll try to keep it at the level you'd expect from a book review though! So kick back and relax, and let's take a look at the kick-ass Vin and her Mistborn-world.
 
 

 
Vin says hello by endoftheline
 
A nice, cozy welcoming moment in book two! I did say Vin is kick-ass. I love the intensity in this image, and that it's in black and white. The composition is really cool and strong. I highly recommend full-view on the picture (click on it).
 

 
Steel inquisitor by JasperSandner
 
No, those are not glasses. Those are metal spikes driven through his eye sockets. Nasty, right? Inquisitors might be the scariest "bad-guys" I've seen. They have enhanced Allomantic powers, so they can "see" even if they don't have eyes. I think this image is so very, very cool. It's an action shot (and I do love action shots), and it manages to convey that this was once a human being, now distorted and changed. The colors are perfect; the grey mist that's common in this world, with a yellow tint, maybe something is burning in the background? The hint of red coming out of its hand looks like blood; the Inquisitors do have a lot of blood on their hands.... And the inhuman form of its body, with exaggerated muscles. I love these guys, and this image.
 

 
Vin by Ihazar
 
This one you really need to click on to get all the beautiful details! Another action shot, yay! (Mistborn is very action-packed). My only complaint: the buckles on her pants are metal, and an Allomancer would never wear metal on their clothes. But otherwise it's perfect! I like how young and innocent Vin looks; even though she's been through a lot, she's still got a lot of innocence. I like this variant of the Mistcloak very much (that's the strips of cloth coming from her shoulders). The floating coins shows us she's in a fight or duel, it's a subtle thing that really adds depth, and also makes it a good, generic picture; it could be a moment from any of the three books. Lovely!
 

 
Mistborn: Sazed by Firnheledien
 
My favorite character in the Mistborn novels, Sazed. I've always had troubles pictures his clothes, but I don't think I will anymore, because this image is perfect! He is of the Terris people, and they wear robes patterned with colorful stripes. Sazed is a scholarly type, so his seat of books is very fitting. I have found very, very little fan art including Sazed, and of those I've seen, this is absolutely my favorite. as I feel it has completely captured the spirit of the character.
 

 
Kredik Shaw by Somnicide
 
If you ever wondered what the lair of a bad guy looks like, look no further! Kredik Shaw is imposing and scary, and wow, this artist has captured that perfectly. The fiery red from the sunset, ash falling from the sky, and mists creeping in.... It doesn't look like a place you wanna be (although Vin apparently finds it pretty interesting, since she's standing there staring at it). Can someone just make a Mistborn movie already? And hire all these amazing artists for the visual side. Because this building is just begging to be on the big screen!
 

 
Vin above Luthadel by mking2008
 
She isn't flying; an Allomantic ability is to push and pull metal, so you can travel through the air by using metal sources underneath you. It's really cool! I like the peaceful feeling in this one, night has just fallen, the city hasn't yet quite gone to sleep, and Vin is swooping through the air, greeting the mists. Great portrayal of the Mistcloak again, this is probably closest to how I picture it personally.
 
 
So, what do you think of this new feature in the Fan Art blog? Have you read Mistborn? As always, tell me in the comments which picture is your favorite! Have a lovely weekend, my dears, and I'll see you next week. I'll give you a little hint; those of you going to JordanCon should really check out next weeks blog!
michellem
michellem

The Wheel Turns: The Elder Scrolls

Hello, friends! The Wheel has turned all the way around to Thursday again, which means two things: the weekend is not too far away, and it's time for our Rotating Features blog!
I really, really want to tell you all about The Elder Scrolls Online, the new massively multiplayer online role playing game from Bethesda Softworks which officially began yesterday, for those who preordered early access, and will be open for general play on Friday.
If you are unfamiliar with an MMORPG, they are like computer games that you play online, not just with your friends but with everyone else, in one huge world. Bethesda has previously created some excellent Open Sandbox style games, such as Morrowind, Oblivion, and Skyrim, all of which were truly excellent for developing and playing your own character in an RP style game, and for their great graphics and world settings. We are hoping for similar things in The Elder Scrolls Online.
Here is a trailer for it:
 
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/XH9fCA3dmGc" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
 
You can create a character, be it a mage, assassin, templar, or fearsome dragonkknight, complete quests, develop your characters skills, meet friends, join guilds, explore a truly gorgeous world (yes, I have the early access and visually, it is great) and generally have tons of fun.
If you've never tried an MMO, they're hugely popular, so maybe this will be your first.
If you've played them before, then what are you waiting for? Come join the action!
That's all for now! Have fun!
 
Until next time, friends!
The_Fnorrll_Reborn
The_Fnorrll_Reborn

Weekly Roundup March 23-29

Hello!
The Wheel has spun, and now, April is almost upon us. With that, there are many exciting changes that are soon to take place in Dragonmount.
 
One important part of the month of April is JordanCon! To those of you who are lucky enough to go, congratulations! For the rest of us, there is Dragonmount.
 
Black Tower members have stumbled upon the all-important Secret Diary of Sarumon the White.
 
There are three new interesting threads up on the Movies and Games Discussion board. The first is about the game Thief. The second is about 300 Rise of an Empire. The third thread is about Divergent. Have you seen any of these movies or played these games? Join the discussion!
 
And in the TV Show and Sports Discussion board, there is a new thread of interest: Major League Baseball 2014. Are you a baseball fan? Do you have a favorite team, player, or least favorite of either? Here’s the place to talk about it.
 
And don't forget, today is the last day to submit nominations for the Hugo Awards.  This is the last year Robert Jordan is eligible.  Check out the article here for more details.
 
Now, an update from Dragonmount’s Twitter feed:
 

 
You can get daily updates about The Wheel of Time, Dragonmount, and other related topics by following our Twitter and Facebook profiles!
 
That wraps it up for March! Remember, as April starts, to sign in at your various Social Groups and have a safe JordanCon to all those are attending. Because of the convention, our regular weekly posts will be suspended for a week, so I'll be talking with you in two weeks.
Moon Sedai
Moon Sedai

Fan Art Friday: Something Different, Part 2

It's Friday, and that means fan art! Well, sort of. I'm back with round two of "art that remind me of Wheel of Time."
 
First off, my deepest apologies for not posting anything last week! I'll try to make up for it by showing you some really, really awesome art today!
 
I have tried to keep it to art that is very clear it has similarities to The Wheel of Time. There is a lot of art I see that reminds me of a character or a setting, that others might not even see the similarities. So let's dig right in shall we?
 

 
Princess Lauralye by Selenada
 
Yes, it's another Moiraine-portrait. I can't help that artists seem set on painting her! Although, as someone graciously reminded me in the comments last week, Moiraine has dark brown eyes, not blue. But otherwise I do think it's spot on. She is described as "porcelain doll pretty" in New Spring after all! So I see this as the younger Moiraine, maybe even before she came to the White Tower.
 

 
Practise of magic by anndr
 
I'll admit, this is the painting that made me want to make this series of blog posts. I saw that and thought "Ooooh, Nynaeve!" Nynaeve having a quiet moment to herself, finally starting to feel at ease with saidar after her block was removed. Also fitting since cats seem especially attracted to Aes Sedai.
 

 
Comisson: Rand by Selenada
 
Yes, this character is actually called Rand! Not that it is an image of our Rand, but a commission of someone else's OC (original character) called Rand. But I think he looks more like Galad, yes? Almost too pretty, and very serious. I have always struggled to picture Galad before, but when I saw this image, it struck me instantly as being him. I can easily see every woman in the White Tower, Aes Sedai included, standing around drooling when he's sparring shirtless!
 

 
Bartola by ArdenRey
 
Another Maiden of the Spear (I almost wrote Shieldmaiden... wrong fansite!). Veiled and ready for battle. I imagine her sneaking through somewhere dark, and then her enemy only sees this little glimpse of her in their last moments, as light falls on her face. She looks fierce, and I would not want to be on the wrong end of her spear!
 

 
White Tower by SlySharp
 
It isn't a perfect match for Tar Valon, of course. Tar Valon is much bigger, and is an island in the middle of a river, not located next to a river. But the giant white tower, and the looming mountain behind it, the darkness coming in and the ray of sunlight directly on the city, just screams Tar Valon to me! I also really like the kind of surreal feel over this image, the way it's painted is very fascinating, with the flowing brushstrokes.
 

 
Elven town by anndr
 
And again we visit Tar Valon! The thing that really caught my eye in this one, is the little staircase/bridge, in the upper right corner. Isn't that just a wonderful little detail? Tar Valon has always made me think of Rivendell in a lot of ways, so it's not surprising this image remind me of Tar Valon. The only problem is that, contrary to what a lot of artists seem to think, Tar Valon isn't all white! The city walls are gleaming white, and of course the White Tower is white. But the rest of the city is colorful and filled with beautiful buildings that border on the absurd. If I don't remember too wrong, the fish market building is built like a school of colorful fish! I can't even begin to imagine how that looks like!
 
 
That's it for this week, my darlings! Enjoy your weekend, and as always, tell me which is your favorite in the comments!
michellem
michellem

The Wheel Turns: A Silver Mark

Hello, friends! The Wheel has turned all the way around to Thursday again, which means two things: the weekend is not too far away, and it's time for our Rotating Features blog!

 

You, like myself and other fans, have a definite need for something--more merchandise from their obsession of choice!



This week, I wanted to talk about a particular type of merchandise that really is a kind of collector's item, or rather, a potential collection. If you could have something from the Wheel of Time world, what would it be? Likely, many things come to your mind, there are lots of possibilities, be it a ring, or a weapon.  One that you may not think of, however, is actually a great idea--a coin!



People have coin collections from the "real world." As a child I had one of old coins (or copies of). Well, now you can get them from your favorite fictional worlds as well!

And that's the idea behind The Shire Post Mint, a website dedicated to making these replica coins, including the silver Tar Valon Mark and the Golden Crown of Ellisande from The Wheel of Time books. They also have coins from George R. R. Martin's fictional world of Westeros, and from Patrick Rothfuss' Four Corners of Civilization too.



Their latest Wheel of Time coin is the pure silver Tar Valon Mark. This coin differs from the previous version and features Siuan Sanche on one side, and the other has the Flame of Tar Valon and the Great Serpent around the edge.  This special edition includes the coin in sealing wax atop a letter from Siuan Sanche, herself ("What the bearer does is done at my order and by my authority. Obey, and keep silent, at my command.").











The Shire Post Mint will be a vendor at JordanCon this year.  Check them out and you could be well on your way to starting or expanding your fantasy/fiction coin collection!



That's all for now! Have fun!



Until next time, friends!
The_Fnorrll_Reborn
The_Fnorrll_Reborn

WoT If… Perrin Was Already a Wolfbrother?

Welcome back to another edition of "WoT If?", Dragonmount's weekly theory blog.  We are continuing our reread of The Eye of the World, with chapters 22 and 23. 
 
Synopsis:
Chapter 22, "A Path Chosen"
 
Perrin wakes up and it takes a moment for him to remember where he is and what happened the night before.  He decides that if Egwene made it across the river, she would be further down than Perrin.  He sets off to see if he can find her.  He finds hoof prints with Master Luhhan's signature double crossbar, and knows that Bela made it across okay.  He finds Egwene and Bela inside a small clearing—a fire lit in front of them.
Egwene has him sit down and dry off.  They discuss what to do; Egwene wants to wait for Moiraine to find them, Perrin insists that they should keep moving.  Perrin's plan is to cut across the wilderness and bypass Whitebridge, meeting the others in Caemlyn.  Egwene agrees, though Perrin does wonder what will happen if the Aes Sedai isn't in Caemlyn.  They might have to go to Tar Valon on their own.
 
Egwene has most of her supplies still, so they eat quickly, then begin to walk.
 
Chapter 23, "Wolfbrother"
As they walk, Perrin struggles with who is the leader between the two of them.  Sometimes, Egwene is ready for him to make the decisions, other times she won't listen.  They travel through the wilderness, not seeing anyone or anything.  They run out of food quickly, and have to resort to hunting.
 
Perrin catches a rabbit, while Egwene is supposed to light the fire.  When he comes back, the fire isn't lit and he realizes that Egwene was trying to use the Power.  He asks her to stop using it, but she refuses.  
 
They travel for a few miserable days when they smell smoke in the air.  Perrin goes to investigate and finds a man who is roasting rabbits.  Perrin calls for Egwene and they are both allowed to eat.  The man is Elyas Machera, and he has golden eyes.  Elyas chats with them for awhile before warning them to be still, that his friends are coming.  His friends turn out to be four wolves: Dapple, Hopper, Burn, and Wind.  Elyas says he can talk with them, and that Perrin can talk to them too.
 
Elyas asks them what they are doing out in the middle of nowhere, and Perrin and Egwene quickly launch into a rehearsed story about being from Saldaea and running away from home.  Elyas knows it all lies, and what's worse, the wolves sensed Trollocs and Halfmen in their thoughts as they told the story.  Elyas demands the truth, hoping they aren't Darkfriends.  The wolves growl threateningly, so Perrin tells the whole story.
 
After he's finished, Elyas talks about his dislike of Aes Sedai, and how the Red Ajah tried to gentle him—he had to kill a few Warders to escape.  But, he invites Perrin and Egwene to stay with him.  They refuse, but he agrees to travel with them for a while.  
 
When their plans are settled, Burn angrily stares at Dapple, then runs off into the night.  Elyas says that Burn thinks they are wasting time with Perrin and Egwene, but Dapple runs the pack and she will go with Elyas and the Two Rivers folk.  As Burn leaves, Perrin can feel him go.
 
My take:
Only a few chapters this time, but I think there's enough her to look at.  Namely, Perrin and his Wolfbrother abilities.  We get a very detailed description of Elyas' gradual awareness of the wolves:
 
 
From the sound of this, it was very gradual.  And when we hear of Noam later (The Dragon Reborn, Chapter 8, "Jarra"), his transformation also seems to have happened slowly.  Yet, here is Perrin, being told he can talk to wolves, and after just an hour or two, he can feel the wolves.  He also puts a name to Hopper, and then wonders how he did it.
 
But, maybe it didn't happen so quickly.  What if the wolves had been tracking Perrin for a while?  In chapter 1, we learned that there are more wolves in the Two Rivers than before. 
 
 
Those wolves might have been able to sense Perrin already.  We have no contextual proof, but they could have been lurking near Perrin.  Perrin might have been exposed to the Wolfbrother bonds already.  I am certain that if Perrin hadn't left the Two Rivers, he still would have been turned into a Wolfbrother—probably just not as quickly.
 
There's also a phrase Perrin uses, when we get his first point-of-view chapter.  When he see's Master Luhhan's double crossbar horseshoe tracks, he is able to follow the trail using his "sharp vision."  However, later in the book, Rand wonders about Perrin's vision:
 
 
So, Perrin thinks of his eyes as sharp, but Rand thinks of Perrin's eyes as weak.  Or, had the transformation already taken place before they left the Two Rivers, and Rand had never been around to see it?  He's been on the farm for a while—only coming to Emond's Field rarely—so Perrin's abilities could have increased without Rand noticing.  In fact, as quiet as Perrin seems to be, it's not something he would likely tell others about, or maybe he didn't even notice it himself.
 
Of course, the other explanation is that Perrin's ta'veren nature sped up the Wolfbrother skills.  This is likely, as well, but too much of a convenience.  I'd like to think that not everything in the story happens because of the ta'veren.  But, it's possible. 
 
Another thing about Perrin is that he already balks at being the leader.  Many readers complain about how he drags his feet when he's put in charge of the Mayeners and the Ghealdanin, but it was in his character all along.  That was the way Perrin would have acted—we can see the beginnings of it here.  
 
Also, why are so many Talents (including Wolfbrother abilities) connected to the sealing of the Bore?  Elyas says:
 
 
With the weakening of the Seals, all these Talents come back.  It isn't a link to the Dark One, right?  It's more that the world will need these abilities for the hard times ahead.  Or is it that since the Dark One was locked up, the Pattern, to compensate for the loss of so much evil, had to remove some of the forces of good?
 
And what other Talents has the world lost?  Hurin's sniffer abilities?  Min's viewings?  These do seem to be forces of the Light, which would need to increase as the Shadow's influence was increasing as well.  I think that's what makes the most sense.
 
I did get a bit sidetracked on the talk of Talents and Seals, but it's all in good fun.  I think we'll have to stop there.  Next time, we'll get to see Rand and Mat sneaking downriver on The Spray.  Thanks for reading!
Mashiara Sedai
Mashiara Sedai

Call for Applications: Front Page Blogger Position Open

I am calling for applications for one person to join my staff of bloggers. Applications for this position will be open until Wednesday, April 2nd.
 
Description of the Job Position:
 
The open position is for a Wheel of Time Humor Blogger. This blog is a regular feature on Wednesdays. This person will be responsible for a short weekly column featuring a combination of existing WoT humor from around the Internet (e.g. Mat's Inbox, the WoT lightbulb jokes, the WoT Lolcats) and creating their own WoT humor content.
 
Job Duties for Both Front Page Blogger Positions:
 
1. Bloggers are expected to produce content in their respective areas for the front page once per week. They must be able to meet deadlines in a timely manner.
 
2. Bloggers occasionally will be called upon to assist the Front Page Admin with brainstorming new ideas for features.
 
3. Bloggers are expected to dedicate time each week to the Front Page Bloggers Staff Board and the DM Staff Board. As members of DM Staff, they act as representatives of the members of DM and their input is vital in the decision making process. Bloggers should be actively engaged in discussions on staff boards.
 
4. Bloggers must be able to give at least a 6 month commitment of approximately 5 hours per week. LOAs will come up, of course.
 
Anyone who thinks they can fulfill the requirements may apply. Strong candidates are people who possess the following qualities: efficiency, writing ability, organizational skills, creativity, maturity, and the ability to work well with others.
 
The Application Process:
 
If you are interested, please send an email to frontpage@dragonmount.com.
 
In your application, please include:
 
* Your DM Handle.
* Some details about who you are in real life, including anything you think will have prepared you for leadership (including past online leadership experience).
* A sample of your writing consisting of at least three short paragraphs. This can be in the form of a brief essay, a blog, a school paper, a newspaper article, a forum post, a short story, or a role play. You do not have to write something new for this application; in fact, many of you already have forum posts that are long enough to count. I mainly want to get an idea of your writing style.
* Anything else that you think would set you apart from other applicants.  Why are you the best candidate?
 
If you have any questions, please feel free to ask and I will try to answer them.
 
~Mashiara
Mashiara Sedai
Mashiara Sedai

The Wheel Turns: Round One, Fight!

Hello, friends! The Wheel has turned all the way around to Thursday again, which means two things: the weekend is not too far away, and it's time for our Rotating Features blog!
 
Have you ever wants to punch somebody in the face as hard as you can? Wait, no... that came out wrong.
 
If you, like many of us here on Dragonmount, have ever taken part in some sort of sparring exercise, be it martial arts or self defense or some form of armed combat, you will have come across a very common problem. You always get to the point where you wonder how you can truly test your abilities in a "friendly" combat, where you have to pull your punches or otherwise take care not to cause injury. Unless, of course, you take part in some form of actual combat sport like MMA or boxing. However, for most of us it's more of a hobby, particularly something like sword fighting, and the limitations can become very frustrating.
 
Well, look no further. Technology is, of course, always advancing, and the next in the kind of "gadgets I absolutely must sell my other kidney to have" is the Lorica, an armored suit also equipped with an array of sensors to monitor what is happening to it. The idea? You can be smacked about--or preferably, can smack someone else about--without fear of injury. I particularly relish the prospect of live steel sword fighting in this thing.
 

 
If you want to know more, check out the links below.
 
CNN had an article on it with a few pictures and a lot of information, and Singularity Hub has an article with several videos.
 
What do you think? I want two at least for the Warders Guild here on Dragonmount!
 
That's all for now! Have fun!
 
Until next time, friends!
The_Fnorrll_Reborn
The_Fnorrll_Reborn

Weekly Roundup March 9-15

Hello Dragonmount!
The Wheel has spun, and now it’s time for a new edition of Dragonmount’s Weekly Roundup! March is well underway. We’ve survived Pi day, the Ides of March, and now it is St. Patrick’s Day!
 
The Wolfkin monthly discussion about music and the monthly game, an acronym game, is well under way. It’s not too late to join the discussion or play with the Wolfkin in their home!
 
Aiel monthly activities include a Movies by the Alphabet game and a discussion of Art and inspiration.
 
Are you planning on going to Jordancon 2014? Talk about your travel plans!
 
Roleplayers: Are you interested in joining the Children of the Light? The new guidelines are available. Even if you don’t have an interest in the Children, but are generally interested in our Roleplaying boards, check the thread out, since it has some valuable information on getting started.
 
And don't forget, Hugo nominations are due on March 31st, so remember to submit your top picks.  Check out this article if you need inspiration or suggestions.
Finally, an up date from Dragomnount’s Twitter account:
 
Remember, you can get daily updates about Wheel of Time, and other related subjects from our Twitter and Facebook pages.
 

 
That wraps up this week’s Weekly Roundup. See you next week!
Moon Sedai
Moon Sedai

Words of Radiance Review and Tour

[slight spoilers of The Way of Kings and Words of Radiance will follow.]
 
Brandon Sanderson's latest epic book, Words of Radiance, was released earlier this month.  At over 1,000 pages long, it took me a week and a half to make it through.  Not from lack of wanting to, only from lack of time.  I finished it on Friday morning, which was my goal, because Friday evening was Brandon's signing in Scottsdale, Arizona (the bookstore livestreamed the event; you can watch it here).
 
The book looks intimidating.  It's really, really big.  I think that could put many readers off.  But, if you can stick with it, the story is well worth the effort.
 
It picks up where The Way of Kings left off.  Kaladin and his Bridge Four gang have been taken in by Dalinar.  Dalinar is still experiencing his visions from the Almighty, trying to put them together for a plan to save the world.  Shallan—despite her betrayal of Jasnah—has been embraced as a full ward of the heretic, and helps research the Voidbringers.   The world is heading towards destruction, but all our heroes fight towards the goal of salvation.
 
Shallan's storyline was the most interesting.  Brandon has said that each book within the Stormlight Archive will be one person's story—The Way of Kings was Kaladin's book, sharing his past through flashbacks.  This was Shallan's book, and we were finally shown her whole story.  It was fascinating to see how she transformed from the timid girl of Jah Keved to the ward and confidant of one of the most powerful women in the world.  She finds her inner strength and grows into a very strong character.
 
This is helped by her bonding of a Spren.  We saw Kaladin make on bond with Syl, the Windspren, in The Way of Kings, and Shallan's bond with her Spren is similar.  Pattern, a Liespren (or Cryptic), helps Shallan build her powers.  With different typed Spren, though, come different powers.  Shallan's abilities are very unlike Kaladin's.  She is able to Lightweave, forming illusions.
 
Kaladin, though not the main focus of the book, still has a great story arc.  After being rescued from Sadeas, Kaladin and his bridgemen take the employ of Dalinar as personal bodyguards.  Kaladin soon finds himself protecting the whole Kholin clan, including the King.  Knowing his duty is the right thing to do, he is still torn at the prospect of protecting Lighteyes—people who think themselves raised above him. 
 
Throughout the novel, Kaladin battles with himself over these mixed feelings.  He respects Dalinar, but can't seem to take that final leap in trusting him completely.  He is unable to confide his abilities to Dalinar, even though he knows he should.  Kaladin does a lot of regression in this book—going back to hating the world and the people around him.  It makes an interesting parallel to Shallan's story because they share experiences of overwhelming grief in their past. 
 
Dalinar doubles his efforts to find Radiants.  He is convinced that the mythical figures will begin appearing to help save the people from the Desolation that is coming.  Sadeas still undermines Dalinar's beliefs and the Kingdom is nearly torn in half between the two Highprinces.   Still, Dalinar pushes on, despite the ridicule of the other Highprinces.  He is so firm in his beliefs that he doesn't let anything deter him from his duty.
 
He is such a great character.  He's strong of will and mind, and he is able to put aside his shame and focus on the bigger picture.  His goals are very ambitions, but he does everything in his power to make them come to fruition. 
 
The book is divided into five parts, with interludes in between.  These interludes feature characters that are minor, or out of the way, but still offer insight to the state of the world.  The most interesting of the interludes was from the point of view of a Parshendi Shardbearer, Eshonai.  She wants to make peace with Dalinar and the Alethi people, and takes steps to meet with them.  However, something happens to the Parshendi, a transformation that changes Eshonai's intentions drastically. 
We also see other people who have made bonds with Spren.  This is just a taste of all the abilities—all the Orders with the Radiants—that we will see as the series continues. 
 
Exciting and captivating, this book is wonderfully paced—the interludes giving needed breaks from the thick intrigue of the main storyline.  It is humorous and sad, light and dark, hopeful and depressing.  Brandon has done a great job of making a world and characters that are realistic.
 
The rest of Brandon's tour dates are listed on his website.  The event was very well attended—not everyone could fit inside the bookstore!  He also had prizes to hand out, with Shardhunt codes—which will unlock goodies on Brandon's website if enough of them are activated.  My sister and I were given codes because we dressed up—we both wore our Aes Sedai shawls.  If he's stopping in a town that's near you, I really suggest trying to see him.
Mashiara Sedai
Mashiara Sedai

Fan Art Friday: Something Different, Part 1

Hello again my lovelies! It's Friday, and that means it's time for fan art! Except, this week I don't have fan art to show you. Curious, yes?
 
This week I want to show you art that has made me think of Wheel of Time. I think you all will see why! Now let's dig right in, shall we?
 

 
Wanderlust by FoxFires
 
I will admit, basically any painting of gypsies could be seen as a depiction of the Tinkers. But this one just speaks to me so much. The brilliant colors, the peaceful atmosphere, and the relationship between the girl and the fox. The Tinkers had large wolfhounds after all, so a close relationship with a fox seems very fitting! I can almost hear the music, it looks like she's looking over at the musicians, watching others dance, and enjoying the comfortable warmth of her home.
 

 
Character Portrait IV - edit by Jinxiedoodle
 
Bad-ass Aiel girl, straight up. Okay, her hair is too long for how the Maidens wear it. Maybe she has given up the spear now? That defiant gaze, the red hair, the scars, this character is simply made to be an Aiel.
 

 
Blue By Fragmented
 
This is Logain, just like I see him in my head! Dark, menacing, but handsome. You can see this guy declaring himself to be the Dragon, can't you? The clothing is too modern of course, but it is a black coat!
 

 
Ethiopian Beauty by Dark-Adon
 
No doubt about this one, is there? This is Tuon, of course. She is perfect, just like she is described; an almost too full mouth, big eyes, heartshaped face, and a face that can look boyish at first glance, but when you look again, undeniably female. If I ever learn how to make paintings like these, I could never make Tuon, because this is my ultimate Tuon.
 
 

 
Opale by Melanie Delon
 
Moiraine, of course. She's truly ageless; she could be 20, she could be 40. Her eyes hold her age and you can see she knows too much, she's seen too much. Blue eyes, dark curly hair, and the blue kesiera. The only "flaw" is that the chain on the kesiera is silver, not gold. Melanie Delon is one of my favorite digital artists, and this is the image that made me find her. It's so beautiful.
 
 
That's it for this week! Next week I'll have another batch of art that could have been Wheel of Time-artwork to show you! As always, tell me in the comment what you think. Have a great weekend!
michellem
michellem

WoT If… Thom Knows the Dark One?

Welcome back to another edition of "WoT If?", Dragonmount's weekly theory blog.  Sorry for the long delay, but we are getting back to the story now, reading chapters 19 - 21 of The Eye of the World. 
 
Synopsis:
Chapter 19, "Shadow's Waiting"
 
The group enters Shadar Logoth, a city full of ruins.  They pick out a building and make a place to rest inside, with the horses being stabled in a back room.  Thom, Rand, Mat, and Perrin take the horses and brush and feed them.  Thom goes to smoke his pipe, and Mat convinces Rand and Perrin to go exploring.
 
In their wanderings, a man calls out to them from the shadows of a building.  He says his name is Mordeth and he asks the boys to help him carry treasure.  Mat rushes after the man, and Perrin and Rand reluctantly follow.  Inside the building is a big pile of gold.  They mention that the others could come help and Mordeth questions them.  When Mat answers that they are going to Tar Valon, Mordeth grows angry.  Rand suddenly realizes that Mordeth doesn't have a shadow.  Mordeth inflates, cutting off half the room.  Mordeth shrieks and curses the boys, then stretching out like smoke, he disappears into a hole in the wall.
 
The boys run from the room, out of the building, and into the fading sunlight.  From the shadows around them, they feel watching eyes.  They rush back to Moiraine and the others.  Nynaeve scolds them, but Moiraine asks them what happened.  They explain about Mordeth.  Moiraine hisses and makes sure that Mordeth didn't touch them, and that they didn't take anything from him.  Rand says they didn't. Moiraine explains that Mordeth was an advisor to the king of Aridhol during the Trolloc Wars.  Mordeth corrupted the king with his words, and soon the whole city was using means as evil as the Shadow to hunt the Shadow.  Everyone in Aridhol was consumed and Mashadar—the evil power born of their hate and suspicion—was born.  Mashadar still lurks in the city, and Mordeth too.
 
They all try to sleep.  Sometime later, Lan returns from scouting and tells Moiraine that Trollocs and Myrddraal are in the city.  He wonders what could have forced the Myrddraal in.  The group decides to leave and make for the river—hoping for a boat to give them passage.
 
Chapter 20, "Dust on the Wind"
The group heads out on their horses.  Rand notices he and the others are falling behind the Warder and Aes Sedai.  He quickens his step, but Moiraine tells him to stop.  A think tendril of Mashadar has blocked the path.  Moiraine tells them to follow the red star east and meet up at the river.  Rand is the first to move, so everyone follows him.
 
Rand and company run into a group of Trollocs and everyone scatters.  Rand runs through the streets alone, pursued by Trollocs and a Fade.  The Shadowspawn get caught by Mashadar, and Rand continues on.  He runs into Mat and they leave through a city gate.  Outside the walls, Thom rides by and yells them to run.  Rand does, but worries about Egwene.
 
Perrin sits by a city gate, weighing his options.  Egwene appears on the other end of the square and they leave together.  Outside, a Trolloc horn sounds behind them, and they race ahead.  Bela is slowing down, and Perrin yells at her to hurry.  Suddenly, he and his horse fall off a cliff into the river.  He takes off his cloak to keep from being pulled under, but won't take off his axe.  He finally makes it to the opposite shore.
 
Rand, Mat, and Thom are trying to find the red star to lead them to the river.  When they finally spot it, they head off in that direction.  Trollocs appears behind them and Mat kills some with arrows.  Thom kills some with his throwing knives.  As they approach the river, they see a lantern on a boat.  With more Trollocs behind them, they board the boat quickly. 
 
As they do so, Rand accidently steps on Floran Gelb, the night watchman on the ship.  A Trolloc manages to knock Rand down and get aboard the ship.  As Rand thinks his luck is up, a boom comes loose and throws the Trolloc overboard.
 
The captain of the ship, Bayle Domon, appears and demands to know what happened. Gelb says that Rand attacked him, and that Rand was in league with the Shadowspawn.  Domon disagrees, saying that the Trollocs have followed him.  The captain takes Rand, Mat, and Thom below and wants to know how they came to be in Shadar Logoth.  Thom tells a fanciful story, which Domon seems to believe.  They arrange a price for their passage—Rand and Mat giving away the coins Moiraine gave them.  Thom asks Domon about the Trollocs following him, and Domon says they've chased the boat since Saldaea.
 
After leaving the captain's cabin, Thom berates the boys for giving away so much money.  He says he could have given them songs and entertainment as their fee.  Mat doesn't think so, and Rand is only worried about Egwene.
 
Chapter 21, "Listen to the Wind"
Nynaeve wakes up alone.  She and her horse head down river, trying to read the tracks, but she is unable to read them clearly.  She remembers that the night before Trollocs had chased her, but when they caught her scent, they stopped.  They knew the smells of those they want.
 
She smells fire, and tying her horse up, sneaks close to the camp.  It's Lan and Moiraine.  She listens to their conversation.  Lan wonders how so many Trollocs came there so quickly, and where they all went to—only a small group heads towards Whitebridge.  Moiraine tells him that one boy is alive across the river, and the other two had given away their coins.  Lan wonders if the Shadowspawn heading towards Whitebridge had them, and Moiriane refuses to accept that.  She will expect opposition from other Aes Sedai, and the Amyrlin, but—she realizes Nynaeve is hiding in the bushes and calls her out.
 
Nynaeve demands to know what she is scheming.  Instead of answering, Moiraine says that Nynaeve can learn to channel.  Moiraine goes into detail about the experiences Nynaeve had when she first touched the Source, and that she must have Healed either Egwene or Perrin.  Nynaeve tires to deny it, but the evidence is too strong.  She asks Moiraine not to repeat any of this.  Nynaeve still demands to know what Moiraine wants with the boys.  Moiraine says that she will not let the Dark One have what he wants.
 
Nynaeve says she will come with, and Lan goes off to fetch her horse.  Nynaeve questions Moiraine about which boys they are going after, and why they don't try to find Egwene.  Moiraine says the boys are the most important at the moment.  Nynaeve is filled with sorrow, thinking that she is forced to pick between which of the children to rescue.  Lan comes back with her horse, and she gets angry at him for seeing her cry.  They set off, and Nynaeve realizes that if she can channel, she can use the Power against Moiraine.
 
My Take:
I think this will be a Nynaeve heavy post.  I've made no attempt to hide my love for Nynaeve, though I know others don't find her nearly as enduring.  Despite her annoying tendencies, she is a strong and capable woman, with a big heart and a desire to help and heal everyone.  But, I'm getting ahead of myself.  We'll get into more about Nynaeve in just a bit.
 
First, I want to look at what Thom says about Mat's speaking of the Old Tongue.  He tells the boys that the "dead can be reborn, or take a human body, and it is not something to speak of lightly."  This is curious to me, because we know all people are reborn in the Pattern, but we don't yet know about the Dark One's abilities to put a dead person back into a human body.  In fact, I don't think the Dark One has had the access to the world to do that in a very long time.  How would Thom know about this dreadful power?  Just through old stories passed down?  Very curious.
 
I'm also a little fuzzy on the connection—at this point in time—between Mordeth and Mashadar.  Mordeth was a corrupt man, who bewitched the King of Aridhol into using evil methods.  For this corruption, Mashadar was formed.  Yet the two are separate beings.  Mordeth has some of the same abilities, like the tendrils of smoke, but Mashadar is a mindless parasite (almost like the Machin Shin).  But Mordeth must have some unnatural powers from Mashadar, or else how could he still be alive to haunt the ruins of Shadar Logoth?  So is there a connection at all? 
 
Doing a search on Theoryland's wonderful interview database doesn't pull up a single question asking about the two of them together.  There's Mashadar and Fain, and there's Mordeth and Fain, but not Mashadar and Mordeth.  This is very odd to me.  It seems they would logically be grouped together, both being the last citizens of a dead city.  We'll find out more about the connection with Fain later, but I'm still left wondering about other two.  Perhaps one rules the days and the other the nights?
 
And when Rand, Mat, and Perrin come back from their encounter with Mordeth, Nynaeve scolds them so fiercely, stating that, "Lan is out looking for you now, and you'll be luckier than you deserve if he does not pound some sense into the lot of you when he gets back."  All I can hear when she says this is, "Wait until your father gets home!"  They're not married yet, but Nynaeve sure acts like it.  This makes me giggle each time I read it.
 
And so we move onto the Nynaeve bits.  I think Moiraine confronting her about her channeling is one of the best-written scenes in the series.  It seems so inconsequential at the time, at least to us.  For Nynaeve, it's a life changer.  She goes from being a respect woman, to having a terrible secret, one she never wants anyone to find out.  This changes her drastically.  We learn a lot of her personality here.  When Moiraine is describing the first unconscious channeling, she says, that there was something that Nynaeve "wanted more than anything else in the world."  And what was that?  Healing Egwene.  We see later that Moiraine's first channeling was to eavesdrop.  Most Wilders in the Tower had similarly selfish desires.  Nynaeve only wanted Egwene to get better. 
 
And before you argue that Rand used his first channeling to save Egwene too, look at the details between them.  Rand has believed for the past six or eight years that he's going to marry Egwene.  Nynaeve just babysat her on occasion.  Rand has a deep love for Egwene at this point.  Nynaeve had no special connection, probably no more than to any of the other village children.  That takes someone with a very pure and noble heart to have that be their top concern.  She didn't want a pretty dress, or her father to buy her things, she only wanted people to get better.
 
This scene is also wonderful in the way it parallels Rand's own channeling experiences.  This is the work of master storyteller Robert Jordan once again.  We are so caught up in the experience as it relates to Nynaeve that we overlook the same things happening to Rand.  It's so simple, and staring us straight in the face, but it's easy to overlook.  It's clever and really gives a great reveal at the end when we are able to put all the pieces together.
 
It's interesting that we meet Bayle Domon so early in the series.  He's so easy to dismiss, but he does wind up playing a more important role later.  And it's not obvious now, but we do learn later that the Trollocs actually are following him because he has one of the Seals to the Dark One's prison.  Too bad Rand didn't know more about his true self and his goals by this time.  It might have saved him some trouble.
 
And there's one last thing I question about these three chapters, why does Moiraine expect opposition from the Amyrlin?  She says, "Opposition from within the White Tower, even from the Amyrlin Seat, I accept. There are always Aes Sedai who will accept only one solution."  The one solution is Gentling Rand, and I do believe many Aes Sedai insisted on that course—even Verin hints towards that in The Great Hunt.  And other Aes Sedai do doubt her, and fight her.  But why would Siuan?  They've been plotting this for the past twenty years.  There's no way Siuan would go against her in any fashion.  The only answer I have is that she suspects that Siuan won't be Amyrlin for much longer.
 
That's all I've got for today.  With this first switch in point-of-views, the story really picks up the pace!  Join us next time for the next few chapters of The Eye of the World.  Thanks for reading!
Mashiara Sedai
Mashiara Sedai