That is just a small taste! Go here to enjoy the complete interview.
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That is just a small taste! Go here to enjoy the complete interview.
Those of you who read the excerpt from the A Memory of Light Prologue from our front page are probably itching to talk about it, but don't want to spoil anything for those who do not want to read it yet. We have set up a Prologue discussion thread that allows spoilers just for you. Make sure to keep all spoilers inside that thread!
It seems that this year is going to be packed full of superhero movies! Perhaps we geeks are taking over the world after all. Which upcoming superhero movie excites you the most? Voice your opinion in our Movies and Games Discussion forum.
The Artists, Crafters, and Writers Social Group is spearheading the creation of a Dragonmount Social Group Board Game. Currently, they are holding a competition to see which group can send in the most card ideas for the game. For the full details about the creation of this unique game, read this thread.
Even though the event is wrapping up, you still have time to participate in the White Tower & Warders Social Group's Shakespeare Week. Check out this thread for a guide to the week's events.
The Wolfkin Social Group is finishing up their second annual Nature Week. Some of the contests and games will be over by now, but there are still some discussions and events up on their boards. Whether you like stars, plants, animals, or other things, there's something for everyone.
If you're still looking for pictures, reports, and buzz from JordanCon, check out our Twitter account, as well as JordanCon's Twitter account. You can also find us on Facebook.
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Most artists hear the word "foreshortening" and run for the hills.
Perspective drawing tricks like foreshortening are some of the most powerful tools in an artist's toolbox, and the most difficult to use. They differentiate the masters from the mere mortals like myself.
This week, I've decided to face my fear of foreshortening and get a little perspective.
1. No Crying over Spilt Peas by Makena:
Here's an ambitious and beautifully executed depiction of Mat's inability to stay out of trouble.
The scene shown here is from Chapter 2 of The Shadow Rising, in which a bubble of evil strikes and his playing cards attack him.
2. Lan Mandragoran by solitarium:
This amazing Malaysian fan artist isn't afraid of perspective (and here's another great one he did of Birgitte Silverbow).
3. Race to the Stone by Forbis:
I will never get tired of featuring this artist's work. Here's a fun one she did of Mat breaking into the Stone of Tear (Chapter 54, The Dragon Reborn).
4. Rand al'Thor, the Dragon Reborn by Ariel Burgess (ReddEra on deviantART, and here is her Facebook page):
The perspective on this painting is pretty subtle. Why have I chosen it for this week's theme? Two reasons:
1. Sometimes a subtle use of perspective is all that's needed. Notice how we're looking up at Rand, rather than dead-on. This technique forces us to take a subservient position, making him appear more powerful. The artist's flawless use of perspective and posture (and Rand's crazed expression) makes this my favorite depiction of Rand--not just of ReddEra's works, but of all the depictions of Rand that have landed in my Wheel of Time art collection over the last ten or so years.
2. Ta'veren Tees just announced they will be producing and selling official Wheel of Time playing cards featuring this artist's work. So, a celebratory feature was definitely in order!
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1) I'm a WoT Slacker
I've always viewed myself as a major WoT fan, and a fairly knowledgeable one. It took one of the con's opening sessions - the Daes Dae'mar trivia game - to rid me of that illusion.
With great fanfare, the con attendees who chose to take part in the trivia contest were divided into teams and told to choose team names, ready to do battle in a WoT Trivia Agni Kai (I'm an Avatar nut too. Deal with it). In this corner, Terez and the Tamyrlin's Know it Alls. Across the room, the Defenders of the Stone - a trivia group so serious that one member was Skyping in. One group called itself the Aelfinn, and had Maria sitting in with them. Another group was the Eelfinn. Corruption. And us - the dramatically named No Costume Is a Costume. (The name would make more sense if you read the fine print on the JordanCon program guides.)
I knew we were in trouble from the start - our team of five included two girlfriends who had never read any of the books - but I didn't quite realize how much trouble until the questions started rolling in. What is the Old Tongue name Moghedien used for Shaidar Haran? (Mia'cova). What is Gaidal Cain's weapon (I still say "Birgitte" is a better answer than "two swords"). Who was Rogosh Eagle-Eye's love? (Dunsinin). Even Terez' team got some of the questions wrong. No Costume? We were just glad to end the game with positive points.
So, uh, no, we didn't win. And I realized I know only slightly more WoT trivia than my hasn't-read-the-books girlfriend. So, congratulations, JordanCon - you just got me to do a reread in advance of A Memory of Light. Something to be proud of.
2) Meeting Online Friends in Person is Awesome...If They Recognize You
One of the primary attractions to JordanCon, for me, was the chance to finally meet, in the flesh, some people I've spent the past decade virtually hanging out with. Jason Denzel. The Liangs. Dwyn. Shendare. And there were surprises. I mean, I knew Jason was tall, but nobody mentioned that he was actually part stork. Jennifer not recognizing me immediately...or on slow prompting. (Come on, Jenn...how many guys with yarmulkes were you expecting? To be fair, Jenn is to "short" what Jason is to "tall", so she couldn't really see it, but still...I cried a little, on the inside). Dwyn was much more petite than I expected. You build up a picture of people in your head, and the force of their personalities makes you think of them as larger than life. Dwyn was barely life sized.
Seriously, though, meeting old friends, and making new ones, is what a con like this is really about, in my opinion, and JordanCon was uniquely well set up to make that happen. Daes Dae'mar, the Ji'e'toh competition, the Saturday night party, the open-gaming room, and the panels all provided real opportunities to interact with other WoT fans, and I had a blast doing it.
3) JordanCon Hates teh Jews; or Why is the Awesome Scheduled for Saturday?!?
OK, OK, I get it. Saturday is the weekend day, the day off, the day with the most attendees, and the day without either opening or closing ceremonies taking up time. But man, if knowing the con organizers can't get them to schedule Harriet McDougal's reading of the AMoL prologue for "not Saturday", what good is it, really?
So, yeah. Sadly, I had to miss the reading - which I heard was terrific - and most of the Saturday night party. I did manage to show up for the last hour of dancing Saturday night, and that was fun, if a bit embarassing. (In a room full of mediocre to bad dancers, shot through with occasional awesomeness, I was by far the most awkward dancer on the floor. The last time I'd actually danced to, well, dance music was in high school, more years ago than I care to think about...and I wasn't particularly good back then. I'm uncoordinated, arrhythmic, and apparently - according to my girlfriend, who laughed at me but still loves me, unaccountably - I make weird faces when I dance. Top that!) Any dance party that has the DJ screaming "I am the Lord of Chaos" at random times works for me. Plus, I got introduced to an awesome but decidedly NSFW love song to Ray Bradbury. Yes, that Ray Bradbury. Google it, if you're of age. Win all around.
4) The Writer's Track Had Some Serious Info for Aspiring Authors
Not going to be funny here at all (Yes, Barm, Luckers, I hear you. I wasn't funny anywhere else in this post. Got it. Be less predictable, dammit!) - the Writer's Track panels at JordanCon were extremely useful. Industry vets at every level, from Hugo and Campbell award winner Mary Robinette Kowal to behind the scenes folks like Peter Ahlstrom (Brandon Sanderson's assistant) to up-and-coming and successful self-published author Will Kenyon, shared valuable knowledge and insight about the writing and publishing process.
5) JordanCon's Blademasters Are Awesome, and I Am Not
Interesting side note: In college, I choreographed sword fights for stage and actually spent a little time in a fencing club. More relevant side note: That was way too long ago to make a difference when I decided to take part in the con's swordfighting tournament.
Armed with practice swords gifted by Robert Jordan himself, con attendees were paired up in mini brackets of four, with the winners of each bout facing off in a second round, and the winner of that second bout getting to challenge one of three Blademasters. Watching the random bouts was fun, in an "opening rounds of American Idol" kind of way - occasionally, someone who knew what they were doing would be involved, by pure luck, but most of the time it was completely untrained folks whacking each other with sticks. Awesome.
Watching the Blademaster bouts was awesome in a whole different way. Those guys really know what they are doing, and it was much like watching any other elite athlete - just stand back and appreciate it.
As for me, it didn't help that I got matched up with Stork Denzel himself. I didn't land a blow.
6) The Exhibitor Floor Rocked
There is some truly amazing art being done out there, in the fantasy realm in general and the WoT arena in particular, and despite not having the funds available to bring any of it home with me, it was a privilege to walk the room and see some of those beautiful works - a number of which were replicated on Ta'veren Tees. And meeting the son of the late Darrell K. Sweet, hearing him talk about his father's work, and examining the full size paintings from which the book covers were made was definitely memorable.
7) The Wrap Up
Bottom line - I drove from New York to Atlanta for this con, and it more than met my expectations. I'm looking forward to going again next year. In fact, I'm going to start working on my dance moves and fencing now.
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The Night Angel Trilogy follows the story of a young street-orphan by the name of Azoth/Kylar. Kylar becomes entangled in the schemes of the Sa'kage, the ruling entity of the city's criminal underworld. In an attempt to escape, he apprentices himself to the legendary wetboy Durzo Blint. Now, through his attempts to become a killer aided by magic, Kylar's fate goes along a previously unexplored lane, with the destiny of the world hanging in the balance.
When I heard that I needed to review this book, my initial reaction was: "Yay! Amazing series!" and I fully stand by that opinion. This was one of those series where you couldn't put it down and the pages virtually kept turning themselves. None of the individual books seemed drawn out or lacking, as one often finds in fanasty series; each was as gripping as the one before.
Weeks created extremely three dimensional and real characters. You find yourself captivated by their stories, being carried away in their experiences, and having your emotions influenced by their well-being.
All in all, Moiraine definitely had a worthy opponent, and the Night Angel Trilogy books are definitely worth reading!
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Go here to read the opening portion of the prologue.
Originally presented by Harriet McDougal at JordanCon 2012 this past weekend, this opening section of the prologue is available for free on our website. You can also find a copy of it on Tor.com.
The full prologue will be released this year, before the publication of the full novel. The book itself will be released on January 8, 2013.
For more information about this final book, visit our AMOL info page.
Discuss A Memory of Light on our forums.
Please consider pre-ordering the full book through one of our international Amazon affiliates, and help support our website.
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Read the opening portion of the prologue to A Memory of Light!
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I had the opportunity to meet Ariel Burgess at JordanCon this past weekend, as well as to view preview pictures for some of the cards. She is an incredibly sweet, talented woman, and I am confident that you will be blown away by the art on the cards.
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In accordance with this week's theme (All Together Now, Take Two), here are four group portraits that made me do a double take.
1. Wheel of Time Chars by Sir-Heartsalot
Not only is the style flawless and fun, but the interpretations are hilarious (just keep scrollin' -->).
2. WoT Puppet Theatre No. 1 by shorelle
What's cuter than the Wheel of Time characters as hand puppets?
I feel a meme coming on ...
3. Sparkles by RoseMuse
I've read Stephanie Meyers' Twilight series and don't have anything against it (we all need a little romantic fluff now and then), but I still think RoseMuse's crossover of Wheel of Time, Twilight, Sabriel, Pride and Prejudice, and Lord of the Rings is pretty darn funny.
4. Re-Employment by Zorm
Another crossover! Maybe that should have been this week's theme ...
That poor Myrddraal just wanted a role in My Little Pony.
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Q: Who are you and what do you do on Dragonmount?
A: Well, I'm the Wheel of Time Administrator, so my main task is basically seeing that the Wheel of Time boards are all running smoothly. I usually have my fingers in most things Wheel of Time related that run through the website--I wrote most of the book summaries (and the .pdf we released to bring everyone back up to date for the Towers of Midnight release), and had a hand in developing the Tower Guard program for the signing tour for Towers of Midnight. I worked heavily on the update for the Wheel of Time FAQ when we took it over from Leigh Butler. I've also run interviews with most of the major players in Team Jordan, and I was able to do an official showing of Jason Denzel's amazing Towers of Midnight trailer at WorldCon on behalf of the website last year, which was pretty damn awesome.
But yeah, essentially, if it has the Wheel of Time stamp on it, I've had some part of it (even if occasionally it's just Jason and Jenn Liang giving me a heads up that something is coming when the secrecy goes beyond my paygrade.)
Q: How did you get involved on Dragonmount?
A: Umm. I just got picked up as a staff member on Debates and Discussions. Dunno why they decided to make me an offer (I was very young at the time). Then when I lost some of my interest in Debates and Discussions, I quit and offered to take on WoT modding. From there, one day I just decided to develop my own FAQ, and emailed Jenn and Jason saying that I was going to, and they were fine with it. Much the same with the Big Unnoticed Thing Theory Compilation. Somewhere in all this, Jason must have been impressed because then they made the offer for Wheel of Time Admin.
But yeah, it's mostly just a matter of putting yourself out there. If you have ideas, say them.
Q: When and why did you join Dragonmount?
A: I had just turned fourteen, so it would have been late 2002, early 2003. As I recall, it was the Dragonmount Prologue movie that Jason was developing at the time that attracted me here. I stayed for all the cool, insane people.
Q: What got you to read The Wheel of Time?
A: I was given The Eye of the World and A Game of Thrones for my twelfth birthday (I'd just gotten into fantasy through the Belgariad, which is a great gateway fantasy series for the young). I started A Game of Thrones first and found it too confronting (and to be fair to my Mum she had told the clerk at the bookstore to suggest books for her twelve-year-old, so it was all on him). Anyway, I started EotW, and was hooked by the Manetheren story. I've never looked back.
Q: Who is your favorite character?
A: Look, Brandon will roll his eyes at me if he reads this, but Cadsuane. I mean, she gets a bad rep, but when push comes to shove she has always had Rand's back.
Q: If you could be in the skin of one character for a day, who would it be?
A: Moridin.
Q: How do you earn your crust in Real Life?
A: I'm a writer, though I don't really get much money from that. My day job is at a photolab--and yes, we do see dodgy photos.
Q: Married? Kids?
A: Well, I'm gay, so it's currently illegal where I am to be married. One day, if decency prevails.
Q: Do you think Brandon Sanderson has done the series justice so far?
A: Yes and no. I think he has done a very good job with some things, and a not so good job with other things. I've been very open with him about both sides, and in response, he has been quite open about some of what he perceives to be his successes and failures. A lot, I suspect, will depend on A Memory of Light, but for now...yes and no.
Q: How do you feel about the last book finally coming out?
A: I've no idea. It changes from day to day. "Bittersweet" would probably be the closest word I can think of for how I feel...
Q: Favorite nation? And why?
A: The Aiel. Uncompromising honor guided by keen wisdom--they are the most decent people in the series.
Q: If you could choose between going to Randland and any other fantasy world, which would you choose and why?
A: Randland, easy. In part, this is why I love the Wheel of Time so much, because its world is so immersive, so vast, that you literally feel like you could step into it.
Besides, with my knowledge of the Wheel, I reckon I could make a decent attempt at conquering the world. *evil grin*
Q: Bow, spear, axe, or sword?
A: I actually fenced for about seven years, so definitely the sword.
Q: Your Wheel of Time crush?
A: Mat. I'd love to take him clubbing in the modern world.
Q: Anything else you'd like to add?
A: Long live Cadsuane? *wink*
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Most fans are aware of Darrell K. Sweet's artwork, which graces the covers of the original U.S. edition Wheel of Time books. Regardless of what you think of the art itself, Mr. Sweet's imagery has become a recognized style deeply associated with the series.
Unfortunately, Mr. Sweet passed away before completing the book cover for A Memory of Light, the final book in the series. But this weekend at JordanCon 2012, we've been given the opportunity to see his first draft of the painting.
Click here or on the image to the right to see the full version.
In my personal opinion, I think this painting had the potential to be one of the finest in the series. Try and see past the obvious mistakes or omissions. The three women (presumably Elayne, Min, and Aviendha) would need some articulation to distinguish themselves from each other, and the "yin yang" isn't accurate. But those are the kinds of adjustments that Darrell would have made. It's been part of the process since the series began. While the details aren't accurate to the book, per se, this painting invokes some powerful emotions for me. I think we can all guess whose body that is at the top of the funeral bier!
With Mr. Sweet's passing, the final book cover will be painted by renowned artist Michael Whelan. Mr. Whelan is hard at work on the painting at this time. He will not be painting the same scene as Mr. Sweet. Be sure to follow our news, Twitter, or Facebook pages to see when that cover is revealed.
So, what do you think of this unfinished cover? Critical comments are welcome, but please keep things respectful at all times.
A Memory of Light will be released in hardcover and audiobook on January 8, 2013. Read the full details here.
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<p><p>Check out <strong>Darrell K. Sweet's</strong> unfinished cover art for <em>A Memory of Light</em>.</p></p>
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For those of you who weren't aware yet, we have fantastic news to report: Moiraine has won Suvudu's 2012 Cage Match! She had a formidable opponent in Kylar Stern, but the votes of her loyal fans helped secure her victory. You can see the write-up and fight results here.
Speaking of characters we love, if you can't stop talking about Mat, we have just the thread for you in our Structured Wheel of Time Discussion forum. This forum is one that has rules for posting, so be sure to read them first.
The Aiel Social Group's current monthly discussion theme is cover art. What is some of your favorite cover art? Do you think that the cover art greatly influences whether you buy a book?
The Black Tower Social Group has created an impressive new scavenger hunt called The Search for the Holy Angreal. The game hasn't started yet, so head to the thread I linked if you want to sign up. It looks like it will be lots of fun.
April in the Kin Social Group is all about spring! They have contests, exchanges, discussions, and games for you to enjoy. Use this thread as a guide to the month's festivities.
Wait a second...it looks like the Highest of the Red Ajah and an Asha'man are going on a date! Is this madness? No, it's our role players with another unexpected story called Meh...It's Not REALLY a Date. Check it out to see what unfolds.
See you at JordanCon!
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1. Wheel of Time Sketch Cards by Adam Masterman (Mahasiddha):
I love this artist's sharp, clean style. I also think the juxtaposition of the first two cards is pretty funny (It's pre-Towers of Midnight "Crazy Rand" and post-Towers of Midnight "Enlightened Rand!").
2. Wheel of Time Character Design 2 by Chase Conley (saintchase):
Dynamite Entertainment acquired the rights to Dabel Brothers Productions' comic book rendition of The Eye of the World in 2009. Chase Conley is one of the amazing artists behind these comics. Here's a sketch dump he did in preparation for his seven-issue run. I recommend checking out the original post to see the characters full-size.
3. Wheel of Time by Niklas Tarpila (Nether83):
This ambitious work was done for fun by a Finnish graphic artist. The characters aren't exactly how I picture them, but I really admire his coloring skill. I can't imagine how long it took to make this.
4. Teeny-Tiny WoT People by Forbis:
Forbis is one of my all-time favorite Wheel of Time fan artists. Her depictions of the Two Rivers folk early on in the series strike a nostalgic cord with me, both because they were just so darn young and innocent back then and because Forbis hasn't been active in the Wheel of Time art community for years.
Here's a sketch dump she did of Rand (the first three rows) and the Aiel (most of the last two rows). Again, you might want to follow the link to see this full-size--and check out the rest of her gallery while you're at it!
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As I mentioned before, there's a lot of fun things happening this year. Rather than list all of them for you, I'll make a short list of the events I'd enjoy attending. On Friday night, they're going to be holding their annual Seanchan Texas Hold'Em Poker Tournament. You pay a $20 entry fee and a $10 buy in. Not only do you get to gamble like the Prince of Ravens, but you also get to participate in donating money to a worthy cause. On Saturday, not only are there fun looking art workshops to participate in during the day, but there are two events I'd definitely participate in later. One of those events is the costume contest. Who could resist taking part in that? You could dress up as an Aiel with spears or an Aes Sedai with her Warder...there's so many possibilities! The other event is "Dance the Spears". Wait, what? More Aiel?! Actually, no, this event is not warlike, unless you consider an auction to be so. It is the annual silent auction held by JordanCon for the benefit of the Mayo Clinic, just like the funds of the Poker Tournament, which also go into the clinic's coffers. Various generous people donate things to be auctioned off; in the past, we've seen Jordan's cane or special Wheel of Time notes under the auctioneer's hammer. Last, but not least, I'd end my JordanCon experience by hanging out in the workshops (again), learning all about costuming in fantasy.
Of course, for those of you who are more into discussing theories and possibilities in fantasy, or even those who would rather have a nice Kaffeeklatsch, there's plenty of oportunities to do that too! Have a look at the Program Panel and prepare yourself for a fantastic weekend!
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The General Wheel of Time Discussion forum has a creative twist on a tired topic. Instead of waxing philosophical about why they hate their least favorite characters, posters are challenged to say something nice about a character they dislike. Even if you're skeptical, try it!
The results are in, and we've already begun announcing some of the Empy Award winners. Watch this space to discover the winners, congratulate them, and read the comedic stylings of some of the award presenters.
It's time for the April Challenge in the Artists, Crafters, and Writers Guild. This month's theme is Foolishness. If you think you can create something that represents this theme, do share it with them!
The Aiel Social Group has unveiled their new Oosquai Drinking Game. The game tests your knowledge of countries and cultures. Can you hold your oosquai?
The Empy Awards aren't the only awards being handed out this week. The Shayol Ghul Social Group is in the middle of honoring its members with the Ghoulie Awards! Watch this space to see who takes home the prizes.
For those of you who haven't had much luck in our audiobook giveaways so far, you now have a chance to increase your probability of winning one! One of the other main Wheel of Time sites, TarValon.Net, is giving away audiobooks alongside their countdown reread of the series. Go here for more information.
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The final battle starts tomorrow (Monday, April 9th) at 10:00 a.m. EST. Go here to vote in the fight. Be sure to get out there and vote!
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For more JordanCon discussion, check out our forums.
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Without further ado, here are five of my favorites.
1. Wheel of Time color composition by Thadeoradicarlous:
This color study perfectly captures the intensity of the scene in The Great Hunt (Chapter 19) in which Rand sneaks into the Trolloc camp and (a bit too calmly) walks out with the Horn of Valere (As Loial says, "If you must go mad, could it at least wait until we are back with the Lady Selene and Hurin?").
I love the bold, quick style and contrasting colors of this work.
2. Perrin and Gaul by liruichen:
This artist is great at capturing action scenes from the Wheel of Time (including one of Rand filching the Horn from the Trollocs). Here's one of Perrin freeing Gaul in Remen (The Dragon Reborn, Chapter 34).
I particularly like the guy flying in sideways from the right.
3. Mat vs. Couladin by Hamdiggy:
Poor Mat just wants a kiss and cuddle. Instead, he gets dragged into a fight to the death with a False Dragon, and an Aiel clan chief to boot (The Fires of Heaven, Chapter 45). Just once, he wishes the Wheel would weave as he willed.
I'm a big fan of Hamdiggy's comic book style. The perspective on Couladin was executed perfectly here.
4. Egwene al'Vere by Joe O'Hara:
Joe will be an Attending Artist at JordanCon this year. He's also one of the hosts of Twotcast, a Wheel of Time re-read podcast. Here's his painting of Egwene taking on the Seanchan with the help of Vora's sa'angreal during the raid on the White Tower (The Gathering Storm, Chapter 40). In an age of digital painting, beautifully executed watercolors like this one really stand out.
5. Channeling by melh2o:
Moiraine Damodred, back from the dead and ready to take on a Forsaken. Or five. I just love the intensity of her pose and the way the composition is balanced.
That's all for this week! Tune in over the next couple weeks for some of my favorite (conventional and not-so-conventional!) group portraits.
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If I were to summarize this book and the others of the trilogy in one sentence, I could go with this: It is about a fledgling necromancer saving the world. At this point, I had to take a moment to digest this information. You know, because of the common misconception that necromancers are generally evil with all that raising of the dead.
Sabriel is the daughter of the Abhorsen, a necromancer who guards the Old Kingdom from any dead wishing to rise beyond their bounds. She has not grown up within the Old Kingdom, though, and is sent to boarding school in Ancelstierre, where we have all kinds of modern things like etiquette, electricity, and cars. In most fantasy novels where the Real World and magic meet, we have the one generally being unaware of the latter. Ancelstierre is more than aware of the Free magic on the loose beyond its borders while they are teaching Charter magic to the girls in the school and having specially trained border postings that are not only armed with guns, but swords and chainmail too.
After the disappearance of her father, Sabriel has to cross the wall and attempt to find him, for she believes he is in trouble. She walks in his footsteps as the Abhorsen and uses his sword and eight bells to practice magic and wade the waters of death. A cat by the name of Moggy becomes one of her companions, along with a Charter Mage named Touchstone. The speaking cat seems a bit boring, but fitting for simple teen fantasy. Nix manages to create a less boring side to it later in the story, though, and the overall ending to the book was quite a surprise to me.
Overall, this book is an easy and enjoyable read. Sabriel creates an interesting balance between reality and a magical world, with them bordering each other and tourists even visiting the border of the two. It is a great world of free magic that is really simple, yet seems very natural. Finally, all the characters are easy to understand, and readers can imagine themselves in their positions and emotional states quite easily.
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This week, the featured eBook wallpaper is for The Fires of Heaven. The artwork is by Dan Dos Santos. Here is the image:
Go here to download different sizes of the wallpaper and to read more about how this art was created. How do you like the art this week?
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This month, we will be giving away a copy of The Great Hunt. Click here for a clip from the audiobook.
This month's question is: What is your favorite scene from The Wheel of Time? You have until Wednesday, April 11th to answer in the comments section. Good luck!
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WARNING!!! Spoiler Alert!!! WARNING!!!
This blog is based on theories that will include facts and material from the latest books in the series, so if you have not read through Towers of Midnight, continue reading at your own risk! "It Works in Theory" is best enjoyed from multiple psychological perspectives within each individual. Dilution of the signal by perceiving it through only one personality or that of a relatively sane individual will only serve to diminish the strength and clarity of the signal, resulting in confusion and lack of comprehension. "It Works in Theory" assumes no responsibility for those rare cases in which the consumer actually claims that of competent and clear mental faculties.
We shall belatedly continue the "Darkfriend Appreciation (Month)" this week by examining a very peculiar character indeed, Mazrim Taim. He has long been a figure of much speculation and pondering, and he also seems to have a fairly strong role yet to play in the last book. Ever since he was first introduced into the storyline, multiple questions have constantly revolved around him. His blend of offhand casual insanity and calm calculation makes him an interesting character to theorize about because the reader always gets a sense he is plotting something rather elaborate. He also carries a good bit of power with his office, controlling a growing force of Shadow-controlled Dreadlords who will surely be very deadly in the Last Battle. Before we continue on the many ideas and questions regarding Taim, there is first one issue that we might as well go ahead and cover right out of the gate.
Taim is not Demandred. Many seem to have independently arrived at this conclusion after reading the series, and even after rereading and researching key parts. Indeed, this issue seems to have gotten almost as much attention over the years as the famous "Asmodean's Murder Mystery" spectacle got. There are many clues which seem to suggest this idea may be true, which I will get to a bit later. Nevertheless, we have had several times in which Robert Jordan himself discounted the theory:
I hope there aren't too many people out there who are disheartened by this information; I know it seemed like a perfect fit. After all, Taim is said to be extremely powerful in the One Power. He has been able to channel for far longer than most men and doesn't seem (completely) insane yet. Even his use of phrases and mannerisms seem to suggest that Taim could actually be a Forsaken, and Demandred to boot. Alas, it was not meant to be. We'll cover who Demandred's alter ego might be (or if he has one) in a future blog, but for today we can still discuss the questions concerning Taim's origins.
The easiest part to explain is Taim's ability to channel and not be completely maddened by the Taint. He is obviously a Darkfriend, and more than likely due to the strength of his power has the Dark One's protection from the Taint on saidin. Even with his protection, there are more than enough examples of Taim having little slips of insanity. His power level is somewhat irrelevant, as we've seen several Third Agers who have seemed to sprout out of nowhere with unusually powerful abilities with channeling. Interestingly enough, though, his decorum and phrasing are the most interesting aspects about the "Taimandred" theory.
Mazrim Taim seems to make some odd slips of the tongue throughout the series, and these vocal phrases and utterings have drawn a fair amount of attention from theoryheads on this and other websites. The most famous is probably the "So-called Aiel" line he drops in Lord of Chaos:
Only one other person in the series uses this same way of referring to the Aiel: Moridin.
There are other explanations for this phraseology, of course. Assuming Mazrim Taim was knowledgeable about history and translation of words from the Old Tongue, he would understand the irony in the People of the Dragon referring to themselves as Aiel. Aiel, as you may remember, means dedicated in the Old Tongue; however, the Aiel of today are no longer dedicated to the same set of morals and values that they once were. There are a couple of other important slips, though, that start to make this harder to explain away so easily.
When Taim is first learning more of how much Rand knows about channeling, he sees Rand demonstrate opening a gateway, and Rand describes what he's doing:
Yet later, Taim expresses astonishment at Rand's lack of knowledge of other channeling fundamentals:
Rand never mentioned Traveling, yet Taim obviously sees that the gateway Rand opened was used for none other than Traveling. Once again, this might be able to be explained away on its own, but together with the "So-called Aiel" comment and this last example, it really starts to become a stretch.
The last example comes from the book title of the last few quotes, an utterance that becomes both something of a motto and an order to anyone trying to further the Shadow's goals: "Let the Lord of Chaos rule." The directive is handed down to the Forsaken, and they mention it in passing several times in the span of a couple of books. Yet when the group of Red Ajah Aes Sedai from Elaida approach Taim about bonding some of his Asha'man for Warders, Taim catches both the Aes Sedai representative, Pevara, and the reader alike off-guard when he uses the phrase as well:
The other parts about this theory that interest me are Taim's choice of decor. He definitely seems to favor red and black, which Moridin also seems to favor, and the dais he uses to address the Asha'man, made of a strange black rock, seems like it might perhaps be able to trace its origin to Shayol Ghul. Even more interesting, when Pevara is first being brought into the Black Tower and is describing some of the details she notices, we catch something interesting:
There have been two other circumstances in which we have seen similar markings, and both were in adornment of something a Forsaken owned. The first was Belal's coach in The Dragon Reborn:
Then we see it again in the meeting that Nynaeve and Birgitte spy on in Tel'aran'rhiod:
There's really no easy explanation for this; the symbol is too similar to the ones used by the Forsaken to be mere coincidence. So, if Taim isn't Demandred, could he be another Forsaken? All the other clues would point to it being Moridin if he WAS one of them, but I find this highly unlikely because Taim would have to be present and active in the Black Tower affairs to keep a good eye on things, and Moridin is way too busy with other Nae'blis stuff. In all actuality, Taim is probably just Taim, not some other Forsaken's alter ego or avatar.
That still leaves some unanswered questions, however. Taim definitely seems to exhibit the habits of a channeler from the Age of Legends. I personally would be very excited if this was the case, for I have long thought that this could be the case. Perhaps he was a channeler from that Age but just wasn't infamous enough to earn the reputation that the Forsaken earned. If this was the case, though, there would need to be an explanation for where he had been the past 3,000 years. It's possible that he was Sealed in the Bore with the other Forsaken, perhaps near the surface, and stole out in time to become a false Dragon. This seems kind of unlikely, but other explanations start getting even more flimsy (he was stuck in a stasis box, or he was on another Portal World whose time moved much faster than ours). So, the Age of Legends channeler idea might be nixed.
A much simpler explanation for Taim's odd behavior and sayings would be that he is being controlled and directed by the Forsaken, and that their habits are wearing off on him. This explanation definitely seems to fit best with the whole "Let the Lord of Chaos rule" comment. Some even think Taim might be in the process of being groomed for a "new" Forsaken position, perhaps along with Alviarin (the head of the Black Ajah). This is speculated because of one scene in which a Forsaken meeting seems to have two extra chairs set out. I can see both sides to this debate: with some of the Forsaken balefired out of existence, I could see the Dark One wanting to "fill in the ranks" so as to better prepare the Shadow for the Last Battle, but I could also see the other Forsaken having a serious problem with this. They more than likely think that the less of them there are, the more power they will each get to split with one another, and I don't think they would show any mercy to a "new" Forsaken because of this.
Alright, we're several paragraphs in, have a bunch of quotes from both the series and the author himself, and we've established that Taim is not Demandred, but that he's still kind of odd. Well done so far, if I do say so myself. So the next question is, what shall be his fate in the last book? At this point, I think it's safe to say that his fate is intertwined with that of Logain's; those two have been gearing up for a showdown for quite some time. What will happen, though? At first glance, Taim seems to have a decidedly significant advantage. He has more channelers on his side, the Forsaken and other nasty foes in his corner, and also has had much more time with which to plan whatever it is he's been planning. But we know that Logain is destined for glory, so really the main query would seem to be how Logain ends up taking him down.
I actually LOVE an idea that one of my readers posted in the comments section for my blog on Logain, and in fact, I was fairly envious that I had not thought of it first:
Grifter7 was gracious enough to point out how I had forgotten to include Logain's ability to see ta'veren, and he points out a VERY good example of how this ability could become very significant. Really, I don't have much to add to his thoughts, since it really does seem like a very good possibility at this point. Great job, Grifter. It's good to see my theorizing and general prognostication are rubbing off on some of my readers (just kidding).
Don't worry, I'm not going to just leave it at that. Taim deserves a bit more, and seeing as how he is fairly loony himself, I don't mind borrowing a couple of theories from the "loony bin." Two things have always piqued my interest when discussing Taim. The first has to do with a very nefarious process we learned about early in the series when Egwene was completing her test for Accepted: the 13 x 13 trick. Just as a refresher, if 13 channelers use 13 Myrddraal to focus their channeling, they can initiate a ritual in which any channeler can be turned to the Shadow forcibly, no matter how strong the will of the channeler being converted. That's pretty nasty business. It looks like we already have evidence of it happening at the Black Tower:
One of the funny things is that although I have probably discussed 17 different ways that we could end up seeing Dark Rand 2.0 in the last book, I've never really focused on the 13x13 trick being the way that he is converted, even though it's probably one of the most feasible ways it could happen. More importantly, though, the method can be used on ANY channeler, so we could very well see someone else kidnapped and brought to the tower and be in danger of being turned to the Shadow. We all know the stage is set for a big battle scene in Caemlyn somewhere around the start of A Memory of Light. It's very easy to believe that when Elayne finds out about her city being attacked, she will want to personally Travel back there and try to restore order. Maybe we'll see her, or another major character that can channel, being carted off to the Black Tower in order to be converted to the Shadow. Even if the ritual is stopped before fruition, it would definitely help add a good bit of tension to whatever rescue operation ends up going down.
The second "out there" idea that I've always kind of focused on in my research has to do with something that Taim brought to Rand in their original meeting. He brought Rand one of the Seals to the Dark One's prison, claiming to have been given it by a random farmer on a trek back from Saldaea. Aside from how sketchy Taim's story is for where he got it, we first would have to wonder why a Darkfriend, one as high up as Taim, would be fine handing over a Seal to Rand. We know that several attempts have been made by those controlled by the Shadow to recover the other Seals Rand has in his possession, so it's obvious the Shadow has some small desire to get those back. One obvious motive for Taim could have been to try and earn Rand's trust by giving him such a token, and this actually kind of works to some extent. But this seems like a small reward for giving away one of the keys to Rand defeating the Dark One at Tarmon Gai'don.
Then I read something from one of our discussion threads in the Wheel of Time discussion forums. In this post, one of our intuitive readers suggests that the Seal Taim gave Rand is actually a fake, and that this is part of a semi-elaborate ruse on Taim's part to try and help undermine Rand's attempt to fight the Dark One. Basically, the theory goes that Rand has to "clear away the rubble"--that is, he has to destroy all the Seals on the Dark One's prison so that he can perhaps construct a new prison for the Dark One. However, Rand already knows that with every Seal that he destroys, the Dark One gains that much influence on Randland. And he also believes that to do it right he has to destroy the Seals at Shayol Ghul, which just so happens to be the strongest area of the Dark One's power.
What if Rand gets there, prepared to destroy the Seals and remake the Dark One's prison, only to realize at the last second he has only destroyed six of the seven Seals? Unable to continue his plan, he would suddenly be at the complete mercy of Shai'tan, and would have only a single moment to curse Mazrim Taim's name before being consumed by Darkness. A scramble would ensue, not only to try and keep Dark Rand 2.0 from terrorizing the countryside, but also to find the last Seal pronto so that Rand's plan can be finished. I, for one, find it to be a completely evil idea and a very interesting possibility indeed.
Well, that's all for this week. I hope you enjoyed reading today's blog, and I'll try my best to keep getting these out to you with somewhat more regularity. As always, let me know what you think in the comments section, and be on the lookout for the last "Darkfriend Appreciation Blog", which will focus on a very interesting Darkfriend indeed! Adios!
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