Book 4 and 5 of The Wheel of Time
May. 5th, 2013 12:55 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
lapassantjuristeI seem to have been neglecting my Dreamwidth of late, and so I shall rectify this my rambling about Wheel of Time.
My progress in this series continues to surprise me, because I never believed I would finish 5 books, of it let alone be so thirsty for more, but I have and I am, the only down side of which is I still have to find the place for 9 more rather large books /sigh
The Shadow Rising really surprised me with the sheer amount of progress into the plot, because with a series this large, one really cannot expect so much to happen during the span of one book, but it does, and it was brilliant, especially the chapter which gives the origin story for the Aiel, and also gives a glimpse of what the Age of Legends was like and the creation of the Bore.
As for Rand, when he sets his mind to something he really does not hold back. He's decided to be the Dragon Reborn, and so he has become that man who spoke back to the Amyrlin Seat, and he’s handling the High Lords of Tear, and Moiraine, like he’s been doing so all his life. Not to mention the way he deals with Fosaken, and the fat that he's ready to use them to his advantage rather than kill them on sight is really a mark of how much he has grown as a character. That's not to say that he's not still Rand because he still doesn't quite know how to deal with women and is rather confused about them and still blushes too much around them, as some things just don't change overnight.
It also good to see Mat and Perrin get some development as well, rather than just being the Dragon's friends, Perrin especially! I don't quite see the significance of Mat's having all these memories of dead general's in his head, other than it will help Rand conquer all who oppose him, but its still early in the series and if what Mat learned in that gateway was true he has a big role to play in the future.
I really did not think that it would be Gawyn who sided with Elaida during the White Tower schism, it just seems like something Galad would do, but he did, and he killed Hammar and Coulin as well because they sided with Siuan!
But it really does amuse me that Rand's ancestor was actually Lanfear's servant.
And I don't know what in the name of the light Slayer-Isam-Luc is, but I am very afraid.
If I thought that The Shadow Rising advanced the plot by leaps and bounds The Fires of Heaven takes it a step further! So much happens in this book, that I really wonder what's left in the rest of them?
Its good to see Rand still unable to deal with naked women, even one he has slept with, because as brilliant as Dragon Reborn Rand is, its the one part of him that’s still the same, and not yet affected by the taint. Speaking of which, while the progression of the madness is rather slow, all things considered, at this rate he will not reach Tarmon Gai’don with his sanity intact, let alone as Rand Al’Tor, but since the series is complete and all I do wonder how they manged to do it?
Its a real pleasure watching Mat be a General, and I wish there was more of it, or rather I wish there had been a proper battle scene between him and Couladin. I guess that since Perrin got so much coverage in the last book he got left out of this one, which is sad.
It was very amusing seeing Nyneave complain about how Elayne had a sharp tongue! But she really has grown as a character since she first appeared, both her and Egwene, who I can finally say doesn’t irritate me whenever she appears. And I don’t think Moiraine is really dead, she seems too important a character to be offed for good this early.
My progress in this series continues to surprise me, because I never believed I would finish 5 books, of it let alone be so thirsty for more, but I have and I am, the only down side of which is I still have to find the place for 9 more rather large books /sigh
The Shadow Rising really surprised me with the sheer amount of progress into the plot, because with a series this large, one really cannot expect so much to happen during the span of one book, but it does, and it was brilliant, especially the chapter which gives the origin story for the Aiel, and also gives a glimpse of what the Age of Legends was like and the creation of the Bore.
As for Rand, when he sets his mind to something he really does not hold back. He's decided to be the Dragon Reborn, and so he has become that man who spoke back to the Amyrlin Seat, and he’s handling the High Lords of Tear, and Moiraine, like he’s been doing so all his life. Not to mention the way he deals with Fosaken, and the fat that he's ready to use them to his advantage rather than kill them on sight is really a mark of how much he has grown as a character. That's not to say that he's not still Rand because he still doesn't quite know how to deal with women and is rather confused about them and still blushes too much around them, as some things just don't change overnight.
It also good to see Mat and Perrin get some development as well, rather than just being the Dragon's friends, Perrin especially! I don't quite see the significance of Mat's having all these memories of dead general's in his head, other than it will help Rand conquer all who oppose him, but its still early in the series and if what Mat learned in that gateway was true he has a big role to play in the future.
I really did not think that it would be Gawyn who sided with Elaida during the White Tower schism, it just seems like something Galad would do, but he did, and he killed Hammar and Coulin as well because they sided with Siuan!
But it really does amuse me that Rand's ancestor was actually Lanfear's servant.
And I don't know what in the name of the light Slayer-Isam-Luc is, but I am very afraid.
If I thought that The Shadow Rising advanced the plot by leaps and bounds The Fires of Heaven takes it a step further! So much happens in this book, that I really wonder what's left in the rest of them?
Its good to see Rand still unable to deal with naked women, even one he has slept with, because as brilliant as Dragon Reborn Rand is, its the one part of him that’s still the same, and not yet affected by the taint. Speaking of which, while the progression of the madness is rather slow, all things considered, at this rate he will not reach Tarmon Gai’don with his sanity intact, let alone as Rand Al’Tor, but since the series is complete and all I do wonder how they manged to do it?
Its a real pleasure watching Mat be a General, and I wish there was more of it, or rather I wish there had been a proper battle scene between him and Couladin. I guess that since Perrin got so much coverage in the last book he got left out of this one, which is sad.
It was very amusing seeing Nyneave complain about how Elayne had a sharp tongue! But she really has grown as a character since she first appeared, both her and Egwene, who I can finally say doesn’t irritate me whenever she appears. And I don’t think Moiraine is really dead, she seems too important a character to be offed for good this early.
I absolutely love Brigitte! she has only just appeared and has already become one of my favorite characters. Hopefully since she's now Elayne's Warder she'll be around for a long time.
