Post by Tim on Jul 7, 2009 11:19:05 GMT -6
*Note: The books been out for so dang long spoiler warnings are kinda moot, but if you haven't read and don't want to know, what are you doing reading a WoT discussion board...*end Note*
So as many of you may know, I'm currently rereading the series in prep for The Gathering Storm. I'm just about done with The Fires of Heaven (40 odd pages left. Mo's dead and Rand's prepping to go to Caemlyn).
Normally, I aways look back at this book as kinda slow compared to some of the others, with not much really happening in the first half or so of the book. Really, everyone is just traveling: Rand & co from the Waste after the Shaido, Suian & co to Salidar, and Nynaeve & co to... not Tanchico. Yeah, we learn a lot about the characters and the groundwork is laid for LOTS of stuff (usually the kind of stuff I love), but there's little action to break things up and a lot of the focus is on characters who (at this point in the series) I find kinda annoying. Rand is starting to become hard and cold, and pretty much all the girls in this book are kinda annoying (save Mo, who finally shines, and to a lesser extent Egwene, who is turning into the Amyrlin Egwene I like to read). Mat starts to come into his own too, and while he's always been fun to read, he becomes much more interesting.
Then all of the sudden everything picks up: Birgette gets ripped out of TAR, Nynaeve inadvertantly starts a war over a boat, the Far Snows with Rand and Avi, the battle with the Shaido, Lanfear at the docks, Rand & co's surprise (even to me as a reader the first time through with everything pointing at Sammael), and another Nyn had another confrontation with Moggy. That's a lot of stuff!
I think with slow start, I always forget how much actually does happen this book. Part of me says the slow start (and lack of Perrin, who's my favorite, especially in the early books) stops this book from being the best for me, but really I think the slow build only enhances everything that does happen while you're reading the book.
The other thing that amazes me not that I think about it is how huge a blow the Shadow gets dealt in the last few chapters. Two of the most powerful remaining Forsaken, Lanfear and Rahvin, die. This also completely botches Sammael and Grendal's plans to take care of Rand. Moggy gets captured and is forced to teach the girls tricks from the AoL (which will be useful against the Shadow later on). Asmo dies too, though really that's more a loss to the Light at this point. The Aiel (save the Shaido) also firmly line up behind Rand in this book, and Suian ensures that the Rebels don't return to the Tower, which prevents the Black Ajah/Mesaana from indirectly controlling all Aes Sedai through Elaida. Really, the only Forsaken not affected by the events in this book are Demandred (who we don't exactly know what he's up to) and Semi (who if anything will benefit from the turmoil in Amador). Granted, this is all necessary to keep things balanced since next book will see the return of 4 'dead' Forsaken...
Not sure what my point was here. Just kinda rambling in my head and decided to put it on 'paper'. Feel free to add any comments you wish.
So as many of you may know, I'm currently rereading the series in prep for The Gathering Storm. I'm just about done with The Fires of Heaven (40 odd pages left. Mo's dead and Rand's prepping to go to Caemlyn).
Normally, I aways look back at this book as kinda slow compared to some of the others, with not much really happening in the first half or so of the book. Really, everyone is just traveling: Rand & co from the Waste after the Shaido, Suian & co to Salidar, and Nynaeve & co to... not Tanchico. Yeah, we learn a lot about the characters and the groundwork is laid for LOTS of stuff (usually the kind of stuff I love), but there's little action to break things up and a lot of the focus is on characters who (at this point in the series) I find kinda annoying. Rand is starting to become hard and cold, and pretty much all the girls in this book are kinda annoying (save Mo, who finally shines, and to a lesser extent Egwene, who is turning into the Amyrlin Egwene I like to read). Mat starts to come into his own too, and while he's always been fun to read, he becomes much more interesting.
Then all of the sudden everything picks up: Birgette gets ripped out of TAR, Nynaeve inadvertantly starts a war over a boat, the Far Snows with Rand and Avi, the battle with the Shaido, Lanfear at the docks, Rand & co's surprise (even to me as a reader the first time through with everything pointing at Sammael), and another Nyn had another confrontation with Moggy. That's a lot of stuff!
I think with slow start, I always forget how much actually does happen this book. Part of me says the slow start (and lack of Perrin, who's my favorite, especially in the early books) stops this book from being the best for me, but really I think the slow build only enhances everything that does happen while you're reading the book.
The other thing that amazes me not that I think about it is how huge a blow the Shadow gets dealt in the last few chapters. Two of the most powerful remaining Forsaken, Lanfear and Rahvin, die. This also completely botches Sammael and Grendal's plans to take care of Rand. Moggy gets captured and is forced to teach the girls tricks from the AoL (which will be useful against the Shadow later on). Asmo dies too, though really that's more a loss to the Light at this point. The Aiel (save the Shaido) also firmly line up behind Rand in this book, and Suian ensures that the Rebels don't return to the Tower, which prevents the Black Ajah/Mesaana from indirectly controlling all Aes Sedai through Elaida. Really, the only Forsaken not affected by the events in this book are Demandred (who we don't exactly know what he's up to) and Semi (who if anything will benefit from the turmoil in Amador). Granted, this is all necessary to keep things balanced since next book will see the return of 4 'dead' Forsaken...
Not sure what my point was here. Just kinda rambling in my head and decided to put it on 'paper'. Feel free to add any comments you wish.