-Rand seems pretty mad in this book, what with all the talking to LTT (and doing it aloud at times, too!). Maybe this is just hindsight, but I'm surprised that people (myself included, for a long time) believed he was still sane for so long... and some still do. It was very interesting to see him from different perspectives here.
People believe because they want to believe, and because Rand didn't feel he was mad. (There are not very many PoVs from another character seeing Rand.) People have a large tendency, and I know I am channeling Canolli here, to fall into a PoV trap. I always felt that LTT was a symptom of Rand's madness. What surprised me in KoD was how close to the edge he actually may be.
Speaking of which, Taim's behaviour really surprised me, especially when he seemed concerned over Rand in that one LTT scene. I can't see him as a Darkfriend here - in fact, after this re-read, the theory that he turned later seems increasingly likely. I can even understand his motives for it now: not only is he the Number Two now (and Rand certainly doesn't treat him as an equal), he's seen a lot of evidence that Rand is not sane at all. What hope is there for the world if the Dragon Reborn has gone mad already? Not that it IS the reason, but it's made me think.
In my opinion people disregard that scene with Taim too much. It is hard to see Taim as a darkfriend here. Perhaps, like Ingtar he wasn't fully drawn in yet, though. Perhaps, he is a dupe. Perhaps he finally cracked from madness.
-Gawyn took a hit in my books near the end of LoC, when Rand thought about how he'd wanted to see Gawyn because he liked the guy. And then Gawyn said something about wanting to kill him after Dumai's Wells. Er. Wow. It was kind of sad to see those different perceptions... how Rand wants to be his friend and... the rumours... Stupid Gawyn. :<
That was a very sad scene.
-Mat and Elayne would have made a very interesting couple. I like Tuon, but Elayne would've been cool, too. (Hey, Mat thinks she's pretty.) Same goes for Min and Gawyn. Not just because their brains are the size of chickens', but their interactions just make me think it'd be so much better than the romances that pop out of nowhere for both of them.
Your the first person that I have found to share that opinion about Mat and Elayne. Their 'battle' in LoC and CoS and their subsequent 'make up' is right out of a classic love story. I have always been a sucker for those types of stories so I find their little arguments to be some of the funnier parts of the story.
-...Oh yeah, I actually began to dislike Mat thanks to a certain scene in Salidar. His arrogance and ignorance were astounding: thinking the girls would need rescuing (and while they have in the past, it's just as wrong of him to think of them as being so inferior as it is of the girls to think of men that way), and would be grateful for it; ignoring their protests and status because he didn't believe it could be possible, and then somehow never really apologizing or changing his mind when proven otherwise. People blame other characters (mostly the Wondergirls) for this sort of thing all the time, yet at least when they realise they've done something like that they become ashamed (and act even worse to cover it up, but they are aware of it). Mat never seems to even realise that he's WRONG (he still thinks Aviendha wants to kill Elayne on the way to Ebou Dar?!)! That was horrible behaviour on his part.
I agree somewhat with the sentiment about Mat. I think we should have some tolerance, though. (In the same way I think we should have some tolerance for Elayne thinking that Mat is a lout. Who wouldn't after the way he acted.) Mat is just misguided and wrong on this issue. He eventually learns from his mistake and makes up for it and then some.
-Min is a worthless, annoying... I'm not sure if I can use those words here. I'm surprised that she can act even more immaturely than women ten years younger than she is (like Faile, for example). Does she really have no life except for Rand? And for all that the other girls get embarrassed over being "forward", how many have plunked themselves down on their man's lap... and continued to do this while he has GUESTS? I'm finding it hard to describe her behaviour through my disbelief. Maybe I've skimmed through one too many of Cannoli's Egwene-hate posts, but I find myself starting to blame her for an awful lot of things. Would Dumai's Wells have happened if she hadn't been communicating with Rand about the Aes Sedai (thirteen in Caemlyn scared him off, even though they apparently weren't intending to harm him in the same way - she caused her vision to be fulfilled!), about her vision that Aes Sedai would hurt him, or if she hadn't gone out walking in the TAS camp and caused him to become enraged and hurt them BOTH - and Erian's Warders, at that... And the Tower coup... Someone write essays on this woman, please. 
I don't have too much trouble with Min in LoC. Rand needs her there to keep him human. She is extremely politically unaware and a liability, in that way. But that doesn't show too much in LoC.
-Faile had books of being decent until she decided not to tell Perrin what was really upsetting her. Wonderful.
I have a lot more sympathy for Faile then I have for Perrin. He abandoned his wife to go hunting all day for a long time then expected her to be all loving when he suddenly decided to be with her all the time. I should mention that Perrin hasn't been exactly open about his motives either.
-Final thought: Elayne and Min both annoyed me immensely when it came to the topic of Rand and the other women. Elayne actually wanted to use the knife on Aviendha! Her possessiveness is insane - I can understand being dissatisfied with other women in his life, but not only are these her friends, she goes beyond that and actually wants to do violence! She also thought something about ensuring Rand would obey her when she bonded him (and as her Warder alone, I might add - I'm happy that I can look ahead and see how she changed her mind), which struck me as ridiculous... as much as I like and defend the Wondergirls, they do occasionally say or think some crazy things. Min didn't react that badly, but she still made me roll my eyes. She's known from the beginning that other women will love him, and she still gets jealous and annoyed when he talks about them? But then, anything Min thinks, says or does with regards to Rand is annoying...
Elayne's scene with Aviendha is one of my favorite in LoC if not in the series. She does have a fierce jealousy about Rand, but she also recognizes her friendship for Aviendha. In the end, she not only suppresses her jealousy but starts her and Aviendha on the path to becoming first sisters. It is Elayne's concern even love for Aviendha that shines through in this scene, at least for me.
I know if it was me and a good friend told me that he slept with my girlfriend and asked me to punish him for it, I would hope that I wouldn't actually go through with it. But I also have no doubt that I would be tempted.
I didn't take Elayne's thought about having Rand take an oath of obedience too seriously. I think that is another case when someone thinks about doing something that they never actually intend to do.
-Finally, one part of Dumai's Wells really had an effect on me. It was almost heartbreaking to see the Asha'man destroy the Shaido so completely, in such a brutal manner, even as some of the heroes are unable to view the scene without becoming sick. They've become desensitized in such a short period of time; what happened in their training to do this - how did it happen? Just from making rocks explode?
I apologize for the extremely long and rambling post of unrelated thoughts and the Min-hate. Anyone disagree? I love seeing the variety of informed opinions expressed on wotmania and now RAFO!
I apologize for the extremely long and rambling post of unrelated thoughts and the Min-hate.
Anyone disagree? I love seeing the variety of informed opinions expressed on wotmania and now RAFO!I am not too much of a fan of Min, but as I stated above, she does help to keep Rand sane. Just as important she does love Rand. I wish she would become more aware of her surroundings, but that isn't reason enough for me to dislike her, though.
RabidWombat
Thoughts on LoC
- 07/10/2009 07:05:30 AM
1244 Views
Re: Thoughts on LoC
- 07/10/2009 06:35:46 PM
1309 Views
Re: Thoughts on LoC
- 07/10/2009 08:44:29 PM
783 Views
Read the passage when Rand asks Mat to go to Salidar again.
- 07/10/2009 10:02:31 PM
711 Views
Random comments
- 08/10/2009 05:25:19 AM
769 Views