In every story, an author decides things are going to happen. The events may SEEM realistic, or natural, but in the end it's all because the author said "this is going to happen."
Good authors are the ones who mask this, and make everything seem to flow naturally.
Now, RJ does that. Things do flow naturally, usually. But sometimes, almost as if to lampshade the phenomenon, ta'veren-ness happens obviously.
Good authors are the ones who mask this, and make everything seem to flow naturally.
Now, RJ does that. Things do flow naturally, usually. But sometimes, almost as if to lampshade the phenomenon, ta'veren-ness happens obviously.
There are stories where, for example, the ideal situation never comes about even though all readers wish they were to happen, because they don't make sense. Thus, there is no destiny or fate, but physical, emotional and intellectual distances which have force and power (this is partially why so much fanfiction is occupied with achieving fanservice by making the events as perfect as possible - many authors choose to leave things incomplete because that is the nature of life).
I don't believe in destiny, though I do believe in luck and happenstance, but the idea of t'a'veren souls and the Pattern is the worst combination of both added to fate making a rather unwieldy whole.
This is what puts WoT firmly into the realm of an entertaining and well-told fairy story versus something more meaningful.
IE: "Why do I love Rand? Because I was meant to love him. Why must I share him with three other women? Well, Min's visions said I would share him with three other women."
That being said, I just saw an advertisement for "The Gathering Storm" on the SyFy channel (I liked Sci Fi Channel better as a logo, but whatever).
"Those who think they have no time for bodily exercise will sooner or later have to find time for illness."
This message last edited by RugbyPlayingAshaman on 30/10/2009 at 11:18:08 PM
I love how ta'veren = main character
- 30/10/2009 07:51:19 PM
864 Views
I've always thought that was one of RJ's best ideas
- 30/10/2009 07:55:19 PM
540 Views
Re: I've always thought that was one of RJ's best ideas
- 30/10/2009 07:57:59 PM
541 Views
I don't like this. It reeks of 'deus ex machina' and makes things too convenient. *NM*
- 30/10/2009 09:38:39 PM
175 Views
Eh. Technically, EVERY fictional story has this.
- 30/10/2009 09:56:50 PM
444 Views
I disagree.
- 30/10/2009 11:16:23 PM
442 Views