Wheel of Time, Books 7 & 8, Kat's Extreme Readers' Digest, The Irreverent Edition

[kat_lair]

***

As the Re/Read Book Club over at tar_valon progresses, I've been doing summaries of questionable taste and accuracy. I'm just cross-posting them here for posterity, 2 books worth at a time.

Previously:

Book 1: The Eye of The World

Book 2: The Great Hunt

Book 3. The Dragon Reborn

Book 4. The Shadow Rising

Book 5. The Fires of Heaven

Book 6. Lord of Chaos

Now:
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Book 7: A Crown of Swords, Kat's Extreme Readers' Digest, The Irreverent Edition

And we’re off with prologue that is essentially ‘Meanwhile, Elsewhere’ as we catch up with what the various other characters and factions were up to during the Battle of Dumai’s Wells. Let’s see… In Tar Valon, Elaida is building herself a palace in a classic tyrant move whilst still struggling to actually grab the whole Tower in her fist as Alviarin and others test their limits. We learn about White Tower’s revisionist history and that Elaida has a spy in Salidar. She drops us another Foretelling, suggesting Egwene is about to be Pissed at Rand in a none too distant future, although Elaida doesn’t quite see it like that. Over in Dumai’s Wells, Sevanna and Shaido are not having a good day. We do learn that she ordered Desaine killed to blame it on Aes Sedai, still harbours ambitions to marry Rand and despite losing the battle she has a Forsaken-branded ace in her sleeve yet. In the White Tower, Mesaana gets Alviarin on her knees and calls her a good girl. I mean, some plot relevant stuff probably also happened but ngl those were my main takes from that scene. In Amadica, Morgase is still trying to soften Pedron Niall though with little success. Not that it matters, considering Niall gets promptly assassinated by Omerna, though the fool man is but the knife wielded by Valda (who promptly cries treason and kills him) and Asunawa, though both fail to notice a rather important message. Gawyn, the young idiot, is still failing to think too much past how much he loves Egwene and hates Rand.

We switch to the main camp and Perrin’s pov, which is very welcome indeed. The naked gai’shain are causing some consternation among the non-Aiel, but it’s nothing compared to the deeper dynamics and conflicts at play that threaten to break the tremulous alliance up before it’s really even begun. The captured Aes Sedai are kept on a very tight lease indeed and the ones that helped not on much looser. Aram suggests casual murder as a way to solve the problem but that’s Perrin’s line which he draws on the sand in front of Rand later on as well. Perrin faces the ugly aftermath of the battle, full of graves and carrion birds feeding on the remains too torn to bury, full of leader’s guilt. It’s the dead wolves that get to me the most, and Perrin too. He’s not alone with the guilt though and we get heart-wrenching flashback of Perrin encountering Rand in the midst of his grief, reciting the names of dead Maidens. Kiruna and co do themselves no favours with their attitude, especially after deliberately changing the plans and getting people killed in order to be able to fight. There’s a bit of a palaver with everyone whose anyone around Rand, from Mazrim Taim and his Asha’man to the Aiel Wise Ones and representatives of the various groups within the patchwork army. Meanwhile, it seems that Perrin can sort of smell Lews within Rand which is an interesting touch. Everyone has opinions and one might say Rand even listens to them for a bit before putting his foot down. Wise Ones are to take charge of the Aes Sedai and I get his attitude but Rand is being an arse. He consents to healing, from Alanna, and accepts a few of Asha’man as guards of sorts but sends Taim and the rest away. Eventually, everyone decamps back to Cairhien through a very convenient Gateway.

Arriving in the outskirts of Cairhien gives them the advantage of news via a Wise One scout in waiting. The news isn’t great: rumours that Rand has become a White Tower puppet and abandoned the Aiel and Cairhien both are as rife as the bubbles of evil, the rebels are getting ballsy, there’s more Aes Sedai in town and Colavaere has gotten herself crowned as the queen. Rand takes the news in his stride, Kiruna puts her foot in it once more, and Perrin gets entirely side-tracked by need to go check that Faile is safe. Effects of the evil climate change have intensified. Loial pines for Erith (that literally changed so fast and yet again we have this ‘love at first sight and barely any interaction thing’ that my slow burn loving heart cannot comprehend). In Cairhien coronation celebration are in full swing although the poor have been put outside the city walls. Rand, Perrin and a small entourage gain entry to the Sun Palace easy enough thanks to some Asha’man assistance and the sheer force of Rand’s presence. They encounter one of the new Aiel imitation Cairhien societies, and Faile is revealed to be one Colavaere’s ladies in waiting.

Rand marches right into the throne room, ready to serve up justice, while the gathered nobles collectively piss their pants in fear. Colavaere tries to argue that she kept Rand’s rules, but it’s no good when he just plucks the crown from her head, breaks it and makes it anew in seconds and puts it carefully aside for Elayne. She gets no help from Berelain’s Aes Sedai advisor, nor is her position strengthened by well evidenced accusations of murder. Faile, who was keeping close to the enemy, also delivers some home truths. In an effort to avoid killing another woman and Min’s viewing, Rand strips Colavaere of her titles and lands, save for one small farm where he exiles her to, though we all know how that’s going to turn out. That sorted, Perrin finally has a chance reunite with his wife, who had been worried that he and Rand had indeed become Aes Sedai puppets. Some of the jealousy gets resolved with communication and smooching, though Perrin is less than happy about all the spying Faile is doing on account of the danger it puts her in. Rand cockblocks them briefly by showing up to check if Perrin really doesn’t want to go head the army against Illian, deliver some choice words about how little he can promise and how he’ll have use for Perrin elsewhere, but luckily Faile isn’t that easily derailed and they get some quality conjugal time. Let’s hope this tedious jealousy subplot is now forgotten.

POV switch drops us into Rand’s dark and brooding thoughts about how used to the saidin’s taint he’d become, how he could use people, how ‘to trust was to be betrayed; trust was pain’. I am still assuming that the final victory will be secured through power of love and trust ala Fifth Element, because I’m starting to miss soft boi Rand. What we have at the moment though is someone with stuffed-in-a-box-and-regularly-beaten PTSD and a voice of a dead man in his head (‘his only friend in that chest’) so that’s where we at. Rand gateways to Caemlyn with a small entourage of Maidens and Asha’man bodyguards. Disguised as a prisoner (because getting one’s hands tied up is such a good idea for someone with captivity related PTSD, Rand you are making such shitty self-care decisions rn) they sneak in to see the Basheres and various Aiel leaders and their spouses. A tense strategy meeting/catch-up/gossip session follows. Everyone is still wary of Aes Sedai especially now that the official White Tower has gotten so fully slapped down by Rand, and yet more sisters are gathering here, there and everywhere. Mat is earmarked to lead the army against Illian. Dyelin has been guarding the Lion Throne for Elayne with extreme prejudice. Rand is dropping his Asha’man in every city/army ruler he has in his pocket, presumably for speed of communication but it’s also a clear mirror of Aes Sedai advisors.

Elsewhere, Egwene is dealing with the logistics of feeding, clothing and paying an army on a march toward Tar Valon, not helped by the internal Aes Sedai politics. She has, at least, managed to ensure all reports pass her eyes, especially the ones others deem ‘insignificant’. She’s also, much to her consternation, gathered two extra maids on top of the motherly Chesa, one picked by Romanda and another by Lelaine, and very likely reporting to them too. Being a figurehead is hard especially when you’re trying to hide the fact that you’re much more than that. No one wants to talk about Black Ajah, though some have rather extreme suggestions on how to root them out. We get Moghedien’s disappearance from Egwene’s pov as the connection through the a’dam is suddenly gone and she runs off to find an empty tent. She comes to the right conclusion that one of the other Forsaken is behind it, but that’s as far as it goes. Aran’gar, whilst in female body, is still channelling saidin, and if this isn’t a chapter on its own for a thesis on ‘gender essentialism in WoT’ then I don’t know what is. Anyway, Egwene summons Siuan (still in denial about being in love with Bryne) and Leane (who has swapped Ajahs to Green) and sends them off to find what they can about Moghedien’s disappearance, although they rope Faolain and Theordrin to do the footwork.

Egwene goes off for a walk to clear her head and contemplates on the burden of leadership, using gateways and skimming to keep communication up with Salidar, the lack of news from Merana’s embassy to Rand, and the unfairness of not being allowed to put herself at ‘unnecessary’ risk due to Tower law being rather keen on keeping the Amyrlin alive and well, and therefore can’t just pop over to have a chat with Rand to sort things out. The walk ends with a blackmail attempt by Nicole and Areina who overheard Juilin and Thom talking about Elayne and Nynaeve pretending to be full sisters, though that backfires spectacularly when Egwene gives them a dressing down of their lives. She’s getting good at that and I’m here for it.

After suffering through being put to bed by one of her maids, Egwene pops into Tel’aran’rhiod to leave a dream update of events for Nynaeve and Elayne, narrowly avoids the temptation of going to have some dream nookie with her man, and instead has a palaver with the Wise Ones. She finally tells them about being the Amyrlin, but when she makes her loyalties to the Aes Sedai clear in saying that while they will aid Rand, she won’t bring them to kneel for him, the Wise Ones choose not to tell that that’s exactly what the Aes Sedai close to Rand have now done. There is also a jumble of prophetic dreams about the various characters that give us some tantalizing glimpses (personal faves: the hawk is linked to Egwene somehow as well, Mat seizing firework which will cause a lot of death [will he discover gunpowder?]). The morning brings Theodrin and Faolain who report that Halima (Aran’gar) was seen around Moghedien’s tent, but more importantly prove themselves clever enough to see why Egwene was raised as Amyrlin in the first place, and loyal to the office even if they have doubts about Egwene’s success in it. In an unprecedent move both swear a strong oath of loyalty to her, complete with kneeling and ring kissing, and wow, if it isn’t one of my favourite tropes come to slap me in the face (I am weak for this shit, weak and horny). After they leave with Egwene’s instructions, Siuan comes in, mad about the Blue’s eyes-and-ears having returned and trying to muscle in on her spy network. Myrelle tries to sneak past but to no avail as Egwene collars her for a Little Word regarding the whole ‘spies in Tar Valon’ plot. To make the party complete, Bryne also shows up with news that there’s something Egwene should see. Romanda and Lelaine try to delay them with their competing ‘let’s start a witch hunt for Black Ajah’ plans but Egwene leaves them bickering.

Off they ride whilst discussing how Mat’s Band of the Red Hand had swollen its ranks to 10k even in Mat’s absence. First discovery of the morning is merchant’s wagons and the rumours they carry that Rand has gone to Tar Valon to kneel at Elaida’s feet, but of course Egwene can set that to rest quickly enough, gaining Bryne’s allyship in the process. The second stopping point is the secret camp where Myrelle and co have been hiding Lan. Not that Siuan and Egwene know exactly that but they sure do make it seem like they do which is enough for Myrelle to lead them right in and to crush any protests. Myrelle and Nisao had the best intentions of course in saving Lan, and absolutely planned on giving him to Nynaeve like Moiraine had wanted. Of course passing the bond without the Warder’s consent is equivalent to rape, especially as it seems there’s sex involved in the ‘healing’ process. Egwene sends Lan to Nynaeve in Ebou Dar via a Gateway, although it’s clear he still doesn’t think he deserves her and is only going to protect her and is also probably not going to mention anything about the bond being meant for her. Areina and Nicola had been blackmailing them too for extra lessons, which also comes to an abrupt and painful end. Egwene demands another oath of fealty from Nisao and Myrelle in exchange for protecting them against the punishment they’d receive if the Hall knew of their actions with Lan, and gets it. Back in the camp, there are complex politics waiting for her, and Halima, ready to soothe Egwene’s headaches. Her worming her way close to Egwene is worrying of course and we can assume that she’s perhaps causing the headaches to begin with.

In Ebou Dar, Aviendha is contemplating on how close she is growing with Elayne, sharing secrets and their bodies in the dark. They and Nynaeve and Birgitte are off to strike a bargain with the Sea Folk though they are also realising the potential of using Mat’s ta’veren powers to aid in the search of the weather bowl. Aviendha does not cope well with open water or ships and none of them cope well with the hard bargain the Sea Folk strike in exchange of providing women who can use OP to help find and operate what is finally named the Bowl of Winds, something the Sea Folk already knew about and were missing. That they are aiding their Coramoor goes without saying. There is some hilarious cultural exchange as Aiel seem to believe the Sea Folk eat their dead, and the Sea Folk think Aiel are very into bondage, and honestly, valid.

Back on dry land, Mat is taking in the atmosphere at a horse race, betting on Olver to win with the surety of someone who knows his horses and when the luck is in. Juilin brings news of the women’s whereabouts and Mat is less than happy about not being able to keep them under guard and safe. He spots a familiar face in the crowd and eventually pieces together enough of his soup of memories to realise it’s the same Dark Friend who once tried to kill Rand and him in the barn when Rand was suffering from post-channelling fever and they were cradling each other in the hay. He follows her through the city, accidentally buys a signet ring of a fox which I assume is maybe going to be significant, and sees her enter the residence of one Jaichim Carridin, Whitecloak Ambassador. Little sus. There’s also an encounter with an old man who we’re also going to assume will turn out to be important. Everything is sus.

Carridin has been busy plunging nations into blood and chaos ala Niall’s plan but has absolutely failed to deliver on his Dark Friend duties and thus been losing family members left, right and centre. There is some DF political tensions between him and the assassin woman Skane. He spots Mat and gets an intense flashback to that one time the Dark Lord mindfucked everyone with the images of the three ta’veren. Sammael pops in for a word, demanding that Carridin finds the objects of the power lying about in the city post haste and he’ll send someone to deal with the Aes Sedai hampering the search. Despite Sammael’s command, Carridin sends Skane after Mat. He, however, is already at the Tarasin Palace, determined to track down Elayne and Nynaeve in order to warn them about the DFs in town. After being passed from servant to servant and been fought over by Aes Sedai across both factions like a juicy bone and doing his usual ‘no one is allowed to bad mouth my people except me’ when they’re less than respectful of Elayne and Nynaeve (it is very sexy of him ngl), he’s finally deposited in front of the Queen Tylin. After producing writing implements for Mat’s message, she makes some sexual advances that Mat has conflicted feelings about, and then foists her son Prince Beslan on him for the festivities. Back in the Wandering Woman tavern, Mat gives orders to his men before almost getting killed by some other men lying in wait for him in the room opposite but in true Mat style knifes them very dead instead. There’s a warning left for Elayne and Nynaeve.

In the palace, Joline (one of Elaida’s Aes Sedai retinue) is starting to have some doubts about Elaida’s leadership potential, and she and Teslyn seem to be playing some kind of passive aggressive game with her, not sharing the news as readily as they should. There’s a brief torture porn interlude with the Black Ajah who bicker about whether or not Moghedien has forgotten about them and if they should still try to find the objects of power as instructed. There’s also an even briefer section from what I understand is the pov of the old man Mat encountered, who seems to have an agenda of his own and a somewhat muddled head. Who he?

Back in Cairhien, Rand is making Merana Sedai serve him and the clan chiefs tea like a maid just to prove a point. Aes Sedai had capitulated, taking a page from Moiraine’s book in hopes of Rand letting them help him. And I get it but I hate it and he’s being an arsehole about it. There is much talk about what to do with the Shaido, the bleakness and whether or not they were all going to die, while Jordan still fails to give me an example of a poly group with two husbands which really annoys me. Like could he dislodge the rod of patriarchy from his ass just enough to throw in one sentence? Apparently not. We do get a name check of the book title ‘Crown of Swords’ from a prophecy Rand quotes about himself wearing one. After the clan chiefs leave, Berelain and Annoura enter, Berelain furious about Rand sending her back to Mayene due to the assassination attempt she’d escaped that morning. Rand is apparently still avoiding the Atha’an Miere, presumably because he can’t deal with being yet another prophesied something or another. Lews is perving in Rand’s head. Before much gets resolved, the legendary Aes Sedai (back from retirement and presumed death) Cadsuane Melaidhrin makes an entrance with the force and subtlety of a hurricane. There’s provocation and a hurled tea set and a spear as Cadsuane pokes Rand with ‘nothing but tears in your future’ and ‘are you hearing voices in your head yet?’ which sure hits its mark with Rand and Lews both.

Merana and Annoura follow Cadsuane, soon joined by Bera, Kiruna and assortment of others. All get schooled like first year novices and subjected to a cross-examination while Cadsuane gives nothing away of her own reasons for taking an interest in Rand now, although the chapter end suggests it’s largely because she’s an adrenaline junkie, and Rand is the biggest adventure going to end her long life in. Elsewhere in the palace, Min is hurrying to find Rand to share the news that Colavare had hung herself rather than face lifetime of hard toil on the farm Rand left her. Rand has similar news to share, as Idrien had come to tell that Rand’s consultant philosopher Herid Fel has been torn apart by Shadowspan. Comfort sex ensues.

We’re about half-way through the book and only two days have gone by in the timeline. Wow. Anyway, Sevanna and Shaido Wise Ones (there does seem to be some friction in the ranks there) use a fancy OP mobile phone to call up who they think is just some random wetlander called Caddar but is actually Sammael. He shows up with Graendal in tow, promising things to control both Rand and Aes Sedai, which Sevanna wants to control her own Wise Ones as well, and travelling boxes to transport Shaido wherever they wish in a blink of an eye. The meeting is observed by a mysterious watcher who I assume is either Moghedien or Osan’gar and it is obvious that Sammael is using the Shaido mostly to sow chaos everywhere.

Back in Ebou Dar, the Svovan Night festivities are in full swing, and so are Mat’s knives, slashing down yet another Dark Friend attacker. In Wandering Woman, Birgitte is waiting for him with the proposal from Elayne and Nynaeve. He recognises her finally, from his own memories even from that time he blew the Zombie Horn and saw her amidst the other heroes of the past. There’s some mutual acknowledgements that everyone is keeping secrets as they converse in the Old Tongue that Mat slips into so easily. Then they get pissed together which is a scene we are robbed of. Robbed, I say. Really want to see them singing some ancient drinking songs whilst leaning drunkenly against each other. Back in the palace, the women are waiting for the news, while Elayne slowly gets drunk also through Warder bond which… If there’s that much transfer of sensations, what happens when one of them have sex? I mean, I’ve definitely read that fic before. Several times. Anyway. Nynaeve reluctantly admits at least to herself that seeing men as like, people, might be better than just dismissing them as idiots, which I guess is some kind of personal growth. Thom gently explains to Aviendha why Tylin just can’t kill Carridin despite them now knowing he’s a Dark Friend, while sympathy drunk Elayne plays OP dress up. Birgitte finally returns and tells them Mat may help them in the search if they apologise for dismissing his help in Stone of Tear. Aviendha’s influence on Elayne makes that likely to actually happen despite Nynaeve’s protests.

We pick up the story outside the Wandering Woman where Elayne and Nynaeve are gathering their courage to actually go apologise to Mat, who is way too hungover to cope with the occasion to the best of his abilities, especially as he never expected to be taken seriously. Nonetheless, Elayne and Nynaeve choke their way through an apology and some very carefully worded promises to accept his help and advice, and not shout at him or call him names. Such progress. Mat insists on bodyguards and Elayne and Nynaeve point out that he ought to move to the Palace to better be able to protect them, which Mat agrees to largely because the dice in his head stop tumbling that exact moment.

That task completed, Elayne and Nynaeve fall head first into the suspicious clutches of the innkeeper Setalle Anan who doesn’t believe for a second that the two are actual Aes Sedai, takes them for runaways or castaways from the White Tower and takes them to the mysterious Circle. Nynaeve clocks on that this will mean some kind of organised guild of women who can channel which means they should know where in the city a stash of ter’angreal etc is hidden, and therefore convinces Elayne that they should go meekly along and pretend to be silly little strays. After a long and humiliating walk through the city, the Circle is found in a house next door to a weaver and in it many women who can channel indeed, some in ways Nynaeve and Elayne can’t despite being much stronger. They are subjected to interrogation about knowledge only a novice of the White Tower would have in order to ascertain they are what they pretend to be. The Circle is led by Reanne Corly and includes women of diverse backgrounds, many whom seem to be practicing Wise Women in the city and are holding to their own hierarchy that has nothing to do with strength of OP. Worryingly, despite leaving the White Tower they seem to be maintaining a certain reverence toward it, which will mean willingness to believe Elaida the rightful Amyrlin. Alas, they absolutely don’t believe it when Elayne and Nynaeve finally tire of playacting and tell them who they are and why they are here, nor do they admit to knowing anything about any ter’angreal. Our heroes are summarily kicked out and told to leave the city. In the aftermath, the Kin are shaken, some doubtful, though Reanne still refuses to believe they were who they said they were. The news that one of their own has been killed with OP (by Black Ajah but they don’t know that) therefore lands like a brick in a puddle. Nyneave is beyond frustrated over a wasted morning, especially after Elayne explains that the reason no one is taking them seriously is how young they still look, and given that the aging is about to slow down, the lack of grey hair Nynaeve is pining for is going to be a very long-term problem. There’s an attempted robbery and kidnapping the two foil.

Elsewhere, Moghedien is having a terrible time, enough so that I expect she’s still hoping to be on Egwene’s collar and leash. Through a vivid repetitive dream we learn of her trip to Shayol Ghul to crawl after the Myrddraal-with-a-name Shaidar Haran to the dramatic lava lake of the Great Lord to be told what a naughty Chosen she’d been, teaching his enemies tricks. As punishment she gets her will caught in a mintrap, the control of which is first given to Haran while she spends some quality time in a vacuole being ‘trained’. Now, she’s a Forsaken and not a very nice person at all, but I am still extremely uncomfortable with anything that makes women submit to men and would like Lanfearin to come back already so that we could at least balance the gender scales a bit. Moghedien’s mindrap is transferred to who I assume is Sa’rangar though now calling himself Moridin. He also has a ‘saa’ in his eyes, a roaming black fleck that indicates he’s tapped into the True Power (from the Great Lord) instead just the One Power, and honestly, maybe I haven’t been paying enough attention but I kind of though they were the same and for the first time in ages actually went to the glossary at the end of the book only to find no entry to either. Misjudged when reader would need to revise this info, did you Jordan? Anyway.

Things are happening in Amadicia as well. The Seanchan are happening in Amadicia, to be more accurate. And as much as I enjoy the idea of Valda and Asunawa being bested, we don’t even get that detail. Instead we get Morgase, trying to deal with the consequences of being tortured and raped, and absolutely refusing to let any of the men in her retinue know that’s what’s happened. In the midst of that, the Seanchan arrive on winged beasts and with the help of their damane, easily overtake the Whitecloak resistance. Eventually, Morgase is summoned to the presence of High Lady Suroth, observes Taraboners among the Seanchan ranks suggesting that land has fallen, and a carefully orchestrated events to make it seem like Suroth has her best interests at heart. There are shocks a plenty: ex Aed Sedai as damane, ex Panarch Amethera (remember her, quite liked her) now a slavegirl learning balet for Suroth’s entertainment, coffee (btw, can we appreciate the thematic association created between slavery and coffee, because… yeah) and an ‘offer’ to swear an Oath and rule Andor in the name of the Seanchan Empress. Morgase leaves the meeting with what seem like limited options. She goes with secretly relinquishing her title to Elayne, and then, no longer Queen of Andor, plans to step off the window ledge to take away Suroth’s lever. Stopped by Lini and Breane who catch on to her intentions, a new option suddenly opens up as the men return with Balwer, Niall’s secretary and the real spymaster of the Whitecloaks, in tow. Soon, they are all riding out of Amador because Seanchans let merchants go as they please.

In Cairhien, Perrin is stalking off, having had a rather large and public row with Rand over the Aes Sedai and having thus been banished. Loial is most upset and wants Perrin and Faile to come with him and the Asha’man assigned to him to visit the steddings to talk about the Waygates. Perrin refuses and instead rides out to meet Faile and her ‘puppies’ (Selande’s society), the Two Rivers men, bunch of Maidens, some Asha’man (who we learn have bonded their wives), Wise Ones, Aes Sedai and Berelain and her troop of Mayenens. It's not a small party that goes through a Gateway. Turns out the fight between Rand and Perrin was nought but a ruse to ensure no one in Cairhien suspected the true purpose of their trip which is in fact to purge Ghealdean of Masema and his zealots because Rand would quite like to Have A Word. Fucking finally.

Back in Tarasin Palace, Mat is settling into his luxurious apartments though it soon turns out that cost of them and also food (which is just extra special fucked up) is sleeping with Tylin. There’s some extremely uncomfortable but played for laughs (because haha, he’s a man and must want sex all the time) sexual harassment scenes as Tylin coerces Mat to finally have sex. There is something here about gender role reversals that is a worthy lesson but it is wasted when you just suggest that denying someone food in exchange for sex is okay. In the midst of that Mat and his men and Birgitte spend long days keeping an eye on the Kin house, hoping that his ta’veren powers leads them to the Bowl of Winds. There is the revelation he has that he can be friends with a woman as he and Birgitte bond further. Festival of Birds sees everyone in little else but colourful feathers. Beslan tags along with Mat and co and they foil an attack by Dark Friends pretending to be beggars. Mat is scandalised by Beslan’s vocal approval of his mother’s choice of a pretty and in his attempt to flee the scene finally stumbles on something worthy of reporting.

Merilille and the other Aes Sedai are trying to sit in judgement of Elayne and Nynaeve over revealing a secret they didn’t even know about by engaging with the Kin, until Elayne, enraged by a missive from Carridin saying Whitecloaks have her mother (true to his knowledge but Elayne doesn’t believe it for a second anyway), finally has enough and turns the tables on them. After establishing her authority comes from the rightful Amyrlin Egwene, Elayne finally gets the full story of how the White Tower has let the Kin be in peace because they help in catching the runaways.

While this is going on, Moghedien takes a break from Moridin’s task to try and kill Nynaeve since she spots her on a river boat. She almost manages it except there’s nothing like the certainty of death to break through one’s block and Nynaeve manages to channel her out of the wreckage, and then gets rescued the rest of the way by Lan who arrives in nick of a time. There’s a reunion in which Lan does his best to put off Nynaeve by not telling her about Myrelle’s plan to pass the bond to her, but ultimately fails as Nynaeve arranges them to get married post-haste by the nearest Sea Folk Wavemistress. Bonus points for ‘unusual marriage customs’ (as we learn later though are cruelly deprived of details) and Nynaeve not minding so much that Myrelle felt them through the Warder bond as long as she knew exactly who it was Lan was having some conjugal time with.

Elayne leads the Aes Sedai to the Kin’s meeting house, delivers the news that the new Amyrlin is keen for all women able to channel to be affiliated with the Tower in some way and finally wrangles the location of the objects of power out of them except of course Mat saunters in at the same time, having also located it. There is some interesting detail about exactly how old women who can channel can get.

In Tar Valon, Elaida is having some rather horny power trip dreams that are cruelly interrupted by Alviarin who delivers the news of Rand’s escape and defeat of the sisters sent to capture him. Alviarin uses the blunder, along with the confirmed existence of Asha’man to blackmail Elaida into dancing to her tune, which obviously is the tune of the Black Ajah and includes sowing discord everywhere. Elaida is not so easily defeated though and gives a veiled command to the White Sitter Seaine to root out Black Ajah. She then ropes in her old friend Pevara, currently one of the Red Sitters. Elaida’s agenda seems to be to tarnish Alviarin as BA which… She’s not actually wrong about. Remains to be seen whether Pevara is BA though as a distressing amount of Reds has so far been. There’s a bit about DFs killing her family but it’s entirely possible she did that herself. I am suspicious.

In Cairhien, Rand is dealing badly with his PTSD, stroking ter’angreal, talking to himself and Lews, having nightmares and also, turns out, somehow convinced that he’d forced himself on Min. She does set him straight about that pretty quickly, and also very practically tells him that he’ll just have to resign himself to be loved by three women though it’ll take some time for him to come to terms with that. She also reminds him that it’s high time that he engaged with the Sea Folk but not before he has a bath. Unfortunately, Rand swings from despondent straight into despotism and descends on a Sea Folk ship with all subtlety of a golden wrecking ball, with much fanfare (with like, literal trumpets) and many peoples. He shows off the Aes Sedai like prize pets, and bulldozes over everyone’s freewill with his ta’veren powers which cause the Sea Folk say and promise way more than they intend to. In the end he gets a promise that the Atha’an Miere will keep watch in case the Seanchans return, except of course we know that they are already literally on his doorstep.

Min drops us a spoiler about Moiraine (I assume and hope). Cocky with success and brimming with ta’veren mojo, Rand decides to go two for two and pops over to see the rebels in the nearby forests with only Min for company. They run to Moiraine’s relation Caraline who recognises Rand but pretends he’s her cousin when others show up. She seems willing to hear him out, and Darlin the rebelling Tairen lord too seems open to some kind of compromise. But before we get to any of that they get stuck in a high-top tent full of rebelling nobles, but also Aes Sedai and (gasp!) Padan Fain. Rand gets dragged into a dick-measuring contest sword fight with an Arrogant Lordling Of The Day. Things go further south when a bubble of evil pops right over everyone’s head and a killer fog descends to snatch people up for slaughter. A small group forms to work together to get out of it, Cadsuane at the front, protecting Rand’s identity from those not yet in the know. However, it doesn’t take long until Rand is forced to channel to fight the fog and thus reveals his identity. Unfortunately, Fain takes full advantage of the chaos to nick Rand with the cursed Shadar Logoth knife and he almost dies if not for the skilled Yellow Samitsu Sedai in the party. Even so, the others have to drag his unconscious ass out of the fog and back to Cairhien. Min is distraught and tells everyone about Rand’s box experience, while Cadsuane mutters about only hurting him as much as she has to, which is less than reassuring. I am annoyed that literally no one thinks to somehow try to summon Nynaeve in the midst of ‘oh this is really serious and we’re not sure how to heal it’ chaos. Enter an Asha’man called Flinn who has been defying Taim’s ‘we shall become weapons’ edict to learn healing instead, and combination of his and Samitsu’s (I love these two now geeking over healing knowledge) efforts seems to sort of… quarantine the evil if not eradicate it, and the outcome somehow is that the evil of Shadar Logoth and the evil of the previous unhealing wound in his side are going to battle it out in Rand’s body and maybe cancel each other our or kill him in the process. Yay.

Back in Ebou Dar, Mat, Elayne, Nynaeve and assortment of Aes Sedai and Kin women are finally headed out to get their mitts on the Bowl of Winds while I boggle at just how rapey the Mat/Tylin thing gets (I know what Jordan was trying to do here but it just… misses the mark, like you could have done the ‘Mat is shocked by an assertive woman who ties him to the bed to fuck him’ whilst still showing consent but instead you’ve gone and underlined the numerous times Mat actually said ‘no’, brought ‘withheld food for sex’ thing into it and made it icky). The ladies think they need to stay in Ebou Dar for longer to both use the Bowl and deal with Carridin, while Mat wants to get out of there pronto. But first they need to get the Bowl which turns out trickier than anticipated. First Mat almost puts his foot in it with Lan re his new wife, and then is forced to explain to Elayne exactly who is forcing themselves on whom when it comes to Tylin (I am at first excited that she believes him and then disappointed when it’s treated as a funny joke). He tries to give Elayne and Nynaeve his protective medallion only to get refused. In Rahad no one wants to fight with them because they are surrounded by Wise Women, much to Beslan’s disappointment.

That changes when they get to the building where the Bowl of Winds is held and Black Ajah show up. Nynaeve and the Kin women take care of that while Mat rushes upstairs to find Elayne and other women down, thanks to a gholam. There’s a fight. Poor Nalesan gets killed. Mat demonstrates some extremely sexy moves (snatching. a. knife. from. air.) but only wins because his fey necklace burns the gholam who decides to make a run for it. At least they get the bowl. Next they need to decide what to do and the negotiations in Tarsin Palace get… tense. Clearly the moon is in the right phase for ta’veren or something because Mat whammies the Sea Folk in much the same way Rand had done (in the next book amma gonna need to see Perrin’s ta’veren moment with Masema m’kay?), first delivering a lecture on gholam created specifically by the Forsaken to kill those who use OP (source: Birgitte) and some chosen insults and threats (source: his past lives), and then wringing an agreement for everyone to move out of Ebou Dar to use the Bowl before Moghedien and BA descend on everyone. Destination: Kin farm. ETA: now. Except Olver is missing and Mat can’t leave him behind. Search party sets out and Mat’s route takes him to the harbour just in time to see the bloody Seanchans arrive. Fighting breaks out and Mat gets buried under some rubble.

We get an interlude with Galina who is not having a great time with the Shaido and Sevanna who is determined to both stick the murder of the Wise One on her, and also make Galina her personal slave. Considering we know Galina is BA, the two probably deserve each other, but it’s still unpleasant. Sammael and Greandal pop over to deliver an Oath Road (…did they steal it from the White Tower??) and way for the Shaido to travel great distances. Sevanna seems to be preparing to get ‘Maisia’ on her side in order to betray ‘Caddar’ and again, honestly, excited to see how that turns out. Of course the automated gateway delivers much of the Shaido into way of Rand’s army and it is unclear if it was Sammael just causing for chaos for the lols or if this was Sevanna’s way of getting rid of some unwanted elements but either way slaughter ensues. The watcher in the shadows turns out to be the Speshul Myddraal Shaidar Haran who, like absolutely everyone, seems to have an agenda of his own.

Back in Cairhien, Rand regains consciousness and treats everyone to the sight of his lovely bottom. Min tells him to expect a lesson from Cadsuane and we get an update on his army on the outskirts of Illian even though Weiramon has been a cocky idiot again. No time like the present to go kill another Forsaken of course, so Rand grabs his Asha’man and gateways to Illian. He gathers up Bashere’s men (no wives allowed, and he didn’t bring the Maidens either because blah blah no women killed on my watch blah blah). Anyway, Rand and Asha’man pop straight into the heart of Illian and start taunting Sammael. Balefire gets flung about. Rand gets an owwie in his foot. Sammael lures him into Shadar Logoth into an oddly anticlimactic show-down. There are Trollocs and Myrddraal too, because why not, and a mysterious man (Lews? That you manifesting?) helps Rand out of a hole. Somehow Liah is still alive although not for long as Rand has to mercy kill her before Mashadar does and in the process balefires several blocks and everyone is just like ‘oh well, guess Sammael’s dead now’ like SHOW ME THE BODY FFS! Anyway, the Illian lords trip over themselves to shove the crown (of swords! We get a tangible link to the title!) on Rand’s head and Rand who is still riding some kind of manic episode of ‘I am the fucking dragon reborn bitches’ doesn’t hesitate for even a hot minute to accept the ‘king of the world’ title. I feel like that’s not going to turn out great. Guess we’ll see… in the next book!

 

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Book 8: The Path of Daggers, Kat's Extreme Readers' Digest, The Irreverent Edition

I feel that if your prologue is 34 pages long, you might as well like, call it chapter 1? Except of course the prologue is full of itty bitty glimpses into lives of secondary characters. Let’s plunge right in, shall we? And nothing like a completely new pov character to start with, because… We didn’t have enough? Anyway, here we are, with Ethenielle, Queen of Kandor, riding toward a meeting with the other rulers of the Borderlands. We meet them (including Faile’s cousin Tenobia who wants to marry her uncle to Ethenielle) and their various counsellors and generals. An assortment of Aes Sedai (a very suspicious number in total) is also included and I can’t for the life of me remember if they are Egwene’s or Elaida’s… There is some ritual bloodletting and agreement to… March to meet Rand’s army? In the Aiel camp, Verin is interrogating the captured Aes Sedai but wow does she have an agenda of her own as we’ve long suspected. She’s playing meek and obedient and in the process weaving compulsion onto the captured Aes Sedai… Whether or not she’s BA is left unclear but it certainly is a possible interpretation, though could just be a red herring… Elsewhere, Moridin is playing boardgames, both sides even.

We pick the story up in Ebou Dar where barely an hour has passed since the end of the previous book. Aviendha, Elayne and Nynaeve with their Warders are hurrying to meet the waiting Windfinders, Kin and Aes Sedai to depart somewhere safer to actually use the Bowl of Winds. They are delayed by Teslyn Sedai and try to warn her about the Forsaken and shadowspawn about to descend on the city (although the Seanchans are a bigger worry though the fighting in the city has clearly not reach the palace yet) but are of course summarily dismissed, though Teslyn is willing to keep events from Elaida. There’s some talk of lace and embroidery which Aviendha enjoys much to her horror. In the stables the various factions are waiting, eyeing each other like strange cats stuck in an enclosed garden. The Kin hold Ispan (BA) captive much to Aes Sedai consternation. The Windfinders just want the Bowl. There’s some shouting and insults until Nynaeve screeches everyone silent and they finally start filing out via the Gateaway Aviendha creates. There is, however, someone spying their departure. At the other side of the Gateway, Elayne is assessing her troops, discovering some Windfinders and finds enough OP mojo in some to match her and Nynaeve easily. The Kin still have Ispan, still prisoner though destined to the block, and in the meanwhile a cause for some agitation as to who should be handling her. Elayne starts sorting out the objects of power amidst the general rubble rescued from the storage unit together with the Bowl of Winds and finds some useful stuff while the Windfinders struggle to get on their horses. Everyone panics when Aviendha unravels the weaves of power instead letting them fade so as not to leave any trace of their destination to any damane to read, because of the Big Disaster potential of unweaving. Turns out this is something that Aiel actually practice and whilst it’s difficult it’s not impossible and no one dies this time. The lurker in Ebou Dar turns out to be Moridin with his wondering black spot, who is also outraged at the unweaving and takes it out on a DF servant who had come to tattle about the ter’angreal by squeezing him like a juicy fruit. But waste not, want not, there’s a gholam nearby to drink all that delicious fresh blood.

The ride to the Kin farm is far from pleasant to Elayne who is experiencing the relatable burdens of leadership and gets bothered by everyone. Aviendha wants to put the fear of Aiel into Windfinders for not passing her message on, and also maybe to provide some balancing of scales between the various factions. The Aes Sedai want to take charge of Ispan. The Kin want to give Ispan to Aes Sedai’s care. Additionally, we also learn the terms of the bargain Elayne and Nynaeve struck with the Atha’an Miere and wow, they’re right, Egwene definitely is going to skin them for promising to send Aes Sedai over to teach that as much and as long as they want. There may be some temper snapping and shouting and threatening but honestly, pretty justifiable. Nynaeve is less than helpful, mostly just charging after Lan, unwilling to let him out of her sight. At the Kin farm no one is surprised by visitors but they are surprised by who they are. And by that I mean: one look at anageless Aes Sedai face and chaos ensues. Trying to catch runaways and offer some kind of explanation takes up some time. Alise, the woman in charge of the farm, and Nynaeve are possibly related and between them there is very little that doesn’t get organised within and inch of its life. Meanwhile, Adeleas and Vandene interrogate Ispan, likely using methods not approved by the Aes Sedai rules nor the Geneva Convention. Elayne and Aviendha feel equally queasy and relieved that they didn’t have to do it themselves despite boasting that they could. Elayne goes back to inventorying the objects of power, finding some more treasure.

Finally, a group of Aes Sedai, Kin and Windfinders troop up the highest hill in the locality. Aviendha angsts over her shame which Elayne doesn’t quite understand but is determined to erase. Nynaeve angsts over losing her reason and focus over a man and Elayne is too shocked by the apology to do much except gape. The collaboration to rev up the Bowl is far from frictionless, but finally the strongest of each group step forward, which, refreshingly doesn’t mean it’s those in charge. Elayne and Nynaeve’s lesson on how to link to form a circle goes somewhat bumpily, but in the end a fully linked circle is passed to Caire, one of the Windfinders, to use as she operates the Bowl. Much is made out of the level of connection and awareness the women have and you get no prizes for guessing what kind of gutter my mind immediately jumped into like a puppy into a puddle. Anyway. The Bowl absolutely exceeds its reputation and somehow also pulls in the male saidin as soon as it’s turned on, huge weaves of One Power spreading in a lattice in every direction to nudge the world toward the correct weather patterns. Effects aren’t immediate but they will happen. I really wish dealing with our factual version of climate change would be this easy. Alas.

The effort exhausts everyone involved but there’s no time to rest as they become aware of the amount of saidar used beyond horizon, in the direction of Ebou Dar. Elayne and Nynaeve clock on quickly that it’s the Seanchans and their damane. Elayne makes the hard decision to leave Mat and co behind because going back to them would not actually be helpful for them. Seanchan raken and their riders appear on the sky and get shot down but where there’s one, there will be more soon. A frantic race down the hill toward the farm follows. Elayne is excited that people are following her leadership. The farm is already packing up to flee thanks to Birgitte clocking who exactly was coming. There’s a throwaway sentence or two about damane fawning and playing with their sul’dam owners and I know we’re supposed to be horrified like Elayne but I’m too blinded by the porn potential of it all. Actually, what I’d really like is a reprise of one of my fave fic tropes which is the ‘former slave tries to please a new owner who is Being Noble and Not Taking Advantage, determined to free them, cue angst, power dynamics and eventual love’. Anyway, that’s *chef’s kiss*. But I digress. Elayne is getting a bit ‘my precious’ about them objects of power, Ispan seems to have been thoroughly interrogated and the ownership of the Wind of Bowls (this was a typo but on proofread I’m keeping it because it’s hilarious) is still under some debate. Finally, everyone is packed up and ready. Elayne weaves a Gateway near one of her estates in Andor though not a very big one given how exhausted she is and people start filing through.

Elayne realises that she needs to unweave the threads like Aviendha had so Seanchan damane can’t pick up their trace. She sends Nynaeve and others toward the manor but Aviendha refuses to leave her because they’re in love near-sisters and neither will Birgitte. Unweaving goes okay at first even though the weaves get slick with the waiting but then the bloody Seanchans arrive and start sending men through the wavering Gateway. Birgitte shoots some with her bow, and Aviendha with some fire balls but the prize is some injuries themselves. They all haul onto horses, Elayne still desperately trying to hang onto the weaves, but it all goes to shit when a sul’dam/damane pair gets through and immediately shields Elayne and Aviendha. This, however, causes the loose weaves to explode rather spectacularly, taking with them half of the hill, all the Seanchan’s, and killing Elayne and Birgitte’s poor horses in the process. Our heroes are alive but extremely banged up. Turns out that the effects of OP weaves snapping off mid unweaving are unpredictable and could have resulted in being burn out. On learning that Elayne immediately proposes marriage first-sisterhood to Aviendha. This is such a lovely scene where Jordan gets it right with the fierceness of Elayne’s love and Aviendha’s bashful reaction, ngl I cooed all over this section. Rescue arrives in form of Lan and Nynaeve. Back above the farm, a Seanchan raken rider observes the events and loses her partner in the big bang of the Gateway weaves exploding. The report is going to about an OP weapon which is not quite right but guess can’t hurt.

In Ghealdan, Perrin is eyeing the walled town of Bethal, trying to decide who to send to a covert meeting Queen Alliandre, Faile or Berelain or maybe some Aes Sedai with Wise Ones to watch over them, when he doesn’t want to send either. Diddums. Rumours about the world events are rife and none of it good. Timeline has progressed four days from when Elayne and co used the Bowl and sent a massive lattice of OP over the skies, causing must stirring among everyone who had even a smidgen of the ability, suspecting the Forsaken at work. In the end, Perring decides on Berelain, Annoura and Gallenne to watch their backs. They are to deliver a ‘publicly support me and I’ll protect you’ message from Rand. Faile is not upset about Perrin’s decisions until he tries to apologise to it. Aram brings news of some Dragonsworn harassing a group of travellers who are perhaps less than thrilled by the rescue, especially as they learn who Perrin is, and behaving a bit oddly. I’m quite proud of myself for clocking onto the fact that these are none other than Morgase and her retinue even before the reveal. What I didn’t remember until later was that Perrin and Master Gill had of course met before! Ooops. Anyway, eventually Morgase and co decide to accept the invite to the camp after all.

Perrin definitely gets ~vibes~ from ‘Maighdin’ and the rest, and so does Faile I think, and I can’t wait for them to figure it out down the line. However, for now Perrin is distracted by the camp tensions and the ruse of servants whose employers got killed holds. Morgase almost has a conniption when she sees the Eagle banner of Manetheren though, which is one of my favourite scenes. Perrin learns that the Seanchans are back like a bad smell thanks to Gill. Despite his not so subtle encouragement Morgase sticks to the story. Lini suggests Perrin should just marry her and Tallanvor to stop the stubborn pining. Morgase accepts Faile’s offer of employment for all as her servants, Perrin is mostly confused and wants to send word to Rand about the Seanchans despite the risks. Faile convinces him otherwise and also suggests he leaves the Manetheren banner flying in order to hide in plain sight between Whitecloaks and Dragonsworn. The prophetic words of ‘King of Manetheren’ are uttered in passing but I see them. I see them. After Perrin falls asleep, Faile goes out to do wife’s work and give a mission to her special pets retinue (Cha Faile, nice) to get into Bethal and kidnap the Queen if it comes to that. Well she doesn’t say that but we can read between the lines, right? Meanwhile, Tallanvor has a shirtless word with Morgase and they are both vibrating with sexual tension.. See, Jordan, this is a canon pairing I can buy because you’ve given them time and shared struggles and also the knight/queen is the kind of dynamic I’m into. Anyway, Tallanvor thinks they’re idiots for staying with Perrin but Morgase thinks she can somehow protect Elayne from Rand’s plans (I must say, I also have similar issues about his boasting of ‘putting’ Elayne on the throne that is already hers).

Anyway, Perrin is still in awe of his wife as is proper. Aram is still a loyal dog to them both which really is a dynamic that should be explored at more length. We take stroll through the camp as Perrin procrastinates over going to talk to the Wise Ones. Asha’man are practicing, Perrin is not allowed to get his own porridge or see to his horse so sad, especially coupled with the suffering of men following his orders and looking pleased when they think they’re good ones. Perrin’s life is very hard. Balwer subtly offers his spy master skills in Perrin’s service, providing some top notch intelligence on Seanchans and Whitecloaks (truly annoyed that Valda and Asunawa are still kicking around somewhere, please I want them fed to the raken). Perrin unnerves the Mayeners with his procrastination inspection but then inspires them with some praise. Cheers are resounding. Mortified by that Perrin finally makes his way to the Wise One tents to have a conversation about the treatment of Aes Sedai. With an off hand comment Seonid Sedai is confirmed lesbian/ace, good for her. Anyway, opinions vary whether they should just kill Masema to protect Rand, nevermind what he actually wants, but at least Perrin is reassured that for all the switching the Aes Sedai may endure, no one is going to off them.

Once clear of that conversation Perrin runs into Gaul who has ran into none other than Elyas the wolfman. We learn that he’s actually still bound to the sister whose Warder he was and if that isn’t a story begging to be told… Anyway, he tries to give Perrin some marital advice about having a good old shouting match with Faile but he’s not quite convinced. Berelain shows up with some surprise visitors. This of course turns out to be Alliandre herself (who, for some reason doesn’t recognise Morgase, don’t they have like pics of all royalty at the queen training school?).. After some careful questioning and taking the measure of him as Rand’s representative and being satisfied with what she finds, Alliandre up and swears fealty to Perrin who is dumbfounded but not dumb enough not to accept. Alliandre mistakes Perrin’s straightforwardness to skill at Game of Houses and Faile let’s her. There is some tedious animosity between Berelain and Faile still (please, collaboration is so much more interesting can we not). Faile does some plotting to help the overall cause. Elsewhere, the Winged Guards have found some Dragonsworn burning folk alive and Perring distributes swift judgement. Finally, rain arrives.

Somewhere near Amador, Sevanna is torturing Seanchans though rather unsuccessfully from intelligence gathering point of view. Her powerbase is crumbling under her feet. Turns out that Sammael fucked all of them over and now she and her Wise Ones but not nearly all of Shaido are smack bang in the middle of a Seanchan invasion, hiding in a manor house they had taken over. Galina is still suffering through a thorough breaking down, having some rather horny fear of a Wise One called Therava. Out of other options, she ends up swearing obedience to her and Sevanna both on a ter’angreal similar to the Oath Rod. I would like to know how that works with her Dark Friend oaths though, like does it just… cancel them? Is she like born again now?

Elsewhere, Graendal admiring her own handwriting and sending out missives. Sadly, her newfound freedom (now that Sammael is missing presumed dead) is short-lived. Moghedien and a Cyndane (Moridin’s another mindtrap slave I assume but who she really? Another reincarnation? Stronger even than Graendal) pop over to reveal the news that Moridin is Nae’blis and they are all to be in service of him (honestly, Dark Lord sounds like a misogynist). Graendal doesn’t quite believe the news but Shaidar Haran finds a way to convince her. Graendal bends before she’s broken and capitulates.

In Cairhien, Cadsuane is contemplating the rain and winter that has finally arrived and exactly how much and how many she’s willing to sacrifice ‘what needs to be done’ which presumably is to have Rand win Tarmon Gaidon. She has other sisters at her bidding doing some information gathering while she settles in the palace to do some embroidery whilst interrogating Alanna about her bond with Rand. I’m absolutely incensed that Cadsuane’s and Sorilea’s first meeting was left off page, even though their tentative truce and collaboration is an interesting dance to watch. Sorilea up and gives Cadsuane the weaves for Travelling, securing her in her debt. I am vindicated as my theory that Rand must learn to be a soft boi again is confirmed by both of them. Being strong and being hard are not the same thing. They’re right and they should say it.

In Illian, Rand is doing his very best to ice over all his feels as he goes to confront Sammael’s leftover army despite every single of the bickering factions tries to convince him otherwise (real lessons of these books: leadership is hard and mostly involves trying to navigate multitude of requests when all you want to do is shout for everyone to stfu and do as you’re told, like, it’s the truth, can confirm). Anyway, Rand is missing Lews, has received the news re Seanchan (well thank fuck for that at least), worries about the sanity of his Asha’man, delivers an ultimatum to Sammael’s leftovers and generally behaves like a stone cold bitch. Can’t blame him too much though as his assessment that most people were following him out of fear or their own agenda is pretty correct. Rand’s mood is not improved by a snotty message from Taim who’s got his panties in a twist because Rand promoted the Asha’man involved in saving him and because Rand isn’t letting him go fight Elayne’s army and Aes Sedai (not that he knows their hers, and is still under the impression that they’re following Mat to Caemlyn… oops?). Anyway, he works out the attrition rate of Asha’man which is not great with 1 in 10 burned out, 1 in 50 mad. Taim has been euthanising the ones who tip over the edge and hanging the ones who try to leave and Rand is seeing it all as means to an end. And by ‘end’ he means ‘until we all die’. Still, he lets it slip that he wants to try to purify saidin and gives hope to the Asha’man following him. Anyway, Rand definitely has a handle on his anger issues, for sure, nothing to see here, not like almost flies off the handle at some servant woman who looks at him with compassion. Please, Elayne, Min and Aviendha need to smack until he remembers how to cry and then sex him up until he can’t remember his name. Save him. And yet, Seanchans are coming and they are very organised, plans must be made as to where to fight them. Lews pops back and Rand reacts to that in a very balanced way (I lie, he does not).

Back to Egwene! Halima aka Aran’gar is definitely messing with her head and now with her dreams too. And to make matters even worse, she’s moved herself right into her tent. She tries to keep Siuan from waking her with news. We learn that Egwene now knows both about the Kin and the deal Elayne and Nynaeve agreed with the Atha’an Miere and I am once more outraged that that scene happened off page. Goddamn I really wanted to ‘see her face’ so to speak when that news broke, why must you deny me of all the juicy stuff Jordan? We spend fucking pages on listing all the different nobles trying to curry Rand’s favour but not this? Anyway, Siuan is there to tell that Bryne is waiting with some news. Andorran army lead by two High Seats of strongest Houses is nearby and that the only options are to fight or talk. Egwene is not exactly surprised as this seems to be a thing her and Siuan’s plans have hinged on. She tells Bryne to send a messenger under white feathers to set up talks and to keep the Hall in the dark for the time being. Which is fair since the Hall isn’t exactly telling her everything either. That done, Egwene and Siuan have an interesting question about the value and role of the Three Oaths. Egwene wants them gone and Siuan sees them as the backbone of Aes Sedai identity. Somewhere in the middle of it Egwene finally realises Siuan and Bryne are at the idiot stage of their Enemies To Lovers story. She sends Aes Sedai loyal to her (we also didn’t get the scene of the sitters, including Sheriam swearing to her and I AM BIG MAD) toward the army as well. In the morning, Egwene tells the Hall that they’ll be stopping here for rest and restocking. The Hall are openly dismissive but boy will they pay for it soon. Egwene is biding her time. She and Siuan spend the day doing paperwork, Aran’gar spends is killing off Egwene’s other maids (I hope she get Chesa though, I like her!). Lelaine and Romana come and try to bully each other and Egwene who has been clever and put Faolain and Theodrin to spy on them. She’s also been keeping the details of what really happened in Ebou Dar and who used the Bowl of Winds to herself. Ethenielle and co seem to be closing in as well. Egwene dismisses the rumours of Aes Sedai serving Rand and wow is she going to be pissed when she finds out the truth (please, I beg of you, someone tell her about the boxxxxx). Siuan sees a suspicious pattern in how young most of the Sitters are. First Romada and then Lelaine come back to threaten Egwene into letting them to do the negotiating with the army (obviously that news didn’t stay under wraps for long). Egwene grits her teeth and pretends to be meek because they are playing right into her plans. I seriously cannot wait to see that smackdown (Jordan, you better fucking deliver this on page). We finish the chapter and first half of the book with a cliff hanger: Sheriam??!!

We pick up with Egwene and the Aes Sedai heading off to do some negotiating with the Andorran army. The winter has arrived and Egwene is all out of fucks which I love. She is still having sleeping problems which I don’t because Halima. Uno is there as well in case you missed it, and also Sheriam seems off although absolutely nothing is explained. It’s a retinue dressed to Make An Impression. Apparently this parle is happening on a lake and the reasoning is that the ice won’t carry anyone’s full army. I would like to point out that winter temperatures have been here like, what, two minutes, and no fucking lake freezes over to the thickness of holding people and horses and tents that quickly, they should all be drowning in icy waters. Anyway, Siuan and Sheriam bicker. Byrne refuses to be cowed by any Aes Sedai by simple expediency of pretending not to understand that he should be cowed. Talmanes and the Red Band also join the negotiations but Egwene has made sure she has the highest chair and Aes Sedai higher than anyone else too, which the Andorran and Murandian nobles don’t like. Much pomp and circumstance is had to underline the power play, which I enjoy. It’s clear that the nobles think Egwene a puppet but she’s come to fully accept her own role now and isn’t that easily shaken and says they’re going to stay here for a month to rest and then head to White Tower to deal with Elaida, and that’s that. Oh, and also the Novice Book is now open for women of any age. Drinks, mingling and much politicking follows. Everyone still mostly ignores Egwene, nobles keeping the sisters busy, though many come to query about the opportunity to become Aes Sedai. Egwene flusters Siuan about Byrne, before going to chat to Talmanes who is feeling the pull toward Mat and decides that the Red Band is going to stay in Murandy as its king has ambitions to use them as a fake threat to conquer and unite nobles behind him. Egwene also manages to speak to Pelivar who is supposed to be one of Elayne’s staunchest supporters but who worryingly seems lukewarm about her pending ascendancy to the throne.

Egwene sets a brisk pace back to the camp so as to minimise time for gossiping and plotting although of course Lelaine and Romanda try it anyway. Once at the camp Egwene calls for the Hall to meet, Byrne tries very hard to act as her bodyguard but she’s having none of that. I love Chesa and will be so mad if she turns out to be anything than what she seems. Siuan and Egwene have some lentil stew and talk about exactly how besotted Siuan is when it comes to Byrne, although this seems to serve as a distraction of what’s to come. Even Sheriam is in the dark about their plans, but not for long. No skimping of formalities either tonight, and there is much intoning and declaring and warding the pavilion against anyone listening, though not watching, as every other sister in the camp seems to be clustered around for the best show on offer. Egwene’s opening gambit reveals their plan which is to openly declare war on Elaida. Lelaine and Romanda try very hard to derail the question but ancient laws say that a question of war cannot be shelved. It’s clear that Egwene and Siuan are doing some creative interpretation of said laws but the one sister (Takima) who knows better clearly decides not to call them on it. Egwene outlines why her way is the only way (love that in a woman), saying that to do anything short of declaring war openly will leave all other nations in doubt and floundering. Even so, the vote in support almost doesn’t go through except for some of the younger Sitters browbeating others to it. To everyone’s surprise things don’t end there. Law of War says that the Amyrlin gets final say in pretty much everything and when she says jump the Hall is going to jump as high as it can without pausing to ask questions. This too seems like a creative interpretation but Takima once more chooses not to call Egwene on it. The news of this obeisance requirement does not go down well. The first thing Egwene does is slap down Lelaine and Romanda finally and ‘lo it is glorious.

Elsewhere (though not really that far actually), Elayne, Nynaeve, Aviendha and Birgitte and a tense group of Windfinders and Kin and Aes Sedai are making their way toward Caemlyn. It does not go as smoothly as Elayne had hoped. At least the manor where she’d spent some happy childhood days is still standing and everyone gets a bath and a place to sleep. I have some passing thoughts about Alise (love her, aspire to be her) and Merilille (it only takes one throwaway sentence of her watching Alise with ‘blend of approval and open amazement’ and I’m already drawing hearts around their names). Anyway, there’s some ribald stories in bath and snuggling in bed (honestly, Nynaeve, Elayne, Aviendha and Birgitte puppy pile is adorable). The trek to Caemlyn is slow due to both the weather and the sheer size of their group. On the way, Elayne tries to find out how much support she has for the throne and finds some people still believing her dead. She doesn’t believe the rumour about Rand being King of Illian though and is obviously in for quite a surprise there. Adeleas and Vandene grow increasingly frustrated in their efforts to interrogate Ispan, clocking onto the fact that she’s probably sworn a Dark Oath not to reveal her fellow DFs. Elayne’s study of the objects of power slows down when one makes her lose both time and memories of what she did and no one refuses to tell her what it was but also seems terribly amused. Winter arrives in earnest and Aviendha uses the jewels Rand gifted her to buy everyone seasonally appropriate clothing. Generally, the currents of power are shifting as more and more of the Kin start to figure out that Aes Sedai aren’t as omnipotent or perfect as they thought. Egwene’s messages in the Tel’aran’rhiod are short and to the point, telling them to lay low in Caemlyn.

Meanwhile, Rand is still hounding the Seanchans although things are not going as smoothly as he wanted either. The Asha’man have sent two commanders, Gedwyn and Rochaid, calling themselves fancy names in the Old Tongue and ‘glorifying in what they are’, which Rand is not happy about. But honestly, he started it with the pins and the names, and if you set up a society of powerful individuals and tell them they are special, then what do you expect? Humans love a fucking hierarchy with titles. Rand’s still being a stone cold dick to everyone, telling them he expects obedience and not questioning. Lews is back and full of giggly lust for killing. Rand sends out nobles with a mixture of troops from different factions in all directions, aiming to both guard against betrayal and to attack the Seanchans from multiple front. It’s maybe not paranoia as there definitely are people out to kill him, but he’s not exactly emotionally stable either. Not physically stable either, considering the saidin is behaving oddly and causing trouble for everyone, including Rand who gets dizzy when using it. Rand laments Weiramon not being quite stupid enough to get himself executed, swings by Illian, observes the unease everyone has about the Asha’man, contemplates way to cleanse saidin and receives a mysterious package he sent Narishma to retrieve. They gateway around mountains and Rand’s plan to use the Asha’man against the Seanchan finally becomes clear to everyone else. He’s also gathering nobles to him, especially the ones he can’t trust to be out of his sight, in a ‘keep your friends close and your enemies closer’ strategy. Bashere comes too, to witness Rand’s ‘plan’ and try to make it happen.

Rand is full of arrogance, determined to chase the Seanchans to the end of the world and making the Forsaken cry for their mummies while at it. He is somehow surprised that his ‘particular care for women’ (i.e. ‘no one with tits must die’) is well known enough that two of the noblewomen he’d summoned (Ailil and Anaiyella) have heard of it. Despite issues with saidin, they gateway to Altara and Rand continues with some mental health struggles. Kind of glad that Bashere is there, as a father substitute (feel like Taim should show up soon to have a Talk with his kid). There’s another attempt on Rand’s life, this time almost successful and courtesy of one Eagan Padros, the leader of Sammael’s remnant army who has ostensibly chosen to follow Rand. The man is in pieces (literally) though and we’re left in the dark as to his motives, although someone suggests he was Elaida’s agent. We also get Seanchan pov from Captain Bakuun, who is worried about the mystery illness felling all sul’dam and damane, though doesn’t have time to dwell on it as the news of Rand’s army arrives.

After all that, we get the aftermath of the battle rather than the actual clash. Not sure if I’m disappointed or relieved this time around, Jordan and I have some differences of opinion re what scenes can be skipped. It’s a victory but a bloody one. They capture a sul’dam who is not thrilled about a future of being an Aes Sedai prisoner. Another Seanchan pov comes from Karede, a Deathwatch Guard with raven tattoos. A throwaway line delivers the unexpected news that there are Ogier in the Seanchan Isles, which makes me miss Loial fiercely. Karede suffers no fools and kills one of his own commanders before calling for retreat as he witnesses the destruction Asha’man sow. Days of bloodied clashes in the mountains follow and whilst Rand is winning, the price is high. Even Lews is sulking silently. Asha’man try to talk to Rand about how weird saidin is but he dismisses the issue. Freeing captured damane does not result in gratitude as he expects (ahh, if he’d only read as many slave!AUs of AO3 as I have, he would’ve known that), especially as they have no knowledge how to control their power themselves and just end up randomly striking out. Rand’s overconfidence and Weiramon’s incompetence almost gets him killed, with an arrow through his arm, as Seanchans attack. Ailil and Anayielle contemplate whether to let him die but in the end defend, though thankfully Bashere is there too and Flinn, to heal Rand for the second time. No lessons in humility are learned and looks like Rand means to press all the way to Ebou Dar.

A third Seanchan pov is offered by General Miraj who shares some fascinating tidbits about their dragons flying lizards before getting distracted by a visit from the High Lady Suroth. She is breaking protocol by not offering hugsies (Miraj being at least a bit of the Blood and therefore entitled) whilst having her Voice act as a sul’dam to captured damane who is none other than Liandrin btw, ah how the mighty have fallen. Suroth delivers the news of Rand’s troops Traveling and gets testy about her sources. We learn that Seanchan definitely know and believe in the Dragon Reborn, only they expect him to swear loyalty to the Empress. There’s a reference to ‘thirst to obey’ people feel when kneeling before the Crystal Throne and I’m calling Mild OP Compulsion right now, and also that it won’t work on Mat because of his medallion. There’s also suggestion that damane know how to link. Suroth orders Miraj to deliver total annihilation.

Rand is turning himself into unforgiving iron inside and out, whilst holding conversations with Lews and refusing to hear a word about saidin being weird even when Dashiva, in a rare display of sanity, actually tries to put his foot down about it. We get little snippets of the fighting which is actually quite an effective approach to writing battle scenes and conveys their chaotic nature. Miraj and his friend, the leader of sul’dam Lisaine riding toward battle. Bertome and Weiramon. Gedwyn clearly unhappy about the saidin situation affecting his ability to slaughter enemies. Damane losing control and slaughtering men on her own side. Bashere being unhappy about the whole thing. Asha’man growing hesitant. And finally, Rand going all out, riding the current of All Shall Tremble Before Me and pulling out Callandor despite all his internal voices and Bashere saying that it’s maybe time to go home now, especially as the Seanchans have cottoned onto their approach and are waiting. And yet, Rand here screaming ‘I am the storm!’ and pulling more OP than is good for anyone through the crystal sword with the intent of delivering a devastating blow on the Seanchans… Except. Except the lighting storm that follows wreaks indiscriminate havoc and he ends up killing almost as many of his own men than enemies. Bashes proves him to be the bravest man alive by physically tackling Rand to the ground to get him to stop. Anyway, Miraj is dead but in the end everyone lost. Rand, tbh, kind of needed that.

In White Tower, Elaida is trying to reconsolidate some of her power with Alviarin gone, but ultimately failing due to inability to imagine the unimaginable and dismissing a lot of things as rumours we know to be true. Fun won’t last though as Alviarin is back and tightening the noose around Elaida’s neck immediately, vetoing her orders, given her new ones (including an open declaration that the White Tower is holding Rand’s leash and no one is to approach him without going through them, which is sure to cause chaos), and sending the Mistress of the Novices to apply some ‘private penance’ to the boot. Alviarin is in some hot water with Mesaana, though catches a glimpse of her dress embroidery through the illusion and is determined to figure out exactly who she is masquerading as. We also learn that two of the current Heads of Ajahs are BA. Seaine and Pevara are still hard at work at trying to find any BA though, somewhat hampered by the general air of disgruntlement and wagon circling caused by Elaida’s divide and conquer tactics of setting Ajahs against each other. They have seized onto the strategy of trying to catch people at a lie (reasoning that BA would’ve broken their Oaths) and then using the Oath Rod to question them. Their first suspect is a relatively young White Zerah whom Seaine orders to follow her to the depths of the Tower whereupon Pevara is waiting. They bully her into swearing on the Oath Rod that she will obey them, implying they’ll release her from that Oath after. Zerah is outraged and innocent of DF accusation but does turn out to be one of the Salidar spies, which Pevara is big mad about and almost kills Zerah by forcing her to renounce as lie what she holds to be true, though Seiane is taking the news with much more contemplation. Zerah is, however, forced to go and get all the other rebel sisters. However, whilst that plot seems to be failing, it’s not in Elaida’s hands yet so we’ll see. Turns out Seaine and Pevara’s sneaking around hasn’t gone unnoticed and no sooner is Zerah out than four Sitters from the remaining Ajahs come in and demand answers. We waste the perfect opportunity for the fake relationship trope (honestly, Seiane and Pevara should’ve just leaned into the ’pillow friends’ comment). The others soon find the Oath Rod and put two and two together and one by one swear on it that they are not Darkfriends. Except for Talene who demands to be let out of the room and refuses to play ball, which… Well, looks like they found a BA sister by pure accident. Talene is going nowhere.

Elsewhere, a Red Sister called Toveine Gazal is riding with a small retinue to deal with the Black Tower and spitting mad about it. But not nearly as mas as I am when I realise that the Asha’man capturing her and bonding her to him with a kiss (wtf, but also he would) is none other than Logain. I’m not joking, end of that scene is full of all caps scribbles about HOW FUCKING MAD I AM THAT LOGAIN IS JUST THERE AND JOKING ABOUT HOW MUCH TAIM HATES HIM AND YET WERE DENIED THAT MEETING, FUCK YOU JORDAN YOU SPEND PAGES ON MINOR NOBLES SQUABBLING OR DYING BUT SKIP OVER THIS? There are not enough sobbing emojis in the world.

In Cairhien, Min is trying to get some reading in, mad at Rand who left her behind to go warmaking. Instead of talking about his feelings and trauma of like, killing some of his own men, he tries to just kiss her protests and worry away. Dobraine pops in with political update which includes the news that Padan Fail (it’s his name now) is disappointingly still alive. Honest to god, for someone supposed to be a big bad player, he’s not achieving much, is he? Rand’s jealousy over other men looking at Min is Extremely Out of Order (the women have had to deal, you need to do the same), and tbh so is his mulishness about Cadsuane and his finger crooking at the Aes Sedai. God I need to read some femdom novels after this, any recs? Anyway, I digress. Merana and co come to explain the bargain they made with the Sea Folk. In exchange for Rand having use of their ships, they’ll have some land at every port for perpetuity, Rand gets an Atha’an Miere ambassador and agrees to show up when Mistress of the Ships calls for him (though no more than twice in three consecutive years). Rand gets his panties in a twist about the last point but Merana delivers a much needed lesson on why Rand needs to stfu and say thanks for what they’ve gotten him. And wonder of wonders, he actually does for a change. Rand still sends summons to Cadsuane. I’m thinking the lesson Min saw her teaching to Rand and all Asha’man is the ‘laughter and tears’ one. In the meanwhile, three Maidens come and teach him what happens when he leaves them behind and kick the shit out of him and he lets them. When Cadsuane says she’s terribly busy with her embroidery, Rand bulldozes in with much pomp and circumstance when he should know better. Flinn laughing at Cadsuane’s casual ‘well I’ve seen better clown shows than this for free’ is *chef’s kiss* Anyway, a tense conversation follows. Cadsuane agrees to be Rand’s advisor but not swear any oaths, and gives him some rules (since according to her most boys want some, I love her) including to be polite. She also reveals that Callandor, for all its might, is flawed, amplifying the taint on saidin. Well, that does explain some things.

On the road to Caemlyn, some of the Kin admit or are found out to have been Tower runaways, some several hundred years ago, and get back into novice white, while others are openly questioning the value of thinking Aes Sedai better than them. Real tragedy finally strikes. Lan sends for Nynaeve and Elayne in the middle of the night and what they find is both Adeleas and Ispan murdered, after having first been poisoned and paralysed by crimsonthorn. Someone took their time too and it’s quickly obvious that they have a Darkfriend among them, someone who Adeleas trusted enough to accept a drink from. Poor Vandene. They finally make it to Caemlyn and Elayne rides to the palace gates on her own to put in her claim to the throne with much pleasing ritual. She snatches some time for herself in the throne room, to swear an oath on the Lion Throne to honour her mother’s memory (I really hope Morgase doesn’t insist on continuing to pretend to be dead for her sake or something). She has a chat with Dyelin, who supports her fully now that she’s made it clear she’s claiming the throne by her own right not as some bauble Rand is giving her. Elayne clearly has Plans and Dyelin is delighted. However, elsewhere in Caemlyn much Darker deeds are being done. A Darkfriend named Hanlon gets to witness the rather graphically described demise of Jaichim (ahh Jaichim, you were mildly interesting but I won’t exactly miss you) and Falion (BA), and is given a task that sounds like a free all to go after Elayne.

Back in Cairhien, Min is losing her patience at Rand who is sulking about Elayne having taken his banners down as soon as she could and refusing to even go see her, presumably for her own good. Polyfam drama is interrupted by Sorilea and Wise Ones who march in the Aes Sedai who took Rand captive and who have now reflected on the error of their ways enough to swear allegiance to him. Min has some really interesting visions about most of them (starting a library! Bonding an Asha’man as a Warder! I must know all of these stories c’monnnn), importantly guaranteeing their loyalty. They swear an oath, file out, and Rand and Min head out to see Cadsuane. However, they are interrupted by an OP attack and Rand’s rooms explode in spectacular fashion and with much casualties. Rand tells a young Asha’man Fedwin to guard Min and goes hunting for those responsible. He suspects the Forsaken at first, hiding under invisibility cloak OP weave but then discovers that it’s his own Asha’man, Gedwyn, Rochaid and Dashiva, who are behind the attack. Lews is vindicated obviously. Despite that, neither of them actually manage to kill them. Meanwhile, poor Fedwin has somehow regressed to a child and Rand thinks that Taim’s method of euthanising is a valid one to execute. Well, Taim himself is mildly impressed, as much as he ever is. They both agree that everyone responsible gets their head on the traitors’ tree. How cosy.

Perrin is off to finally meet Masema the Prophet in Abila. Aram is totes jealous of Elyas for the special wolfbros bond they share, and apparently excellent marital advice he provided (deep sigh). Balwer heads out to do spying while Perrin, Wise Ones and Aes Sedai go to see Masema who is rising to all the expectations about his zealotry, frothing at the mouth at the sight of Aes Sedai. He refuses to Travel to see his precious Dragon because apparently none but the Dragon can touch anything made with OP. It’s going to be a long ride, honestly, they should just bundle him up and toss him through a gateway. Meanwhile, Faile, Alliandre, Berelain and Morgase (as their serving lady) are out hawking. Faile’s pets bring dire news that somehow Masema has rationalised himself into cahoots with the Seanchans. However, before Faile can do more than turn her horse toward Abila to warn Perrin, the Shaido spring up out of nowhere and capture everyone except seemingly Berelain, and strip them bare and make them gai’shain, despite Bain and Chiad’s protests.

Somehow a month has passed since we last saw Egwene and her army, and the Novice ranks have grown exponentially. Shout out to the granny who is even stronger than Nynaeve, already a fan. They gateway to Tar Valon. The siege is starting. Rumours abound, and in the manner of rumours, some of them become true even if they weren’t to start with.

contents here.

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