Finished first read through, just some general points of discussion (spoilers all)
I finished a few weeks ago and have been reflecting over the series for a bit before posting. I have some points of discussion and I'm curious about other opinions. Also there's no need to post the "oh, so you finished and wanna know what comes next?!" with links copypasta, thanks though! Here are some more open-end questions and thoughts to throw out there:
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Sanderson did an amazing job taking an insanely large and detailed story and finishing it with all of Jordan's fragmented notes. Truly impressive, and I can't read to dive into more of his books. I can't help but wonder what Jordan would have done differently though. Say, for example, the Three Oaths. The Wondergirls while pursuing the Bowl discover that women who can channel but don't take the Three Oaths live much longer then regular Aes Sedai. I wonder if Robert Jordan intended to discuss removing the Three Oaths from the White Tower in the end or if he always intended to keep them? It kinda got forgotten about when the torch was passed over. Sanderson already had so much on his plate as it was.
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I'm amazed by how much I liked the Seachan by the end of the story, especially considering how much I hated them at the start. Mat and Tuon obviously play a huge role in this. What also played was my growing aversion to Aes Sedai; I know this is fucked up but it feels kind of good to have those women cut down a few pegs after dealing with so much of their ego tripping bullshit for so long. I REALLY wished Sanderson included just a paragraph or two of Artur Hawkwing meeting with Tuon and having a chat, but that's OK. What is your opinion of the Seachan by the end, do you believe they deserved worse or were you fine with how things ended?
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Graendal being put under compulsion at the end gave me a real justice boner. So, so, so good. And Moghedien getting captured was interesting. During Rand's visions in Rhuidean he saw a woman who told the world about the power of the True Source and was the impetus behind opening the bore. Makes me wonder if someday Moghedien will do the same.
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This one is also just straight opinion, but holy shit did Rand's refusal to kill women bother me the entire series until the end when you realize how intertwined Rand and Lews Therin are, especially since Lews Therin has zero time to work through his grief of killing Ilyena that it even bled through into his next reincarnation. I also LOVE in hindsight how just as Lews Therin had gone nuts, so does Ishamael. He's really the only Forsaken to go insane, and it doesn't ever really make sense until later on as to why. The underlying connection between the souls of Rand and Moridin both reflecting each other's emotions was really subtle and beautiful all the way through I thought.
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I really enjoyed Sanderson's "double bonding" between Androl and Pevara, it's wonderful to see men and women finally REALLY in tune with one another (even to the point of legit telepathy) and working cohesively. This aspect as well as Egwene's anti-balefire-creation-crystal weaves left me so thirsty for more pages about these newfound One Power techniques. Man I wish there was more instances of these two things happening in the story.
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and finally, who of the five great captains is your favorite and why is it Rodel Ituralde?
Anyhow, what a great series, think I'll wait awhile and maybe pick up the audio books and give it another listen someday soon. Thanks for taking the time to read this!
Posted May 11, 2019, 9:54 AM UTC
The audio books are amazing, so yeah... when you get a chance, give them a listen.
Other points... not sure how much you know about the process of transfering it from Jordan to Sanderson, but Sanderson wrote from extensive notes that Jordan had written. So while I can't know for sure, I do think major plot points in the final books are almost certainly Jordan's plan, not Sanderson's.
And you liked the Seanchan by the end? I find that really interesting. I never got to that point. And for me, that was mostly down to Tuon. I didn't hate her, or anything, but her absolute refusal to think that slavery was anything but abhorant -- even knowing that sul'dam are women who can channel -- it bothered me so much, and gave me very little hope for her kingdom under her rule. I do think that as things are left, slavery will likely fade... but that's not justice to me and so I just couldn't get to that point. It's one of the things I found dissatisfying, actually... I wanted the Seanchan to be bitchslapped into accepting that humans shouldn't be enslaved, and if not, completely defeated.
And the Oath Rod... I think it is known that Egwene had plans regarding the Oath Rod... to release women into retirement by releasing them from the oaths, but with her death, who knows what will happen.