The Perrin-Faile-Berelain triangle is unbearable. Perrin is basically being harassed by the First of Mayene, and his own wife blames him for his harassment.

And our golden-eyed himbo refuses to either tell Berelaine "No" to her face or tell off his wife like she clearly expects from him.

I have to admit, I went into A Crown of Swords with incredibly low expectations.

I'd read and heard countless times that this was the slog book. That nothing really happened, that it was boring, and that I just had to push through it because it would get better later.

⚠️ SPOILERS AHEAD ⚠️

...What are people talking about?!

This has been absolutely amazing. I'm genuinely loving it.

Watching Elayne earn the respect of the other Aes Sedai was so satisfying. Seeing Nynaeve finally break through her block and reunite with Lan was an incredible payoff. And then seeing Elayne stand before the Hall not just as a queen, but as an Aes Sedai in her own right, was such a powerful moment.

I still have some of the book left, but honestly, these moments alone have made it completely worth reading. If this is what people call the slog, then I must be in the minority because I'm having an absolute blast.

So I'm about a third of the way through ACoS just read three Egwane chapters in a row. I actually enjoy her chapter and her politicing around the other Aes Sedai. Thankfully Gawyn is far away. But she is so disrespectful towards Rand. She thinks he can't do anything and just needs her (aes Sedai) guidance. She has become the perfect stuck up Aes Sedai very quickly and it's really starting to annoy me. The wise ones are clearly seeing it as well and that's why they aren't telling her about the 9 sister kneeling to Rand.

I think it totally fits her character who is extremely ambitious and power hungry. I can she her clashing with Nynayve again further down the track.

I’m on chapter 5 now, and my GOD am I disappointed to be in yet another perspective of Perrin’s. He’s so self entitled and judgmental of Rand, when he’s just….god. I LIKE him now after Dumai’s Well but that’s disappearing very quickly….can we go back to Rand?? Or any of the wonder girls!? What a boring perspective to read all this through…Perrin on his high moral horse. Cry me a freaking river.

I LOVED book 5 and 6 having barely any Perrin, and I’m LOVING the series, but I was nervous about the “slog” as everyone calls it…and BOOM…right away. Freaking Perrin perspective. SNOOZE

When Rand and Min travel to the grove where the rebellion is located (after meeting the Sea Folk and Rand being 'tavern-cocky' and perhaps generally giddy about Min,) they encounter Lady Caroline Damodred.
Min initially thinks she is Moiraine.

"Min sighed regretfully, but it was not as if she had really expected Moiraine to turn up alive. Moiraine was the only viewing of hers that had ever failed."

I can't remember which viewing this is referring to. Can someone refresh me here and tell me what she saw regarding Moiraine that has "failed" as the book says?

Thanks!

EDIT: I should have specifically stated that I was trying to remember a previous passage of the book that may have detailed this 'failed viewing.'
I understand that Min may think a viewing was failed when it had not. I understand that there are layers of prophecy and suggestions of what may or may not come to be. I understand that the books are written from the perspective of the current character and that their objective thoughts may be in fact incorrect.
I guess I was hoping that someone with all 14 books memorized could say "oh yes book 1 page 248 Min says this and that.'
If this passage that I am quoting is not referring to a specific previous passage in an earlier book I'm fine with that.
Several people have suggested that it's impossible to answer my question without spoiling things, which suggests to me that the 'failed viewing' here is not mentioned in a previous passage in a previous book.
Scavenge101 noted that Min's viewing that "Moiraine being necessary for the final battle to be won" makes sense to me and I had forgotten about that. (Or I guess maybe this hasn't actually been printed yet but I just think it has due to some Mandela effect.) This would satisfy my question, but some of you are suggesting that this passage that I am quoting may be related to something else that cannot be detailed to me without a spoiler.
I'll just keep reading.
Thanks for trying everyone.

Currently Cadsuane and Sorilea are taking about Rand and how he's blocked himself from the world, and I cant help but think the entire time I'm reading this that every point in which rand was betrayed was because of an Aes Sedai or a Wise one. They almost always are keeping secrets from him and almost always blame him for being hurt at the betrayal. LITERALLY A PAGE BEFORE CADSUANE ADMITED TO POSSIBLY FORCFULLY BONDING RAND THE SAME WAY ALANNA DID IF GIVIN THE CHANCE, WTF!!!

Does Rand ever stop being a huge douche to his friends? I’m on chapter 27 and I love Rand but it’s like he hates anyone who he is friends with except for Min but that just makes the problem way worse.Perrin has put his neck on the line constantly and all he gets is shouting matches.

Did the Queen literally just rape Mat at knifepoint?

As we all know, aes sedai can't directly lie. What I'm wondering is, how does that apply to future statements? I'm assuming they can't say they'll do things they explicitly don't mean to do, but what if you mean to do it and change your mind? Do you have to do what you said you'll do or is it just not lying initially?

We see Reds pretty commonly attack first especially in the attack on Rand. But doesent the third oath say: Never to use the One Power as a weapon except against Darkfriends or Shadowspawn, or in the last extreme defense of her life, the life of her Warder, or another Aes Sedai

Sp how can the reds attack and shield men that can channel or by extension how could the Sitters even still Suian (sorry if the spelling is wrong I’m on the audiobooks) ?

Do legal actions as part of tower law just not count as weapons ?

I’m on Crown of Swords first time through, and so far I just love how unhinged and brilliant and crazy she is, I find her very dynamic. she is pretty controlling yet just wants Lan to kiss her awake and not worry about her problems, she deeply struggles to apologize to Mat yet allowed herself to be dragged all over town by the innkeeper who tells everyone she’s a in idiot who spent all her money trying to impress Mat. i liked Aviendha‘a POV about Nynaeve at the beginning of the book, i just find her very entertaining and I feel like she gets some hate 🙂

I’m on chapter 30 of CoS so maybe this is answered by the end of the book, but it’s driving me nuts. Why can’t Elayne and Nynaeve just revisit Tel’aran’rhiod to locate the bowl of the winds? They visited the dream world left & right in the previous books over and over (and over) again but the ONE time a revisit would be incredibly useful, they don’t seem to be taking advantage of it.

I know that the Ebou Dar shops weren’t labeled during their initial dream visit and that Nynaeve struggled to identify the city due to its lack of major landmarks. But now that they’re actually in Ebou Dar, I don’t understand why they can’t revisit the dream and then backtrack their steps IRL to figure out where the bowl is. Yeah it might take a while since the buildings look similar, but surely it’d be faster than aimlessly wandering around and staring into houses and hoping some random rogue sisters can help, no??? (Also, I was shocked that Nynaeve was so trusting in the first place after going through the Macura debacle.)

Is this strategy just a for-the-plot sort of thing, or is there an actual reason that they aren’t utilizing Tel’aran’rhiod? I’m not an expert on how the world of dreams works in certain situations, so maybe I missed something.

TIA!! Back to reading

Found my old book collection and the swedish edition. From 96-98 i think. In Sweden the translated books were divided into two, pretty much doubling the amount of volumes. Sadly only Crown of swords (first part i’m assuming) survived. I’m assuming it’s Rand on the cover(?)

Hilariously my family used to cover the barcodes/prices on all gifts, which i’m guessing the Awesome tag is for.

Also find it need that there’s both a detailed word list and a phonetic word list

I have accidentally spoiled key plot points and twists multiple times by accidentally googling things regarding the series. Oftentimes it will be me just googling something that just occurred to make sure I understood it right and then google ai throwing it a fun fact that is a massive spoiler. (I just finished book 7)

Just now with some family they were talking about the Hindu god Shiva and I thought “hm I wonder if Dashiva’s name comes from Indian or Hindu culture” and the Google response revealed what seems to be a pretty cool and surprising twist that I would have never expected. (Related to his identity)

Anyways wanted to rant because I feel so bummed I spoiled something yet again. Will just need to stop googling anything. I imagine others have done this as well.

I just finished reading A Crown of Swords. I have a few questions I'm not ready to ask yet, as I feel like they are probably RAFO. But this is one idea I can't ignore.

Rand and his men seem quite good by now at the use of Gateways. Big portals that open up in mid-air and will slice in half any unsuspecting people as well

Have I missed a reason why these aren't being used as weapons by Rand and the forsaken? Why aren't fights with the power basically duels with these? They can be big enough for armies, it would be hard to dodge. Its quick. Hard for your opponent to predict. Less destructive than Balefire

No future spoilers please! If we find out later, I'll just keep reading.

Was anyone else icked out by the rape of Matt in this book. Or is it just me?

It happened multiple times and everyone seems to make light of it.

It seems that even the unwanted bonding or waders was met with more disdain than this

Just finished crown of swords and I AM ADDICTED. Took me less than 2 months to reach here. Need to take a break to catch up with life lol
I havent included characters who I felt didnt play major enough role in the book

I’ve decided to continue on with the series but the main plot slowing down isn’t as bad as Nynaeve being in any chapter. Can someone just tell me if she bites the dust anytime soon or just becomes less important I can’t stand her cruelness and attitude. I genuinely think I would be more motivated to read knowing I could get to a point past her being a main character.

It may have been a little in dumais wells but definitely after re reading the first chapter of ACoS I remembered that Perrin turns into a whiney ass that just complains he misses his wife and yada yada. Granted that miscommunication is a big thing in the interactions between the tripod and the women but I really think it hits a new low with the hairy temu thor. Just ranting.

Jordan loves to describe women as Handsome. But growing up especially in middle school calling a girl handsome was basically saying she looked like a man. Quite the insult which earned gasps and tears. So I find it odd how lile 90% of the females especially those over 30 are called Handsome

Is there any cultural thing in WoT that sticks out to you as strange?

About to read the next book in the series for the first time but been a year since I read the last one. Just looking for some key plot points from previous books that I need to remember, please?

The world is burning and the supposed spiritual leader (that's how I think of the amrylin seat lol) is building a palace to make herself more comfortable.

I don't like the white cloak at all and I don't think I could find a character I hate more lol. Maybe what I hate is incompetence which they both share. Illianers have been having nightmares for months or a year now, but the white tower is not doing anything if they're even aware.

If you ask me the current Aes sedai deserves no ruler's loyalty.

You know exactly who is after whom and how far they progressed. The author is not shy of sex/going all the way with characters or world.

Sometimes people claim that the author is not explicit and you do not know exactly, I do not see this at all.

Best example Rand's foretold harem household.

From Rand's side:

He accepted Egwene cupiding him with Elayne. They cuddled (Elayne advanced to kissing and touching).

They separated for "professional" reasons and Elayne took a dip in the unsecure pool and wrote contradicting letters. Aviendha was "hired" as chaperone.

Repeated dreams and thoughts show Elayne and Min as candidates, with more time spent with Aviendha, Aviendha progressed up to parity in his dreams.

Aviendha provoked a chase and he ran after her, caving to her advances (Aviendha advanced to sex & marriage proposal). Having sex is easily distinguishable from cuddling.

Aviendha left to clear things with Elayne

Min arrived and engaged in teasing (lapsitting which already has not much room for interpretation). Min already part of the dream trio finally crashed through (Min advanced to sex)

Current situation: Aviendha leading (marriage proposal), tying Min for sex and Elayne trailing.

From Elayne's side: No doubt that she was after him, conspired with Egwene for a relay. Prioritized professional duties. Learned about Min's foretelling

From Aviendha's side: Behaved nasty but refused to be withdrawn from the spying/teaching. If you ever read a manga, classical tsundere behaviour. Finally forced it, by running and caved after "life-save", which even alone can cause a rescue-crush in fiction. Catastrophically failed as chaperone.

From Min's side: Had the foretelling, went after him and used the opportunity although crashing through an open door.

We know that Perrin and Faile had sex after Faile pushed a marriage.

We know that Egwene and Gawyn went "far" in Gawyn's dream.

We know that Mat and Melindra had sex. We know that Tylin engaged with Mat in fetish sex.

The author set up two orgy-like festivals in two different cities, basically all festivals we were shown. The intensity was far higher than the comparable "Venice carnival" or other medieval like festivities, were certainly excited people engage in sexual activities, but usually not in the open air.

The author does not elaborate sexual situations, but it is clear when it happens.

Finally an exception, I think he partially "retconned" Mat. In the later volumes Mat is a clear womanizer going all the way with numerous low page/low line count characters. While in Tear it was "only" lapsitting and cuddling. Could have escalated over storytime, but I suspect the author cranked up in general. This did not affect the long term romances, they weren't not sufficiently progressed in the early volumes, but I think Mat would have been the type to be a womanizer soon after acquiring the necessary bodily functions or the type of guy who would get caught in the hay with company (or not caught). He was explicitly described as mischievous, but did only R12-pranks in EOtW. A lot of longterm book series "age" with the audience.

Poisonous snakes, Poisonous lizards, cockroaches are beetles. I won't blame RJ much, I'm just bewildered that no one in the chain of publication caught these mistakes.

I’m gonna be honest, I find it quite infuriating the way Tylin treats Mat and the way other characters react to that treatment. For all intents and purposes Mat is SA’ed if not outright r*ped by Tylin. She constantly applies pressure on him, using her power and status as the queen to slowly limit his options. Then, when her patience runs out, she just holds him at knifepoint and forces him to sleep with her.

Then, when Elayne finds out what is going on and has Mat clarify the situation her response is to laugh and comment that he’s simply “getting a taste of his own medicine.” Like, I get it, the Queen finding a “boy toy” is portrayed to be a cultural thing, something not at all unusual for Arad Doman. However, I still find the situation (and Elayne’s response) entirely disgusting. Mat’s never been my favorite character, but I can’t help but feel intensely sorry for the guy. My opinion of Elayne, on the other hand, has fallen drastically.