From: chrismg@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu (christian gadeken)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.written
Subject: Re: The Shadow Rising - Robert Jordan **SPOILERS**
Date: 16 Oct 92 02:11:59 GMT
Organization: The University of Texas at Austin, Austin TX

In article <1992Oct8.111930.4628@desire.wright.edu> cse0080@desire.wright.edu (John C. Hansen) writes:


>Contrary to some earlier comments about Jordan heading toward formula
>and away from innovation, I disagree.
>While in a number of other fantasy series where you've met everyone by
>the second book and nearly all the questions have been raised and many
>already answered or hinted at, in the Wheel of Time series, there are a lot
>of characters we haven't even seen yet (though their names may have been
>mentioned.)  TSR poses more questions than it answered.  Most of its answers
>were to questions we hadn't even thought to ask yet.
>
>Some answers:
>1. The Aiel and where they came from.  Anybody think it would be this way?
Nope

>2. How Shaitan got loose. I had no clue.
Well, I'd figured out the Aes Sedai in the Age of Legends had drilled
a hole into his prison, but I hadn't expected quite what we were shown.

>Help me here, people.  What are some more "answers" to questions we may have
>had from the first 3 books.
>Some questions:
>1. Does Rand marry three wives?  Min saw three faces, Elayne, Herself, and
>one unclear one (perhaps - veiled?) (Aviendha, maybe?)
Maybe.

>2. What in tarnation happened to Mat inside the ter'angreal in Rhuidean?
>Who is the daughter of the nine moons?  What is that spear-sword?  How will
>Mat "give up half the light of the world to save the world?" 
>(Ah, I just noted that the Court of the Nine Moons is the Seanchan Empress'
>palace?)  This is interesting...
This is my theory: The "Snakes" answer questions, the "Foxes" grant
requests.  Mat asked(without realizing) to have the gaps in his memory
filled, to be free of Aes Sedai, and to leave the Foxes' world.  We
know he was granted the first and the third, and I assume the medallion
is the second.

>3. What will Siuan, Min, and Logain do?  
No idea.

>4. Is Elaida black Ajah?  I was almost certain she wasn't but I can't say
>anymore.  Who killed the girl and the lady at the farm?  
She might be (she was in Egwene's vision during the testing, but I'm
unsure how much of that was taken from her own fears.) or she might simply
be very self-centered.

>5. What will the Tearans do in Cairhien (aside from what Rand told them to
>do.)  
No idea.

>6. As others have asked, how did Couladin get his dragons, and what does
>he do next?

There's a throwaway line from Lanfear that implies Asmodean gave them to him.
I assume he'll try to lead the Shaido against Rand.

>7. I still wonder about Ordeith (Padain Fain)?  Who or what is he?

Fain is a combination of Padan Fain, a Darkfriend whose soul was touched
by Ishamael and Shai'tan; and Mordeth, a man of mysterious power who's been
trapped in the dead city of Shadar Logoth since the Trolloc Wars.

Slayer is a combination of the body of Lord Luc, Prince of Andor, brother
to Tigraine; and the soul of Isam, Prince of Malkier, taken by Trollocs as a baby.

>8. Lord Luc/Slayer (Lan's cousin?) what part does he play?  What happens
>when Perrin goes in the tower he should avoid?
What I want to know is, what connection is there between Slayer and
the Tower of Ghenjei?

>9. Will the land return to its modern jo-car, ho-wing (?) state?
Sho-wing.  Who turned Clarke's Third Law around to "Any sufficiently
advanced magic is indistinguishable from science."?  A return is possible,
but it'll be a long road.  Or it may go actual technology, I think those
bits with fireworks kind of imply that.

>10. Where is Moghedien, did bale fire get her? (Probably not)  What about
>Samael, and the rest?
Sammael is in Illian, ruling.  Rahvin is in Caemlyn, calling himself
Gaebril.  No idea about Demandred.  Moghedien (IMHO) had a trick that
dropped her physically into *Tel'aran'rhiod* (Remember, Rand did it at the
end of Book 3) ;Birgitte said she was very good with it.

>11. Liandrin is still loose. What about her?  Nyneave and Elayne haven't 
>escaped yet.
>12. Do the sad-chains get dumped in the ocean? Not likely.  Does Suroth
>get them?  I hope not.  Why are they sad?
They've soaked up the misery of the people wearing them.  A sensitive
(Aes Sedai, for example) can sense that.

>... the list could go on and on.  My head is spinning round but now the
>way is clear to me (that's from a song...) I will buy the next book a year
>from now.  (Why does it have to be a year..... moan, sob, whine.)

Idiot Plot Dept.:  Why didn't Mat give Elayne her mother's mesage?  If he
had, she would have immediately said "'quiet talks with Sheriam in her
study?"  That's not right, what's going on here?"  Me, I think Moiraine
and Lan have probably figured out Gaebril is another Forsaken, but are
keeping quiet to prevent Rand&Co. from charging of to the rescue.

-- 
			C h r i s t i a n  G a d e k e n

Yakumo: "But I really did destroy a monster in Hong Kong!"
Saru  : "Ahem, ahem"
Yakumo: "Saru, do you believe me?"
Saru  : "Where's my Hong Kong souvenir?"
Xref: sparky rec.arts.sf.written:13818 rec.arts.sf.movies:7938