From: miles@ms.uky.edu (Stephen D. Grant)
Subject: Re: Robert Jordan's "THE SHADOW RISING" (spoilers!)
Date: Tue, 6 Oct 1992 23:29:16 GMT
Organization: University Of Kentucky, Dept. of Math Sciences

bell@ecs.umass.edu writes:

>In article <uprao.718309650@mcl>, uprao@mcl.ucsb.edu (Parik Rao) writes:
>>  Summary: BIG book, I was a bit disappointed.
>> 
>> SPOILERS BELOW!  Don't read any furthur unless you've read the book.

>> 
>>  Ok, I finished TSR today morning, and I was a bit miffed.  Nothing much
>>  seems to happen in this book!  Rand & Co wander around the wastes for
>>  a bit, and end up fighting YET ANOTHER FORSAKEN (no wonder its gonna
>>  take 7 or 8 books, he's still got 8 or so forsaken to "handle"!).
>>  Perrin saves the day in the 2 Rivers.  Nynaeve and Elayne save the
>>  day in Tanchico.  EOF.
Actually, two Forsaken. You gotta remember that they are loose now, and
don't like each other that much. Thus, they split everything into territories.
Plus, don't forget the Forsaken are NORMAL people, just pledged to the dark.
It doesn't increase their power. They just know more tricks.

>>  The history aspect was pretty nice, I liked how we find out so much
>>  about the Aiel (the linking w/ the Tuathanan should have been obvious,
>>  but I missed it completely).  On the other hand, it demistifyies them,
>>  and they were my favorite people.
I just ordered the _Eye of the World_ in hb. I hate it when a series switches
in the middle. I had no idea before tSR that they were once the same.

>>  The Two Rivers portion was garbage IMHO, Perrin should NOT have survived.
>>  At the least, he should have been captured by the peddler-guy or the
>>  WhiteCloaks.   They way he saves the day and gets the girl in the end
>>  reminded me too much of Eddings work.
Its not over yet. How can you kill one of the main characters with 2 or 3
books left? :-)
Somebody probably will get it, but my guess is the main characters will
ride off into the sunset. I'm waiting for Rand to do something major that
requires ALOT of the Power that will, <cough>, remove the taint.

>>  Likewise for the Tanchico portion, I find it difficult to believe that
>>  Nynaeve could defeat one of the Forsaken.
>      You have to remember that Nynaeve, Egewene and Elayne are supposed to
>be the strongest Aes Sedai to come around for a long time.  It's very
>possible that Forsaken (forget her name) was overconfident and was cocky and g
>got beaten. 
I don't think she was cocky, I just think she was overmatched. The Forsaken
aren't stronger, they're just well practiced. The Forsaken, I won't try to
spell the name w/o the book, and Nynaeve will at a dead stand still until
Nynaeve hit her with something to break her concentration. After all, these
three women are supposed to be some of the strongest Aes Sedai in a long long
time. My question is, what happened to the Forsaken? Did the Bale Fire get her?


>>  The ending was not satisfactory, I find it hard to believe Lanfear didn't
>>  even bother searching the area for the woman-half of that super-angreal,
>>  take the one from Rand, kill Asmodeus, try to contact Shaitan, etc.
>>  Asmodeus seemed pretty wimpy as well, although I guess thats his
>>  character.  And how did that other Aiel-psuedo-chief get the markings
>>  on his hand?  Who would draw it for him (perhaps he's a darkfriend, and
>>  asked one of the forsaken?).
I remember that Lanfear was looking at Rand trying to judge how tired he
was. I don't think she wanted to be around him with that Sa Angreal if he
could use it. Thus the quick glance at the destruction, and head for the 
hills. Remeber, those two sa'angreals are supposed to be the most powerful 
ever made. From what I gather, Rand should be the strongest wielder of the
One Power around. Remember in the Stone during the attack, Egwyne watched
Rand wield so much power and complicated weaves of power that she was stunned.
Up to the point, I think she believed her power was close to Rands' in ability.
She realized she was strongly mistaken. Yet, it's interesting that Rand can
sense women channeling, but Egwyne nor Elayne could sense him.

>    I don't get Lanfear.  I don't know if she's supposed to love Lews Therin so
>much that she wants Rand to come to her willingly and she isn't willing to
>push that even for the super-angreal.  By the way wasn't the statue a
>ter'angeal that linked the holder to the strongest sa'angreals? 
>   I can't come up with a viable reason for the pseudo-chief having the 
>dragons on his arms either.
Didn't Lanfear turn to the Dark One after Lews Therin shunned her?
Damn, I have to re-read the series. I think Lanfear wants to rule the world,
and needs help, and Lews Therin is the only help she wants. She is confident
that He will be Hers. Why else would she lead him to Asmodean to find a 
teacher. She actually saved him and Mat in the Battle in the Stone.
Those weren't Rand's Trollocs helping out.

>    I still thought it was a great book and can't wait for the others to come
>out.  These are all just my honest opinions and are open to discussion, but no
>flames please.
ditto

I truly enjoy the series. You have Rand, the Dragon Reborn: Lews Therin,
Mat, the reborn ruler of Manatheren<sp?>, and Perrin Goldeneyes, Wolfboy
like those before the Age of Legends. What happened to Mat at Rhudian?
He can truly be an idiot. What of Logan and the other guy that escaped that
can channel? It appears the Children and The White Tower are enemies of the
people. Gee, will the White Tower and the Children actually join together
to battle the Dragon and renegade Aes Sedai in the Last Battle? Or just
the battle at the end of book 5? At least no seals were broken.

Now I have to patient for Jordan(May,Williams,Kay) to finish their next books.
The agony!  :-)

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