The Wheel of Time: Crossroads of Twilight

[lanifiel]

Alrighty, book Ten of the Wheel of Time saga.

Have you bought it yet?

What do you all think of it?

Dont post any spoilers though, others might not of had a chance to read it yet...

[Midnightsfire]

Bought it...



In the middle of it.....


And all I can say is....


d*amn...http://64.207.13.28/mysmilies/contrib/blackeye/Eyecrazy.gif

[lanifiel]

hehe, its good huh? :D

[Tarawyn]

I've read it, three or four times (finished it the first night as I refused to put the book down). It's amazing, although - no, this isn't a spoiler - they never make any references to time, so you have to rack your mind to keep what's going on in order. I think that some of that might have been done purposely. I caught some missed edit points, bits that don't make sense or aren't exact, but that's personal.

I can't resist. These won't be spoilers, but...sort of. They're in tags, at any rate.

The ending was an amazing bit, mainly because we have uncertainty - nothing has really been straightened out, because the straightening out is a problem on its own. Who could imagine an alliance with the Seanchan? The prophecies refer to the Crystal Throne, not the Daughter, but their meeting should prove...interesting. If they ever do meet. That's what I think Jordan was twisting our mind with - has Tuon been recovered, or is it a plot?

[Katze]

Tarawyn - your spoiler close tag isn't working ;)

I have the first book of this series. I usually start with the first book of a series, and read it before I move onto the next (although I bought all 4 HP books at the same time).

I've heard these are quite addictive, more so than HP.

How many books are there?

How many books will there be?

I asked this in a different thread, but it was off topic, and it appears to be slightly off topic here because you're discussing book 10, and I haven't even read book 1 - how long do you have to wait between the books?

[Tarawyn]

Thanks, Katze.

Crossroads of Twilight is the tenth book in the series. Jordan has no idea how long it'll be, and I'm under the impression he doesn't want to know (he thought it would be a "trilogy" in '88). I can't say much about the wait, because I was hooked in September, but I'd estimate a few years at a time. And they're very addictive.

[lanifiel]

A very long time, its almost unbearable, especially after where he left off last time, and this time was even worse!! At least with JKR's works you get a complete story, The Wheel of Time just goes on and on...

[Midnightsfire]

10 books so far and from what I've read a while back Jordan said he originally planned on a dozen books but now he admitted he doesn't think he can finish it in 15. There is just too much going on.

And where the h*ell is Moiraine??? (Don't like that Cadsuane)

When I first started reading the series, I thought it would be a trilogy and when it didn't end at the 3rd book I was kinda disappointed. I ignored the 4th book for a year and then the 5th book came out and for a lark started the 4th book then...the way the 4th book ended got me curious about the 5th...and then that 6th book!!! What a punch!

Hooked!

[Katze]

Ugh! I think I'll hold off on this series until it is finished and then start reading it. As long as I don't start, I can wait forever.

[Rowena Ravenclaw]

Katze, I'm in the middle of the second book, and can't get any further. So it is possible to stop. I'm just not sure whether that's confined to me or not.

[Inkwolf]

I've forgotten a lot of the previous books. Does anyone feel like writing a summary of the plot for me? :D

[lanifiel]

Rand blew some stuff up and went mad.

Perrin is a wolf in a mans body.

Matt is the luckiest ******* in the world.

There ya go, all done :D

[Tarawyn]

Moraine is still with the Aelfinn and Eelfinn, awaiting rescue, possibly dead or stilled (although most people don't seem to think so). "Most people" think that Mat's the one who's going to get her back, but he has to get out of his mess first. Lanfear somehow escaped as Cyndane. Not the only one of the "reborn" Forsaken. You have Balthamel, Aginor, Ishmael...but that's another story, with spoilers.

Condensing the plot up until Crossroads - Rand declared himself Dragon Reborn a long while ago, and is turning to stone. The Shaido are raiding and burning. The other Aiel are following Rand. Elayne is in Camelyn as Daughter-Heir. Nynaeve is with Lan, who's with Rand. Egwene is the Amyrlin Seat and is out of the Hall's clutches. Mat is hiding with the recently found Daughter of the Nine Moons, Tuon. Alliandre, Morgase, and Faile (queen, former queen, and Perrin's wife) were taken as gai'shain, and Perrin is trying to get them back. The Forsaken are spying on everyone and have some sort of plan, one that we don't know. The Hand of the Dark, a neighborhood Myrdraal, has a lot of power right now - as much as Moridin, and possibly more. Saidin was cleansed - or was it?

[Tarawyn]

Ages later - by now, anyone who's reading it should be moving along if not done. Now we get to look forward to the short novels because book 11 will take forever to get out...New Spring is being rewritten as a real novel. Yay.

Is it just me, or, besides the epilogue, does CoT take place over the course of 2 or 3 days!? I understand why it's like that - it's more of a sum up of how everything is standing than an advancement book, and the end is kicking off some action, but two days?

[LewsTherin]

I bought it a while back and really enjoyed it. As Tarawyn said, it's strange in that it takes place in so short a time, but it does clarify a lot. I would have hoped that it would push the story along a bit more, so in was dissapointed there, but it's still good, even though it left me with more questions than answers (as in why 50 darkhounds were sniffing about Perrin's camp? and what on Earth was going on in So Harbor?). The wait for the next one is going to be agonizing.

[Tarawyn]

You're telling me. That's why I'm looking forward to the revised, novel-length New Spring, which is likely to come out long before the next book.

wotmania.com had started a few good theories, but the site is having server problems right now, so that's out. I do remember some of the theories, though, the prominent one being that the Darkhounds were after Padan Fain. There's nothing that says this is true, but nothing else makes sense. The Shadow has been trying to kill him. It hasn't worked. Not the first time, or the second, or...he's in danger of destroying all their plans. Jordan said he "sidestepped the Pattern." And really, when it comes down to it: they're after someone important, really important, who the Shadow really wants dead. Who else fits that criteria?

There are other things. The barriers between the worlds are collapsing, with random theories from outer space: the actual dead, people from the Mirrors of the Wheel, who knows what else. I say that the Mirrors are more likely. Portal Stones can't have been abandoned altogether, and there's so much emphasis on the dead that it's unlikely they really are dead.

Book 11 is going to have a lot of prophecy to fufill. Perfect place for Egwene's dream about Gawyn running and stopping the headman's axe, wrapping up Mat's marriage ceremony and whatever else is invovled with it, the Seanchan in general and Rand's binding (or their binding of Rand, however unlikely that is). A lot to look forward to. Hopefully it'll be worth the wait.

[lanifiel]

I know, book 10 is so short in its own way. Its very strange. And parts seem to happen during the end of book nine :)

[Tarawyn]

Parts? Lani, if I'm not mistaken, everything takes place within a two week radius after saidin was cleansed. The first chapter takes place a bit before. The site is back up, apparently, so I'll get the details...wait a minute.

EDIT: Directly from the site, mentioned on the page with one of the ghost theories....

1) In the prologue, Cera Doinal, a servant in the Sun Palace, sees the ghost of Lord Maringil. -Around 4 days before the cleansing.

2) In chapter 10, Elayne's maid Elsie, sees the ghost of Lady Nelein at the manor of House Matherin. -Roughly 1 hour before the cleansing begins.

3) In chapter 29, Mat sees three ghosts while he is walking into the town of Jurador. -About 16 days after the cleansing.

4) In chapter 26, Kireyin and Seonid see a ghost in So Habor. This is 10 days after the cleansing.

4B) Masema suggests that Perrin should go to So Habor for supplies... And his suggestion to go to So Habor, comes hours before the cleansing begins on that day.

[lanifiel]

Hey its been awhile since I read it, and I've only read it once. Give a guy a break :)

[Tarawyn]

I'm sorry about that. I'm just a little...ah...obsessive. Yes, that's the word. Obsessive. (And I started on the series around September!)

[lanifiel]

:lol: I went into the library back when I was at school (about 10 years ago) and teh librarian gave me book one and said "Tell me if we should get the rest of them when they come out" Suffice to say they did :D

[Inkwolf]

ARGH! ARGH! ARGH!!!!!!!!

I just finished listening to the unabridged audio version. How long do we have to wait till the next book? Almost NOTHING actually happened and was resolved in this one!!! We learned about the Hand of the Shadow, and what happened to Egwene at the end, and everyone deciding to make unholy alliances with each other and locating the Shaido--but that's IT! ARRRRGH!

:p

I do wish Jordan had spent more novel time on action and less on, say, describing what each Ae Sedai was wearing at the meeting. But I guess I enjoyed it, overall.

The only thing is, I feel more like I've listened to a 18-cassette reminder of what's going on, rather than a whole new episode....as Tarwyn and LewsTherin have already said.

By the way, bet anything that Nikola ran away to the Tower and is betraying all their new secrets and discoveries to Elaida. (Excuse any bad spelling, I've listened to rather than read most of the series.)

[Tarawyn]

Well, I guess that was the point. We needed a good overview, a recap (or the people who didn't read the series 10 times since September did, meep!), and to have some things we suspected said straight out. When you think about it, the only point of view we didn't get in this book was from the Forsaken. We saw some plotting, some Light and some Shadow, and were left with a lot to think about.

I'm a little nervous about what the Forsaken are up to. The simple part of what they were doing was simple. Let Rand rule, and let chaos go. When they realized he was going to clear the Taint, that plan disintegrated. But what can they do now? The Taint is clear - so far as we know, anyway - and some of them are probably dead. More than some. Is it possible that the reason why we didn't hear from them is because all those who were at Shadar Logoth were dead? That'd be a pretty lame way to trash them...

I don't think Nicola betrayed Egwene. I'm leaning towards someone in the Hall, actually. From what I remember - and I wish that was more - the Aes Sedai who captured her knew where to look and when. Only people who knew that and could use the information, so far as I know, are the Sitters. Depending on who captured Egwene, Delana might just be a good choice...

[LewsTherin]

Yes, but they were'nt looking for Egwene, as they were surprised when they saw that it was the Amyrlin. And chances are, since...who was it? Nicola, Bode?...was going to go, they actually wanted to capture her. Why, I can't imagine. It could be that the Tower expected/wanted someone who could make Cuendillar (sp?), and their mole within the Salidar Aes Sedai ('cause face it, there had to be one) provided someone. But the really interesting question for me: who, or what, is Shaidar Haran? In that chapter where he confronts Mesaana, it would seem he turns into the physical manifestation of the Dark One, and Alvarin (sp?) certainly thought this. Could it be?

BTW, I don't know if I'm allowed to start a discussion or not, so if I'm not, just throw some rotten fruit at me. ;)

[Tarawyn]

Discuss away!

The thing is, Egwene coming was a last-minute decision on Egwene's part. Also, we still don't know who captured Egwene right now. It's a tossup between the direct Tower, the Black Ajah, or some conspiracing Ajah heads, and because this is Robert Jordan, they're all equally likely.

Shaidar Haran is a very odd bit of Shadowspan. General consensus among the obsessed is that he's the Dark One's avatar - not quite physical manifestation, but something that has some of the DO's mindset at least at times - and serves as a watchdog. He does apparent grunt work because it's easier for the DO to act through people - such as Moridin the Nae'blis - but according to Jordan, it's higher than Moridin in the DO's hierarchy. The problem with a physical manifestation is that our wonderful characters in Randland have the habit of being very wrong...and it's hard to imagine the DO being in his own hierarchy...

[lanifiel]

Of course your allowed to start a discussion LewsTherin!! I think that Shaidar Haran is the Dark One, or is Phyisical Presence anyway...

[LewsTherin]

Mmmm, yes, but Haran has an aweful lot of power for a mere Myrrdraal (sp?). It would also appear that he can Channel the True Power. But I agree that he is the Dark One's avatar; it's just what he is that confuses me.

Edit: I must have posted at the same time as you Lanfiel. I agree with that, or at least that's what I think he is. Haran has too much power to be anything else.

As for who caught Egwene. I think it was the Tower Aes Sedai, or at least, that was my immediate impression. I doubt any of Egwene's Aes Sedai would be dealing with the Black, unless they were Black themselves...*shudders* Now there's a scary thought.

[Tarawyn]

Well, she has one of the Forsaken giving her massages on a regular basis...

Not an ordinary Myrddraal. That's very clear. There's a bit of a debate over whether non-channelers would be able to channel the TP; I think it's more likely that it's just some Shaidar-Haran-exclusive power. The real question is exactly what it is, rather than the vague picture we have right now.

[lanifiel]

Definitly the White Tower, but I think it will be the Black Tower that rescues her...

[GryffindorSeeker]

I've read the first book, and I can't wait to get my hands on the second. My dad was very surprised when I brought the first one home. Apparently it is one of his favorite series (I didn't know that at the time) and he was surprised that had been one of the books I had picked up at the store for some reading.

[Quillmagus]

Resurrecting old thread, forgive me.

I still haven't read New Spring. Blast. I have to go buy it. I'm rereading "The Great Hunt" right now. Is New Spring good?

[Holly_Black16]

I found a Wheel of Time fansite. It said there are going to be 12 books and the 11th 'The Knife of Dreams' will be out in October 2005.

[Alfonzo]

The plot of Crossroads of Twilight progressed far too slowly for my liking... Good things were happening ;), but they were happening at a snail's pace. I need to read all of the series again as a friend bought me New Spring - what a shame! :lol: It's good to see fellow WOT fans on here, right Holly? :agree:

[Holly_Black16]

Yep. :agree: I saw my other owl-pal on this thread as well. :) The Mat/Queen Tylin is halarious, and Tuon. :rotfl:

[LewsTherin]

Definitly the White Tower, but I think it will be the Black Tower that rescues her...
Or the Black Ajah...who turn her to the Shadow. I wonder if Alvarin or Mesaana could smuggle thirteen Myrdraal into Tar Valon? It's a golden oppertunity for them, if they can pull it off.

I dunno, Egwene has become too Aes Sedai for her own good (she used to be such a nice character, now I despise her). It was a brave move, to turn the harbour chain to cuendillar, but ultimately foolish for her to do it. Better to risk Bode than herself. Now the Salidar Aes Sedai are headless and once they learn that Elaida has their Amyrlin, well, chances are they'll run either too Elaida or away from her, or do the usual Aes Sedai thing and sit in the mud doing nothing (I don't like Aes Sedai). Egwene should have authorized the assault on Tar Valon and finished the siege.

BTW, apparently book 11 will be the last one. Don't see how the could be possible, but there you have it.

[Holly_Black16]

There are going to be 12 books. the 11th, The Kife of Dreams, will be out in October.