Eye of the World Chapters 43-48

Summaries

Loial describes the Ways, why they were created and why they are dangerous. We learn about a disagreement among the Aes Sedai regarding the Ogier and their offer of sanctuary in the stedding during the Breaking of the World. Plans are made to travel to the Blight and Rand has another creepy dream.

The group makes a quiet journey through the streets of Caemlyn to a Waygate. They proceed to enter Jordan’s creepiest creation yet.

Something follows them in the Ways. They discover Trolloc remains and realize this is the answer to the puzzle of how they are moving through the world so quickly and undetected. Moiraine indicates she doesn’t believe Thom is dead. As they near their exit, they realize a wind has arisen and are terrified to have a brief encounter with Machin Shin: The Black Wind.

They safely arrive in Fal Dara (we need a wiki Joey.) They intend to rest there for the night. Lord Agelmar relentlessly disparages the three lads from Emond’s Field. Gollum is captured.

Whilst Moiraine interrogates Padan Fain, we learn the story of Lan’s heritage. Moiraine returns and informs them that Padan Fain is pretty much the most disgusting and horrible creature in the whole world.

The group sets out for the Blight. The Blight is a horrible, horrible place akin to the Dead Marshes near Mordor. I let that comparison pass, because it didn’t feel as blatant as so much else. They camp for the night and Rand overhears a passionate and dramatic exchange between two incredibly intense people in love. He does NOT want Nynaeve to catch him seeing her cry.

My Thoughts

As I mentioned above, I really loved this section. I love learning about the Breaking of the World and I think it’s really cool how the male Aes Sedai created the Ways. Unfortunately, the taint affected even that. I love the description of their passage through the Ways. It is so creepy and the Black Wind just seems horrifying. Even more so when we learn that Padan Fain actually found kindred voices in it. Makes me shudder.

I kind of hated Agelmar ragging on the boys, but honestly I’d have felt the same knowing as little as he did about their quest. I got a chuckle out of his reaction to learning they would do the actual battle at the Eye of the World. Obviously male wielders of the One Power are scary.

I’m giving the Blight a pass. I know it has a lot of similarities to Frodo and Sam’s journey towards the Black Gate, but I think Jordan did enough to make it stand on its own. I especially loved the horrid little stick creature that just waits for something to come by so it can start digesting its victim. As I was reading this bit, it did make me wonder how an ecosystem like this could survive. The answer: magic.

I also wanted to call out Nynaeve’s soul-baring appeal to Lan. It was kind of sad. That relationship is pretty much the only redeeming thing Jordan provided for her, so I have to point it out when I can.