Radar on :
This is my second time through. What was he being subtle about in the desert? It seemed so normal to his other writing to me.
Tuesday, August 27. 2013The Shadow Rising (Chapters 43-48)
Good stuff. I had one minor quibble with this section that I’ll put in the spoilers, but I was happy to have this assignment. I talked to two people this week that are interested in following along, so maybe if I do a really good write-up, we can convince them to contribute.
Chapter Summaries
An injured Perrin arrives in Emond’s Field to discover it has been fortified under the instructions of the Aes Sedai and their warders. Perrins suffers the heartbreak of any decent man who leads others to war. The infection in his wound almost overcomes him before Alanna Sedai is able to Heal him. Perrin awakes predictably exhausted but eager to return to his duties. He is especially upset when he learns that Loial and Gaul have set off without him to lock the Waygate and throw away the key. He argues with Faile and they compromise with him riding around the village. As he does so, scouts bring word of a Trolloc attack incoming. The villagers easily withstand the attack and celebrate. Perrin realizes it was too easy and recognizes that they’ll be back in more force. The Tuatha’an have been attacked and the survivors struggle to reach Emond’s Field. They are almost turned away before Lord Goldeneyes steps in. Perrin attempts to leave in search of Gaul and Loial but is waylaid by a steady stream of villagers seeking the attentions of their new “lord.” Perrin gives Aram a sword because no man should be denied the right to defend himself and his loved ones. Whitecloaks arrive at the village. Perrin and the Mayor allow them to stay under strict conditions. Perrin begins to see the need for an around the clock guard - knowing that Dain Bornhald and Jaret Byar want his blood. We return to Tanchico where Elayne and Nynaeve demonstrate their ineptness. I feel like Nynaeve is the greater problem here. They meet Egeanin and she is struck by how they’re not what she expected of Aes Sedai. The White Tower is broken. Rand continues his journey with the Aiel. There are several encounters with the leaders of the mysterious peddler wagon train. They arrive at Cold Rocks Hold. My Thoughts I want to just skip straight ahead to the Tower, but let me first comment on Perrin. I love, love, love this story of him returning to the Two Rivers. The Trolloc attack is awesome. I felt tense as the shadowspawn approached and then worried at the reaction of the villagers. I love the tension in place as Whitecloaks enter Emond’s Field and knowing that there is a larger Trolloc force out there, biding its time, waiting for reinforcements. Some of the characters are overly cliched, but it’s still fun to see them react to these gleeman’s tales at their doorstep. The story of Aram is so powerful. I wonder sometimes about the author. I understand that he served several tours of duty in Vietnam. Maybe my own prejudices are coloring my perspective, but it seemed like the author really did want to live life following the Way of the Leaf, but he - like Perrin - felt that the world was too violent for it to be possible It was really jarring to leave Perrin in such danger and return to the two stooges in Tanchico. I became interested in what was happening by the end of the chapter, but I can’t help but feel like the book would be better off without this thread. Maybe I’m thinking too much like an editor. Oh man. The White Tower. This was so shocking to me the first time through. It was horrible to read through this time, even though I knew what was going to happen. Gawyn is such an interesting character. It’s a shame he is so often relegated to the background. His leadership in the fight for the Tower played such a pivotal role. This is one of those plot points that sends tremors throughout the rest of the series. We are going to be feeling repercussions from this for a lot of books. The machinations in the desert are so funny to me, mostly because its one of the few times the author actually is being kind of subtle. Knowing what’s going on and why Rand drops all these cryptic lines makes it that much better to read. Trackbacks
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Radar on :
This is my second time through. What was he being subtle about in the desert? It seemed so normal to his other writing to me.
Curtis on :
The peddlers are more than they seem, but Rand is being sly about it. It's not totally subtle. We as readers know that there are enemies there, but this week's write-up and the next will do the reveal.
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