Fantasy Buddy Reads discussion

This is a Buddy Read for Crossroads of Twilight by Robert Jordan starting July 29, 2022.

Started today! Still running late, but enjoying. The opening quote, talking of "right hand" and "left hand" made me think of Osan'gar and Aran'gar--one of them died in the last book, but I can't remember if it was left or right, and then why would the quote be referring to something from the previous book? Whatev.

I've heard this is the pinnacle of the slog. Cheers to slogging through it.

Prolouge--Iturlade (view spoiler)[that's the guy Grendael sent a messenger to in a prologue like three books ago, right? Not sure if it was the same one he mentioned chased by a gray man. I wonder if the King is still alive, or was one of her "pretties." (hide spoiler)]

More prologue--shawls--(view spoiler)[there's a note on Yukiri's shawl in this prologue that suggests that Aes Sedai have more than one: Yukiri herself was wearing her best, embroidered in silver and thread-of-gold, with the long silk fringe that hung to her ankles. I hadn't considered that they would have more than one shawl, and I've been keeping an eye out for details of the design (with no luck), for cosplay purposes. The fringe is always the color of the ajah, but the design of the shawl itself--colors, if it has the flame of Tar Valon on it etc--those details have been vague. (hide spoiler)]

Through Chapter 5--I've heard that this is the slowest of all the books, and often ranked last in favorites lists, but I really enjoyed the first 5 chapters with Mat. (view spoiler)[I especially enjoy how flustered he is over Tuon, and dealing with his destiny! (hide spoiler)]

I will start this tomorrow. I will be catching up:)

I am up to Ch. 13 and we are still covering the time while Rand and Naenive are doing the big weave... It is amusing how scared the Aes Seday in the palace are from the magnitude of the channelling, that they are prepared to run.

Have I mentioned how much I hate Savannah???

Also, how much I want that slimy dude , who cheated his way into the captain of the guard position, to be discovered and dealt with???

The chapters with Mat were pretty awesome! It is hilarious his coming to terms with his prophesied nuptials :))) Toy!!! (view spoiler)[ I am upset that the Queen got killed though... And he is sad for her loss, which made me like him even more. I hope her son doesn't blame him for it...

I hope that High Lady Surov is dealt with by her own people and the dude who is investigating her.

Messina - he needs to die a slow and painful death!!! Also, I don't trust the Tinker with the sword! I think he is on the brink of breaking...

The High Seats of the four houses who came to support Elaine for the throne, were hilarious! I really hope they survive the whole ordeal! (hide spoiler)]

So, I finished this one as well. I know what people usually think about this and the previous books - that they are slow, nothing is happening, too much politics and no action... I understand, but I don't think nothing is happening. All the maneuvering is necessary for the plot. Everything is meticulously set up for the actions to come. Mat, Elaine, Egwene, Rand and even Logaine, all are in the places they need to be and honestly, I love the game of politics they are all involved in. I forgot to mention Perin and Fail, but he is making me a bit crazy with his obsession on freeing her above all else. She seems to understand the situation better than him and is much more logical. I want to smack him over the head and bring some sense back!!!

The one thing that still makes me so angry is (view spoiler)[ Halima killing with free rein, because no one could even suspect a woman killing with Saidin... That is just so wrong!!!

I am worried about Egwene being captured at the end, but I have a feeling little can stop her - she is smart, strong and resilient, I know she will make the best of her situation...

I worry about Egeian , did Twan's voice lady demote her from a captain of the blood, to a nobody??? That would be horrible, and all because Mat is playing games... That dream Egwene had about him was pretty horrible...

The scene Perin cut off the hand of the Stone Dog Shido for information, was pretty hard to read. I wonder how he is going to fight now that he left the axe behind... (hide spoiler)]

I am planning on jumping in the next book as soon as possible:))) I love this series!!!

Choko wrote: "I am up to Ch. 13 and we are still covering the time while Rand and Naenive are doing the big weave... It is amusing how scared the Aes Seday in the palace are from the magnitude of the channelling..."

I'm finally up to chapter 21 and opening some of your spoilers. :) I am so with you on all of those! Loving Mat, hating slimy dude, loving the House Heads... and !!! the fact that every SINGLE viewpoint we get we start back off right at the end of the last book.

Then again, timewise... (view spoiler)[Min's viewing of Elayne's children being born safely has given her the idea that no harm can come to her while she's pregnant... and I'm not sure why (maybe this is my extremely vague memories of reading the series once almost ten years ago, or something I read this time so double spoiler-tagging) but that makes me think that (view spoiler)[the Last Battle is going to come before Elayne's kids are born... which would mean the last few books, from now until the end, all take place in less than a year. (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

re: Sevannah--GRRRR! I just want to punch the smile off her face. No, I want the Wise Ones with her to make her da'tsang and stick her in black itchy robes and hang her upside down over a fire covered in itchy powder and ants. And then I want the Wise Ones (ie: Therava) to be burned out by trying to do something stupid, like attacking Rand or Cadsuane, and turned on by their own people. That might do it. I find the least pleasure in the Faile/Perrin/Sevanna storyline.

re: Mat--(view spoiler)[Yes! Toy! I love that! And I too mourn the Queen... and how it hurts Mat, to know that he left her there to die... but even if he hadn't tied her up, she would have had no way to escape the gholam, so it really isn't his fault... except that the gholam was after him, so he can still see it as his fault... but then it's not really like Tylin (? already forgetting names) game him any choice in their relationship.

I have a feeling if her son (Besuan?) blames anyone, he blames the Seanchan... would he even know Mat tied Tylin up? (hide spoiler)]

Suroth (view spoiler)[I so agree! I'd love to see the um... Inquisitor? Questioner? Raven Tower dude... take out Suroth! Though he seems more likely to keep following Egeanin...

I don't know if I've mentioned before, but I've been getting serious vibes from Anath, Tuon's Truthspeeker--if she's not Semirhage (and considering how much she enjoys giving Tuon penaces, I think it's a good bet) she's got to be a high-ranking Darkfriend. (hide spoiler)]

The Prophet Masema--ugh (view spoiler)[another slimy man. Another reason I dislike Perrin's chapters. So much frustration there with no satisfaction.

And the Two Rivers folks and the rest of his men turning away from Perrin because they believe he slept with Berelain !!! Don't they know him better? Seriously! Can't they see how Berelain has been continually cat and mousing Perrin, and taunting Faile? Idiots!!! I really hope the "Man in White" who is supposed to sweep Berelain off her feet is Galad, and that he shows up soon!! They'd deserve each other. (hide spoiler)]

High Seats--(view spoiler)[it was funny, but also poignant, especially the middle boy who seemed far to wise for his years. None of them have parents or close family left to treat them as anything but a High Seat... I hope we see them again. And on the plus side...it could give Elayne some parenting experience--assuming she gets to spend any time with them. (hide spoiler)]

Through Chapter 21
Approaching the Black Tower (view spoiler)[Just a random thought--Egwene notes that all the Ajahs put forth a reason why they should be leading the expedition--except the Yellow. I would think that the Yellow could put forth on the basis that only healers would be able to sooth/control/study the tainted men... (hide spoiler)]

Alvarin (view spoiler)[ I love that she hate stairs and wishes for "Lifts"! I also find it interesting that Mesana knows the British word--it has interesting connotations for cultural influence through the Age of Legends.

And again, I love how Jordan makes us more interested in bad guy chapters by pitting bad guys against other bad guys... really, it's win/win for the reader. Someone gets comeuppance. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 23 random quote: (view spoiler)[Cadsuane is thinking of how things would have been different if she had been 50 years younger, or rather "came to the shawl 50 years later," and mentions that "But fifty hyears would have meant that Norla died in her little house in the Black Hills before Cadsuane Melaidhrin ever went to the White Tower"--I wonder if this is the Wilder that taught Cadsuane a lesson, and largely shaped her attitude towards fools, including other Aes Sedai? She mentioned something like that in New Spring, I think. In her thoughts. (hide spoiler)]

More chapter 23
What made me angry--(view spoiler)[considering taking back what I said about the Aes Sedai bonding Asha'man. I can't believe Merise took away Jahar's dragon pin! That would be like him taking away her shawl--they are Warder bonded, that does not maker her his mentor in the power, or his leader! I could punch her! She has no right to take or give it! grrrr!

I do like the idea of Aes Sedai & Asha'man bonding, but it needs to be as equals, like Rand & three, not as pets, one way or the other. Warder is ok, because having the right to protect someone is important, but it is not ok to act like one half knows better. It's a marriage of sorts, and those need to be equal. Which reminds me of Nynaeve & Lan's Sea Folk marriage, where the one who commands in public obeys in private...

Interesting that both the Salidar rebels and the White Tower folks are both coming up with the necessity to approach the Asha'man at the same time... but with Taim in charge, it's going to be a hotbed of snakes... (hide spoiler)]

Good catch on Cadsuane's teacher. And I caught on to the British word that Mesana used:))) The Age of Legends is definitely much closer to our world than theirs:)))

I hate Taim with passion, if I haven't made that clear already... I am not the biggest Logain fan either, but at least Ihe doesn't give me the hibbi-jibbies... I also don't get completely paranoid every time he is on page. Just the mention of Taim makes me break out in cold sweat and look over my shoulder and around corners... So anything he is involved with is tainted, in my opinion...

I finally finished! Sorry it took me so long... I want to read Alloy of Law first but then I will be jumping in to the next one.

re: Taim--I totally agree, and I find it waaaay ominous that we haven't seen him "onscreen" in ages... just getting whispers of what he's up to...

Dragon Reborn (view spoiler)[I was totally expecting Lews Therin's voice and the dizziness to go away with the cleansing of saidin! Also very ominous that they haven't. It makes me wonder... and think... the Dark One has been very insistent that his Chosen not harm Rand. He has a plan for him... Rand's coldness... I wonder if the Dark One is tainting Rand directly, through his shutting off of emotion? The thing which Cadsuane is to teach him, which Min says is very important, and Cadsuane determined to teach Rand how to laugh--I wonder if that is the very thing that will save him from Shadow for good? And then it'll be free-for-all on his head, Chosen-wise though. (hide spoiler)]

Egwene (view spoiler)[I'm actually really excited for Egwene being captured! I can't wait to see her turn all of her Aiel toh knowledge and force of personality on the tower from the inside... Elaida won't kill her, she'll want to make an example of her. But by showing her petulant punishments, Elaida will only make herself look like a child as Egwene sails through with head held high... Also--Egwene's dreams seem to suggest an attack on the Tower by the Seanchan. With all the sisters hands' tied by the oaths, they'll need Egwene to keep them all from being captured. (hide spoiler)]

more dreams (view spoiler)[I don't remember what chapter, but one of Egwene's dreams connected Mat, the Illuminator lady, and looked like him rolling a bowling ball down people as pins--sounds like cannon to me! I wonder when Mat will solve the question of the bell founder, and learn the secrets of black powder? (hide spoiler)]

And I'm still enjoying Mat & Tuon.

Agree with every word! I truly think that all the five kids from the Two Rivers are Ta'viren. Egwene included. This is why I love reading about her, because I am not too worried about her safety.

I just started Alloy of Law as well! We can read the next WoT after that:)))

I love absolutely everything about this series. Similar to how I feel about The Wandering Inn, I rate it all at 5*****, because I just love being in the world with the characters, even if they are just chatting about the weather:)))