Quirks/Mistakes/Ironies in the books

[Olivia 26]

Throughout reading the books, I've come across little tidbits that I found funny, or seen a mistake that RJ has made. I wanted to make a thread were we could all post those little lines we found funny or ironic. (Pls give me a good spanking if there is already such a thread.)

 

1. We all know of Moiraine's sneaky little weave for listening to other's people conversations. In TSR, however, after making the Tairens back away she thinks to herself "She did not like being overheard." LOL!

 

2. We know from NS that Alanna was an Accepted at the same time as Moiraine & Siuan, a little over 20 years ago, and yet I remember Cadsuane saying (either in PoD or WH) that Alanna had worn the shawl for 40 years.

 

3. When Nynaeve is first taken to her testing for Accepted, she hears that she will encounter her fears. Her first thought are that her fears will be darkness or "her nervousness concerning spiders". I find it a very cute little irony that RJ has put in; that Nynaeve is scared of spiders and her nemesis is Moghedien the Spider.

 

 

Please post yours! And I will dig for others.

[Iridal 0]

Well, personally, my favorite scene in the books is when Perrin walks in on Moiraine while she's brushing her hair...*ahem* topless. Ok well not exactly topless...she had her robe open. And she just calmly closes her robe and asks him what he wants while he's blushing furiously! XD Priceless!

 

But after reading New Spring, I can't help but wonder what she was really thinking.

[Marie 73]

The ages always get me (esp. that Alanna mistake!).

 

First, Siuan is the youngest Amyrlin having been raised at age 30. Since she was entered into the novice books the same day as Moiraine, that would mean she entered the Tower at age 14. Yet she has a memory of being in Tear at age 15. And then by the time the comics come out she entered the Tower at age 16? Siuan is one amazing woman to manage that.

[Olivia 26]

Moiraine and Siuan are 16 when they come to Tar Valon. because they complete their training in 6 years and Moiraine says she is 22 to that Aes Sedai in Canluum in NS.

 

Also, Moiraine recalls that the Sun Palace "is full of currents that could pull you under even at fifteen and sixteen". This means she was still in Cairhien playing Daes'dae'mar at 16, before she went to the Tower.

Not sure where you got 14 from.

[Marie 73]

Because Siuan was suppose to have been raised to Amyrlin at age 30, and had been Amyrlin for 10 years by 998. So, that would make her 40 when Moiraine is 42. At least according to the BWB she was raised in 988. In the TGH glossary she was raised in 985; either way, that makes her a different age than Moiraine.

[Olivia 26]

Hmm, was under the impression they were the same age. My mistake,

 

Ah well, either way it's a mistake by RJ, nice observation.

[Kaitlin 22]

That is a nice observation and one that I hadn't known about.

 

I can't exactly remember any other mistakes on RJ's part, except for one small part where he writes about an Aes Sedai opening herself to saidin, but I think things were changed in a later edition of whatever book that was.

 

That part where Perrin walks in on a mostly naked Moiraine was amusing because it reminded me of Mrs. Robinson a bit. It was cute how Perrin fumbled around telling Moiraine he thought Lan was with her, and then backtracked to say they always had their heads together, and then tried to backtrack again. Then they just stood around and had a discussion! Poor Perrin.

 

It was a little funny that Elaida, who had positioned herself in Andor with Morgase specifically because she knew Andor would be important to the Last Battle, missed the actual point of her Foretelling so entirely. She even met Rand, knew there was something interesting about him, and let him go. She couldn't really have known who he was, but it was amusing still. Then, when Andor was becoming more important to the Last Battle because of Rahvin, then Elayne taking the throne later with Rand's children, etc, Elaida had already abandoned Andor in favor of Tar Valon.

[jan 14]

Wow... I haven't read the books that closely - or more precisely, lost interest towards the end!

 

This is not exactly a mistake, and I'm curious to know about editions in other countries, but out here, the small paperback version of NS has the last para or so of the ending cut off as compared to the C-format (large sized) version and hardback!!

[Iridal 0]

I just finished re-reading NS and I have the paperback edition...it ends with

"Side by side they rode down the hill and turned south. Behind them the sky rumbled and turned black, another late storm rolling down from the Blight."

Is there supposed to be more? o.O

[Olivia 26]

I don't think so, Iridal. It's a pretty solid and poetic ending.

[Ekho 52]

Thats how mine ends as well

[jan 14]

I just finished re-reading NS and I have the paperback edition...it ends with

"Side by side they rode down the hill and turned south. Behind them the sky rumbled and turned black, another late storm rolling down from the Blight."

Is there supposed to be more? o.O

 

Yeah, that's the full ending, but some pb editions don't have it like that. (I'll make a note next time I'm in a bookshop ;-) ). By the way, which paperback version do you have - the small paperback or the C-format? The C-format is the same as the hardback. I have a C-format UK (or Australia - dont remember) edition, but when I went to buy it for a friend, I found the small paperback, and because I liked the ending so much, I opened to read it, and it wasn't there!!

[Olivia 26]

New mistake I noticed.

 

When Rand and the others go through the Portal Stone in TGH, and it freaks out and gives them views of alternate lives, in one of them Rand is a guard in the Caemlyn Guards (What Might Be, pg. 530 in mine).

 

He finds himself looking at Elayne and thinking that his life should be different, and he also remarks that "she married a Tairen prince, though she did not seem happy in it."

 

Tear does not have princes! They are ruled by the council of High Lords, not royalty. Even the son of a High Lord wouldn't be referred to as a prince, but as a lordling or young High Lord.

[Marie 73]

True...but does Rand know that? It's a bit like how in Egwene's Accepted test she saw her Keeper as still being ageless even after being stilled; she didn't know that the removal of the three oaths would remove that effect. *nods*

[Ekho 52]

Isisn't someone supposed to become a king of Tear though? Min had a viewing about it I'm sure...although I can't be bothered checking my books:P