TGS Prologue *Spoilers & Whatnot*

[Cerendrallion 32]

Am I the only one who succumbed to temptation and bought it?

 

It was very good, much better than I was expecting given my less-than-enthused reader response to TGS Chap 1.

 

First off, I actually quite liked Rand in it. He's been a bit of a prat in recent books, but perhaps I could see a kind of logic to what he's doing now (peace with the Seanchan) I can sympathise. And the exchange with Nynaeve made me smile. "Did Casudane send you to ask that?"

 

Definately going to be the book where we see some Graendal action. God, I love the Forsaken. Found it very odd she's one of the DO's 'favoured' Chosen - like seriously?! I can't think of anything she's done particularly well, apart from surrounding herself with pretty things (though wouldn't we all like that)? Though perhaps at this point the DO is just favouring anyone who hasn't spectacularly messed up. Though that makes me question why Demandred (he hasn't messed up, has he?) isn't one of the favoured? Perhaps he is.

 

I did like Masema's death. Very cinema-esque. Quite converted to Faile, now.

[jan 14]

Was it worth buying, though?

[Cerendrallion 32]

Well, its was $2.99 or something...which is about

[Marie 73]

Hahaha I already spoiled it by reading this thread but I will buy it thanks to those spoilers! I need some new WoT actions since I am winding down book ten and eleven is pretty fast paced read for me.

[Asmodean82 0]

Yeah, Graendal is one of the enduring Forsaken. She's far more subtle then a Lanfear and not a coward like Moghedien. She also isn't insane like wonderful wonderful Semi. She's maintained chaos in Arad Domain and had a hand in a piece of just about everyone else's plan. AND she apparently killed Asmo... Thus far none of her plans have met with ruin. I find her and Demandred to be intensely interesting because they both stay under the radar but still influence as much as they do.

 

We STILL don't know everything Demandred's up to! I hope they make it to the last battle.

[Marie 73]

Ha! The term birthday was used. Guess Jordan didn't write that sentence.

 

Read a hell of a lot better than the first chapter, for sure.

[Cerendrallion 32]

I also quited liked how Graendal (all my WoT spelling has left me...) noted how, when Moridin stood with his back to her and seemed to be looking at nothing, he looked like Rand.

 

Something of significance in that, perhaps, or maybe I'm reading into it too much?

Read a hell of a lot better than the first chapter, for sure.

 

Yeah, I agree...it wasn't as jarring style-wise as Chapter 1.

[Cerendrallion 32]

Wow, double posting. Interestingly Mesaana turns up in white to the Forsaken Tea Party. We know she's hidden in the Tower.

 

Would Mesaana hide herself as a Novice? Setting herself up at the lowest rung of the Tower, yes, but it would eliminate the need for a messy cover up backstory, and also elimate the need to keep up a pretence as an Aes Sedai. Just something that occurred to me.

 

She could, of course, also be posing as a White Sister....

 

Or just an Aes Sedai with no particular interest in clothing.

[Olivia 26]

Would Mesaana hide herself as a Novice?

 

I haven't read this prologue, but I don't think that's likely. It was pointed out on the WoTFAQs that Alviarin sees Mesaana as wearing fancy silk clothes (I think it's in CoT) right after Alvi uses the little ter'angreal to immediately summon Mesaana in case of emergency. That means that Mesaana had to drop everything and go Travel to meet Mesaana - as a Novice, she wouldn't have been able to just duck out in the middle of class or kitchen duty and then go to some secluding spot where she hid her fancy dresses, change, then also Travel either in that same spot or somewhere else where there was zero chance of being seen. Then change back after talking w/ Alviarin. And the fancy clothes weren't part of the Illusion, they were under the Illusion, and Mesa wasn't even aware the Illusion had been broken around her hem far enough for Alvi to see the actual clothes underneath.

 

But RJ did say she was someone who had been seen in the series before, not some random person who's never introduced. My first guess was Tarna, but now I think I was wrong and she's Danelle. (again, not originally my theory but I agree with it)

[Ekho 52]

Or maybe she always liked the colour white, and figured now Lanfear was out of the picture she could

 

I also agree that she is probably an aes sedai and that right now Danelle is the most likely option, although I could totally see it being someone nobody expected, just to annoy us all

[Marie 73]

I have no idea who Danelle is.

[Olivia 26]

I have no idea who Danelle is.

 

She's a dreamy, blue-eyed Brown who helped Elaida depose Siuan. She hasn't been around much since then, but we get a few mentions of seeing her 'round the Tower halls and such. Here we go. It's not surprising that ppl don't remember her; when I first read the "Mesaana is Danelle" theory I had to go search her name on that site to find out who she was, because I had no idea either.

[Marie 73]

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH her. Thank you.

[Cerendrallion 32]

Oooh. Yes, I recall. No idea who Norine is either, though...

 

Oooh, Olivia, could you be wonderful and post a handy link to a relevant theory regarding Danelle/Mesaana? Or was that lost in the Wotmania closing? Shame. Wotmania had its faults (namely being horrid) but its Theorypost was excellent.

 

Speaking of which, any thoughts on the replacement Wotmania, readandfindout.com? Clunky name, for one thing! Should have abbreviated.

 

Ooh...and apparently the title has been released for book 13 "Towers of Midnight".

 

Sanderson's Blog

 

Initial thoughts on title make me think of

1) Tower of Ghenjei (Moiraine rescue, whoop whoop!)

2) The White Tower/The Black Tower's some kind of truce in preparation for Tarmon Gai'don

3) The Reunification of the Tower (should it not be complete in TGS, thought I think it will be)

4) Some kind of assault by the light on Moridin's Black Fortress

 

Also, something occurred to me that I can't believe didn't occur to me before. In TGS, with Egwene's storyline being one of the things that is going to be tied up, epic Elaida time will ensue! Hurrah! I may just frantically scan pages for 'Meidani' rather than actually read properly...

[Kaitlin 22]

Also, something occurred to me that I can't believe didn't occur to me before. In TGS, with Egwene's storyline being one of the things that is going to be tied up, epic Elaida time will ensue! Hurrah! I may just frantically scan pages for 'Meidani' rather than actually read properly...

 

I can't wait for the Elaida parts. I was hoping some would be in the prologue but it's probably too dramatic to include a slice of it there.

 

Graendal's comment about Moridin looking like Rand when he was standing that way was very casual for one who is supposed to be holed up in the Arad Doman all the time with her toys. She's not one that is supposed to have had tons of contact with Rand. They've all seen the images of the boys, so that could be it, but then again maybe that's a clue as to why Graen is favored.

 

Also, which Aes Sedai among Rand's party is Black Ajah again?

 

Towers of Midnight... I thought of Moridin's tower, the Ashamen, and the BA using their control of the WT.

 

So, Moridin's hand felt odd. Rand and Moridin are intimately connected and both need to die? And then Nynaeve will put Rand's soul in Moridin's body and he can live again.