Wheel of Time -- Crown of Thorns
Jul. 22nd, 2010 04:41 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
jackCadsuanne has just appeared. I think I had the same problem with her that I had with the Aiel, and some of the nobles and Asha'man.
It feels like Rand went straight from having massive problems with Aes Sedai to having none at all, and then Jordan suddenly realised that he needed SOME conflict with Aes Sedai, so he hurriedly reintroduced an Aes Sedai who could stand up to him. That's probably unfair to Jordan -- I assume he had things planned out in advance. But that's what it feels like.
It would have been much cooler if he had cowed the Aes Sedai, but then one forced him to acknowledge he needed her, not by browbeating him, but just by being so useful he had to accept her judgement. This could easily be one of the existing characters -- Jordan did something similar with Moirane in the early books, but couldn't let it last -- either one of the embassy Aes Sedai, or one of the women Rand knew from Two Rivers. To me, it would have felt much more natural than "problem solved, problem reintroduced".
I felt the same thing about the Aiel. Rand started off with great difficulties ruling Tear. Then Jordan introduced the Aiel on a platter to be his enforcers on conquered nations. He did it well, in that Rand had to overcome a lot of Aeil rebelling against him, but it's still too pat that he has Rhuarc et al to enforce everything for him and be incorruptible bodyguards. Then everything was TOO pat, so the books introduce a lot MORE problems Rand has ruling, with excuses for while the Aiel can't help.
There's an awful lot in the books I would simply cut out, not because it's not good, but because it detracts from the central story. The only one that was a difficult decision would be, would I cut the Aiel completely (or keep them, but allow for many more weak, inconstant, or traitor Aiel, rather than the everyone/shaido dichotomy)? I lean towards that I would, even though a lot of the story about the Aiel is really, really good.
Imagine if Rand's regents, bodyguards, head housekeepers etc weren't divided into "utterly loyal" and "traitor" but were mostly "reluctantly on his side but very scared". Jordan does this well sometimes, but characters are typically divided into (a) utterly loyal, eg. most maidens, most clan chiefs, Dobraine, first maid Reene Halfour (b) apparently loyal but turn out to be secretly evil later for what feels like no reason (even if it was in fact set up earlier) eg. Ingtar. (c) people we're supposed to actually wonder about, eg. Dyelin, many Asha'man, most other nobles. If there were characters who were personally torn, for obvious reasons, but with tension over which way they'd jump, many things would be more enjoyable.
(This is not a dismissal of Jordan: it's something I think he could have done better, and I find it disappointing he didn't, but I'm only commenting on it because there are many things he DOES do well.)
It feels like Rand went straight from having massive problems with Aes Sedai to having none at all, and then Jordan suddenly realised that he needed SOME conflict with Aes Sedai, so he hurriedly reintroduced an Aes Sedai who could stand up to him. That's probably unfair to Jordan -- I assume he had things planned out in advance. But that's what it feels like.
It would have been much cooler if he had cowed the Aes Sedai, but then one forced him to acknowledge he needed her, not by browbeating him, but just by being so useful he had to accept her judgement. This could easily be one of the existing characters -- Jordan did something similar with Moirane in the early books, but couldn't let it last -- either one of the embassy Aes Sedai, or one of the women Rand knew from Two Rivers. To me, it would have felt much more natural than "problem solved, problem reintroduced".
I felt the same thing about the Aiel. Rand started off with great difficulties ruling Tear. Then Jordan introduced the Aiel on a platter to be his enforcers on conquered nations. He did it well, in that Rand had to overcome a lot of Aeil rebelling against him, but it's still too pat that he has Rhuarc et al to enforce everything for him and be incorruptible bodyguards. Then everything was TOO pat, so the books introduce a lot MORE problems Rand has ruling, with excuses for while the Aiel can't help.
There's an awful lot in the books I would simply cut out, not because it's not good, but because it detracts from the central story. The only one that was a difficult decision would be, would I cut the Aiel completely (or keep them, but allow for many more weak, inconstant, or traitor Aiel, rather than the everyone/shaido dichotomy)? I lean towards that I would, even though a lot of the story about the Aiel is really, really good.
Imagine if Rand's regents, bodyguards, head housekeepers etc weren't divided into "utterly loyal" and "traitor" but were mostly "reluctantly on his side but very scared". Jordan does this well sometimes, but characters are typically divided into (a) utterly loyal, eg. most maidens, most clan chiefs, Dobraine, first maid Reene Halfour (b) apparently loyal but turn out to be secretly evil later for what feels like no reason (even if it was in fact set up earlier) eg. Ingtar. (c) people we're supposed to actually wonder about, eg. Dyelin, many Asha'man, most other nobles. If there were characters who were personally torn, for obvious reasons, but with tension over which way they'd jump, many things would be more enjoyable.
(This is not a dismissal of Jordan: it's something I think he could have done better, and I find it disappointing he didn't, but I'm only commenting on it because there are many things he DOES do well.)
no subject
Date: 2010-07-22 05:15 pm (UTC)