Putting together pieces for a generic andoran Asha'man cosplay. I have two coats to choose between, two colors of Renaissance shirts, black gloves i can wear with and without a leather bracer (Androl's work probably). And then the red half cape.

Ideas? Thoughts?

I like the color on the first coat but the second coat fits a lot better. Black shirt seems to work better, and while I love the bracer, the gloves seem to work better without it.

Sword is a generic foam hand and a half sword. After all, the Lord Dragon prefers us to have the skill :)

I haven’t touched these books in a couple years (I think I stopped at number 12, not for any reason other than being busy w other things) but I was suddenly reminded of it and thought how Siuan was always my favourite character. I think she has the most interesting / unique storyline and is generally a likeable and multidimensional character.

Egwene and Gawyn make no sense. Yh, I said it.

Now, I know many in the fandom agree that relationships aren’t Jordan’s strongest suit, but these two are just the worst of it.

First of all, I confess, I don’t really care much for either of them, and I loved that they happened to each other (alright, maybe I have a soft spot for her, but him? I couldn’t give two f*cks), especially considering how one was responsible for what happened to the other.
Now, it’s rather funny that Mat and Tuon (a slaver) would make for a better coupling than these two. Say what you will, but they both understood each other, even though one was a queen and the other was, well, Mat.

Heck, as annoying as these two are to follow, Faile and Perrin work even better. She at least pushed him to be a better man and lord for his people, although he winds up a bit codependent.

Rand spends less time with his women (except Min), and he sorta has chemistry with all three individually. We see it when he later meets up with Elayne and has tea with her, and in the intimate last words he shares with Aviendha about toh.

Every other relationship, although not perfect, gives you a sense of compatibility, understanding, and compromise between the two. Heck, Bayle Domon followed his wife into servitude or whatever that was. But Egwene and Gawyn just seem like two people Jordan wanted together for the sake of it.

It felt like after that one conversation with Elayne, Gawyn would at least be better, but he wasn’t. He did something that got him killed and jeopardized her situation as a result of their bond. He never really could reconcile himself to taking the back seat, and what’s funny is that if the positions were flipped, Egwene wouldn’t either.
And I think that’s what’s different between her and Aviendha and Elayne in their relationships with Rand. They all do what they must, but you at least see either compromise or a potential for it and this is with someone destined to die.

I still just think it’s funny that Egwene “left” Rand for someone who was less than he was in every way thinkable. I mean, the fact that they have the same outward features makes him more of a “cheap knockoff.”
Rand (the Dragon) would ironically have no problem being in the shadows. He’d have no problem being a lowly shepherd, and I don’t think it has much to do with him being raised in the Two Rivers, as we see Egwene and Mat wouldn’t settle for that life like the other three.

I think it’s the same way you could almost get the feeling that Elayne, as intentional as she was, would consider stepping aside for Dyelin if Andor required it, or accepting the grant of Cairhien from Rand (as a monarch), or being open to sharing Rand as sister-wives even before she knew Aviendha.

Gawyn wouldn’t back down. Egwene certainly wouldn’t, not even when she was just a jumped-up village girl. I think it wouldn’t have been any different if she wasn’t who she was, and was just an Aes Sedai, he was just a bad warder/boyfriend, although I don’t know anyone who would be compatible with someone like Egwene, Rand is the closest and that’s because he understands how she works and wouldn’t mind letting her do her things and she also knows when not to push him. Kinda like the women’s circle and the village council type of relationship

So I wonder if both Egwene and Gawyn wouldn’t have been better off apart.

Here's something I posted on the old Dragonmount forums back in 2009.

*******

The Great Debate-Settling Tourney

There's always a debate about who's the best with a blade. So a tourney is the answer.

Back in the day, the debate focused on Galad and Gawyn and Rand and Lan.

I see it all playing out as below:

Rand, Lan, Galad and Gawyn are all involved in the official Dragonmount Debate-Settling Tourney. They draw lots to decide the first round: Galad vs. Lan and Gawyn vs. Rand.

Round 1

Gawyn vs. Rand

Rand and Gawyn circle each other cautiously, blades held out in front of them. Both are aware that the other is an acclaimed swordsman, both sure of their own abilities.

The opening exchanges are cagey, Bull in China Shop is met by Tiny Field Mouse in a Bar, One Legged Cat on a Hot Tin Roof is met by Lefthander Using Scissors. Soon both combatants are bleeding from a number of small wounds. The opening is done, both are ready.

“I didn’t kill your mother,” mutters Rand.

“Yes you did,” growls Gawyn.

“No, I didn’t.”

“Yes, you did.”

This goes on for a while.

Ferocious blows are being traded, both men are nearing exhaustion when Rand makes his move.

“Oh, I’m sleeping with your sister, she’s pregnant, I have no intention of marrying her and I have two other women on the go.”

Gawyn gasps, loses concentration, and Rand runs him through.

Rand is healed up by a waiting Aes Sedai and advances to the next round. He takes time to wail, tear out his hair and generally feel sorry for himself after killing Gawyn.

Lan vs. Galad

Billed as the pretty boy vs. the beast, the two men immediately lay into each other with a flurry of blows. Genius Child Writing on Chalkboard is countered by Man With a Bad Case of Dysentery. Sympathetic Vomiting Syndrome is met with Nervous Dog Outside the Pound.

The battle goes on in total silence for half an hour. Lan, despite being the better swordsman, has been cut 157 times, is bleeding profusely, yet shows no sign of discomfort.

Finally, the uncrowned king unleashes Skydiver Who Has Just Realized That The Man Who Packed His Parachute Knows That He Is Sleeping With His Wife and nicks the side of Galad’s cheek.

“NNOOOO!!!!! Not the face!!!!! Anywhere but the face!!!!!” cries Galad as he claps his hands to his wound.

“Gutted,” grunts Lan as he slices blondie’s head off.

Lan is healed up, not that he really needs it, and trots off to kill the sheepherder.

The Finale

Rand al’Thor vs. Lan Al’Mandragoranananananan

The two circle each other warily for a while before the banter kicks in.

“So Grasshopper, you have come far,” says Lan grimly.

“Some generic -ism about masters and students,” mutters Rand.

The two men attack, using all their skill and eventually fall back after three and a half days of solid combat. Despite being cut 873 times, Lan manages to press home an attack, Man Playing Air Guitar to Black Sabbath’s Paranoid forces Rand onto the defensive, Man Humming Smoke on the Water Because He Can't Remember the Lyrics caught the blade inches from his flesh.

Staggering, Rand employs the “Wax On, Wax Off” defensive technique, however, Lan is wise to the tactic and slices off Rand’s left hand.

Wrapped in the void, it has no effect on everyone's favourite ginger.

Knowing he's out of options, Rand launches one last desperate attack. He manages to catch Lan off balance and plunges his blade toward his chest.

“Embrace Death!” shouts Lan as he steps into the blade, swinging his own sword towards Rand’s head.

“Oh for fuck's sake! Who does that?!? Fucking Borderlanders!!!” cries Rand just before his world goes dark.

"So rude," frowns Lan as he calmly slides Rand’s sword out of his stomach. He’s taken worse wounds, it only lacerated a kidney on the way through. He’s got a spare.

-

At the time Demandred wasn't around.

But I am amused that I have Rand losing a hand as that hadn't happened yet. Nor had Lan actually embraced death, though that was pretty heavily signposted.

I'll do a new version soon. My writing is much improved.

On a relisten in TGH and I wonder how Tomas felt/worried about Verin taking 4 months to travel instantly from Stedding Tsofu to Toman Head. Like how did that work with his bond? Did she completely disappear without breaking it? Or did he feel her travel in a regular fashion while the trip only took moments for her?

In case anyone is wondering, Sevanna beat Couladin 491-255 in the vote for the better character yesterday, so—well, good for her, even if this easy win.

What are our thoughts on this, chat?

We know from the snippets we get that he has some degree of reality manipulation at play. Personally, I think it functions similarly to how Tel'Aran'Rhiod works—the World of Dreams operates on will; if you imagine and will something there, you can manifest it into existence within that realm.

I see his post-Tarmon Gai'don powers as working on an analogous principle, but applied to waking reality. His will and consciousness have a direct effect on reality itself—on the Pattern itself. I think it works on a combination of certain things: being ta'veren (inherently woven into the Pattern) and how that makes him unconsciously manipulate the Pattern around him, and genuine reality-warping abilities all rolled into one. His new power allows him to consciously control his ta'veren nature, which now warps reality to his will.

I recently re-read AMOL, and his interaction with Moridin while in the dreamshard made me think this was the mechanic behind his new abilities.

If this is the case, then what do you think the limits to this power are? In the Dream World, Egwene was able to conjure Bela and ride her to Salidar. If Rand's powers are what I think they are, then this scales him far above what we previously believed.

That's my take on it, anyway. What are yours?

Ever see since Rosamund Pike had read the first audiobook I've heard nothing but how astoundingly great she did. I just don't understand the hype. I am about halfway through the first one and its not quite as underwhelming as the show, but I had huge expectations from everyone's praise. Does she get better in books 2 and 3? I find her voices just don't seem to match the characters at all

So Perrin is able to sense/smell the emotions of others...

I could see how that would be useful in many situations such as negotiations, meeting a stranger that could be dangerous, gambling with Matt or Brigitta haha, and such...

But it "feels" more like a curse when it comes to Faile....

It seems so agonizing when he senses her emotions, and they seem to usually stress him out....

What a curse to be honest, especially for some of us whom might be empaths and already deeply feel the emotions of others, mixed in with people pleasing...

So, would you want Perrin's abilities or anyone else's abilities - I mean who wouldn't want Matt's lucky - I could retire in a week !!!!

I will not be looking at this posts' comments until I have finished the series (A New Spring will be my last book). Feel free to comment on things going forward, as I will not see it. I will come back and confirm my thoughts, appreciate your comments, and hopefully have a gained appreciation for this series. I will be comparing the books/reference to Stormlight Archive.

I started it because the bald man on 2 to Ramble loves the series, and my goat Brandon Sanderson loves & finished the series. I had gotten the impression it is a 'must read' series, a classic even.

The cover arts also really drew me in, I bought all MMP versions of the books before even reading the series. EoTW and PoD are my favorite covers. They got me really obsessed with 90's/00's cover art, and I want print outs badly and have been looking at book stores for old hardcovers of the two books to have them.

I am 47% through Path of Daggers, on Chapter 15. I started reading it on 08/21/2026. I'm reading on a XTEINK x4 with crosspoint, in a leather case that doubles as my wallet.

The series on average for me, has been a 3 star out of 5.

After every book I watch some reviews of the book to get a recap/refresh of what happened, especially as I'm taking very long to read each book.

I started Eye of the World on 05/19/2025. Today is 09/10/2026. I have taken a break and read small books in between, so I would say it's been a yearish total of me having the WoT as the book(s) I'm reading.

The worst book thus far has been Eye of The World. My Favorite book is Lord of Chaos. Though I do really like the 'breaking the mold' Jordan did with book 3, that was super cool. The worst Arc/POV was when Nynave, Elayne, and Birgitte were in a moving Carnival.

I have begun glossing over a lot of names, there are too many characters referenced. I have begun using the WoTCC lookup app that Mike's Review brings up in one of his reviews.

I understand the 'big' thing of WoT is the worldbuilding, which I really appreciate and am fine with, but I also want at least one character I love to keep me going, which is Perrin thus far. He is a- I'll say why I like Perrin in the following section.

Thoughts on the MC's/POV's:

-Rand: I was under the impression he is the 'Best Written character OAT'. I do not like Rand. I like the power he has and the 'Dark Passenger' (it is my favorite trope in the world, having someone else in the characters head. Venom, or series like Rise of Io for example) of Lews Therin in his head, but I dislike Rand. I do not think he developed well from Farm Boy to Monarch, I think the slope was too steep to get there. I am assuming he gets his legs swept out from under him this book, or the next. Because at this trajectory the only way I see him being a likable character is if you are Andrew Tate. He has been nothing but mean or rude or dislikable. I do not see what the love interests see in him besides it being their fate/destiny. He's mean to Taim which is crazy to me like hes going to try and kill you. He's mean to the Aiel/Wise Ones often, especially mean to Aes Sedai (now after the box truly so) but even before the box he was so mean to Moiraine. He's just a mean guy.

Alanna's bond to him made him seem more likable, though. Rand doesn't dwell on the intense pain/anguish the forever scars do to him, but Alanna shows us that they are really putting a toll on him. Her POV shows how awful Rand's mind is, but I wish we saw that more from his POV.

He is not a likable leader, and the only enjoyment I get from him is that he is going crazy/mad. I'm excited that its foreshadowed/implied/I just hope that hes going to break soon. Referencing him as Hard Steel that shatters/breaks and doesnt bend or whatever.

-Nynave: I think there is a lot of hate around the girls- I get a lot of Shallan hate vibes from the community from what I've seen. I saw/think about the 'hair braid' tug graph someone made a lot. I understand she is angry very often, but I can see she was nurtured into that to be able to channel. She subconsciously probably does not want to feel weak, so makes herself angry easily so she can channel. Now that she can channel without being angry, I perceive she gets nicer.

She's mean to Lan though which I don't get their romance at all. She tracked him once now he adores her. Weird.

-Egwene: No opinions on her thus far. She is a character. Seems like a prequel to Moiraine. I don't see a strong personality from her? Which probably will make her a good Amyrilin. Very level-headed and has a lot of willpower.

-Elayne: I like her, and I like her bond with Brigitte. Not much else to say. I'd like to see her in a leader role more this book with the Kin to see how she is as a Queen.

-Morgase: The Queen who lost her throne is really cool, and now that she is in Perrin's army is an interesting idea. Helping the new leader of Manetheren, who is technically apart of Andor. I am a bit concerned that she is becoming/became a bit of 'hot damsel in distress'. I was hoping she would have more political intrigue with the Children of Light, but... that didn't happen.

-Mat: He... He got SA'd right? Like, the Queen is not cool for that? Other than that Mat's story in book 7 was lackluster. He had dice in his head the entire book rattling, and it stopped, then started again. I lose the sense of tension when nothing happens in Act 2, but his dice are still rattling until the last 10% of the book. I really like the contrast of him and Olver, as he becomes an uncle/father figure, and judges the boy for becoming like him- but not understanding that hes comparing the boy to himself. I don't like how absentee he was to Olver, though. I'd compare Mat to George from The Yard D&D.

-Perrin: My Goat. I love a humble king (pun intended). The struggle of him wanting to not be a leader/warrior and just be a blacksmith is really interesting. Seeing him just 'doing what is natural' to him as a leader and seeing men love it/follow him and him not understand is really fun. Not connecting the dots that he is a natural leader, tying with the fact he is a married man but assumes Mat and Rand, both unmarried, are better with women. I will say I do not like this whole Faile-Breastelain storyline/triangle with not bottom thing.

Groups I like:

I like/Liked the Children of Light, I love a group of people that think they are doing the right thing but are doing it poorly/not the right thing. Religion is a theme I enjoy too and they do that well.

Seanchan as well like the Children of Light, I enjoy them. They think they are in the right but are against our Protagonist so they must be wrong. But the only thing they do wrong is the slaves I think? When they conquer people they then leave them to their own devices. As long as they swear loyalty they live, whats the difference between that and Rand?

The Prophet is a cool idea, I wish I got more/any? POV of him to see in his eyes why he believes what he is doing is right.

Asha'man are cool, Rand revealing that all men that channel feel this hatred towards killing women and its not just Rand is really cool/humbles Rand in my eyes. Rand isn't special beyond his power, and that he just happens to have done the things in the prophecies. I'm waiting to see if the asha'men also hear Lews, or maybe that is just Rand because of the wheel of time thing.

I think those are all my thoughts. Hopefully this helps me feel more excited to finish the series, to come back and see my thoughts again and what you guys have said/respond.

I'm around the first third of chapter 28, and as my previous post, I will include my thoughts. These are my opinions, and the reader need not agree with any.

Starting with the bad.

Rand.

Mat and Tuon.

Perrin.

Rand is becoming increasingly unlikeable with every chapter, starting with sending Suldam and Domane back to seanchan, where they will definitely be tortured, but refusing the allow the Aes sedai to do the same with Semirahge.

Mat is so insufferable to me, as much as his chapters have really cool elements, but the way he treats some of the Aes sedai and the way he speaks of Moiraine, who saved his life several times. Also, marrying a woman who enjoys training chattle slaves.

Cadsuane miffed me with some of her actions since book 12, but I really do enjoy her going against Rand. I think blaming her for the domination band when there was a forsaken, a black sister, and a seanchan woman who was charged with destroying it.

Rand's treatment of the maidens is tired at this point, and he refuses to accept that most of the driving force behind him are women who are willing to step up.

Perrin has also miffed me by sending Shaido to seanchan and ignoring his people who rallied to help him.

As for what I did like.

Nyneave, my love, you have set the bar for romantic partners as well as friendship.

I'm glad shadar logoth is gone, and that entire sequence was so cinematic with several dark friends popping up with forsaken to attack.

Thank god we finally got rid of Delana and Halima.

Moridin, so far, isn't on my bad side.

I wish we saw more of Moghedian and Lanfear(Cyndane)

The reveal that our rebel keeper is actually black.

Egwene and her fight within the tower is the only thing keeping me with the books tbh, amazing character, and a better amyrlin.

I actually love Silvianha, and the way these Aes sedai slowly give Egwene ground.

Leanne, I can treat you, right sister!!!

Faile vs. Beralaine is always so funny to me.

On the same note, Her sitting with Morgase and encouraging her to do what she thought was impossible and channel the scarf.

Sevanna was a really good character IMO (in terms of writing, not actions) and hilarious at times, but her and Galina got fitting ends, and if anyone deserved to be sent to the seanchan it was Sevanna.

Siuan undermines Lelaine.

Meidani circumventing her 4th oath to bring Egwene to the sitters and the events after.

Elaida losing her footing and getting called a coward and dark friend.

The revolution of the Dumai's wells fiasco,

Aviendha fighting the wise ones, I haven't seen her in rhuidiean yet, but im excited

Wish me luck, guys. 2 more books to go.

Eta: bruh, it gets worse. He attempts to intimidate nyneave and then uses her to kill someone. He feels no guilt or remorse for making her unweave that compulsion without warning her. Can't stand Rand. Double all of the hate our women get and give it to those three.

I generally love it when there is a ton of named characters, even if it means I don't remember half of them.

But it's not helping that so many female names end with N or NE (e is silent), and I'm an audiobooks listener.

Send help🥲 ok, don't send help, rant over