The Eye of the World chapters 11-20
Chapter 11
So, they want to pass a river on a raft. Because they passed a river on a raft in LotR.
Though this seems a pretty large scene taken over from there to here... First time I can call on a thing being ripped off.
Aside this though, the comparsion between the two writing is pretty thin, unsubstantiated. Sure, the quality of the writing is of a fanfiction, but aside that it's pretty ok. Nothing good, but low tier medium.
Though this seems a pretty large scene taken over from there to here... First time I can call on a thing being ripped off.
Aside this though, the comparsion between the two writing is pretty thin, unsubstantiated. Sure, the quality of the writing is of a fanfiction, but aside that it's pretty ok. Nothing good, but low tier medium.
------------------
Chapter 12
Ok, so Dragontooth is the mark of the evil ones. More important that
Moiraine substantiated the distrust towards the aes sedai. Also that
they are somewhat of a cunning force.
It is confirmed magic has a limit. Not a very clear limit, but it exists.
Ok, so the pollution of the male Force is a taint "on the surface". Right.
Uhm, a major retcon happened here? Egwenne was allowed to come, because it'd've been too much of a hassle sending her back like a chapter or two ago. Now she is some very promising can-be-mage?
There is a red ajah. Fine. They are stripping power from male mages to avoid another Breaking of the World, whatever that means, aside generaly trouble.
Question: why the aes sedai don't look constantly for pupils if it is the matter of life&death? Why people distanced themselves frm the aes sedai so much if contact with them on depends the lives of their children?
This is a semi-serious plothole.
It is confirmed magic has a limit. Not a very clear limit, but it exists.
Ok, so the pollution of the male Force is a taint "on the surface". Right.
Uhm, a major retcon happened here? Egwenne was allowed to come, because it'd've been too much of a hassle sending her back like a chapter or two ago. Now she is some very promising can-be-mage?
There is a red ajah. Fine. They are stripping power from male mages to avoid another Breaking of the World, whatever that means, aside generaly trouble.
Question: why the aes sedai don't look constantly for pupils if it is the matter of life&death? Why people distanced themselves frm the aes sedai so much if contact with them on depends the lives of their children?
This is a semi-serious plothole.
---------------
Chapter 13
Lan, the portector of the mage starts to teach the guys how to use
weapons. Too bad, Matt does not have any (aside the bow which everyone
has).
But this is again happens in like one paragraph. We have no idea who ANY of these people are. Rand is like the only character here, and he too lacks any depths. And maybe Moiraine.
Which is a shame, given there are entire novels 250 pages long with fully fleshed characters and story.
There is some tension that the guys got far from their home, they are uncomfortable with the aes sedai, AND the trolls maybe not chasing them, which is something.
But ok, I actualy do not complaint for the speed of the writing. It is like the Snydercut - slow, but not unsibstantiated, or substance-less. Well, I could use waaay more substance actualy. Some basic groundwork, like actual characters would be welcomed, founding the reason for such a large group too - I mean why do we have anyone here aside Rand with the mage&swordsman? The story does not need them, they do nothing...
We learn that there are 5 elements of magic, so summonning Captain Planet... Pardon. Main point is, Egwenne is an arrogant SJW, who compaints because both gender equaly are stronger in two elements (fire&earth for males, water&wind for females), and females are not powerful in all.
Look, in general I have no problem how genders work in this universe. But I have problem here with Egwenne's attitude.
The shwman gives lessons too.
They reach a smalltown. Seems some people in the world wirship Satan, they are darkfriends. Very "creative"... But actualy practical naming, so I give it a pass.
Great. There are already too many names, and now we have to add aliases too to that list.
Ok, what are these Children of the Light? They got mentioned semi-regularly, so they are somwhat part of the world. But who are they? They are problematic, no doubt.
I could use some solid ground in this ... story. Everything is in doubt, makes the whole thing flimsy, uninterresting, throwaway.
We get some loredump. It has no connection to the story at all, the editorial work should have removed it. Being a fanfic, obviously there was no editor.
But this is again happens in like one paragraph. We have no idea who ANY of these people are. Rand is like the only character here, and he too lacks any depths. And maybe Moiraine.
Which is a shame, given there are entire novels 250 pages long with fully fleshed characters and story.
There is some tension that the guys got far from their home, they are uncomfortable with the aes sedai, AND the trolls maybe not chasing them, which is something.
But ok, I actualy do not complaint for the speed of the writing. It is like the Snydercut - slow, but not unsibstantiated, or substance-less. Well, I could use waaay more substance actualy. Some basic groundwork, like actual characters would be welcomed, founding the reason for such a large group too - I mean why do we have anyone here aside Rand with the mage&swordsman? The story does not need them, they do nothing...
We learn that there are 5 elements of magic, so summonning Captain Planet... Pardon. Main point is, Egwenne is an arrogant SJW, who compaints because both gender equaly are stronger in two elements (fire&earth for males, water&wind for females), and females are not powerful in all.
Look, in general I have no problem how genders work in this universe. But I have problem here with Egwenne's attitude.
The shwman gives lessons too.
They reach a smalltown. Seems some people in the world wirship Satan, they are darkfriends. Very "creative"... But actualy practical naming, so I give it a pass.
Great. There are already too many names, and now we have to add aliases too to that list.
Ok, what are these Children of the Light? They got mentioned semi-regularly, so they are somwhat part of the world. But who are they? They are problematic, no doubt.
I could use some solid ground in this ... story. Everything is in doubt, makes the whole thing flimsy, uninterresting, throwaway.
We get some loredump. It has no connection to the story at all, the editorial work should have removed it. Being a fanfic, obviously there was no editor.
-------------------
Chapter 14
So, the Children are some True Christian organisation. I wonder if these
books end up being church-critisism, or anti-clergy propaganda. Still
christian propaganda though.
We get a dream-sequence where someone calls himself Balzamon. The problem here is again the running Untrustable Narrator thing. Even if this isn't just a dream, how do we know this IS Satan? We can't, and that takes a lot out from the scene.
Come to think of it - does Satan exist? Unclear.
But wait, Titledrop! Not that we learn anything about that either. Let's hope they explain after Rand wakes up.
We get a dream-sequence where someone calls himself Balzamon. The problem here is again the running Untrustable Narrator thing. Even if this isn't just a dream, how do we know this IS Satan? We can't, and that takes a lot out from the scene.
Come to think of it - does Satan exist? Unclear.
But wait, Titledrop! Not that we learn anything about that either. Let's hope they explain after Rand wakes up.
-------------------
Chapter 15
Perrin and Matt sounds like obligatory Pippin&Merry clones, without any role, purpose or relevance - or even appearance.
At least we know the dream was not just a dream, but a spell. Still doesn't mean it was Satan.
You know what else this thing lacks? Conversations. Sure, characters tell stuff to each other at times, but that's not conversation. Mostly non-expositiory lore. Or just words, without any weight. They speak, so they don't feel a block of wood. But they remain papercuts, without personality.
We have an encounter with someone named Min. Whatever.
We also meet the trader from Emondsville, all his stuff lost because of the trolls, understandably in bad conditions.
Aha, so the Children are paladins... lacking th armor more like crusaders.
And Rand is a mage. And maybe closer to 17 that 16.
I don't give a rat to what Thom can or can not believe.
There will be throughout this book mention how Illian citizens hunt for the Horn of Valere. It's meaningless here, but the title of the next book just calls attention to this. Not any reason to care, just attention.
Incomes Nynaeve. No idea how she catched up, given the merry band speeded up by magic, but I assume we can just look it over. I mean nothing has any relevance until now, after 300 pages, so one more thing doesn't matter in the pool of doesn't matterness, right?
At least we know the dream was not just a dream, but a spell. Still doesn't mean it was Satan.
You know what else this thing lacks? Conversations. Sure, characters tell stuff to each other at times, but that's not conversation. Mostly non-expositiory lore. Or just words, without any weight. They speak, so they don't feel a block of wood. But they remain papercuts, without personality.
We have an encounter with someone named Min. Whatever.
We also meet the trader from Emondsville, all his stuff lost because of the trolls, understandably in bad conditions.
Aha, so the Children are paladins... lacking th armor more like crusaders.
And Rand is a mage. And maybe closer to 17 that 16.
I don't give a rat to what Thom can or can not believe.
There will be throughout this book mention how Illian citizens hunt for the Horn of Valere. It's meaningless here, but the title of the next book just calls attention to this. Not any reason to care, just attention.
Incomes Nynaeve. No idea how she catched up, given the merry band speeded up by magic, but I assume we can just look it over. I mean nothing has any relevance until now, after 300 pages, so one more thing doesn't matter in the pool of doesn't matterness, right?
----------------
Chapter 16
Oh, crap, Nyan-nyan-cat joins the already oversized party. WHY? RJ
realised he'd like her more, that's why he teleported her to their head?
Aside that, I'm the only one feeling some tension between Ninive and Rand? We know Rand was considered attractive (because he is tall, and short men shall die or something) in his village... Wouldn't surprise me one more in his harem.
Aside that, I'm the only one feeling some tension between Ninive and Rand? We know Rand was considered attractive (because he is tall, and short men shall die or something) in his village... Wouldn't surprise me one more in his harem.
-----------------
Chapter 17
A myrdraal shows up in the tavern, so they are on the road again.
Btw, while myrdraal started as a nazguul-clone, they are very distinct from them.
There is a minor encounter between secular militia, Children and our band. It's ok, but too little if you ask me, especialy as all during these chapters in the city like nothing happened, and what happened happened unconnected.
At least we get SOME exposition about the grander picture. Not much, not anything specific, just the fact you can't save everyone.
Btw, while myrdraal started as a nazguul-clone, they are very distinct from them.
There is a minor encounter between secular militia, Children and our band. It's ok, but too little if you ask me, especialy as all during these chapters in the city like nothing happened, and what happened happened unconnected.
At least we get SOME exposition about the grander picture. Not much, not anything specific, just the fact you can't save everyone.
--------------------
Chapter 18
I'm sorry? How many trolls? 5 groups, 100 unit each? And 7 group attacked Emondville? You must be joking.
The inconsistency is confirmed when the characters tell, these are much more trolls than at the village.
This later info matches the number of myrdraals though, but rises the question: how did these port on their head? We could accept that somehow the first trolls slipped throgh unnoticed, but this is just impossible now.
Hm... The trolls are ... more like beastmen? Warhammer comes to my mind, but that's a later source. Well, get back to this if anything comes up.
Oh, yeah, there's a big chase-fight with trolls if you did not get it.
Ok, definitely some reincarnation-stuff is going on.
The group course-correct towards a place where none usualy goes. Wassis place? Who knows. The reader definitely doesn't. Some ruined city it is.
The inconsistency is confirmed when the characters tell, these are much more trolls than at the village.
This later info matches the number of myrdraals though, but rises the question: how did these port on their head? We could accept that somehow the first trolls slipped throgh unnoticed, but this is just impossible now.
Hm... The trolls are ... more like beastmen? Warhammer comes to my mind, but that's a later source. Well, get back to this if anything comes up.
Oh, yeah, there's a big chase-fight with trolls if you did not get it.
Ok, definitely some reincarnation-stuff is going on.
The group course-correct towards a place where none usualy goes. Wassis place? Who knows. The reader definitely doesn't. Some ruined city it is.
--------------------
Chapter 19
One of the problem with Shador Logoth, aside that it has no background
that we know of, is the lack of description, and how the place effects
out band. Compare this scene with Lovecraft's The Nameless City, and
you'll understand how large flop this fiasco is.
The much needed impact of the place is lessened further with us spending time on that Aemon-lore. Entirely kills the mood. This is just a city with no residence. Very much like the Well in Lost. Zero importance, zero impact on the audience.
And because this place is nothing, our guys go and do some walk in the park, because they have no reason not to. Because the writing is low tier, bland, lacks any hook of interrests.
Then they meet with certain Mordeth. He is obviously some cliché monster, or lure for the cliché monster. We don't care.
The guys show SOME common sense, but obviously some promise of treasure calls their attention, as the city is obviously boring. There's no menacing danger or anything. The place is simply BORING.
Mordeth turns into the obligatory monster - and runs away?
Matt brings a dagger away, and TECHNICALY speaking ye, the answer to Moiraine's questions is no.
When returning to the camp, why they ask "this is Shadar Logoth"? At the very end of the last chapter they were told so!
Basicaly the locals summoned some ancient evil to be more evil than Evil - which rises the question, if there is a Creator/God, and there is a Satan, and their conflicet runs since the literal dawn of time - how this thind (Mashadar) relates to all this? This question shakes the very foundations of the core setup of the wheel of time series.
The much needed impact of the place is lessened further with us spending time on that Aemon-lore. Entirely kills the mood. This is just a city with no residence. Very much like the Well in Lost. Zero importance, zero impact on the audience.
And because this place is nothing, our guys go and do some walk in the park, because they have no reason not to. Because the writing is low tier, bland, lacks any hook of interrests.
Then they meet with certain Mordeth. He is obviously some cliché monster, or lure for the cliché monster. We don't care.
The guys show SOME common sense, but obviously some promise of treasure calls their attention, as the city is obviously boring. There's no menacing danger or anything. The place is simply BORING.
Mordeth turns into the obligatory monster - and runs away?
Matt brings a dagger away, and TECHNICALY speaking ye, the answer to Moiraine's questions is no.
When returning to the camp, why they ask "this is Shadar Logoth"? At the very end of the last chapter they were told so!
Basicaly the locals summoned some ancient evil to be more evil than Evil - which rises the question, if there is a Creator/God, and there is a Satan, and their conflicet runs since the literal dawn of time - how this thind (Mashadar) relates to all this? This question shakes the very foundations of the core setup of the wheel of time series.
---------------------
Chapter 20
And again we are running, can't have time for worldbuilding. I start to
feel RJ thinks cliffnotes on a map is worldbuilding. It is not.
Some eldritch monster appears, but we don't care, just ride around it.
Rj uses this excuse to split up the party. But darn, Dragonlance Chronicles wasn't this thinly written.
Ugh. RJ couldn't resist, and had to pull a LotR-reference: "Run you fools!" This killed ANY tension he'd created otherwise.
This a bit explains why this place is so badly written too. This is Mines of Moria, only the squid-monster is not just at the gate, but in the whole place. And that monster lacked much attention there, being an introductory monster for the place, and RJ lacked the talent to rewrite the scene with the modifications he commited.
Btw, Moiraine pormises she'll find anyone getting lost later - how she plans this is a bit of a mysterie though.
Team A is Rand, Matt and Thom. They get on a ship of traders.
Team B is likely Perrin and Egwenne.
Team C is the rest.
Some eldritch monster appears, but we don't care, just ride around it.
Rj uses this excuse to split up the party. But darn, Dragonlance Chronicles wasn't this thinly written.
Ugh. RJ couldn't resist, and had to pull a LotR-reference: "Run you fools!" This killed ANY tension he'd created otherwise.
This a bit explains why this place is so badly written too. This is Mines of Moria, only the squid-monster is not just at the gate, but in the whole place. And that monster lacked much attention there, being an introductory monster for the place, and RJ lacked the talent to rewrite the scene with the modifications he commited.
Btw, Moiraine pormises she'll find anyone getting lost later - how she plans this is a bit of a mysterie though.
Team A is Rand, Matt and Thom. They get on a ship of traders.
Team B is likely Perrin and Egwenne.
Team C is the rest.
Comments
Post a Comment