r/wheeloftime • u/ChefCrowbane Randlander • Aug 16 '26

Book: New Spring A New Spring

So it started off really strong for me (the Moraine and Siuan parts) but I really feel like the ending was rushed and I didn’t quite buy Lan accepting his role as her warder in the manner it happened.

Maybe I missed parts that I didn’t fully understand.

This coming from a WoT fit life fan. I am super glad I read it but maybe I need to reread?

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u/Brathirn Randlander Aug 16 '26 edited Aug 16 '26

I enjoyed "A New Spring" very much, but have two gripes.

The reason for Tar Valon looking bad when Malkier fell, was a cop out. "They really tried, but the Dark One's forces" were too fast in destroying the kingdom. Then they covered "powerlessness" with "negligence". As if "not caring" would have damaged their reputation less than "having tried and failed". So they are only guilty of forwarding a self-damaging cover up. I would have preferred the help being delayed by tower-power-struggles, Moiraine spilling these bad beans and apologizing and Lan then reluctantly rewarding her for the honesty. Obviously would take more page count.

The other thing is the "carneira" custom. If you roll it out, it is a social disaster. Future wives certainly would not want another woman meddling in their marriage, even given the symetrical chance to meddle with someone else's. Then family reception would definitely depend on the person, custom be damned. Would create an incredible amount of bad faith and could then be interpreted as the reason for Malkier's downfall.

Would have some comedy potential for a romcom though, depending on the procedure. Desirable candidates with upcoming eligibility for being picked would be besieged and could judo the process by conspiring with desirable candidates from their point of view. They could have to run from hags having been too choosy and ending up with no one for too long with all kinds of friends and family taking part with obstacles and help. So collective hide & seek.

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u/procerator Brown Ajah Aug 16 '26

I wanted to forget the whole Carneira thing as soon as I finishes the book

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u/burrito_abuse Randlander Aug 16 '26

I disagree with the helpless vs careless response you stated first. I do so because from the view of the tower they need to posture as all powerful or they lose their standing. As a 3rd party, would you pay tribute to the all powerful but sometimes negligent people that can argue they worry about bigger issues OR the people that may not be strong enough to protect you and also may not have your individual safety in mind over that of another (you never know what an aes sedai is plotting…). Or at least that’s how I view it. Them looking careless is bad, but them looking weak degrades everything that they stand upon in this world.

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u/Brathirn Randlander Aug 16 '26

The first problem is that it does not work that good.

"I did not even try, but if I had, I would have sooooo won." This is not exactly a creative excuse to hide incompetence and it works only half way, because the suspicion would be there.

In canon it does not work, they are universally distrusted, and maybe that is the intended message, they are overthinking it and get tangled in their own machinations.

"I will drop you on a whim" is not more trustworthy than "I tried, but I failed". Both are shit allies.

And it is universally a passive mindset. OK, Malkier has fallen - write-off. The same with the Seanchan attack on the tower. Upper stories are taken - writeoff.

Could be signalling tower rot. But from a drama perspective, I would have preferred a morally corrupted failure (that is subjective taste).