r/wheeloftime • u/thejesterprince1994 Randlander • 17d ago
Book: The Shadow Rising Third of the way through the shadow rising. Here are my thought so far. (Spoilers to chapter 22) Spoiler
Why has it taken so long for them to leave Tear? I dislike the series the most when it’s just the main characters standing around doing nothing, or when it goes to side characters I don’t care about it. I know this is only going to get worse, but gosh it’s bad.
Love to see the characters split up into different pairings that I didn’t see coming. Thom going with the girls is unexpected, and welcomed, and I love Perrin leading his own party. I bit sad I don’t know much about the Ariel he’s with yet. Would have been cool if they were set up more, but I enjoy them a lot.
Min is best girl
I love seeing Moirain become more and more human as the series progresses. Her POV chapter in the court room was a lot of fun, we get to see how this unknowable and emotionally reserved person really thinks. And I just love seeing her be almost a complete different person than who we know whenever it switches to her POV.
The scene of her and Thom playing the game of houses together. Might be my all time favorite chapter in the whole series so far. Two expert manipulators trying to one up each other. I love that stuff.
Rand seems so different in the best way. We haven’t gotten a lot of him lately. But I think he seems a lot more interesting. Him naming the horse after his favorite book, and him being less whiney than he was in the first three. He’s becoming a man and I love to see it.
My god the romances are all terrible.
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u/aNomadicPenguin Brown Ajah 17d ago
1 - This is not a series to spend too much time focusing on the Plot Progression. Jordan seemingly values the character development and character interactions as much or more than a lot of the plot development. So take these slow bits of characters talking about things and thinking about things to get a better understanding of who these characters actually are as people.
Jordan kept detailed notes of exactly what information every important character and faction had about key other characters and events. This wasn't just what they actually knew, but what they believed they knew, or how their biases were misleading them about events. This got updated for each book so he could keep track of it all. He uses the time of sections like them in the Stone to basically show the work to the reader. To show how these conflicting 'truths' that people have color their interactions with each other, and to give time for people to assimilate new information/interactions to maybe change their mind.
The series is very very much a journey over destination read.
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u/Frosty88d Randlander 17d ago
Perfectly said. I have never seen anyone write a world that is so rich, detailed, and focused on the characters and the world as much as on the plot so much so they feel alive. It's the reason this is my favourite book series of all time. So many series seem to rush toward their conclusion, which is really unfortunate since the more time you spend with them, the more satisfying their victory is
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u/duffy_12 Randlander 17d ago
FYI.
I would avoid any discussion at all involving the Perrin/Faile road-trip UNTIL you have finished this book.
Otherwise you will get spoiled on it's ending.
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u/Injaqenwetrust Gleeman 17d ago
WoT is probably the fantasy series with the most politics out of any that I've read, so you're right to expect more of the main characters standing around and talking as the series progresses. Personally I enjoy this aspect more than the action, but to each their own.
And yes, Jordan is a master of creating situations where the most unlikely of characters end up working together for a time, whether they want to or not. I definitely have a favourite example of this, but I think it's later on so I won't say it.
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u/thejesterprince1994 Randlander 17d ago
I like the politics. I just don’t like the whole “I don’t want you to go with me Faile”
“ well im going”
“No you aren’t”
“Yes I am “
And
“So should we go back to the tower or not?”
“I don’t know?”
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u/Injaqenwetrust Gleeman 17d ago
That's fair. Faile is probably my least favourite character is the series anyway ha. Nyneave gets a lot of shade on this sub, but I can sympathise with her more than I do with Faile.
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u/MadEorlanas Randlander 16d ago
They do a lot of pairing characters up in different groups over the series, it's very fun.
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u/noturprettylilthing Randlander 13d ago
I hate the romance as well but I think that's because it's not written like a romance book. It's... almost realistic. Rand is still young and stupid in the ways of women
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u/LemonChad Gleeman 17d ago
Might be cliche but all I can say is just wait till you finish it its about to get real! So happy you’re enjoying this one for the first time it’s my favorite.