(To Robert, written August 26, 2020)
I’m about 6 hours into Lord of Chaos (which is 41 hours long,) and here’s what’s happening so far:
Nynaeve is trying to find a cure for stilling using Moghedian’s powers on Siuan, Lianna and Logain. Morgase is searching for allies outside of Caemlyn when she discovers Rand has invaded her kingdom, killed Rahvin, and captured her throne. Elayne and Min are in Salidar, having a chat about how they’re both in love with Rand. Lanfear and Asmodean were reborn into different bodies*. Perrin is still in the Two Rivers and is considering going to find Rand because he can feel the pull of him from partway across the world. Faile is annoyed that she has to deal with the everyday goings on in the Two Rivers, and when Perrin said he was leaving to find Rand, she wanted to go with him but he didn’t want her to. Demondred, Graendal and the rest of the forsaken who are still alive are placing scheme on their agenda. Rand is fighting anonymous men for training because Lan has left in search of his new Aes Sedai. Masrim Taim visits Rand in Caemlyn because Rand has declared amnesty for men who can channel. Rand lets Taim teach the other men who can channel. Taim seems surprised this is the only thing Rand wants him to do. Then, Rand visits some of his generals, and there’s talk of war with Illian. Lews Therin is screaming in Rand’s head to kill everyone and burn down the world.
One interesting narrative that has seemed to pop up in this book is Rand’s view of the Aes Sedai gentling men. In “Eye of the World” it was painted as a kindness because the men eventually went insane. So gentling was seen philosophically as doing the least harm, as only the man who could wield the one power would die (eventually) rather than a bunch of people dying as a result of his power. In “Lord of Chaos,” Rand believes it to be a “culling of the population.” (Robert Jordan literally uses those words, and it was kind of disturbing.) I’m still torn on whether or not this book series has feminist leanings. I’m not sure it’s a good look for a narrative to say “men need to fight back against the women who don’t want them to use their true power.”
I think it’s normal for our minds to want to apply the principles of fantasy as a statement on our everyday life because so many fantasy writers, from Orson Scott Card to NK Jemisin, use fantasy to impress their own views of the way things ought to be through their stories. It’s clear Robert Jordan’s military training has weighed heavily on his story, as did his personal views of gender roles. Is channeling in men a metaphor for men who are in touch with their feelings and show emotions? Is this a half-baked misogynistic metaphor about how it’s a woman’s fault that men can’t have emotions, and here’s an examination of a society in which a woman’s power has “gone too far”? Or do I simply have to accept this plot point as it is and not question it?
The Wheel of Time stans on Twitter kind of spoiled that Rand turns evil before being good again. I anticipate “Lord of Chaos” being a little darker, and I’m ready for it! But I do wish I could figure out what this book series is actually trying to say about gender roles. Also, one of the Wheel of Time stans on Twitter compared Faile to Thanos. I’m not sure what that’s supposed to mean either!
*I know this is wrong. The Forsaken that were reborn into new bodies at the beginning of the book were not Asmodean and Lanfear, but instead Aginor and Balthamel, who (I think) were killed in the first book. I found that info on Wikipedia, and tried REALLY hard not to read any spoilers inadvertently.
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