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~Complaints about The Wheel of Time~
IT WOULD HAVE BEEN NICE IF... General complaints
IT SEEMED LAME WHEN... Specific complaints
WHY DON'T THEY JUST... Easier ways for characters to do things
IT WOULD HAVE BEEN NICE IF... [General Complaints]
- It would have been nice if... all of those paragraphs and chapters that had little or no impact
upon the storyline had been edited out. One chapter in the first book was told in reverse order
for no apparent reason. There are a number of sections in the last five books
where the narrative drones on about every little inconsequential thought process of a character,
often repeating earlier thoughts. There is no need to reaffirm personality traits more than three times.
- It would have been nice if... the last three books did not devote entire chapters to the points of view of
minor characters that do nothing important and have no influence on any major plot-line.
Is it really necessary to spend two chapters on Shalon or Elenia?
- It would be nice if... men and women in the WoT universe were not so uniformly and blindly resentful
of the opposite gender. I expound upon this in my
Sexism and Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series article.
- It would be nice if... one or two of the female protagonists in the series placed more importance
on world events than how she looks. It's like all the powerful female channelers who are
allied with Rand are valley girls.
- It would be nice if... there was at least one major or semi-major character who does not fall in
love with someone unexpectedly. C'mon, that's just not realistic in the context of a world with people.
- It would be nice if... some Aes Sedai besides Moiraine and Verin would act their ages. You'd think
that great age would grant at least a few of them maturity.
- It would be nice if... Robert Jordan realized that he might learn or grow as a writer from listening to
criticism from his fans. He is adamant that he is writing this series "just for himself", and not for fans.
IT SEEMED LAME WHEN... [Specific Complaints]
NEXT: WHY DON'T THEY JUST...
(pb = paperback version, hc = hard cover version)
caution ~ THAR BE SPOILERS AHEAD ~ caution
- Volume 1: I understand why he did it, but I wish Robert Jordan
had not used so many elements from Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings.
"Trollocs," "dark riders," "the Third Age," and "Shayol Ghul" are
reminiscent of many low quality fantasy formulas.
- Volume 2: Moiraine never told Suian Sanche -- her friend and co-conspirator -- that she had
seen two of the Forsaken. This seems like important news that should have been shared.
- Volume 2: If Rand, Mat, and Perrin are the only living ta'veren in 2,000 years, then how can
Suian (or anyone) know before seeing them that she has the Talent for seeing ta'veren?
- Volume 2, p.364 pb: The scene where Egwene, Elayne, and Min all decide to be friends and hug
seems like it was lifted from a bad porn flick.
- Volume 2, p.582 pb: While riding up Toman Head towards Falme, Mat
makes a blatant reference to Rand's channeling in full earshot of Ingtar, who is participating in their conversation.
Ingtar doesn't seem to hear.
He [Mat] glanced at Rand and gave a ragged laugh. "That makes you Aes Sedai,
the Light help us all."
- Volume 3, p.418 pb: On his way to Tear, Rand beheads a female merchant, her
bodyguards, and a Gray Man. He then uses the One Power to force their headless corpses to kneel to him.
This seems a little early for his insanity to be setting in. I wish this entire scene hadn't happened, because
the presence of the Gray Man is not proof that the rest of those people were Darkfriends. I don't like the
implications that Rand murdered innocent people and power-tripped with their corpses.
- Volume 3: During Egwene's test to become an Accepted,
she asks questions that make it clear that Rand can channel . . . while she's in the
presence of Elaida and Sheriam. None of the Aes Sedai comment upon her questions, and
Egwene herself doesn't seem to notice. To me, this felt like a mistake by the author.
- Volume 5, p.550 pb: Nynaeve and Birgitte overhear Graendal say: Do you
think he would not notice that you were linked? He has a teacher, remember. A poor one, but not a complete
fool. She's speaking to Sammael about Rand. Doesn't Nynaeve get it?
- Volume 5: When Rand channels to fight the Shaido siege on Cairhien, he just
melts hilltops, one after another. This is an excedingly poor choice of power use. The Shaido are Aiel,
which means they would be more likely to lie low, between hills, rather than standing on the summits. Besides
which, Rand can see the hilltops, so he should see there's no enemy standing on them. Egwene and
Aviendha chose specific targets to strike; why couldn't Rand do the same?
- Volume 6: It would have been nice (I seem to be saying that a lot) to see Alanna's reaction the first
time she detects Rand Travelling.
- Volume 6, p.439 pb: Avienda thinks: Killing Rand
al'Thor would meet one toh, killing herself the second, but each toh blocked that
solution to the other.
So, she feels that killing herself for "cheating" on Elayne with Rand would meet her
obligation toward Elayne and Egwene . . . but how would killing Rand meet any toh?
This was never adequately explained, and it should have been.
- Volume 7, p.555 pb: Thera, the da'covale who was formerly the Panarch of Tarabon,
recognized Morgase when Suroth took over the Fortress of the Light. Why doesn't she tell Juilin, Mat, and Elayne
that Queen Morgase is alive? Granted, Thera's spirit is broken, but she's recovered enough to provide this tidbit of
important information.
- Volume 8, p.202 hc: After thirty pages from Elayne's point of view, I'd think that Rand's
"gift" to her of sul'dam and damane could have been mentioned earlier!
- Volume 8, p.330 hc: Mat was not shown at all in Volume 7, and makes his first reappearance
here. During that long absence, all the reader knows is that he's alive and trapped in a Seanchan-captured
city. To me, this qualifies as a pacing problem.
- Volume 9: The ter'angreal of Far Madding,
which prevents men and women from touching the Source, ought to have
been introduced sooner, in my humble opinion. I had to backtrack while reading this book in order to understand
what was going on with Rand in Far Madding.
- Volume 9: Seeing as how Nynaeve watched Rand grow up, why didn't she say something -- or at least
notice -- when Rand gained a sudden artistic skill?
- Volume 10, p.534-536 hc: Cadsuane reflects upon her past, but nothing was revealed. Point-of-view
characters should not withhold information from the reader in such an obvious manner. Just show us what happened!
- Volume 10, p.538 hc: Why hasn't Elza Penfell met with any consequences for her accidental
killing of Osan'gar -- one of the Forsaken?! That happened at the end of Volume 9.
- Volume 10: It seems out of character for Mat to suddenly embrace his
destiny -- by courting the Daughter of Nine Moons -- when he spent the entire series before
the tenth book struggling against authority, nobility, and his own fate.
- Volume 10: Egwene jumps to farfetched conclusions, such as assuming that the Forsaken have a
weapon of mass destruction, and believing that Rand might have used Compulsion on the Aes Sedai in Cairhien. Why
can't she consider the possibility that Rand is being manipulated or set-up by Forsaken or Black Ajah? And judging by
the massive hole where Shadar Logoth used to be, shouldn't she be concerned that Rand might have been injured in a
major battle?
- Volume 10: Rand seems to be the ONLY protagonist who doesn't assume that he'll win Tarmon Gai'don.
Everyone else seems to dismiss the upcoming Last Battle as something that Rand will deal with and win. You'd think
that Egwene or Elayne, at least, would keep that prophesized fiasco in mind.
- Volume 10: Considering the title of the book, it seemed lame that we didn't see those fifty Darkhounds.
- Volume 10: It would have been nice to see the Black Tower's reaction to the cleansing of saidin,
since we saw EVERYONE ELSE'S reactions!
WHY DON'T THEY JUST... [Easier Ways for Characters To Conduct Business]
caution ~ THAR BE SPOILERS AHEAD ~ caution
- Whole Series: Why don't the main characters share important information with their colleagues?
They keep secrets too often, and without good reasons or justifications.
- Volume 5: If Rand had killed Lanfear when he had the
opportunity to do so, Moiraine and Aviendha would not have "died."
Weigh the pros and cons. Shouldn't this be enough to convince Rand
to kill certain Forsaken women when necessary? I'm just talking
about killing Lanfear here; I can understand his reluctance to kill ordinary
Darkfriend women.
NOTE: There is a theory that Rand's
inability to kill Lanfear may be his fatal flaw and therefore his
destiny. Lanfear will ultimately cause his death.
- Volume 6: When Alanna bonds Rand, why doesn't he force her to release him, or
still her? He has that fat man angreal on him. In Book 9, at least, he asks her to release him, but
she refuses. Rand sends her off to quell the rebellion in Haddon Mirk without giving it another thought, although
he feels as if Alanna is intruding on his relationship with Elayne, Min, and Aviendha.
- Volume 6: When Egwene tells Gawyn that Rand didn't kill Morgase, why won't Gawyn believe the woman
he loves? How can he love her, yet not trust her far enough to believe what she says she witnessed?
- Volume 8, p.205 hc: Considering all of the suspicious information about Alivia's background,
why doesn't anyone even consider the possibility that she might be a Forsaken?
- Volume 8, p.214 hc: The Aiel dreamwalkers foresaw that Masema will be great trouble to the
Car'a'carn, and that he must be killed to prevent it; why don't they tell Perrin?
- Volume 8, p.225 hc: Birgitte told Aviendha the truth about her identity; so why can't she trust
Lan with it later on? Nynaeve already knows, and Lan hardly ever talks. He doesn't seem the type to go
blabbing her secret to anyone else.
- Volume 9: Why didn't Rand and Lan just bring Nynaeve (with her Well) onto the roof and into the shop
with them? They could use a channeler with them in a Paidan Fain situation, especially since they consider it an
execution rather than a duel. Plus, Nynaeve can Heal. Leaving her behind seemed like a waste of resources.
- Volume 9: Rand now has enough information about the Seanchan to know how easily they can be defeated:
All he has do is open up some Gateways to the Seanchan continent, and send people to collar a bunch sul'dam
and leave them to be found in public. He could even have the Empress collared, if she is trained as a sul'dam
like her daughter Tuon. It would cause utter mayhem and the Empire would collapse from within.
- Volume 10: In order to rally support for her claim to the Lion Throne, why doesn't Elayne just enter
Tel'aran'rhiod and fly around, seeking camps of her potential allies, and then Travel to them? If she's
too pregnant to handle it, then Aviendha could do it for her. It would save Elayne a lot of time.
- Volume 10: Why doesn't Elayne enlist the help of Asha'man to counter the seige on Caemlyn?
Not only could Asha'man secretly Travel to bring in supplies, but they could also harass Arymilla's camp
without seeming to support Elayne. Sure, Elayne dislikes Mazrim Taim, but this idea should have at least
crossed her mind.
- Volume 10, p.268 hc: If Aes Sedai such as Sheriam can channel dirt off their clothes and
bodies, then why can't Elayne channel her dresses clean? And later in the book -- why do Elayne and Aviendha
need to bathe?
- Volume 10: Birgitte offers to increase her troops in the streets in order to stop the arsons of
warehouses...but why doesn't she just use those troops to guard the warehouses?
- Volume 10: And why not use the Power to set Wards around Caemlyn in order to instantly detect the fires
set by the arsonist?
- Volume 10: Elayne spends half a chapter complaining about Birgitte's hangover, but why doesn't she
just Heal that headache? She should be capable of it; she's done that amount of Healing before.
- Volume 10: Why didn't Aviendha or Elayne just channel to warm up their bathwater? Do they like
to watch servants struggle to haul warm water around the palace?
- Volume 10: When Merilille and Talaan escaped together, why didn't Elayne send some of the Kin who can
Travel to catch them? After all, they can be reasonably certain that those two are heading toward Tar Valon.
- Volume 10, p.500 hc: Alviarin is pissed off when she gets dusty, but can't she just channel Air
as she steps through her Gateway in order to avoid getting dusty?
- Volume 10, ch.23: Rand awarded Jahar Narishma with a Dragon pin, and Merise (Jahar's Aes Sedai) took it
away. Why doesn't Rand step in and say "He's MY Asha'man!"?
- Volume 10: Why does Egwene delay her attack and seige on Tar Valon for so long? She could melt the
chains across the harbor right away, or use the Power to delay the incoming ships with wind, but she does absolutely
nothing for a week.
- Volume 10: Now that Egwene melded the chain across the gates to Tar Valon into cuendillar, I guess
the only way to open the gates would be to lift the entire wall with massive amounts of the One Power. Wouldn't
this be considered permanent damage to the city of Tar Valon? Wouldn't the common citizens be pissed off at Egwene
for cutting off their major trade routes indefinitely? Even if the rebel army wins, they'll need to Travel in order
to supply the city with daily stuff.
IT WOULD HAVE BEEN NICE IF... General complaints
IT SEEMED LAME WHEN... Specific complaints
WHY DON'T THEY JUST... Easier ways for characters to do things
This page last updated: February 24, 2005
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All material Copyright © 2008 Abigail Goldsmith, except where otherwise noted.
All rights reserved. No part of this may be reproduced or reprinted without prior written permission from the author.
Document updated: 17 December 2006 - 16:10:56
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