their village, to losing all of them and having to find them in Caemlyn, you finish the
book somewhat muddled, yet looking forward to starting the next in the series.
Upon leaving Emond's Field they go to Baerlon, where Moiraine introduces them
to Min Farshaw, who has the incanny ability to read a person's aura and tell them what
may happen in their future. Not long after they've left Emond's Field and arrive in
Baerlon, the Wisdom of Emond's Field, Nynaeve al'Meara catches up to them and
demands Moiraine release them from the scheming Aes Sedai plot she has them
entrapped in.
Masters 3
Between Baerlon and their journey to Caemlyn, Moiraine stops at Shadar Logoth,
which almost means 'Where the Shadow Waits,' and is formerly known as Aridhol. Here
is where the group is split up by a Myrddral forcing Trollocs into Shadar Logoth to kill
the group within. The group is now split up with Lan and Moiraine separatedfrom the group,
until Nynaeve finds them. She travels with them to Caemlyn, while hopelessly falling in love
with the Warder Lan.
Between Shadar Logoth and Caemlyn, Rand and Mat find themselves traveling
companions who face hardship of having to work for their meals by either working the
fields of a farm they pass, or Rand playing the flute and harp while Mat juggles; on their
journey to Caemlyn they encounter Darkfriends who try to kill Rand and Mat for a
reason they do not know.
Perrin and Egwene encounter a man named Elyas who realizes that Perrin has the
same gift that he does. They can both speak with wolves. Elyas watches out for Perrin
and Egwene until they rejoin Moiraine in Caemlyn.
The characters of Rand, Perrin, Mat, Egwene and Nynaeve have known work
since they were small, but nothing has prepared them for the journey they are about to
make. Jordan shows strength in his characters yet vulnerability for their future. They are
indecisive at times yet come out on top at the end of each conquest they undertake.
Rand is the soft spoken shy farmboy who is betrothed to Egwene. He seems to
only want to farm his father's tabac farm and raise the sheep and live a quiet life in
Emond's Field. Mat is the jokester of the group, the comic relief if you will. The gambler
who takes dangerous chances yet has a streak of luck wider than a mile.
Masters 4
Perrin is the quiet strong man. His trade is normally a blacksmith, yet he has been
tossed into this shoal's circle with nothing to guide him but his wits and strong mind.
Egwene is a child on the verge of becoming a woman. She still wears her hair loose as
the Women's Circle of Emond's Field dictates, yet she takes too many chances in trying
to wield Saidar while Moiraine is beginning to train her. Nynaeve is reluctant to know
that she has the spark inborn in her as Egwene does, but has blocked it so that she can not
grasp at Saidar without being angry. She is also finding herself falling in love with Lan,
Moiraine's Warder. Included in this group is a young Ogier named Loial, who is
supremely quiet, steadfast and humble in his ways. He is fearful of what his mother and
the Elders of the Stump might do if they happen upon him while he is Outside and seems
to hide from any Ogier they encounter. Though quiet, his temper does flare occasionally
at anything that might harm those he cares about. He finds himself falling in love with a
young female Ogier, yet remains steadfast to Rand and his friends as he sets to write a
book on the life of the Dragon Reborn and his small group of friends. This small group
are the people who are at the heart of the stories that fulfill prophecy.
In my opinion, the characters Lan, Moiraine and Perrin weren't fully brought out.
These three seem to be an afterthought almost. Moiraine is the one who brings everything
about, yet there isn't much known about her beyond the fact that she was set to hunt the
Dragon Reborn. Lan seems a very mysterious figure in the way that he never speaks and
always seems to have a glow of anger around him. At first, Perrin struck me as the token
tagalong character. Yet at the same time, with the meeting of Elyas, his worth suddenly
seems to be taking off.
Masters 5
The World Outside of Emond's Field
Rand, Perrin, Mat, Egwene and Nynaeve have gone no farther than Taren's Ferry.
The world outside of Emond's Field is unbeknownst to them. Jordan gives such vivid
detail of the countryside as they pass through Andor (where Emond's Field is located)
through Tear, where they goggle at the amazingly high towers and stare at the people
who inhabit Tear.
The Heart of Stone is where the High Lords and Ladies of Tear reside, and where
prophecy says the Dragon Reborn will proclaim himself. They pass from Tear to Illian
and travel on to Tar Valon where their journey is supposed to come to an end. However,
Moiraine learns of the Eye of the World where each person is to ask one question and
have it answered.
Instead of heading on to Tar Valon, they head to the Blight; a place where evil
resides and can catch you at the next step you take. Running from Shadowspawn, they
are tossed headfirst into the Eye of the World....a serene garden where a Treebrother
resides and hides the Eye from the world until it is needed.
Here they also encounter two of the thirteen Forsaken; Aes Sedai who went over
to the Shadow during the Breaking of the World. It is also here that Rand channels for the
first time, killing one of the Forsaken while the Treebrother squeezes the life out of the
other and loses his own in turn. With his dying breath, the Treebrother tells them where
they can find the Eye of the World. They also find the Horn of Valere, a mythical trumpet
said to bring Artur Hawkwing's Hundred Companions back from the dead. Mat blew this
horn and called the Companions back, and now found himself and his friends facing a
battle with the Seanchan in Falme.
Masters 6
This segment of the story left me a little bewildered because to begin with, there
was nothing said of why Moiraine took the young people or why they were going where
they did. It left an air of mystique, which after reading the entire series, I can understand
and appreciate. Jordan leaves you wanting more, and waiting to read his next book to
find out what happens with his young adventurers.
Physical and Magickal Laws
The One Power is divided between men and women. Women wield Saidar while
men wield Saidin. Saidin is tainted by the Dark One and thus drives men who channel
mad; which caused the Breaking of the World by the male Aes Sedai going insane and
channeling. The female Aes Sedai now reside in the White Tower.
There are seven known Ajahs; the Red, Blue, Green, Gray, Brown, White
and Yellow. The unknown Ajah is the Black Ajah, which is filled with Aes Sedai who
serve the Dark One. Each Ajah has it's purpose; the Red's purpose is the hunt down men
who can channel so that they may be gentled by a circle of thirteen women; the Blue's
purpose is to gather information about current events in the world, while the Green is
called the Battle Ajah. They are to be the ones who stand at Tarmon Gai'don (the Last
Battle of Light and Shadow) and fight the Dreadlords and all of their shadow created
demons.
The Gray Ajah are the negotiators. They are the ones sent when one land is
fighting another and they negotiate treaties to proclaim peace between the lands. The
Brown Ajah collects history and pieces together parts of the past to tell what happened,
and to decipher prophecy so that the world may be ready.
Masters 7
The White ajah is filled with cool reason and logic. They think before they act
and often assist the Gray Ajah with negotiations. The Yellow Ajah is filled with
knowledge of Healing. From healing bumps or bruises to healing gashes that could bring
death, there are few things they can not heal beyond death. Aes Sedai do not fear much.
With their Warders at their backs, they face demonic creatures and fight them to the
death to rid the world of one more Shadowspawn and make it a safer place for people of
this time to live.
Aes Sedai of the White Tower are bound by the Three Oaths; to speak no word
that is not true, to make no weapon for one man to kill another, and never to use the One
Power as a weapon except as a weapon against Shadowspawn or, in the last extreme, of
defending her own life, or that of her Warder or another sister.
The magickal workings of Jordan's Aes Sedai are much akin to today's
Witchcraft. The circle of thirteen, the powers, the spells, the herbs, all of it can be found
in today's witch's covens. In his books, people lived in fear of Aes Sedai and their
powers, as today, people fear those who's spiritual choice is Wicca. Then, there were
fears of displeasing an Aes Sedai even though they only ruled in Tar Valon, yet Kings
and Queens were wary of Aes Sedai machinations. Now, there are fears that are
unfounded yet many people believe that covens are of a satanical nature, and they will
steal your child and sacrifice him or her to the Devil.
In short, I find Robert Jordan's books amazing in the way of fantasy fiction. His
characters are refreshingly honest and real people. His imagination leaves you on the
edge of your seat wondering why something happened or what was about to happen. The
Wheel of Time turns and Ages come and pass; only you know the path that you choose.
Masters 8
Works Cited
Jordan, Robert. "The Wheel of Time: The Eye Of The World." Tor: Feburary 1990.
Jordan, Robert. "The Wheel of Time: The Great Hunt." Tor: November 1990.
Jordan, Robert. "The Wheel of Time: The Dragon Reborn." Tor: September 1991.
Jordan, Robert. "The Wheel of Time: The Shadow Rising." Tor: September 1992.
Jordan, Robert. "The Wheel of Time: The Fires of Heaven." Tor: October 1993.
Jordan, Robert. "The Wheel of Time: Lord of Chaos." Tor: October 1994
Jordan, Robert. "The Wheel of Time: A Crown of Swords." Tor: May 1996
Jordan, Robert. "The Wheel of Time: The Path of Daggers." Tor: October 1998.
Jordan, Robert. "The Wheel of Time: Winter's Heart." Tor: November 2000.
Jordan, Robert. "The Wheel of Time: Crossroads of Twilight." Tor: January 2003.
