Theoryland of the Wheel of Time

Some parts were indistinct on my recorder, though, so you'll see where I couldn't make it out by this: [indistinct]. At the end, I couldn't tell what he said at all, so it's only about a third of the Q&A session. Keep in mind that I there were over three hundred people at this signing (possible even over four hundred), and I was somewhere around thirty feet or so from where RJ was speaking (the second row back on his left). And I don't have the best recording equipment in the world. Anyways, here we go.

[thunderous clapping as RJ walks onto the stage. RJ starts off with the pronunciations of names.]

Alright, um, I am not going to be up here a long time. First off, the womans name is Nynaeve (NEYE Neeve). [crowd laughs]

It's Egwene (Eg-wane), not Eg-ween folks, Egwene. Saidin (SEYE-deen). Saidar (SEYE-dar). Seanchan (SHAWN-CHAWN). Aes Sedai (Eyes Sah-Die) Aiel (Eye-eel) Suian Sanche (Su-wan San-chey) Aviendha (Ah-vee-en-da). Tel'aran'rhiod (tel-ah-ran-ree-od). Okay? Okay.

pronunciation

How many more books are there going to be? [crowd laughs] Um, I am going to need at least two more books. I apologize for that. [crowd murmurs that two's not enough] When I first started this thing, I though I could do it in four or five books, maybe even six. Ive known the last scene of the last book since 1984...I could have written the last scene of the last book in 1984. It's just taken a little longer to get to it than I thought it was going to be. So at least two more books—if I can finish it in two books I will, but I ain't making no promises. [crowd laughs]

how many more books?

So, who killed Asmodean? Mmmm, somebody's figured out who's killed Asmodean. A correct deduction, from the evidence as given in the books. It can be done, guys. [crowds laughs slightly] It has been done. I have not told the person who made the deduction that he or she has made the correct deduction... [indistinct] ...Um, and I'm not going to tell you who he or she is that did it. Because I'm having too much fun watching you squirm. [crowd laughs] But the fact is, that it can be figured out from the evidence in the books, okay? Okay.

asmodean

Now, I am going to take a very...Oh, I have one announcement. Later on, during the signing here, some of you are going to want to take pictures of me. That's fine. Some of you are hoping to get pictures taken with me. That's fine. I have only one rule for photographs: Guys have to keep their clothes on. [crowd laughs loudly] Okay? Okay? Okay. Now, I will take a few questions. I'm going to start on this side [his right] and work around, and just a very few questions so we can get to the signing cause I think this store closes at ten o'clock.

Um, anybody, come on, aren't there any curious women out there at all? You women never ask questions here? [RJ laughs slightly]

Bradley Staples

[editor's note—RJ repeated the first several questions on the mic so everyone can hear, so I'm going to deviate somewhat and just present the info in a Q&A format.]

male nudity

,

gender

Do you work off of an outline? Because the books are very detailed.

No, not really. I make a 'sort-of' outline at the beginning of every book. And then I sort of forget about it. [indistinct]...go away from my outline, and not follow the outline at all...[indistinct]

rj on writing

Are there any correlations between the One Power and the philosophy of chi?

No. Sorry.

one power

,

wot influences

Is Rand al'Thor meant to be a Jesus figure?

Um, if you consider King Arthur to be a Jesus figure—the king who must die. [more, indistinct]

Bradley Staples

[I'm not positive on the exact wording of that question. It's indistinct.]

wot influences

,

rand

,

arthurian legend

,

christianity

[indistinct]

They're still there. (Woman asks a second question) Because they're not being as used as much. If you could see what ... done in Crossroads [editor's note: I'm assuming he meant the book], they're still there.

crossroads of twilight

Is Moiraine dead or is Moiraine coming back?

RAFO. [crowd ERUPTS in laughter] Okay? Okay.

moiraine

[Asks something about if RJ has plans for Ogier]

The Ogier? I've got lots of plans for the Ogier. So, yes. [crowd laughs]

ogier

At this point I got tired of not being able to understand. Much of it's indistinct—I'm not sure why it worsened (RJ himself, the mic system at J-B, or my recorder) but it did.

I do remember my own two-part question, though. While not word for word, here goes.

Can you explain a bit about the properties of the World of Dreams? Such as when Nynaeve forced Moghedien to drink forkroot tea, which caused the Forsaken to fall asleep. But within that same book, the Wise Ones tell Egwene that drinking tea will in Tel'aran'rhiod will cause no effects upon the body.

It's a strong matter of belief. If you believe something like that will happen to you, then it can and does.

Bradley Staples

[I wonder why Moghedien believed that though, if she one of the best of the (Forsaken) in Tel'aran'rhiod]

Question

Also, what about wounds and pain? Causing pains/wounds though an intermediate source—such as stabbing one with a dagger made in Tel'aran'rhiod—causes lasting pain. Yet if one were to simply cause the other to feel that pain directly, it fades upon reaching the waking world.

Robert Jordan

No it doesn't. If you feel pain in the World of Dreams, in Tel'aran'rhiod, then you have that pain in the waking world. Tel'aran'rhiod IS real in that respect.

Bradley Staples

[More along the same, I forget wording. But I wonder why pain would stay, if Egwene's healing didn't? Belief again?]

tel'aran'rhiod

,

moghedien

,

forkroot

That's all I can salvage from my recorder. I'm working to see if I can get it on my PC to edit or upload. Details on that as I get 'em.