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Your search for cadsuane yielded 94 results
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1
Interview: Apr 20th, 2004
TOR Questions of the Week Part I (Verbatim)Week 6 Question
How do the Aes Sedai of the Red Ajah "find" men who can channel?Robert Jordan
We're told throughout the books that the male channelers get goose bumps whenever the females are channeling or embracing the source. However, it is continuously mentioned that the women don't know if the male Asha'man and Rand are embracing or channeling saidin. So how does the Red Ajah and Cadsuane, find male channelers and then gentle them?
There are various ways that the effects of male channeling can be found, weaves that find the resonance of the residues of saidin. Check in Crossroads of Twilight. They do not detect the actual weaves, though, only the residues left after the weave is released. After that, it becomes a matter of detective work. Though perhaps stalking a leopard might be a better metaphor. As for Cadsuane, she has a few more tools at her disposal than other Aes Sedai, the reason for her extremely high success rate. Check Winter's Heart, and a few earlier mentions, for this one.
Tags
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2
Interview: Jul, 2002
COT: 'Glimmers' Ebook Q&A (Verbatim)Question
In the scene during which the taint is cleansed, Cadsuane uses a ter’angreal that detects the One Power being channeled and the direction it is coming from. She watches the ter’angreal, and when the enemy channels, she points, and someone attacks. Why doesn’t it point to the huge amounts of the One Power that Rand and Nynaeve are channeling – far more than the Forsaken are being pegged for?Robert Jordan
Cadsuane’s ter’angreal was made during the Breaking of the World, at a time when men and women no longer linked, or at least very rarely, since male channelers were going mad at a rate of knots. What the maker was particularly interested in detecting was men channeling, but a man channeling in combination with a woman was, by definition, safe, because no woman was going to link with a man unless she knew absolutely that he was sane and not going to go over the edge into insanity while they were linked. Thus, saidin and saidar being worked in combination could be ignored, and in fact would be a distraction, since this was and is a warning device. Cadsuane’s ter’angreal won’t point to the two halves of the Power being wielded in combination.Tags
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3
Interview: Jul 19th, 2005
TOR Questions of the Week Part III (Verbatim)Week 21 Question
One thing that's always confused me is just why Dashiva/Osan'gar chose to attack Rand (with the turncoat Asha'man) when he did. The last time we saw Rand with Dashiva before that was when they went together (with Flinn, Hopwil and Morr) to confront Cadsuane, and there didn't seem to be any one particular incident that would "set him off."Robert Jordan
Partly this was guilty conscience working. Even people who don't have a conscience can have a guilty conscience, the sudden conviction—as when Rand came on Dashiva and the others—that somebody knows what they are up to. Add to this that Dashiva was plain getting tired of trailing around after Rand, taking orders. He's one of the Chosen, and the Dark One reclaimed him from death, which is really good, but he's been stuck in a decidedly second-rate body and stuck spying on Rand, fetching and carrying like a servant as he sees it, with hardly even an opportunity to put a spoke in Rand's wheels except in very minor ways. How much better if Rand simply died.Tags
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4
Interview: 2010
Twitter 2009-2010 (WoT) (Verbatim)Terez (30 July 2010)
Does Min's comment to Corele mean that the Dark One can subvert her viewings BEFORE the Pattern is destroyed?Terez
Asked in reference to the viewing that Elza would serve Rand. Or did it simply not imply she would serve forever?Brandon Sanderson (30 July 2010)
Elza did serve Rand, in her own way. It did not mean forever. That was not a subverting of the viewing. (Or wasn't meant to be.)Terez
Thanks! That's what I thought but some will still say you didn't answer the original question lol. It's Theoryland.Brandon Sanderson
Robert Jordan taught me to give Aes Sedai answers.Terez
Fair enough. :)Terez
There is one case in which I suspect that RJ gave an Aes Sedai answer and the reporter may not have gotten it exactly.Terez
Q: Was Else always Lanfear? RJ: No. Else did exist as a separate human but was played by Lanfear after Else was expelled.Terez
Strange, because of the personality 'Else' showed, and the Tear trap being Mesaana's trap, not Lanfear's. Any comment?Brandon Sanderson
MAFO.Maria Simons
(later) I cannot find anything to clarify the question.
Terez
PS, thanks for taking time to do Q&A here. Far superior to tour reports, since the Aes Sedai answers are direct from you. ;)Terez
...not to mention the quick responses, and the fact that you have more time to think the answers out. You are awesome!Terez
By the way, not knocking the tour reporters. They rock; we have a lot of good stuff because of them.Terez
I am just reminded of Tam. 'Tell me what she said. Her exact words, mind, just as she said them.' And Thom too. :)Brandon Sanderson
Sure. Of course, I'm not convinced half of Theoryland hasn't joined Twitter only to follow/question me...Brandon Sanderson
When I'm on tour, do be aware that I don't have notes handy and I'm usually very tired. All answers are suspect.Terez
As for stalking you...someone has to do it to keep the Q&A organized, and I elected myself (also before you came along).Brandon Sanderson
Ha. Just seems that I get a surprising number of tweets from people with no profile picture, and who are only following me. :)Brandon Sanderson
I don't feel stalked at all. This is how I use Twitter, and I'm happy to answer questions.Matt Hatch
No profile pics and only following you? That sounds like my twenty other Twitter accounts...Footnote
Min and Cadsuane told Corele that she sees pieces of the Pattern, but if the Dark One destroys the Pattern as he aims to do, then her viewings will be irrelevant. Those that are in reference to things after the Last Battle will only come to pass if they prevent the Dark One from destroying the Pattern. Some took this to mean that Shaidar Haran (essentially, the Dark One) subverted Min's viewing that Elza would serve Rand when he ordered Elza to help Semirhage torture and control Rand.Tags
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5
Interview: 2011
Twitter 2011 (WoT) (Verbatim)Omar Subedar (4 January 2011)
Who is your favorite member of the Chosen?Brandon Sanderson (4 January 2011)
Moridin. Followed by Demandred. Followed by Lanfear.OMAR SUBEDAR
As for Moridin, I never liked the fact that he thought that Dark One winning would be THE end. I mean, according to...OMAR SUBEDAR
Robert Jordan, there are no beginnings or endings to the turning of the Wheel right? Only relative beginnings and endings.BRANDON SANDERSON
Moridin believes that if the Dark One wins, there will BE no Wheel. It will be broken. So in that way, there are still...BRANDON SANDERSON
...no beginnings or endings. There is nothing. Some, including Cadsuane, believe this is a very real possibility.Tags
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6
Interview: 2011
Twitter 2011 (WoT) (Verbatim)Daniel Beale (10 January 2011)
Can both male and females access the True Power? Why does Cadsuane Sedai not question how Rand escapes from being collared?Brandon Sanderson (10 January 2011)
Yes. And she doesn't have a chance.DANIEL BEALE
She doesn't at the time, but afterwards why isn't she curious as to how Rand escaped being collared?BRANDON SANDERSON
Cadsuane is curious about a lot of things. So yes, you are right. But she also is good at finding answers unexpectedly.Tags
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7
Interview: 2011
Twitter 2011 (WoT) (Verbatim)Brandon Sanderson (10 January 2011)
Curious: First mention of the Fisher King concept happens when Rand is dreaming, still half-sick, in the back of Bunt's wagon.BRANDON SANDERSON
Is this our first Lews Therin moment? Bunt wouldn't have mentioned it, and neither would have Ishamael. Unless it's actually something Thom said.TEREZ
I assumed was a True Dream, including Thom's connection to the queen, and Rand & Tam with the sword.TEREZ
But the first Lews Therin moment was in chapter nine when Rand recognized Shayol Ghul (and maybe Ishamael too).MATT HATCH
I'd say Ishamael recognition is a fact in chapter nine. There are some nice comparisons with the prologue.BRANDON SANDERSON
Well, you probably have a point there. Though you might argue that this is a shade of Lews Therin speaking to him, for the first time.TEREZ
I might, but I wouldn't. :D It's more interesting to me the other way, and Rand didn't dream Lews Therin's dreams much.TEREZ
He remarked on the strangeness of it in The Path of Daggers before Lews Therin came back (after having been chased away by Cadsuane).BRANDON SANDERSON
Wait. What?TEREZ
I remembered it wrong. Lord of Chaos 19: 'Lews Therin's dreams. That had never happened before, not dreaming the man's dreams.'TEREZ
In A Crown of Swords 41 while Lews Therin is gone, Rand still hears the voice in a dream.BRANDON SANDERSON
Oh, I see what you're saying. (I think.) Is your argument this: "Lews Therin doesn't talk to Rand in dreams. Therefore, this isn't Lews Therin?"LUCKERS
I think deep down her argument is probably more 'Lews Therin doesn't talk to Rand at all'. ;)TEREZ
Whether Lews Therin really talks to Rand at all or not, this would be quite atypical & strange. As Thom? Why?LUCKERS
Why would Lews Therin speak as Thom? The moustaches baby, the moustaches.BRANDON SANDERSON
Curious. So who do you think is speaking to Rand the Fisher King words, if it's not a Lews Therin memory?TEREZ
It's a dream. Why does there have to be a 'real' ;) person involved?TEREZ
But I do appreciate the hint. :) [That is, the hint that Lews Therin was also one with the land, and was aware of it. This might be what Brandon was getting at with his Easter egg thing.]BRANDON SANDERSON
I don't normally dream things that happen to be word-for-word true prophecies. Rand's not a Dreamer. He got the info somewhere.TEREZ
Now I'm going to cry. :( Why can't Rand be a Dreamer?? So chapter nine was completely fabricated by Ishamael? That is weird.TEREZ
None of the other dreams influenced by Ishamael were anything like that. How did he create all of those people in Tar Valon?TEREZ
Why would Ishamael first prevent Rand from reaching Tar Valon, and then force him to go to the Tower? Makes no sense. :(BRANDON SANDERSON
Lol. I'm not sure if you're being serious or not. Is there some theory on Rand being a Dreamer that I should know?TEREZ
I'm being serious. There's a hint Asmodean's warding might prevent True Dreams. Also...TEREZ
Egwene was guided to it, but Rand had no one to guide him if he was a Dreamer. And everything in The Eye of the World nine was true.BRANDON SANDERSON
Either it's Lews Therin, it's something someone told him in the real world, or it's Ishamael giving him the info.TEREZ
Maybe he had heard The Karaethon Cycle from Thom at fireside on the way to Baerlon, though. Would make sense.TEREZ
Well, not on the way to Baerlon, since he mentions them for the first time in Baerlon. But maybe on the Spray.BRANDON SANDERSON
I'll entertain an argument that it's basically 'known' information, or that Thom mentioned it.LUCKERS
Did you see my cultural idea? That it might be Rand's subconscious—like the way everyone knows the Dark One's name?BRANDON SANDERSON
But it really seems like a memory, and we've never seen people mentioning it, while naming the Dark One we see.BRANDON SANDERSON
I'll look up answers on this one for sure; right now, I'm just speaking by instinct. But I read the Fisher King concept as...BRANDON SANDERSON
...coming from Lews Therin/Rand's subconscious and being fed through Thom's mouth as Rand's mind fit it into the dream.BRANDON SANDERSON
I'm also pretty sure Rand's not a Dreamer, though he does have uncommon power over his dreams.BRANDON SANDERSON
But he does not see specific prophecies in his dreams (other than a few debatable moments) nor enter Tel'aran'rhiod spontaneously.BRANDON SANDERSON
But I'll look into it. I rebel against it because Dreaming is basically Egwene's thing.TEREZ
Also, didn't Perrin pretty much just show her that it wasn't HER thing any more? :pTEREZ
And yeah, I know his prophetic dreams only happen in Tel'aran'rhiod. But I just want a male Dreamer dangit!BRANDON SANDERSON
Perrin does something different. Also, Egwene was caught off guard and had been spending a lot of time lately doing other things.BRANDON SANDERSON
It would be unwise to assume that Perrin is better at Tel'aran'rhiod than she is because of that moment. He had just spent weeks training...BRANDON SANDERSON
...specifically to fight like that in Tel'aran'rhiod, while Egwene has been forced to fight other fights and let herself get a tad rusty.TEREZ
haha, yeah I know. I have argued much the same against Egwene-haters. I did enjoy that moment though.TEREZ
Why do all the prophets have to be female? Foretelling I can see because of the taint, but the rest? Except Perrin.TEREZ
The Thom dream used to make me think I was missing something, or maybe a deleted scene. Very odd.TEREZ
Also, even with the taint seems like we should have had a male Foretelling by now, or a dreamer. Something.BRANDON SANDERSON
Well, out of fondness, I'll let you know that I DO know of at least one male (other than Perrin) who can see the future.TEREZ
lol. The male Aelfinn?BRANDON SANDERSON
Dang. You're too clever. Okay, then, I promise you there's actually a man—human—who meets your requirements.Footnote
In retrospect, it seems most likely that RJ did in fact pare down Thom's earlier conversation about the prophecies (in The Eye of the World Chapter 13, or in another place), not wanting to give too much away. The dream in Chapter 34 should have been a recollection of what Thom had told him. It's possible that Brandon was correct and it had something to do with Lews Therin, but I find it unlikely for many reasons (some covered in the conversation). Also worth noting is that in the previous chapter, during Rand's fever dreams, Thom mentioned the Black Ajah, which had not previously been mentioned to Rand on screen. Also, this hint from Brandon was the first of many concerning the male prophet; the other clues make it pretty clear that Moridin is a Dreamer.Tags
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8
Interview: 2011
Twitter 2011 (WoT) (Verbatim)Luckers (19 January 2011)
Re-reading The Gathering Storm—I know I'm a silly Cadsuane lover, but I really don't like the The Gathering Storm Cadsuane and Tam scene.LUCKERS
Not because Tam gives Cadsuane the verbal slap down, but because Cadsuane's stupidity in this scene cheapens Tam's victory.LUCKERS
What should have been Tam's greatest moment is merely cathartic for those who hate Cadsuane.LUCKERS
I know that she was off balance with worry about Rand—but even so, Tam defeating Cadsuane in her prime is a brilliant moment lost.ASTRIDA FITRI N
You mean you wished she had clever retorts?LUCKERS
No, actually. I think in the face of Tam's accusations Cadsuane would have openly agreed and accepted his reprimands.LUCKERS
Cadsuane has never been afraid of facing the truth.ASTRIDA
In short, her response to Tam's verbal attack was out of character? Hmm, I would have to reread the scene myself.LUCKERS
It was out of character, yes. Cadsuane's been mostly out of character since the beginning of The Gathering Storm.LUCKERS
In my opinion, of course. :D Still, i feel The Gathering Storm and Towers of Midnight between them were to be the books were Rand came to equal Cadsuane.LUCKERS
Instead Cadsuane was made less, and it makes Rand's achievements and shut downs of Cadsuane seem small and petty.LUCKERS
He did not even have a mission like Cadsuane did. As I said—cathartic to those who hate Cadsuane, but not good scenes.ASTRIDA
Re: Cadsuane's oddity in The Gathering Storm. Maybe you could point this out to @BrandonSandrson, and see what explanation he could offer you.ASTRIDA
Maybe Cadsuane's strength of character was sacrificed for plot's sake, or for that scene's sake. Just maybe.LUCKERS
I actually did ask @BrandonSandrson about Cadsuane. And Harriet. Got a fairly similar response from both.FOOTNOTE
For those unfamiliar with Twitter, this is the point at which Brandon was made aware of the conversation, as his name was invoked.LUCKERS
My question was: "I think one of Jim's strongest talents was the writing of strong women, and arguably the strongest is Cadsuane...LUCKERS
...She is the character that fans seem to either love or hate. I’m curious as to your thoughts about her, and her role in the story."LUCKERS
Harriet's answer was "Cadsuane has an important role, for sure."LUCKERS
@BrandonSandrson's was "The fact that people are so passionate about her means that Robert Jordan wrote her the right way."LUCKERS
If Cadsuane's strength of character was sacrificed for plot it's bad writing, and I don't think Brandon would do that.LUCKERS
I think this might be a downside of @BrandonSandrson having been a fan beforehand. The exultation of likeable characters over...LUCKERS
.....unlikeable characters. Egwene in the Tower is endemic of this. (though, I loved that anyway @BrandonSandrson. I'm a hypocrite).LUCKERS
I seem to have been on a negative line of thought tonight. Be aware I love your work on WoT and my quibbles are just that.ASTRIDA
I like her, though Verin intrigues me more. God forbid that I should call that scene "bad writing", but I feel that for Tam to dominate the scene, Cadsuane was made to respond that way.LUCKERS
I disagree. Something along the lines of this would have worked. ... (follow link to see a bit of fanficciness from Luckers) http://tl.gd/88d5tlASTRIDA
If @BrandonSandrson wasn't a fan, though, he wouldn't handle the books with deepest care like he does. Professionally, still, but not affectionately. :)LUCKERS
I agree absolutely that @BrandonSandrson's fanhood serves him well—I would not have seen the series written by...LUCKERS
...someone who wasn't a fan, and the depth of his devotion to this series is VERY clear.LUCKERS
This is but one point where is was disadvantageous (in my opinion) against a sea of advantages.ASTRIDA
Agreed. And a non fan would treat the greatest fantasy story of the decade as a mere job (whatever the results of @tordotcom's sff poll, I don't care. I'm muley that way).LUCKERS
I'm curious what you think about my portrayal of that scene?ASTRIDA
Ok, having compared the original with yours, I must say...yes, the original scene portrayed Cadsuane as being much colder than she necessarily is. Then again in defense of Brandon (why would he need it of me? I'm too full of myself), I think Cadsuane in that scene was someone who felt that she wasn't being respected and valued despite all her efforts for Rand. But yes, the verdict is: that's out of character.Brandon Sanderson (19 January 2011)
Ha. I'm afraid that I didn't have a chance to follow all of that. I'm not going to object to Luckers having...BRANDON SANDERSON
...strong opinions here, though. I don't see him saying anything that I can disagree with, except that we see things...BRANDON SANDERSON
...differently. Poor Cads was at her wits end in some of those scenes. She was pretty sure she'd doomed the world.BRANDON SANDERSON
Note that the fan/non fan as writer argument is a good one, and one I've mentioned myself. This is what you get.BRANDON SANDERSON
I try hard to not let those things influence me unduly—but if they do, I (by definition) won't be able to notice.LUCKERS
Lol. I would have been surprised if you had got through all that. We went a bit crazy.TEREZ
Curse you Luckers, now I have to document all that because Brandon commented on it! lol...LUCKERS
Hahaha. I'm so gonna look like a douche by the time you're done Terez. *sigh*LUCKERS
My problem with the 'doomed the world' concept is that I reckon Cadsuane would still be there with a stern...LUCKERS
... frown as the world burns. Indeed we see her willfully risk the world at the cleansing. There is...LUCKERS
...the matter of degrees obviously. I dunno. My love for the old woman may be leading me astray. *sigh*LUCKERS
And I am very much aware that most the fandom disagrees with my opinions on Cadsuane. She's just my girl. :DTEREZ
Among the older members of the fandom, many agree, actually. But @BrandonSandrson 's explanation re: her growing exasperation...TEREZ
...was the explanation I came up with for myself at the time (though I still lean toward 'out of character' a bit).TEREZ
That's the price for me documenting all that: my opinion. :p For example, Wetlandernw and Freelancer from tor.com agree.Tags
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9
Interview: 2011
Twitter 2011 (WoT) (Verbatim)NOTE—TEREZ
This conversation starts off with some of Brandon's thoughts on the lack of female ta'veren in the story, which apparently inspired some knee-jerk posts on Twitter and Facebook about sexism in WoT. Which inspired a mild overreaction on Brandon's part, and so on, which led to a lot of discussion on semantic distinctions and the like. But it was fun. The greater (and latter) part of the conversation took place when Brandon happened to be on an airplane with a choice between reading WoT and hanging out on Twitter where some HCFFs happened to be online. [That is, people who have spent the last ten years or more (in this case) thinking about WoT more than most things, and who in this case included a gay man and a (quasi? pseudo?)-feminist.] It is, for the most part, what some might perceive to be politically biased, so I offer an apology on behalf of all of us for what might appear to be PC-ness and conservative-bashing.Brandon Sanderson (11 March 2011)
I remember the first time I heard the Egwene/Nynaeve/Elayne trio called the "Wondergirls." I'm pretty sure I was in Korea at the time.BRANDON SANDERSON
I've often gotten questions from people asking if Egwene was ta'veren. Obviously not, as Siuan would have seen the glow of it.BRANDON SANDERSON
People seem to wonder why all three boys, and not a single one of the girls, are ta'veren. I've assumed this was to confuse the Shadow.BRANDON SANDERSON
To make it difficult to track down Rand and kill him before he grew powerful, the Pattern made three ta'veren to keep everyone guessing.BRANDON SANDERSON
Of course, it can be argued that the Pattern doesn't do such things—it simply IS. Still, I've liked that as part of the explanation.JONAS MUILWIJK
Why the hell would the Wheel want to confuse the Shadow? :S The Wheel is good nor bad, so it won't choose a side.BRANDON SANDERSON
Think of it this way—yes, the Pattern simply IS. But evolution simply IS as well. And some times, species evolve to...BRANDON SANDERSON
...have many offspring in order to increase the chances of survival. Likewise, we have three ta'veren. A survival mechanism.TIM MARGHEIM
Weak analogy? If evolution==Pattern, you'd need "Evolution IS, and evolution itself has DMs." Pattern doesn't have species.BRANDON SANDERSON
Ha ha. I didn't say Evolution==the Pattern. I was showing an amoral, natural function could create something similar to three ta'veren.BRANDON SANDERSON
Man, people sure are quick to accuse RJ of sexism on my Twitter feed & Facebook. I think any who do this are blatantly wrong.BRANDON SANDERSON
It's okay to not like the books, or to think RJ did a bad job with characterizations. I disagree, but everyone's tastes are different.BRANDON SANDERSON
But he took great pains to create many strong female protagonists with a variety of strengths, and gave them their own stories.KATELYN HECKETT
I've picked up some funny male bias in the books (lots of "breasts", no male equivalent, etc.) but wouldn't say RJ's sexist.BRANDON SANDERSON
Yes, I've noticed a few of those too.BRANDON SANDERSON
Yes, there are (More than a few) sexist people in the WoT. And the culture has been influenced by the male/female interactions of the Power.BRANDON SANDERSON
However, if you look at the time devoted to female viewpoints—and the plots of those characters—the "RJ is sexist" theory erodes.BRANDON SANDERSON
Warning: Long update on this topic. As a nod to those who truly know feminist literary theory, I'll make a less "Twitter friendly" argument. Robert Jordan, by creating a world where the women and men are very aware of gender roles, spent a lot of time delving into these topics. I'm convinced he was aware of male privilege, and though biased—as all of us are—sought very hard to overcome his own biases by creating evocative female characters with plot lines that do not center around the obtaining of favor or romantic interest from male characters. He also sought to create a world where women were not defined by how they were viewed by men, but were instead defined by their intelligence, determination, and accomplishments. In this way, though he exposes some small masculine biases in various areas, he was extremely progressive as a dominant male writer of his era, and should be regarded as anything other than "sexist" for his efforts. /Scholarly BrandonBRANDON BALLENGER
Agreed. Hey, how much more "Scholarly Brandon" is online? Seen your postmodernism in fantasy essay, besides that?BRANDON SANDERSON
Not a ton. I've had to walk a fine line, as I'm not enough of a scholar to trust myself digging too deeply.BRANDON SANDERSON
I've got a Master's, so I can talk the talk—but when others spent their time in research, I spent it practicing writing.BRANDON SANDERSON
I think I have an essay or two on my website. Search for "Sanderson's First Law" and my religion essay regarding Elantris.TEREZ
I didn't read all of the conversations you had about it on Twitter and Facebook, and I didn't really have gender roles in mind so much as other things. I understand what you're saying about how his world requires certain gender imbalances—I addressed that sort of offhandedly in my post by saying that the 'in practice' roles in WoT are often not what you would theoretically expect considering the circumstances. And while RJ often made comparisons to various time periods in the real world in reference to technology in particular, I'm not talking about that—I'm talking about the theoretical result of the history of the WoT world. Many of the gender imbalances are logical, but many are not, which is why they don't feel realistic at all to many readers.
The main problem I had with your comments is that you said that anyone who accused RJ of sexism for whatever reason was 'blatantly wrong'. You sort of trivialize those things that we are 'left with' after cutting away the complex and subjective debate over gender roles, but those things we are left with are so pervasive in the novels that they give an overall impression of an old-fashioned and often casually sexist man behind the curtain. This is a big turn-off for some people, and while I feel that those who cannot overlook it are missing out on one of the greatest stories of all time, I understand that it is a legitimate complaint.
As for the female nudity...just no. :p I mean, I know you read all the interviews at one point. 'No Male Nudity' (NMN) was not quite as popular as RAFO, but it was definitely one of his favorite stock answers (especially in reference to movie questions—it was his 'one rule') for a good few years. He was pretty blatant about his preferences there, and while I'm sure he had several cultural influences in mind, in the end it's pretty clear that he just enjoyed writing about naked women more than he enjoyed writing about naked men.
I agree that it's wrong to judge RJ as a person anachronistically, but at the same time, I think it's wrong to make such a blanket statement about the veracity of our claims of sexism in WoT. It's there, and it's real. I agree that some people take the criticism too far without considering certain things—I've had these debates (on non-WoT forums especially) many times over the years—but it seems to me more constructive to criticize the exaggerations, or to criticize each argument on its own merits, than to denounce any and all claims of sexism in WoT in one fell swoop.
BRANDON SANDERSON (14 MARCH)
The "Blatantly Wrong" comment was for those who don't really know feminist theory or gender studies, and who were commenting that sexist characters and culture implied a sexist Robert Jordan. I thought better of it later, however, for the people who actually know what they're talking about. Hence the more scholarly comment directed toward people like yourself. I do not deny that there are things to talk about here. Remember, just like with the word "Racism," there are two meanings of the word "Sexist." There is the knee-jerk usage by people who intend it as an insult. And then there is the more thoughtful, careful usage by people who make a study of such things. In their hands, 'sexist' means showing one's biases and a lack of awareness of certain aspects of male privilege or gender sensitivity—using this word to describe someone is not an insult, but a description of bias. (The types of biases that we all have, and can't totally expunge—though we be aware of and try to compensate for them.) My first comment was directed at the first crowd; my second comment at the second crowd.FOOTNOTE—TEREZ
For the record, I'm hardly well-read in feminist theory. I've read far more in queer theory (and most of it since then, for unrelated reasons), and queer theory is often tied up with feminist theory, but even there I'm far from an expert, and so my familiarity with feminist theory is along the lines of a vague acquaintance. I understand the distinction Brandon is making, and it's a good one, but I don't think of it as having much to do with feminist theory.BRANDON SANDERSON (20 MARCH)
And, looks like I have Twitter on my flight again this time. So much for getting anything useful done...BRANDON SANDERSON
Re: NMN. I'll give you this point in regards to Rhuidean. No good reason for Aviendha to be nude when Rand/Mat don't have to be.BRANDON SANDERSON
As for the Aes Sedai ceremonies, they still feel very similar to sacred feminine ceremonies I've read before.TEREZ
Sure, but most of the female nudity comes in the sweat tents and baths, etc. Though the baths in Fal Dara were egalitarian.TEREZ
The descriptions of how Aviendha squats in the sweat tent, for instance, are really quite vulgar if you think about it.TEREZ
But you don't see anything like that in the bath scene at Baerlon, for example. And even ritual nudity can get vulgar...TEREZ
...like Amys at the sister-bonding ceremony in Winter's Heart. I mean, come on.JAMES POWELL
There's certainly lots o female iffy WoT nudity, but also quite a lot of male nudity—especially Rand being ogled.TEREZ
Yeah, Rand does get ogled once at least. But it's a matter of balance in my opinion.TEREZ
Greatest Cadsuane line ever: 'I’ve already seen more of your hairless bottomcheeks than I wish to...'TEREZ
'....but if you want to flaunt them in front of all six of us, perhaps someone will enjoy the show.' :)JAMES POWELL
I'm not saying that the nudity issue is balanced—clearly, it's not. But at least some effort was being made.TEREZ
Yeah, @BrandSanderson and I have gone round a bit on this already. We all recognize that some effort was made. Just saying...TEREZ
...that these things were the product of RJ's heterosexual male preferences, and therefore inherently sexist.SETH BAKER
Based largely upon the male characters being prudes. Doesn't that cut the other way for M/F sexual experience?TEREZ
Not really, since the root cause is still RJ's brain. And Mat. Is far from a prude.TEREZ
But we're at the same time not trying to make RJ out to be particularly sexist. He wasn't, especially for his Age.JAMES POWELL
*nods* I'm more saddened by the almost complete lack of gay WoT characters—but that's just my personal bias.TEREZ
No, it's not just your personal bias. It was RJ's. If there hadn't been lesbians you probably wouldn't care, eh?JAMES POWELL
I actually found the whole issue of some women being "pillow friends", but then growing out of it and mooning over men, quite off.TEREZ
Right, and the fact that the ones who don't grow out of it are for the most part evil bitches.LIRA LEIRNER
There are SOME implications of being gay being equally as normal, as outlined here http://ow.ly/4imXSTEREZ
Oh, we know. But it's a half-hearted implication. Not even close to half really...BRANDON SANDERSON
Well, at least there wasn't the "Gay=pedophile" implication that some fantasy of the era made...BRANDON SANDERSON
Of course, being Mormon, perhaps I'm not the best qualified to speak of someone's treatment of LGBT issues.LUCKERS
Are you sure the nudity doesn't play a practical role in the ter'angreal? I note that in both the...LUCKERS
...Accepted rings and the final test the woman must be nude. Strange, two separate rituals taking the same form.LIRA
And Moiraine, too. I think it's probably the rings. The other testing ter'angreal all require nakedness.LIRA LEIRNER
Aviendha doesn't have to be naked when she goes through the columns. Although I thought they could have told...LIRA LEIRNER
...them to take off their clothes once they're in Rhuidean; don't see needing to taking them off before.TEREZ
It's not a requirement of the ter'angreal according to them, but a sign of station (humbling).TEREZ
Also, with Aviendha, there was the practical aspect of giving up her cadin'sor.TEREZ
It's the same with the raisings at the Tower—they never wear those clothes again if I remember correctly.FOOTNOTE—TEREZ
I suspected I was half wrong when I posted this, and I was—the Accepted get their new dresses right after the test, but in New Spring, Moiraine and Siuan wore their Accepted dresses to swear the Oaths.BRANDON SANDERSON
I think Terez's argument is that women end up in these situations suspiciously more often than men.TEREZ
Essentially yes. And that the description is more gratuitous. RJ could have chosen to write male nudity rituals.LUCKERS
Mmm. True, but as I've argued in the past re: lack of gay men—we've been more exposed to all female...LUCKERS
...organisations and rituals. the one exception, I suppose, is the sweat tents, but again that occurred...LUCKERS
...organically. The Wise Ones were planning, and the sweat tents provided a social medium.LUCKERS
By the way, my original point was simply that Moiraine and Aviendha's nudity may have served a practical purpose...LUCKERS
...when going through the ter'angreal—Mat and Rand didn't go through that ter'angreal after all.LUCKERS
It's strange that the Aes Sedai and Wise Ones separately built nudity rituals around similar ter'angreal. Necessary?TEREZ
Organically? You say that as if the scene wrote itself. RJ chose to use female sweat tent scenes, female nudity.TEREZ
Even if the nudity does have a practical purpose that doesn't change the fact that he chose to write it that way.TEREZ
He chose to develop the female organizations, and he chose to show lesbians outside those organizations rather than men.LUCKERS
He chose to write the scene with Rand naked and being eyed by a dozen women too. So what?TEREZ
Again, it's about balance. The 'suspiciously more often' bit. I feel you are being overly defensive about it.LUCKERS
Are we to presume he did it lasciviously? To titillate? This is what I meant by it happening organically.LUCKERS
I'm not being defensive—rather I don't see the problem. The female nudity was never vulgar... it just was.TEREZ
As I said, it's clear enough he just enjoyed writing about naked women and lesbians more than he enjoyed...TEREZ
....writing about naked men and gay men. It's fanservice, but I don't think he thought of it like that.BRANDON SANDERSON
I've got to side with Terez on this one. It IS there. RJ did a LOT of things with great equality, but...BRANDON SANDERSON
...when it came to nudity, he liked showing naked women more than men. I don't think it was vulgar, though.TEREZ
Depends on your definition of vulgar. RJ was very good at avoiding vulgarity on the surface, but hinting at it.FOOTNOTE—TEREZ
I had this scene from The Fires of Heaven in mind, and it sums up many tweets I made on the subject which were omitted:
Moiraine, seeming slight and small beside the others, also looked unruffled, although sweat rolled down her pale nudity and slicked her dark hair to her scalp, with a regal refusal to acknowledge that she had no clothes on. The Wise Ones were using slim, curved pieces of bronze, called staera, to scrape off sweat and the day's dirt.
Aviendha was squatting sweatily beside the big black kettle of hot, sooty rocks in the middle of the tent, carefully using a pair of tongs to move a last stone from a smaller kettle to the larger. That done, she sprinkled water onto the rocks from a gourd, adding to the steam. If she let the steam fall too far, she would be spoken to sharply at the very least. The next time the Wise Ones met in the sweat tent, it would be Egwene's turn to tend the rocks.
Egwene cautiously sat down cross-legged next to Bair—instead of layered rugs, there was only rocky ground, unpleasantly hot, lumpy and damp—and realized with a shock that Aviendha had been switched, and recently. When the Aiel woman gingerly took her own place, beside Egwene, she did so with a face as stony as the ground, but a face that could not hide her flinch.
To call these descriptions 'gratuitous' is, of course, only in comparison to RJ's (incredibly rare) treatments of male nudity (and not in comparison to, say, GRRM).
LUCKERS
@BrandSanderson I still think that implies a little too much premeditation in the depiction, but I'm happy with your description.LUCKERS
I'm not denying its presence, I'm denying the implications that the depiction is wrong. It flowed naturally...LUCKERS
...from the plot, and wasn't lascivious. I certainly don't think RJ worked to include it.LUCKERS
Besides... if you wanna have a gay male character in A Memory of Light I'd not complain. :)TEREZ
Okay then. Do you think that RJ's insistence that there be no male nudity in the films was 'organic'?Footnote—Terez
I was wrong about the film distinction, though I do believe there is an older report somewhere mentioning this that I am missing. However, there is a 'no male nudity' tag for all the times RJ mentioned it at signings; it was a running joke for him.
TEREZ
That is where this little debate started, because it is essentially the proof of the point.BRANDON SANDERSON
Ha. Well (though I'm on your side) it could be argued that's a marketing decision.TEREZ
LOL. Many things could be argued. Some arguments are more logical than others, though. :)LUCKERS
I didn't know about this insistence. That's a little... weird, honestly. No, ok, a lot weird.TEREZ
See, if you had actually read my debate with @BrandSanderson we wouldn't have to catch you up. ;)BRANDON SANDERSON
It's cultural, unfortunately. You can have female nudity and get a PG-13. But not male. Of course, that...BRANDON SANDERSON
...leads us to the whole topfreedom debate, which ISN'T something I really want to get into.TEREZ
It doesn't necessarily lead there. Again, I bring it up mostly for cultural awareness reasons.LUCKERS
That's really stupid—but does make some sense. Also, I don't know if you remember Terez but for a while there were...LUCKERS
...some fairly rampant pockets of homophobia amongst the fandom—I had this discussion with @zemaille at WorldCon.FOOTNOTE—TEREZ
I had the same discussion with Linda before Luckers did, at the previous JordanCon. I think she was a little shocked by the number of people at tor.com who refuse to even recognize that pillow friends are lesbians.TEREZ
There still are. It's mostly visible at tor.com—some staunch conservatives there.LINDA TAGLIERI
Oh yeah!TEREZ
Which is unfortunate considering Leigh's views. There is a ruckus every time she brings it up.LUCKERS
*nods* And as sad as it is to think that RJ was wary of this—it's reasonable to avoid alienating your fans.TEREZ
Well, if he was trying to avoid alienating THOSE fans he wouldn't have included lesbians either.LUCKERS
Mmm. Lesbians have always been the safer homosexual depiction—which says a lot about our society.SETH BAKER
In the end, you're indicting modern Western society, not RJ himself. He knew what you can't do and sell.TEREZ
The first bit, yes. The second bit...I don't think that marketing was his only motive.SETH BAKER
There're people who are not morally opposed to homosexuality, are fine with reading FF, but not MM for what it's worth.TEREZ
And that is exactly the problem that is being addressed. Not judging RJ so much as ourselves.LUCKERS
I hesitate to ask—but what's topfreedom? My mind went to an icky place. :STEREZ
LOL. I imagine it has to do with the fact that men can go shirtless but women can't.LUCKERS
OH! That's... much nicer than what I was thinking. Hehe.LUCKERS
I will say this, though—the complete lack of any sort of hetero-normative assumption in WoT gets RJ my vote.BRANDON SANDERSON
I wish this plane would let me use Tweetlonger to jump into this with more teeth.TEREZ
Feel free to jump in with teeth later. We're not going anywhere. :)LUCKERS
Yes. More teeth would be awesome! But we aren't going anywhere.BRANDON SANDERSON
This whole issue—homosexuality, conservatism, and the WoT—deserves a serious, thoughtful post.BRANDON SANDERSON
I just can't do that in 100 character bursts.TEREZ
Cool. I am looking forward to it.LUCKERS
I respect that Brandon. Still, post what you want—we understand it's not your full argument.BRANDON SANDERSON
I will say that there IS a gay male in Towers of Midnight, placed there on my part as I felt similar to you on this issue.BRANDON SANDERSON
I was going to tell you who it was, but figuring this out is the sort of thing you guys love, isn't it?TEREZ
YAY! But of course, then you have to be careful not to make him too throw-away....TEREZ
I considered Androl earlier, when I considered you might do this. lol. But I will think on it some more.LUCKERS
Oh. Hey! Awesome. Ok, now we have to figure it out.LUCKERS
Hopefully not Denezel or Hatch—their wives would be furious. :DFOOTNOTE
Jason Denzel and Matt Hatch, webmasters of Dragonmount and Theoryland respectively—they were recognized as innkeepers in Towers of Midnight.BRANDON SANDERSON
I'll note that references to his sexuality were cut merely because I moved the chapter with mention to A Memory of Light.BRANDON SANDERSON
I won't say if it's a new character or one I made a decision on, since there weren't notes either way.TEREZ
And he seems to have ruled out Moridin, alas. But that would be sort of Dumbledore-y anyway.TEREZ
(And yes, I have read @BrandSanderson's thoughts on Dumbledore. Just saying. And we're not talking kids' books here.)LUCKERS
I'm beginning to think it somewhat strange that I'm the one defending RJ the heaviest given your points...LUCKERS
... and the fact that I'm gay. Does that mean my loyalty to RJ defies reason, or that I'm so used to accepting...LUCKERS
...the dribbles that are depictions of homosexuality in fantasy? A disturbing thought.TEREZ
Nah, not weird at all. You're pretty anti-activist in a lot of ways. Overcompensation, of course. ;)TEREZ
I believe you are sensitive to the right-wing idea of the Gay Agenda.TEREZ
So you seem to have a reluctance to champion your own causes too loudly, internally as well as externally.TEREZ
In some ways it's a healthy reluctance. In some ways, it's sad that it is necessary.LUCKERS
Well the gays are plotting world domination—we discussed this in our last High Council. But that's another conversation.BRANDON SANDERSON
You have good reason to defend him, Luckers. There ARE good examples. Arrela is one.TEREZ
Seonid isn't bad either. Right? :D I think they might have been responses to the criticism.LUCKERS
*nods* Arrela's love was beautiful. And your scene in The Gathering Storm was heartbreaking.BRANDON SANDERSON
Yes, gay men are few and far between. But it could be much worse. See: Eddings, or worse, Goodkind and Newcomb.SETH BAKER
I'm with you on that. I got bored reading Goodkind because of how annoyingly ANTI-PC it was.SETH BAKER
In the end, I want my stories to refrain from editorializing. Tell the story, and tell it to your audience.BRANDON
Goodkind is...well, let's not go there. It's good, sometimes, to be anti-PC, as the world isn't PC.BRANDON
But if you're going to delve in and editorialize, I believe it important to look at the other side too.TEREZ
I haven't read Newcomb, but yes, Goodkind's inclusion was of the worst sort.TEREZ
Again, few people think RJ is all bad on this. But the fact that we are so appreciative of his rather biased...TEREZ
...and gratuitous inclusion shows how far behind we are as a society.BRANDON
Ha. Terez, you NEED to read Newcomb. If only because I want to see your head explode when you do.TEREZ
LOL. Well, I will bring it along to JordanCon then, so you can observe. ;)BRANDON
It is an incredible experience. Goodkind times 1000 in the anti-feminist department. And it seems unconscious.LUCKERS
Goodkind disturbs me on more levels than that, but I do take your point—it was what I meant by accepting dribbles.BRANDON
The thing is, [RJ] tried. And in the end, that's the most important thing can ask. The second is that they listen.BRANDON
And I do think RJ listened. I think he grew more sensitive on this subject as time passed.FOOTNOTE—TEREZ
RJ was in many ways very responsive to fan criticism, but he seemed to play the Eelfinn in that he liked to make jokes out of granting our wishes. A good example: Fans complained that characters never had to use a privy while in POV. RJ added a couple of references (including an 'if you must know' from Tuon), and he even threw in urine-tasting in Crossroads of Twilight. Clearly that was RJ getting a laugh on us. He made passing mention of male homosexuality in a couple of the later books (including New Spring), and while it wasn't quite a balance for his lesbians, it was an improvement. He also made public statements that homosexuality was all around not a big deal in Randland, for either gender. He made it clear that, in general, writing about male sexuality was just a squick for him, but he tended to be rather open and modern about his sexuality (even in the family-friendly context of WoT) and so the gender bias sticks out to many modern readers.TEREZ
Agreed, as I noted before re: the response to criticism. Again, it's more about us than about him.LUCKERS
Interesting thought—about listening and changing. Kind of beautiful as well—that fans can give back to authors.LUCKERS
That RJ touched on it at all was good—especially when we remember when he was writing these books.LUCKERS
It does well to remember just how much the degree to which homosexuality is depicted has changed recently.TEREZ
This is true. I just feel that now is the time to blow it out of the water, for that very reason.BRANDON SANDERSON
I'm curious if either of you read Rose of the Prophet, and what you thought of it. (Because of the gay male character.)TEREZ
hmm, nope, haven't heard of it. I was told Deathgate was the only thing by [Weis and Hickman] worth reading.FOOTNOTE—TEREZ
To explain, I rarely find myself overly desirous of reading new books since WoT occupies so much of my time these days, so I tend to go by friend recommendations and not worry much about whether or not I would actually agree.LUCKERS
Do you guys realise how much Rand's early arc resonates with a gay teenager?LUCKERS
A young man who—through no choice of his own—finds himself to be something hated and feared.LUCKERS
Something judged to be morally wrong though no moral choice has been made on his part.LUCKERS
The whole arc—the 'men's pride, men's sin' resonated very heavily with me.BRANDON SANDERSON
That's FASCINATING, honestly. I'd never thought of that.TEREZ
I bet RJ never thought of it either. :D But yes, it's a good comparison in many ways.LUCKERS
All of this is why I never liked Mat in my first readings (when i was like 13). His reaction to Rand was...LUCKERS
...a little to close to home. And no I haven't read [Rose of the Prophet]—I will now though. (sorry for going on this tangent).LUCKERS
It doesn't really matter to me if RJ meant the comparison—that he depicted something similar with such...LUCKERS
...visceral realism is the value of a great writer, because then the fans can take what they need from it.LUCKERS
And in truth Rand's arc in dealing with it taught me how to. In fact its one of the reasons I love Cadsuane...TEREZ
Because Cadsuane was Rand's faghag? No wait, that was Min! No, she was his beard...LUCKERS
She doesn't feel sorry for Rand, or try to coddle him—she treats him like she would any other person...LUCKERS
Her refusal to let Rand allow circumstance to victimize him was a powerful and subtle theme.TEREZ
Indeed, that's why I like her. And why most people hate her. Because she should respect his authoritay!LUCKERS
And I think it is the greatest service anyone in the books has done him. Even if Rand couldn't appreciate it.LUCKERS
Re: Parallels between Rand's early arc and being gay...[from The Great Hunt]
"No, I can't. I mean . . . I didn't do it on purpose. It just happened. I don't want to—to channel the Power. I won't ever do it again. I swear it."
"You don't want to," the Amyrlin Seat said. "Well, that's wise of you. And foolish, too. Some can be taught to channel; most cannot. A few, though, have the seed in them at birth. Sooner or later, they wield the One Power whether they want to or not, as surely as roe makes fish. You will continue to channel, boy. You can't help it. And you had better learn to channel, learn to control it, or you will not live long enough to go mad. The One Power kills those who cannot control its flow."
"How am I supposed to learn?" he demanded. Moiraine and Verin just sat there, unruffled, watching him. Like spiders. "How? Moiraine claims she can't teach me anything, and I don't know how to learn, or what. I don't want to, anyway. I want to stop. Can't you understand that? To stop!"—Chapter 8, 'The Dragon Reborn'
That desperation is something I remember. Then this...
He paused, frowning, thinking things through. Finally, he said quietly, "Rand, can you channel?" Mat gave a strangled gasp. Rand let the banner drop; he hesitated only a moment before nodding wearily. "I did not ask for it. I don't want it. But. . . . But I do not think I know how to stop it."
—and finally...
Mat hesitated, looking sideways at Rand. "Look, I know you came along to help me, and I am grateful. I really am. But you just are not the same anymore. You understand that, don't you?" He waited as if he expected an answer. None came. Finally he vanished into the trees, back toward the camp.—Chapter 11, 'Glimmers of the Pattern'
Potent scenes. Especially Mat's last lines. *shrug*
TEREZ
Yeah, I knew exactly what you were talking about as soon as you mentioned it. Perrin isn't much better.TEREZ
Perrin is just not as thoughtlessly hurtful as Mat is. He's more the silent disapproval type.LUCKERS
Though Perrin does realise the hypocrisy, and feel bad, so I didn't mind so much. :)LINDA TAGLIERI
Yes, I appreciated Perrin's sympathy and tact—like when he said Rand is now a dreaded figure.LINDA TAGLIERI
For instance he suggested that while running was understandable, it might not be possible.LINDA TAGLIERI
Of course, Perrin is coming to terms with being a werewolf, so understandable he knows how Rand feels.LUCKERS
And with Perrin the parallel stops—Rand is a genuine threat, whereas homosexuality isn't.LINDA TAGLIERI
Both Perrin and Rand loathe themselves because they feel they are a threat to society.LUCKERS
Just got a rather abrupt tweet from someone who I think thought I was implying Rand was gay.LUCKERS
Which clearly is accurate. The Harem are the red herring to end all red herrings.TEREZ
LOL. Yeah, well...ignorance and prejudice go hand in hand (or so they say). ;)TEREZ
You know you're gay when you need THREE beards to maintain your cover.LUCKERS
Lol!BRANDON SANDERSON
And...half of my in-flight WoT reread time was sucked up by a great Twitter conversation about gender and LGBT issues in the WoT.TEREZ
Ohhhh, blame it on us will you! :p You knew as soon as you saw you had Twitter you weren't getting any work done. ;)LUCKERS
Haha. Yeah—I've written a hundred and fifty words in three hours. Today was gonna be my productive day too. *sigh*/BRANDON SANDERSON
I have a new goal: to get Terez and Leigh Butler to do a feminist review of Newcomb's Fifth Sorceress for Tor.com. How can I make this happen?PETER AHLSTROM
Sadist.TEREZ
LOL. If you can talk Leigh into it, I'm so down with that.LUCKERS
Lol. A gay, a feminist and a Mormon walk into a bar—whereupon they have a deep and meaningful conversation about sexuality in WoT. #NoJokesTEREZ
LMAO. It's funny, though...I don't really think of myself as a feminist. Just an equalist.LUCKERS
I was just being funny with the no jokes thing—the reality of us three having that conversation struck me.TEREZ
Not to mention, you were raised Catholic, and I was raised Southern Baptist. Now we need a Muslim...Tags
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10
Interview: Jun 26th, 1996
Compuserve Chat (Verbatim)Steven D. Salisbury
Why introduce a somewhat important character like Cadsuane so late in the series? Is the fact that it seems a little odd supposed to be a clue?Robert Jordan
She's introduced late in the series because this is the place where she was supposed to come in. I didn't expect her to be a part earlier in the series—there was nothing for her to do! We introduce no character before her time. With apologies to Orson Welles.Tags
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11
Interview: Jun 27th, 1996
AOL Chat 1 (Verbatim)BHeins1
According to several of AOL's members in our discussion forum, you stated at a Balticon conference that Verin Sedai had never held the Oath Rod, or had circumvented the Oaths. I was wondering if that was true, and if so, has Cadsuane also done so?Robert Jordan
No, I did not say that Verin had never held the Oath Rod. Cadsuane has also held the Oath Rod.Tags
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12
Interview: Oct 9th, 1996
ACOS Signing Report - Erica Sadun (Paraphrased)Question
Can weaves be inverted in a way that prevents them being detected even while they are being woven, i.e. so you could draw and weave with saidin, and no one would detect it, or can the weaves only be hidden after they have been tied off?Robert Jordan
No answer. [Stupid woman and "how do you get your ideas" question.]Footnote
RJ addressed this in the text at the Cleansing, when Demandred 'reversed' his gateways so as to avoid being detected. (Cadsuane's ter'angreal, which can apparently detect reversed/inverted weaves, foiled his plan.)Tags
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13
Interview: Jan 14th, 1997
Letter to Thomas Howard (Paraphrased)Thomas Howard
Why was Cadsuane dropped in out of the blue? (Basically, the problem people were having was that she was supposedly a legend among her sisters, so we should have heard of her before A Crown of Swords.)Robert Jordan
Mr. Jordan's response was that most Aes Sedai hadn't seen hide nor hair of her in twenty years. To quote: "The assumption on the part of nearly everyone was that she had [emphasis his] to be dead by this time."THOMAS HOWARD
Essentially, I take this to mean they didn't bother talking or thinking about her because of this assumption. He also stated that "only a few sisters had seen her" during the capturing of Logain and that her involvement with the incident was minimal.Tags
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14
Interview: Oct 22nd, 1998
TPOD Signing Report - Pam Basham (Paraphrased)Pam Basham
Regarding Cadsuane's pointed reminiscences about the good ol' days in Far Madding, I asked, "So can we assume..." and didn't even get to finish the question before he answered...Robert Jordan
"Cadsuane is from Far Madding." And followed immediately, with no prompting, with "and Verin is from Far Madding." *Arched eyebrow*Pam Basham
For some reason, this last elicited a Startled Moment from Harriet. I was determined not to get a RAFO, so I didn't pursue this any further. Also I was nervous and had more questions.Tags
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15
Interview: Nov 15th, 1998
TPOD Signing Report - Michael Martin (Paraphrased)Michael Martin
Next two questions were essentially the same, just about different characters: Had he always known the size and importance of the roles of Fain and Cadsuane?Robert Jordan
Yes.Tags
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16
Interview: Nov 21st, 1998
TPOD Signing Report - John Hamby (Verbatim)Robert Jordan
Romanda is the Sister who is mentioned in New Spring as being as old as Cadsuane.John Hamby
(Sorry if that was something many of you already knew to be true. I had a bet going so was rather pleased with that one.)Tags
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17
Interview: Dec 9th, 2002
Question
Was Erian Boroleos meant to disappear during the battle at Shadar Logoth or was that a mistake?
Robert Jordan
Erian Boroleos was not meant to disappear. In my notes, she is placed guarding those with Cadsuane who cannot channel and not too pleased about it (there are reasons why she was chosen out for this, which I won't go into here), and there is even a note (under CHECKS AND CORRECTIONS, a category I use to make sure that I haven't blinked at the wrong time) to make sure of mentioning her in passing. It didn't happen, for which, mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa. I was so certain that I had done it, that I didn't find out I hadn't until the paperback came out, but a correction will be made.
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18
Interview: Sep 7th, 2005
Jennifer Liang
All in all, it was a nice, quiet evening with a favorite author for the hard core Atlanta fans. Those of you who are Dragon*Con regulars might be interested to note that Cadsuane was there to get her books signed as well.
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19
Interview: Sep 30th, 2005
Robert Jordan
DomA asks whether I feel sadness at the hatred of Cadsuane. No, nor do I feel sadness over those who dislike Egwene or Elayne or Faile or insert name here. The characters are who I want them to be. Some, people will like, and others people will dislike. In any case, I've noticed that even Faile has her supporters. As for her, I like her a lot. But then, I like all of my characters, even Semirhage. Even Padan Fain. As a character, anyway. As for Faile, she is a tough woman with a lot of gumption. Taken prisoner, enslaved in truth, caught in a cleft stick by the threats of Galina and Therava, she has (1) tried to get her people to freedom as she could and (2) worked toward an escape for the rest. However tough her situation gets, she wastes zero time on moaning about it. She gets on with trying to make it better. And Cadsuane? She's the tough maiden aunt a lot of us have had. Not the one who tries to keep you a child your whole life. She's the one who began expecting at least some adult responses out of you at about age six, the one who was willing to hand you responsibilities that everyone else thought you were too young for. You probably had a more nerve-wracking time, and more excitement and adventure, with her than you did with any three or four other adults in your life.
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20
Interview: Oct 4th, 2005
Robert Jordan
For Krassos, yes, a channeler could still channel wearing Mat's amulet. Cadsuane has one much like it. And I think that I will complete "Trust" eventually. I think about doing so every now and then.
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21
Interview: Oct 6th, 2005
Robert Jordan
For jofraz, I have gay and lesbian characters in my books, but the only time it has really come into the open is with the Aes Sedai because I haven't been inside the heads of any other characters who are either gay or bi. For the most part, in this world such things are taken as a matter of course. Remember, Cadsuane is surprised that Shalon and Ailil were so hot to hide that they had been sharing a bed even knowing how prim and proper Cairhienin are on the surface. Well, for many it is just on the surface.
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22
Interview: 2005
New Spring Correspondence (Verbatim)Robert Jordan
To: Les Dabel
Sent: Wednesday, March 31, 2004 3:03 PM
Subject: Re: CharactersDear Les,
I'll get onto the additional characters ASAP.
Here are my comments on the new images.
The Aiel is very good except for the boots, which still need to look more like Apache moccasins. That is how they are described in the main sequence books, a soft, laced boots. The coat is much better. As a note, remember that the Aiel average about 6'2" for a man, about the same as the Masai. There are plenty of them as tall as Lan and Bukama, and a few taller. An Aiel man who is 5'10" tall would be considered short by himself and by other Aiel.
The eagle-beak Trolloc is very good. It was a small thing, but the devil is in the details, and Trollocs just don't get ornamentation on their weapons. Plain—so to speak, despite all the hooks, etc—functional, and not a lot of effort into making them look good. They aren't exactly crude—crudely made weapons just don't usually function as well as well-made ones—but they are never fancy.
Cadsuane. This is not so good. She looks too old and too thin, almost gaunt. Her dress is way too frilly for Cadsuane, and it shows way too much cleavage. Her garments are silk, but cut simply. When she has lace, it's just a touch, perhaps at the neck and cuffs, but she more likely doesn't have any lace at all. She's a woman who does a lot of traveling, and she wants clothes that are easy to care for and can be tended by a poorly trained maid at some country inn. The cross-lacing is off. Dresses in this world almost always button up the back. And Cadsuane is more likely to have a high neckline than not. She makes no efforts to appear in the highest or latest fashion, nor does she try to impress other women with her clothes or jewelry, or to attract men; she's too busy for such foolishness, as she sees it. She is quite impressive enough being who she is, thank you very much. The hair ornaments also appear to be attached to one another, which they aren't. Each one of the ten ornaments hangs from its own individual hairpin. The bun should be right on top of her head, not toward the back.
As a note on her character. Cadsuane was born in the city-state of Far Madding, which is an out-and-out matriarchy. Far Madding has no hereditary nobility, but its politicians and wealthy merchants are all women. There are men who are craftsmen, but a wealthy man in Far Madding is one whose wife or mother gives him an over-generous allowance. The only men allowed to carry weapons of the usual sort are the Wall Guard, and then only when on duty. The Street Guard is limited to truncheons, sword-breakers and catchpoles. Men visiting from other places must either leave their weapons at checkpoints coming into the city or have them peace-bonded, with severe punishments for being found with the wires of the peace-bond broken. Very few of the city's men seem to be unhappy with the way things are. Far Madding is a prosperous trade center. The usual form of address by a woman to man whose name she doesn't know, or sometimes to one whose name she does, is "boy." None of this has any bearing on NEW SPRING, but it gives some insight into Cadsuane, because the city shaped her early years. Quite aside from being the most powerful Aes Sedai living at the time of NEW SPRING, Cadsuane is a formidable woman.
Gitara Moroso. I like this very much, though the dress would not be off-the-shoulder. That strapless look isn't used in this world. Most Aes Sedai wouldn't show that much bosom, but Gitara would. And I like the face, too. Very good!
Moiraine. The dress is excellent, though the sleeves are a bit too wide, I think—remember, Accepted's dresses are described as "simply cut"—but the face seems to have shifted again. I've attached the faces that I approved for Moiraine and Siuan. Also, she wouldn't have her hair in a bun. It would be worn loose. Her left hand also seems way too big; it's nearly half the width of her waist.
Ryne. This is very good except that his expression here seems on the sour side. That would be okay at the end, when he is unmasked as a Darkfriend, but the continuous view of Ryne until then is that he is charming and personable. He's much more likely to be smiling, especially if there is a pretty woman around. As a note, the dagger he is holding is too elaborate in the blade shape. I know there are a lot of fancy blade shapes out there today—Gil Hibben has much to answer for—but knives and daggers that are, or were historically, used by actual people had practical reasons for their blade shapes, even the yatagan and the falcata.
Tamra. Overall she looks very good. The only things I don't like are the off-the-shoulder dress, too much cleavage showing for her—her dresses would have high necklines, much like what you show on the Accepted's dress on the Moiraine image, or at least a neckline that showed no cleavage—and her hands both look much too large. The left hand is also oddly shaped.
Bukama. Yes. I like this one much better. Whatever Andrea did to the chin works just fine. And I like the armor. I hope this helps.
Take care, Les. All my best, Jim
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Interview: Dec 19th, 2005
Robert Jordan's Blog: THIS AND THAT (Verbatim)Robert Jordan
For kcf, one of Cadsuane's ornaments is a ter'angreal that can interfere with weaves. That is how she was able to disrupt Semirhage's use of Illusion.Tags
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Interview: 2001
Thus Spake the Creator (Paraphrased)Terez
This is a collection of quotes that were organized by Raina (presumably an old rasfwrj person) some time in 2001. Most of the original sources for the quotes she collected were found online, so those quotes aren't included here. These are only the leftover quotes, and as a result we have no idea where they came from or when they were asked, unless there are clues in the text. Sometimes it's not entirely clear if consecutive paragraphs are from different reports or the same report. We are, however, always searching for these lost interviews, and when we find them, we'll delete the quotes from this collection. I'll include Raina's introductory comments below, along with a list of the categories, each of which links to a Google Doc containing a link to the original category and an annotated copy of the page's original contents, linking to known sources and highlighting lost sources, which are the ones included here. Raina also drew from these interviews for her collection (and those quotes are not included here):
SOURCES
Letter to Tom McCormick: December 1993
Sense of Wonder interview: October 1994
Compuserve chat: October 19, 1994
AOL chat 1: October 21, 1994
AOL chat 2: October 21, 1994
Sci-fi Channel Interview: April 23, 1995
East of the Sun Con�Karl Johan Nor�n: June 16, 1995
East of the Sun Interview�Helena Lofgren: June 17, 1995
Balticon XXX�Bill Garrett: April 5, 1996
Balticon XXX�Pam Korda: April 6, 1996
ACOS Signing Report�Brian Ritchie: June 21, 1996
Compuserve chat: June 26, 1996
AOL chat 1: June 27, 1996
AOL chat 2: June 27, 1996
ACOS Signing Report�Hawk: August 4, 1996
ACOS Signing Report�Robert Watson: August 23, 1996
ACOS Signing Report�Lara Beaton: August 23, 1996
ACOS Signing Report�Greebs: August 25, 1996
ACOS Signing Report�Erica Sadun: October 9, 1996
ACOS Signing Report�Mike Lawson: October 12, 1996
AOL chat: October 19, 1996
DragonCon Sci-Fi Channel chat: June 28, 1997
Barnes and Noble chat: November 11, 1997
Waldenbooks Interview: October 1998
Barnes and Noble chat: October 19, 1998
TPOD Signing Report�Aaron Bergman: October 20, 1998
TPOD Signing Report�Pam Basham: October 22, 1998
TPOD Signing Report�Drew Gillmore: Octoer 24, 1998
TPOD Signing Report�Justin Howell: October 24, 1998
TPOD Signing Report�Chris Mullins: October 24, 1998
TPOD Signing Report�Rick Moen: October 25, 1998
TPOD Signing Report�Kevin Bartlett: October 29, 1998
Sci-fi.com chat: November 1, 1998
Amazon.com interview: November 6, 1998
TPOD Signing Report�Matthew Hunter: November 14, 1998
TPOD Signing Report�Michael Martin: November 15, 1998
TPOD Signing Report�John Hamby: November 18, 1998
TPOD Signing Report�Melinda Yin: November 18, 1998
TPOD Signing Report�John Nowacki: November 20, 1998
TPOD Signing Report�John Hamby: November 21, 1998
TPOD Signing Report�Rachel K. Warren: November 21, 1998
TPOD Signing Report�John Novak: November 21, 1998
Brisbane Signing Report�Joel Gilmore: September 21, 1999
Locus Magazine Interview: March 2000
Orbit interview: October 2000
Barnes and Noble chat: November 11, 2000
WH Signing Report�Ryan R.: November 12, 2000
Sci-fi.com chat: November 14, 2000
CNN chat: December 12, 2000
Author's Table Interview: 2001
Leiden Signing Report�Aan'allein: April 2001
Amsterdam Signing Report�Aan'allein: April 5, 2001
Rotterdam Signing Report�Aan�allein: April 6, 2001
Dromen and Demonen chat: April 6, 2001
Elf Fantasy Fair�Aan'allein: April 7, 2001
Elf Fantasy Fair�Aan'allein: April 8, 2001
Interview with RJ�Kurafire: April 10, 2001
Marcon Report�Sorilea: May 2001Raina
Below are collected various Jordan questions and answers, and reports from interviews. Not all quotes are guaranteed to be here, although I try to be thorough, and in some cases I've deleted answers that repeat material more or less verbatim. They are organized into categories by topic, and some are in more than one category, so you shouldn't find it hard to find a quotation you're looking for. Try 'Miscellaneous' if none of the categories seem to fit. As for such categories as 'Sex and Sexuality' and 'Bela'�you asked the questions, I just sort them.
And please stop asking who killed Asmodean or if Moiraine will be back. 'Read And Find Out' is already far too long!
In several cases, the people who provided the quotes have included comments of their own on the questions or answers. As such, any interpretations of Jordan's words do not necessarily represent my personal opinion. A few comments were written by me, and they are in blue text and signed Like this�Raina. so you should have no trouble working out which is which.
Robert Jordan Himself
How long will the series be, how long will it take, and does he know the end?
What if he dies before finishing it?
How did the series originate?
How does he go about writing the books?
What are his sources and inspirations?
What else has Jordan written?
What else is in the Wheel of Time universe?
What is he planning to write?
Fan reaction to the books
Spin-offs: movies and so forth
The Wheel of Time game
Fantasy as a genre
Jordan and Tolkien
Advice to aspiring writers
Guide Art and Cover Art
WoT versus reality
Themes of the series
What books does Jordan read?
Timing of events in the seriesWorkings of the Wheel
Women and Men
The One Power, the True Power, and channeling
The Dragon
The Heroes and the Horn
Tel'aran'rhiod and other dreams
The Age of Legends
Is he his characters?
Rand al'Thor
Mat Cauthon
Perrin Aybara
Egwene al'Vere
Nynaeve al'Meara/Mandragoran
Moiraine Damodred
Al'Lan Mandragoran
Min Farshaw
Elayne Trakand
Aviendha
Thom Merrilin
Faile ni Bashere t'Aybara
Berelain Paeron sur Paendrag
Tam and Kari al'Thor
Padan Fain
The Daughter of the Nine Moons
Birgitte and Gaidal Cain
Verin Mathwin
Cadsuane Melaidhrin
Galad Damodred
Sharina Melloy
The Shadow
The Black Ajah
The Forsaken
Shadar Logoth
Slayer
The White Tower
The Black Tower
Warders and the Bond
The Aiel
The Aelfinn and the Eelfinn
The Oath Rod
Language and the Old Tongue
The Ogier
Geography
Theology
Prophecy
Blademasters
Other Lands (Shara, Seanchan, the Land of the Madmen)
Sex and Sexuality
Bela
Trivia
Miscellaneous
Read and Find Out!
Questions for the future
Raina's Hold -
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Interview: Nov 7th, 2009
TGS Signing Report - Meg Lurvey (Paraphrased)Question
Which character's point of view is your favorite to write?Brandon Sanderson
"Whoever I'm writing at that moment", they're the most important. With some characters it was easier than others, as "Cadsuane already believes she's the most important." [I think I laughed the loudest at that remark.] He also said that the notes on Egwene were the most extensive and she was a pleasure to write. He also enjoys having more Aviendha viewpoints, as he missed her, and commented that writing Rand is both dramatic and draining.Tags
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Interview: Oct 28th, 2009
TGS Signing Report - Peter Binkowski (Paraphrased)Question
If you could kill one character gruesomely (without regard to plot) who would it be?Brandon Sanderson
Cadsuane.Tags
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Interview: Nov 9th, 2009
TGS Signing Report - Old (Peter) Salt (Paraphrased)Old (Peter) Salt
It was mentioned that a fight between Egwene and Cadsuane would be totally awesome. I concur. -
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Interview: Nov 2nd, 2009
GeekDad
One of the things I noticed in the book is how often, both at the beginning and again near the end, scenes and chapters are punctuated with laughter, of all different types—including the inability to laugh. What's interesting about laughter?Brandon Sanderson
It was a theme for the book. And, giving no spoilers, we have known for a while that Cadsuane and the Wise Ones have been saying that Rand needs to learn to laugh and cry again. That was their big concern. The idea of laughter as a theme was an interesting one to consider.
I mean, there's never one main theme for a book, particularly one this long. And so when you sit down to look at it, you want to have a lot of different threads, kind of like the threads in the Pattern, weaving together to make the tapestry of a story. One of those was the idea of laughter and how different people found enjoyment and amusement. We have the twisted laughter of the Forsaken and we have the genuine laughter of some of the characters, and we have one character, Rand, who can no longer laugh—he is incapable of doing it, even of laughing in wryness. And so I could approach it from those three different directions. We've got the terrible laughter and the full, joyful laughter, and poor Rand's silence in the middle. I thought that highlighting it in other people would only make his excruciating inability to feel all the more obvious, all the more of a smack in the face.
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Interview: Nov 10th, 2009
TGS Signing Report - Lexington, KY (Paraphrased)Brandon Sanderson
Brandon hinted at some severe limitations on Shaidar Haran to affect the physical world. He says that a lot of actions that people assume to be those of Shaidar Haran in the book in one particular scene were physically carried out by Elza. He further indicated that Shadar Haran would have been incapable of physically placing the collar himself.Footnote
The comments refer in part to how the Domination Band that Semirhage used to collar Rand in The Gathering Storm 17 was obtained from Cadsuane's box.Tags
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Interview: Nov 15th, 2009
TGS Signing Report - Katie Frey (Paraphrased)Question
Was the passage about Cadsuane spanking Semirhage already written, or was there just information in the notes? How did you feel about writing that section?Brandon Sanderson
He was given creative freedom to do what was needed. No author can ever stick 100% to an outline, things change as they are being written, and he was given that kind of control in order to make the books work. Regarding that passage in particular, it made Brandon Sanderson cringe, but Robert Jordan wanted it in the books so it stayed.Tags
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Interview: Nov 14th, 2009
TGS Signing Report - Matoyak (Paraphrased)Random Crazy Lady
Is there any chance that Cadsuane might be Ilyena reborn?Brandon Sanderson
I...wha?...First of all, I'm not going to answer that. Second of all...EWW! ... And you can quote me on that!Matoyak
[note from Mato: This was frackin' HILARIOUS. Totally unexpected, and Sanderson was totally shocked over it.]Tags
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Interview: Nov 14th, 2009
TGS Signing Report - Aubree Pham (Paraphrased)Question
Is Cadsuane Ilyena reborn?Brandon Sanderson
First, I'm not gonna answer that, but second.... Ew!Tags
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Interview: Nov 15th, 2009
TGS Signing Report - Freelancer (Paraphrased)Question
Has Cadsuane met Min's vision regarding the lesson she must teach Rand and the Asha'man, which they won't like one bit?Brandon Sanderson
Part of it.Freelancer
(That strongly suggests that the "laughter and tears" connection is valid.)Tags
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Interview: Nov 15th, 2009
TGS Signing Report - Freelancer (Paraphrased)Question
Was the Compulsion which Elza told Semirhage about Verin's work from after Dumai's Wells, and was it Shaidar Haran who told her about it and to ask Semirhage to remove it?Brandon Sanderson
Yes.Question
How did Elza defeat the wards on Cadsuane's plain wooden box?Brandon Sanderson
Elza had been given knowledge of several rarely known weaves, and in other ways made into a tool of Shaidar Haran. Not all of it was pleasant for her.Tags
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Interview: Nov 15th, 2009
TGS Signing Report - Freelancer (Paraphrased)Question
Did you enjoy Tam calling Cadsuane a bully?Brandon Sanderson
(Broad smile) Immensely! She needed to hear it.Question
Will there be reciprocity for Cadsuane's treatment of Semirhage?Brandon Sanderson
If I have anything to say about it.Tags
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Interview: Apr 22nd, 2009
Leigh Butler
Anyway, Jason had decided to "summarize" the first eleven books of the Wheel of Time in one hour, which officially makes him even crazier than I am. I mean, at least I originally gave it ten months. We met at eleven AM Friday to "rehearse", and by "rehearse", I mean "stand around and sort of read the lines while everyone keeps getting distracted by the actual work they have to do, or possibly a shiny thing on the ground". It was at this juncture that I met Trisha Norris, who was playing Min and is fabulous in every way, and who would end up being my Con Buddy for most of the weekend. We immediately started making fun of Jason, which just never gets old, while Jason smiled valiantly and refused to give up attempting to herd cats, poor man. It was like he had voluntarily decided to live every theatrical director's nightmare. I still giggle when I think about it.
I confess I was kind of expecting this to be a disaster, and the thing is, it was a disaster, but in a completely awesome way. The fact that no one knew their lines and had no idea where to stand and kept forgetting who everyone else was supposed to be playing just made the whole thing funnier. My brilliant braided wig idea, of course, was the biggest disaster of all. I had recruited Nynaeve Fan Club President Emma de Laat (as is only right and proper) to help me get it on (weirding out a fair number of people in the lobby restroom in the process), but two good braid tugs in my first scene ended the dream right quick. I was reduced to carrying the thing around in my hand for the rest of the
novelskit and randomly swinging it at people. Eventually I tossed it on the table behind the "stage", where Harriet promptly stole it and tried to put it on. I could have told her it was harder than it looks!The skit in general was a smash, actually. Harriet played the narrator and the Finn, I as mentioned was Nynaeve, which meant I got to shove Jason around, since he was playing Rand. Matt Hatch was Perrin (because "he likes dogs"), and we got a random member of the audience to play Mat. I later found out that Random Mat was actually Mr. Richard Fife, who y'all know as a frequent
offendercommenter right on this here blog. The best part is, he was the only person who didn't get to see the script beforehand, and yet did a better acting job than almost all of us. He was only overshadowed by Melissa Craib, who was a thoroughly awesome Elayne-as-New-Age-Ditz, and, rather to my surprise, Brandon Sanderson, who played all the male Forsaken, which meant he got to die at least four times (we skipped Be'lal), and did so with panache, flair, and a rather alarming amount of physical pratfalling. He really got into it, and kicked ass.And since I might as well finish the curtain call: Aubree Pham was Moiraine, which was hilarious considering she was the tallest girl there, Dot Lin, Tor publicity wizardess, was all the female Forsaken, Jennifer Liang was Egwene, Wilson Grooms, Robert Jordan's cousin/brother and best friend, played Tam, Larry Mondragon played, who else, Lan Mandragoran. Pablo Defendini was Padan Fain (HAHAHA) and tried to sell everyone... ads, Alan Romanczuk (Jordan editorial assistant extraordinaire) was Thom (and I bet the restaurant staff are still looking for those "daggers"), Maria Simmons (the other Jordan editorial assistant extraordinaire) was Elaida (the most awesome miscasting EVER), Bob Kluttz of Encyclopedia WOT was Loial (Awwww), Jason Ryan of Arms of Valor was Rhuarc (and sold "Rand" a sword, just for the cognitive dissonance), Rachel Little was Aviendha, Tiffany Franklin got to smack the crap out of Jason (Denzel) as Cadsuane (and she really did, too!), and Will McDougal, Harriet's son, was Mazrim Taim.
And Tom Doherty, of course, was The Dark One. Mwhahaha.
Good times, y’all. Good times. I have been avoiding YouTube assiduously ever since.
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37
Interview: Jun 30th, 2010
Interview With Harriet McDougal by Luckers (Verbatim)Luckers
I think one of Jim's strongest talents was the writing of strong women, and arguably the strongest is Cadsuane—and she is also the character that fans seem to either love or hate to great degrees. I'm curious as to your thoughts about her, and her role in the story.Harriet McDougal Rigney
Cadsuane has an important role, for sure; see answer to #10.Tags
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Interview: Oct 26th, 2010
Luckers
Cadsuane seems more than any other to be a character people either love or hate to great degrees, and I was wondering if I could get your thoughts on her as a character, and her role in the story?
Brandon Sanderson
The fact that people are so passionate about her means that Robert Jordan wrote her the right way.
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Interview: Nov 4th, 2010
Brandon Sanderson
Most interesting, in my opinion, we learned more about Brandon's thoughts on writing the series in general. He told us that most important was staying true to Jordan's notes and his vision. He wanted the characters to stay the same, so that if you liked Perrin (the girls all sighed at this point) or hated Cadsuane, you would continue to do so for the same reasons, until such time as the story might bring about any changes. Some things would change as he wrote, but Brandon's conscience would not let him deviate from Jordan's true vision of the story.Tags
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Interview: Nov 8th, 2010
TOM Signing Report - Sarayne (Paraphrased)Question
When you were just another reader of the Wheel of Time was there anything you didn't like?Brandon Sanderson
I was not a big fan of Cadsuane.Tags
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41
Interview: Dec, 2010
Lordjuss
Did Naeff bond Nelavaire or was it the other way around? Where did she come from—was she one of Cadsuane's companions or one of Toveine's assault force?Brandon Sanderson
The other way around, and neither. Nelavaire is one of the 23 Aes Sedai who were captured at Dumai's Wells and later swore fealty to Rand.Tags
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42
Interview: Mar 11th, 2011
Verin Q&A with Maria Simons (Verbatim)Question
Finally, regarding the infamous scene where Verin and Cadsuane come to a mutual understanding regarding Rand, was Verin considering killing Cadsuane with the "medicine" she had in her possession? If not, was Verin hoping to weave compulsion on her while Cadsuane was doped?Maria Simons
RAFO.Tags
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Interview: Apr 15th, 2011
JordanCon Report - Ted Herman (Paraphrased)Question
[paraphrased] Were there any consequences from Rand asking questions of the Aelfinn that touched on the Shadow (about cleansing the taint and winning Tarmon Gai'don)?Alan Romanczuk
Moiraine and Cadsuane thought there would be consequences, but that doesn't necessarily make it so.Ted Herman
However, the glossary entry in Towers of Midnight for the Aelfinn states that there are consequences in such circumstances, so either that is wrong or there is a possible contradiction.
Towers of Midnight
CHAPTER: GLOSSARY
Aelfinn: A race of beings, largely human in appearance but with snakelike characteristics, who will give true answers to three questions. Whatever the question, their answers are always correct, if frequently given in forms that are not clear, but questions concerning the Shadow can be extremely dangerous. Their true location is unknown, but they can be visited by passing through a ter'angreal, once a possession of Mayene but in recent years held in the Stone of Tear. They can also be reached by entering the Tower of Ghenjei. They speak the Old Tongue, mention treaties and agreements, and ask if those entering carry iron, instruments of music, or devices that can make fire. See also Eelfinn, Snakes and Foxes.Tags
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44
Interview: Apr 17th, 2011
Driving Mr. Sanderson - Terez (Verbatim)Terez (Wetlandernw)
What did Cadsuane use to blackmail Flinn, Narishma, and Manfor?Brandon Sanderson
RAFO. ... That one’s mostly a MAFO. I’ll be honest. That’s a question I should have looked at.
Terez
Yeah, I figured it was; I was hoping actually to catch Maria on that one. That was from Wetlander from tor.com.
Brandon Sanderson
Oh, was it? Hi Wetlander! That’s one I should know. I’m pretty sure it’s in there somewhere. That’s one I should have looked up, but I’ve just never looked it up. So...
Maria Simons
A quote from the notes: "For the men, it would have been at least partly a matter of blackmail. They are distrusting of Rand, and also of Taim to various degrees; none thinks it's safe to go back to the Black Tower; they are known in Cairhien as men who can channel, and also elsewhere, making them marked to an extent, at least on their own."
So it wasn't anything really hidden, it was just "let us bond you and we'll help you; otherwise you’re all on your own." And it was Hopwil, not Manfor, who was in the first group bonded.
Footnote—Terez
I took the three names from Taim's list of "deserters" given to Rand by Logain in Crossroads of Twilight, Chapter 24; Cadsuane wasn't too specific: "Blackmail was a tool she disliked using, but she had already used it on the three Asha'man..." That was in Winter's Heart Chapter 13; she told Rand about the three bonded Asha'man in Chapter 25, and indeed Karldin Manfor was not among those three.
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Interview: Aug 31st, 2011
WorldCon 2011 WoT Panel - Linda Taglieri (Paraphrased)Brandon Sanderson
Sanderson had to write a spanking scene in The Gathering Storm—the one where Cadsuane spanks Semirhage. RJ's instructions on this scene were specific.Linda Taglieri
I think Brandon would have rather it were Semirhage punishing Cadsuane.Tags
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46
Interview: Oct 15th, 2011
NY ComicCon Report - Ted Herman (Paraphrased)Ted Herman
Was Norla in the Kin and where did she get her paralis-net?Brandon Sanderson
RAFO.Footnote
Norla is the 'toothless wilder' in the Black Hills from who Cadsuane earned her hair ornament ter'angreal [WH34, COT23].Tags
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Interview: Jul 11th, 2010
Chat with Brandon Sanderson (Verbatim)Dylan
Do we see Rand much in the new book? Or will he be like Perrin, Mat or Elayne in The Gathering Storm?Brandon Sanderson
Will we see Rand in the next book? YES. The book will not be a 100% flash-back like Book 10. There will be a little bit of catch-up for Perrin, but Egwene and Rand both have large parts too.
BECKSTER45
Is Mat in Towers of Midnight?
BRANDON SANDERSON
Yes. Lots of Mat. Promise.
RLRHORROCKS
What happened to Elayne? It seemed she fell off the earth in the last book.
BRANDON SANDERSON
It was tough to decide that Elayne would not appear in The Gathering Storm. I knew we didn't have room for everyone. Thing is, Elayne was way ahead of everyone else in her plotline. (Meaning what she needed to get done.) And so, with great regret, I moved her to Towers of Midnight. She will appear, as will her wonderful Warder.
BECKSTER45
Will we see Galad in Towers of Midnight?
BRANDON SANDERSON
so far, I'm on record as saying this: Almost everyone who did not appear in The Gathering Storm appears in Towers of Midnight. No promises on anyone other than Main Characters, like Mat/Elayne. But expect to see a lot of people return who didn't appear in The Gathering Storm. Also, Galad happens to be one of my personal favorite characters.
FRANKLINE
Do we get anything about Shocklances?
MYX
I'm pretty late to this party, so if I don't get an answer to my question..no worries...But any chance of Egwene ever putting Cadsuane in her place?
BRANDON SANDERSON
Re: Shocklances (sp? I should really know that one) and Egwene/Cadsuane. Double RAFO. Pow!
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48
Interview: Aug 31st, 2011
Reddit AMA 2011 (Verbatim)galenblade ()
I know that Jordan left a lot of material behind, but have you ever run across something in that material that you've really wanted to change? Something you felt that thematically or otherwise didn't really fit?Brandon Sanderson
Because of the nature of RJ's notes and writing process, there are a lot of things I can (and was told I should) change. Harriet didn't say specifically "Change this." She told me "Jim (RJ) would not have done it exactly like this. You do what you think is best for the story first—that is your primary charge. Don't feel completely beholden to his notes, but respect his story."
That's kind of how I've done it. If the notes say something that I feel needs to change, I change it, but try to be respectful. An example is Egwene's dinner with Elaida. RJ had this planned as a single event. I split it into two chapters, separated by further discovery by Egwene and growth to earn the second half of the dinner.
There are many things like that. Places where RJ said "I'm going to do this, or maybe I'll do this, or maybe neither." I choose what fits for the story. It's usually one of the two, sometimes neither one works. I can be more specific once the last book is out.
That said, I wasn't particularly hip on writing Cadsuane spanking Semirhage. There was no good reason to change it, though. Jim had outlined the scene, and it was in line with the characters.
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49
Interview: Nov 11th, 2011
Alloy of Law Signing Report - Wetlandernw (Paraphrased)Wetlandernw
Did you ever find out what were the means & end of Cadsuane's blackmailing the Asha'man?Brandon Sanderson
It's all in the notes, but I'd have to look it up before I could answer.Tags
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50
Interview: Nov 19th, 2011
Alloy of Law Signing Report - ValMar (Paraphrased)Question
Anything new on Cadsuane's blackmail of the Asha'man?Brandon Sanderson
No.Footnote
Maria answered here.Tags
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51
Interview: 2011
Twitter 2011 (WoT) (Verbatim)Jordan Husband (14 November 2011)
Do you struggle to write Cadsuane from an unbiased perspective, since she's not a favorite of yours?Brandon Sanderson (14 November 2011)
I thought I would, but she has such a strong personality, she's actually easy.BRANDON SANDERSON
The ease of writing a character has more to do with how proactive they are and how easy it is to get into their head.BRANDON SANDERSON
I've learned a lot about her, and about writing, from the series.Tags
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52
Interview: Nov 21st, 2011
Alloy of Law Signing Report - Lord Juss (Paraphrased)LordJuss
You’ve said previously that when you were a young man you identified with Rand over the other boys, but now you’re older, you identify more with the older characters. Do you think when you are 80 you will identify with Cadsuane?Brandon Sanderson
Maybe with Thom Merrilin. I think I would need to be the full 300 to completely identify with Cadsuane.Tags
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53
Interview: Apr, 2001
RJ in the Netherlands - Marion Kippers (Paraphrased)Robert Jordan
My question whether Logain knows Cadsuane (one of my main questions, a bit rephrased) got a RAFO, of course, and my question when Logain did arrive at the Black Tower got a quite confused answer. He said Logain had been there for quite a while now, but he would have to look it up in his chronology to find the exact period—not half a year, but some months. Which seems strange to me, since Logain only escaped from the Aes Sedai about two months before he captures Toveine (unless my timeline is completely off). So no real answer here. BTW, does anybody know what happened to Steven Cooper's "Chronology of the Wheel" website? I can't seem to find it at the old location anymore.Footnote
Tags
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54
Interview: 2001
Thus Spake the Creator (Paraphrased)Signing Report (The One Power, the True Power, and channeling)
I personally have specifically asked Robert Jordan about this issue. (during a book launch in Sydney late 1999)Robert Jordan
He confirmed that Cadsuane's hairpiece IS a ter'angreal, and that we should have enough information to know what it does. Whether this means that it acts similar to Mat's foxhead medallion, or senses male channeling, or both, is still unknown.Tags
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55
Interview: 2006
Cadsuane Melaidhrin
Robert Jordan
Cadsuane Melaidhrin was born in 705 NE in the city-state of Far Madding. At the age of fifteen, she went to the White Tower. There she spent six years as a novice and five years as Accepted. She might have moved faster as novice and Accepted—in fact almost certainly should have—but she was noted for both her stubbornness and her pride (read arrogance). At age 26, she was raised Aes Sedai and chose the Green Ajah.
Cadsuane was very strong in the One Power; for many years she served as the gauge by which every incoming novice was judged. In the last thousand years, no one had matched her and few had come close. Certainly no one in that time had exceeded her. Not even with her full strength yet, she was, on the very day she attained the shawl, at the pinnacle of the Aes Sedai social hierarchy.
She stood about 5'5" tall and was neither slender nor stout. She was not pretty, but she was strikingly handsome with a fair complexion. She had dark eyes, which some people occasionally mistook for black, especially when she was focused on them in an unpleasant fashion. Her hair became iron-gray, and she wore it in a bun on top of her head; the bun was decorated with small dangling golden ornaments, stars and moons and birds and fish. These hair ornaments were considered something of a trademark because she had worn them for as long as anyone could remember. For many sisters, the fact that she had was just one more indication of how set in her ways she was; they thought Cadsuane would never change, could never change. Of course, that was far from true; Cadsuane was remarkably adaptable, as befits someone who survived as long as she.
Cadsuane was considered by many to be a second Caraighan, although unlike Caraighin, she always refused offices. She preferred the field, so to speak; adventures were her bag. It was said that Cadsuane went through more Warders than most sisters have shoes; she didn't have all that many, since she was as vulnerable to the effects of a Warder's death as anyone else. Later in life, she refused to take another Warder because she felt that at her age, bonding a Warder would not be fair to the man.
Cadsuane first refused to be raised a Sitter in 846 NE; she reportedly did so a second time as well, though even one refusal was unheard of. She refused to be raised head of the Green Ajah in 862 NE, another thing that was unheard of. She was said to have vanished from the Tower for ten years (from roughly 890 NE to 900 NE) when she learned that the Hall intended to raise her Amyrlin after Sereille Bagand. She retired to northern Ghealdan about twenty-five years before the Aiel War, but came out of retirement, with her two surviving Warders, for that conflict. Soon after the Aiel War ended, she returned to her rustication. She claimed to have been raising roses when Logain appeared. His appearance drew her out of retirement again, but she was not interested in escorting him to Tar Valon and decided to wander a bit. Then Mazrim Taim rose up, and she headed for Saldaea as fast as she could ride.
When Siuan Sanche and Moiraine Damodred had reason to research Cadsuane because of their encounter with her shortly after reaching the shawl, they found many stories regarding Cadsuane. All of the ones that they were able to trace down turned out to be true, and in some cases the truth was more than the story. They were not able to follow or confirm all of the stories, of course.
One of the most prevalent Cadsuane stories was that she had once physically assaulted an Amyrlin Seat. Since physically assaulting any sister is a serious offense—and an Amyrlin even more so—the fact that Cadsuane apparently escaped any punishment at all, and that the tale is vague about which Amyrlin it was supposed to be, made most everyone think this story was false. It wasn't; it was the method Cadsuane used to turn Myriam Copan from a weak Amyrlin to a strong one in 758 NE. Myriam was thought to have gone on a two-month retreat by herself, but she had, in fact, been all but kidnaped by Cadsuane. Turning Myriam around involved, among other things, turning her upside down at least once. Although Myriam certainly had reason to keep the events of those two months secret (and was able to make a statement which seemed to deny that Cadsuane had assaulted her), it is the basis of the tale that Cadsuane once physically assaulted an Amyrlin.
Another story said that long ago she had removed a sitting king from his palace and taken him to Tar Valon to be gentled. In truth, Cadsuane had "a nose" for men who can channel. She faced more of them than any other sister living; she herself said more than any two Reds, maybe more than any ten. That seems to indicate at least twenty of them by that time, maybe more. She brought more of them to Tar Valon than any other sister. Of these, she never had to kill one, either because she could not capture him or because he was trying to escape. These men have ranged over the years from farmboys to nobles to the king of Tarabon, but one and all, they made much better adjustments to their fate than is considered normal. They eventually died short of a normal span, but they lived considerably longer than usual. And that King of Tarabon: he had to be winkled out of his palace, avoiding his army, which sought to rescue him. She carried him all the way to Tar Valon for gentling by herself, though pursued by his army that refused to believe that he was what he was.
It was also said that she kidnaped a King of Arad Doman and a Queen of Saldaea. After she released them, a war that had seemed inevitable simply faded away. She did actually spank or switch three reigning kings and four queens, though the facts of these are hidden in rumor.
Cadsuane is alleged to have once single-handedly stopped a coup in the White Tower. This did happen, though no one seems to know or agree on when. The true story: Cadsuane and Sereille Bagand did not get on with each other. In fact, they could not stand one another. Each was the sort of woman who dominated a room—or for that matter, a city!—by simply entering, and they struck sparks at every meeting. Despite her dislike for Sereille, though, Cadsuane uncovered a plot to overthrow Sereille and crushed it. The plotters thought she would be eager to join them, but she dragged the weeping ringleaders to Sereille and made them throw themselves on Sereille's rather small mercies. Sereille was not particularly pleased to have been saved—the plot was well laid out and ready to leap off—by one she so disliked.
She had a reputation for standing White Tower custom on its head, twisting it as she chose, and even violating it outright, as in her frank speech about age, her direct questions and refusals to accept oblique answers, and her interference in the actions of other sisters. The same could be said of her regarding Tower law, for that matter. She had a reputation for taking direct action, even to the point of violence, slapping faces, boxing ears, and more (especially when faced with what she considered stupidity), with high as often as low, or rather, more often. She also had a reputation for not caring whether she dented somebody's pride, if she thought it necessary.
There are the usual tales expected of a Green, only more of them. Riots suppressed and wars stopped single-handedly; rulers steadied on their thrones, or pulled from them, sometimes toppled openly and sometimes more subtly (toppling rulers was something Aes Sedai had not really done much of in the last thousand years, but Cadsuane seemed in many ways a throwback). Rescuing people carried into the Blight or kidnaped by dangerous bands of Darkfriends, breaking up murderous rings of Darkfriends plaguing villages and towns, and exposing powerful Darkfriends who tried to kill her to protect themselves. There are dozens, even hundreds, of improbable and sometimes seemingly impossible tales.
Some of these are not so much tales about her as an impression, a belief: Cadsuane will do what she intends to do, and no one can stop her: not a king or a queen, not an Amyrlin—not even the Dark One himself, some claimed. And when Rand al'Thor arose to power as the Dragon Reborn, Cadsuane once again chose to take part in directing the events of the world.
Footnote
This passage was decoded by a dedicated group of fans well before Brandon expected. Because of that, Brandon and Harriet were nice enough to give us a few more tidbits.Tags
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56
Interview: Dec 2nd, 2010
4th Age Podcast Interview with Team Jordan (Verbatim)Mark
I actually have a question that leads more onto the line of channeling and weaves—and I think this might have been yours, Virginia, but it's also been tickling the back of my mind for a while. Why is that no other channelers have rediscovered any lost weaves—like they did with Traveling, Skimming, cuendillar, real Healing, and all that fun stuff—before the Wondergirls?Maria Simons
Well, we don't really know no one did. If they did, they didn't share it, sure. You know, not all channelers are Aes Sedai, and even Aes Sedai don't always share things.
JENNIFER LIANG
Yeah, they keep a lot back.
MARIA SIMONS
The Blue Ajah, you know, has all its little secret weaves, and I'm sure all the other Ajahs do as well. And two, there's always the whole thing that, 'the Wheel weaves as the Wheel wills', and sometimes the Wheel weaves out what it needs, and with the Last Battle coming, it needs all the help it can get…so the really talented people, the really ta'veren people, they come out again. That's for most of them. For Healing, maybe there's a different answer. Aes Sedai…they know how to Heal people, and that's the way they do it, and they don't need to know anything better! I mean, it's just Aes Sedai being Aes Sedai. They think they know what they're doing, so they don't look for a better way to do it.
JENNIFER LIANG
And if they have discovered a better way to do it, they're probably not sharing it with other people, because every Aes Sedai is looking for an advantage over the others.
MARIA SIMONS
Right.
MARK
Oh, okay. So then that sort of partially answers the next half of my question, which is: How did some of these weaves get lost in the first place?
VIRGINIA
Oh, my favorite rant. All the Aes Sedai woke up one morning with amnesia. How did I Travel? I can't remember.
MARIA SIMONS
Well, part of it…I mean, I was reading, of all things, the Big White Book, and you know, the Breaking lasted a really long time, and things were really breaking. I mean, you might know how to Travel, but you didn't know if where you were trying to go was still there. You know, it might be in the middle of the ocean now, or on top of a mountain, so people probably weren't Traveling as much...and Aes Sedai were being killed right and left. There were all these crazy men, channelers wiping out entire cities, and the Aes Sedai women were trying to stop them, and sometimes they succeeded, and sometimes not…so, things really went to hell in a handbasket. Fast. And, you know, if a woman knew how to channel and she couldn't find anyone else who had the strength to channel, she couldn't really teach anybody to channel.
VIRGINIA
That's true.
MARIA SIMONS
To Travel, is what I meant to say.
ALAN ROMANCZUK
Yeah, there was a time of course when the White Tower wasn't there. You know, the White Tower was a recent innovation in the grand scheme of things, and so the Aes Sedai after the Breaking were everywhere, so there wasn't that institutional memory in all things at that point, and things were lost.
VIRGINIA
So the Hall of the Servants, then, basically was a much looser organization than the somewhat hierarchical White Tower…
ALAN ROMANCZUK
Mmhmm.
VIRGINIA
…than we have now.
MARIA SIMONS
Mmhmm.
VIRGINIA
So we have a sort of central storing place for knowledge, or anything like that.
ALAN ROMANCZUK
Right.
JENNIFER LIANG
Yeah, think of what would happen to us if there was a horrible disaster that wiped out the internet. We would lose all of our knowledge except for, you know, the stuff that we still have in books. But you know, a good portion of our knowledge and communication that is electronic now would be gone.
ALAN ROMANCZUK
But this podcast would remain in people's hearts. [laughter]
VIRGINIA
Well, you got me on that one, Maria, because if my computer was suddenly taken away and there were no others to replace it, I think I would probably have the equivalent of amnesia. It's my plastic brain, and I really need it. [laughter]
JENNIFER LIANG
I've always thought that the lost talents were related to strength, because the modern Aes Sedai are weaker than the Age of Legends Aes Sedai, and a lot of these rediscovered weaves require a certain level of strength that just doesn't exist in those Aes Sedai.
MARIA SIMONS
Right, and also talent, because to do this Healing, you have to have a certain Talent for Healing. To make cuendillar...Janya couldn't make cuendillar worth a darn, and…she didn't have that Talent, so if somebody knew it, but there was nobody they could teach it to, it's gone!
VIRGINIA
Yeah.
MARK
Well, the thing is though…leading up to that comment: remember in—I believe it was Crossroads, but it might have been Knife of Dreams—when Sorilea (soar-ih-LAY-uh)—I have no idea if this is how it's pronounced...
MARIA SIMONS
(soar-ih-LEE-uh)
MARK
She taught Cadsuane how to Travel, even though she couldn't make the weave work herself. So just because you don't have the strength to make the weave finish doesn't mean you can't form the weave anyway.
MARIA SIMONS
That's true, but...okay. We've got our nameless Aes Sedai after the Breaking, and she's found a little crew of people, and none of them are strong enough to Travel. Well, she's going to show them how to do it anyway and hopefully one day they'll find somebody strong enough but, you know, they never do. So we've got the same thing, and you know, sooner or later it's going to…if you can't actually use it for anything, you're going to put it aside and not pay any attention to it, and it will get lost.
VIRGINIA
Or, by the time that bunch of people finds someone who is [strong enough], it might have gone through several iterations and they might have the weave just a little bit wrong, so that it doesn't work either.
MARIA SIMONS
Yeah.
JENNIFER LIANG
And—correct me if I'm wrong on this—but I don't think it's possible to write down how to do a weave. I think it's something that you have to learn through demonstration. You can't just write it down, and be like, 'Well, I'll put this on the shelf, and some day a hundred years from now someone will come along and pick it up and figure out how to weave...whatever from this. I feel like you have to be shown how to do a weave.
MARIA SIMONS
That is...I mean, that's how they do it. You know, the novices don't run around with heavy books; they run around being taught by actual people. It's my belief that writing might could give clues or something, but you have to be able to show it or work it out on your own.
VIRGINIA
Of course, I was going to say they could just check on YouTube and find out how, but then, would the One Power weaves even show up on video? [laughter] If they even had that...
MARIA SIMONS
Oh, that's a good question!
VIRGINIA
I actually was just wondering about that; I wonder if any these things—I'm sure that the effects would—but I presume that if most non-channelers can't see weaves that probably there's nothing there for a video to pick up, either...but it's an interesting question.
MARIA SIMONS
That is.
VIRGINIA
How to detect channeling: Whip out your camcorder! [laughter]
ALAN ROMANCZUK
With a wi-fi finder.
VIRGINIA
Yeah, okay. I'm going to be good now. That would be too funny. It's a shame Jessi couldn't be with us. She really wanted to be, but she had to work, and couldn't get off. One of her favorite premises is, you know, how drastically the Wheel of Time story would all be changed if they had access to cell phones and texting and the internet and everything.
MARIA SIMONS
Oh yeah. There would be no story.
SPENCER POWELL
They do though! Elayne has the communication ter'angreal. They have cell phones...ish. They just don't use them! [laughter]
MARIA SIMONS
Give 'em time.
VIRGINIA
I sort of [?] a couple of the guys before one time when we were podcasting and I had to get up in the office; I was working and I had to turn a phone off, and I came back and I said "I just had to disable that callbox ter'angreal." And they said, "Oh, you are such a geek." [laughter]
SPENCER POWELL
It's true.
VIRGINIA
A 'dork' is what actually they said.
MARK
No, you are a geek, because dorks have no social status whereas geeks are more knowledgeable in one or two given fields, and since we are all major WoT nerds—we qualify as nerds, not dorks.
VIRGINIA
Yeah, we got some cred there anyway.
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57
Interview: Dec 2nd, 2010
4th Age Podcast Interview with Team Jordan (Verbatim)Mark
So, here's one that—I think this actually might have been yours, Spencer, cause it sounds like almost your mental acumen that would have asked this one—with the exception of Rand, who is Lews Therin Telamon reborn, are there any of the other characters that are reincarnations of prominent historical figures?Maria Simons
There's Birgitte.
VIRGINIA
Yeah, but apart from Birgitte, yeah. I've always had this sort of fantasy in my mind that Nynaeve might be the reincarnation of Eldrene, the last queen of Manetheren, or something like that. And Mat, you know…gosh, he seems like...before he even left the Two Rivers, the Old Blood was coming out really strongly in him; it makes me wonder if he's not the actual rebirth of some extraordinary battle hero from Mathetheren. [silence]
MARIA SIMONS
Um...
ALAN ROMANCZUK
Interesting speculation. [laughter]
VIRGINIA
Which is going to go nowhere!
MARK
We're not putting answers into their mouths! We're supposed to be getting answers from them, not giving them answers to give back to us! [laughter]
ALAN ROMANCZUK
Oh, was that a question?
VIRGINIA
Well, sort of!
ALAN ROMANCZUK
No, you're doing well; keep going. [laughter]
MARK
He's going to do what he always does; he's going to sit back and listen to all the answers until he finds one that he likes, and he says, "You know what? That was it!" [laughter]
VIRGINIA
Well, I guess this is something that we're just gonna have to hopefully read and find out...
MARIA SIMONS
Yeah...
VIRGINIA
…or I hope some of these questions are not going to be Brandon has said that Robert Jordan just said that 'this does not get resolved', you know...
ALAN ROMANCZUK
That would be a shame. [laughter]
VIRGINIA
I'm not sure where that will leave us. Endlessly speculating till the Wheel stops turning…
MARIA SIMONS
There's no beginning or ending to the Wheel of Time.
MARK
Virginia will be reborn again once she passes and she will still be even more into WoT than she was now. [laughter] I can see it.
VIRGINIA
Impossible.
MARK
I can see it.
VIRGINIA
Physically impossible.
MARK
You'll learn your letters so you can read Robert Jordan in the cradle. [laughter]
SPENCER POWELL
I think you'll have a huge advantage, cause all the books will be out by then and you'll just be able to read 'em one after the other.
VIRGINIA
That's right, although I was going to say that I think I have the advantage, I was probably reading Robert Jordan when a couple of you guys were in the cradle.
SPENCER POWELL
Yeah, probably.
ANDREW GELOS
Yeah, probably.
MARK
Well, not in the cradle, but I was itty bitty when the first book came out.
SPENCER POWELL
I think I was still in the cradle.
MARIA SIMONS
Wow. I feel old.
MARK
Yeah, that's cause he…that's cause you're just…
SPENCER POWELL
I am twenty. I'm not even twenty yet, so...
MARIA SIMONS
Oh my gosh!
MARK
You weren't even born when the first book came out, buddy.
JENNIFER LIANG
Oh, wow.
VIRGINIA
There you go.
JENNIFER LIANG
Whoa.
MARIA SIMONS
Oh, wow.
VIRGINIA
Yeah, but they still put up with me, and I think I'm older than Cad-swayne. Is that right? Cad-swayne? Cad-swanee?
MARIA SIMONS
Cad-swayne!
VIRGINIA
Oh, yay! Whew. So far I'm...
SPENCER POWELL
Except that we know that Cadsuane is a couple hundred years old, which, you know, is older than the country.
JENNIFER LIANG
Yeah.
MARIA SIMONS
Yeah.
VIRGINIA
Okay, so I'm not quite older than Cadsuane...
MARK
You come close.
VIRGINIA
Yeah, I feel like it. Anyway, enough of that...
MARK
You're as old as Re-anne. Or is it Re-annie?
MARIA SIMONS
Re-AH-nah.
VIRGINIA
Re-AH-nah, okay.
MARK
Ah.
SPENCER POWELL
That's on that list.
JENNIFER LIANG
Yeah, I've been saying that one wrong the whole time.
VIRGINIA
In general, are ending Es pronounced in the Wheel of Time names, like Reanne?
MARIA SIMONS
It varies. He wasn't really…I mean, sometimes yes, and sometimes…I mean, I was thinking about this, because if Cadsuane's final e was pronounced, she would be Cad-soo-ae-nah, like Macarena, and you could do a whole dance. But… [laughter] There doesn't really seem to be a rule. It's just how he felt that day I think, or how it sounded to him.
VIRGINIA
Some are, and some aren't, you know. It is kind of confusing, but we don't know for sure, if we're even right when we guess that, so you be the arbiter on this one. Unless, as Brandon said in our interview to him, unless Robert Jordan comes down to us in a beam of white light and sets us straight, some of these things may not ever be known for sure, so you have to tell us as best you can. Speaking of names that end in E , two that almost kind of strike me are, um…I started out saying muh-RELL, and then I kind of went to muh-RELL-uh, because of the presumption that the final Es were pronounced, so I don't know for sure which one is right on that; I go back and forth between that.
MARIA SIMONS
That's interesting. I say my-RELL. I'm not absolutely sure that's the way Jim said it.
VIRGINIA
Okay, what about lee-AHN, or is it lee-AHN-uh?
MARIA SIMONS
lee-AHN-uh is correct. That one is Leanne. And Reanne.
VIRGINIA
Yay!
ALAN ROMANCZUK
I believe that Myrelle…it's my-RELL.
VIRGINIA
my-RELL?
ALAN ROMANCZUK
my-RELL.
VIRGINIA
You pronounce the Y?
ALAN ROMANCZUK
Mm-hmm. Like 'my'.
VIRGINIA
Okay, good.
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58
Interview: Nov, 2009
Mythmaker Films Interview (Verbatim)Brandon Sanderson
Like many of you, I was shocked when he passed away. I'd been following the blog, and he'd been very optimistic on his blog. He had this force of will, force of optimism. You know, even though he had a terrible disease, I was sure he would make it. And then he was gone. And it was a very strange moment for me to realize that because when he died, it was like my high school friends had all died at once. And I wondered and felt that that might be the end of it all. Um, yeah. . . little did I know.
About three weeks later, I got up in the morning at the bright hour of noon. I picked up my cell phone to check my voice mail, which is usually the first thing I do in the mornings. And I was just groggily. . . I turned it on and there's a voice mail from a number I don't recognize, and the voice comes on and says, and this is an exact quote:
"Hello, Brandon Sanderson. This is Harriet McDougal Rigney. I'm Robert Jordan's widow. I would like you to call me back. There's something I want to talk to you about."
I just about fell out of the couch, which is kind of hard to do, because. . . you know. . . yeah. I mean, I listened to that voice message three times in a row, and then nervously dialed the number back, and it rang, and it rang, and she didn't answer. So I nervously called my editor, and he didn't answer. And I nervously called my agent, who always answers, and he didn't answer. I eventually got smart and called up Tor, and got a hold of Patrick Nielsen Hayden, who said, with kind of a smug tone, "Oh, that. Yeah, it's probably what you think it is. I'll have her call you back." And I'm sitting here thinking, "What do I think it is, Patrick? Tell me something!" And he wouldn't. And so, eventually Harriet called me and said, "Well, I'm putting together a short list of people. And I was wondering if you would be interested in completing the Wheel of Time."
That night after I'd said yes, I laid in bed that night unable to sleep because I was terrified by what I had just done in saying yes to this. Particularly because that night I came to realize something. Something very, very frightening. And what I realized was that I could not write as good a book as Robert Jordan would have written for the ending. I realized that nobody could. I couldn't replace him, and no one could. We should have had him to finish this series. And by saying yes, I had agreed to in small part to something at which I would fail, at least in part, because no one can replace Robert Jordan. As a fan and as a professional writer, I realized that the next best thing for me in having Robert Jordan complete the book was to do it myself because then I could know that it would not get screwed up. I realized that if I said no, and then someone else did it and did a poor job, it would be partially my fault. And that in taking up this project, I could bring them back. Robert Jordan had passed away, but that didn't mean that Rand and Egwene and Mat and Perrin and Avi and Cadsuane and everybody had to be gone. I could at least bring them back for everyone else. And I realized with a really powerful emotion that I needed to do this book. I had to do this book, because of all the people in the world, I would screw it up the least.
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59
Interview: Jul, 2009
Twitter: Brandonothology collection (Verbatim)Banvard
Was there any character you disliked writing within the Wheel of Time universe?Brandon Sanderson
As an author, you get very good at being inside someone’s head. And so it’s hard to dislike writing anyone. That said, there’s a certain Cadsuane scene that—when I read the notes—I didn’t look forward to.Tags
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60
Interview: Jul, 2009
Twitter: Brandonothology collection (Verbatim)Rinzi
Are there any characters in your books who you actually DON'T like?Brandon Sanderson
Does Cadsuane count? (J/K. I love you Cads. Really, don’t beat me up.) I have characters that didn’t bloom like I wanted. Parlin in Warbreaker still itches at me. Could have been done better. I always wished I could give Ham more time in Mistborn. But I can’t think of anyone I don’t like. When I write as someone, as oily as they are, I see life as them.Tags
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61
Interview: Nov 21st, 1998
TPOD Signing Report - John Novak (Paraphrased)Question (22 November 1998)
One person asked whether Romanda was the Aes Sedai that Cadsuane referred to as being nearly as old as she was.Robert Jordan
Jordan answered in the affirmative.John Novak
I was distracted by someone at the time and thought I heard that correctly, but wasn't quite sure. (And I gave the guy who asked the question a really weird look, because the answer didn't seem to make sense—why was everyone surprised about Cadsuane's being alive, if Romanda was just about as old? Apparently because Cadsuane is so much more heroic than Romanda.)Tags
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62
Interview: Dec 17th, 2011
Alloy of Law Signing Report - Loialson (Verbatim)Loialson
Can Rand consciously control his ta'veren pull to any degree? Specifically referencing to his meeting with Tuon to will her to submit to him, and when he threatened Cadsuane to will her dead.Brandon Sanderson
He, um, believes that he can.
LOIALSON
Still, even after the The Gathering Storm reintegration?
BRANDON SANDERSON
He has a more zen view on it now, but he still believes that he can have some influence.
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63
Interview: Apr, 2012
Afternoon Tea with Brandon Sanderson - Luckers (Paraphrased)Luckers
What does amahn'rukane mean?Brandon Sanderson
*stares at me blankly for a long moment* What... um... what has been said on it before?
LUCKERS
Just that it’s a sword sticking out of the earth. Cadsuane names it...
BRANDON SANDERSON
Oh right, umm. I don’t know. *he laughs* You can probably tell something about it from that.
LUCKERS
That it’s not important.
BRANDON SANDERSON
*laughs again*.
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64
Interview: Apr, 2012
Afternoon Tea with Brandon Sanderson - Luckers (Paraphrased)Luckers
Do the Forsaken know the weaves Elza used to break the warding Cadsuane placed on the Domination Band?Brandon Sanderson
Yes.
LUCKERS
So, why didn’t they use it on wardings Rand placed on Callandor, and the other things they’ve wanted that were warded earlier in the series?
BRANDON SANDERSON
*stares at me for a long moment, thoughtfully* They may not have know them then. The thing is... we don’t see a lot of the Shadow innovating with the Power, unlike with the Light, but they have been. As much as the Light. But they know, now. The notes definitely say this.
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65
Interview: Apr, 2012
Afternoon Tea with Brandon Sanderson - Luckers (Paraphrased)Luckers
Were the sisters at the Silver Swan sent by Cadsuane?Brandon Sanderson
RAFO.Footnote
"Recently one of her watchers at the Swan had overheard a disturbing name, murmured and quickly shushed, as if in fear of eavesdroppers. Cadsuane." (Crossroads of Twilight 12, "New Alliances")Tags
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66
Interview: Apr, 2012
Afternoon Tea with Brandon Sanderson - Luckers (Paraphrased)Brandon Sanderson
When we were in the Green Room Brandon broached a subject of his own, in Asmodean, stating he wanted to explain how that happened. Basically, Jim left a note saying ‘fit it in’, and when they were initially discussing how to do it Brandon threw out as more of a joke than anything else ‘just put it in the glossary’. Harriet apparently loved that idea, and when it came time for Brandon to write, he did lay it out in a Graendal POV [note: I can’t remember if he said it was in an outline for a POV, or whether he actually wrote it] Harriet wrote back in her notes ‘no, no, we’re going to put that in the glossary.’ Brandon himself definitely seemed to have wanted the information laid out in scene, and said there were actually a couple of scenes he thought he could have done it in.
LUCKERS
They still argue about it anyway, you know.
BRANDON SANDERSON
*laughs* Yeah, well, you know Jim himself never wrote it out. There was just that email a fan had sent him, you know the...
LUCKERS
The Sherlock Holmes one?
BRANDON SANDERSON
Yeah, just that with a note saying 'this is it'. Everything else...
LUCKERS
Hah. Yeah, I never really cared about Asmodean.
BRANDON SANDERSON
Me either, really. Until I went on the boards, and everyone was discussing it.
LUCKERS
Yeah, now they have the debate about whether Tam and Cadsuane are going to get married.
BRANDON SANDERSON
*shudders* Yeah, I’ve... ah... heard that one.
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67
Interview: Apr, 2012
Afternoon Tea with Brandon Sanderson - Luckers (Paraphrased)Question
[Who is your most hated character?]Brandon Sanderson
Luckers is going to roll his eyes at me, but back before I started writing—before writing her POV’s showed me how awesome she is—it was definitely Cadsuane.
LUCKERS
I rolled my eyes at him. Heh.
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68
Interview: Aug 8th, 2009
WorldCon 2009 - Dom (Paraphrased)Dom
Brandon Sanderson
Brandon drew a graph of A Memory of Light's structure and explained in some details how he ended up re structuring it as three books. Not much that isn't already known in there, book 12 will have two main story lines (we know it's Rand and Egwene, but as I said Brandon didn't say so explicitly at the Q&A) and teasers for three more (Mat—and seemingly Perrin and Elayne). By 'teasers', Brandon precised he means 3 or 4 chapters per story line, the rest of the chapters being divided between the two main story lines (by recent books, this could means Egwene/Rand have about 10-12 chapters each, or a few more). Some developments happen in the teasers but it's not huge stuff, more like set ups chapters for what happens in book 13.
Book 13 will have the opposite, with 3-4 chapters each for Egwene and Rand, "toward the end". Brandon kept those for book 13 to avoid spoiling in The Gathering Storm the climax of book 13, which will mark the reunion of all the main story lines at some location, and launch Tarmon Gai'don. So in book 13 we will have the residual Rand/Egwene chapters that specifically build up to the reunion.
Brandon explained the decision to split the books this way came about between Harriet and him, in part to avoid the "Crossroads of Twilight trap". Apparently, RJ went that way in Winter's Heart/Crossroads of Twilight mostly because he had been affected by all the grief he got for keeping Mat out of The Path of Daggers. He decided to try to put all the main characters in the next books, even if it meant all the story lines would advance more slowly if they were all told in parallel like this. He very much regretted this after Crossroads of Twilight, for which he got even more grief than for The Path of Daggers, and decided to return to his more organic/uneven approach for Knife of Dreams and A Memory of Light. The original plan for The Gathering Storm was to develop all the story lines in parallel again, but Brandon and Harriet had qualms about this and Brandon came up with an alternative to focus on two story lines in one and three in the other.
There is one of the 'POV clusters' Brandon had written that it mostly unused for The Gathering Storm and will go in book 13.
Brandon of course wouldn't tell who is the character not in The Gathering Storm at all, though he gave a few clues. Piecing all his bits of answers together, the character isn't Aviendha, Cadsuane or Nynaeve, nor Mat (the only character he confirmed is in the two first books, but we already knew this). He basically destroyed the speculation it could be Perrin by hesitating on the words 'major character' and then adding the bit that the vast majority of fans would actually place this character at the very bottom of the list of characters to be considered 'major'. The way he put Elayne over and over among the five really major ones during the Q&A suggests it's not her either after all. He also said while explaining his graph that there were chunks (his "teasers" for three story lines in The Gathering Storm and the core of the story for two—and his 'five' clusters he explicitly said were Rand, Egwene, Perrin, Mat and Elayne.
So perhaps we've read too much in his 'major POV character' comment (Jason's review may also allude to this, when he commented that one major character is missing but it's pretty much up to each reader to decide who is major and not in WOT). At some point, he said a major POV character in A Memory of Light will be missing in The Gathering Storm, which is not exactly the same as saying a major POV character from the earlier books isn't in The Gathering Storm—which is the way his previous comment was interpreted by many.
Dom
Lan isn't a major POV character in the earlier books, but now he's on his own he may very well become one in A Memory of Light.
In any case, I'm more and more thinking it's Lan (or possibly Moiraine), not Elayne or Perrin which I doubt many would place 'at the very bottom' of the list of characters to be considered major. Most people would place Elayne not near the bottom at all but among the top 7 or 8 most important characters. Above Moiraine and Lan, Thom, Loial and probably even Min and Aviendha.
Footnote
The POV character missing in The Gathering Storm was Elayne, and they didn't quite make it to the reunion of all plotlines at the end of Towers of Midnight as they had originally planned.Tags
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Interview: Apr, 2012
JordanCon 2012 - Terez (Paraphrased)Question
Was there any significance to Cadsuane and Verin, two of the most important Aes Sedai, being from Far Madding?Maria Simons
Not that I know of.Tags
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Interview: Nov 27th, 2000
WH Signing Report - Fairfax McCandlish (Paraphrased)Fairfax McCandlish
This was my first RJ signing, at a Tower Books. While I was getting The Path of Daggers and Winter's Heart signed, I asked RJ how Narishma could have channeled inside Far Madding to set off their alarms (or was he outside but within the range of the detection ter'angreal)?
Robert Jordan
He corrected me that it was Flinn who channeled (I haven't reread that part of the book yet, and was taking the Seafolk channeler's word on it, as I recalled it), and that he did indeed do so outside the range of the blocking field, but inside the detection range.
Footnote
It was Narishma who channeled outside the city. Flinn pretended to channel in the scene where Cadsuane used her Well and Nynaeve's to get Rand out of prison.Tags
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Interview: Jul 21st, 2012
LibertyCon 2012 - AMOL Update Panel (Verbatim)Jennifer Liang
Down here at the end, this is Joe O'Hara. He is one of the co-hosts of twotcast, which is one of several Wheel of Time podcasts, and so he's actually recording this panel right now so it'll be online later.Brandon Sanderson
Oh, great! Oh, thanks for warning me about that!
Jennifer Liang
It's okay; this is gonna be the soberest twotcast ever; it'll be fun. Over here is Jeff Daniel; like I said before, he's one of the co-owners of Ta'veren Tees. And I'm Jennifer Liang; if you guys don't know me, I help run Dragonmount, I do the WoTFAQ now, I chair JordanCon, and I run the Wheel of Time track at DragonCon. I really don't have that much spare time; I don't know how I'm getting all this stuff done. So, this is our A Memory of Light panel...
Brandon Sanderson
The next-to-last one ever, I bet, because the last one would be at DragonCon, and then that's, like, it. For, after that, the books are all out.
Jennifer Liang
Pretty much, and then it's all like, "What did you do, Brandon?"
Brandon Sanderson
"Brandon, why did you kill..." I'm not gonna say.
Jennifer Liang
"You killed Cadsuane! What's wrong with you?"
Joe O'Hara
I would congratulate him for that one.
Brandon Sanderson
Luckers would just murder me.
Jennifer Liang
Yeah. Yeah, he would.
Brandon Sanderson
He already is ready to murder me, because I don't treat Cadsuane with the respect that he thinks I need to treat Cadsuane, which...there may be legitimate gripes there; I don't know.
Jennifer Liang
Luckers is one of the admins over at Dragonmount, and he's got a few axes to grind.
Brandon Sanderson
Yep. Cadsuane's one of them. Every time I pop over to Dragonmount it seems like there's some thread about something, and I look in, and Luckers is complaining about Cadsuane. Every time. It's amazing; he's like your forum's Jerry Pournelle. Jerry's always on the SFWA forums and has an axe to grind. You know, he's always saying intelligent stuff, but it seems like he's always there saying his stuff. It's like, you click on a thread, and there's Jerry saying, you know, intelligent things—he's Jerry Pournelle; he's brilliant!—but he's always there, so...yeah. There's Jerry, and he does never not have an opinion. Yep. So...
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Interview: Jul 21st, 2012
LibertyCon 2012 - AMOL Update Panel (Verbatim)Phillip
For Brandon, you have a career on your own as an author....Brandon Sanderson
Yes.
Phillip
Since you've had this other career—which has helped, I'm sure, in a lot of ways—what impact has this been on your original writing career, I mean I know you had to have slowed down your progress and your series, but you've still been writing those. What are the biggest impacts you've seen on your writing career because of taking on the Wheel of Time?
Brandon Sanderson
It's definitely done some...it's made me have to put down projects. In fact, next year, I have coming out the projects I was working on in 2007 when this came my way; The Rithmatist and Steelheart are both books that I did way back then that I didn't feel that I was able to release in the middle of the Wheel of Time books, even though I had them done, because I wouldn't have been able to do the revisions on them, and because I wouldn't be able to support them; I wouldn't be able to do sequels and things like that. They're both YA books. And that's, you know...when I accepted this, I said "Okay, I'm shelving these things." I did get to do a couple of books, I got to do The Way of Kings, which, granted, I already had a draft of that done. So really, the only book in these last years, the last five years that I've been doing this, that I've written from scratch and released was Alloy of Law. And so it's going to...it did kind of slow me down. The only reason it didn't slow me down as much as it could have was because I had all of this stuff done already. I had a great big backlog of books, because I enjoy writing, and I've been writing for years, and back then I wasn't as popular as I am now, so Tor would put things in slots later on, like...while I've been working on these, Warbreaker and Mistborn 3 came out, both of which were done years before I was offered the Wheel of Time. And so...yeah, all of this stuff that I had been working on long ago got delayed, and that was just fine—I went into this eyes open—but it is going to be nice to be able to go back to these things and give them some of the support that I've wanted all along.
You know, this project took more time than all of us expected it to. I had to say yes sight unseen to knowing how big it was. I knew what Jim had said, but I didn't know how much of it was done. I didn't know that we had two hundred pages out of two thousand. There was no way for me to know how much would need to be done. So yeah, it's been a big long deviation, but not a distraction, because I think my writing has grown by leaps and bounds. It's kind of like I had to go pump iron, because writing in the Wheel of Time has been much harder than writing on anything else I've done, and I have been forced to grow, and you can see my being forced to grow between the books in the Wheel of Time books. I think my writing is way better in Towers of Midnight than it was in The Gathering Storm, particularly in some of the ways that that Jim was strong. And so, I think that's helped me. It's certainly not an experience that I would trade for anything. I got to read the ending in 2007, so there's that. (laughter) But yeah, it's been a wonderful experience, but boy, it's been a big, big, big deviation. It's not where I thought my career would go at all.
Joe O'Hara
Was it daunting seeing just that small amount of work that was taken care of before you stepped on?
Brandon Sanderson
Well, it's daunting in two ways: First, I got that. It was really nice to have the ending. Like, having the prologue and the ending basically done—those were the two things that he did the most work on—meant that I had the bookends, which is how I build an outline anyway. I know where I start, I know my ending, and I build an outline out of that. But at the same time, there's three million words of notes about the series, which is daunting in another way. Yes, there's two hundred pages of work done on the book, and then there's this stack over here of all these other notes that include all of these things that are just mind-boggling, the stuff that's in there. We released a few of them last year for you guys. Was it last year that we released the notes?
Jennifer Liang
Yeah, we got the page on Cadsuane and...
Brandon Sanderson
Yeah, the page on Cadsuane and stuff like that. You just see all of weird things that he had in his notes. I have all the same sort of weird stuff in my notes about like Stormlight and stuff, but it's just fun to see. You go pore through these notes...he has the most random stuff. Lists of trees, lists of people, lists of this, and just millions and millions and words of this stuff, more than I can keep track of at all. It requires Maria and Alan to keep track of all this stuff. So it was also daunting in that, yes there are two hundred pages written, which actually nice, because as I've said before, if the book had been 80% of the way done, they wouldn't have needed to hire me, they wouldn't have needed to bring me in. When a book is 80% of the way done, that's when you get a ghostwriter, or Harriet just does it herself. She really could have done it in-house herself and finished that and said "Look, here we're going to do a few patches and stuff, but the book is mostly done."
And so, getting there and saying "Hey, I actually get to do something with this, I have an opportunity to add the scenes that I've been wanting as a fan for years and years, so I get a chance to actually write these characters, rather than coming in and just patching some holes," was very thrilling for me at the same time. You know, I worried that I would get there and it would just be patching holes—"Write these five scenes," or something like that—and that would have meant I wouldn't have really had a part in it. Granted, that would have been better, because it would have meant there was more Jim in it, and it would have made a better book, but at the same time, when I got to see those two hundred pages, I was saddened but excited at the same time.
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Interview: Sep 2nd, 2012
DragonCon 2012 - AMOL Update Report (Paraphrased)Question
Will we find out what all of Cadsuane’s ornaments do?Brandon Sanderson
RAFO.Tags
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74
Interview: Sep 2nd, 2012
DragonCon 2012 - AMOL Update Report (Paraphrased)Chris Lough
The audience was also curious as to what characters he had the hardest time grasping.Brandon Sanderson
“Aviendha and Tuon are the ones I worked the hardest on, but I expected them to be hard. I wasn’t expecting Mat to be hard. That blindsided me.” Brandon explained that in general the Andoran characters are the easiest for him to write as, “They feel like friends from high school.” So it surprised Brandon when he sat down to write Mat and discovered that he didn’t have an immediate grasp on him. Brandon eventually realized it was because, unlike the other characters, “Mat is an untrustworthy narrator. He doesn’t always believe what he says and he doesn’t even always believe the thoughts in his own head. He’s a character I’ve struggled to write but I think I’ve gotten as close to him as it’s possible for me to get.” (The positive reaction to the Mat chapter he read certainly put weight to this statement.)
He also, tongue-in-cheek, admitted that before he wrote Cadsuane she was his least favorite character. “She was just too mean!”
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Interview: 2012
Memories of Light (Verbatim)Day 15
"It is a simple thing, to stop a man's heart," Cadsuane said, arms folded. (p. 579)
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76
Interview: 2012
Memories of Light (Verbatim)Day 25
"Oh, blood and ashes, no!" Cadsuane said, spinning on them. "No, no, no." (p. 906)
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77
Interview: Jan 9th, 2013
AMOL Signing Report - Marie Curie (Paraphrased)Marie Curie
What about Cadsuane's contingent of Aes Sedai? We know that she gathered sisters to her, and we see several with her throughout the books. What about the others? And what about those at the Silver Swan? Were they hers?
Maria Simons
I don't know about the others. There may be something more definitive in the notes about the ones at the Silver Swan, but I'm not sure.
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78
Interview: Jan 9th, 2013
Brandon Sanderson's Blog: It's finally out. (Verbatim)Terez
There was some discussion about Brandon's suggestion that RJ wrote the entire epilogue, since we knew from his tweets while he was working on it that he had to modify the epilogue material, and we knew from Peter that Brandon wrote the Cadsuane scene (and possibly others; this has never been clarified). In the comments on this post on Facebook, Isabel asked some questions and got some answers from Peter. The last quote is from Dragonmount, in response to some fan assumptions about how much had been written by RJ.
Isabel (9 January 2013)
One question: regarding the Cadsuane scene. It is said that this was added by you. Is that correct? Was Cadsuane's fate in RJ's notes?
Peter Ahlstrom (9 January 2013)
Team Jordan said I could say that Brandon himself wrote the words of that little scene. Brandon is still being closedmouthed about what specifically came from the notes, but in general, Robert Jordan left quite a few notes on where people ended up at the end of the book.
Isabel
Am I right to assume that her implied fate wouldn't have been put in, if the notes say something different? (assuming there were notes on it)
Peter Ahlstrom
The notes about fates at the end were not contradicted.
Peter Ahlstrom
What Brandon was given from RJ specifically on the last three books was 200 manuscript pages containing some finished scenes (including the final scene) and some summaries of other scenes, some lines of dialogue here and there, some "I might do this, or I might do this," etc. It's definitely not the last 120 pages of the book.
Footnote
Brandon gave more information in the torchat.Tags
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Interview: Jan 10th, 2013
AMOL Signing Report - Jonrox (Paraphrased)Jonrox
Who opened Cadsuane's box? (Jokingly) Is it intuitively obvious?Brandon Sanderson
It's not intuitively obvious who opened the box. The weaves were removed from the box so that the person who opened the box could open it.Tags
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Interview: Jan 10th, 2013
AMOL Signing Report - Jonrox (Paraphrased)Jonrox
My take: looks like Shaidar Haran is most likely candidate for Cadsuane's box. I asked "who" and his answers didn't even identify it as a person (he didn't say "someone removed the weaves")
Also, looks like I was right about him forgetting about Roedran/Murandians after the Field of Merrilor.
I recorded the Q & A, but I haven't looked to see if it's of a quality worth uploading, since I wasn't aiming my phone at him or anything in particular. I might try to transcribe the session, though, unless the Memory Keeper posts first.
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Interview: 2013
Twitter 2013 (WoT) (Verbatim)Ray Briggs (23 January 2013)
I can almost believe the next Amyrlin could be of the Red, many potentials slain. Do you have some insight?Brandon Sanderson (23 January 2013)
Depends on how long Cadsuane lives. And yes, she does end up next. But the Reds are positioned well.Tags
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Interview: Feb 12th, 2013
AMOL Signing Report - billiam (Paraphrased)billiam
The best part of the night? My nine year old daughter got to fist bump Brandon when we got to the signing table. How cool is that?
The event went pretty much the same as the others described earlier, with pretty much the same questions being asked. Harriet was also there and read the "Wind" paragragh after the Q & A period.
I got to meet and talk with both Wetlandernw (who was dressed like Cadsuane, natch) and JeffS (who gave my daughter a "Bela is a darkfriend" bumpersticker for being there) who were both MKs.
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Interview: Feb 12th, 2013
AMOL Signing Report - JeffS (Paraphrased)JeffS
Out of 3 pet theories of mine:
One shot down in flames
One, could be but I ain't sayin'
One, confirmed but by an Aes Sedai answer WHICH ROCKED, once I got my head out and actually thought it through.I can't expand at this time as I swore "Under the Light and by my hope of salvation and rebirth" that I would not divulge the information. Don't ask Wetlander either as she also swore and as she was dressed as Cadsuane, I'm sure she would feel even more bound by propriety...
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Interview: Feb 12th, 2013
AMOL Signing Report - JeffS (Paraphrased)Brandon Sanderson (paraphrased)
During the personalization signings, someone asked what the deal was with Alanna's move north and Brandon said unequivocally that she was kidnapped. He didn't say by whom, but I figure since the report to Cadsuane said there were not any residues of channeling to read, it must have been Moridin himself using the True Power.
JeffS
So that's one more down of the 7 left unasked.
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Interview: Feb 19th, 2013
AMOL Signing Report - Rob B (Paraphrased)Rob B
Although I was taking some pictures during the signing, I was able to point my ears into some of the conversations between Brandon and the fans. First and foremost, Brandon is an awesome person. He first thanked people for coming, then asked if they had any questions for him. Never once did he rush anybody or shush them. For fans who mentioned they were writers themselves, he offered words of encouragement.
Brandon Sanderson (paraphrased)
One great bit of information I overheard was the next Mistborn novel would be published in 2014.
Brandon also mentioned (and I tried to filter this through all the other discussions circulating) that Hoid would be the main character (I think) of the trilogy or that Hoid would feature as the main character in another trilogy.
I also overheard Brandon say his least favorite Wheel of Time character was Cadsuane, I don't think he is alone in that. Well, for I fact I know he isn't alone because she was probably my least favorite character as well.
One Russian fan brought a Russian edition of Mistborn: The Final Empire to be signed.
Another Bulgarian fan said the Bulgarian translations, which are recent, were done very well.
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Interview: 2013
bennmann (January 2013)
Thank you so much for AMOL. I cried, I laughed many times, I feel a sense of loss at it being over, which is all to say I will reread it many times in the years to come.
Have you addressed anywhere any of the criticisms for plot points that have popped up in reviews and on fan sites? Would you be willing to address any? For example Padan Fain's being something new that had never been in the Pattern before and yet dying before having a final confrontation with Rand or the Dark One? The TOR reviewer agreed with this point and a few others.
Brandon Sanderson ()
I will try to get to some of these questions in a spoiler-filled AMA in a few weeks, once more have read the book.
Thanks for the kind words.
Brandon
leverofsound
Sort of in line with this. On page 357 of AMoL when Cadsuane says "you have cracks in you..." Was that a reference to how you felt about the final copies of the series?
I think you did a wonderful job, but obviously it was different than it had been originally intended.
Brandon Sanderson
Sorry for the late reply.
I didn't write it that way intentionally, but you can never tell what the subconscious is working into a story.
Brandon
leverofsound
No worries. I was a week after you, so it's NBD. Thanks for the answer, and thanks, so very much, for the books.
bennmann (February 2013)
Thanks for signing this and addressing my question in Atlanta!
For the readers following along, I printed out my comment and Sanderson's reddit post above and he was awesome and humble enough to sign the print out AND TO ANSWER MY SPOILERED OBJECTION! I will put the few points from your answer paraphrased for our and the communities future reference spoiled below:
Brandon Sanderson (paraphrased)
1. RJ left notes for many characters that were open for Sanderson expansion, but the expansion on many was not necessary. Padan Fain is one of those characters, however everything RJ left for Fain specifically for AMoL was used. 2. 'Padan Fain is a weasel' and many, many other characters deserve more words than him. 3. Fans built up several plot points that did not come to fruition and RJ even recognized this explicitly. Padan Fain is one of those characters.bennmann
Harriet also signed the comment which I feel is very fitting and thank you Harriet so much for being unified with Brandon on his work and your husband's.
I am very much more satisfied now than before you answered me verbally Brandon, thank you again so much. Keep being awesome.
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Interview: Feb 22nd, 2013
AMOL Signing Report - Terez (Verbatim)Terez
This was the last ever WoT book tour stop, and a lot of people came out. There were about 250 people there altogether. April and Chip were there as Cadsuane and Warder, along with some other JordanCon folk I don't know so well. Jeff and Kiley Daniel of Ta'veren Tees were also there, and Randy Word (a nice guy who goes to JordanCon) was there with his wife Ashley and his brother, Brandon. Brandon is also a nice guy and he friended me on Facebook after the signing, but then I started an argument with him about gun control (I couldn't help it!) and he unfriended me. (I'm sure this surprises no one.) -
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Interview: Feb 22nd, 2013
AMOL Signing Report - Terez (Verbatim)Terez
Alright, is Cadsuane's lesson to the Asha'man yet to come?
Brandon Sanderson
To the Asha'man? It is the same lesson that Rand learned, but they....they started to learn it.....
Terez
Yeah...
Brandon Sanderson
I would say that they have not completely learned it yet. Not until they have spent years...um...growing...
Terez
Well the distinction in Min's viewing is that none of them would like learning it from Cadsuane.
Brandon Sanderson
Yes. Mmmhmm.
Terez
Yeah, so that's where everybody gets a little bit confused.
Brandon Sanderson
Yeah.
Terez
But yeah, I got you.
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Interview: Feb 22nd, 2013
AMOL Signing Report - J. Dauro (Verbatim)Question
What about Cadsuane being summoned to become Amyrlin?
Brandon Sanderson
Cadsuane was going to give up the three Oaths, and go live forever. Cadsuane's fate was not my idea.
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Interview: Apr 20th, 2013
JordanCon 2013 - Q&A with Maria (Verbatim)Terez
Rosara Medrano appears in the Sun Palace at the beginning of Crossroads and seems to be an Aes Sedai. Was she part of the White Tower Embassy or did she arrive with Cadsuane?Maria Simons
I'm almost positive she was with Cadsuane, with Cadsuane's faction. I think I asked Jim that when we were actually working on the book.Tags
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Interview: Apr 15th, 2013
Reddit AMA 2013 (Verbatim)laenare ()
Hello, Mr. Sanderson. This may sound like a strange question, but in Russian WoT-fandom we have a lot of heated debates about it. Some people think "Rand trying to kill Tam"—is part of Cadsuane's Plan. So, [was the] meeting with Tam in tGS:47 planned to "soften" Rand or to purposely provoke him (by mention of Cadsuane's name) and cause emotional outburst that had led him to catharsis after all?
Brandon Sanderson
Cadsuane did not expect what happened to happen.
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92
Interview: Dec 6th, 2012
West Jordan Signing Report - Josh & Mi'ch (Verbatim)Question
Can Cadsuane’s Aes Sedai, Merise, Corele, and Beldeine, use the bond to compel their Asha’man?
Brandon Sanderson
Wow. Oh boy. I’m going to have such trouble with her questions. I have trouble with her questions when I’m steeped in the Wheel of Time lore and working on the notes every day, and now that I haven’t even looked at them in like ten months...
QUESTION
Tell her to ask Maria?
BRANDON SANDERSON
But that’s one I should know, is the thing. It’s not a hard question. It’s just one where I’m... I don’t think they can. But, you should really ask Maria. But I don’t think they can. I should know that one, you can tell her I should know that one, but I don’t think they can. I knew it at one point.
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93
Interview: Mar 7th, 2014
WoR Signing Report - Kogiopsis (Verbatim)Question (Paraphrased)
Twentieth—Are there any characters you dislike writing about and would like to kill off?Brandon Sanderson (Paraphrased)
Joking answer: Cadsuane from [The Wheel of Time], someone else from WoT—Masema.Tags
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94
Interview: Aug 13th, 2014
Ask the Author: Brandon Sanderson (Verbatim)Question
Were there any characters you found difficult to connect with when writing the remaining books of The Wheel of Time series?
Brandon Sanderson
I've never really been able to get into Cadsuane as a character, and so she was the most difficult for me to do. I love Aviendha and Tuon, but both of them think so differently from the rest of the characters that they gave me a challenge.
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