Spoiler through S2E4, theory about Portal Stones and Selene
Thanks! I figured as much re Lanfear … part of why I say the whole thing is a bit on the nose. The moment she turns up and even Rand is confused about how she managed to defend herself against the monster you know she’s behind Rand getting there. The reason I called it a dream land of some sort was I figured it might have even been a special construct of Lanfear’s.
The only thing that muddies the waters about what the portal land actually is or if for … is the movements of Fain and his group. It’s not clear (at this point in the book) why they’re zig-zagging around (it being Lanfear’s directions would be my best guess ATM??) and what it means that Hurin could pick up they’re scent in the portal world at what seems to be ahead of their actual arrival.
As to how Rand ended up a portal stone … that seems way too spoilery for me at this point!
part of why I say the whole thing is a bit on the nose
Pretty quickly you’re realizing that Lanfear is simultaneously the most devious of the forsaken and the most immature. She wanted to be the princess swept off her feet by the reincarnation of her old jilted lover. I know “princesses” like that, and I’m sure you do. Imagine if that princess had a 150 IQ and was the most powerful sorceress in known human history. Jordan practically invented the modern practice of turning fantasy tropes on their head, and that’s what he did here with Selene… In a way that I think he intended to be really obvious. But maybe could have been a bit less obvious anyway.
The reason I called it a dream land of some sort was I figured it might have even been a special construct of Lanfear’s.
Ahhh… I never thought of it that way. You’ve probably already realized from our conversation that it isn’t a construct of hers, but it would make a lot of sense if it had been.
It’s not clear (at this point in the book) why they’re zig-zagging around
My opinion is that he’s playing possum. But also… the fade nailed to a wall was meant to be an obvious change of leadership (which means change of plans).
and what it means that Hurin could pick up they’re scent in the portal world at what seems to be ahead of their actual arrival.
A regular idea of Jordan’s is that “time works differently in other worlds”. It genuinely may be no deeper than that, consistent throughout the books. We don’t get too much info into the workings of sniffers, unfortunately.
As to how Rand ended up a portal stone … that seems way too spoilery for me at this point!
Yup :). I can say that it’s all theory and never specifically said. So mere chance (with Lanfear being opportunistic) is possible. Like waygates, portal stones are somewhat common. Unlike waygates, the commonness of portal stones doesn’t matter much. Waygates are important to the story in ways that I know Jordan had already considered when he introduced one in book 1 (spoilers through aMoL, so stopping there).
She wanted to be the princess swept off her feet by the reincarnation of her old jilted lover
Right … and this is what you meant by Jordan intending for it to be low-tier fantasy! It’s a fantasy within a fantasy … Lanfear’s fantasy … I get you. And I like it more with that more precise framing … but still a bit on the nose, though in many ways that’s my fault for not thinking about it from Lanfear’s perspective enough … though, by this point in the book it isn’t really clear what Selene/lanfear is about so the perspective has to sort of come retrospectively.
Similarly, younger readers tend to “HATE HATE HATE” Nynaeve, where she is incredibly popular among 30- and 40-something readers. That was my experience, when I first read Eye of the World in 1994 vs rereading yet again today.
Spoiler through S2E4, theory about Portal Stones and Selene
Thanks! I figured as much re Lanfear … part of why I say the whole thing is a bit on the nose. The moment she turns up and even Rand is confused about how she managed to defend herself against the monster you know she’s behind Rand getting there. The reason I called it a dream land of some sort was I figured it might have even been a special construct of Lanfear’s.
The only thing that muddies the waters about what the portal land actually is or if for … is the movements of Fain and his group. It’s not clear (at this point in the book) why they’re zig-zagging around (it being Lanfear’s directions would be my best guess ATM??) and what it means that Hurin could pick up they’re scent in the portal world at what seems to be ahead of their actual arrival.
As to how Rand ended up a portal stone … that seems way too spoilery for me at this point!
Thanks again!!
Pretty quickly you’re realizing that Lanfear is simultaneously the most devious of the forsaken and the most immature. She wanted to be the princess swept off her feet by the reincarnation of her old jilted lover. I know “princesses” like that, and I’m sure you do. Imagine if that princess had a 150 IQ and was the most powerful sorceress in known human history. Jordan practically invented the modern practice of turning fantasy tropes on their head, and that’s what he did here with Selene… In a way that I think he intended to be really obvious. But maybe could have been a bit less obvious anyway.
Ahhh… I never thought of it that way. You’ve probably already realized from our conversation that it isn’t a construct of hers, but it would make a lot of sense if it had been.
My opinion is that he’s playing possum. But also… the fade nailed to a wall was meant to be an obvious change of leadership (which means change of plans).
A regular idea of Jordan’s is that “time works differently in other worlds”. It genuinely may be no deeper than that, consistent throughout the books. We don’t get too much info into the workings of sniffers, unfortunately.
Yup :). I can say that it’s all theory and never specifically said. So mere chance (with Lanfear being opportunistic) is possible. Like waygates, portal stones are somewhat common. Unlike waygates, the commonness of portal stones doesn’t matter much. Waygates are important to the story in ways that I know Jordan had already considered when he introduced one in book 1 (spoilers through aMoL, so stopping there).
Right … and this is what you meant by Jordan intending for it to be low-tier fantasy! It’s a fantasy within a fantasy … Lanfear’s fantasy … I get you. And I like it more with that more precise framing … but still a bit on the nose, though in many ways that’s my fault for not thinking about it from Lanfear’s perspective enough … though, by this point in the book it isn’t really clear what Selene/lanfear is about so the perspective has to sort of come retrospectively.
Well yeah. Jordan was still writing for a teen audience in books 1 and 2. Selene was this older woman that was SOOOoooo obviously playing with the younger Rand’s emotions. But younger readers missed it like the Pianist joke in Animaniacs (if you missed it, our lovely Animaniacs were calling him an organist and he would scream in a heavy German accent “I AM A PIANIST!” and they would act offended because it sounded like something else).
Similarly, younger readers tend to “HATE HATE HATE” Nynaeve, where she is incredibly popular among 30- and 40-something readers. That was my experience, when I first read Eye of the World in 1994 vs rereading yet again today.
Oh my!! Interesting!
RAFO :D