Subject: WH: Perrin and Mat. Spoilers

From: [email-masked] (P. Korda)
Date: Mon, 13 Nov 2000 03:23:59 GMT

Second in a series.

This time, I'll remember the spoiler space:



Most of this is about Mat's story, but I figured that I'd just stick
Perrin into the beginning, since there isn't much to say about that
section, anyway.

PERRIN & FAILE

Six chapters of nothing much really happenning. At least it's all the 
worst characters all in one place, and it's at the beginning of the book, 
so that it doesn't interrupt the action, later on. Faile is so obnoxious. 
And, really messed-up in the mental department, as well. Don't even get me 
started on the Aiel. I wish somebody would stomp them, already. I mean, I 
can only suspend my disbelief so far. They're super desert fighters, sure. 
Now, exactly how to explain how it is that they are super winter fighters, 
too? They should be dropping from hypothermia. I have hopes that the 
Seanchan can kick the Shaido's collective ass, at least. Mutual 
destruction is probably too much to hope for.

MAT'S EBOU DAR ADVENTURES:

Yay, Mat!

As I've mentioned, even though not a lot _actually_ happens in Mat's bit, 
Mat is cool, so it's fun to read about him, even when he's just messing 
about.

First, I just want to say that Tylin is a horrible, horrible woman. 

Second, the Seanchan are a horrible, horrible people. 

Just like Perrin's ta'verenness has drawn all the annoying characters to 
him, Mat's ta'verenness seems to have drawn all the long-missing characters 
to him.  His posse currently includes Egeanin and Bayle Domon, the DotNM, 
and Jain Farstrider.  Plus, Thom, Juilan, Amathera, some Aes Sedai and a 
trio of disillusioned sul'dam.  And, potentially, Valan Luca and Aludra 
(who is working on making cannon).  It is too bad that Mat did not think of 
Nynaeve's scheme of putting the sul'dam on the collar end of the a'dam.  I 
have a feeling that not all the AS are going to make it out.  That escape 
party is so big, there is bound to be difficulty in getting out of Ebou 
Dar.

The Daughter of the Nine Moons: She actually seems like a fairly nice gal, 
>from her POV section. Apart from all of her dreadful cultural beliefs, of 
course, but she's young, so maybe she can get over it. Potentially, she and 
Mat could make a really good couple. They both have that self-deprecation 
thing going on. They're both somewhat mischievious. Since she is not Mat's 
preferred physical type, there's a chance that he'll get to know her before 
putting a move on her. That is, of course, assuming that he manages to get 
out of Ebou Dar, and doesn't end up in a dungeon. 

There is something refreshingly egalitarian in Mat's approach to the world.  
He basically gives everybody the same consideration, regardless of their 
station in life.  He's not naturally snooty, like, say, Faile, nor does he 
allow himself to be forced to behave snootily, due to the influence of 
others, like, say, Perrin.  Tuon will probably find him rather shocking, 
when she realizes how much more there is to him than was apparent from his 
role as Tylin's toy-boy.

Semirhage will surely not be pleased if her charge gets away from her, and 
I expect Mat might be in for a world of hurt. 

What was it the Foretelling that damane said to Tuon that upset her so 
much?  That she'd marry somebody not of the Blood?  That she'd betray the 
Empire somehow?  Surely, it had something to do with the reason she seemed 
so happy to get kidnapped.  I suppose we'll have to wait until next book to 
find that out, too.

The more I think about it, the more I wish that Perrin's section had been 
left out, and the space devoted to the further adventures of Mat. That's 
some cliffhanger RJ left us on.