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Eegah2012-03-18 15:38:34

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Chapter 26: Whitebridge

Rand’s group arrives in Whitebridge, and there’s a ton of detail about the docking procedure that I really don’t care about, and is nothing that hasn’t been done before. Much better is the White Bridge itself, which has a beautiful description and is the first time I’ve actually been interested in fanart. Doman orders Gelb off the ship, and he just goes without incident, though he’s obviously going to cause some trouble later or the book wouldn’t have spent this much time on him. At least, I hope. He also considers the work the guys did during the trip to have been payment enough, so he gives them their money back.

Thom orders Rand and Mat to pass through town as quietly as possible, but amusingly enough it’s actually him who attracts all the attention dressed as a gleeman. They stop at an apparently random inn, where the owner Bartim gives them the news that Logain has been captured by an Aes Sedai army, and is being marched to Tar Valon. They’ll pass through Caemlyn, so obviously Perrin and Egwene are going to run into him there.

Also, people from Ilian, way in the south according to the map, and where Doman’s going, are searching for the Horn of Valere that will end the world according to a legend that’s received several passing mentions before. It’ll be fun if they ever run into the Tinkers. And then Thom brings up the other people they’re looking for, causing Bartim to freak out, saying a shifty guy was asking about them a week ago. None of them know who it is, but I’m calling that it’s Fain, though I have no idea why he’d be looking for them. And then Bartim mentions that a Fade is now looking for them too. Plus, Gelb walks in and starts talking about them, though I’m pretty sure this isn’t the last we’ll hear of him.

After a perusal of their assets (including Rand finding that Doman kept his tracking coin, so Moiraine’s probably going to run into him instead soon) they escape through a back window and Thom gives more backstory: his nephew was killed by the Aes Sedai, though he’s extremely vague about why or how. They’re instantly spotted by the Fade upon leaving the alley, giving Thom a Crowning Moment Of Awesome as he tackles the thing to let Rand and Mat get away. And note that I didn’t call it a Dying Moment of Awesome, as we didn’t see him die, so he’s not (yes, I am expecting to see Syrio Forel again). They head toward Caemlyn, and an inn called the Queen’s Blessing that Thom told them about, without explaining why they should go there. That’s kind of becoming his thing.

A pretty nice split between infodumping and plot advancement here, as well as setting up the different storylines to cross paths in new ways. The hint at Thom’s backstory is kind of irritating in its similarity to the kind of exchanges you’d get on Lost, but unlike a lot of those it’s actually justified by them not having much time to talk, so he just gives the basics. The story is now really starting to expand beyond this one trip, making it a bit clearer how this story can last 14 books.

Comments

Sabbo Since: Dec, 1969
Mar 19th 2012 at 1:05:09 AM
Syrio Forel? I haven't read that series, so you may need to explain.
Eegah Since: Dec, 1969
Mar 19th 2012 at 6:47:59 AM
We last see him in book one fighting a seemingly hopeless battle. There's been no sign of him in the four books after that, but I'm still holding out hope, especially since the TV show also didn't show his death.
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