I've stated for years that I believe RJ kept the strength ranking vague so he could do as he pleased with his magic users, but still have a tidy ranking system for them. The way he managed it is actually quite brilliant because there is almost no way he could say something in an interview or add to the text that he couldn't quickly explain via Talent, Affinity or mystery Angreal. Sanderson getting confused is not particularly surprising to me given the number of Channelers in the series and the number of potentially conflicting bits of information the system inherently generates. It's one of the things I find fascinating about RJ's system ... There is nearly always a logical explination for any OP feat that occurs in the series.
I do think he could have flushed out certain things more clearly... Dexterity v. Strength has always seemed too vague to me as well as skill levels. While its clear that some Channelers have great skill and others not as much, it's never been particularly obvious how skill can overcome brute strength ... We have a few examples such as Lanfear handing Rand his ass and late Cyndane escaping Alivia, but the details are insufficient to judge much beyond Lanfear/Cyndane was skilled and her opponents were not. I have always wanted to be inside the head of the skilled Channeler to get a better sense of how the work around things like reversed weaves or fighting someone of the opposite sex ... Lanfear certainly seemed to know what Rand was doing, but HOW she knew was left to our imagination.
The dexterity question is even more frustrating to me as it defies convention in many ways. If you consider boxing as a proxy you could see how a light weight and a heavy weight could actually have a roughly fair fight. One relying on speed and accuracy while the other went for brute force. However, RJ seems to claim that Dexterity was somehow a "normalizing" effect which allowed women to in effect go head to head with the men. In fact we see Lanfear seemingly match Rand force to force rather than truly out maneuver him.
I generally imagine OP to be something of a tennis match pitting a hard hitter against a counter punching player. The contrast in style makes for a legitimate unsurity in outcome, but even in the analogy you would never say these individuals have the same effect to the same degree.
I do think he could have flushed out certain things more clearly... Dexterity v. Strength has always seemed too vague to me as well as skill levels. While its clear that some Channelers have great skill and others not as much, it's never been particularly obvious how skill can overcome brute strength ... We have a few examples such as Lanfear handing Rand his ass and late Cyndane escaping Alivia, but the details are insufficient to judge much beyond Lanfear/Cyndane was skilled and her opponents were not. I have always wanted to be inside the head of the skilled Channeler to get a better sense of how the work around things like reversed weaves or fighting someone of the opposite sex ... Lanfear certainly seemed to know what Rand was doing, but HOW she knew was left to our imagination.
The dexterity question is even more frustrating to me as it defies convention in many ways. If you consider boxing as a proxy you could see how a light weight and a heavy weight could actually have a roughly fair fight. One relying on speed and accuracy while the other went for brute force. However, RJ seems to claim that Dexterity was somehow a "normalizing" effect which allowed women to in effect go head to head with the men. In fact we see Lanfear seemingly match Rand force to force rather than truly out maneuver him.
I generally imagine OP to be something of a tennis match pitting a hard hitter against a counter punching player. The contrast in style makes for a legitimate unsurity in outcome, but even in the analogy you would never say these individuals have the same effect to the same degree.
Domani Drag Queen in the White Tower ... Aran'gar watch out!
Very interesting QA with Brandon
- 20/04/2012 11:19:02 PM
3147 Views
I found it painful to read
- 21/04/2012 09:53:31 AM
1377 Views
Agreed ... He got some softball questions here and couldn't answer them ... But there is a lot
- 22/04/2012 04:26:27 AM
1198 Views
Re: Agreed ... He got some softball questions here and couldn't answer them ... But there is a lot
- 22/04/2012 08:06:38 AM
1286 Views
Re: Agreed ... He got some softball questions here and couldn't answer them ... But there is a lot
- 22/04/2012 02:39:41 PM
1222 Views
Re: Very interesting QA with Brandon
- 22/04/2012 02:53:38 AM
1316 Views
This certainly makes a mockery of a lot that us 20-year long readers of Wot used to hold dear...
- 23/04/2012 09:50:51 AM
1580 Views
Re: This certainly makes a mockery of a lot that us 20-year long readers of Wot used to hold dear...
- 23/04/2012 02:39:30 PM
1356 Views
I think you may be giving RJ more credit than his due here
- 24/04/2012 10:35:28 PM
1342 Views
Re: I think you may be giving RJ more credit than his due here
- 25/04/2012 05:02:04 AM
1210 Views
We are in very close alignment
- 25/04/2012 01:27:37 PM
1098 Views
Re: This certainly makes a mockery of a lot that us 20-year long readers of Wot used to hold dear...
- 24/04/2012 05:46:03 AM
1230 Views
Re: This certainly makes a mockery of a lot that us 20-year long readers of Wot used to hold dear...
- 24/04/2012 08:10:15 AM
1315 Views
It's got little to do with obsession...
- 25/04/2012 01:20:48 AM
1238 Views
Re: It's got little to do with obsession...
- 25/04/2012 05:05:40 PM
1259 Views
Re: It's got little to do with obsession...
- 27/04/2012 12:58:36 AM
1174 Views
Question about TGS and ToM:
- 27/04/2012 02:20:34 AM
1144 Views
Very similar to you
- 27/04/2012 09:50:52 PM
1268 Views
Are there plans for rewrites / reordering of the books?
- 29/04/2012 01:17:48 PM
1189 Views
of course there's no plan
- 30/04/2012 06:15:49 AM
1589 Views
Egwene...
- 27/04/2012 05:41:13 AM
1155 Views
Re: Egwene...
- 27/04/2012 09:30:32 PM
1199 Views
Re: Egwene...
- 28/04/2012 09:44:43 AM
1158 Views
I don't find it all that surprising
- 28/04/2012 03:56:41 PM
1082 Views
Re: I don't find it all that surprising
- 29/04/2012 08:07:55 AM
1089 Views
Re: I don't find it all that surprising
- 30/04/2012 07:54:14 AM
1032 Views
I suspect Cadsuane will die before that happens
- 30/04/2012 07:06:04 PM
1176 Views
Re: I suspect Cadsuane will die before that happens
- 30/04/2012 08:36:44 PM
1097 Views
Not sure Cadsuane will ever be reigned in by anyone
- 01/05/2012 01:18:44 AM
1038 Views
Re: Egwene...
- 30/04/2012 07:41:11 AM
1057 Views
Re: Egwene...
- 01/05/2012 07:10:35 PM
1147 Views
Re: Egwene...
- 01/05/2012 10:51:09 PM
1361 Views
Re: This certainly makes a mockery of a lot that us 20-year long readers of Wot used to hold dear...
- 01/05/2012 12:08:33 AM
1248 Views
Re: This certainly makes a mockery of a lot that us 20-year long readers of Wot used to hold dear...
- 24/04/2012 10:49:54 PM
1245 Views
For me it's interesting simply because it is not all that well defined
- 24/04/2012 11:16:14 PM
1234 Views
Elminster vs Karsus, Darth Vader vs Darth Revan, Demandred vs Sammael - who has more midichloriants.
- 25/04/2012 03:13:17 PM
1512 Views

*NM*
*NM*