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
3213 Views
I found it painful to read
- 21/04/2012 09:53:31 AM
1452 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
1265 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
1353 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
1285 Views
Re: Very interesting QA with Brandon
- 22/04/2012 02:53:38 AM
1387 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
1648 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
1438 Views
I think you may be giving RJ more credit than his due here
- 24/04/2012 10:35:28 PM
1418 Views
Re: I think you may be giving RJ more credit than his due here
- 25/04/2012 05:02:04 AM
1271 Views
We are in very close alignment
- 25/04/2012 01:27:37 PM
1153 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
1289 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
1380 Views
It's got little to do with obsession...
- 25/04/2012 01:20:48 AM
1314 Views
Re: It's got little to do with obsession...
- 25/04/2012 05:05:40 PM
1323 Views
Re: It's got little to do with obsession...
- 27/04/2012 12:58:36 AM
1246 Views
Question about TGS and ToM:
- 27/04/2012 02:20:34 AM
1200 Views
Very similar to you
- 27/04/2012 09:50:52 PM
1337 Views
Are there plans for rewrites / reordering of the books?
- 29/04/2012 01:17:48 PM
1262 Views
of course there's no plan
- 30/04/2012 06:15:49 AM
1649 Views
Egwene...
- 27/04/2012 05:41:13 AM
1213 Views
Re: Egwene...
- 27/04/2012 09:30:32 PM
1258 Views
Re: Egwene...
- 28/04/2012 09:44:43 AM
1225 Views
I don't find it all that surprising
- 28/04/2012 03:56:41 PM
1139 Views
Re: I don't find it all that surprising
- 29/04/2012 08:07:55 AM
1147 Views
Re: I don't find it all that surprising
- 30/04/2012 07:54:14 AM
1096 Views
I suspect Cadsuane will die before that happens
- 30/04/2012 07:06:04 PM
1234 Views
Re: I suspect Cadsuane will die before that happens
- 30/04/2012 08:36:44 PM
1160 Views
Not sure Cadsuane will ever be reigned in by anyone
- 01/05/2012 01:18:44 AM
1099 Views
Re: Egwene...
- 30/04/2012 07:41:11 AM
1116 Views
Re: Egwene...
- 01/05/2012 07:10:35 PM
1208 Views
Re: Egwene...
- 01/05/2012 10:51:09 PM
1431 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
1309 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
1297 Views
For me it's interesting simply because it is not all that well defined
- 24/04/2012 11:16:14 PM
1300 Views
Elminster vs Karsus, Darth Vader vs Darth Revan, Demandred vs Sammael - who has more midichloriants.
- 25/04/2012 03:13:17 PM
1573 Views

*NM*
*NM*