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
3233 Views
I found it painful to read
- 21/04/2012 09:53:31 AM
1484 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
1301 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
1386 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
1315 Views
Re: Very interesting QA with Brandon
- 22/04/2012 02:53:38 AM
1419 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
1684 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
1466 Views
I think you may be giving RJ more credit than his due here
- 24/04/2012 10:35:28 PM
1453 Views
Re: I think you may be giving RJ more credit than his due here
- 25/04/2012 05:02:04 AM
1314 Views
We are in very close alignment
- 25/04/2012 01:27:37 PM
1188 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
1317 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
1410 Views
It's got little to do with obsession...
- 25/04/2012 01:20:48 AM
1359 Views
Re: It's got little to do with obsession...
- 25/04/2012 05:05:40 PM
1363 Views
Re: It's got little to do with obsession...
- 27/04/2012 12:58:36 AM
1281 Views
Question about TGS and ToM:
- 27/04/2012 02:20:34 AM
1236 Views
Very similar to you
- 27/04/2012 09:50:52 PM
1375 Views
Are there plans for rewrites / reordering of the books?
- 29/04/2012 01:17:48 PM
1294 Views
of course there's no plan
- 30/04/2012 06:15:49 AM
1683 Views
Egwene...
- 27/04/2012 05:41:13 AM
1238 Views
Re: Egwene...
- 27/04/2012 09:30:32 PM
1296 Views
Re: Egwene...
- 28/04/2012 09:44:43 AM
1252 Views
I don't find it all that surprising
- 28/04/2012 03:56:41 PM
1174 Views
Re: I don't find it all that surprising
- 29/04/2012 08:07:55 AM
1181 Views
Re: I don't find it all that surprising
- 30/04/2012 07:54:14 AM
1133 Views
I suspect Cadsuane will die before that happens
- 30/04/2012 07:06:04 PM
1267 Views
Re: I suspect Cadsuane will die before that happens
- 30/04/2012 08:36:44 PM
1187 Views
Not sure Cadsuane will ever be reigned in by anyone
- 01/05/2012 01:18:44 AM
1129 Views
Re: Egwene...
- 30/04/2012 07:41:11 AM
1145 Views
Re: Egwene...
- 01/05/2012 07:10:35 PM
1233 Views
Re: Egwene...
- 01/05/2012 10:51:09 PM
1458 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
1336 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
1333 Views
For me it's interesting simply because it is not all that well defined
- 24/04/2012 11:16:14 PM
1338 Views
Elminster vs Karsus, Darth Vader vs Darth Revan, Demandred vs Sammael - who has more midichloriants.
- 25/04/2012 03:13:17 PM
1617 Views

*NM*
*NM*