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
3104 Views
I found it painful to read
- 21/04/2012 09:53:31 AM
1308 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
1142 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
1226 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
1155 Views
Re: Very interesting QA with Brandon
- 22/04/2012 02:53:38 AM
1241 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
1500 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
1280 Views
I think you may be giving RJ more credit than his due here
- 24/04/2012 10:35:28 PM
1262 Views
Re: I think you may be giving RJ more credit than his due here
- 25/04/2012 05:02:04 AM
1153 Views
We are in very close alignment
- 25/04/2012 01:27:37 PM
1045 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
1170 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
1250 Views
It's got little to do with obsession...
- 25/04/2012 01:20:48 AM
1179 Views
Re: It's got little to do with obsession...
- 25/04/2012 05:05:40 PM
1187 Views
Re: It's got little to do with obsession...
- 27/04/2012 12:58:36 AM
1110 Views
Question about TGS and ToM:
- 27/04/2012 02:20:34 AM
1077 Views
Very similar to you
- 27/04/2012 09:50:52 PM
1194 Views
Are there plans for rewrites / reordering of the books?
- 29/04/2012 01:17:48 PM
1146 Views
of course there's no plan
- 30/04/2012 06:15:49 AM
1530 Views
Egwene...
- 27/04/2012 05:41:13 AM
1111 Views
Re: Egwene...
- 27/04/2012 09:30:32 PM
1135 Views
Re: Egwene...
- 28/04/2012 09:44:43 AM
1094 Views
I don't find it all that surprising
- 28/04/2012 03:56:41 PM
1020 Views
Re: I don't find it all that surprising
- 29/04/2012 08:07:55 AM
1042 Views
Re: I don't find it all that surprising
- 30/04/2012 07:54:14 AM
962 Views
I suspect Cadsuane will die before that happens
- 30/04/2012 07:06:04 PM
1117 Views
Re: I suspect Cadsuane will die before that happens
- 30/04/2012 08:36:44 PM
1039 Views
Not sure Cadsuane will ever be reigned in by anyone
- 01/05/2012 01:18:44 AM
984 Views
Re: Egwene...
- 30/04/2012 07:41:11 AM
974 Views
Re: Egwene...
- 01/05/2012 07:10:35 PM
1070 Views
Re: Egwene...
- 01/05/2012 10:51:09 PM
1297 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
1182 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
1173 Views
For me it's interesting simply because it is not all that well defined
- 24/04/2012 11:16:14 PM
1164 Views
Elminster vs Karsus, Darth Vader vs Darth Revan, Demandred vs Sammael - who has more midichloriants.
- 25/04/2012 03:13:17 PM
1456 Views

*NM*
*NM*