View original post2. Depended on my mood really. I've never been a huge fantasy reader so I found the action adventure arcs a little less interesting overall, but I very much enjoyed the intrigue of Egwene's rise to Amyrlin and like several of the side stories such as Moghedien being mind trapped and Alviarin's machinations and the Bowl of The Winds arc was cool. With that said, Mat was usually the most fun character to read, even when not a lot was going on in his story.

View original post6. I would say it's probably because it was a bit like fishing in a barrel. Here you have 1,000 women who are already predisposed to seek power and position, who are then closely observed for traits that would lead them to the Black Ajah, and end up with the choice of either converting or dying. It's really the only formal recruitment system for dark friends we saw until Taim started doing the same thing at the Black Tower.

View original post7. I think RJ was leading them toward a truly industrialized world. Aes Sedai and the rest of the channeling organizations seem to be on the path of becoming obsolete in the Political arena, but given Elayne's deal with the Kin I could see other nations following suit and creating secular channeling organizations throughout each nation over time. Major nations are beginning to merge into empires and with limited threat from Trollocs and such it seems like it's only a matter of time until a new geopolitical environment rules the day. The Peace of the Dragon seems like something mostly to hold the Seanchan at bay, and with the Aiel included in it Aviendha's future seems unlikely to happen now. I can see Elayne and her proto-empire expanding as well as Aes Sedai becoming a more loose organization but showing massive growth since they now seem to see the value of open recruitment. Possibly they will become more similar to the AoL organization where all channelers are trained to the maximum ability they are capable of and contribute in whatever ways they can.