The Eye of the World: Chapter Nine

CHAPTER NINE: TELLINGS OF THE WHEEL

I'm absolutely confident in telling you that this is without a doubt the best chapter in the book so far. It's good enough for me to start understanding why this series has die-hard fans who stuck around long enough to be disappointed by later books. Those books may in fact suck on toast, but as long as there are more chapters like this later on in Eye of the World, I'll have to give this book a recommendation. Here's a list of reasons why I liked this chapter so much. People still like lists, right?

1: The dream sequence. These are the first few sentences of the chapter:

• Rand's heart pounded as he ran, and he stared in dismay at the barren hills surrounding him. This was not just a place where spring was late in coming; spring had never come here, and never would come. Nothing grew in the cold soil that crunched under his boots.

At first I had no idea how Rand got here. Wasn't the last thing he did in the last chapter sitting in a chair, trying to get to sleep? Then I understood that this was a dream, and decided to see where it was going.

The sequence is well-written, with striking imagery, disorienting pace, and a sense of urgency as Rand is pursued by unknown forces. First he stumble upon a sinister, desolate mountain, which might be the fountain created in the prologue, then he falls and transitions to a highly-populated city, where the people celebrate his arrival as he ascends to a high tower. He opens the door, the Myrddraal speaks, and then he wakes up, catapulting himself into a sitting position as fictional characters are wont to do after a nightmare.

2: We get another scene with Tam. When the last chapter said that he would be recuperating for weeks, I assumed - actually, I believe we were explicitly told - that he wouldn't wake up to talk with Rand before Rand departed for Tar Valon (I keep wanting to type Tal Verrar instead). Fortunately, this is not the case, and Rand manages to bring Tam up to speed. Tam's a little apprehensive about Moiraine, still.

• "You see, lad, Aes Sedai are tricksome. They don't lie, not right out, but the truth an Aes Sedai tells you is not always the truth you think it is. You take care around her."
  
  "I've heard the stories," Rand retorted. "I'm not a child.
  
  "So you're not, so you're not." Tam sighed heavily, then shrugged in annoyance. "I should be going along with you, just the same. The world outside the Two Rivers is nothing like Emond's Field."

3: Information on what Wardens are. Turns out that Wardens are bonded to Aes Sedai, and get a healing factor and loads of stamina from the bond, as well as a less frequent need for food, water, or sleep. It's an interesting concept, and it also make me think that Tam wasn't one after all. I'm not ruling out the possibility, but why would he be so wary of the Aes Sedai if he was bonded to one?

4: The Coplins show up. They've formed a rather pitiful mob to chase the Aes Sedai out of town, blaming her for the Trolloc attack. Turns out that Occam's Razor applies here; my guess that the Coplins and Congars are dickheads seems entirely accurate, based on this one impression of them. Also, Cenn Buie is with them. Big surprise.

Bran gives them a lecture about their behavior, reminding them that Moiraine saved their stupid asses and healed all of those grievous injuries that would have crippled or killed them otherwise. Then Moiraine herself joins in with her own righteous annoyance, which segues into...

5: The lost history of Two Rivers. Turns out the ordinary hometown that Rand hails from isn't so ordinary after all. It used to be the site of a great city, doubtless the same one Rand saw in his dream, but then the Trolloc Wars spread there, and the people of Manetheren found themselves fighting a losing battle. After King Aemon lost his life fighting the Trollocs, his wife Eldrene sacrificed her life and the grand capital city to cast a gigantic spell that single-handedly turned the tide of the Trolloc Wars in favor of the forces of good.

This was sort of an interesting story, and I was hooked on the way Moiraine told it. I wasn't the only one:

• Some villager raised a small cheer then, but Moiraine kept on as if she had not heard.

That actually got a chuckle out of me.

After the story ends, Moiraine and her party are allowed to pass unhindered, and the journey begins.

• Trying to convince himself that he was beginning a grand adventure, Rand followed them through the darkened kitchen and out into the stableyard.

NEXT TIME: The party gathers and ventures forth.