Welcome back to my re-read, recap, and reaction to Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time series. This post will only have spoilers through the current chapter.
You can find my previous chapter recaps HERE.
Chapter 42: The Black Tower
NOTE: The following chapter summary comes from wot.fandom.com
Point of view: Rand al’Thor
Rand asks Min if she would like to visit the farm with him, but the thought frightens her and she declines. She needs to head back to the Aes Sedai from Salidar to let them know about Rand’s rules. She gives him a brief kiss before leaving. Rand can sense that Alanna, the Aes Sedai who bonded him, appears to be in good spirits; Rand suspects she is with the nine Salidar Aes Sedai. With Verin, that would bring the total to eleven. He goes to the farm without his Aiel guards.
The farm has changed a lot since his last visit. A new barn, more animals in pens, trees cleared, and some other buildings under construction. The men have started calling the farm the Black Tower as a balance to the Aes Sedai’s White Tower. Rand has the students assembled. He announces that they will be training to become Asha’man, which means “Guardian” in the Old Tongue. Just as the White Tower has ranks before a woman can become a full Sister, the Black Tower will have ranks before a man can become a full Asha’man: Soldier and Dedicated. The rank of Dedicated will be indicated by a silver pin in the shape of a sword on one lapel; the rank of Asha’man will be indicated by a red and gold pin in the shape of a dragon on the other lapel. Rand awards both ranks to Taim and places the pins on Taim’s lapels. Taim looks furious. Taim and Rand still disagree about what to do about the Aes Sedai in Caemlyn or the rumors of Reds trying to intercept men coming to the farm. Rand has an argument with Lews Therin in his head. Taim can tell something is wrong and urges Rand to hang onto his sanity.
REACTION:
It’s interesting that Min rejects Rand’s offer to visit “The Farm.” Her rational reasons for returning to the Inn where the Embassy is waiting are a good reasons, but she’s also clearly afraid to go. Unlike nearly everyone else in Rand’s life though, she realizes that her reaction showed, and that her real motivations showed, so she makes him feel better about things by flirting with him before they part ways.
It’s a breath of fresh air having her share page time with Rand again.
Rand reminds us that with the Aes Sedai in Caemlyn, there are now three separate groups. One is Verin, Alanna, and the Two Rivers girls. Another – whom we as the Readers know to be the same Black Ajah who fought against Elayne and Nynaeve in Tear and Tanchico – are there too, though Rand has not found them and met them yet. Now we have a third group – an Embassy of 9 from Salidar. That’s a dangerous number of channelers – even to Rand. He’s smart to try to keeping Taim from dealing with them preemptively, though the Readers can suspect Taim might be meeting with the Black Ajah sisters privately already. Obviously Taim and maybe some of his many, many students are dangerous, too.
If we’re keeping track…. Caemlyn and the surrounding area is a *very* dangerous place.
“The Farm” is no longer “The Farm.” It’s now “The Black Tower.” The name makes sense, even if Rand doesn’t like it. It also sounds ominous. Taim has 100 male channelers at the place. So… this place is probably more dangerous to Rand than all the Aes Sedai in Caemlyn combined. They have black coated uniforms. And one of them sneered at Rand, even after finding out who he is. (If we weren’t sure that this place was going off the rails, we can be sure now.)
Realistically… what could Rand do to reel Taim back in right now? It’s grown too fast to reel in easily. A lot of the recruits are not loyal to Rand, and that’s obvious. If it were me, I’d try to split Taim off (or large blocks of his well-trained students) by sending him or them to join up with Rand’s military in a fighting capacity. That’s I think Rand’s goal for where they’ll serve long term. I understand why Rand doesn’t do that, though. Could he trust Taim to not just take power with Rand’s troops behind him? Not really. But breaking up established command of this school should be a high priority. If they start moving, and doing things, they will have less opportunity to plot But… again… can you afford to let them start moving?
Rand *had* to start this place but it’s a pit of vipers, too.
Rand’s men are called Asha’man (“Guardian”.) The Black Tower version of Novices are “Soldiers” and the next rung up are “Dedicated” in place of Accepted. Rand has a flare for the naming dramatic. I even like that he reserved the Old Tongue title for the highest rank. Is this like getting a Latin title when you’ve really climbed a summit? You have English degree names in undergraduate school, but you get Latin degree names at the next level up. I, for example, am a “Juris Doctor.” Sadly I don’t have an owl pin to wear on my collar and to intimidate the underclass.
One of my favorite undercurrents to the Rand / Taim interactions is that Rand’s growing madness is obviously a thing protecting him from the other man. Taim steps cautiously around Rand because he’s a half step away from being insane and unpredictable. Rand’s also stronger than he is, if only a little so. But seriously though, what would you do if someone talking to you abruptly sagged and started muttering “I’m alive and you’re dead” under his breath? Even if you’re a Darkfriend, you’d tread lightly. So maybe Rand holds onto The Black Tower because the villainous guy in charge is afraid of his mental instability? The Pattern accounts for everything, I guess.
2 thoughts on “Lord of Chaos (Chapter 42): The Black Tower”