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 3: A Pleasant Ride
NOTE: The following chapter summary comes from wot.fandom.com
Point of view: Elayne Trakand
Elayne and Aviendha are traveling to the Farm with the Aes Sedai, the Windfinders and the Kin with various attendants assisting. Adeleas presses Elayne to somehow rein in the Windfinders because of the bargain that was made to receive help using the Bowl of the Winds. Among other things, twenty Aes Sedai are to be assigned to the Sea Folk to teach whatever they wish to learn. Elayne gives Aviendha permission to discipline a Windfinder that did not pass on a warning message to Elayne. The Kin pester Elayne, trying to get out of responsibility for Ispan and the Aes Sedai are equally persistent about seeking that same responsibility.
Nynaeve sticks to Lan as he scouts the countryside instead of helping Elayne manage the group. Elayne plans to head for Caemlyn once the Bowl of the Winds has been used.
REACTION:
Sometimes – though very rarely with Robert Jordan – I get to the end of a chapter and wonder why it was included. This is one of those chapters. Does everyone behave childishly, bordering on being written as caricatures? Yes. Does anything actually happen in this chapter? Not really. I think this entire chapter could have been summarized inside of a paragraph in the body of the next chapter.
Avi is almost over-aggressive toward the Sea Folk for failing to deliver her warning message. The Aes Sedai are difficult, to the point of being silly, with respect to trying to get Elayne to let them have control over Ispan. The Kin are no better. Avi and Elayne’s sexual discussion about Rand wasn’t weird, in and of itself, but it was weird for them from a tonal standpoint. This chapter almost felt as though someone else wrote it, while trying to sound like Robert Jordan. It almost felt like a Wheel of Time chapter… but wasn’t quite there.
The most notable thing that happens in this chapter is that Elayne finally – FINALY – thinks to herself about how she should long ago have shown up in Caemlyn to make a claim for the vacant crown of Andor. She admits to herself that it would have been much easier to make the claim if she’d shown up months ago. I guess that’s something.