Wheel of Time

[torkell]

I was tempted to search for a suitable crazy random meme and post that, but after seeing talismancer's latest post I thought I should write something more substantial.

What to write about... well, I''ve slowly been working my way through the late Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series. The one thing that has continually struck me throughout the books is how manipulative everyone is in it. To begin with you've got the Women's Circle bossing everyone in the Two Rivers village, the Aes Sedai who scheme away in their tower in Tar Valon and expect to control kings and queens, the Aiel Wise Ones doing much the same amongst the Aiel, and then in Andor all the nobles are playing a giant game of houses.

Everyone who gets some sort of power seems to instantly turn and start controlling people: Rand starts out as a simple shepherd, but a couple of books later he's playing politics with everyone. The instant Egwene becomes the Amyrlin Seat she seems to have a complete change of personality and starts scheming and plotting away, even against the rest of the Aes Sedai. I do think they'd all achieve so much more if they stopped trying to play politics with everyone.

In other news, I'm not entirely convinced that honey roast salmon works on with a pizza, though the salmon on its own does taste very nice. Perhaps smoked would work better, or maybe salmon just isn't for pizza.

Comments

[rustica.livejournal.com]

I've been thinking about this... unfortunately, I think the way to get and keep hold of power is to manipulate people. But I'm not sure that's what I see in Jordan's books; at least, not all the time. There's a lot about how, when people think they understand what others think, they're *so* incredibly wrong.

But yeah. I used to think the way you do, but 15 years of working in offices has disillusioned me :(.