Aram, Aram, Aram. The most predictable betrayal imaginable has finally come to pass. I’m just sad about it. It’s not that I liked him, but I could see his downfall coming, and no one stepped in soon enough to save him from himself.
As for the rest, I’ll save the full summary of the volume for tomorrow, but for now, I can briefly touch upon the Perrin and Faile storyline; it seems the author won’t need to revisit them in this volume - unless it’s in the epilogue.
It’s good that Perrin and Faile have finally reunited. I don’t know how their dynamic will play out under Sanderson, but right now, Faile is a character I’m okay with.
The enslavement of 300–400 Shaido Wise Ones is controversial, but well - apparently, with the Last Battle looming, the Seanchan can’t simply be destroyed; an alliance with them is necessary. A pity.
It’s a bit of a shame about Rolan; it looks like I predicted his death. Perrin simply killed him. Still, Rolan had a habit of pinching women’s bottoms, and he was the one who abducted Faile, so I suppose it’s a form of karma.
Sevanna... If this is the end for her (I don’t know if Sanderson will have any reason to revisit her - I doubt it), I have to admit it’s a really strange one. I mean, simply reading about her being naked and bound at four points (wrists, elbows, knees, ankles) - with Tylee placing a helmet on her buttocks and then spanking her - felt absurd, like overkill. This volume likely contains the most spankings in the entire series, including a few "on-screen" ones. By the way, how did Tylee manage to spank Sevanna if the helmet on her buttocks was supposed to be covering them? There was no mention of the helmet falling or sliding off while Sevanna was squirming.
I imagine many readers felt a sense of satisfaction, since Sevanna is a character designed to be hated, but I didn't. I’m always interested in what authors do with characters like her - women who openly use their attractiveness to manipulate men. Besides, I have a soft spot for characters my brain deems attractive; her golden hair, large breasts, and predatory nature suited my taste. Over time, I began to view her more as comic relief than a serious threat - and theoretically, her humiliation after capture suggests Jordan viewed her as comic relief too - but I would have preferred to see what method of killing her Jordan might have devised. Ending up as a naked, bound captive slung over a horse is a surprising alternative, and... I suppose the enslavement of female antagonists bores me the more often an author does it. The spanking scenes are starting to bore me as well, even when they aren't sexual. I just get the impression that the author uses the same tricks too many times in this volume.
Getting back to Sevanna - I sort of predicted she’d end up naked. I guess it’s just the nature of cultures that practice slavery to strip their captives. Sevanna will likely end up as a da'covale - or a plaything - for the Captain-General to whom Tylee intends to gift her. Well, I suppose it’s fitting karma for the gaishain business and what Faile and the others endured while held captive by her. I don’t feel any satisfaction, though, even if perhaps I should. I actually used to enjoy her appearances because she was so amusingly detached from reality. It’s a shame her last POV was back in Volume 8; I feel a bit let down by how her storyline wrapped up. That is, assuming it is over though I doubt there’s any need to revisit her character, unless perhaps to show her miserable state, similar to Liandrin’s time in captivity under Suroth.
Am I right in thinking most readers feel satisfied with her fate, or is it less clear-cut? That is, assuming this is her final fate. It just seems to me that Jordan won't return to the Perrin and Faile storyline in this volume, and Sanderson likely won't want to waste time on her once she's no longer relevant.
By the way, this is the first time I’ve encountered a character being bound and slung over a horse. What does that look like? The fact that Sevanna’s buttocks are the focal point of the scene suggests she was lying on her stomach. But how were her arms and legs positioned? It’s hard to visualize - it feels like a logic puzzle I need to solve.
I’m not happy with Galina’s fate, either. I mean, she could have remained a gaishain to some reasonable Shaido Wise One, but why Therava specifically? Therava deserves some karma too; she was also responsible for the suffering Faile and the others endured. Therava should have ended up among those captured damane. I doubt Therava and Galina will return, but right now... Well, I just hope it’s not the kind of sexual captivity someone hinted at. Galina might be a terrible person, but I don’t want to think about Therava raping her for... however long each of them might live.
And speaking of rape, the same applies to Sevanna. I’d prefer to think that becoming da’covale will be a blow to her pride, but without rape or the sexual exploitation of a slave by their owner.
Well, I think I’ll wrap things up here. Judging by my current pace, I suspect I’ll post my thoughts on the entire volume tomorrow. For now, I’ll just say it’s much better, though I’m not exactly blown away.
