Soldato
On Crossroads of Twilight in my re-read. So long as I skim-read most of the interminable "Plot That Wouldn't Die" (Faile's capture and rescue), there's lots of Mat in it which is all good.
Best thing about CoT is the reviews on Amazon.
Best thing about CoT is the reviews on Amazon.
Q: Mr. Jordan, you've come in for a lot a criticism that your current book does not advance on the major development that concluded the last installment. How do answer your critics?
RJ: Yes, well, we all know that book 47, The Dragon Relieved, contained a major plot twist -
Q: You mean Rand urinating?
RJ: That's right. But as an author, you can never just build directly onto a moment of such consequence. I have a duty to the reader to provide full context for how a significant event like this one impacts the world as a whole. Every move that the Dragon Reborn makes has the ability to affect every other character, and in turn, each character's response to the Dragon Reborn's every action is crucial for a full understanding of how his leadership is perceived.
Q: Still, a lot of people have pointed out that you could have achieved the same result with a more succinct prologue rather than dedicating an entire novel to such a short span of time. Do you agree?
RJ: Certainly not. Perhaps if it had been a shorter **** I may have been able to accommodate such an approach but that would not have been realistic. I must stay true to the world that I have created and Rand did drink a lot of spiced wine -
Q: That was back in book 44 if I'm not mistaken?
RJ: Um . . . book 43 is where most of the actual imbibing that resulted in this urination took place. Book 44 was dedicated to the uncomfortable feeling that ensued.
Q: Ah, yes, I'm terribly sorry.
RJ: Perfectly understandable. That was almost 3000 pages ago and much has happened in between so I will forgive your indiscretion . . . once.
Q: Yes, well, um . . . you really believe the 17 second time frame was essential then?
RJ: Absolutely. When you drink that much liquid in such a short period of time anything less would be unacceptable. And let's not forget that those 17 seconds do not stand by themselves either. The thoughts, feelings, and emotions of the other characters during that 17-second pee are incredibly crucial to the future progression of the story. There are over 1900 major characters that I must account for including 900 soldiers, 500 Aed Sedai, 300 Ash'aman, 100 village councilors, 48 farmers, 37 blacksmiths, 18 millers, 10 brewers, 4 tanners, and a cobbler. I'm actually amazed that I was able to resolve the entire timeframe in just one book. Although, to be fair, if I had to level any criticism against myself it would be the fact that only one cobbler has been elevated to the status of a major character. There are a lot of people walking great distances in The Wheel of Time and it's not entirely accurate to have only one cobbler servicing their footwear.
Q: Footwear which incidentally is described in more detail in a WOT companion book entitled "Fashions of the Wheel" which is published by TOR's Pointless division and is now available for purchase.
RJ: That's right. My readers are ever hungry for more details. A lot of descriptions of boots, soles, laces (that sort of thing) that I deemed essential to the main story were removed at the insistence of my publishers. Apparently they would not have been able to print some of the novels as one volume given the current printing/binding technology and thus the companion book was born. I must say that it is a thrilling read, though, and I urge all of my fans to purchase it. It's filled with information that you will not want to miss.
Q: Mr. Jordan, back to your earlier comment. I don't believe I've ever heard you offer any self criticism before so as we wrap up, I would like to thank you on behalf of our audience for your honesty.
RJ: I said if I had to pick something. It's not specifically a criticism -
Q: But you said -
RJ: I know what I said! It's just a note really; a minor observation. Expect it to be rectified in later volumes.
Q: Well, there you have it ladies and gentlemen. You heard it hear first - Mr. Jordan will be introducing more cobblers into his massively pop . . . um . . . well, massive Wheel of Time saga. I know I can't wait. It should be very interesting. Thank you for your time, Mr. Jordan. Would you like to offer any hints on the upcoming installment to your devoted readers before we say goodbye?
RJ: No. Read and find out.
Q: I couldn't help but notice (since it comprised 48 chapters) that Elayne drank an awful lot of tea herself in book 37. Might we see that plot line picked up again soon with a similarly exciting outcome as The Dragon Relieved?
RJ: RAFO.
Q: Yes, well, perhaps that will be expanded upon in a midquel (a term copyrighted by Mr. Jordan to include a book written that takes place between two already completed and supposedly sequential books in a series). I can't thank you enough for you time. Good day.
just glad Rand has grew a pair, best moment of the books IMO 
