Chapter Eight (A Place of Safety)

I'm still trying to transition to Wheel of Time from a road trip through the Grand Canyon and the deserts/desolate areas of Utah, Nevada, Arizona and Oregon.  As well as transition from reading a sci fi series about Area 51 (an area I even drove though).  So, please forgive me if this chapter isn't up to par, I'm still trying to get my game face on. 

There's more explanation here than info-dump, it's real in depth world building, Jordan uses casual conversation to do so as Lan and Moraine work to put Rand at ease.  Although, before we get there, who would I be to leave out the foreshadowing of Rand's "prickly" feeling he gets when Moraine delves Tam. 

This is the chapter we learn what the Heron marked blade means, where we wonder for but a moment how Tam came to have it.  Where we learn to be wary of carrion eaters, especially ravens, crows and rats (since I don't like rats anyway, that's fine with me).  We also learn from Moraine about Trolloc weapons, how they're made and why Tam's wound is so grievous, does anyone know, is this used anywhere else in the story?  Halfmen and their beginnings are a story from Lan, interesting to me this time around since I had forgotten that they were Trolloc spawn and that the Dread Lords had created Trollocs.  I think this was the first time Dread Lords were mentioned.

Moraine also mentions taking Rand to Tar Valon, revealing that even the Trollcs didn't want to attack the "Shining walls" as she's trying to convince Rand to flee with her and Lan, instead of going it alone to Baerlon or Caemlyn.  Notice that Lan sighs in relief when Rand changes the topic, asking after his father instead of continuing to panic and babble.  How much of Moraine's plotting was Lan aware of?  Surely not all, but half or most?  As Moraine leaves to get Mat and Perrin, I am excited that they are going to continue to be a part of the story, I was when I first read it, and I am now. I can't wait for more variety to be on screen again. 

Later in the chapter, I love when Rand shows some smarts by verifying Moraine's story with Mayor Al'Vere which farms and buildings were hit.  He might be "just a sheep heeder" but he's not quite a sheep. 

And then he falls asleep.  Slow going still, but is that my impatience because I have to take it one chapter at a time?