Lord of Chaos

"Lord of Chaos" (abbreviated as LoC by fans) is the sixth book of "The Wheel of Time" fantasy series written by American author Robert Jordan. It was published by Tor Books and released on October 15, 1994.

"Lord of Chaos" is the longest book of "The Wheel of Time" in terms of pages (1024 for the paperback edition), although by word-count, it's only the second longest behind "The Shadow Rising".

infobox Book |
name = Lord of Chaos
orig title =
translator =


image_caption = Original cover of "Lord of Chaos", showing an Aes Sedai kneeling before Rand al'Thor
author = Robert Jordan
cover_artist = Darrell K. Sweet
country = United States
language = English
series = The Wheel of Time
genre = Fantasy
publisher = Tor Books (U.S.)
release_date = October 15 1994
media_type = Print (Hardback & Paperback)
pages = 720 pp (U.S. hardback edition)1024 pp (U.S. paperback edition)
isbn = ISBN 0-312-85428-5 (US hardback edition)
preceded_by = The Fires of Heaven
followed_by = A Crown of Swords

Plot summary

"Lord of Chaos" consists of a prologue, 55 chapters, and an epilogue. It is the first book of the "Wheel of Time" to have an epilogue, with some of the others being "New Spring," "Crossroads of Twilight," and "Knife of Dreams".

The deposed Queen of Andor, Morgase Trakand, goes to Amadicia to seek aid in returning to the throne. However, she is as good as taken captive by the Lord Captain Commander of the Children of the Light, Pedron Niall.

In response to the declaration of amnesty for men who can channel by Rand al'Thor, the Dragon Reborn, Mazrim Taim, a previous False Dragon who had wrought destruction in the Borderlands, swears allegiance to him. Rand has Mazrim Taim lead and train the newly-established Asha'man at the so-called Black Tower.

Rand is diplomatically courted by both the rebel Aes Sedai in Salidar, who send an envoy to Caemlyn, and the Aes Sedai of the White Tower, who send an envoy to Cairhien.

In Emond's Field, Perrin Aybara, making his return to the series after his absence in the previous book, feels the pull of "ta'veren" upon "ta'veren" and heads to Caemlyn to join Rand.

Wrongly thinking the Salidar Aes Sedai few in number and cowed, Rand sends Mat Cauthon to retrieve Elayne Trakand and win the allegiance of the rebel Aes Sedai. Mat discovers that Egwene al'Vere has been named the Amyrlin Seat of the rebel Aes Sedai, and when she sends Nynaeve al'Meara and Elayne to Ebou Dar in Altara to search for a "ter'angreal" with which to break the Dark One's control of the climate, Mat goes with them.

Shortly after Perrin joins up with him, Rand is secretly kidnapped by Elaida's Aes Sedai, who begin journeying back to Tar Valon. Along the way Rand is tortured severely and constantly, which has long-lasting effects on his psyche. Learning of the kidnapping, Perrin leads a mixed force of Rand's followers after the Aes Sedai, leading to the climactic Battle of Dumai's Wells. At the end of the battle, the rebel Aes Sedai are forced to swear fealty to the Dragon Reborn while the surviving White Tower Aes Sedai, who kidnapped Rand, remain captives.

Battle of Dumai's Wells

The Battle of Dumai's Wells occurs in Chapter 55 of this book.

Forces

Pro-Dragon forces

*Led by Perrin Aybara

Wolves

*Led by Perrin
*1000 wolves

Two Rivers Men

*Led by Dannil Lewin
*300 men (archers)

=Cairhienin Men=

*Led by Dobraine Taborwin
*500 Men

Winged Guards (from Mayene)

*Led by Havien Nurelle
*200 Men

Asha'man

*Led by Mazrim Taim, the M'hael ("Leader" in the Old Tongue}
*200 Asha'man fought

alidar Aes Sedai

*9 Aes Sedai fought, along with their warders

Wise Ones

*Led by Sorilea, an Aiel
*94 Wise Ones

Other Aiel

*Led by Rhuarc, Clan Chief of the Taardad Aiel
*5,000 Aiel from various societies
*Only siswai'aman and Maidens of the Spear were brought along for the battle. The other Aiel (besides the Wise Ones) dared not fight Aes Sedai.
*Distinguished from the Shaido Aiel by red headbands (siswai'aman) or cloth tied around their arms (Maidens).

Anti-Dragon forces

*Commanded by Galina Sedai of the Red Ajah, and the Black Ajah

Tower Aes Sedai

*Led by Galina Casban Aes Sedai
*Numbered 39 in total, including Galina

Shaido Aiel

*Led by Sevanna, widow of both Couladin & his brother
*Numbered about 40,000

Younglings

*Led by Gawyn
*600 men; all wearing green

The battle

Initially, the pro-Rand armies are situated on a ridge around Dumai's Wells. The Shaido have betrayed the Aes Sedai and have surrounded a group of wagons on which the Aes Sedai are situated, and are trying unsuccessfully to overwhelm its defenders to kidnap Rand al'Thor for themselves when the Pro Rand forces arrive.

The Two Rivers men, Cairhienin, Aiel and Winged Guards are to charge down into the valley after an attack of wolves, with Perrin at their head. The Salidar Aes Sedai and Wise Ones are to stay up on the ridge. However, when fighting, Perrin sees some Salidar Aes Sedai fighting.

The Pro-Rand forces fight their way in, but against far superior numbers they're only able to penetrate so far before they can go no further. In the thick of battle, about 200 "Asha'man" led by Mazrim Taim "Travel" to Dumai's Wells, emerging from their gateways and immediately killing any Shaido they see. They are instrumental in turning the tide of the battle.

In the meantime, Min Farshaw has escaped her bonds and gone to look for the chest in which Rand al'Thor is imprisoned. When three of the Tower Aes Sedai shielding Rand leave to join the battle (leaving only 3 instead of the usual, and needed, 6 Aes Sedai guarding him to maintain his shield), Rand manages to break through the shield due to Lews Therin Telamon's help, reaching "saidin" and breaking out of the chest he was trapped in. In overenthusiastically attempting to shield the three remaining Aes Sedai holding him, he stills all three, knocking two of them unconscious. Rand finds Min beneath pieces of the exploded chest, but she is unharmed. Rand then continues knocking unconscious and shielding more Tower Aes Sedai from within their lines, weakening their defence against the Shaido and their Wise Ones. As he is using "saidin" he is undetectable to them. Gawyn Trakand rides up, and wants to take Min away, but she refuses. She tells Gawyn that his sister Elayne Trakand loves Rand; Gawyn, believing rumors that say Rand killed his mother, swears that he will see Rand die one day before wheeling away and retreating with his Younglings.

The 200 Asha'man create a dome of Air around the wagons, to keep the remaining Shaido Aiel out. Some Asha'man are holding 23 Tower Aes Sedai hostage. Some of Rand's allies are inside the dome; Perrin and Loial are two such. The rest of his allies (eg. several Wise Ones, Rhuarc) are outside of the dome, still fighting. The shield cannot be raised to admit his allies without letting the Shaido in.

So Rand orders the Asha'man to 'send a message' to Sevanna. He hopes that his allies who are outside of the dome will see what is happening, and get away before they get hurt. Mazrim Taim, the M'hael, orders the Asha'man to raise the dome by two spans. The Shaido Aiel who are now within the dome are then killed as they literally explode when the Asha'mans' weaves touch them. A "Rolling Ring of Earth and Fire" causes the ground around the dome to split and fire to pour out from its cracks. The Shaido, now terrified, break and run, thousands dead left behind in their wake.

After the battle, the nine Salidar Aes Sedai come over to congratulate Rand. However, Rand is angered that the Salidar Aes Sedai disobeyed his orders in bringing more than the alloted number of sisters, offers them the choice of being treated like the Tower Aes Sedai, kept prisoner by the Asha'man or swearing an oath of fealty to him, which they do due to his "ta'veren" influence acting on them. In the words of Mazrim Taim: "Kneel and swear to the Lord Dragon, or you will be knelt."

External links

* [http://hem.passagen.se/wotcomp/6_chaos.htm More detailed summaries of each chapter]
* [http://www.encyclopaedia-wot.org/books/loc/index.html Even more detailed summaries of each chapter from http://www.encyclopaedia-wot.org]
* [http://www.rpg.net/reviews/archive/9/9120.phtml Review at http://www.rpg.net/]
*ISBN 0-312-85428-5 (hardcover)
*ISBN 0-8125-1375-4 (paperback)