Knife of Dreams (Book 11 of the 10000000 Book Series)

[Sesshoumaru]

Spoiler on teh Shocklance: In the scene where Elayne gets kidnapped by the Black Ajah, one of them uses a weapon form the age of legends that stuns them, so I think that the shocklance is probably along the lines of that (reread the scene if you have too, I'm too lazy to remember the details).

[Gascmark de Leone]

Originally Posted by Magus

The basic plot (which I do not think is very spoilerish) is that 3000 years prior the planet was not only at the height of today's technology but actually advanced past due to Channeling, which made for all kinds of cool crap and abilities. But then there was a horrific war and cataclysm which I will not go into for fear of spoilers. So for probably 800 years or so after the cataclysm started it didn't let up, for one thing. So I don't see it too unrealistic that technology didn't readvance past medieval technology in the ensuing 2000 years or so. But anyway, read the books if you want the real low-down on "lack of advancement from ancient civilizations in fantasy novels".

EDIT: Oh and the ancient civilization had the equivalent of guns which were called Shock Lances, and cars and planes apparently, though I hope they had some sort of steampunkish or fantastical quality about them, because that's how I picture them. No other description of them is available. I assume that Shock Lance is either a medieval/made-up way of saying gun (like Ash's Boomstick is actually a shotgun), or it's some sort of energy beam shooting lance or lance that gives off an electric shock when stuck into people or something. Something rad like that.

Now, I don't remember for sure (I haven't read these books in a while, and my memory is spotty, at best), but it seems to me that the people don't like channeling and people who do it. So, for the most part, the Aes Sedai (sp?) aren't around in most of the places, so they're influence is low.

What's my point? My point is, that since most people can't rely on channeling to help them out, why the hell aren't they devoloping new technologies to help them? Even at a slow level of development, surely they'd come up with something new every hundred years or so.

[42PETUNIAS]

Well, recently the Aiel War happened, so that might explain why theres no new development. Also, for whatever reason, new growth wasn't encouraged or helped by the nobles. So when Rand started getting people to develop new technologies, he tapped a resource that wasn't being used previously, which would explain all the new inventions.

[Kei-Kun]

What I like about the novels is puzzling out the little tidbits, and relating them to our technology. "Glow Bulbs" = Light Bulb? "Sho Wings" = Airplane? It's one of those little things that make reading the series so fun.

Also, if you notice, every time there is a truely "advancingment" of civilization, a war happens which is probably caused by Ishamael, since he was able to touch, and maybe even WALK the world, while everyone else was trapped in the seal. and decimates everything. I just like how everyone seems to have something from today's age. Seanchan strike me as the Asians, Two Rivers are the English (longbows! squee!~) and such.

[Gascmark de Leone]

War is a very good catalyst of technology. And in every fantasy story, there always seems to be a war going on. So, the question is, WTF, mates? Get off yo' lazy asses and develop guns! Or at least something other than swords.

[42PETUNIAS]

Someone should so use fireworks and ball bearings in the last book. That could make a really awesome last battle.

[Kei-Kun]

Originally Posted by 42PETUNIAS

Someone should so use fireworks and ball bearings in the last book. That could make a really awesome last battle.

*spoiler* you mean like Alurda's (sp?) prototype gernades, which uses stones insted of shrapnel to tear people apart? Or how about her invention of the cannon using fireworks with timed fuses to go off inside ranks of enemies? She also invented matches.*end spoiler*

On another note, how can you advance technology when every scrap of "advanced" civilaztion is torn apart and destroyed...? There also is no school system, so this is like medival ages, with perks, but sans schooling.

[42PETUNIAS]

Right, just like that, except widely used. I could see Mat getting his army to use it along with the heavy crossbows.

[Magus]

To Seshoumarou's comment on the possible shocklances *spoilers* It didn't just shock/stun them, it killed them instantly! That's badass! It could be a shocklance though, I haven't read the book in a month or more but it probably was a rod of some sort. Then again something that instantly kills someone probably isn't standard issue for troops like it was in the Age of Legends. Who knows?*spoilers end*

As to the war thing, the wars are supposed to last hundreds of years each. So while THAT is probably the unrealistic part, it might not be that unrealistic that after two hundred years people were reduced to stabbing each other with pointy sticks and sharpened plowshares again simply due to lack of any other alternative. It's a possible explanation for Jordan's apparent plothole, anyway.

[Demetrius]

The rod involved channelling, so no, not a shocklance. Aes Sedai are influential everywhere, even in places where channelling is outlawed due to the political pressure they can exert on anyone.