[Macros]

I'll give this a nod, but also because I'm a relatively fast reader, and I had read the OG 11 before.
Bar the idiosyncrasies that we all laugh (or cry) about the opening few books were solid fantasy with some excellent high points, and boy did RJ know how to finish a book in the early 5/6 (Dumai Wells!)
But
Sandersons take on the raid was fucking superb, I don't know RJ could have unleashed such badass

Onto Towers of midnight, a few too many Vignettes at the start, 5% and still doing short jumps, a mixture of relevant and irrelevant POVs, but Sanderson has me well back in

[Macros]

Verin was very well played

[Macros]

20% into Memory.
Some great sequences so far.

[Macros]

46% into memory
I mean
How can this be less than half way?
It's the last battle

We are invading Shahol Ghul

How much can there be left?


Tiste

Is the blog worth it?

Yes

[Macros]

And if you can stomach the blog, the slog is easy

[Macros]

Last third.

Given how it is playing out, actually it's been paced very well.

Still curious as to who is going to die. A few who I thought were going to have scraped through so far

[Macros]

And so ends the Wheel of Time.

I'd say the final 3 are worth the pain of 9 and 10.

I'd say a few deaths weren't needed, fairly low rent, a few scraped through and that robbed the actions of pure awesomeness, but still there is plenty.

The Forsaken, eh again on one level A little bit of a let down.

I think Fains story could have been excised like the prophet but that's a minor gripe, it was well enough wrapped up.


As characters developed, well beyond what Jordan did:
Egwene - fuck yeah, Sandy makes her 100% awesome
Nyneave - becomes a far more relatable person, dickishness down to basically zero
Mat - middle ground, better on some parts for sure
Lan - actual substance beyond choppy warder
Rand - finally let's go


A few twists and turns along the road, some telegraphed in a mile off, some fhck yeahs and some holy shits

Tuon and her ilk are still complete wankers.

[TheRetiredBridgeburner]

I've got about an hour of Memory of Light left. And I pretty much echo everything Macros said. I think for people who founder late in the series, it might be worth reading a summary and then picking up where Sanderson takes over.

I read AMOL when it was released and this is my second time through. Some bits really made me punch the air or pulled at the heartstrings that I'd forgotten/didn't expect (and yes, I'm a chronic softie).

Spoiler

1. Egwene's passing. My god, Sanderson makes her incredible, and based on my feelings about the character up to that point I would never have guessed I'd be sad when she died.

2. Lan's final lesson, and taking Demandred down with it. FUCK YES.

3. When Rand has his "it's never been about just me" moment and describes the Emonds Field Five and Moiraine without naming them - "they still fought". It was just one of those moments that's beautifully done and you can feel how much love the writer(s) have for those characters.

4. When Perrin is in the Wolf Dream after Olver blows the Horn of Valere and find himself surrounded by the spirits of wolves.

"And then he understood. Not all heroes were human."

I still think Sanderson is largely an ass, but he did a brilliant job closing out the series and his three books are far and away more enjoyable than any of the middle of the series.

Well rehearsed complaints about the usual supsect bits aside, I'll probably listen to the series again at some point - I find it really suits earbook because I can phase out of the slog parts rather than having to push through to read them.

May the Dragon ride again on the winds of time.




EDIT: I genuinely hope the TV series can run to the end of the story (however much ends up getting chopped down) - I'd love to see those actors tackle Sanderson's era of the story.

My one greatest wish for it is to see Zoe Robins get to do (spoiler)

Spoiler

Nynaeve's dash along the Borderlands summoning them to fight for Lan.

"My husband rides for Tarmon Gai'don - does he ride alone?"

You just know she'd be brilliant....

This post has been edited by TheRetiredBridgeburner: 02 August 2024 - 01:02 PM

[Macros]

Sandy had me all in for Egwene from the raid.