I've never been this excited for a book for so long a time. That was the first thought in my head when I finally got my hands on "A Memory of Light", by Brandon Sanderson and Robert Jordan - the final book of "The Wheel of Time". I had been wanting to read this book, this ending, ever since I first read "The Eye of the World" back in 2002. Funny, I thought it'd been longer!
For me, as for many other fans of fantasy literature born in the 80s, this series was our post-Tolkein bridge into contemporary fantasy literature. It has now come to occupy that special place, reserved for ticklers of the imagination like Star Wars, or the Matrix mythos, or Middle-Earth, which once reached makes the thing that got there immortal. Never mind the flaws, apparent and unnoticed! Here is a dream, an escape, that will be dear to you forever after. An old friend that you have spent enough time getting to know that you do not notice the rough edges, or the parochial attitude. A house so well lived in, you don't mind the crumbling paint.
Did I love this book? Absolutely! Was there ever a realistic chance I wouldn't? Not really. What follows then is not so much a review, but a retrospective. Reflections on closure, a long time coming...
It is all too easy, especially now, having been exposed to so many brilliant authors and imagined worlds, to dismiss The Wheel of Time as 'basic'. It is anything but. Yes, some of the plot devices are familiar tropes (and some are cliche). The main characters seem to get out of every scrape and are in some cases poorly fleshed out. There is much smoothing of skirts, sniffing, and dreamworld neckline control issues (!) to moan about and at least one book (the infamous 10th) seemed to have nothing happen in it at all and mostly just comprised everyone milling about and catching up on the climax of the 9th.
To dismiss this as derivative fantasy though is a step too far; because along with all the flaws, here you have... a brilliant magic system, properly sorted out as only a student of Physics could do. A plot that has far too much nuance and 'multitasking' going on in it to be manageable to anyone but a master storyteller. Brilliant twists that surprise, even in book 14. World-building of the highest order - arguably the best out there, barring the Malazan world, Westeros, Amber, and a few choice others. Most importantly though, these books have characters you have come to like and genuinely be interested in; as soon as you finish the first book, you're hooked, and more likely than not will want to give the rest of the books a chance.
Robert Jordan pretty much established one of the meta-tropes of fantasy literature - the extended (unending) series. Starting out to write a trilogy, he resigned himself eventually to saying "It'll take as many books as it takes", I think, as his trilogy began spinning itself into something much larger. It was unfortunate that Mr. Jordan came up against a terminal illness and couldn't complete the vision himself (passing away shortly after the 11th book was published), but in Brandon Sanderson I think he found an able executor for the finale.
To wit, the final trilogy feels of a piece with the 11 books that preceded it, and that in itself is remarkable. Yes, there are stylistic differences, and Sanderson does things differently than Jordan (especially in the last book) but that is not a bad thing at all. If anything, I found it injected a shot of adrenaline into a somewhat familiar framework at times.
The best example, from the final book, was where Sanderson goes to town with the magic system. I suppose it would not be a spoiler to say he uses some of the 'weaves' we've seen time and again through the series so imaginatively I broke out clapping at the sheer smarts as I read one scene (Androl, Black Tower, enough said). I suspect Jordan would've appreciated the gusto with which his system was deployed.
Also finally - finally - in this last book, all the bets were off. Major characters that you were certain would survive get cut down, and not all get extended heroic death scenes. There were at least two deaths that shocked me, and I hadn't thought I'd be even mildly surprised how this book would play out.
The book is in some ways an interesting mix of the new and the old. By the old I mean things fans have come to expect after 13 books of foreshadowing, prophecy, and hints. Well, it's all there!
Some prophecies turn out to be red herrings, others are disappointingly anti-climactic, but almost all of them are fulfilled. I was disappointed that one iconic 'viewing' of Min's in particular was not in the book, although in hindsight, if Jordan had written those 'outrigger' novels that he had planned, that scene would likely be in the prologue. You'll see what I mean.
At the same time though, there is the new. There were at least two major reveals in the final book that knocked me off my chair. I will not dance the awkward dance of avoiding spoilers and still commenting on them, and instead leave any mention of these things to the spoiler section of this post that I'm now realizing I will need. For now, suffice it to say, I hadn't expected the world of the Wheel of Time to expand quite so much in the final book.
Finally, there was the finale. Rand al'Thor versus The Dark One, in the stalactite ridden cave in Shayol Ghul. The scene Robert Jordan had been hinting at since the 90s. The scene that the entire saga had come to hinge on in many ways. If it didn't work, everything that came before it would lose some of its sheen.
Well, it works.
To an extent.
In the end, the whole book is one huge climax, and I thought the scenes with Rand at Shayol Ghul, while adequate, were a bit too simple. I'd have liked a little more - something! It was like wearing a sweater on a cold winter day that keeps you OK, but not quite cozy. A meal that is only slightly lacking in salt. I came away satisfied with it, but wanting just a bit more.
Maybe that's the point!?
As this book ends I certainly have a sense of closure. The Wheel of Time is done, and I can bid it a fond farewell. I am however a bit glum that the outrigger novels will now never be written. Nor will the additional prequels Jordan had planned, sitting between New Spring and The Eye of the World.
Still, as Jordan reminds us constantly, there are no endings in the Wheel of Time, just as there are no beginnings. Still, this was an ending. I'm ready to move on.
-=-=-
Read no further if you want to avoid spoilers. I'm going to share in a hail of bullets my most-liked, meh, and most surprising moments from the final book here.
SPOILERS EYE BLEEDING SPOILERS
DARK ONE COMMANDS YOU TO LOOK AWAY SPOILERS
So here we go
Awesome Surprises
What Fizzled
The Ending
I liked how there was a battle, and it was metaphysical, but I lost patience with the 'showing each other alternate futures' bit. Loved the bit with Ishamael/ Moridin and Callandor though. I did find myself wishing there had been more of a conversation between Moridin and Rand. Oh well... it was good enough anyway
-=-=-
 |
| Rand al'Thor (finally) comes to Shayol Ghul |
Did I love this book? Absolutely! Was there ever a realistic chance I wouldn't? Not really. What follows then is not so much a review, but a retrospective. Reflections on closure, a long time coming...
It is all too easy, especially now, having been exposed to so many brilliant authors and imagined worlds, to dismiss The Wheel of Time as 'basic'. It is anything but. Yes, some of the plot devices are familiar tropes (and some are cliche). The main characters seem to get out of every scrape and are in some cases poorly fleshed out. There is much smoothing of skirts, sniffing, and dreamworld neckline control issues (!) to moan about and at least one book (the infamous 10th) seemed to have nothing happen in it at all and mostly just comprised everyone milling about and catching up on the climax of the 9th.
To dismiss this as derivative fantasy though is a step too far; because along with all the flaws, here you have... a brilliant magic system, properly sorted out as only a student of Physics could do. A plot that has far too much nuance and 'multitasking' going on in it to be manageable to anyone but a master storyteller. Brilliant twists that surprise, even in book 14. World-building of the highest order - arguably the best out there, barring the Malazan world, Westeros, Amber, and a few choice others. Most importantly though, these books have characters you have come to like and genuinely be interested in; as soon as you finish the first book, you're hooked, and more likely than not will want to give the rest of the books a chance.
Robert Jordan pretty much established one of the meta-tropes of fantasy literature - the extended (unending) series. Starting out to write a trilogy, he resigned himself eventually to saying "It'll take as many books as it takes", I think, as his trilogy began spinning itself into something much larger. It was unfortunate that Mr. Jordan came up against a terminal illness and couldn't complete the vision himself (passing away shortly after the 11th book was published), but in Brandon Sanderson I think he found an able executor for the finale.
To wit, the final trilogy feels of a piece with the 11 books that preceded it, and that in itself is remarkable. Yes, there are stylistic differences, and Sanderson does things differently than Jordan (especially in the last book) but that is not a bad thing at all. If anything, I found it injected a shot of adrenaline into a somewhat familiar framework at times.
The best example, from the final book, was where Sanderson goes to town with the magic system. I suppose it would not be a spoiler to say he uses some of the 'weaves' we've seen time and again through the series so imaginatively I broke out clapping at the sheer smarts as I read one scene (Androl, Black Tower, enough said). I suspect Jordan would've appreciated the gusto with which his system was deployed.
Also finally - finally - in this last book, all the bets were off. Major characters that you were certain would survive get cut down, and not all get extended heroic death scenes. There were at least two deaths that shocked me, and I hadn't thought I'd be even mildly surprised how this book would play out.
The book is in some ways an interesting mix of the new and the old. By the old I mean things fans have come to expect after 13 books of foreshadowing, prophecy, and hints. Well, it's all there!
Some prophecies turn out to be red herrings, others are disappointingly anti-climactic, but almost all of them are fulfilled. I was disappointed that one iconic 'viewing' of Min's in particular was not in the book, although in hindsight, if Jordan had written those 'outrigger' novels that he had planned, that scene would likely be in the prologue. You'll see what I mean.
At the same time though, there is the new. There were at least two major reveals in the final book that knocked me off my chair. I will not dance the awkward dance of avoiding spoilers and still commenting on them, and instead leave any mention of these things to the spoiler section of this post that I'm now realizing I will need. For now, suffice it to say, I hadn't expected the world of the Wheel of Time to expand quite so much in the final book.
Finally, there was the finale. Rand al'Thor versus The Dark One, in the stalactite ridden cave in Shayol Ghul. The scene Robert Jordan had been hinting at since the 90s. The scene that the entire saga had come to hinge on in many ways. If it didn't work, everything that came before it would lose some of its sheen.
Well, it works.
To an extent.
In the end, the whole book is one huge climax, and I thought the scenes with Rand at Shayol Ghul, while adequate, were a bit too simple. I'd have liked a little more - something! It was like wearing a sweater on a cold winter day that keeps you OK, but not quite cozy. A meal that is only slightly lacking in salt. I came away satisfied with it, but wanting just a bit more.
Maybe that's the point!?
As this book ends I certainly have a sense of closure. The Wheel of Time is done, and I can bid it a fond farewell. I am however a bit glum that the outrigger novels will now never be written. Nor will the additional prequels Jordan had planned, sitting between New Spring and The Eye of the World.
Still, as Jordan reminds us constantly, there are no endings in the Wheel of Time, just as there are no beginnings. Still, this was an ending. I'm ready to move on.
-=-=-
Read no further if you want to avoid spoilers. I'm going to share in a hail of bullets my most-liked, meh, and most surprising moments from the final book here.
SPOILERS EYE BLEEDING SPOILERS
DARK ONE COMMANDS YOU TO LOOK AWAY SPOILERS
So here we go
Awesome Surprises
- Demandred: Well done sir! Looks like he was the narrative ace in the hole. Loved the teasing that led up to the reveal, the reveal itself, and the resolution of the plot-line. I'm so wishing Jordan had left the outline for an outrigger in Shara... maybe more info will come in the WOT encyclopaedia.
- Graendal: Using compulsion on the generals was a subtle master-stroke. Hadn't seen that coming. The way that set up Mat taking over the "Lord of Battles" role was spectacular, and suddenly made that damn foxhead medallion make sense.
- The Red Aiel: Oh wow. Oh wow o wowo owowowo. Brilliant. We've known since the fourth book where Aiel male channelers go... now they've come back to roost!
- Androl and his Gateways: Reminded me so much of Portal it's delightful. In general, I liked this character, and was disappointed he sort of goes missing once the plot-line with Egwene and Logain resolves.
- M'Hael: Yes, yes... we knew he was a baddy, but who knew he'd be the first contemporary Chosen of the Third Age? Nicely done.
- Lanfear: Oy, the baddies were all impressive, OK? I loved Lanfear's closure with Lews Therin/ Rand and how she becomes, well, semi-good towards the end...
What Fizzled
- Padan Fain/ Mordeth: Just meh. He was like an after-thought. I mean come on, it was nice that the Gollum comparison turned out to be a red herring, but he was just unnecessary in the end. I wonder if Jordan could've killed him off at Shadar Logoth when Saidin was cleansed... would've been a better ending for our favorite psycho peddler methinks.
- Prophecy: No "Three on a boat, and one who died but lives"? Come on! That was my favorite one!
- Slayer: The POV we get from Slayer early on promised something that just didn't get delivered, I thought. I liked how Perrin and he went at it in the Dream world, also liked the Last Hunt thing, but I wished there had been a more active role for Slayer/ another POV from him.
- Moiraine: Came back to do politics? Really? That's all?
- Horn of Valere: I liked that Mat wasn't linked to it at all and Olver got to blow it, but it (like Slayer and Fain) wasn't really crucial to the story, was it?
The Ending
I liked how there was a battle, and it was metaphysical, but I lost patience with the 'showing each other alternate futures' bit. Loved the bit with Ishamael/ Moridin and Callandor though. I did find myself wishing there had been more of a conversation between Moridin and Rand. Oh well... it was good enough anyway
-=-=-
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