I love the part with Rand on Dragonmount. It brings me to tears every time. When he asks what is the point of being reborn over and over again and LewsTherin said "maybe it's so we can have a second chance." It gives me chills!
Yeah I found myself right down there with Rand, questioning the purpose of it all and almost hoping he would rewrite the pattern to never cycle again and let mankind live once and have peace.. but then the Dragon’s words hit all the way home.
@@shortassbd I don’t think it was so much rewriting the pattern, so much as he was willing to use the access key to effectively nuke everything from existence.
Seeing Rand just utterly broken in this book was just amazing. All the manipulation and all the stress of who he is finally catching up to him and just totally breaking him. Such great writing.
I was reading lord of chaos the other day and there is a scene that really contextualizes elida's character. Paiden Fain admits in lord of chaos that he lightly corrupted elida with the taint of shadar logath so that she would never trust rand. however if you notice throughout the rest of the series elida dosn't trust anyone again.
"I'd name you Darkfriend as well, but I suspect the Dark One would perhaps be embarrassed to associate with you." No weaves exist that can heal such a sick burn. Not even in the Age of Legends could such a blow be soothed.
Her entire Elaida saga is literally the best writing in these books. If not for Verin, on this saga alone Egwene could be considered the best female in the series.
This book was my first introduction to Sanderson. I was so upset when Jordan died, because of how much these books meant to me and how sad it was that the series would never be finished. Even if someone else stepped in and finished them, it would be a poor excuse of a finish to this amazing series. Then Sanderson came in... stepped up to the plate and hit three home runs in a row. He did the impossible. Truly, the difficulty of finishing this big of series that someone else wrote, let alone making it good? An impossible task. But Sanderson somehow did it. He was GOAT in my eyes before I even read Stormlight, and once I did, that just pushed him to new heights, imo
I'm not sure the GOAT will ever truly leave RJs hands for me but I was also introduced to Brandon during this book and have read everything of his since. He's certainly been passed the torch and is my favorite living author
Same!! My heart hurt for Jordan... but it soared when I saw how honor and legacy was preserved by Sanderson. I read Mistborn first, and then Stormlight. Love Jordan, love Sanderson!
I almost did not read Gathering Storm because I simply did not think any other author could pull off completing the series as well as Jordan would. I didn't want to be disappointed with the series as I have with other books series/universes that have required multiple authors to complete them. It took the reviews of several trusted friends who had read it for me to finally take the chance. I'd not read anything at all by Sanderson at that time, had no idea who he was when the announcement was made that he was taking over. It was his work on WoT that turned my attention to him and thus reading Elantris and the Final Empire around 2009 or so.
Thanks for this Sean, I'm just starting The Gathering Storm today with apprehension, and I think I'll give it a good chance despite it not being Jordan completely at the helm.
The part where Mat says 'Aes Sedai-ness) made me realise Sanderson hadn't 'figured out' the character of who Mat was at that point. He is a character who you need to read throughly on or actually have written him in mind to have understood who he is. As the reading went on for me, I saw Mat become more in-line with who he actually was supposed to be, which was awesome.
@@Iceman-135 Sanderson cropped out 8 books worth of character development with Mat. Mat isn't irresponsible. Once he takes on any responsibility he see it to the end; he just tries to avoid having responsibilities he doesn't want.
Veins of Gold. What an amazing chapter. And what I loved about the whole arc is that in the end its Tam's voice that helps him understand. I am truly amazed at how great it all unfolded. You forgot to mention the scene where Rand nukes out a whole palace. And the way its written is truly terrifying. You understand how truly powerful he has become and how this power has changed him.
Omg yes!!! I forgot! And also I think that was the scene where he used balefire so hard that (i think it was) Nyneve started swaying saying that he was unraveling the pattern. It really showed you the true dangerous power of balefire. Sooooo good omg.
"We don't know the names of the women who were in Graendal's palace " Lews Therin said "We can't add them to the list. "Rand tried to ignore the madman. That proved impossible Thats when I saw how much Rand has truly changed.Lews Therin was saner at the time.
Also, isn't it implied that he used the True Power when killing Semirhage? Of course the trauma of almost killing Min put him on this books downward spiral, but if I understood correct he tapped into the Dark One's source and that also contributed to him growing darker. Idk if that's expanded on in the rest of the books since I have just finished this one...
This was the book where I fully fell in love with Rand. His struggle with depression and PTSD and his general feeling of just being completely overwhelmed by the weight of the literal world on his shoulders... I can relate to that so much in my own life. I even appreciate a lot that the voice in his head was what got Rand back on his feet. Obviously seeing Tam helped, but Rand needed that solitude. I feel that in my own life sometimes. Mental health is weird sometimes. At least for me.
"Duty is heavier than a mountain; death is lighter than a feather." Your video reminded me how emotional and how much this book, this story meant to me.
The almost choking Min scene definitely feels like it was written by Robert Jordan. It seems like it pulls heavily from Robert Jordan’s PTSD and mirrors some of the experiences Jordan has talked about.
Based on Sanderson's comment here, I think Sanderson probably wrote it. The comment is specifically about Veins of Gold, but seems like it would also apply to this scene. www.reddit.com/r/WoT/comments/enfoiv/veins_of_gold_wow/febmfqx?
From RJs blog - , I had two nicknames in 'Nam. First up was Ganesha, after the Hindu god called the Remover of Obstacles. He's the one with the elephant head. That one stuck with me, but I gained another that I didn't like so much. The Iceman. One day, we had what the Aussies called a bit of a brass-up. Just our ship alone, but we caught an NVA battalion crossing a river, and wonder of wonders, we got permission to fire before they finished. The gunner had a round explode in the chamber, jamming his 60, and the fool had left his barrel bag, with spares, back in the revetment. So while he was frantically rummaging under my seat for my barrel bag, it was over to me, young and crazy, standing on the skid, singing something by the Stones at the of my lungs with the mike keyed so the others could listen in, and Lord, Lord, I rode that 60. 3000 rounds, an empty ammo box, and a smoking barrel that I had burned out because I didn't want to take the time to change. We got ordered out right after I went dry, so the artillery could open up, and of course, the arty took credit for every body recovered, but we could count how many bodies were floating in the river when we pulled out. The next day in the orderly room an officer with a literary bent announced my entrance with "Behold, the Iceman cometh." For those of you unfamiliar with Eugene O'Neil, the Iceman was Death. I hated that name, but I couldn't shake it. And, to tell you the truth, by that time maybe it fit. I have, or used to have, a photo of a young man sitting on a log eating C-rations with a pair of chopsticks. There are three dead NVA laid out in a line just beside him. He didn't kill them. He didn't chose to sit there because of the bodies. It was just the most convenient place to sit. The bodies don't bother him. He doesn't care. They're just part of the landscape. The young man is glancing at the camera, and you know in one look that you aren't going to take this guy home to meet your parents. Back in the world, you wouldn't want him in your neighborhood, because he is cold, cold, cold. I strangled that SOB, drove a stake through his heart, and buried him face down under a crossroad outside Saigon before coming home, because I knew that guy wasn't made to survive in a civilian environment. I think he's gone. All of him. I hope so. I much prefer being remembered as Ganesha, the Remover of Obstacles.
I loooooved that Egwene scene too! So amazing. I’m also a sucker for the scene in Knife of Dreams when she walks into the novice cafeteria and they all stand.
The WOT is my favorite series not because of the power on display but because of the way its characters grapple with despair. For a time, Al'Thor is Denethor, standing on the precipice, believing the lies of his enemy. Only in that moment can we see a glimpse of the Dark One's true goals. Denethor's suicide is a tragedy born of hubris and gullibility, but Al'Thor survives to fight another day by embracing one of life's greatest truths: Only love is wide and deep enough to make life worth living.
I admired that scene where he's on top of the precipice and he is holding both of the angreals and he has the epiphany of love. Without reading it, it's hard to explain how large of an event that is. But it was such a massive character development. You can feel the magnitude of it when Egwene tells someone to mark the event in a calender because she knows how important it is in their history.
I think it's so powerful because throughout the rest of the series previously, Rand was marching his way to Tarmon Gai'don out of duty and nothing more. Not really because he saw the world as worth saving, or loved everything in it, but because HE HAD TO. And that's why his rage began to grow: he felt like he was being forced to do it, instead of doing it because he wanted to, because he knew it would be worth it in the end. And so the point of his realization is to understand what is actually worth saving about the world, to change his actions from ones of dry and impersonal duty to ones of obligation born out of love for others and a hope for himself, hope of a second chance. A key part of that, too, was understanding that the wheel doesn't just repeat every cycle of ages identically, it weaves the important components in. It preordained the high points, but as Tam said, everyone gets to choose how to get between them.
One thing I've come to appreciate in this series is some of the layers that Merphy gets at here. For most of the series the Forsaken and even the Dark One seem like very weak antagonists. Think about the scene with Rand at the end of this, and how it almost went. Now think of how he got there. Now try to say that up until now the actions of the Forsaken haven't been effective. Don't want to say more without getting into the last books, but the motives and goals of the Dark One may not be as simple as you're lead to assume at the start.
Some of the Foresaken were fairly pathetic, Be'lal and Sammael particularly especially for being two of the main generals. They really do pull it back though in the later books
But no one does build up and foreshadowing like Jordan I agree. There's a throwaway conversation in one of the very early books calling the Seanchan court the court of the nine moons and naming Tuon as heir. Completely forgotten even by Rhuidean let alone what book 9 when she finally arrives
@@nickywal so, while they're defeated relatively anticlimactically to some degree, they still have influence on Rand's progression, which is my point. Though I don't want to get into it too much here as I want to avoid soilers. I do think a problem with WoT is that having some hidden layers of plot is good, but you still have to keep the superficial layers rewarding enough so that readers keep going. There are lots of things in the slog that come to matter later in the books, but it shouldn't be a slog to get through it. I'm sure this discussion can go a bit further after AMOL.
That's almost literally what Verin said... that the Forsaken are like children fighting for approval and wanting to be better than the other forsaken... but that the Dark One himself isn't that simple. :)
This is my favorite Wheel of Time book. I loved Rand's development, particularly his ending, and Egwene's storyline throughout. I thought this was possibly the best written Faile has been all series. And I personally actually liked Sanderson style slightly better(even though Jordan is still great). Overall, it's quite a solid book.
Loved how dark it got with Rand and how it was resolved in the climax of this book.Can't wait for you to get to A Memory of Light. People say you can't count it because he wrote it in Jordan's universe, but I don't care, I think it's Sanderson's best book.
Agreed. And I'll go further to say that reading the Lan chapters make me think Sanderson would be an exceptional Heroic Fantasy(I'm thinking David Gemmell style) author.
The scene atop Dragonmount is my favourite scene in all of literature, I think. It's so powerful and leaves me on the edge of my seat more so than any great battle scene or adventurous moment. I guess because it plays on the most important question that can be considered in a lifetime, which is 'what makes a life worth living?' And I think despite the simplicity of the answer that Rand gets to it's still fulfilling and framed in such a way that the simplicity isn't a weakness but a strength. Why is it worth living until tomorrow? So we can do better tomorrow than we did today
I like how your voice gets almost shaky when you're talking about how great some of the scenes are. My voice does the same thing when I talk about things that I'm super passionate about 😄
Lane Sevy Me too! I’m 400 pages away from finishing A Memory of Light on my first read through. I feel like I have the same tremor of excitement/passion in my voice while I’m talking my friends’ ears off about reading the series. Amazing books.
The banishment of Cadsuane and the obliteration of Natrims Barrow, I was waiting for you to bring them up and then you flew right on past em. Such great scenes.
Watching you talk about how you see all these characters playing a part, coming together in the end... the way you were saying it... just something about that just gave me the chills, in a good way. I loved this review, it is probably my favorite review yet of yours for a *WoT* book. Of course, I know what is coming, and no, I'm not gonna give any spoilers, and so that colors how I see/hear what you are saying. And you almost brought me to tears when you talked about Verin. That scene... oh that scene! And the scene you read between Egwene and Elaida! My goodness! How can anyone _not_ love Egwene after that? I just don't understand the hatred people who have read the entire series have for her. That's as narrow-sighted as hating Nynaeve in my eyes. Oh the emotions this review brought out in me!
SPOILER WARNING I finished this book about a week ago. This is one of my favorites in the series, and I feel almost exactly how you feel (though, I think I enjoyed the slog more than you did hahah). I enjoyed seeing Gawyn playing a role in the story again, and following Nynaeve as she (like Min) struggles to keep Rand sane. The scene with Tuon and Rand finally meeting was great too, though the prophecy about him "binding the daughter of the nine moons" didn't seem to be accurate - at least not yet; I'm interested to see where that goes. I hope we see Elaida as a Da'mane as well - listening to quote the scene where she tells Egwene that the seanchane coming back is meaningless makes the scene so much better in hindsight after witnessing what happens to the fallen Amyrlin. I'm really excited to finish the series, but I also don't want the journey to be over.
The Gathering Storm has just to become one of my favorites WoT sequels. Am I also a bad person for saying that I was happy that there where no Elayne chapters?
I’m so excited you’ve got to these last ones and the next two are even better. One of my favourite quiet scenes in this book is the conversation between Rand and Nyneave. It’s heartbreaking to see how low he is and how rational he sounds as he explains it. I also really feel for Nyneave as she searches for a way to tell him this is wrong but can’t find the words until after he’s gone.
This book I think was my favorite in the series. You could really feel all of this negative energy from Rand, and it was really heavy. At the very end on Dragonmount when Rand has his enlightened moment you could really feel that weight lift. It felt so positive, and really made you notice just how heavy and depressing reading Rand had gotten. I remember closing the book with a smile on my face. Never had a book effect me on such an emotional level before, it was a great experience.
Welcome to the club. We have cookies. This was actually my first introduction to Sanderson's work. I had been reading the Wheel of Time since I was 15 and I had literally grown up with the series. Every time a new book came out it was like going home to visit old friends (because that's who they were). So when Jordan died it was such a shock. I thought maybe I wouldn't see the end of my favorite series and it hurt a lot. Then Sanderson came along. There were places it wasn't perfect, as you said, but overall he did a fantastic job. As said in his intro, he started out a huge fan and it showed. He had notes from Jordan and Harriet, of course, but he also made sure that us fans got the ending that he himself would have wanted. I later went and read his Mistborn series, and he's great. Veins of Gold, man what a chapter. From way back in the early books you knew that the Dragon was fated to go insane, and I had always wondered how far he would go down that road before the end. Well he went really far. Several fans I know refer to this section as "Darth Rand". And then he pulled himself back from the brink. It's fantastic. The Verin reveal is also one of my most favorite chapters in the series and I still cry when I read it. People suspected for years that Verin was Black but nobody could have anticipated how great that reveal would be. Verin is one BAMF and best Brown. As for Perrin, he gets better next book. Read and find out. ;-)
I loved the review. Also a small heads up Perrin and Mat's story in the next book follows a different timeline. Their arcs don't start at the end of The Gathering storm but somewhat parallel to the events of this book. So yea some characters might appear at different places at the same time. Just a small heads up to avoid confusion Have fun reading Towers of Midnight
I have been watching your reviews of this series, and watching this video brought me so much joy. I picked up the WOT for the first time when I was in high school. I had just moved to new city and one of my classmates recommended the series after we talked about the books we liked. Since I didn't really know anyone else, I threw myself into the series. At that point, it was few months before book 6 was published. Needless to say I was hooked right away, and by the time my new friend had finished reading the newly released book 6, I borrowed it form him to read. After that I would reread every book in the series in the lead up to the next being released. I too, found it tough making it through the slog. But right around Knife of Dreams the magic was back. Reading The Gathering Storm had me as eager for the next book as I was in high school when I couldn't wait to see what happened next. I'll save the spoilers an just tell you that you won't be let down by the excitement you are feeling build from these last 2 books. One of the things I love the most about the WoT is being able to share it with others and seeing their excitement and anticipation, and how it mirrored my own. I have even listened through the whole series on Audiobook with my daughter (now 15 years old) who loves it as much as I do. Seeing how unabashedly moved you were by this book gives me so many happy memories. Thank you for giving me that feeling again. I cannot wait for your next 2 reviews!!! (PS.. In anticipation of the Amazon Prime series, my daughter and I are re-listening to the series again and are on book 4...can't wait to laugh, smile, and fight back the tears from Perrin going back home and helping to save the Two Rivers.)
Always interesting to hear a first time reader's reaction, loving these reviews btw. I feel you on Perrin, but 2 things... Perrin lost his entire family. Like all of them. Dead. Not coming back. And it was Faile that pulled him back from the suicidal pit that he had sunken into. In a very real way she is his reason to live, so he can start a family with her. I agree it's not always the most thrilling thing to read, but it makes sense for who he is. And the second thing I'll say about Perrin's arc ... just wait. Seriously. Your face is about to be melted off. Fun video! Can't wait for the next one. Hope you your family are staying heading and safe. Cheers!
It took me 7 years to drag my way through the first 10 books. It took me 6 weeks to finish the last 4. The Gathering Storm is not the best at any one thing, but this is the book that really made me realize how everything was coming together. That is why it is my favorite of the series.
Having read and loved this series I truly and thoroughly enjoyed this review. While it’s been a few years since I read the books you brought back fond memories. I found myself smiling several times while listening to you. Thanks,
This was my favorite book of the series. You have to understand Rands redemption in the terms of someone who's read the books since the early days. This FRIEND of yours (Rand) is slowly but surely descending into darkness and madness. RJ's last book (that was fully his) was where we leave Rand being in a pretty dark place. Then Jordan dies. And we have this wait while Brandon gets up to speed and starts writing. Rand's descent took YEARS to experience. Reading the series again, never knowing if it would stick the landing. Jordan said at one point that Rand's redemption would mirror his own after the Vietnam War. This is why the last book would be called the Memory of Light, because RJ had a similar experience in his personal life. If RJ had written the end, we'd have seen this scene in the end and it would be the crucible that forged Rand for the Last Battle. Anyway, so we get to the end of the book and Rand almost kills his dad. You can't get lower. We FEEL his tormented soul. And he remembers the Light. I am not embarrassed I. The slightest to say that I laugh and cry every single time I read that scene. The burdens if seeing a character you care about become unfettered of his trauma and remember that life is worth living... It just hurts me in the heart. And Egwene became one of, if not my, favorite characters due to this book. Merphy, thanks for taking us down this nostalgic ride. You bring back all kinds of feels and make me remember again why this is my favorite series. Keep it up! Can't wait for your next review!
I absolutely loved this book (and this review too :D )! Agreed with everything you said. The slog was a struggle but in these books you really see how everything comes together and it happens in such an incredibly satisfying way. Egwene was pretty much boring ever since she became the amyrlin (book 6), but in books 11 and 12, she really shows how much she's grown during her boring parts. Remember when Elaida took over the White Tower? I that point I thought "okay, so now Egwene is going to the Tower and there'll be a huge fight and Egwene is gonna win, that's gonna be epic." But no. There was no fight. But it was still just as epic. Because Egwene took over the Tower only with the power of her will and with her words. And that was absolutely epic. Plus there was the fight with Seanchan so... heck yeah! Rand terrified me in this book as well. I genuinely cried when he was choking Min. And seeing how it affected him afterwards, how he essentially died on the inside, was scary. The scene where he balefired an entire castle and killed all the people in there just like that was so tragic, I never thought Rand would fall this low. And then one of the most amazing scenes in the series on Dragonmount where he questions reality and the point of everything and then finds love again was just so beautiful. I can't wait for you to finish the last two books Merphy, because this is the most epic conclusion to a series in the history of literature. I was extremely hyped when I started reading the last book and it still exceeded my expectations. Keep on reading sister!
Rand is the linchpin, and without him the rest won't succeed because of what's required of him. Though you've definitely touched on something, that he can't do it alone, regardless of his necessity in the ultimate last battle, the last battle can't play out without help from his friends. 👍
Love this series and love experiencing your read through. Two things I thought maybe you missed in this review (Maybe you didn’t, I was cooking while listening). One was the monumental event of Rand reconciling himself with Lewis. At the very end of the book, when Rand opted to destroy the key and not use its incredible power, the voice in his head stopped, and Lews and him became one. AMAZE! The second was the powerful and inspiring speech Egwene gave declaring the tower whole and unified once again. You def touched on Eguene’s greatness in this book, and that passage you read between her and Elaida was fantastic, however that moment sealed Eguene’s title as the most amazing baddest bitch in the series. Literally, all these books of turmoil in the tower lead by a fiendish despot and being placed as a puppet Amyrlin, Eguene (essentially) single handedly brought and end to it, unified the tower, and proved herself as a born true leader, earning the respect of all of her peers. CRIED when she made that speech! So looking forward to you reading the rest. Thanks for doing this, I’m really enjoying it.
Fun fact, that chapter with Matt and Thom in the town was in fact a Sanderson only chapter. I highly recommend reading Sandersons blog posts where he talks about working on the books.(after you've finished Memory of Light of course)
I'm reading book 9 now and I'm having a really hard time, but your review of the later books and how excited you were while reviewing them inspired me to continue hahahaha.
Just finished #14 last night. I have sympathized with you "slog" struggles. I look forward to your reviews for the final books. Still processing it all myself.
Yess I was just nodding my head along with a big goofy smile. Also the town part I think sanderson said it in some interview that it was his idea and wasn't found in jordan's notes... I might be wrong. And yaa Tam Al'thor has many awesome scenes but the one that you talked about where he berates her is such a parent thing to do...
I loved this video! It's so much fun to hear you excitedly describe the scenes I enjoyed most from this book. Really looking forward to your review of the next book (they're all amazing from here)
I watched this whole thing to prep for my Best WoT Book stream last night because TGS is my fave but it’s been a minute since I read it. This was very thorough and engaging, and I’m glad you changed your mind about Egwene here because she’s my fave ❤
What a great review. This is such an important book in the series and you show that with your review. So good. Thanks for reminding of why I love this series as much as I do.
I'm really glad you made it through the slog intact. I'm also glad to see how you're beginning to see that, despite its feeling slow (or actually being slow; Elayne's consolidation of power in Caemlyn, anyone?), so much of that character development in 7-10 was important, even if it was hard to see at the time. I've read the series three times now (with the exception of AMoL, which I've only read twice), but I can tell you that once you've made it through the whole thing, going through the slog again won't feel nearly as frustrating. My first time through, I found book 10 so interminable I took months to finish it. It isn't like that later, though. Because you know where things are going, you appreciate every minute with the characters so much more. You are able to see how important all those stupid moments were with them, and you never want them to end. I'm sure you'll enjoy Towers of Midnight (you'll finally enjoy Perrin again). And A Memory of Light? Just you wait. The Wheel of Time turns and Ages come and pass. What is, what was, and what will be may yet fall under the Shadow. Let the Dragon ride again on the Winds of Time.
I liked your review very much. One of the things I love about the series is the roles fate and prophecy play in it. The fact that the three main male protagonists are Ta'veran and are controlled by fate. Each one handles it differently though. Perrin seems to accept it very quickly, accepting his responsibility. Mat seems to constantly run from it but it isn't possible for wherever he runs to is where he was meant to go. Rand is the most interesting though, because he runs from it at first only to realize, unlike Mat, that it is inescapable. He then tries to learn all he can of the prophecies he is destined to fulfill so he can shape his destiny, but they are so cryptic that by the time he understands them they have already occured. This only makes the prophecy of the final battle and his death a cold, hard reality. It causes him to lose his humanity because he is just a tool destined to be used up and thrown away. This only serves to make him cold and distant, unwilling to love because those close to him will only be hurt and it makes him treat others as tools to accomplish his goals. He is without hope and resigned to his fate and that is why we mourn him though he is still alive.
The town where the pattern is broken, robert jordan definitely had that planned, as you will find out eventually, but yeah, Sanderson definitely wrote that in a way that seemed different to the rest of WoT.
Yeah, I was pretty shocked at how Rand went after Graendal. Not just at the ruthlessness of it, but it was a pretty genius move. Something that Demandred or Ishamael would have done.
@@cdubbau135 Well, to be honest, I was impressed with him as well, finally using the Choedan Kal to its full potential And the same scene from the other point of view was amazing, "What is that gigantic beacon of power? I've never seen anything like it (haha lol)"
Yes, I’m SO happy for you. I love the call outs (the parts that you quoted). So amazing...and it gets better. Hang on. Excited for the journey you are on.
I’ve read them so many times and that scene you read about Egwene still gives me goosebumps. That whole scene shows that she truly learned so much from the Wise Ones.
Verin had to bargain the time opening the letter so she could keep her oath to not betray him until her final hour. His taveran twisting caused her to go to the White Tower at the right time for Egwene.
The scene on the cover of this book was amazing too, Egwene with the strongest sa'angreal in the White Tower with a circle of novices just demolishing the elite Seanchan strike force. Also, Tuon went up substantially in my opinion for not yielding to Darth Rand. He's looming over her with a literal shroud of darkness emanating from his head and she still says "No".
Gathering Storm just hits differently. You'll love book 13 and I would bet money I know what scene you will be quoting in the next review. Rand legitmately had me on the edge with him it was such an insane chapter.
Great review of one of my favorite books. I was really looking forward to your review. The next two are just as great. After you digest a memory of light the story will stay with you for a while.
The town was another example of the "bubbles of evil" that come up from the dark one prison. I'm happy that you are really enjoying the series. Always love your reviews Merphy. I'm ooking forward to the last 2
So glad to see some Egwene and Aviendha love! I also didn't see much of a difference with Mat. The differences people always cite... I try to look for an in-world explanation, which to me is Mat trying to hold on to the person he (thinks) he used to be before marriage and failing. Great to see you're really starting to love the series!
I absolutely can't wait for your review of A Memory of Light. Glad you're fully back to enjoying Wheel of Time. And I'm sure once you're done, you'll want to do a re-read, and you'll quickly realize that the first re-read can even be better than the first ever readthrough !
I remember reading this book when it came out, and feeling guilty because of how much more I enjoyed it with Sanderson taking over, not because of the story, but because of his writing style and pacing. I definitely enjoyed Knife of Dreams, but The Gathering Storm made me excited about finishing the series.
One of the best books of the series! And a perfect example of why I prefer longer books/series. It is impossible to get this emotionally invested in a character and have your opinion of a character go from one extreme to another in just a single book. Rand and Egwene are shining examples of that. Nuff said.
I am so glad you changed your tune on Egwene cuz I've been feeling that way ever since she became Amyrlin. Her constant proving that she was worthy, whether with the Salidar Aes Sedai or the Tower Aes Sedai, it's always been so satisfying
What you said at the beginning is so true. I struggled hard, very very hard through books 7 to 11, but book 12... wow! It was a damn 5 star experience. It was incredible and I want to recommend WoT to everyone just so they could reach this book and be struck by the masterpiece it is
I finished TGS this month and am picking up #13 next month. Your journey with this series is almost on point to mine with your feelings and progression over each entry! Like if I were to give a review it would almost be verbatim. I’m so glad to finally be enjoying it again because for awhile there I was seriously questioning people’s taste lol. Can’t wait to see where the series ends.
Oh yes! The Verin scene! First time I read it, I had to put the book down because I was having a hard time breathing properly. Second time I read that scene, I had to put the book down because I was having a hard time breathing properly...
I think part of the issue of Perrin with Faile is that his wolfyness sees her as his mate. And so you get the alpha wolf super protective and possessive over his mate.
I'm only on book two of The Wheel of Time and I can already tell Jordon is amazing with foreshadowing, planting seeds (and his world building is god-tier) but the pacing is really killing me in some places.
Only now reached this book and it is a definite turning point {better late than never}, looking forward to read and get more of your thought of the next installment.
I totally agree with you about Egwene. I disliked her from around book 4 and on. Nynaeve for all her faults, was always one of my favorite characters because besides her strength of character, she is fiercely loyal. Egwene just turned on her friends at the drop of a hat, and threw all in with the Tower. Which I guess is what she had to do, but all the other characters became who they needed to become without losing who they were with the people they grew up with. But I will say in the end she redeemed herself, for me anyway. P.S. My single most hated phrase in this series is, "Light! Faile!" With Min, I don't think it ever came down to her questioning whether or not she wanted to be with Rand anymore. Even after the whole thing with Semirhage, she wasn't afraid of him for herself. She was afraid for him. She had been listening to Cadsuane and she knew that Rand couldn't continue on like how he had been. If Rand kept on like that, she knew the world was doomed, but more importantly, at least to Min, she knew that he was doomed if something didn't give. Great review.
I think Rand's realization is so powerful because throughout the rest of the series previously, Rand was marching his way to Tarmon Gai'don out of duty and nothing more. Not really because he saw the world as worth saving, or loved everything in it, but because HE HAD TO. And that's why his rage began to grow: he felt like he was being forced to do it, instead of doing it because he wanted to, because he knew it would be worth it in the end. And so the point of his realization is to understand what is actually worth saving about the world, to change his actions from ones of dry and impersonal duty to ones of obligation born out of love for others and a hope for himself, hope of a second chance. A key part of that, too, was understanding that the wheel doesn't just repeat every cycle of ages identically, it weaves the important components in. It preordained the high points, but as Tam said, everyone gets to choose how to get between them.
The seanchan assault on the tower was my favorite part of this book. Egwene is such a divisive character, but she was an absolute badass in this scene.
No spoilers here, and you'll want to wait until after you finish to watch it, but the Greene/Sanderson interview talks about the delayed payoff issues. In particular the problem with book 10 is identified as being too much build up and not enough payoff. Jordan was really great at buildup and payoff, but his challenge is often in the pacing and timing around this. This is an area I think Sanderson does really well with in Stormlight so far. Oh, and you'd like to revisit that town...?
That Rand-Min scene had me so confused when I read it the first time. How could he channel the True Power? Was this plot convenience? And then on my second re-read I understood that it wasnt. It was so much darker. And on the third, I think I understood what was going on, particularly wrt how it ties up the overall story. So much pay-off tied in with more plot seeds. It just blew me away.
SPOILER Yup...after the scene was over, I sat back and thought..."Holy crap, this is what the Dark One wanted all along." He sacrificed Semhirrage in order to force Rand to bathe himself in the Dark One. Genius. Really puts Shai'tan's true regard for his toys in sharp relief.
![[DRIP] ‘BILLIONAIRE’ PREVIEW](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/m0eXQD0gIeE/mqdefault.jpg)
Verin gave The Dark One the biggest, loudest, most violent, and *politest* middle finger in the entire Pattern.
She said, "Tell Shai'tan. I want him to know it was me."
I love the part with Rand on Dragonmount. It brings me to tears every time. When he asks what is the point of being reborn over and over again and LewsTherin said "maybe it's so we can have a second chance." It gives me chills!
Yeah I found myself right down there with Rand, questioning the purpose of it all and almost hoping he would rewrite the pattern to never cycle again and let mankind live once and have peace.. but then the Dragon’s words hit all the way home.
@@shortassbd I don’t think it was so much rewriting the pattern, so much as he was willing to use the access key to effectively nuke everything from existence.
Seeing Rand just utterly broken in this book was just amazing. All the manipulation and all the stress of who he is finally catching up to him and just totally breaking him. Such great writing.
I was reading lord of chaos the other day and there is a scene that really contextualizes elida's character. Paiden Fain admits in lord of chaos that he lightly corrupted elida with the taint of shadar logath so that she would never trust rand. however if you notice throughout the rest of the series elida dosn't trust anyone again.
Totally forgot that
@@shortassbd lol me too, this series is insane! I wish I could just remember the things that I need to.
I remembered that throughout the whole thing, it really explains nicely why Elida went totally nuts, combined with her already-bitter temperament.
@@ChristmasLore who cares about spelling a name slightly off, that has no effect on the enjoyment of the series
Totally forgot that. You are right - that does make her actions so much more understandable. Thanks.
"Favourite Egwene scene"
Everyone: Yep we know exactly which one that is, her bitchslapping Elaida is one of everyone' favourite scenes
"I'd name you Darkfriend as well, but I suspect the Dark One would perhaps be embarrassed to associate with you."
No weaves exist that can heal such a sick burn. Not even in the Age of Legends could such a blow be soothed.
My mouth dropped the whole chapter
The best part is love Egwene or hate her, that scene is one of the most adrenaline packed moments in the series.
Her entire Elaida saga is literally the best writing in these books. If not for Verin, on this saga alone Egwene could be considered the best female in the series.
@@EdoDave Ter'angreal tape can't fix that
This book was my first introduction to Sanderson. I was so upset when Jordan died, because of how much these books meant to me and how sad it was that the series would never be finished. Even if someone else stepped in and finished them, it would be a poor excuse of a finish to this amazing series. Then Sanderson came in... stepped up to the plate and hit three home runs in a row. He did the impossible. Truly, the difficulty of finishing this big of series that someone else wrote, let alone making it good? An impossible task. But Sanderson somehow did it. He was GOAT in my eyes before I even read Stormlight, and once I did, that just pushed him to new heights, imo
I'm not sure the GOAT will ever truly leave RJs hands for me but I was also introduced to Brandon during this book and have read everything of his since. He's certainly been passed the torch and is my favorite living author
Same!! My heart hurt for Jordan... but it soared when I saw how honor and legacy was preserved by Sanderson. I read Mistborn first, and then Stormlight. Love Jordan, love Sanderson!
I almost did not read Gathering Storm because I simply did not think any other author could pull off completing the series as well as Jordan would. I didn't want to be disappointed with the series as I have with other books series/universes that have required multiple authors to complete them. It took the reviews of several trusted friends who had read it for me to finally take the chance. I'd not read anything at all by Sanderson at that time, had no idea who he was when the announcement was made that he was taking over. It was his work on WoT that turned my attention to him and thus reading Elantris and the Final Empire around 2009 or so.
Thanks for this Sean, I'm just starting The Gathering Storm today with apprehension, and I think I'll give it a good chance despite it not being Jordan completely at the helm.
Sanderson himself admits that he struggled to get Mat right in this book. Also, Book 13 is Perrin's book. Get Ready. And yes, Tam is awesome.
The part where Mat says 'Aes Sedai-ness) made me realise Sanderson hadn't 'figured out' the character of who Mat was at that point. He is a character who you need to read throughly on or actually have written him in mind to have understood who he is. As the reading went on for me, I saw Mat become more in-line with who he actually was supposed to be, which was awesome.
@@Iceman-135 Sanderson cropped out 8 books worth of character development with Mat. Mat isn't irresponsible. Once he takes on any responsibility he see it to the end; he just tries to avoid having responsibilities he doesn't want.
Veins of Gold. What an amazing chapter. And what I loved about the whole arc is that in the end its Tam's voice that helps him understand. I am truly amazed at how great it all unfolded.
You forgot to mention the scene where Rand nukes out a whole palace. And the way its written is truly terrifying. You understand how truly powerful he has become and how this power has changed him.
Yeah, that scene is really cold. Let's just do this the easy way...
Omg yes!!! I forgot! And also I think that was the scene where he used balefire so hard that (i think it was) Nyneve started swaying saying that he was unraveling the pattern. It really showed you the true dangerous power of balefire. Sooooo good omg.
"We don't know the names of the women who were in Graendal's palace " Lews Therin
said "We can't add them to the list. "Rand tried to ignore the madman. That proved
impossible
Thats when I saw how much Rand has truly changed.Lews Therin was saner at the time.
Also, isn't it implied that he used the True Power when killing Semirhage? Of course the trauma of almost killing Min put him on this books downward spiral, but if I understood correct he tapped into the Dark One's source and that also contributed to him growing darker. Idk if that's expanded on in the rest of the books since I have just finished this one...
This was the book where I fully fell in love with Rand. His struggle with depression and PTSD and his general feeling of just being completely overwhelmed by the weight of the literal world on his shoulders... I can relate to that so much in my own life.
I even appreciate a lot that the voice in his head was what got Rand back on his feet. Obviously seeing Tam helped, but Rand needed that solitude.
I feel that in my own life sometimes. Mental health is weird sometimes. At least for me.
I cry at “Veins of Gold.” Every. Single. Time.
"Duty is heavier than a mountain; death is lighter than a feather." Your video reminded me how emotional and how much this book, this story meant to me.
The almost choking Min scene definitely feels like it was written by Robert Jordan. It seems like it pulls heavily from Robert Jordan’s PTSD and mirrors some of the experiences Jordan has talked about.
Based on Sanderson's comment here, I think Sanderson probably wrote it. The comment is specifically about Veins of Gold, but seems like it would also apply to this scene. www.reddit.com/r/WoT/comments/enfoiv/veins_of_gold_wow/febmfqx?
From RJs blog - , I had two nicknames in 'Nam. First up was Ganesha, after the Hindu god called the Remover of Obstacles. He's the one with the elephant head. That one stuck with me, but I gained another that I didn't like so much. The Iceman. One day, we had what the Aussies called a bit of a brass-up. Just our ship alone, but we caught an NVA battalion crossing a river, and wonder of wonders, we got permission to fire before they finished. The gunner had a round explode in the chamber, jamming his 60, and the fool had left his barrel bag, with spares, back in the revetment. So while he was frantically rummaging under my seat for my barrel bag, it was over to me, young and crazy, standing on the skid, singing something by the Stones at the of my lungs with the mike keyed so the others could listen in, and Lord, Lord, I rode that 60. 3000 rounds, an empty ammo box, and a smoking barrel that I had burned out because I didn't want to take the time to change. We got ordered out right after I went dry, so the artillery could open up, and of course, the arty took credit for every body recovered, but we could count how many bodies were floating in the river when we pulled out. The next day in the orderly room an officer with a literary bent announced my entrance with "Behold, the Iceman cometh." For those of you unfamiliar with Eugene O'Neil, the Iceman was Death. I hated that name, but I couldn't shake it. And, to tell you the truth, by that time maybe it fit. I have, or used to have, a photo of a young man sitting on a log eating C-rations with a pair of chopsticks. There are three dead NVA laid out in a line just beside him. He didn't kill them. He didn't chose to sit there because of the bodies. It was just the most convenient place to sit. The bodies don't bother him. He doesn't care. They're just part of the landscape. The young man is glancing at the camera, and you know in one look that you aren't going to take this guy home to meet your parents. Back in the world, you wouldn't want him in your neighborhood, because he is cold, cold, cold. I strangled that SOB, drove a stake through his heart, and buried him face down under a crossroad outside Saigon before coming home, because I knew that guy wasn't made to survive in a civilian environment. I think he's gone. All of him. I hope so. I much prefer being remembered as Ganesha, the Remover of Obstacles.
@@GeorgeWrightau Blood and bloody ashes. Holy fuck.
@@GeorgeWrightaui sometimes forget i’m reading the words of a man who has killed more people than i can count on my hands.
I loooooved that Egwene scene too! So amazing. I’m also a sucker for the scene in Knife of Dreams when she walks into the novice cafeteria and they all stand.
The WOT is my favorite series not because of the power on display but because of the way its characters grapple with despair. For a time, Al'Thor is Denethor, standing on the precipice, believing the lies of his enemy. Only in that moment can we see a glimpse of the Dark One's true goals. Denethor's suicide is a tragedy born of hubris and gullibility, but Al'Thor survives to fight another day by embracing one of life's greatest truths:
Only love is wide and deep enough to make life worth living.
Well put, mate, well put.
I admired that scene where he's on top of the precipice and he is holding both of the angreals and he has the epiphany of love. Without reading it, it's hard to explain how large of an event that is. But it was such a massive character development. You can feel the magnitude of it when Egwene tells someone to mark the event in a calender because she knows how important it is in their history.
@@Iceman-135 Ooh, I forgot all about that part. In the epilogue right? Makes me think of that moment in The Towers of Midnight as well.
I think it's so powerful because throughout the rest of the series previously, Rand was marching his way to Tarmon Gai'don out of duty and nothing more. Not really because he saw the world as worth saving, or loved everything in it, but because HE HAD TO. And that's why his rage began to grow: he felt like he was being forced to do it, instead of doing it because he wanted to, because he knew it would be worth it in the end. And so the point of his realization is to understand what is actually worth saving about the world, to change his actions from ones of dry and impersonal duty to ones of obligation born out of love for others and a hope for himself, hope of a second chance. A key part of that, too, was understanding that the wheel doesn't just repeat every cycle of ages identically, it weaves the important components in. It preordained the high points, but as Tam said, everyone gets to choose how to get between them.
One thing I've come to appreciate in this series is some of the layers that Merphy gets at here.
For most of the series the Forsaken and even the Dark One seem like very weak antagonists.
Think about the scene with Rand at the end of this, and how it almost went. Now think of how he got there. Now try to say that up until now the actions of the Forsaken haven't been effective.
Don't want to say more without getting into the last books, but the motives and goals of the Dark One may not be as simple as you're lead to assume at the start.
Some of the Foresaken were fairly pathetic, Be'lal and Sammael particularly especially for being two of the main generals. They really do pull it back though in the later books
But no one does build up and foreshadowing like Jordan I agree. There's a throwaway conversation in one of the very early books calling the Seanchan court the court of the nine moons and naming Tuon as heir. Completely forgotten even by Rhuidean let alone what book 9 when she finally arrives
@@nickywal so, while they're defeated relatively anticlimactically to some degree, they still have influence on Rand's progression, which is my point. Though I don't want to get into it too much here as I want to avoid soilers.
I do think a problem with WoT is that having some hidden layers of plot is good, but you still have to keep the superficial layers rewarding enough so that readers keep going.
There are lots of things in the slog that come to matter later in the books, but it shouldn't be a slog to get through it.
I'm sure this discussion can go a bit further after AMOL.
That's almost literally what Verin said... that the Forsaken are like children fighting for approval and wanting to be better than the other forsaken... but that the Dark One himself isn't that simple. :)
Semirhage was the greatest of the Chosen for her role in (almost) breaking Rand.
This is my favorite Wheel of Time book. I loved Rand's development, particularly his ending, and Egwene's storyline throughout. I thought this was possibly the best written Faile has been all series. And I personally actually liked Sanderson style slightly better(even though Jordan is still great). Overall, it's quite a solid book.
Loved how dark it got with Rand and how it was resolved in the climax of this book.Can't wait for you to get to A Memory of Light. People say you can't count it because he wrote it in Jordan's universe, but I don't care, I think it's Sanderson's best book.
Agreed.
And I'll go further to say that reading the Lan chapters make me think Sanderson would be an exceptional Heroic Fantasy(I'm thinking David Gemmell style) author.
The scene atop Dragonmount is my favourite scene in all of literature, I think. It's so powerful and leaves me on the edge of my seat more so than any great battle scene or adventurous moment. I guess because it plays on the most important question that can be considered in a lifetime, which is 'what makes a life worth living?' And I think despite the simplicity of the answer that Rand gets to it's still fulfilling and framed in such a way that the simplicity isn't a weakness but a strength. Why is it worth living until tomorrow? So we can do better tomorrow than we did today
This is interesting too, if you have read Stormlight Archives, Sanderson has his own version of this. What is the most important step a man can take.
I like how your voice gets almost shaky when you're talking about how great some of the scenes are. My voice does the same thing when I talk about things that I'm super passionate about 😄
Also I love your videos!
Lane Sevy Me too! I’m 400 pages away from finishing A Memory of Light on my first read through. I feel like I have the same tremor of excitement/passion in my voice while I’m talking my friends’ ears off about reading the series. Amazing books.
The banishment of Cadsuane and the obliteration of Natrims Barrow, I was waiting for you to bring them up and then you flew right on past em. Such great scenes.
The banishment of Cadsuane is one of the happiest moments of my life!
Verrin's reveal! I'd always loved Verrin but her reveal was one of my favorite scenes in the book.
Watching you talk about how you see all these characters playing a part, coming together in the end... the way you were saying it... just something about that just gave me the chills, in a good way. I loved this review, it is probably my favorite review yet of yours for a *WoT* book. Of course, I know what is coming, and no, I'm not gonna give any spoilers, and so that colors how I see/hear what you are saying.
And you almost brought me to tears when you talked about Verin. That scene... oh that scene! And the scene you read between Egwene and Elaida! My goodness! How can anyone _not_ love Egwene after that? I just don't understand the hatred people who have read the entire series have for her. That's as narrow-sighted as hating Nynaeve in my eyes.
Oh the emotions this review brought out in me!
SPOILER WARNING
I finished this book about a week ago. This is one of my favorites in the series, and I feel almost exactly how you feel (though, I think I enjoyed the slog more than you did hahah). I enjoyed seeing Gawyn playing a role in the story again, and following Nynaeve as she (like Min) struggles to keep Rand sane. The scene with Tuon and Rand finally meeting was great too, though the prophecy about him "binding the daughter of the nine moons" didn't seem to be accurate - at least not yet; I'm interested to see where that goes. I hope we see Elaida as a Da'mane as well - listening to quote the scene where she tells Egwene that the seanchane coming back is meaningless makes the scene so much better in hindsight after witnessing what happens to the fallen Amyrlin. I'm really excited to finish the series, but I also don't want the journey to be over.
The Gathering Storm has just to become one of my favorites WoT sequels. Am I also a bad person for saying that I was happy that there where no Elayne chapters?
I’m so excited you’ve got to these last ones and the next two are even better. One of my favourite quiet scenes in this book is the conversation between Rand and Nyneave. It’s heartbreaking to see how low he is and how rational he sounds as he explains it. I also really feel for Nyneave as she searches for a way to tell him this is wrong but can’t find the words until after he’s gone.
This book I think was my favorite in the series. You could really feel all of this negative energy from Rand, and it was really heavy. At the very end on Dragonmount when Rand has his enlightened moment you could really feel that weight lift. It felt so positive, and really made you notice just how heavy and depressing reading Rand had gotten. I remember closing the book with a smile on my face. Never had a book effect me on such an emotional level before, it was a great experience.
Welcome to the club. We have cookies. This was actually my first introduction to Sanderson's work. I had been reading the Wheel of Time since I was 15 and I had literally grown up with the series. Every time a new book came out it was like going home to visit old friends (because that's who they were). So when Jordan died it was such a shock. I thought maybe I wouldn't see the end of my favorite series and it hurt a lot. Then Sanderson came along. There were places it wasn't perfect, as you said, but overall he did a fantastic job. As said in his intro, he started out a huge fan and it showed. He had notes from Jordan and Harriet, of course, but he also made sure that us fans got the ending that he himself would have wanted. I later went and read his Mistborn series, and he's great.
Veins of Gold, man what a chapter. From way back in the early books you knew that the Dragon was fated to go insane, and I had always wondered how far he would go down that road before the end. Well he went really far. Several fans I know refer to this section as "Darth Rand". And then he pulled himself back from the brink. It's fantastic. The Verin reveal is also one of my most favorite chapters in the series and I still cry when I read it. People suspected for years that Verin was Black but nobody could have anticipated how great that reveal would be. Verin is one BAMF and best Brown. As for Perrin, he gets better next book. Read and find out. ;-)
I loved the review. Also a small heads up
Perrin and Mat's story in the next book follows a different timeline. Their arcs don't start at the end of The Gathering storm but somewhat parallel to the events of this book. So yea some characters might appear at different places at the same time. Just a small heads up to avoid confusion
Have fun reading Towers of Midnight
Yeah, this definitely threw me off the first time reading ToM. I was like "how is this character here, is a forsaken in disguise?"
It was kinda like Crossroads of Twilight. How the first two-thirds of the book was happening during the cleansing.
I have been watching your reviews of this series, and watching this video brought me so much joy.
I picked up the WOT for the first time when I was in high school. I had just moved to new city and one of my classmates recommended the series after we talked about the books we liked. Since I didn't really know anyone else, I threw myself into the series. At that point, it was few months before book 6 was published. Needless to say I was hooked right away, and by the time my new friend had finished reading the newly released book 6, I borrowed it form him to read. After that I would reread every book in the series in the lead up to the next being released. I too, found it tough making it through the slog. But right around Knife of Dreams the magic was back. Reading The Gathering Storm had me as eager for the next book as I was in high school when I couldn't wait to see what happened next. I'll save the spoilers an just tell you that you won't be let down by the excitement you are feeling build from these last 2 books.
One of the things I love the most about the WoT is being able to share it with others and seeing their excitement and anticipation, and how it mirrored my own. I have even listened through the whole series on Audiobook with my daughter (now 15 years old) who loves it as much as I do. Seeing how unabashedly moved you were by this book gives me so many happy memories. Thank you for giving me that feeling again.
I cannot wait for your next 2 reviews!!!
(PS.. In anticipation of the Amazon Prime series, my daughter and I are re-listening to the series again and are on book 4...can't wait to laugh, smile, and fight back the tears from Perrin going back home and helping to save the Two Rivers.)
Always interesting to hear a first time reader's reaction, loving these reviews btw. I feel you on Perrin, but 2 things...
Perrin lost his entire family. Like all of them. Dead. Not coming back. And it was Faile that pulled him back from the suicidal pit that he had sunken into. In a very real way she is his reason to live, so he can start a family with her. I agree it's not always the most thrilling thing to read, but it makes sense for who he is.
And the second thing I'll say about Perrin's arc ... just wait. Seriously. Your face is about to be melted off.
Fun video! Can't wait for the next one. Hope you your family are staying heading and safe. Cheers!
It took me 7 years to drag my way through the first 10 books. It took me 6 weeks to finish the last 4. The Gathering Storm is not the best at any one thing, but this is the book that really made me realize how everything was coming together. That is why it is my favorite of the series.
"Egwene is amazing now"... then book 13 happens! Also book 13 is Perrins time to shine, his arc is amazing in it.
My favorite part about Rand getting the collar on his neck was when he tapped into the true source and it exploded off his neck! 🔥💪🏽😎
Verrin is by far the sleeper favorite character of mine. To do what she did, so badass in a way we never saw.
Brilliant. So many fond memories relived. Nostalgia achieved. 🙂
Having read and loved this series I truly and thoroughly enjoyed this review. While it’s been a few years since I read the books you brought back fond memories. I found myself smiling several times while listening to you. Thanks,
This was my favorite book of the series. You have to understand Rands redemption in the terms of someone who's read the books since the early days. This FRIEND of yours (Rand) is slowly but surely descending into darkness and madness. RJ's last book (that was fully his) was where we leave Rand being in a pretty dark place. Then Jordan dies. And we have this wait while Brandon gets up to speed and starts writing. Rand's descent took YEARS to experience. Reading the series again, never knowing if it would stick the landing. Jordan said at one point that Rand's redemption would mirror his own after the Vietnam War. This is why the last book would be called the Memory of Light, because RJ had a similar experience in his personal life. If RJ had written the end, we'd have seen this scene in the end and it would be the crucible that forged Rand for the Last Battle. Anyway, so we get to the end of the book and Rand almost kills his dad. You can't get lower. We FEEL his tormented soul. And he remembers the Light. I am not embarrassed I. The slightest to say that I laugh and cry every single time I read that scene. The burdens if seeing a character you care about become unfettered of his trauma and remember that life is worth living... It just hurts me in the heart.
And Egwene became one of, if not my, favorite characters due to this book.
Merphy, thanks for taking us down this nostalgic ride. You bring back all kinds of feels and make me remember again why this is my favorite series.
Keep it up! Can't wait for your next review!
The chapter A Visit from Verin Sedai is probably my favorite single chapter thus far in the series. I got all misty.
I absolutely loved this book (and this review too :D )! Agreed with everything you said. The slog was a struggle but in these books you really see how everything comes together and it happens in such an incredibly satisfying way.
Egwene was pretty much boring ever since she became the amyrlin (book 6), but in books 11 and 12, she really shows how much she's grown during her boring parts. Remember when Elaida took over the White Tower? I that point I thought "okay, so now Egwene is going to the Tower and there'll be a huge fight and Egwene is gonna win, that's gonna be epic." But no. There was no fight. But it was still just as epic. Because Egwene took over the Tower only with the power of her will and with her words. And that was absolutely epic. Plus there was the fight with Seanchan so... heck yeah!
Rand terrified me in this book as well. I genuinely cried when he was choking Min. And seeing how it affected him afterwards, how he essentially died on the inside, was scary. The scene where he balefired an entire castle and killed all the people in there just like that was so tragic, I never thought Rand would fall this low. And then one of the most amazing scenes in the series on Dragonmount where he questions reality and the point of everything and then finds love again was just so beautiful.
I can't wait for you to finish the last two books Merphy, because this is the most epic conclusion to a series in the history of literature. I was extremely hyped when I started reading the last book and it still exceeded my expectations. Keep on reading sister!
Rand is the linchpin, and without him the rest won't succeed because of what's required of him. Though you've definitely touched on something, that he can't do it alone, regardless of his necessity in the ultimate last battle, the last battle can't play out without help from his friends. 👍
Love this series and love experiencing your read through. Two things I thought maybe you missed in this review (Maybe you didn’t, I was cooking while listening). One was the monumental event of Rand reconciling himself with Lewis. At the very end of the book, when Rand opted to destroy the key and not use its incredible power, the voice in his head stopped, and Lews and him became one. AMAZE! The second was the powerful and inspiring speech Egwene gave declaring the tower whole and unified once again. You def touched on Eguene’s greatness in this book, and that passage you read between her and Elaida was fantastic, however that moment sealed Eguene’s title as the most amazing baddest bitch in the series. Literally, all these books of turmoil in the tower lead by a fiendish despot and being placed as a puppet Amyrlin, Eguene (essentially) single handedly brought and end to it, unified the tower, and proved herself as a born true leader, earning the respect of all of her peers. CRIED when she made that speech! So looking forward to you reading the rest. Thanks for doing this, I’m really enjoying it.
Fun fact, that chapter with Matt and Thom in the town was in fact a Sanderson only chapter. I highly recommend reading Sandersons blog posts where he talks about working on the books.(after you've finished Memory of Light of course)
I'm reading book 9 now and I'm having a really hard time, but your review of the later books and how excited you were while reviewing them inspired me to continue hahahaha.
Just finished #14 last night. I have sympathized with you "slog" struggles. I look forward to your reviews for the final books. Still processing it all myself.
Yess I was just nodding my head along with a big goofy smile. Also the town part I think sanderson said it in some interview that it was his idea and wasn't found in jordan's notes... I might be wrong. And yaa Tam Al'thor has many awesome scenes but the one that you talked about where he berates her is such a parent thing to do...
You gave me chillssssss with this review! I just love to hear you talk! Thank you!
I loved this video! It's so much fun to hear you excitedly describe the scenes I enjoyed most from this book. Really looking forward to your review of the next book (they're all amazing from here)
Just entering to give it a like and comment, because I'm still on book 3 💀😂
"Spank, spank, spank!" LOL
It's always good to see more WoT content here, thank you
I watched this whole thing to prep for my Best WoT Book stream last night because TGS is my fave but it’s been a minute since I read it. This was very thorough and engaging, and I’m glad you changed your mind about Egwene here because she’s my fave ❤
What a great review. This is such an important book in the series and you show that with your review. So good. Thanks for reminding of why I love this series as much as I do.
I'm really glad you made it through the slog intact. I'm also glad to see how you're beginning to see that, despite its feeling slow (or actually being slow; Elayne's consolidation of power in Caemlyn, anyone?), so much of that character development in 7-10 was important, even if it was hard to see at the time.
I've read the series three times now (with the exception of AMoL, which I've only read twice), but I can tell you that once you've made it through the whole thing, going through the slog again won't feel nearly as frustrating. My first time through, I found book 10 so interminable I took months to finish it. It isn't like that later, though. Because you know where things are going, you appreciate every minute with the characters so much more. You are able to see how important all those stupid moments were with them, and you never want them to end.
I'm sure you'll enjoy Towers of Midnight (you'll finally enjoy Perrin again). And A Memory of Light? Just you wait.
The Wheel of Time turns and Ages come and pass.
What is, what was, and what will be may yet fall under the Shadow.
Let the Dragon ride again on the Winds of Time.
I liked your review very much. One of the things I love about the series is the roles fate and prophecy play in it. The fact that the three main male protagonists are Ta'veran and are controlled by fate. Each one handles it differently though. Perrin seems to accept it very quickly, accepting his responsibility. Mat seems to constantly run from it but it isn't possible for wherever he runs to is where he was meant to go. Rand is the most interesting though, because he runs from it at first only to realize, unlike Mat, that it is inescapable. He then tries to learn all he can of the prophecies he is destined to fulfill so he can shape his destiny, but they are so cryptic that by the time he understands them they have already occured. This only makes the prophecy of the final battle and his death a cold, hard reality. It causes him to lose his humanity because he is just a tool destined to be used up and thrown away. This only serves to make him cold and distant, unwilling to love because those close to him will only be hurt and it makes him treat others as tools to accomplish his goals. He is without hope and resigned to his fate and that is why we mourn him though he is still alive.
The town where the pattern is broken, robert jordan definitely had that planned, as you will find out eventually, but yeah, Sanderson definitely wrote that in a way that seemed different to the rest of WoT.
12 was my favorite of the entire series, glad you liked it!
Thanks for not having spoilers for the next books in your reviews. . . Like someone I know (and usually love)
I was suprised you didn't mention Natrim's Barrow, next to the Cleansing of Saidin, it was Rand's biggest show of power and of how far down he'd come
Yeah, I was pretty shocked at how Rand went after Graendal. Not just at the ruthlessness of it, but it was a pretty genius move. Something that Demandred or Ishamael would have done.
@@cdubbau135 Well, to be honest, I was impressed with him as well, finally using the Choedan Kal to its full potential
And the same scene from the other point of view was amazing, "What is that gigantic beacon of power? I've never seen anything like it (haha lol)"
I'd argue that you see how far hes fallen in a way
@@carterdahl9654 Oh yes, he didn’t give a damn about anyone else anymore, and only cared to bring an end to his mission
The Wheel has grown to its final rotation. The clock has lost its spring, the Great Serpent heaves its final gasp.-Moridin
Yes, I’m SO happy for you. I love the call outs (the parts that you quoted). So amazing...and it gets better. Hang on. Excited for the journey you are on.
I’ve read them so many times and that scene you read about Egwene still gives me goosebumps. That whole scene shows that she truly learned so much from the Wise Ones.
Verin had to bargain the time opening the letter so she could keep her oath to not betray him until her final hour. His taveran twisting caused her to go to the White Tower at the right time for Egwene.
The scene on the cover of this book was amazing too, Egwene with the strongest sa'angreal in the White Tower with a circle of novices just demolishing the elite Seanchan strike force.
Also, Tuon went up substantially in my opinion for not yielding to Darth Rand. He's looming over her with a literal shroud of darkness emanating from his head and she still says "No".
Gathering Storm just hits differently. You'll love book 13 and I would bet money I know what scene you will be quoting in the next review. Rand legitmately had me on the edge with him it was such an insane chapter.
Great review of one of my favorite books. I was really looking forward to your review. The next two are just as great. After you digest a memory of light the story will stay with you for a while.
What's great is knowing what's coming and being excited to see your reaction to experiencing it for the first time!
Holy cow...this was an amazing review. I can't WAIT to hear your Book 13 and Book 14 reviews.
The town was another example of the "bubbles of evil" that come up from the dark one prison. I'm happy that you are really enjoying the series. Always love your reviews Merphy. I'm ooking forward to the last 2
I love seeing you go through all the feelings with WOT! book 12 is one of the standouts for me!!
So glad to see some Egwene and Aviendha love! I also didn't see much of a difference with Mat. The differences people always cite... I try to look for an in-world explanation, which to me is Mat trying to hold on to the person he (thinks) he used to be before marriage and failing.
Great to see you're really starting to love the series!
I absolutely can't wait for your review of A Memory of Light.
Glad you're fully back to enjoying Wheel of Time. And I'm sure once you're done, you'll want to do a re-read, and you'll quickly realize that the first re-read can even be better than the first ever readthrough !
Verin’s reveal, my favourite part in that book
It's been a while since a read the series, but your review got me tingling all over again...
So cool seeing your reaction to those awesome moments glad you were able to get through the slog and enjoy wat comes next
Great review
I remember reading this book when it came out, and feeling guilty because of how much more I enjoyed it with Sanderson taking over, not because of the story, but because of his writing style and pacing. I definitely enjoyed Knife of Dreams, but The Gathering Storm made me excited about finishing the series.
One of the best books of the series! And a perfect example of why I prefer longer books/series. It is impossible to get this emotionally invested in a character and have your opinion of a character go from one extreme to another in just a single book. Rand and Egwene are shining examples of that. Nuff said.
I am so glad you changed your tune on Egwene cuz I've been feeling that way ever since she became Amyrlin. Her constant proving that she was worthy, whether with the Salidar Aes Sedai or the Tower Aes Sedai, it's always been so satisfying
Really glad you stuck it out and I truly enjoyed your reaction to this awesome novel!
What you said at the beginning is so true. I struggled hard, very very hard through books 7 to 11, but book 12... wow! It was a damn 5 star experience. It was incredible and I want to recommend WoT to everyone just so they could reach this book and be struck by the masterpiece it is
I haven't even read The Wheel of Time series yet but Merphy vids are always great.
Have a great day everyone.
You're becoming WHAT now? I've never heard such term to be used for the WOT fans before. No, you are Randlander, bloody woman! :D
I finished TGS this month and am picking up #13 next month. Your journey with this series is almost on point to mine with your feelings and progression over each entry! Like if I were to give a review it would almost be verbatim. I’m so glad to finally be enjoying it again because for awhile there I was seriously questioning people’s taste lol. Can’t wait to see where the series ends.
The book in which I finally liked Rand again. Great review! Excited to see/hear more.
Oh yes! The Verin scene!
First time I read it, I had to put the book down because I was having a hard time breathing properly. Second time I read that scene, I had to put the book down because I was having a hard time breathing properly...
I think part of the issue of Perrin with Faile is that his wolfyness sees her as his mate. And so you get the alpha wolf super protective and possessive over his mate.
I agree though, whatever the reason for the choice, it definitely has a negative impart on his character development and storyline.
I'm only on book two of The Wheel of Time and I can already tell Jordon is amazing with foreshadowing, planting seeds (and his world building is god-tier) but the pacing is really killing me in some places.
Duuuude... this is your best WoT review yet and I, for one, am not surprised :-) Enjoy the ending mate.
Glad you're starting to see the fruits of the middle books, can't wait to see your next 2 reviews. Hopefully you start right into towers of midnight!
She has to like it because daniel greene would stop talking to her. True Story.
Only now reached this book and it is a definite turning point {better late than never}, looking forward to read and get more of your thought of the next installment.
About the Min scene - Rand actually killed her. However, Rand killed the enemies with Balefire and unweaving the event; hence undoing her death.
Perfect timing!! So glad you enjoyed this one :) Book 12 is my favorite one
I totally agree with you about Egwene. I disliked her from around book 4 and on. Nynaeve for all her faults, was always one of my favorite characters because besides her strength of character, she is fiercely loyal. Egwene just turned on her friends at the drop of a hat, and threw all in with the Tower. Which I guess is what she had to do, but all the other characters became who they needed to become without losing who they were with the people they grew up with. But I will say in the end she redeemed herself, for me anyway. P.S. My single most hated phrase in this series is, "Light! Faile!"
With Min, I don't think it ever came down to her questioning whether or not she wanted to be with Rand anymore. Even after the whole thing with Semirhage, she wasn't afraid of him for herself. She was afraid for him. She had been listening to Cadsuane and she knew that Rand couldn't continue on like how he had been. If Rand kept on like that, she knew the world was doomed, but more importantly, at least to Min, she knew that he was doomed if something didn't give.
Great review.
Oh God, you called us/yourself Wheelies! Noooo!!! lmao
I think Rand's realization is so powerful because throughout the rest of the series previously, Rand was marching his way to Tarmon Gai'don out of duty and nothing more. Not really because he saw the world as worth saving, or loved everything in it, but because HE HAD TO. And that's why his rage began to grow: he felt like he was being forced to do it, instead of doing it because he wanted to, because he knew it would be worth it in the end. And so the point of his realization is to understand what is actually worth saving about the world, to change his actions from ones of dry and impersonal duty to ones of obligation born out of love for others and a hope for himself, hope of a second chance. A key part of that, too, was understanding that the wheel doesn't just repeat every cycle of ages identically, it weaves the important components in. It preordained the high points, but as Tam said, everyone gets to choose how to get between them.
Started crying when you talked about crying 😅 quarantines got me.
The Mat scene felt like Sanderson just inserted a D&D/Ravenloft adventure into the book and it didn't really fit at all.
The seanchan assault on the tower was my favorite part of this book. Egwene is such a divisive character, but she was an absolute badass in this scene.
No spoilers here, and you'll want to wait until after you finish to watch it, but the Greene/Sanderson interview talks about the delayed payoff issues. In particular the problem with book 10 is identified as being too much build up and not enough payoff.
Jordan was really great at buildup and payoff, but his challenge is often in the pacing and timing around this. This is an area I think Sanderson does really well with in Stormlight so far.
Oh, and you'd like to revisit that town...?
Sure I would, it's very interesting!
That Rand-Min scene had me so confused when I read it the first time. How could he channel the True Power? Was this plot convenience? And then on my second re-read I understood that it wasnt. It was so much darker. And on the third, I think I understood what was going on, particularly wrt how it ties up the overall story. So much pay-off tied in with more plot seeds. It just blew me away.
SPOILER
Yup...after the scene was over, I sat back and thought..."Holy crap, this is what the Dark One wanted all along." He sacrificed Semhirrage in order to force Rand to bathe himself in the Dark One. Genius. Really puts Shai'tan's true regard for his toys in sharp relief.
I love watching your videos even though I am not that interested in fantasy ! They motivate me to continue reading !