The Gathering Storm (Wheel of Time, #12; A Memory of Light, #1)

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The Gathering Storm (Wheel of Time #12)

by Robert Jordan, Brandon Sanderson (Goodreads Author)

4.29 of 5 stars 4.29 · rating details · 45,570 ratings · 1,604 reviews

Tarmon Gai’don, the Last Battle, looms. And mankind is not ready.

The final volume of the Wheel of Time, A Memory of Light, was partially written by Robert Jordan before his untimely passing in 2007. Brandon Sanderson, New York Times bestselling author of the Mistborn books, was chosen by Jordan’s editor---his wife, Harriet McDougal---to complete the final book. The scope a...more

Hardcover, 783 pages

Published October 27th 2009 by Tor Books

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Mar 29, 2013 Jon added it

Shelves: epic-fantasy, fiction, fantasy, signed, read-in-my-40s, liked-it

4 stars. Blood and Bloody Ashes! Amazon's Balefire blasted my review from the Pattern. Light willing, perhaps a remnant will be found and remembered in the mists of my blog postings: http://bit.ly/1091bMR

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Dec 24, 2012 Mike (the Paladin) rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

Okay, I've got to put everything else aside till I read this...it's nearly 800 pages and other people at the library are waiting for me to finish it.

Well at least they finally killed *** ******. Yeah, I won't put in a spoiler, not that it would matter that much, but then Sanderson has continued Jordan's established pattern of actually tying up few plot points per volume. That is I suppose why it will (he says) take 2 more of these gargantuan tomes to complete this story.

Okay (I seem to say that...more Okay, I've got to put everything else aside till I read this...it's nearly 800 pages and other people at the library are waiting for me to finish it.

Well at least they finally killed *** ******. Yeah, I won't put in a spoiler, not that it would matter that much, but then Sanderson has continued Jordan's established pattern of actually tying up few plot points per volume. That is I suppose why it will (he says) take 2 more of these gargantuan tomes to complete this story.

Okay (I seem to say that a lot), once I got into this my first reaction to the rambling narration was I just don't care anymore. But in a way I do care. The farther I got into this "thing" the more the overpowering feeling of sadness at what could have been overwhelmed me. I can't pick up one of these books without getting angry and frustrated. As has been pointed out before, this was originally planned as a seven (that's 7) book series...somehow it has bloated up to 12 volumes with 2 more to come.

Let me say that the first 6 volumes of this series (by Robert Jordan) are some of the best writing I have ever come in contact with. This stood to be (I believe) one of the great fantasy series (and possibly great fiction works) of all time. But, for some reason (and all I can do is speculate what it was as the author did not tell us) it was turned into a rambling soap opera. I live in hope that some one in a future generation will take the entire 14 volumes (plus the prequel New Spring) and turn them over to a good editor.

I know some of Mr. Jordan's fans are not happy with me here, I have seen the "5 star ratings" and believe me when I say I'm happy for you. I know that there are those of you who love the repetitive conversations, the accounts of the same events from several different people, the endless and pointless war of the sexes. The plot point where Nynaeve runs to Cadsuane probably thrilled you. And you probably "felt" that "the one she sent" to talk to Rand, and Rand's reaction are "very important". Okay... good. It took long enough to get there and what did we accomplish? Well, Rand ******* again.

Actually I really mean it, I'm glad you are enjoying this.

I'm not.

I believe I've made my opinion of this volume and the series in general plain here. I know that a lot of you will disagree with me and some will point out that the books sell in huge numbers.

The same can be said of Harlequin Romances.

I have always wondered if the fact that the books were all "best sellers" may not have been their downfall. I always wondered (wonder) if "somebody" might not have said to Mr. Jordan, "hey this thing is making tons of money, why wind it up at seven volumes?" Of course as I said, no one can be sure of something like that. All we know is that like Frankenstein's monster this story just keeps stumbling along.

I don't think I'll take the next two out of the library as soon as they're published. If I finish the "series" I may just wait till the last volume is finished and read it then. Maybe I'll even take time to reread the first volumes a second time once the thing is finished. The first ones (first 5 or 6) were really good even excellent. As I said, what might have been. (less)

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Feb 07, 2013 Jonathan rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: personal-favourites, favourite-series, fantasy, wheel-of-time, own, fantasy-sci-fi-challenge

This twelfth volume of The Wheel of Time is one of the most famous of recent times. Simply because it was, at the time it was promised, expected to be the final volume of the (then) ongoing series. It was also the first volume written by Brandon Sanderson (then known simply for Mistborn: The Final Empire) with the aid of many, many notes left by Robert Jordan. When I picked up The Eye of the World three or so years ago I knew that this twelfth volume of The Wheel of Time (due at the end of that...more
This twelfth volume of The Wheel of Time is one of the most famous of recent times. Simply because it was, at the time it was promised, expected to be the final volume of the (then) ongoing series. It was also the first volume written by Brandon Sanderson (then known simply for Mistborn: The Final Empire) with the aid of many, many notes left by Robert Jordan. When I picked up The Eye of the World three or so years ago I knew that this twelfth volume of The Wheel of Time (due at the end of that year) was by a different author. I had no inkling of how I should feel about that as on the whole I dislike novels by other authors. Yet a friend had recommended the series strongly to me so I decided to read it and I personally very much enjoyed the story all the way up to this twelfth volume. Then when I read The Gathering Storm I was impressed by how skilfully put together the story was and consider it to be one of the finest in the entire series.

Brandon Sanderson, as an author, has several strengths which combat Jordan's weaknesses nicely in this novel. One friend recently posed that there are two types of writers. There are those who are natural storytellers, more concerned with the plot ideas and details. Then there are the technicians, those who focus more on prose and literary qualities over stories. Now, they stated, most authors are combinations of both by nature, yet they seem to have one aspect more strongly over the other. I would say that, while Sanderson is a writer with ideas and natural storytelling ability, that he is a stronger technical writer than Jordan.

When I say that Sanderson is a stronger technical writer I'd like to consider it from this perspective. Do you believe, if their roles were reversed, that Jordan would be able to as effectively write Sanderson's stories? I personally theorise that Jordan would find it more difficult to adapt to Sanderson's style. Brandon Sanderson in this novel has done something that is ridiculously near impossible in copying Jordan's style and telling the story as Jordan wanted (more or less). Yes, there are flaws every so often when as a reader you realise that an expression or idea dropped by Sanderson does not quite fit into the logical confines of Robert Jordan's world yet for the most part he does a perfect job of capturing Jordan's writing style and the voices of the characters he fills this world with. If you disagree try writing a short story in the style of your favourite author and you will see how hard it can be to emulate writing.

In calling Sanderson a stronger technical writer I would also like to point out that Sanderson typically uses a less 'wordy' style than Jordan. That is not to say that Sanderson is not lengthy when he writes, indeed some of his sentences occasionally prove a touch awkward and he himself readily admits that he is not the greatest author of all time. However, that said Sanderson has an economy of language that works, it seems to me that he understands his limits and the theories of writing to a strong degree. On the other hand I feel that Jordan at times writes in a style that is overly long and above what he should aim for. I personal feel that Sanderson's sense of economy adds pace and energy to this novel in addition to the strength of Jordan's worldbuilding. I also felt that Sanderson added degrees of humour and warmth which I haven't felt from the other books in the series.

Now, I do not intend this to be a sign of disrespect for Robert Jordan. Indeed I think it would have been great if he had been able to finish the story himself. Yet Sanderson has clearly added something to this book that, for good or for bad, makes it a better and stronger story. (less)

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Dec 07, 2009 Lori (Hellian) rated it 4 of 5 stars

WARNING: THERE ARE MAJOR SPOILERS IN THE COMMENTS SO SKIP IF YOU HAVEN"T READ THE BOOK!!!!!

I said I wasn't interested. I said I wouldn't bother reading this until the whole series was done. But with all the great reviews, and also having really liked Sanderson's other work, I went back on my word as soon as I saw this at Costco! On top of that, I'm even ignoring some books I've been dying to read that I have on hand, notably Kingsolver's new one. I'm such a liar!

Well, I've finished. I busted my...more WARNING: THERE ARE MAJOR SPOILERS IN THE COMMENTS SO SKIP IF YOU HAVEN"T READ THE BOOK!!!!!

I said I wasn't interested. I said I wouldn't bother reading this until the whole series was done. But with all the great reviews, and also having really liked Sanderson's other work, I went back on my word as soon as I saw this at Costco! On top of that, I'm even ignoring some books I've been dying to read that I have on hand, notably Kingsolver's new one. I'm such a liar!

Well, I've finished. I busted my ankle so since I was flat on my back I was able to have quite the marathon in this world.

I am surprised how much I liked it, and alot more than the last books Jordan actually wrote! I felt that we are FINALLY gathering towards a conclusion, and instead of bringing yet more minor and extraneous players into the mix, we now focused only on the more major characters. In the previous books, I couldn't remember who half the characters were, but for this one, even with the looooooong break I needed no reminders at all. Even with my senioritis!

The book was far more focused and back to concentrating on things that are essential. And the wonderful world that Jordan created but misused after the first few books is back!

For all you action buffs who love battles, that is lacking here. There's lots more preparation for military action, but the real battles here are psychological for both Egwene, trapped in the White Tower, and for Rand himself. Finally, we get back in Rand's mind, and for the hero of the story, Jordan was doing his best to make us hate him. Well, no longer. He captures our sympathy, so much so that we may dislike what has happened to his character but we don't blame him at all, in fact we now understand and are very sad. BUT BUT BUT there is actual development here! Which I can't say because that would be a spoiler.

There are not many books that would be so utterly engrossing that would make the hours fly while I was forced into utter inactivity on a couch with my ankle lifted all day long. This book made what would have been a hair-pulling experience into an utterly wonderful weekend. (less)

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Dec 15, 2009 Richard rated it 4 of 5 stars

I first picked up the Wheel of Time series fifteen years ago while a freshman in college. I remember being totally caught up in the series, consumed by the characters and taken in by the world. I looked forward to every page, couldn't decide on my favorite character and couldn't wait for the next book. That changed as the series went on. Wandering plotlines, characters that became so unlikeable that I loathed when they appeared for more than a chapter at a time, and so much of the plot taken up...more I first picked up the Wheel of Time series fifteen years ago while a freshman in college. I remember being totally caught up in the series, consumed by the characters and taken in by the world. I looked forward to every page, couldn't decide on my favorite character and couldn't wait for the next book. That changed as the series went on. Wandering plotlines, characters that became so unlikeable that I loathed when they appeared for more than a chapter at a time, and so much of the plot taken up with unimportant throwaway characters that I felt like I needed a separate book just to keep up with all of the characters. I remember clearly the moment I decided I was done with the series, after an entire book searching for the bowl of winds, only to reach the end of the book and with bowl in hand, the characters... do nothing. It was another half a book before the artifact was finally used. So it wasn't until Robert Jordan died that I went back and picked up the last few books that I hadn't read, in anticipation of Brandon Sanderson's writing the final novel. I was pleased to find that the books resolved some of the issues as they went on, even though, as I picked up the 'last' of the Wheel of Time books I learned it would be the last of three.

The Gathering Storm renewed my love of the Wheel of Time. Sanderson's writing pays homage to Jordan just enough that the book doesn't seem disjointed, but it so many ways it is much better. Rare are the chapters where we follow a character through the minutia of walking from one place to another without the plot moving forward. Chapters told from the point of view of characters not central to the plot were revealing and concise. The plot moves forward at a satisfying pace and resolves many of the plotlines that we have been waiting years for. Even more satisfying is that the characters become likeable again. Even Rand by the end, is one step closer to being a sympathetic character. I totally recommend the Gathering Storm as a book that will renew the faith of Jordan readers like me, who became disenchanted over the years. I'm looking forward to the final two books of the 'A Memory of Light' and in the meantime I will be introducing myself to Sanderson's other books.(less)

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Nov 01, 2010 Carrie (Care) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: july-09-dec-09, audiobooks, read-in-2010, ebooks, favorites

Wow, I loved this book! This book had a faster pace compared to the previous few books. There was a good amount of loose ends we've been waiting to get wrapped up come to a conclusion. Brandon did an amazing job with this book, and I am even more excited to read the final two volumes. I have to say there were a few times I'd think to myself 'so and so wouldn't say that' or I thought a character was acting out of place (mostly one character, but I bet all of us fans will have this feeling with di...more

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Jul 04, 2009 Foomy marked it as to-read

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I'm very hopeful that Sanderson can salvage what remains of this series. Knowing the kind of stuff he is capable of writing, here's what I think might happen.

Rand gets Aviendha pregnant before the last battle.

Elayne, harpy that she is, continues to take stupid risks knowing that Min viewed that her children would be healthy and strong, so Elayne won't die before the children are born. Oops, something kills her right after the children are born, while they are being born, or just before they are...more I'm very hopeful that Sanderson can salvage what remains of this series. Knowing the kind of stuff he is capable of writing, here's what I think might happen.

Rand gets Aviendha pregnant before the last battle.

Elayne, harpy that she is, continues to take stupid risks knowing that Min viewed that her children would be healthy and strong, so Elayne won't die before the children are born. Oops, something kills her right after the children are born, while they are being born, or just before they are ready to be born so they can be cut out of her corpse. Rand, bonded to her, throws himself into the last battle with reckless abandon, getting himself killed yet somehow saving the world.

Aviendha gives birth to twins and also adopts Elayne's twins, fulfilling Min's viewing ("four of them at once! but something strange..."). I'm really rooting for this to happen, it all fits and it means one of my least favorite women in the series dies.

Lan dies and leaves Nynave a wallowing mass of depression and regret for being so awful (okay this is more of a hope on my part, but maybe Sanderson hates her as much as I do).

World saved, light wins, women left alive are miserable but at least the dark one isn't free.

----------

Here's what I'm hoping will happen, but probably won't.

Cadsuane and Sorleia, having made the vow to teach rand to cry, contrive to manipulate the situation to cause one of his loved ones to die. It happens to be Elayne. He finds out it was Cadsuane's fault, and goes insane (saidin-related or not, doesn't matter) with grief and rage. He joins with Taim, obviously an agent of shadow at this point, and kills the dark one only to take over his rule, ushering in a new era of despair and hopelessness for humanity.

All because aes sedai treated the world like a chessboard, manipulating events because ONLY THEY had enough information, ONLY THEY knew what was right, and ONLY THEY were fit to shape the world. Through their hubris they cause evil to claim the world for untold generations.

Tell me that wouldn't be the perfect ending.(less)

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Apr 02, 2013 Sami rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: People who enjoy fantasy books

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I read this book because of the Team Challenge I am doing for a bookclub. At the time I had no idea it already had such a huge fanbase, and didn't think much of starting from BOOK 12(!!) of a series that was set in a medieval fantasy world.

However, after taking up the commitment and starting this 800 page book, I realised what I had gotten myself into. If JK Rowling and Tamora Pierce's writing take you into a different world, the Wheel of Time series takes you into a new universe. I am not kidd...more

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Dec 09, 2009 Aaron Burke rated it 4 of 5 stars

The Wheel of Time "trilogy" is now on book 12, with two more scheduled. Maybe the series should have been named "The Eternal Derivative." It is the most derivative work in fantasy literature! 40% Dune, 40% Lord of the Rings (LOTR), and 20% Star Wars. The Aes Sedai are clones of Dune's Bene Gesserit. The Aiel are replicas of Dune's Fremen. "Channeling" is simply tapping into the Force. Could the Black Ajah be any more like the Sith? Or the trollocs the orcs? The main characters are so similar to...more

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Jul 04, 2009 Alan rated it 5 of 5 stars

Totally love this book. Brandon Sanderson really has what it takes to pick up where Robert Jordan left off.

Oh wait, I haven't read this book yet. Well I'll just leave this review until I feel the need to change it.

Now I have read it and it was better than I had hoped.

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Jan 01, 2010 Jeanne rated it 5 of 5 stars

To be real honest, I actually think this is the best book of the series so far. Brandon Sanderson is a much better writer than Robert Jordan, and mind you I read all 11 books by Jordan so he's not THAT shabby! Harriet (Robert jordan's widow) picked the PERFECT writer to finish the series from Jordan's notes. He grew up with those books and is a huge fan boy of the series so he is ever so mindful to stay within the parameters of the world and the previous books in the series. He's paid a great de...more

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Oct 05, 2012 Eric Allen rated it 5 of 5 stars

The Gathering Storm
Book 12 of the Wheel of time
By Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson

A Wheel of Time Retrospective by Eric Allen

In 1990 Robert Jordan published The Eye of the World and changed my life forever. At that time the series was to be a trilogy. Ten books, a prequel of significant size, and a companion guide later he died with the story unfinished and three volumes of the series left to be written by another writer from extensive notes, partially written scenes and extensive dictations...more

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Oct 18, 2010 Andrew rated it 3 of 5 stars

Superior to the last half-dozen Jordan books, Sanderson does The Wheel of Time better than its original author.

Sanderson puts in so many things that Jordan alluded to for effect but never satisfactorily depicted: Aes Sedai politics, characters' scheming and ploys, Rand recalling all the women he killed.

Characters reminisce about their past and other characters Jordan neglected, and refer to how they have changed; their emotions are more real and tangible, and demonstrated through actions. Egwene...more

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Dec 27, 2012 Blodeuedd Finland rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

2012
I read my other review of this book and found it interesting, I really liked Rand before, now, eh, he is so dark and, I guess just not the guy for me this time around. I am more of a Perrin gal.

No more thinking of that other review. What did I think here...? Some things happened that I had totally forgotten, it has to do with the Black Ajah. Good thing I read it again then ;)

I am craving the end now, oh how slowly this series moves. It sure shows when I have read all in a year. I am also dis...more

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Jul 08, 2012 Mel rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-as-an-adult, re-read

Really deserves only one star but I'm giving Brandon Sanderson a bit of slack for taking up an already doomed series.

There are some wonderful moments in the Wheel of Time series. Unfortunately, they're buried under some really dull and often ridiculous moments. This was brought home to me when reading the final few chapters of the Gathering Storm. I have no idea which parts are Jordan and which parts are Sanderson, but it seems to me if you are going to have a major character go through somethin...more

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Jan 11, 2011 Malinda rated it 5 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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May 11, 2011 Coligne rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: sfida, dei, mattonazzi, 2011, my, favorite, la, ruota, del, tempo, fantasy, fanucci

Veramente, questo "Presagi di tempesta" - tra l'altro, titolo molto azzeccato, anche se non quanto l'originale (The Gathering Storm)- è sotto il segno del Drago. Infatti qui troviamo Rand, il Drago Rinato, vero protagonista del libro, come non accadeva da un bel po di libri a questa parte (neanche nel 9° ebbe così tanto spazio); e l'unico personaggio in grado di rivaleggiare, per quanto riguarda la bellezza dei capitoli dedicategli, è Egwene.
In effetti Drago Rinato e (ormai quasi definitiva) Am...more Veramente, questo "Presagi di tempesta" - tra l'altro, titolo molto azzeccato, anche se non quanto l'originale (The Gathering Storm)- è sotto il segno del Drago. Infatti qui troviamo Rand, il Drago Rinato, vero protagonista del libro, come non accadeva da un bel po di libri a questa parte (neanche nel 9° ebbe così tanto spazio); e l'unico personaggio in grado di rivaleggiare, per quanto riguarda la bellezza dei capitoli dedicategli, è Egwene.
In effetti Drago Rinato e (ormai quasi definitiva) Amyrlin Seat (le due persone più potenti del mondo, a questo punto) si dividono circa 3/4 dei capitoli del libro, e considerati anche i POV dei personaggi che ruotano attorno a loro la quasi totalità del romanzo e dedicata a loro. Giusto una manciata di capitoli dedicati a Perrin e Mat non li riguarda.
Da una parte assistiamo alla discesa agli inferi di Rand, che nel tentativo di "rafforzarsi" in vista di Tarmon Gai'don, diventa sempre più freddo, spietato e crudele. Lui crede che per poter sconfiggere il Tenebroso debba diventare un freddo automa, senza alcuna emozione; anche se, come lui stesso ammette in un toccante discorso con Nynaeve -nel capitolo 33, uno dei più belli dell'intera saga, a mio avviso- questo lo distruggerà. In effetti arriva molto vicino a divenire quello che anelerebbe in più di un occasione nel corso del libro, per poi invece, quasi repentinamente, "redimersi" nelle ultime pagine (in una scena dal forte impatto emotivo, tra l'altro). Dall'altra vediamo Egwene intenta a cercare di resistere alle angherie di Elaida ed a contrastarla, ma al contempo senza frammentare ancor più di quanto siano già, le sorelle. La Torre deve essere integra prima dell'Ultima Battaglia, questa è la convinzione dell'Amyrlin ribelle imprigionata nella Torre Bianca. Sembra un impresa disperata, se non impossibile, ma la nostra ex apprendista sapiente di Eamon's Field dimostra d'essere più forte di quanto potrebbe sembrare, e resiste alle sempre più pesanti punizioni cui viene sottoposta giornalmente. la sua lotta solitaria culmina nell'attacco dei Seanchan alla Torre -da lei stessa predetto- durante il quale Elaida viene catturata e resa damane, ed Egwene riesce quasi a fermare da sola, puer essendo sotto l'effetto della radice Biforcuta (quindi in grado di incanalare pochissimo potere, con l'aiuto di un circolo di novizie -cosa inaudita di per se- l'attacco.
Le ultime pagine del libro vedono Egwene finalmente eletta come Amyrlin Seat di tutte le Aes Sedai. La Torre è di nuovo integra, anche se non sarà mai come prima...
Così si chiude, in modo più che degno, una delle sottotrame aperte da più tempo nel corso della saga (dal 5° libro, se non erro).
Ormai l'unica sottotrama non direttamente collegata a Tarmon Gai'don dovrebbe essere quella del salvataggio di Moiraine, che però, vista la copertina di quel libro, penso si concluderà nel successivo Towers of Midnight. Questo lascerà spazio alla lunga cavalcata verso l'Ultima Battaglia nei prossimi due libri (almeno da parte di Rand).

Quanto dissi per l'undicesimo volume della serie vale ancor di più per questo: Tarmon Gai'don si sta avvicinando. Se nel precedente libro se ne aveva sentore nell'aria, in questo si possono vendere le nubi temporalesche ammassarsi verso Nord. Cosa che, effettivamente, avviene nel corso di tutto il romanzo.

In conclusione posso dire cdi non aver notato minimamente la mano di Brandon Sanderson, e che il libro m'ha emozionato come uno scirtto dal solo Jordan.(less)

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May 04, 2013 Cristofer rated it 5 of 5 stars

Excellent work on the part of Sanderson. There are subtle changes in the writing style such that you can tell it isn't purely Jordan's work, but those changes do not detract from the story, nor take away the feeling that this is the Wheel of Time. The main characters feel genuine and familiar, though I did feel that Mat's character was somehow off a little bit; perhaps just a little too... silly. I'm not sure yet exactly what I can put my finger on regarding Mat.
There are a few loose ends tied u...more

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Mar 16, 2013 Adam rated it 5 of 5 stars

OOOOOOOH! So THAT's what's been going on for the past 7000 pages.

That was my first impression upon finishing this book. And I gotta say, beyond the big reveal that has the nice touch of being simultaneously completely believable and TOTALLY unexpected, I really liked it quite a lot.

Brandon Sanderson was an inspired choice to finish the Wheel of Time. His prose style has a lot of similarities with Robert Jordan, which made the transition from the last book seem natural, and Sanderson has a nice...more

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Feb 06, 2013 Geoffrey Cubbage rated it 3 of 5 stars

At the risk of offending the fanboys, I think Brandon Sanderson might be the best thing that's happened to The Wheel of Time in quite a few books.

The story isn't much improved -- still too sprawling and too slow, though they ruthlessly cull a plotline or two that wasn't adding much in this one, which I appreciated -- but the prose is much crisper. Shorter sentences, more active verbs, less redundant usage (Robert Jordan was huge on redundant usage) -- it's just tidier.

It would have been nice t...more

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Jan 17, 2013 Jack is currently reading it

Lord of the Rings on Steroids:

Twenty-two years ago my friend JK gave me a book to read, the first book of The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan. In some small way, that day changed my life. As I began reading the first book, The Eye of the World, Jordan’s third book of a projected six, neared its date for release. I flew through the first two and like JK anxiously awaited The Dragon Reborn. What I was about to receive, in addition to a copy of that book were decades-long lessons in patience,...more

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Nov 21, 2012 Mr Stewart rated it 4 of 5 stars

I guess only Sanderson really knows how much of this conclusion Jordan had planned out. The previous few books in the series gave the impression of an author steadily losing control of his own massive world building, unwilling or unable to write his way out to the end of it. Fortunately, Sanderson does an admirable job here. There are no wasted scenes in this book (well, maybe one or two). All is clearly geared to tie up loose threads and position characters for the eventual conclusion. I found...more

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Oct 16, 2012 Mo rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: speculativefiction

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. *happy sigh* Ooooh. So many things happening! So much character development! So much structure, never before a strong point of the WoT series. Sanderson has made a wonderful contribution and The Gathering Storm has jumped up next to The Shadow Rising as my favorite.

This book follows two parallel character arcs: Rand finally making his peace with being the Dragon Reborn - after a long (and AWESOME) downward slide - and Egwene reuniting the White Tower under her leadership. (Though there are bits...more *happy sigh* Ooooh. So many things happening! So much character development! So much structure, never before a strong point of the WoT series. Sanderson has made a wonderful contribution and The Gathering Storm has jumped up next to The Shadow Rising as my favorite.

This book follows two parallel character arcs: Rand finally making his peace with being the Dragon Reborn - after a long (and AWESOME) downward slide - and Egwene reuniting the White Tower under her leadership. (Though there are bits with Perrin and Mat interspersed as well.) It's fun to pick out the ways the two characters echo each other. Rand's most desperate moment comes when he's collared by Semirhage, as Egwene was by the Seanchan in book 2, while Egwene's is when Elaida finally throws her into a tiny cell and has her beaten every day - which she explicitly compares to the captivity Rand suffered in book 6. Each has a moment of supreme power-wielding in the second half of the book: in Rand's case, his ruthless elimination of Natrin's Barrow by mass balefire and in Egwene's, her righteous, almost one-woman defense of the Tower against the Seanchan raid. And each of them ends by healing something: Rand heals himself, his own madness, and Egwene heals the Tower. I'm so looking forward to seeing them meet again. They are possibly the two most powerful people in the world at the moment, both reshaped and tempered by harsh experience, but still with that old, nearly-forgotten connection of having been childhood sweethearts. Fabulous.

Comparisons with the Jordan-only books are inevitable, so I'll comment on a few aspects of the writing. Sanderson uses point of view switches more wisely. Instead of putting us into one character's POV for a few hundred pages, then changing to a different storyline, he switches in every chapter but stays in the same storyline. So we follow the progress of Rand's plot through Rand, Nynaeve, Min, Cadsuane, etc., and Egwene through herself, Siuan, and Gawyn. It emphasizes how connected these people are and prevents the plot from feeling scattered and diluted by the multiplicity of characters. The pacing of this volume is also far better, with consistent rising action in both main storylines, both characters experiencing their nadir near the middle, and each scene progressing the plot. Sanderson's versions of the characters have a more robust internal monologues that makes them feel more sharply drawn. They feel more solid, self-aware, and intelligent, but still like the same people. Only Mat is noticeably though not unpleasantly different. The prose is comparatively modern and not as elegant as Jordan could be, but still powerful. And boy, does it feel good to not be annoyed by WoT characters! Except Gawyn, but well, not everything can be salvaged. I even liked Gareth and Cadsuane! All-around, very nice work on a challenging task.
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Sep 30, 2012 Alastair McDermott rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy

This review was originally published on amdsoft.com

The Gathering Storm is book 12 of Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time series, who passed away before he was able to finish the series. Sanderson was chosen by Jordan’s editor, (and wife) Harriet McDougal, to finish the series based on extensive notes and conversations Jordan had had with family about the series.

I absolutely loved it. I think Sanderson did an incredible job – I’d rate it as one of the top books of the series so far, up there with books...more

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Jul 19, 2012 Nick Costa rated it 4 of 5 stars

SPOILER WARNING:
I had this book for about 12 months before reading it. Just enjoying the cover art, thinking about the possibilities, stretching out the consumption for as long as possible so as to minimise the wait for the big finale. Awesome read, after investing 15 years of my imagination into this series its great to finally get some pay off! I don't know if it's the change in writers or if the story is just finally coming to a head, but there's some big events here that keep those pages tu...more

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Jul 14, 2012 Sian Jones rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy-scifi, third-person-narrator

This novel is the first one "co-written" with Brandon Sanderson. It's interesting to read a second author's take on Jordan's work. It's a daunting task, piecing together what Jordan left behind and writing the in-between to make a workable whole. I do admire Sanderson for that. He gets the tone and language level skillfully close to the previous books most of the time -- except of course when things actually happen in this one. I mean that lovingly -- but I swear one of Jordan's primary intents...more

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Jun 25, 2012 Ward Bond rated it 5 of 5 stars

Review

“The battle scenes have the breathless urgency of firsthand experience, and the . . . evil laced into the forces of good, the dangers latent in any promised salvation, the sense of the unavoidable onslaught of unpredictable events bear the marks of American national experience during the last three decades.”—_The New York Times_ on The Wheel of Time

“The Wheel of Time . . . is a fantasy tale seldom equaled and still less often surpassed in English.”—_Chicago Sun-Times_

“Jordan has a po

...more

Review

“The Wheel of Time . . . is a fantasy tale seldom equaled and still less often surpassed in English.”—_Chicago Sun-Times_

“Jordan has a powerful vision of good and evil—but what strikes me as most pleasurable . . . is all the fascinating people moving through a rich and interesting world.”—Orson Scott Card on The Wheel of Time

Product Description

Tarmon Gai’don, the Last Battle, looms. And mankind is not ready.

The final volume of the Wheel of Time, A Memory of Light, was partially written by Robert Jordan before his untimely passing in 2007. Brandon Sanderson, New York Times bestselling author of the Mistborn books, was chosen by Jordan’s editor---his wife, Harriet McDougal---to complete the final book. The scope and size of the volume was such that it could not be contained in a single book, and so Tor proudly presents The Gathering Storm as the first of three novels that will make up A Memory of Light. This short sequence will complete the struggle against the Shadow, bringing to a close a journey begun almost twenty years ago and marking the conclusion of the Wheel of Time, the preeminent fantasy epic of our era.

In this epic novel, Robert Jordan’s international bestselling series begins its dramatic conclusion. Rand al’Thor, the Dragon Reborn, struggles to unite a fractured network of kingdoms and alliances in preparation for the Last Battle. As he attempts to halt the Seanchan encroachment northward---wishing he could form at least a temporary truce with the invaders---his allies watch in terror the shadow that seems to be growing within the heart of the Dragon Reborn himself.

Egwene al’Vere, the Amyrlin Seat of the rebel Aes Sedai, is a captive of the White Tower and subject to the whims of their tyrannical leader. As days tick toward the Seanchan attack she knows is imminent, Egwene works to hold together the disparate factions of Aes Sedai while providing leadership in the face of increasing uncertainty and despair. Her fight will prove the mettle of the Aes Sedai, and her conflict will decide the future of the White Tower---and possibly the world itself.

The Wheel of Time turns, and Ages come and pass. What was, what will be, and what is, may yet fall under the Shadow.

EDITORIAL REVIEW:

Tarmon Gai’don, the Last Battle, looms. And mankind is not ready.

The final volume of the Wheel of Time, *A Memory of Light,* was partially written by Robert Jordan before his untimely passing in 2007. Brandon Sanderson, *New York Times* bestselling author of the Mistborn books, was chosen by Jordan’s editor---his wife, Harriet McDougal---to complete the final book. The scope and size of the volume was such that it could not be contained in a single book, and so Tor proudly presents *The Gathering Storm* as the first of three novels that will make up *A Memory of Light.* This short sequence will complete the struggle against the Shadow, bringing to a close a journey begun almost twenty years ago and marking the conclusion of the Wheel of Time, the preeminent fantasy epic of our era.

The Wheel of Time turns, and Ages come and pass. What was, what will be, and what is, may yet fall under the Shadow.

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May 24, 2012 Joshua Andert rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, fantasy-fiction

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Well, I admit with great pleasure that this is the first Wheel of Time book I've felt satisfied with since the Lord of Chaos or the Shadow Rising. Maybe Jordan croaking was a good thing for the series. The last couple of books seemed to amble on without any clear direction. However, with this one, I feel like we're getting close to the end. But that's not really why I enjoyed this book. I really liked the characters again. I appreciated how the book only focused on Rand, Egwene, and little bit o...more Well, I admit with great pleasure that this is the first Wheel of Time book I've felt satisfied with since the Lord of Chaos or the Shadow Rising. Maybe Jordan croaking was a good thing for the series. The last couple of books seemed to amble on without any clear direction. However, with this one, I feel like we're getting close to the end. But that's not really why I enjoyed this book. I really liked the characters again. I appreciated how the book only focused on Rand, Egwene, and little bit of Mat & Perrin. When the books are so diffuse in characters, I forget why I love the characters and instead become annoyed with their quirks. Here, I've grown to love Egwene again. The chapters about her mending the White Tower had me gripped. I knew she would pull through in the end, but Sanderson does a good job of keeping you on your seat.

I didn't hate Nynaeve. This is a first.

I found the Rand chapters quite pleasant as well. I've been predicting that the Dark One's strategy is to get Rand to fight himself and turn hard and emotionless. After all, the absence of the Light is the absence of emotion and love. If the Dark One could get the Dragon Reborn to stop feeling emotions, well... then he'd win. When Rand grabbed the True Power to fight off Semirhage, I yelled out (my wife gave me a strange look). It will be interesting to see how it comes up again. Will the Dark One and the Chosen manage to get him to use it again? What will happen then? I predict a struggle and another dilemma. It should be interesting. How is the True Power from the Dark One more powerful than the Source from the light? I don't really get it? Is it that the True Power is from selfishness? Perhaps it is only out gunned when Aes Sedai and Asha'man link and work together? (This is also what Lews Therin failed to do.) In order to beat the Dark One and seal him up for good, I predict he'll have to link with Elayne and Aviendha. That's cool with me. I've always had the hots for both of them. Aviendha especially.

Off to the library to get the Towers of Midnight. I thought about waiting until January 2013 when A Memory of Light comes out so I could read them back to back, but now I've been sucked in again. (less)

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May 04, 2012 Matthew L. rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, fiction

Well now, after Robert Jordan passed, I decided to wait and see what was gonna happen with this series. As such, I waited for the last two to get published and close to the final this January before delving back into the Dragon's story.

That was both a good and a bad idea. I'm pleased that I'll have Towers of Midnight within the week and A Memory of Light in a few months time. I am not a very patient man.

The downside was I've forgotten so much! This story is huge and the books are no joke either....more

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Mar 09, 2012 Caci rated it 5 of 5 stars

Title: The Gathering Storm
Author: Robert Jordan & Brandon Sanderson
Year of Publication: 2009
Publisher: Tor
Page count: 766

I began reading the Wheel of Time series when I was in the 6th grade. Each year I anxiously awaited the release of the next book in the series. This epic fantasy series has a habit of twisting and turning its way into the reader’s heart. The last book to be released was the eleventh book in the series “A Knife of Dreams” which debuted in 2005. At this point most of the fan...more Title: The Gathering Storm
Author: Robert Jordan & Brandon Sanderson
Year of Publication: 2009
Publisher: Tor
Page count: 766

I began reading the Wheel of Time series when I was in the 6th grade. Each year I anxiously awaited the release of the next book in the series. This epic fantasy series has a habit of twisting and turning its way into the reader’s heart. The last book to be released was the eleventh book in the series “A Knife of Dreams” which debuted in 2005. At this point most of the fans knew that the author, Robert Jordan, was ill and that “A Knife of Dreams” might be his last book in the Wheel of Time, even though the story hadn’t been ended. Following his unfortunate, if not unexpected, death in September of 2007 many fans were disappointed thinking that they would never be able to read the conclusion to one of the most well known and well loved fantasy series that had been on going since its first debut in 1990.
A few months after Robert Jordan’s death rumors began to surface that he’d instructed that someone finish his work. Supposedly he’d left copious notes and recordings along with strict detail on the ending of the story itself. This final book was to be titled, “A Memory of Light.” The blogosphere erupted in excited buzzing and eagerly anticipated the arrival of this last book in the series. Soon it was announced that Brandon Sanderson was to shoulder this task and write the ending, the last book, for a Wheel of Time. Like all good fans, the criticisms began to develop. Would Sanderson be the author needed to finish this epic? Would Sanderson lend the correct words while writing for this much beloved series?
Brandon Sanderson in his foreword of “The Gathering Storm” told how he was contacted by the late Robert Jordan’s wife and publisher and asked to write. He also wrote that he was not Robert Jordan and to expect the transition to be seamless and unnoticeable was foolhardy. The words in “The Gathering Storm” were his he explained, guided by Robert Jordan’s instructions and ideas. But once he began writing it, he could not contain the story to one novel, even exceedingly large novels as Robert Jordan was wont to write, and so it will be three novels.
“The Gathering Storm” is the twelfth book in the Wheel of Time series and it puts you immediately back into the world of Rand Al’Thor, Mat Cauthon, Perrin Aybara, Egwene Al’Vere along with so many other characters weaving their threads in the pattern, as though there was not a 4 year pause between the books. Each character is preparing themselves, and those who follow them, for the Last Battle. The relationships with the Dragon Reborn are tense and it seems as though his madness is deepening despite cleansing saidin. Everyone is unknowingly working against each other in an attempt to work toward the same goal, keeping the Dark One sealed in his tomb in the Blight. The White Tower is still divided and the Seanchan are conquering systematically The Dark One’s weakened prison allows his touch to affect the world and the Last Battle draws close. This is causing food to spoil in an instant all across the land from Arad Doman to the Spine of the World, while the unnatural winter leads into an even more unnatural spring. There are some major characters noticeably absent from the story, but who I’m sure will be making appearances in the next installments.
I had a difficult time putting this book down and was excited to be back in the Wheel of Time’s world. If you’ve ever been a fan of the Wheel of Time series, this most recent release will not disappoint. After receiving this book on a Sunday and finishing it 7 days later, my opinion on whether Sanderson was the right author for the job is yes. A full resounding, shout it from the roof tops, yes.
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topics	posts	views	last activity
Fantasy Book Club...: The GATHERING STORM - Chapters 26 to 39 SPOILERS	5	23	Apr 02, 2013 10:05pm
Fantasy Book Club...: The GATHERING STORM - Finished SPOILERS	5	25	Mar 29, 2013 02:40pm
Fantasy Book Club...: The GATHERING STORM - Chapters 40 through Epilogue SPOILERS	7	20	Mar 28, 2013 04:38am
Fantasy Book Club...: The GATHERING STORM - Chapters 12 to 25 SPOILERS	4	18	Mar 17, 2013 08:20am
Fantasy Book Club...: The GATHERING STORM - Planning to Read? First Impressions? NO SPOILERS	6	25	Mar 08, 2013 08:45pm
Fantasy Book Club...: The GATHERING STORM - Prologue through Chapter 11 SPOILERS	5	25	Mar 08, 2013 11:34am

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About Robert Jordan

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Robert Jordan was the pen name of James Oliver Rigney, Jr., under which he was best known as the author of the bestselling The Wheel of Time fantasy series. He also wrote under the names Reagan O'Neal and Jackson O'Reily.

Jordan was born in Charleston, South Carolina. He served two tours in Vietnam (from 1968 to...more Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Robert Jordan was the pen name of James Oliver Rigney, Jr., under which he was best known as the author of the bestselling The Wheel of Time fantasy series. He also wrote under the names Reagan O'Neal and Jackson O'Reily.

Jordan was born in Charleston, South Carolina. He served two tours in Vietnam (from 1968 to 1970) with the United States Army as a helicopter gunner. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross with bronze oak leaf cluster, the Bronze Star with "V" and bronze oak leaf cluster, and two Vietnamese Gallantry Crosses with palm. After returning from Vietnam he attended The Citadel where he received an undergraduate degree in physics. After graduating he was employed by the United States Navy as a nuclear engineer. He began writing in 1977. He was a history buff and enjoyed hunting, fishing, sailing, poker, chess, pool, and pipe collecting.

He described himself as a "High Church" Episcopalian and received communion more than once a week.[7] He lived with his wife Harriet McDougal, who works as a book editor (currently with Tor Books; she was also Jordan's editor) in a house built in 1797.

Responding to queries on the similarity of some of the concepts in his Wheel of Time books with Freemasonry concepts, Jordan admitted that he was a Freemason. However, "like his father and grandfather," he preferred not to advertise, possibly because of the negative propaganda against Freemasonry. In his own words, "no man in this country should feel in danger because of his beliefs."

On March 23, 2006, Jordan disclosed in a statement that he had been diagnosed with cardiac amyloidosis, and that with treatment, his median life expectancy was four years, though he said he intended to beat the statistics. He later posted on his Dragonmount blog to encourage his fans not to worry about him and that he intended to have a long and fully creative life.

He began chemotherapy treatment at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, in early April 2006. Jordan was enrolled in a study using the drug Revlimid just approved for multiple myeloma but not yet tested on primary amyloidosis.

Jordan died at approximately 2:45 p.m. EDT on September 16, 2007, and a funeral service was held for him on Wednesday, September 19, 2007. Jordan was cremated and his ashes buried in the churchyard of St. James Church in Goose Creek, outside Charleston.
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“I doubt you can understand the magnitude of the stupidity in your statement” — 89 people liked it

“Pessimism, she is a fond friend of yours, yes?" -
That's uncalled for. I barely know her. Mere acquaintances, at best.” — 63 people liked it

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The Gathering Storm (Wheel of Time #12)

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