The Wheel of Time has been my constant companion through life since I was about 13 years old. I can still remember the sense of wonder the first book brought me way back when. I have read, and re-read the series countless times, growing up with my favorite characters, Rand, Perrin, Mat, Egwene, Nynaeve, Faile, Gaul, and so many more. The series had lots of ups and downs, and waiting years between each book was sometimes difficult, especially as storylines became so fragmented little action was produced between books. But now the world begins its ultimate focus on the last battle, action is faster and storylines tie back together.

This is the penultimate book, just one more book remains to be written. The action centers on Perrin, who has always been my favorite character. His story arc suffered a lot from having to go through so much agonizing and waiting over the last several books, now he catches up with a vengeance. Fulfilling his destiny in amazing ways that left me nodding in pride.

It almost doesn't matter what rating anyone gives this book, if you've read the Wheel of Time, you're certainly hooked enough to finish the series, we all need to see what it was that Robert Jordan saw as the last battle in his mind before he started writing this series. But I really loved this book, it was an improvement from The Gathering Storm, Brandon Sanderson's first book taking over for Jordan. Things happen. Exciting, awesome things happen. Things happen in ways that people like me who have been talking and theorizing about the things that were to happen for years on the internet never expected, and yet when you see how it happens you realize how obvious it was.

This book has me chomping at the bit to get the last book. I am extremely excited to start rereading the series soon so that I can read all 14 books together again for the first time.