Unfortunately, People will be disappointed with AMOL

[Barid Bel Medar]

So, the end is here at last, and I am afraid many people, mainly from Dragonmount and other fansites will not like the book, no matter how awsome it is.

 

Those from the fansites have worked so long and hard on personal theories and predictions that whatever actually happens in AMOL will disappoint them, beacause it doesnt turn out how they want or thought it would. Basically every possible theory on the outcome has been posed, it will not be a big suprise however it turns out.

 

I am really sad that alot of people wont like it because of this. If things dont go how they thought or predicted, it wont be as good. It will be too obvious or simple for those who have thought up extremely complex theories.

 

So i suppose what I want to say, or ask, if you will, is for people to step back from the theories and such when actually reading (of course, theorize all we want before we get the book) and just try to enjoy the story being resolved.

 

I fear many wont be able to put aside their own bias' or thoughts on how the story should be that it will lessen the quality of the reading.

 

I really hope this doesnt happen.

Perhaps something to think about?

[Luckers]

I don't think so. Based on reactions to the previous two books--with many, many theories proven wrong (the Borderland Ruler Theories, for instance, and the Moiraine/Galad/Anyone-but-Elayne will sit the Sun Throne, for another)--I think most people have a fairly solid grip on themselves when it comes to this.

 

I suspect a more dangerous problem is in the plot threads that will be summarily wrapped up, as opposed to those wrapped up in unexpected ways.

[Shalon Casbin]

Even if the book is the best one yet and amazing, there will be let down. This series has been my fascination for almost 7 years, I know others who started with the series when it first released, I think we will all share a feeling of disappointment seeing a conclusion to characters and lives we've all come to love and get to know as one would a 'real' friend.

[Barid Bel Medar]

I don't think so. Based on reactions to the previous two books--with many, many theories proven wrong (the Borderland Ruler Theories, for instance, and the Moiraine/Galad/Anyone-but-Elayne will sit the Sun Throne, for another)--I think most people have a fairly solid grip on themselves when it comes to this.

 

I suspect a more dangerous problem is in the plot threads that will be summarily wrapped up, as opposed to those wrapped up in unexpected ways.

 

mmm. good point. I certainly hope this is the case. Although I did see a fair few people complain about Messana idenity, the Borderland scenario etc... because it wasnt such a twist. But eh? I suppose the majority didnt mind. I certainly didnt.

 

 

I agree with your second point. Im hoping it wont be TOO much of a big deal for people. But hey, who knows.

[TheBeerPatriot]

I think some sort of letdown is inevitable, given how much time we've invested in the series (I started reading WoT in 1992). However, I still believe it's possible to enjoy the conclusion of this series.

 

I do agree with Luckers that the bigger concern will be the summary resolution of all the major plots. There is still so many major plots that need to be dealt with. If AMOL is indeed concluded in one remaining volume, the book will have to ramrod all of the remaining major plots, with little to no buildup for each one. Yes, that probably means taking only a few pages to resolve a plot thread that was building over several books.

 

Ultimately, I do have faith in Brandon doing the finale justice. He's delivered two solid volumes so far that were decently paced; here's hoping he takes the time to deliver a knockout finale in AMOL.

[Mystica]

my personal dissapointment already happened in the last book released. As a result, my expectations have greatly diminished and I don't find myself as eager for the next as I was after The Gathering Storm. So I'm kind of expecting a mixed feeling about it all, which won't stop me buying and reading but yeah, it's a bit of a bummer for sure.

[Stableboy of Baerlon]

I dunno, as wonderful as communities and theorizing and all that are, I think it's been a little to the detriment of fantasy (and maybe all genre fiction) for just this reason--for opening up this opportunity for disappointment. Back in the day (not that I'd know, I guess...), it seems like people could have their theories, but there was little in the way of echo chamber or sounding-out platform to magnify those theories beyond idle, fun speculation. Then the internet came along, and personal theories became a standard to bear. And that's cool! We wouldn't be hear if it weren't an awesome way to spend a thoughtful afternoon. But now there is room for this type of disappointment, and it's sad.

 

I for one will not be effected this way. I'm not a huge theorizer myself; I'm happy to let the author reveal things to us in his or her own time, and respond accordingly. All the fan theories are fun thought experiments, perhaps akin to the wild rumor-mill that is such a central theme of the Wheel of Time, but like the denizens of Randland, I'll be happiest when I find out the way it really goes down. :)

[Mrs. Cindy Gill]

as long as you love the book, it's ok. don't worry about whether anyone else does.

it shouldn't change your enjoyment.

[Feral]

Well I'm sure we'll all have the odd little thing we'll find disappointing in AMoL, like favourite characters maybe dying or plot threads left open that we wanted to see wrapped up neatly. But I think when it comes to the big things, people are pretty open-minded when it comes to theories so they won't be too disappointed if things turn out differently than they thought, or maybe if it was rather obvious. I think most fans will be so glad to finally get a conclusion to the story that that it'll be hard to get too disappointed about anything unless it's seriously major. Personally Rand could win the LB and seal the DO away by nicking his chin while shaving in Shayol Ghul and I'd still be happy lol.

[Luckers]

Mmm. It's actually funny--The Body Swap Theory, which is my biggest theory, the oldest one I have, one that I've held for like ten years... I wouldn't mind it not happening at all. In fact i'd like it so long as the alternative was consistant with prophecy and made sense.

 

Nah, theories being wrong isn't a problem. It's the quality of what you get instead.

[AvroChris]

I'd almost be more disappointed to find out that my (non-existent) highly researched, well thought through, sworn by theory was 100% right - it would mean you'd known what was going to happen all along. I'd be far happier to be surprised by the finale, it would make it more exciting

[Didgya]

(Messed up typing again: short version)

Everyone Chill! (yelling chill is silly :) I for one am not worried at all about the END. While I re-audio book the series I am amazed at all the foreshadowing and mentionings (is that a word?) anyway, We are all on the WOT fun ride and were afraid its going to end all too soon. All good things come to an end and we as a people fight that. Anyway I've gotten wayyyy to serious here, ENJOY!

[OptimusPrime]

I dont have a problem with my theories being debunked. if Im wrong then Im wrong, its happened before and Im sure it will happen at least one last time. The thing Im worried about in AMoL is the Forsaken. After so many letdowns... some did good in their downfalls IMO but not all. And we are left with 6, which is still technically half what was there in the first place... I'll be dissapointed the most if those six Forsaken deaths are all the usual on-the-verge-of-succeeding-but-letting-the-inner-James-Bond-villain-take-over stuff we have seen from Aginor and Balthamel, Moghedien and Semirhage.

 

Come on bad guys! Work together, do some REAL damage. Its been long enough, its really time for you to kick some ass.

 

Demandreds only chance. May he use it well, or die trying

[Mats Spare Hat]

Loial will slay Demandred.

 

Boom!

 

 

As for being disappointed with AMOL, for my own part I'm iffy on how BS will pull it off. I wouldn't say I'd been disappointed with the content of TGS or ToM...but I have been pretty eye-twitchy over the delivery. Rar-rar-rar right? BS isn't RJ and all that. The guy, for me, just hasn't been up to par writing wise - and I get all the can't imagine how hard it must be stepping into those shoes kind of thing, but I don't think I'm alone at all for wanting the dude to sack up and write his tail off instead of leaving us with watered down prune juice...so to speak?

 

...Some scenes & language use just make me feel like BS totally mailed it in at points - and parts like those will most likely where I'll feel disappointed for AMOL. The content won't bug me; The delivery, most likely will.

 

I'm really hoping that RJ left the most detailed & thorough notes and/or completely written scenes as far as the climax/conclusion of TG is concerned. I want to feel that's likely the case, figuring that most authors have the ending all figured out & in mind, or even on paper before they even write the beginning of a work. Who knows...

 

With that sort of outlook though, hopefully I'll be pleasantly surprised!

[OptimusPrime]

Loial will slay Demandred.

 

Boom!

 

Thatd be awesome. As long as it happens after Mat beasts him on the battlefield.

[Pantherus]

End of the day, the simple sadness that it's over will hurt us the most I think.

 

Sure we can then all look forward to yet anther re-read through the entire series with 100% of the information on board, and there'll possibly be more side-stories and such to come, but ultimately - that's it. No more theorising, no more questions yet to be answered...

 

On a significantly smaller scale, I remember finishing Harry Potter and feeling a bit gutted that that was it...and those books don't hold a candle to WoT in any facet...

[Puny]

my personal dissapointment already happened in the last book released.

 

I´m abit curious... well alot actually lol. What was your big personal disappointment?

 

I hope I won´t be disappointed. I mean, I´ve read the series for 10+ years now (wow makes me seem old) and when you have invested so much time, and thoughts and love into a set of books I do want the ending to be good. But I don´t expect every last loose thread to be solved. Just the major ones... hmm, maybe even some of the major threads will hang loose, who knows. I just want it to be a deserving and worthy end to an awesome epic tale.

 

My worst feeling would be reading the end and feeling ... empty. Like, this is how it ends?! Therefor I want an epilouge with little snippets of how some things went. I want the feeling that lives continues on even though we leave, I want there to be a sense of hope for Wheelland. I want Robert Jordan to still be alive, sigh.

The worst possible ending would be... Kazam. Tarmon Gaidon is done. THE END

[Mystica]

my personal dissapointment already happened in the last book released.

 

I´m abit curious... well alot actually lol. What was your big personal disappointment?

 

 

 

 

Well, I'm a bit hesitant to mention it because I fear of pointing out something some may not have noticed yet (though I'm sure the vast majority has and has no problem with it whatsoever). So if you're reading this and you haven't gotten to the end yet or you're happy with what's going on don't read any further.

 

note: highlight the text if you want to read.

Untill the end of TGS you could say I was 'happy in ignorance'. I'm saying that because when I voiced my concerns to other long time WOT readers, they all went 'that was obvious to me for a long time'. The whole Messiah reference to Jesus became too overwhelming in the TOM for me. Until then, the option was open to 'not' link it to any one religion, eventhough there were numerous winks to several throughout the books. The fantasy element of the entire story sort of went out the window for me in the last book. And it felt rushed in many places. Events that are (in my personal subjective view, of course) very important were sort slapped on as an afterthought. I do get that choices need to be made, so I'm not holding it against the writers, but yeah, after so many years and so many books I couldn't help but feel a bit cheapened out (if that's the right way of wording it).

 

But the major let down for me was the whole revelation happening with Rand. At the end of TGS I couldn't wait to see what happens next with him, but then came TOM and I was like..... huh. Ok. :( I kinda' expected a more fantasy-like thing.

 

It's hard to explain without spoiling anything, so I hope this made a little sense at least and didn't spoil things.

[Puny]

my personal dissapointment already happened in the last book released.

 

I´m abit curious... well alot actually lol. What was your big personal disappointment?

 

 

 

 

Well, I'm a bit hesitant to mention it because I fear of pointing out something some may not have noticed yet (though I'm sure the vast majority has and has no problem with it whatsoever). So if you're reading this and you haven't gotten to the end yet or you're happy with what's going on don't read any further.

 

note: highlight the text if you want to read.

Untill the end of TGS you could say I was 'happy in ignorance'. I'm saying that because when I voiced my concerns to other long time WOT readers, they all went 'that was obvious to me for a long time'. The whole Messiah reference to Jesus became too overwhelming in the TOM for me. Until then, the option was open to 'not' link it to any one religion, eventhough there were numerous winks to several throughout the books. The fantasy element of the entire story sort of went out the window for me in the last book. And it felt rushed in many places. Events that are (in my personal subjective view, of course) very important were sort slapped on as an afterthought. I do get that choices need to be made, so I'm not holding it against the writers, but yeah, after so many years and so many books I couldn't help but feel a bit cheapened out (if that's the right way of wording it).

 

But the major let down for me was the whole revelation happening with Rand. At the end of TGS I couldn't wait to see what happens next with him, but then came TOM and I was like..... huh. Ok. :( I kinda' expected a more fantasy-like thing.

 

It's hard to explain without spoiling anything, so I hope this made a little sense at least and didn't spoil things.

 

Ive read the first chapter, or is it the prologue to ToM so I do know that Rand has undergone some serious changes. Personally I was always hoping Rand was heading this way. I know that Aes Sedai in AoL were nothing like that, (maybe a few were) but in my mind´s eye that was what I wanted them to be. Rands transformation to Rand Sedai is something that I think was necesseray for the plot to go forward. He is what the Aes Sedai should be all along, a true servant for all (Egwene watch and learn!)

The path he was heading towards... let me say that if I was champion for Light, I´d dread if Rand won. He was becoming slowly but surely the thing he wanted to destroy. The change sure brought some religious connotations but on the other hand it doesnt have to either. Just because he acts like he acts (bare in mind I dont know much about how he acts lol cause I´ve just read the first chapter)doesn´t have to mean that he acts so because he is some Messiah figure. Rand can act the way he does also cause he now has a genuine understanding of his roll as the Dragon/Aes Sedai and that he needs to be the Healer, of the world and in order to do that he must change his mental state of mind (going from destroyer, chaosbringer, being a weapon, burner of bonds, you get the picture) into Healer, Apple-Grower. In a world that´s supposed to repeat itself and never change he has undergone an incredible change- that´s admirable. And tbh when I read that chapter I wasn´t thinking about Messiah at all... rather Zen Rand or Buddha. It would be another thing if the Creator suddenly boomed with his voice. SORRY JANDUIN, I´M AL THOR´S REAL FATHER! Rand is balanced at last. Go Dragon go!

 

I´ve made some text white - spoiler warning.

[Mystica]

whited for those that do not wish to follow this (we should probably stop this line of conversation here anyway, we're walking a very thin line as it is).

 

I didn't feel the dissapointment after reading the first chapter or Apples First either. That actually made me eager to read the rest. It only came later. But of course, you are right in that he had to become a 'Jenn' Aes Sedai (Real Aes Sedai) and there was bound to be something absolutely awe inspiring to come. Fact is, TGS I re-read 3 times in a row and was left eager to re-read it again. TOM i've tried to re-read once and couldn't do it. That in itself says a lot to me, but again. It IS my personal feeling, not a revalation of truth or anything.

[Shawnchan]

I dunno, as wonderful as communities and theorizing and all that are, I think it's been a little to the detriment of fantasy (and maybe all genre fiction) for just this reason--for opening up this opportunity for disappointment. Back in the day (not that I'd know, I guess...), it seems like people could have their theories, but there was little in the way of echo chamber or sounding-out platform to magnify those theories beyond idle, fun speculation. Then the internet came along, and personal theories became a standard to bear. And that's cool! We wouldn't be hear if it weren't an awesome way to spend a thoughtful afternoon. But now there is room for this type of disappointment, and it's sad.

 

I for one will not be effected this way. I'm not a huge theorizer myself; I'm happy to let the author reveal things to us in his or her own time, and respond accordingly. All the fan theories are fun thought experiments, perhaps akin to the wild rumor-mill that is such a central theme of the Wheel of Time, but like the denizens of Randland, I'll be happiest when I find out the way it really goes down. :)

 

You know what? I could not agree more.

 

I started the series at the beginning and, loved every installment. I never wanted it to end. Every couple of years I could rejoin my best fictional friends and live vicariously through them. Sure, I learned to skim the text in search of quotation marks. Sure, I skimmed to find out what would happen next but; I never tired or got caught up in critiquing the story.

 

Around TPOD I joined Wotmania and got instantly jaded.

 

"Yeah, enough about dresses, sniffing, braid tugging, every character 'dryly' responding."

 

I went from never wanting the story to end, to "just get it over with already."

 

Now that we are on the brink of the final tomb, I find myself hoping that it may turn into 2 more.

[TayseerHusainChowdhry]

i started reading when I was 12.

18 years later i'm still happy.

in retrospect, even the slow books aren't really that bad when I have the next one right there to continue the story.

[knutz]

My only disappointment would be if Raen didn't learn the songs. My only disappointment with the last one was the Two Rivers remaining a part of Andor. Andor doesn't deserve it.

 

Personally, I like Sanderson's writing. I just didn't like the splicing of the timelines in the last two books. I'm pretty sure everyone's caught up now, so the next book won't have Tam in two places at once. I'm sure I'll enjoy it - even if my theories on how it should be don't pan out.

[NetSlider]

I have to agree with Luckers on this one and I'm too more worried that the story will be rushed. Personally, (and I know a lot of people will not like this) I'd rather see the final book broken into 2-3 volumes. There's just too much going on and the more I re-listen the series in anticipation the more I realize that it would be really, really, really hard (if not impossible) to wrap up everything in one book. So, i stand by the idea that if BS and Harriet feel that the book should be broken into multiple parts they would not hesitate to do it (I don't wanna see the WHOLE series destroyed by quick conclusions).

[wasted]

I'd rather see the final book broken into 2-3 volumes.

 

Yeah, me too. More Wheel of Time = awesome.

But I don't think this will happen.

 

(I don't wanna see the WHOLE series destroyed by quick conclusions).

 

Then I guess you're in luck. Because a LOT will remain unconcluded. RJ said so himself. He stated, that he didnt like stories where everything was neatly wrapped up and believed them to be unrealistic.

 

Think of everthing you'd like to see resolved. I bet 1/2 of all of that, while being mentioned and maybe proded along somewhat, won't get resolved AT ALL. Maybe 1/3. Don't know how much, but it will be alot.

 

Be prepared for that. I know I am.^^