Your feelings about the last book

[Doodoo_Fr]

Hi all.

 

This is my first topic-launching. Bear in mind that English is not my first langage so I shall make mistakes in my wording ...

 

I want to ask all those who follow Randland since many years : How do you feel about the last book coming ?

 

Personnally, I read the books only once, tried to reread it many times but never achieved to end TEotW more than once (it is SOOO different to the rest of the series that I can't even relate it to the other books actually ... too "standard fantasy" to my taste lol ... Moiraine's staff phaw !). In the other hand I read Wot Encyclopediae, TheoryLand and DragonMount boards (and lost Wotmania) many many times ...

 

I'm desperately in need to know the end. As RJ said "I know the beginning and I know the ending I just need to weave the in-between" (more or less, sorry I can't recall his exact words). These words gave me the feeling that the ending would be ABSOLUTELY ASS-KICKING (he teased us with it for a long time ...)

 

After all these years, the end is coming and I'm badly afraid to have spent all this time reading a series for an end which will be nothing spectacular. After ToM everything is set up and I am somewhat disapointed by the setting of the Last Battle. I'm perhaps wrong, but I think the LB will take place between Caemlyn, the Black Tower and Tar Valon ... Not what I've expected.

 

How about you ? Are you like me ? Are you addicted to the books just to know the end ? Even if, in order to know it, you have had to read TOO many tea drinking, stand lamps burning and sea-folk-porcelain-in-various-color-sipping-and-filling ? Do you feel deceived ? Content ?

 

Brandon Sanderson said that the end was "satisfying" IIRC ... On a Theoryland post someone said that the end would be an all-cast-riding-toward-the-sunset (ala Lucky Luke for those who know this - sorry I'm French ...). I will be VERY disapointed in this.

 

Discuss ...

 

To add to the topic and describe what I intend to read in the last book :

 

My favorite character is Nynaeve and I'm pretty sure that Lan will die and that she will give her life in grief to resurrect Rand (three days after his death ... "twice shall the day dawn" etc ...). I'm totally focused on her fate and Rand's actually ... I would be VERY disapointed if her role is not central in the last book. I know RJ said that she could overcome Lan's death and have a happy and long life after his death but ... she's too hot-tempered to not react in an awesome fashion.

[FossMaNo1]

Well, call me a hopeless romantic, but I hope none of the main characters die: not Rand, Perrin, Matt, Nyneve, Elayne, Aviendha, Egween, Moraine, Lan, Cadusane, Siuan Sanche, Gareth Bryne, Tuon (Fortuna), Logain, and maybe a few others. This is a fantasy story, and too often is this generation into pyric victories. I'd love just an honest total victory (sorta like the first Matrix movie... my first thought when I saw the end of that flick was how ballsy and how great it was for the writers to make their hero a superman!).

 

I totally get Sanderson's comment about the end being "Satisfying." That's really all I'm looking for myself. Satisfying is that feeling in your stomach after a good meal. Are you going to go tell the world about the mean? No, but instead you'll probably curl up somewhere and remain quiet as your meal digests, a very self-satisfied smiled plastered across your face.

[jemron]

I know how you feel about worrying how the end will turn out. Like the show Lost, I anticipated this amazingly great ending, and while I still liked it, it did NOT meet my expectations on many levels. Still, it was the journey that I enjoyed more than the destination. Each episode of that show and each book of this amazing series has been very enjoyable for me. No, the ending didn't pan out as perfectly as I think it could have, but that didn't destroy how I felt about the series as a whole. The same may be true of WoT as well.

 

It's very bitter-sweet for me. Anxious to finally have the ending; worried that I'll never really talk much about the series with people ever again once it's over.

[jwood01]

It seems to me that there is still a ton to mop up as well as TG in the last book. I was expected at least the Black Tower stuff to be dealt with in ToM. With a series this long I feel that TG needs a whole book to itself. I also kinda envisioned hordes of Trollocs ravaging Randland prior to TG, not just Caemlyn and the borderlands. I will be disappointed if TG is tame compared to the Trolloc Wars.

 

I guess that I am holding out hope that aMoL is split again into two more books!

[Demon_AS]

Satisfying, to me, is far preferable to dissatisfying lol. I suspect he chose his words carefully, because I'm sure I read something a little more reassuring on his blog. IIRC it went something like "I've read the ending. It's brilliant." or similar.

[True Source Creator]

I have to say that I'm sad it's coming to an end. I've only been a fan for two years (more like one and two thirds), but it's quickly become my favorite book series and I love spending a good hour each morning reading them. There's something fun learning about what comes next. I can't let it go easily now, so I'm planning to re-read all 13 (I'm only on 11 right now, mind you, so that's still 15 books to go through) before getting to AMOL. Unfortunately, at this rate, that could take me two years. I don't think I can wait until summer 2013 to read AMOL.

[Doodoo_Fr]

Thanks all for your views about the ending.

 

The word "brilliant" said by BS reported in one of your post greatly comforted me. Like all of us, I, too, enjoyed all the series and the world and don't regret to have explored such a detailed and rich setting. I was just anxious that the end would be too "standard fantasy" and not at all innovative.

 

But if BS said it was "BRILLIANT", I think it's a professional writer way to say "ASS KICKING" :).

Actually "BRILLIANT" is more satisfying to me than just "SATISFYING".

 

Now I just have to wait. Thanks to the WoT community I'll have a lot to read and ponder until the book is released :).

 

Thanks all.

[sandoz12]

I completely understand people's comments about how the ending will feel bitter-sweet - that is exactly how I am imagining it too. I also wish that AMoL would be split into two books, not so much to prolong the series but just because there is so much to tie up and I don't want the last book to feel rushed. It would be a real shame for a series that has been built and built up over 13 books to then rush the ending. The final book(s) should be the glorious pay-off.

 

I too thought that the Black Tower would have been resolved in ToM. And the fact that it wasn't worries me, because that is going to take up space in AMoL leaving less space for the final book whereas I imagined the final battle taking up 90% of the last battle with the final 10% being the consequences, re-unions, emotions and fall-out from the last battle.

 

I understand that RJ always said that not all loose-ends will be tied up and I am happy with that. But I do want all the main threads to be tied up nicely without feeling rushed (for example scenes that felt rushed to me were the black ajah purge and the final part of when Egwene unified the two factions). Still BS has done an excellent job so far (imo) and am confident that he will do well with the final book, I just worry that the restriction of this having to be the last book will make it hard for him - but we will see.

[Elan Tedronai]

the black tower has not been resolved because it's obvious sanderson and co have little material for a final book. that's why you had the alot of useless needless drivel in TOM i.e filler stuff.

 

as for the final book,

 

the only thing certain in that book is that poor old shaitan will be sealed back again. i hope there will be consequences or else it will be a cheap ending

[peregrine]

I grew up with these books. I can't even really remember a time when they weren't a big part of my life. I can't say that of any other book series. So I honestly don't know how I feel about them ending. I was terrified when Jordan died that they weren't going to print any more ... now I feel like that about this last book. Maybe I'll keep it wrapped up in my closet, unread, until I'm 85. Just so the anticipation never dies.

[Southpaw89]

If great things happen, cool scenes, memorable moments, etc and the very end makes sense with what has been foreshadowed, I will be very pleased and happy

[Shimmer]

Next year will definitely be bittersweet, as so many others have said. Of course I never want it to end, but everything eventually must. I hope the ending is "brilliant" as Brandon said, yet still the journey is much more important than the destination - although it certainly helps if both are amazing. Here's to Brandon for being able to shoulder the wishes of each of us WoT fans and still (hopefully) be able to write an out-of-this-world, AMAZINGLY BRILLIANT book!

[Sid]

I thought he used the word 'fantastic' rather than 'brilliant'. At least in TGS's Foreward he did.

I guess it means nearly the same thing...

[PastorDeSemolaDeGranoDuro]

The WoT has given me great satisfaction for many years. It would have to be a pretty bad book for me not to be content. I'm backing Brandon to bring his A game and turn in a good book.

[Orderofolde]

There's just too many people, too many loose ends, even leaving some without tying them up like RJ wanted, I feel that there's too much to be crammed into one book. It will be rushed, too many people moving all around last minute, too many good things left unfinished. I don't think an "Encyclopedia" afterwards will be the same as another good book. The outriggers would be really nice, but I don't think that Brandon really wants to write them. He wants to write his own books and I'd want to do the same thing were I him.

 

Lots of people are saying that the last book needs one last split and I agree. Others just want to know the ending and have waited a long time for it. I'm for doing the story justice.

[Stitch]

Personally I am expecting

85% Manuverings and War

10% Last Battle

5% Aftermath

 

I AM hoping for some degree of tragedy, a everyone goes skipping into the sunset singing of love and peace ending is the sort of thing that would make me hurl given the beautifully complex world devised.

 

However I do not believe the current deal about the Trollocs and co is the last battle, more a prelude. The Last Battle itself is probably when Rand and co attempts to deal with the Dark One - and in the meantime we are likely to see the darkspawn hordes, dreadlords (black ajah and Taim's faction at the black tower), the Forsaken and other darkfriends - not to mention the possibility of finally having some Shara or Isle of the Mad input (we are told no Seanchan homeland).

 

Oh and twice shall the day dawn is IMO a reference to balefire being used (probably on whoever kills him - but not neccessarily) though how that former Damane (who's name i forget) who will 'help him die', how she is involved I am not certain, perhaps by killing him (to prevent something ELSE happening to him) and then killing herself with balefire? I dont know.

[OptimusPrime]

Personally I am expecting

85% Manuverings and War

10% Last Battle

5% Aftermath

 

Hmm. Personally I believe the Last Battle started in Eye of the World.

 

If AMoL is split again Im not reading them. I dont WANT to read anothet three Wheel of Time books to see Rand and Moridins fued make the earth quake. I dont WANT to read another load of Perrin, Elayne or EGWENE chapters to get to the part where Rand dies.

 

20% maneuvering and war (Light PoVs)

10% maneuvering and war (Dark PoVs)

35% Big name following. Rand Mat Perrin Nynaeve Egwene Logain Taim Forsaken. Everyone else can shut up.

20% Black Tower rending and aftermath including whatever happens with the Aes Sedai

15% Strike at Shayol Ghul

0% Aftermath. It ends with Mazrandidin getting on the boat with Min Aviendha and Elayne.

[Didgya]

Personally I am expecting

85% Manuverings and War

10% Last Battle

5% Aftermath

 

Hmm. Personally I believe the Last Battle started in Eye of the World.

 

If AMoL is split again Im not reading them. I dont WANT to read anothet three Wheel of Time books to see Rand and Moridins fued make the earth quake. I dont WANT to read another load of Perrin, Elayne or EGWENE chapters to get to the part where Rand dies.

 

20% maneuvering and war (Light PoVs)

10% maneuvering and war (Dark PoVs)

35% Big name following. Rand Mat Perrin Nynaeve Egwene Logain Taim Forsaken. Everyone else can shut up.

20% Black Tower rending and aftermath including whatever happens with the Aes Sedai

15% Strike at Shayol Ghul

0% Aftermath. It ends with Mazrandidin getting on the boat with Min Aviendha and Elayne.

Drekka- I agree, the LB started in the Eye of the world, battle isn't just swordplay and magic, all the maneuvering and mind games is what makes the WOT sweet like candy.

Mazrandidin-thats hilarious, did you come up with that?

[OptimusPrime]

Personally I am expecting

85% Manuverings and War

10% Last Battle

5% Aftermath

 

Hmm. Personally I believe the Last Battle started in Eye of the World.

 

If AMoL is split again Im not reading them. I dont WANT to read anothet three Wheel of Time books to see Rand and Moridins fued make the earth quake. I dont WANT to read another load of Perrin, Elayne or EGWENE chapters to get to the part where Rand dies.

 

20% maneuvering and war (Light PoVs)

10% maneuvering and war (Dark PoVs)

35% Big name following. Rand Mat Perrin Nynaeve Egwene Logain Taim Forsaken. Everyone else can shut up.

20% Black Tower rending and aftermath including whatever happens with the Aes Sedai

15% Strike at Shayol Ghul

0% Aftermath. It ends with Mazrandidin getting on the boat with Min Aviendha and Elayne.

Drekka- I agree, the LB started in the Eye of the world, battle isn't just swordplay and magic, all the maneuvering and mind games is what makes the WOT sweet like candy.

Mazrandidin-thats hilarious, did you come up with that?

 

Haha, no, RJ came up with it! Mazridin=Moridin posing as Taim, Mazrandidin is Rand having stolen the body from Moridin. Three become one, see?

[Superhal]

Thank God it's over. Looking back, it's been almost 30 years.

[Vambram]

Thank God it's over. Looking back, it's been almost 30 years.

 

I think you mean 20 years, instead of 30 years.

 

EoTW was published in 1990.

[Superhal]

Thank God it's over. Looking back, it's been almost 30 years.

 

I think you mean 20 years, instead of 30 years.

 

EoTW was published in 1990.

 

For some reason I had 1984 in my head, but it still feels like 30.

[Bluedust9]

Thank God it's over. Looking back, it's been almost 30 years.

 

I think you mean 20 years, instead of 30 years.

 

EoTW was published in 1990.

 

For some reason I had 1984 in my head, but it still feels like 30.

 

Oh well, still wrong. *brohug*