The "OMG I just finished!" Thread

[Myrelle Green]

I'm sad it's over, but overall feel satisfied with the ending. I cried when Bela died! She was in this book a lot more than in previous books lately.

[Noir Ronin]

It was a good yarn. I enjoyed the quality of the writing, the character development and plot structure. And I guess any literature that keeps the reader turning the page is to be considered successful.

 

But am I the only one who found the "philosophy" debate about the nature of good/evil between Rand and The Dark One to be shallow and rather trite?

[YourNewDragonAndGod]

I'm slowly digesting what I've just read, and the implications of it all. That Rand did not kill the Dark One and ended up switching bodies with Moridin is of no real surprise to me. I think that Gawyn's death could have been a bit more impressive, however, it did fit in well with the character. Egwene's death was awesome(in the that was a great way to go way), and I loved the way that Rand was able to see the battle as it happened. I do not think Rhuarc's capture fit in well with the book, nor Moghdein's. This book was fantastic, of that I have no doubts. It feels like the book was actually two different novels, the preparations and individual fights, and then the full blown Last Battle. The ending was beautifully written. I love Rand's wake up scene "just Rand al Thor". Those lines, meaning no link with Moridin, no memories of Lews Therin, no mantle of the Dragon Reborn. It's fantastic. This is easily the best series/novel I've ever read, the most beautifully written ending. Thank you Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson for this incredibly mind blowing work of art.

[Tud]

Sorry if this seems a little off topic, but I can't seem to start a thread on the subject and this seems the best thread to discuss the issue.. also, I've checked the threads and it doesn't seem that anyone seems to have caught this . If someone already has, then I apologize..

 

Anyway, here goes..Did anyone else notice how the entire series was totally cyclical? AMOL ended in a mirror image of the way EOTW began (Not counting the prologues)..In EOTW, at the beginning of the first chapter, We get the wind blowing in the woods in the Two Rivers and the words: This was not a beginning, there are no beginnings with the Wheel Of Time, but it was a beginning. Then we get Rand's first POV. Flash forward two million words and 22 years and what happens at the end? We get Rand's POV (again), followed by a wind rising and soaring and the words: "This wind,it was not the ending. There are no endings and never will be to the turning of the Wheel Of time". But it was an ending."

 

As sad as those words made me, I really liked the way Mr. Jordan set up the entire magnificant epic to be one, gigantic cycle. I don't know why, but I found that very profound.

 

I'm sorry if I've wasted anyone's time on this point. I just thought that this might be the best place to bring it up since I can't just post an independant thread on the subject.

 

tud

[capsfan4life]

I am a slow reader, and just finished the book today after getting it the day it came out. I literally did not ever want to put the book down, though, but other responsibilites required me to every once in a while (read: job, family, etc).

 

This will be a bit off topic, but here we go..

 

I started reading EOTW in 1999, my freshman year of college. Through the last 13 1/2 years, this series has been one of the very, very few constants in my life. No matter what happened, I always had this series, any of the books, going all the time. People came and went, two hockey work stoppages for varying lengths of time, school, work, etc, everything changed. But this story - Rand, Nynaeve, Egwene, Mat, Perrin, Elayne, Aviendha, Min,  heck, even Padan Fain - were always there to keep me grounded, a center to focus on. I think this book, all of the deaths, all of the lives taken, all of the stories, was a most fitting end to a series that practically defined the Fantasy genre of books for the last 20+ years.

 

I actually finished reading ToM about a year ago, and started again with EOTW (for my first re-read since I finished it nearly 12 years ago), and got through book 4 before AMOL came out. I cannot wait to go back and start reading book 5 so that I can live through all of this again. It's almost like reading the books again for the first time, as I had forgotten a LOT since my initial readings to now (thank goodness for the internet to remind me of who characters are).

 

Anyways, that was really long winded, so long story short, I loved this book. I can't wait to read it again.

[ThorkinBarrimore]

 

 

 

 

Well, I've finished and let it set in a little bit. It left me with a smile. It was the ending but I can't help but wonder.

Sanderson did a commendable job finishing an overwhelming project. I do fill that Jordan would have let some

things marinate if he could have lived to do so but it was important to have an ending to the series nontheless.

 

So, basically we got there to the summit of the mountain but we took the straight line. Jordan would have took

us around it and let us see all of the trees....and teach us how to properly wash silk. lol. It's not always the destination but

it's the journey. Jordan was best at the journey part. Sanderson gave us the destination. Which was better is left

to us to decide. I say thanks to both men. Well done.

+1

Very well said Thorkin.

Thanks! I was at work so I didn't have much time to type.

 

I think sometimes we can be overcritical when it comes to things we've invested so much time in

such as this series. There were a few things rushed and lots more dialogue. I felt a nice sense of

things coming together around The Last Battle. I'm very glad that Demandred wasn't too much of

a disappointment. I laughed when he basically pimp-slapped M'Hael.

 

I remember from way back that people would try to match the characters in the books to their assumed

counterparts in the Forsaken and so it was interesting to see many of those not even coming close.

For example, one was that Nynaeve and Moghedien would square off...which wasn't even close.

 

The one thing I knew was paramount for this book was that the Shadow needed to seem invincible, It needed to

seem like a miracle that the Light prevailed because, up until this point, the Forsaken were just balefired

or taken out quite easily. I would have liked to see more paranoia after first discovering the Compulsion or

maybe one would actually be a Darkfriend. That could have led to some intrigue....who's going to be next?

Who's the Darkfriends? Who else could have Compulsion-induced orders and doesn't even know it?

 

Also, I thought it would have been a far better idea to have the people of Emond's Field all ganging up on

Padan Fain right there at the last due to him basically bringing the first attacks on them to begin with. Oh, and

The Last Hunt with the returning anicent wolves was rushed as well. All in all, I was pleased and am thankful

we all got to the top of the mountain at last.

Edited January 26, 2013 by ThorkinBarrimore

[Mark Wolkove]

I really enjoyed this book. It told the epic story of the Last Battle in an absolutely riveting way, and kept me wondering what Mat and Perrin would do at Shayol Ghul, right up to the last part of the book. At the same time I am absolutely pissed about how the book ended. I doubt any reader expected the shadow to win, and the battle makes great reading in and of itself, so I really expected a little more at the end of the book to give us an idea what was ahead for the world in the days to come. More importantly, The characters have been part of our lives for a very long time, and many of us are attached to them, so I really wanted to know what happened to them in the years to come; much like Tolkien told us of life in Middle Earth following the fall of Sauron. How is Egwene's death supposed to bother me, when the rest of the characters are, for all intents and purposes just as dead.

 

Last, Sanderson writes Thom working on his epic ballad, seeking the perfect word, that also isn't a cliche, or expected by others. This made me even more disappointed in the end, when Rand rides off into the sunset like the Lone Ranger... How much more cliche can you get? And after writing about a character who is trying to avoid the same thing, how could you do it yourself?

 

As I read the book, the closer I got the end, the more I realized that the battle would continue on for too long, and that there was so much that had been started, but not the time to clear up all the mysteries before the pages ran out. At the end I didn't even care about clearing up any mysteries; I wanted to hear a little about the characters I'd know for almost twenty years: Lan's return to Malkier with Nynaeve, and what new miracles of healing she created; what become of the black tower in years to come; what were they doing in the following years, what discoveries had been made with men and women working together in large circles to do things unimaginable? What was the fourth age like, for the people who lived through the battle?

 

Someone commented on the Tinkers and whether they had found their song... When Rand was tying up loose ends before the last battle, there should have been a part where he visited them and taught them the song. I always figured that they would play an important part in the end, not just be picking through the battlefields to find people who would live. I thought they'd find the song and, singing along with the Ogier, undo the Dark One's damage to the plants of the world, and maybe restore the food supply as people were starving all over the world. Since they would never fight, it seems like their logical role would be singing to the land.

Edited January 27, 2013 by Whiskey619

[_CLOUD]

Well, I just finished AMOL. I really liked it, but it wasn't as perfect as I hoped it would have been. My expectations were set too high. I would have liked some scenes to be written differently, but it isn't my book, it's Robert Jordan's. In the end I really liked it and it had a good ending. I'm happy. 

[Guest Lyeelia]

Read it for three days straight. Finished yesterday and i didn't know how to feel or how to react

 

Even though it was an entire book outplayed in war, it worked. I just think it was irritating that the stories of the characters was written in such short sequences.

I didn't get the deep I wanted with each character.

 

And I know some had to die but i wish it hadn't been Egwene...

 

Didn't really care for the epilogue either. I wanted more peace before the end. The end were rand rides of is good in some ways, but I wanted some kind of other ending... hard to put in words that feeling you have had while been building up to the anticipation for the end during so many years and when the end arrives it's not what you expected. I was so sure Rand was going to die in the end and when he didn't I couldn't really grasp it..

 

With that being said... I laughed.... I cried.... I cursed... I feel empty without my favorite book series, one that I have been following for so long

 

Good work Robert Jorden and Brandon Sanderson for writing a story that have kept me a true fan for so many years. Thank you for writing such a captivated tale..

[tkroll]

I thoroughly enjoyed the book and am more than a little sad that its done.....

I still don't have a favorite part but there somethings that stand out-

 

 

Olver blowing the horn caught me off guard.

 

Birgette getting axed by Mellar and then Melllar's reaction after the horn was blown.

 

Demandred- not surprised he had the Sharans but surprised at how he got taken down and that he was silly enough to believe Lews Therin wasn't at Shayol Ghul

 

Thom almost casually killing channelers wearing the mask of mirrors as a disguise- knife to the back.

 

I had hoped Lanfear would come around but wasn't surprised she didn't.

 

I loved it that Noal/Jain saved Olver.

 

I need to start a re read soon.

[tkroll]

Oh and Logaine - was disappointed in him at first- going after that scepter but like how he ended up saving all the children...

[Siswai_Dar]

Finished less then an hour ago after three exhausting- but some of the most wonderful in my life- days of reading (unfortunately i do not live in the U.S. and so had to order the book online and wait through more the two excruciating weeks as the book got delayed)  and thank god it was weekend!. I'm still a bit in shock of reading the end of this beautiful and amazing series and i actually shake a little as i right this words.  

Let me first how i envy you all. I've begun this series less than a year ago (around last April). About a month after I finished TOM (around July) I found out AMOL was coming out in January and started a re-reading and finished just in time. I'm jealous of you beacuse you had years to read this book, you\ve grown up with the world of the wheel of time and its characters. You had time to do numerous re-reads and come up with great and crazy theories. I didn't have to wait years between the books- and though i'm sure it was hard it had also strengthen your connection to the series,  your passion. With that in thought i'm still glad i read this series and overcome it's daunting length (which made me gave up a few years ago when i bought the first volumes)

 

Now about the book- unfortunately i did'nt finished it with the sense of elevation i thought i would feel. i'm not i even realized yet that this is the end. Truth is, i couldn't ignore it flaws: from Sanderson's writing which felt a little sloppy to me and seemed to actually change the characters- i was often annoyed by Jordan's tendency of lengthening but his style- and his unique vocabulary were greatly missed in this book- which i guess i can't blame Sanderson for cause in order to right like Jordan he would need to be Jordan

 

and there flaws with the story- tiny ones like one character offering another sugar (which did not exist in the whole series!!) and bits of information that felt forced by Sanderson to close loose ends, and great ones like the ending which i'm not sure I liked. I was quite disappointed withe the way Rand disappeared- he shed behind his body, his channeling ability and most important his family and friend and the way he joked about which woman will follow him- truth be told I felt it was quite selfish of him. You could say he had done his share and more and should be cut a slack but I didn't like the way he left his father behind to mourn on him, his friends believing him gone and never forget Galad who had already lost one brother, one he knew and loved. (This part also greatly disappointed me since I was really expecting for Rand to reveal that to Galad himself in a "i am your father" style)

and last but not least- the pipe!!!

 

I'm going to stop since i've already written too much. There is much I didn't say and I still have to digest this book, order my thoughts... All in all this has been an incredible ride, this books captured me in a way no other book managed and i suspect no other book would- and this is the hard part; like letting go of the true source, after this series ended any other book would look pale and lifless compared to this. We all owe a great toh to Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson for giving us this amazing world.

[Ingunn_d@hotmail.com]

I finished the book yesterday and I am not sure how I felt. It was not what I pictured it. It was maybe too actionpacked and didn't feel like a "Wheel of time" book.

 

However it was exciting and thrilling, it was disturbing and romantic, it was hilarious and so sad, it really had everything you want from a book.

 

I only had trouble with one person dying. Siuan.... That made me so sad. I wanted to see a reunion between her and Moiraine. And I wanted more of Moiraine!

 

I also felt that there were too little of Rand in this book.

 

Egwene dying did not do anything to me. Maybe because there were so many deaths that after the first I just didn't care? At least Egwenes death had a purpose. But how did she know to break the seals when there was a white light?

 

My fovourite interactions in this book was between Pevera and Androl. They were so cute together. And just the fact that a Red sister bond an Ashaman (and vice versa) shows how much this world have changed over the years. But what was the blackness he saw? Whas it just madness from before the cleansing or something else?

 

It was also hertbreaking the scene with Logain when the mother told him she would send her son to be tested. I want a bright future for the Ashaman so I am happy.

 

I was pleased that Rand survived and just rode away (but it should have been on Bela) to a quiet life. He deserved it! But his girls should at least pretend to be sad. I did not understand how he could lit his pipe...

 

I wished to hear more about what happened after the battle! I read that Robert Jordan left tons of materials about what happened to everyone but we didn't even get a glimse of the future! That was maybe why I was a bit dissapointed.

 

I don't know what to do now that it is all over. I have a void in me that I need to fill with something, but I do not know with what... But the wheel turns and I can always start all over again. Thank you for a great ride!

[Mark Wolkove]

I'm sad it's over, but overall feel satisfied with the ending. I cried when Bela died! She was in this book a lot more than in previous books lately.

I really thought that she would make it through everything. I mean she was Bela! Every time she showed up in the books I knew the characters could count on her. I figured that worst case scenario would have her finding her way back to the Two Rivers, from wherever she ended up losing her last rider. Maybe she could have been noticed as a riderless horse going into battle with the heroes of the horn at Shayol Ghul. Or, to alleviate the sting of Rand just riding off into the sunset, like some ridiculous cliche, he should have found Bela tied up outside his tent, rather than some other random horse, and laughed that they would pick such a shabby looking horse, but that he couldn't dream of one he'd want to see more. Imagine all the friends he might have passed at some point in his future travels, who might find themselves recognizing Bela and wondering if it was her and who that was riding her. 

[Rafalou]

I Finished the book this noght...

 

So much to say. I loved this book but in the end, i can't help feeling a little bit... Disappointed ? Frustrated ? And i didn' understand everything but maybe did i read too fast ( How Lan survived ? How happened the body switch Moridin/Rand ?)

 

But let's begin with what i loved :

 

- All the story Pevara/Androl : At first I was thinking that this part was a waste of time, i wanted to focus on the main characters etc. But i finally became fond of them too, their relationship...

- The return of Noail in front of Olver, as Hero of the Horn ! Wooo i almost cried !!

- The last battle : epic ! Each point of view, the rythm etc.

- Lan facing Demandred, with Tam and the other protecting him with arrows

- Galad : I'm not a fan of this character but in this last book i really liked him.

- Egwene : Again i have grown to dislike her in the past few books but there she was amazing !!

- The return of Moiraine in the field of Merrilor and Rand reaction

- Cadsuane's reaction in the end when she understand that tey want her to be the amyrlin. Big laugh

- Rand facing the DO

- The last sentence "But it was an ending"

- Many other things, in fact, that i must reread

 

 

But there is some things I really didn't like :

- Moiraine : She has a very short part, and in what her survival is vital for the world ? What does she changes ?

- Nynaeve : A great character, we don't see her enough and I suspected to have her do an amazing thing before the end... Sad

- Alivia : Help Rand to die ? I was waiting something more... special. It is frustrating.

- Alanna : For the same reason. The bond is easily broken, and this plot become meaningless...

- The end : Too fast, too hasty. The lack of emotion with the characters. ( Loial who doesn't care about his friends and only want his story finished, Mat and Perrin not going at rand's funeral, the three women...). And not knowing what happen next is frustrating, even if i Knew it would be like this...

I was awaiting something more sad, or epic with Rand at the end. But i am glad he survived.

[fixer66]

I just finished it this morning.

 

I for one, feel Mr. Sanderson brought the series back to the style it had begun with.  For that, and for finishing a story I began reading over 20 years ago, I thank him.

 

Sure, things could have been handled differently, people that died could have lived and vice versa, but then again, it's always easier to criticize than to create.

 

Thank you Mr. Jordan and thank you Mr. Sanderson.

 

I only have one request.  Please let it end here and let there be no sequels.  Give Rand the rest he deserves.

[caralampio]

I'm very disappointed with the last book. I mean to wait 23 years through 13 volumes to arrive at this bittersweet conclusion. Worst is, the ugly ending takes away any interest I could have in re-reading the series, unlike others like the Lord of the Rings were the ending is epic and satisfying and I never tire of reading it again.

 

First, the book lacks plot. It feels like an endless description of battle after repetitive battle. Halfway into the volume I was sated of charging trollocs and channelers ripping each other apart. I wonder why it took so long to write. You could resume it in a paragraph.

 

Then the last battle between Rand and the Dark Lord, one would expect something more dramatic, but it boils down to a pissing contest "my dream world is better than yours". Hmph.

 

And after so many adventures and troubles, one would like to have more of the heroes you have come to love survive and live happily ever after. Half of them die or are maimed. Very tragic, and very unsatisfying. 

 

And Rand's fate. Well the big mystery will he survive the Last Battle or not was finally solved. But with Moridin's body (saa and all) and with Mat's mindset? Better off dead.

 

And the worst, that horrid Tuon comes out on top of everything, not humbled at all, not having learned anything, still capturing damane and enslaving people, with her army intact because it was held in reserve during all the battle, with every prospect of taking over the world with all the nations spent and virtually no Aes Sedai or Ashaman left.  

[Suttree]

 

 

And the worst, that horrid Tuon comes out on top of everything, not humbled at all, not having learned anything, still capturing damane and enslaving people, with her army intact because it was held in reserve during all the battle, with every prospect of taking over the world with all the nations spent and virtually no Aes Sedai or Ashaman left.

Well there is that little thing about a "murderer ruling openly" in her homeland which is in chaos. Yes the Seanchan took less casualties than everyone else but they have to turn right around and sail the bulk of their armies home and fight yet another conquest.

 

Also I find it funny when people complain about the death count in the WoT of all series. I mean come on.

Edited January 29, 2013 by Suttree

[ROB_88]

i finished last night, and i loved it.

 

while the battle did drag on a bit, it sort of comes with the territory.

the whole series has basically been just a preperation before the big battle, there's only the fight left, so of course that's gonna be the main focus.

 

and with war comes death, i would have been surprised if most survived. however, some could have had a little better death scenes.

 

But honestly, i think it would be better for Lan to just stay dead. he had the best death scene in the entire book, and then Rand reaches in and says "lolnope" and he's back up again?

[DrunkenWarder]

Sadly I say I've just finished the book.

I'm rather sad right now because it has ended, but I keep repeating to myself all things must end someday.

I'm very grateful to both authors for giving their best to complete this astonishing saga. They are modern day skalds.

Edited January 29, 2013 by DrunkenWarder

[Piccadilly]

Sadly I say I've just finished the book.

I'm rather sad right now because it has ended, but I keep repeating to myself all things must end someday.

I'm very grateful to both authors for giving their best to complete this astonishing saga. They are modern day skalds.

"There are no endings, and never will be endings, to the turning of the Wheel of Time. But it was an ending" :)

 

But I have to say that now I feel sad to :/

[mike hunt's here]

Actually now, several weeks after reading the book and reading here the comments and stuff...would anyone agree with me that "hey, i looked forward to the last book for long time now, but i'm willing to wait 3-4 more years if instead you squeeze in one more filler book to expand on some of these characters."

 

to be a little more clear -

 

1.  I wish we could have at least one book dedicated to shara and demandred like how we had one on Tear, Carhein, and Illian.

2.  Taim and Demandred were just crazy to put all their work and history into just a few chapters.

3.  More of a backstory on Androl.  

4.  More of Galad learning about Rand and vice versa.  Rand was an only child.  

 

[SylvanFox]

OK, I really enjoyed the last book, but now it's over and I am not happy about that. Well, I sort of am. Everybody died! Except for the people who seemed certain to die! Also, at the end, I started to hope that Rand and Moridin would both survive, just because. I think Rand should have told people his revelation about how the DO can't beat them. That seems important.

Edited January 30, 2013 by Sylvan Fox

[Rhea]

Finished it last night and wow! I was very happy with it overall. The only thing that bugged me was Lan seams to die killing Damodred, but then he's not dead. Mat seams to die (twice) with Fain, but then he's not dead. I'm happy they are alive, but it was like...what? I was very happy with the Olver/Noal scene, that really got me and it was the one time I cried. 

[Suttree]

There were actually three "whoops just kidding" moments with Land dying.