For those who were wondering, here are Brandon's thoughts on this matter.

I was not disapointed in this news until I read those thoughts.

Brandon's thoughts just make me sad because it means we will never get to read 20% of the book! I'd rather they released it as-is right now, though I am enjoying the anticipation.

I will be taking my PhD qualifiers the whole week after this comes out, which means I won't have time to even crack open the cover. Not their fault, but probably the worst week they could have chosen for me personally!

You misunderstand what Brandon was saying. He didn't say 20% was going to get cut, he said that there was 20% extra which requires more effort.

Even wen your talking about editing cuts... Plot is not getting cut in the edits, it gets tightened. Things like 'he pulled out the chair, and sat down' become 'he sat down'. You'd be surprised by how many words are cut in this manner--the story is better for it.

I've lurked on dragonmount for years, for all the various WOT news, release dates etc. I've often thought of registering but haven't because I've never really thought I've anything to say.

News of this release date has finally done it though.

I've been reading the series (like a lot of people) for over half my life now. I started in 1992 and have eagerly awaited every book ever since. It is by far my favourite set of books, and I’ve been listening to the audio versions over and over again on the way to and from work for years. I never get sick of it, and I know it back to front.

RJ’s death was devastating, and I am eternally grateful to B Sanderson, Harriet, and all involved for continuing with the story. I’ve watched and waited for AMOL for years now, patiently watching the release date drift further and further away. I have to say though; I’m getting pretty sick of the endless delays. Don’t get me wrong, if the book were delayed for another 20 years, I’d still be buying it the second it was released, but we’re entering WTF are you people at TOR thinking territory now.

Does it really take a year to “polish” a finished manuscript?? I know it’s the last one, and it’s got to be perfect and all, but come ON!!!

This is why the publishing industry as it stands now is doomed. Self publishing can get a book out in weeks and months now (yes I’m aware the quality of such work is almost invariably inferior). Just what kind of editing requires a year to complete? Are you re-writing the entire thing with 25 different endings – or in 150 different fonts to see which one sells best (I’ve heard Garamond is easiest on the eyes)? Is someone travelling the world reading the manuscript on every continent to test how light interacts with the reading process in each location, or how the moons gravitational pull affects the turning of each page? Has it been submitted to the pope for god’s grace and blessing before printing?

As I said, I’ll buy it no matter when it finally, interminably, shambles its way into the public domain like a man of 105 tottering from his bed to his “staring” chair at the window of his retirement home cell? What I can’t promise is that if (as is likely with a lead time longer than a project to put man on mars), again, if someone leaks it online, I can’t honestly say that I wouldn’t download and read it. Yeah, yeah, I’ll just be ruining it for myself because it won’t be the complete “official” version, but I don’t much care – I could be dead by 2013.

I’ll read the incomplete version (if it appears), then I’ll read the final version when it’s released – no doubt when I’m tottering from my bed to my staring window in the nursing home my grandchildren have discarded me in at 105.

i wish rj was still alive. apart from being a brilliant person and a superb author, we would also have had our AMOL by now instead of waiting for sanderson to do all his bloody touring around with his own books no one actually cares about

Thing is: It's NOT a finished manuscript. It's a very, very rough first draft.

Brandon has powered through it without re-reading, witout changing anything, without looking back. He is now in the process of going through it again and reworking the whole thing. He's not done yet. When he is done, it will go to Team Jordan who will have to look through every page of it, not just editing, but doing a lot of research checking the text against RJ's notes and making sure everything is consistent. And they WILL find inconsistencies, parts that don't fit, parts that don't read the way they should, parts that don't feel like Jordan would have written them that way. Then it will go back to Brandon who will then have to rewrite all those parts. But not just those parts: also all the parts that are connected to those, to make sure that the foreshadowing is right, that everything fits and that the story flows beautifully. Then it will go back to Team Jordan, and they will check everything again. And it will keep going back and forth until everybody is satisfied. Then, and only then, will the "regular" editing that goes into publishing any book start. Spelling and grammar are just a small part of that. Add to this the fact that it's the last book and that they'll want to be extra careful with everything, but are also not willing to let Harriet wear herself out working impossible hours at her age...

So, yeah, this is the kind of editing that requires a year to complete: rewriting multiple times a very rough first draft while doing a great deal of research, back and forth with editors, and putting in lots, lots of care.

After nigh on 2 decades of reading this series (The best I have ever read followed by Erikson and Martin) I just hope Moridin and Lanfear survive and its the best book it can possibly be.

Disappointed at the release date. However, from reading Brandon's comments there is the outside chance it could be released earlier. So here's to hoping.

Under promise, over deliver!!

macaroni wrote

I would rather the continuity errors (e.g. Sulin in the wrong place in TGS)

macaroni, Sulin was in the wrong place? I completely missed that !!!

If we are going to have to wait until Janury 8 of next year, why not push it back one more week so the final book is published on the same day as the first??

Just wanted to say that after my initial, disappointed reaction, I've since read Brandon's blog post on the issue, and after a few days I've become totally OK with the release date decision.

After all these years, I'm not going to let a few extra months get me down. And a better, more polished book as a result? I'm sold.

I think it would be very funny if there were ANY typo's at all in this last book! There had better not be.

When I heard that the release date was published my first thought was YES!! and then I actually saw the date and my thought was WTF!!. My take is this. TOR has a captive audience and that audience has been EXTREMELY patient for the past 7 or so years while Jordan went through his unfortunate illness that took him from us, so I appreciate the difficulties in finding a new writer and finishing this series off. But:

1) First we were told that the last book would be THE LAST BOOK even if you had to pick it up with a forklift.

2) Then we were told that it wasn't feasible to make it one book so the decision was to make it three books. And each book would take a year and come out in November.

3) So, the first two books come out on schedule and cleared up a lot of material and plot lines.

4) So November comes in 2011 and the last book is AWOL. A lot of speculation ensues and we figure that ok, something happened so we look forward to sometime in 2012.

And now we find out that for the sake of ...whatever, TOR is holding the book until 2013 so that the end book is published the same month as EOTW. Are you kidding me? Way to treat the faithful, and if you think that this won't cause some of the faithful to look negatively on this series then you're fooling yourselves. For myself I've already donated my copies to the local library and once the final book comes out I will read it once or twice and then never utter the words Wheel of time ever again.

Take care folks.

I rarely normally post on these kind of things, I often do read most of the comments about news/articles that is posted on Dragonmount. And I have read all these comments on this article and I must say I am very disappointed in some of these fans. I think those that are complaining have lost the true purpose of what Wheel of Time is.. it's a story, a amazing story. And a story that deserves to be the best it can be. As Brandon stated on his website “ It's the last book in the series. There are no chances to change things after this, and revising a book like this takes time.” That should be enough for most fans, but I often forget how selfish the human race can be. Bashing Tor, Brandon, Harriet etc. that I have seen so far on these articles really just shows child-like pouting and anger. LET ME CLEAR. I am very upset about the push back. Like all of you I was looking forward to having a copy by this Fall. But as my grandfather always said “Shit happens.” Sure I have heard the argument that fans picked out a good deal of the typos etc and that this could be done again. But the point is, we SHOULDN”T have to do that. Harriet wants it to be near as perfect as possible...And that is her right. Wheel of Time fans are some of the best people I know, and I know that you all are better than some of the words that you have written the past few days just spewing your anger. WE ARE USED TO WAITING. FOR A WoT BOOK TO COME OUT, HAVE YOU GUYS FORGOTTEN? I have been reading the series for at least 10-11 years, so not as long as some of the old veterans but still over a decade. I think we all need to take a step back and really think about this, and come at it from a logical point instead of an emotional one. That's what I did and came up with this small list:

1. The book is going to be finished! When RJ died we weren't sure what was going to happen. We should be grateful that we get a ending, not complaining about 2.. extra months.

2. This is not our story it is RJ's Harriet’s and Brandon’s.. more so Harriet than Brandon's and shes should have the right to take her time and not feel to be rushed since this IS THE FINAL BOOK.

3.Tor is a business. Even if the crazy theories about them being able to “make more money” is even true so what? Everyone likes money. Are you guys telling me you do not? I don't think we should bash them for making a smart business move.

4. And finally a lot is riding on this final book, the future of the series and WoT world. Future movie,future video game. I have a strong feeling if the book is rushed and not as good as it could have been, this will effect the book's future. I for one would love to see a mini series or a movie. Especially a game. So I am more than willing to give up 60 days so this has a higher success rate of happening.

This is just my two cents on the matter, I am sure not all of you will agree and even say stuff “Well a movie is already being made etc.” which is true but my points still stand, if this final book is not as good as it can be, I firmly believe the series will be effected (This has happened to many other fantasy series) And I am sure RJ would have wanted it to be well crafted and not rushed.

Thank you.

I was upset about the date for awhile now. And this news jut makes me...to be honest i don't have the words to express it without sounding like a 13 year old. What a shame! And shame on people who made this call. No honor! And yeah, I too wonder how many people will not live to see the end? What a shame...

I was upset about the date for awhile now. And this news jut makes me...to be honest i don't have the words to express it without sounding like a 13 year old. What a shame! And shame on people who made this call. No honor! And yeah, I too wonder how many people will not live to see the end? What a shame...

I find a lot of you...well... just silly.

I get it, big evil publishing machine blah blah blah. You've waited about 8350 days for this series to end...and now it's just unforgivable that you have to wait 60 more.

Two months? Really? What's the real difference, honestly? By this time next year, we'll all have read the book. Two years from now, we'll all have read the book. Five years from now, when we're still stunned at how great the ending was, that two months will be a drop in the bucket of the epic ride.

Like several have said, after RJ died, we didn't even know what we'd get. No one in the industry works harder than Sanderson. You can not like his books, whatever, but he's put a lot of time into this, and has tried to involve us every step of the way. Dislike his writing, or his other books, whatever, but you have to admit he's done nothing but keep the fans in mind.

Two months and you all blow your lids like Everest. Have you all forgotten that niether TOR, nor Sanderson, nor Harriet CREATED WOT?? They are finishing someone else's art. You think that's easy? This is an unprecendented project.

I'm cool with January 8, 2013. Disappointed, yes. Overly eager, yes. But I'll live my life until they are ready to put that book in my hands. And when we all read it, and cry at its ending, those two months will mean NOTHING.

Thank you, Brandon Sanderson.

I had the exact same thought as mddupree

If we are going to have to wait until Janury 8 of next year, why not push it back one more week so the final book is published on the same day as the first??

The two dates are only separated by one sentence in their press release. I can't believe they didn't think of having that kind of story to build their marketing around.

I must say I dislike how long it will will be but I've waited for eons feels like so what's another 11 months to me.

love the pace and feel of the last two novels in the series Brandon has done an amazing job especially on the pace of the books but maybe Jordan would have made the plots move just as fast because the first two books in the series were kind of fast as well. hope Brandon does as good on the 14th as he has done with the 12 and 13th........

I to hope the world is still here when it's released hope the Mayans were wrong lol.

Cant Wait to get my hands on the final book hurry 2013!

Quote

If we are going to have to wait until Janury 8 of next year, why not push it back one more week so the final book is published on the same day as the first??

The two dates are only separated by one sentence in their press release. I can't believe they didn't think of having that kind of story to build their marketing around.

yeah that makes sense why don't they it would be kind of cool.

I understand the people who are angry with this news release. Remember where we started: RJ died, we thought we would never see the last book, then Brandon stepped up to help deliver as much of RJ's vision for the last book as possible. One book got split into three yet, up to ToM, everything seemed to be working out. Now, this. Still, if it takes that long to get the last book "right" so be it. What makes me upset is including the marketing build-up language in this particular news release.

I get that WoT is a valuable property, one that I don't own, and that Tor has every right to use that property as they see fit. What I don't understand are people who castigate other posters for expressing their sense of being taken advantage of. Suddenly, those other posters are bitter or entitled or whatever. "I've been reading the series for 20 years and I can wait 2 more months." That's nice, but it's beside the point. Other people thought they were getting one book only to have it split into three. And so on. They are understandably frustrated. We may not own the property, or have any entitlement to how the property is handled, but nor do we have to stay silent when it appears Tor is playing on our love of the series in order to make a few more bucks.

I'm a bit, discouraged to hear the release date being pushed back, but, if its being pushed back to make the book better,I don't really have a problem. If its being pushed back because Tor wants to put out another Wheel of Time project before the last book, shame on them. I have to say the only Wheel products im interested in after AMOL, would be Jordan's notes and outriggers. I think that Tor releasing trade paperbacks with new art is a joke, as i don't think Tor EVER cared how those covers looked. Also, from looking at this thread, whats up with all the corporate stooge types defending Tor and their greed? Tor owes US, NOT the other way around. We put the money in their pockets. Ive heard a few people mention they didn't have to put this book out after Jordan died. Well, yes they did have to release it, as the company would be nothing without the Wheel. Had they not released it, something tells me, you'd have a boycott of their other products. Something also tells me, that even if Harriet HADN'T wanted to release the book, Tor would've done so anyway. There is no reason for a Wheel fan to have allegiance to Tor. Because this book was destined to be published if not by Tor, than someone. And for all I know, another publisher may have done a better job than Tor(after all it WAS Tor who let Daryl Sweet get away with crappy cover after crappy cover.. the very same ones, they want to re-do on the trades)

I wonder who's doing the cover art.

Fans can be some of the most self-sentered, corporate bashing, whining little children in the world.

1) Though I don't see any way TOR get's more money out of this, I don't really care if they do. They are a business, if they don't make smart money choices, they cease to exist. If the cease to exist, we don't get to read their books (including WoT). So, if this is a way that they can make more $, GOOD FOR THEM!!!!!!!!!!!

2) For the fools who think they should be able to edit this in 6 months.... that's what they did with ToM and look how that turned out. And Harriet took MONTHS to recover from that. Doing it again COULD KILL HER!!! So, if she want's to take her time about it... be thankful she is doing it at all. And doing what they are doing (writing for RJ) is far harder then writing for yourself, so it well take more effort to Edit.

3) For those who have the audacity to complain that BS is doing some of his own work, He was supposed to have released MANY books by now, which he has set aside to do WoT. If he does a few FAR SMALLER works.... get over it! He has also said that he needs to clean his pallet sometimes and working on a short-storie/novella/stand-alone-novel is how he does that. If they end up sellable... good for him.

4) I would love for this book to be published tomorrow, I will be happy when it's comes out, no matter HOW far back they push it. If Harriet decides to push it out till November 2015, I would be VERY annoyed; but I would still wait in lines to read it, and thank her on my knees for doing it at all!

fans are also the ones who put money in Tor's pockets, so I think that gives us the right to voice our opinion. And just because a business is entitled to milk a franchise for all its worth, it doesn't mean they should.