Since no one else has defended him yet, I just want to throw in that I actually prefer BS's new Mat. And new Talmanes is much less cardboard, the pair is quite entertaining.
I Agree!
So do I. Brandon injected a whole lot of new life into the series. Some bits of TGS and TOM are clumsy, but I find them vastly more enjoyable than books 7-11. I pay attention to Talmanes now in re-reads because Sanderson's portrayal got me interested in him.
The Change of Mat's Personality from Brandon Sanderson
in Wheel of Time Books
Posted
So do I. Brandon injected a whole lot of new life into the series. Some bits of TGS and TOM are clumsy, but I find them vastly more enjoyable than books 7-11. I pay attention to Talmanes now in re-reads because Sanderson's portrayal got me interested in him.