With Aram, and a few others, it seemed RJ may have wanted to do something with the character early on, but then just left them out there to wither on the vine.   Aram was a burden to Perrin, and Perrin could have had him keep a distance.  But, Perrin chose to keep him close, and I think that went to Aram's head.  I never figured that out.  Aram wasn't an advisor, he didn't possess a unique skill set, or proprietary knowledge of some sort.  He wasn't even a friend.  Why he didn't just put him in the Two Rivers formation under someone else, is a head scratcher.  

One aspect of Faile's rescue that didn't "click" during my first two reads was Faile and her group stabbing the other two people who were trying to rescue them to death because Perrin showed up.  I mean, that's effed up.  And they did it with no hesitation.  I mean, I get it, but damn.

This was my third read of this book.  I read it at publication in 2005, I read it again in 2009, and I just finished it a third time this morning.  I have a few thoughts.  First.  This book made me cry at least twice.  First, for sure, was Nynaeve and her scene with the gem dealer.  It was such a clever choice to write the scene from the gem dealer's perspective, because Jordan is able to sync up the reader's emotions with the gem dealers gradual growing emotional response to Nynaeve.  It is so well done, that by the end of the scene the reader is right there with the gem dealer, fully ready to charge off into the Blight.  It is such a momentously rousing scene, and tears just fall unnoticed.    Second batch of tears came with the Amayar and their mass suicide.  God Damn it, Seriously, RJ? Again, Jordan is able to sync up the reader's response with Harine's response to hearing the tragic news. Going into this read, I expected and remembered the emotional response to Nynaeve's scene, but the Amayar revelation caught me off guard, and my sudden grief and tears surprised.  I didn't see it coming.  Maybe I'm older, I don't know, but I felt the weight of their loss, even though none of the Amayar people ever had any real page time.  I guess that is credit to Robert Jordan's ability as writer.    Big Story-wise, I loved this book.  It is definitely top tier of the series.  Mat's guerilla war, Perrin's assault on Malden, Elayne's victory, Rand's encounter with Semirhage, Loial's marriage, all well done.  Also very clever of Jordan to put Egwene as a POV in the Prologue, and then not have her pop up again until page 500.  We also get a little more at the Black Tower.  And a Tuon POV.  Again, well done on Jordan's part to know exactly when a Tuon POV is needed to understand how she sees Mat.  I enjoyed the glimpses of Aludra and Egeanin, that were made possible by the character development efforts in previous books.  Crossroads of Twilight and Knife of Dreams are so seamless, and flow so naturally, and when paired together raise my overall feelings about Crossroads of Twilight.  Books 7, 8,and 9, aren't "bad"  they just feel different.  They feel like Jordan lost a little bit of control as a Director, not as a writer.  But he was able to re-establish himself as both Director and Writer in Crossroads of Twilight, and step everything up in Knife of Dreams.  Sadly, Robert Jordan died after completing Knife of Dreams.  At the time, I remember reading that he passed, and was deeply saddened.  This story, these characters WERE a part of what made me me.  This story, and these characters, I know for a fact, influenced how I went through life, how I approached people, how I saw the world.  From Lan's stoicism, to Mat's smugness, to Perrin's methodical, simple style, to Rand's fatalism, to Nynaeve's go-it-alone, get-it-done, unwavering nature, to Egwene's annoying, know-it-all selfish unselfishness; all of them, and more, helped me get through life.  I knew there was already an ending to their story, that it had already happened, so to speak, but I was crestfallen to realize that I would never know it.   Then Brandon Sanderson entered the picture.  Now we start Book 12.  This will be only the second time I have read the final three books of The Wheel of Time. I have read them each once, at publication, and so now, let's get on with The Gathering Storm, it is not THE beginning, but it is A beginning, of a sort.      

Elder_Haman, Thanks for the feedback.  I remember the first time I read tPoD, it was the first, and only, book in the series that I was actually MAD when I finished reading.  I remember slamming the book down and saying out loud, "THEY OPENED A GATEWAY.  THAT'S IT!!  THAT'S ALL THEY DID THIS WHOLE !##$%#$%$%ING BOOK!!! IS OPEN A M!#$!#$R F!#$%!%ING GATEWAY!!!!!!!"   

Rand's PTSD and unhinged aggression really didn't bother me.  No Mat in the book irritated me, but Egwene... that whole book and all they did was open a gateway... Don't get me started...

We've gotten reliable news that Keira Chansa will be portraying a young Siuan, so that would mean Maria Kennedy could not be playing the older version of Siuan.  Pretty sure that leaves her as Verin, or maybe Elaida, but Verin is more important in Book 1&2 than Elaida.  

Also do we know if its been confirmed that little Robyn Betteridge is playing young Moiraine? 

Just finished...Whew!  Satisfied.

Mat/Fain=  Clunky.  Needed at least one chapter, paragraph, sentence, something prior to that last scene

Perrin/Faile=  Meh.  Perrin's last scene should have been in Mayene, where he finds Faile and Galad both dead.  His POV ends with him crying in Berelain's arms...

Noal/Olver=  Most emotional scene.

Tam=  Very well done.

Birgitte=  Yay!  Happy ending!

Moiraine=  OK.  Book not big enough to do her justice

Rand's time in SG=  Well done.

Overall, strong work.  An enormous undertaking.  I could quibble, but I won't.  I'll just send a heart felt and meaningful "Thank you" to Harriet and Brandon.