May you always find water and shade, Brandon Sanderson.

The art is wonderful. I love the pics so far. They should do a whole deck of Mat cards in different parts of the book. He is the gambler!

Just checked some of the pics again. Aviendha's was one of the best, if not the best. And that has nothing to do with her being one of my favorite characters. It is just that the picture was a "Wow!"

If the 2 month delay adds a few chapters, I wouldn't mind at all. I know the draft and 1st revision are done; but I still hope that the flesh out some of the things (especially Aviendha and Aiel and the future relations with Seanchan - Mat & Tuon) they might have had happen "off screen".

The way I understand WoT vis-a-vis death and healing:

We have Moiraine telling Rand that death cannot be healed. Even in the Age of Legends, death wasn't healed.

Only the DO can reincarnate the dead.

There was a vision of Rand and 2 others on a hill surrounded by Shadowspawn. That probably is connected to an attempted sealing of the bore. Whether it is successful or not is another story. I hope Rand manages it with the help of Nynave and Alivia. And I hope that Lanfear, Demandred, and co. are balefired out of the pattern.

Before punishing Graendil for her failure, Shadar Haran said that another (presumably of the Chosen) has been tasked with an important mission. Lanfear hates Rand as much as anyone; and she'll do all she can to get back at him for dumping her. Morridin is not angry at her/Cynade for anything; so she should be 100% "evil" without any doubts.

It is looking like Rand might be trapped/ambushed in the World of Dreams; and who's better to save him than Perrin, the Master of that World (after killing Isam).

Re: Gawyn, Min's viewing was 2 parts. One where he was kneeling before Egwene with her hands on his head; and the other was Gawyn breaking Egwene's neck. I wonder how that will play out. Will he die saving her during the impending Seanchan attack on the White Tower?

Bringing back the old Tiam-Demandred discussion into the mix, the Black Tower needs to be fixed. The dreampike preventing Traveling to and from there has to be dealt with; and Perrin is a key to that. And it might be the last Perrin-Isam fight where Lan's uncle dies.

Another vision that Egwene saw was the Amyrlin of Saidar and Saidin ruling the White Tower together. Another possibility.

Another key is Fortuona and the Seanchan. Last hints indicate that Graendil starting infiltrating the Empress' circle; and we get a hint that the Empress is considering replacing Seculia. So, Mat, Egeanin, ex-Suldame's, etc. have a role to play there.

As to who will die, it is very hard to speculate. I would love to see them all make it; which has been standard procedure so far.

One thing I would like to see dead is Elayne's Queen's ego. I hated how she threatened Perrin and Faile with execution.

So many lines to connect and issues to resolve. This should be a finale of epic proportions. Cannot wait!

I don't think Rand's plan (we were left 24 hours from his planned rendezvous at Shayol Gul) will materialize yet. He still has to kneel before the Crystal Throne; and there is Lanfear's trap to overcome. So, he's on a very busy schedule.

But we have Aviendha's quadruplets in Min's vision and the mother's trip to the columns. And we have Rand's dreams of him swimming in a pond with Elayne and Min while trying to teach Aviendha how to swim.

The Blind Man will weep at his own grave. The blind man (Rand before the top of dragonmount) has already wept. And he did the two Tear lords (darkfriends) to tell their masters that he is no longer blind. So, I think the death is that of Rand al-Thor denying his past. His rebirth is his acceptance of what he is.

My hunch is that he will be battered in the fight with the DO; but he'll survive. But I don't know how a "black hand" holding Callander plays into that.