Only just saw a link to this post on Twitter and read through it happily! Thanks for the great write up! Also, I feel the need to say that you must read some of Brandon's work... he's amazing. Truly. How he can continue kicking out such awesome books as he's still working on the Wheel of Time -which is taking FAR longer than he had ever anticipated, btw!- is beyond me and I continue to be impressed by his dedication not only to his own fans, but to Wheel of Time fans. I look forward to meeting Brandon myself, whenever it is that he tours for Memory of Light. Which I will wait pat

I think the art on these covers is amazing. Just gorgeous.

Hands down, no doubt about it, The Cleansing is my favorite scene in Winter's Heart. I've researched that chapter (Chapter 35: With the Choedan Kal) so much, quoted it so often in discussions on the Dragonmount Yahoo Group, that it's easily one of the scenes I know the best and is indeed, one of my very favorite scenes in the entire series. It's fantastic in the audio version too, of course. ;o)

The scene at the end of New Spring when Moiraine bonded Lan, especially when he drew his sword and swore to her, was so touching. But yeah, I don't think she ever succeeded in teaching him humility. ;o)