I finished AMoL 57 hours ago. I've read every post on this thread. I'm still not sure how to say all I'd like to say..

    I don't remember the name of the bookstore but I remember exactly where in the store's layout the Fantasy/Sci Fi section was. It was '90 or '91 and I was looking for something new to read. I'd been a voracious reader of the fantasy genre since the age of 13. I was now 21 or 22. A book with a blue cover showing a man in armor on a black horse and a woman in shades of blue on a smaller white horse with a full moon behind caught my eye. I picked it up and read the back description. I left the store with The Eye of the World and gained a best friend.

    I have identified with Rand very strongly from the very beginning. I feel I have quite a few things in common with him, one of the biggest being that I am adopted also and can lay the lion's share of credit for the man I've become on mostly one parent; my Mother, in my case. So my main focus, when I did contemplate the possible endings, was whether or not there was any way Rand was going to live beyond the Last Battle. When RJ passed, I was deeply saddened for him, Harriet and the rest of his family. I'm very ashamed that at least the 2nd thought that ran through my head was "Well we'll never get the ending now". I wish I had discovered Dragonmount then but it wasn't till after the announcement that Brandon would make the attempt that I found this site. I read Elantris and thought it was a good effort for a 1st book. I read the Mistborn Trilogy and thought it was brilliant. I had hope. I've only read books 10 through 13 of WoT once each. When it was clear that the book following WH wouldn't be the last, I put the series on hold until I knew the last one was forthcoming. I had done a re-read before each new release since probably TSR and couldn't do it anymore. I never was angry about the delays in between (frustrated perhaps) and I never agreed with some that thought RJ was dragging it out or adding too much fluff. I was grateful for every word of what had become, to me, the greatest fantasy series I had ever read, surpassing even Tolkien. There were a couple of things that I didn't love about Jordan's style but it was never anywhere near enough to change my opinion overall.
     Brandon is not RJ, although I think he is a very good writer, at the least, based on what I've read of his so far. There are differences in the characters and the way they're written to an extent, certainly. I don't think there was any way that wouldn't be the case, under the circumstances. I believe Brandon did the best he or anyone one earth possibly could; first and foremost because he is a huge WoT fan himself and knows what getting the end means to all of us. I choose not to be critical because I still view all of this as an incredible gift. That doesn't mean that criticism shouldn't be spoken, I would never say that. 
     As to AMoL itself, I for a long time knew that reading this book was going to very bittersweet for me. I've had these characters, this world, in my life longer that I've known my wife of going on 17 yrs and my daughter and son. Once the end was known, I knew no possible future re-read would ever be the same. I fully expected to be crying my eyes out at the end, no matter what ended up happening. I was not wrong; I shed many tears during this book and several during the books leading up to it. Rand's reunion with Moiraine was something I was most looking forward to and it certainly got me. It was good but I thought it could've been better somehow, although I couldnt really say how. I, too, wish she had had a bigger role, as well as Nynaeve. Some have spoken of a few uses of modern words jolting them during the read. I kind of thought Rand calling Egwene a brat didn't really quite work. Was that term ever used anywhere else in the series? I can't recall it, but my memory retention is far from the best. I found the whole book to be very engaging for the most part, almost all of it kept me riveted and I read it as fast as I've ever read any book, even though part of me didn't want to. I welled up at Gawyn's death even though he'd always been a "meh" character for me. Suian's death was sudden and caught me off guard. Egwene's dying got me pretty good. I did not expect that. She had gotten so strong, when she went back to the battlefield, I just assumed she would find a way to power through. Suian and Leane both managed to make it through stilling, with Suian losing her warder also. I found when Egwene spoke to Rand after she had passed even more powerful than her death; that broke me up. I liked Mat's arc for the most part. I think Brandon writes Mat pretty well although there are differences there as well.
    I felt all the war and battle scenes were probably necessary. This was practically the whole world gathered up for the Last Battle; that meant a lot of humans had to die to get down to enough to seem like all was lost. I get that the combatant death toll on both sides was massive and a lot of it felt generic but I don't know that it could've really been avoided. The arrival of the Sharans under Demandred stunned me! I have to assume Demandred's consuming hatred/jealousy of Lews Therin explains some of his actions. Lan being the one to finally kill him was fantastic. I enjoyed Androl and Pevara, surprising for characters that had been introduced so lately. What Androl did with gateways was amazing. I felt Perrin's part was good, not great. Someone mentioned that his scene when he forged his Power-wrought hammer was more powerful/emotional than anything he did in this book. I think I agree with that. I liked Faile in this book. I have found her annoying at times previously, but not this time. Her sacrifice to try to keep Olver alive with the Horn was poignant. Olver's story was very satisfying. I did not know where his storyline was going to go. I agree with most that the Padan Fain part in this book got short shrift. I did love Mat surviving the Mashadar spear and killing Fain with the dagger. I was glad to see Talmanes character get some development; he was an unexpected, yet pleasant, little surprise. I understood and was good with, the way Rand's confrontation with the Dark One went. It was an interesting way to present it, but the philosophy worked for me. I understood not killing the DO at the end but sealing him off properly instead. I admit to some disappointment that we didn't get the description of what Alivia did to make the body transfer happen. She was "to help Rand die" and it seems she did but that was all behind the scenes. With all the new wonders with the Power that had come about, I thought this one would be huge and had hoped to read it. I was good with the way Rand slipped away, though after some reflection, it does seem a little off that he seems to be riding away from his unborn children. I was starting to get concerned about his seeming nonchalance about fatherhood until the scene with Elayne when he touched her belly. I choose to believe he will not wander indefinitely but find his way back to be in their lives somehow. Part of me agrees with those who wanted more epilogue, more "after". But I don't think I expected to get too much of that, so I'm not that upset about it.
    I was unbelievably depressed in the aftermath of finishing; even more than I thought I would be. I'm happy and I think pretty satisfied with this end. I do feel like I've lost a best friend that I've known for half my life. I also kind of feel like we've lost RJ for a second time now. It seems that his last words have now truly been spoken. I choose to believe what I've heard and read; that there will be no outriggers written by others. It's better than hoping for more that may never come.
   

    I would like to thank Robert Jordan for his masterpiece creation that he shared with us. The Wheel of Time has affected me like nothing I've ever read before and I fear nothing will again, although I will continue reading fantasy, probably for the rest of my life. I would like to thank Harriet, Brandon and the rest of Team Jordan for bringing us the end, as RJ wished when he knew he would not be able to himself. I am eternally grateful.
 

    I'm sorry this post is so long but I needed to express a little more than just what I thought of AMoL. Thank you to Dragonmount for giving us a place to do so. Wow, I'm welling up again as I finish this. May the Light illuminate you all.