The Gathering Storm: Book Twelve of the Wheel of Time

Though it took a little time to adjust to Sandersons writing style, the feel of Jordan's characters is the same. Sanderson definitely did justice to Robert Jordan's Saga. I am anxiously awaiting the next book!

Having first picked up The Eye of the World over 18 years ago, it is nice to see that the series is finally coming to an end. Brandon Sanderson does a good job of picking up where Robert Jordan left off though it is clear from the first page of the prologue that the writing style has changed considerably. And when the usual characters make their first appearances, you can spot the differences in their behaviours and in their speech. For me, this made getting into the story just a little more challenging. With various threads in the story coming to a conclusion (about time for some of them!) and with no new storylines introduced (thank goodness!) this novel is an enjoyable read.

As the Wheel of Time moves into it's final trilogy, we can start to feel the pace of the books improving. For so long, this series was dominated by long books that moved at such a slow pace that characters finished a book at about the same place they had started. Many times I was left wondering if I should even continue to read this series, but persisted for reasons I cannot explain. I know the series has been popular with many people throughout its epic story, but cannot for the life of me figure out how all these people were able to maintain a passion for an author that seemed more interested in defining the amount of lace on a shirt or the thread count of a tapestry than actually moving the plot along.

Knife of Dreams (Book 11) had finally started to close off some storylines and The Gathering Storm continues on along this vein. Matt's conversations in his short portion of the book had me laughing out loud, somthing that has rarely happened while reading this series. I am excited to read the last two books in this series when they finally arrive on shelves in the years to come.

Can I recommend this book to those following the series? Yes, without question as the end to this tale is in site.
Can I recommend this series to someone who has not yet begun? No. There are simply too many needless details to slog through too fully enjoy the tale that is buried underneath.

I was skeptical at first when I heard Brandan S was going to write the book. I couldn't believe that anyone thought they could top what Robert Jordan had created for the last two decades. But as I went on to Brandan's website and saw that he was probably one of the greater Robert Jordan fans and that he wouldn't force the book into his way of writing. it would be silly just to say I was "relieved" it was more closer to "OMG I'm so flipping happy hes going to write it more in Jordan + Brandan writing style"

From the moment I turned to the prologue I was captured. Once again after a 5 year hiatus I was back in the world that I had left behind in Knife of Dreams.

I couldn't tell what was Brandan and what was Jordan. Although I found that a fresh writer was able to keep us away from the dragging scenes and in that I was quite grateful.

I ended up failing a test, staying up for almost 30 hours and never put the book down. It went with me at all times. At work during break I read. At school I read. At home I read. Forget the phone, forget TV, forget my stomach forget it all.

I had one goal.

And that was this book.

Brandan created a world where it felt like we never left. His style of writing is so unique yet so close to Robert Jordan that he brought us home.

I did find and agree with other critics who spotted on the small fact that Brandan saw Mat in a different life a tad annoying but it was so small I barely noticed.

All I know is I'm happy Rand is once again smiling and that I'll be buying the book as soon as it comes onto this website.