The Wheel of Time turns and Ages come and go. What was, what will be, and what is, may yet fall under the Shadow.
Let the Dragon ride again on the winds of time.
Ladies and gentlemen, I have just finished reading The Wheel
of Time’s final book: A Memory of Light. And though there are no endings, and
never will be endings, to the Wheel of Time, I must admit that I cried upon
reaching the last few sentences of Robert Jordan’s masterpiece. January 20th, 2013. 10:40 pm, I read the final word.
I won’t say too much, for fear of spoilers, but I will say
that I have never been so pleased and so NOT disappointed by something I had
waited for for so long. The conclusion wasn’t incredibly shocking, it wasn’t
totally unexpected, it wasn’t too out-of-the-box, but it definitely was not
dull. And it left plenty of room for imagination while at the same time brought
together numerous story threads that had previously been left hanging.
Now, I know so far it may seem like I’m talking of this book
in a rather even-keel manner, but the truth is I have fallen head over heels in
love with it, as with the entire Wheel of Time series. Thank you Brandon
Sanderson for stepping in and finishing it. I love your works as well.
For those of you who don’t know, The Wheel of Time is a
14-book (and prequel) epic fantasy series written by James Oliver Rigney Jr. under
the pen name Robert Jordan. After Jordan’s death, acclaimed fantasy author
Brandon Sanderson, working off of Jordan’s notes and with the help of his wife Harriet,
finished the story.
But that’s enough of the details.
The Wheel of Time takes place in
Robert Jordan’s invented world (affectionately known as ‘Randland’) and follows
the story of three boys from Emond’s Field, though mainly Rand al’Thor, an innocent
sheepherder who discovers that he is the Dragon Reborn, destined to save the
world and have his blood spilled on the rocks of Shayul Ghul. His friends are
Perrin, a brawny blacksmith with a hammer and a soon-to-be-discovered
connection to wolves; and Mat, oh Mat, our ever beloved trouble-making gambler,
who seems to always have the Dark One’s own luck on his side and who almost has
more adventures than his other two friends put together.
And speaking of the Dark One, he’s that embodiment of evil
that Rand has to deal with.
Anyway, the cast of characters goes way beyond the three
boys from Emond’s Field. The books are, in fact, known for their numerous
characters and storylines, for better or worse. An Aes Sedai named Moiraine who
can wield saidar, the female side of the One Power; and her Warder, Lan, are
the two who first find the boys, informing Rand that he can wield saidin, the
male side of the One Power. Egwene, who lives in Emond’s Field with Rand but
soon travels beyond her wildest imagination to sit in seats she never dreamed
of. Nynaeve, another woman from Emond’s Field. And then there’s Elayne, heir to
Andor’s throne; Min, who views men’s futures in a way no one can; and Aviendha,
Aiel spear warrier from the Waste. Thom Merrilin, a Gleemaker with long white
mustaches and a wonderful cloak. Gareth and Suian. Gawn and Galad Damodred.
Loial. And many more men and women of different races and places who play significant
roles in the story.
But the characters captivated me mainly because of their development
over the series. I grew fond of them and found myself feeling nostalgic about
the good ol’ days before the magic and battles began. I even began to tolerate–tolerate, mind you–some of the Forsaken. To truly explain the
feeling though, is impossible. You must read for yourself.
The other thing I loved about Jordan’s books was his
world-building and magic-crafting skills. Randland is vast and full of peoples,
beliefs, and ideas which reflect real life, making them so much easier to grasp
and more interesting to relate to. And the world is full of wielders of the One
Power, known as Aes Sedai. Based on the idea of a dualistic universe, the magic
is split into male and female sides. The male side, however, was tainted long
ago, and so now all men who can “channel” are sought out and stripped of their
power. An interesting magic system is in place, where the ageless Aes Sedai train
in the White Tower, practicing specific weaves and studying histories and
politics.
Unfortunately, the world begins to break as Tarmon Gai’don–the
Last Battle–draws near. Go Rand!
The only warning I would give about The Wheel of Time is
that it is LONG. And toward the middle (books 7 and 8ish), it sort of drags, as
Jordan has so many characters and plot lines he is trying to keep up with. In
one book, Rand’s point of view is seen for only one chapter. However,
eventually the plot picks up again, and by the time Brandon Sanderson begins
writing, there is no room for boredom. The last books are amazing. A Memory of
Light is amazing. If you have been waiting for it, I promise you will not be disappointed.
I still remember Sanderson’s tweet when he finished it:
@BrandSanderson Brandon Sanderson
Ladies and gentlemen, A Memory of
Light--the final book in The Wheel of Time--has been finished.
12-21-11
You know how earlier I said I wouldn't say too much? I lied. I can't help it.
In reading the Wheel of Time, I have grown up with the characters, gaining friends who have stayed with me through thick and thin. I have spent days in that world, falling in love with it and forgetting that my own even existed. I will always and forever be a part of that world, just as its characters and customs are a part of me. Thank you, Rand. Thank you Mat and Perrin. Thank you all for sharing with me your adventures. And thank you Mr. Robert Jordan. My life would never be the same without you.
May the Creator shelter you in the palm of His hand. May you
find water and shade.
Notable Quotes:
As far as quotes go, this review has been long enough, and quite frankly, I would never be able to narrow down my favorites to five or six.
