A Memory of Light

[FleetwoodMac]

[small]The Wheel of Time turns, and Ages come and pass, leaving memories that become legend. Legend fades to myth, and even myth is long forgotten when the Age that gave it birth comes again. In one Age, called the Third Age by some, an Age yet to come, an Age long past...[/small]

After 23 years, it is finally over, and aside from a few details, A Memory of Light was an incredible end to an incredible series.

I accept that the Wheel of Time series will never be considered a literary classic. Neither was it an original, groundbreaking concept. But it is arguably, alongside the Lord of the Rings, Dune and Foundation, the most stupendous, expansive and awe-inspiring fictional world ever created.

I can't even remember when and where I bought the The Eye of the World, the first of the series. But I do remember the enormous sense of wonder that grew with each passing book.

The journey of Rand al'Thor, the stereotype-breaking sensitive sheepherder turned Aiel/Caracarn/Coramoor/Dragon Reborn/channeler/Lews Therin Telamon/Prince of the Morning, was a marvel from start to finish. His struggle with accepting his fate, his descent into madness, his elevation into Kinghood, his embracing of death, his numerous tribulations, his battles against the Forsakens, his his his...

And what of his fellow taverens? The rouge, the gambler, the one and only Mat Cauthon? Or the humble and unassuming blacksmith, Lord Perrin GoldenEyes Aybara?

Not forgetting the three women who loved him - the Aiel Aviendha, Queen of Andor Elayne Trakand and the Doomseer (!) Min?

And what of Egwene Al Vere, Nynave Al Meara, Moiraine Damodred, Siuan Sanche, the Malkier King Lan Mandragoran, to name a few?

The Wheel of Time was escapism at its finest, taking you to another place and time, drawing you into a masterful, complex, interwoven thread.

When Robert Jordan passed away in 2007, I feared that we will never see the end of one of the greatest fantasy series ever written. But Brandon Sanderson did not disappoint, even if he did stretched the final book into three (all the better, if you asked me), and left several plot lines unresolved or ending abruptly.

My only worry is, the open ending. As we've all seen before, there CAN be too much of a good thing. I do hope the Jordan Estate and the publishers will let the story rest.

So long, Rand Al'Thor.

[longship]

1. Huh?

Will R&K regardless.

[FleetwoodMac]

2. lol. Thanks

I guess I should leave a link?
A Memory of Light

[mindwalker_i]

3. I just finished it yesterday during lunch break

Some time ago, I started reading Brandon Sanderson and found him to be an amazing author. Then I heard he was chosen (forsaken) to finish the Wheel Of Time series, which I had heard of but not read. So, I plowed through the (at that point) whole series in about half a year, just in time for Brandon's first book.

A Memory Of Light was awesome! It didn't have the depth of character evolution as the rest of the books but hey, it was the Final Battle! War, war, and more war, with some war for dessert. There are still some things left unexplained, like why was Logain completely healed, while Siuan was not. I wondered whether healing of that particular issue had to be done by the opposite sex to work completely. If we're all really lucky, Sanderson will continue to write in that world. Unfortunately I think that's not too likely.

I met Sanderson last year at BayCon, and he's a cool dude. If you haven't read his other work, it's good! Read the Mistborn trilogy, followed by Alloy Of Law. I'm reading Alliance right now - it's way outside of Sanderson's normal stuff - more sci-fi than fantasy - but what a crazy and cool idea! The main character is schitzo and knows it, but his other personalities manifest as people that only he can see and talk to, but they are each experts in one area or another, so he consults with them. Much to the dismay of (real) people around him.

Yeah, Wheel Of Time rocked, and I'll seriously miss it.

[FleetwoodMac]

4. Man, with such a glowing recommendation, how could I not get the Mistborn Trilogy?

I just purchased the Kindle edition from Amazon, and will read it soon (several more books to go through from my reading list).

It must've been awesome to meet Sanderson.

Wrt to the Logain/Siuan healing, I think Winter's Heart (Book 9) offers an explanation. If you recall, in Lord of Chaos, after Rand was rescued at Dumai Wells, he stilled a number of Aes Sedai who had earlier captured him. Much later, Damer Flinn, in Winter's Heart, healed Irgain completely (see excerpt below). So your rationale is probably correct; Siuan would've regained her full ability had she been healed with the male saidin.

"I have the most wonderful news, Cadsuane." By the sound other, she was not all certain how wonderful it was. "I know you said I should keep Damer busy here in the Palace, but he insisted on looking at the sisters still in the Aiel camp.

Mild-tempered as he is, he's very insistent when he wants to be, and sure as the sun there's nothing can't be Healed. And, well, the fact of it is, he's gone and Healed Irgain. Cadsuane, it's as if she'd never been . . ." She trailed off, unable to say the word. It hung in the air even so. Stilled.

"Wonderful news," Cadsuane said flatly. It was. Every sister carried the fear somewhere deep inside that she might be cut off from the Power. And now a way to Heal what could not be Healed had been discovered. By a man. There would be tears and recriminations before this was done with. In any case, while every sister who heard would consider it a world-shaking discovery - in more ways than one; a man! - it was a storm in a teacup compared to Rand al'Thor.

And yes, the WoT rocks, and I am already suffering from withdrawal symptoms.

[mindwalker_i]

5. Yeah, withdrawl is harsh on this series

There's a good change I'll read the series again and pay closer attention to details, so I'll probably come across that part from book 9 again

Sanderson has just really cool ideas. The idea of Allomancy from Mistborn is amazing, and it's weird and cool how he works it in with physics. Just to give you a hint, telekinesis would normally violate conservation of momentum. His first book, Elantris, was interesting and enjoyable, and I think a newer book, Soulforger (think that's the right name - on my Kindle too ), takes place in the same world.

Sanderson was impressed with my 6x6x6 rubik's cube and I offered to teach him how to solve it, but he declined

[FleetwoodMac]

6. I'll be reading it again too, in a few years, but seriously - a 6x6x6 rubik's cube? lol :D

I'm looking forward to reading Mistborn. Thank you for the introduction.

ps: I bet Sanderson had a bad experience with the 3x3x3

[mindwalker_i]

7. Actually, he said he couldn't "even solve a 4x4x4"

So I assume he can do a 3x3x3.

Also, look for "The Way Of Kings," which is the first of a series that Sanderson is writing.