The Wheel of Time Reread: Book 12 - The Gathering Storm
*SPOILERS AHEAD FOR THIS AND OTHER BOOKS IN THE SERIES*
Find the full list of posts in my full re-read of the series HERE
And so we come the the final push. Part 4 of The Wheel of Time. The Final Battle, Tarmon Gai’don approaches. And, along with everything else, a new author to take up the mantle of the fallen.
Goodbye, Robert Jordan
I guess we can't go any further without first discussing the death of Robert Jordan, who passed away in September 2007, two years after the publication of Knife of Dreams. He had been given a life expectancy of no more than four years and had hoped to complete the final book in The Wheel of Time in the time he had left.
However, he only lasted a year. And with his early death, his wife and editor, Harriet McDougal, was left to find someone to complete her husband's work. He'd left more than enough notes and had even completed large parts of it. But McDougal needed to find someone who could not only replicate Jordan's style but who would be as dedicated to the series as she was.
Hello, Brandon Sanderson
After reading the Mistborn trilogy, Harriet decided Brandon Sanderson was the only choice to finish her husband's work. And, quite frankly, she was correct. I only discovered Sanderson's work after he came on to finish The Wheel of Time, but he was clearly right for the job. It's not simply that the two authors have similar styles. It's that it's obvious Sanderson was clearly massively influenced by Jordan's work.
Splitting A Memory of Light
Back when Knife of Dreams was published, it had become a running joke that The Wheel of Time would go on forever. Remember, it had originally been pitched as a trilogy, then expanded to six books. Now it was hitting twelve! It and George R.R. Martin's Game of Thrones were the two great epic fantasy series that would never end.
But at this point, Robert Jordan knew he was dying. And he declared that, no matter what, A Memory of Light would be the final book in the series. I can remember reading interviews where he insisted that, whatever the final word count, this would be the last one.
From our viewpoint here in the future, it's next to impossible to envision how he intended to achieve this. And on this appointment, Sanderson quickly announced he would be splitting A Memory of Light into three books.
And so, these final three books make up Part 4 of The Wheel of Time. And, like Parts 1 and 2 (and what Part 3 should have been) we begin with wrapping up past plot lines and kicking off those that will drive the final “trilogy”.
Coming back to Rand al’Thor
While he's been the main character of the series from book one, I almost this is the first time he's been the actual protagonist of an individual for quite some time. Possibily since as far back as The Dragon Reborn.
He's never been absent, of course. There have even been sectioned from his point of view. But, to me, at least, it feels like we've been seeing him through the viewpoint of the other characters. Those looking to control him, mould him, or teach him.
Here, finally, we see the climax of everything that's happened to him. After so long of seeing his reactions and responses to what people want from him, we go back to Rand to experience him passing through his breaking point. It's not exactly like we could see that through anyone else's eyes, is it?
What I like about the end of this plotline is how it's all internal. When I first read the series, I had predicted that Rand's realisation of who he was would come from one of two things. Either Moiraine's rescue (which would shatter his fixation with the women he had killed, forcing him to reassess his view of what he was doing) or a meeting with Tam, his father (who would remind him who he had been before leaving the Two Rivers).
But I'm so glad it wasn't either of those. These would have been external solutions. Instead, it all comes from Rand himself. He takes himself away and forces himself to face everything he'd been going through and finally make his own decision about what he has to do. Realising he's not doing it because he has no choice but because it's the right thing to do.
The White Tower comes to a head
Two of the most satisfying plot conclusions in this book, and the series as a whole, involve the Aes Sedai. One of them we've had coming for several books, but one comes right out of nowhere.
The Tower Shakes
First, the rift in the White Tower, along with the Seanchan assault.
This event is satisfying for two reasons. First, because the all too often smug and self-satisfied Aes Seadi are forced to see exactly how weak they are. For millennia they've been the most powerful faction in their world. But the truth about power is that it only works if people allow you to have it. Before, we've been shown how the existence of the Aiel and Atha'am Miere proved the Aes Sedai don't have as strong a grasp on the One Power as their thought. Now, with the Seanchan, we see what happens when someone with actual power comes against them.
Verin’s Reveal
This is one of my favourite moments in the entire series. Verin is a character who's been around since Eye of the World. But while she's popped in and out of various plot lines, we've never seen her have any specific focus or task of her own. Other than reminders that there is more to her than she allows people to see, we never see her as particularly important.
This is because - as we're going to see a lot in these final books - Jordan was a master at hiding things in plain sight. When Verin reveals she's been Black Ajah all along and working within to bring it down, no less, we're shown once again how much is going on in the world our protagonists aren't aware of.
Plus, there are some wonderful revelations when we learn exactly who has been Black Ajah all along.
So, what can we expect from Towers of Midnight?
Well, now Rand has finally come to terms with being the Dragon Reborn, and Egwene finally has complete leadership of the Aes Sedai, Towers of Midnight is our final "breather" instalment. It's time for all the characters to take stock of where they've ended up and brace themselves for what's to come. Which is, of course, Tarmon Gai'don. The Last Battle is here. But Matt has one more task to complete. To travel to the Tower of Ghenj and rescue Morraine. Or die trying.