So much has happened. The creator of the series died after writing 11 books. A new author was chosen to write finale. The last book sprawled into a trilogy of its own. With so much anticipation, could this book possibly live up to the expectations of this decade and a half long fanboy?

Absolutely yes.

This was the most compelling read since The Fires of Heaven—maybe even since The Dragon Reborn. The pacing’s back to speed, with little shawl-shifting to be found. Sanderson excelled in an impossible situation. I had never heard of the guy before he was chosen for this role, but I’m thoroughly impressed. His Mistborn Saga (The Final Empire, The Well of Ascension, The Hero of Ages) is now on my agenda.

Egwene’s plot line has advanced masterfully—with plenty of surprising moments.  Mat & Perrin have remained pretty static—although Mat’s mysterious letter has certainly set up something interesting for the next volume. Hints about Moraine abound. Most important was the development of Rand himself. At times I wasn’t sure whether he would rise to hero or shrink to despot.

The ending was very satisfying—even without a grand battle climax like the rest of the books. There was enough action throughout the 700+ pages to reward the reader. The last chapter left me excited for the next book. I can hardly wait.

Jordan, Robert and Brandon Sanderson. The Gathering Storm. Tor, 2009. The Wheel of Time 12.