Towers of Midnight

i've been reading this series since 2003, and will be sad for it to end, even though I want to know how the story ends.

I found the writing style in this book very different from how Jordan wrote. Although it's not a great annoyance, I feel that Sanderson could have tried to stay closer to Jordan's style. i may not have noticed it in the last book, as it had been such a long time since A Knife Of Dreams was released, and I was so anxious to read it.

I also wish Mat's adventure with the Aelfinn and Eelfinn could've been more detailed. I feel that we were slowly led up to it, and then it was just squeezed in, while Perrin and Elayne seemed to dominate the book.

The Black Tower plot looks interesting. i hope Mazrim Taim is exposed for the dark friend that he is. At first, I thought maybe he was envious that Rand was the Dragon Reborn, and Taim thought to build a power base and a following equally as strong. But the more I think about it, the more I'm convinced he's a dark friend, or perhaps he's actually Demandred, or serving him.

The last battle should prove to be an epic one, and there are still a lot of loose threads that I can't even begin to guess as how they'll be woven into the pattern.


Overall, I was very happy with this book. i'm frustrated with Egwene's efforts to dissuade Rand from doing what he must, but I recognize that maneuvering people into doing what they see is the right path is the Aes Sedai way. i also hope that what Aviendha saw as the Aiel's future does not come to pass. I want a happy ending for the people who, out of all the characters in the world of the Wheel of Time, truly live up to their name. They are the Dedicated, and I wish they would go back to being peaceful people and singing their seed songs.

One last hope is for someone to completely destroy the Seanchan empire, though I know this is unrealistic and unlikely, since Matrim is married to their empress. But someone needs to knock them down a few pegs.