I have just finished reading the twelfth volume of The Wheel of Time. I have to confess to a certain amount of worry about how well Brandon Sanderson would do with Robert Jordan’s legacy. The foreword did much to assuage my fears but there was so much potential for the writing to be so jarringly different that it would not feel like The Wheel of Time. I am relieved to report that Sanderson has treated Jordan’s legacy with a great deal of care and respect. Indeed, I believe that Sanderson’s touch has proven beneficial to the overall storytelling in the series since this most recent volume does not seem to suffer from the excessive internal dialogue of some of the earlier volumes.
I will refrain from commenting on the exact plot of the book. I will, however, comment that it has one of the most satisfying endings of the entire series so far. Sanderson’s assertion that it is a logical break point for the final “trilogy” is borne out. I can also honestly say that I believe most readers will find this installment satisfying. The promise of plot line resolution hinted at in the end of the previous volume is fulfilled admirably with even pacing. Most of the niggling annoyances with the internal dialogues of the primary characters have been resolved. Those familiar with the later volumes will know exactly what I refer to. Indeed, we can see, by the end of this volume, most of the prime movers for the final battle have grown nearly as far as they must to succeed (or fail) as required. Certain prophecies are fulfilled in unexpected yet supremely logical ways.
All told, I am looking forward to the final two volumes. There is great promise for the impending conclusion of a work that can stand as the very definition of “epic”.