The Gathering Storm

5.00/5.00 “Dream on my behalf, Nynaeve. Dream for things I no longer can.”“Do not think we will ignore this insult, Corana. Vengeance will come. Once this war is done, the Seanchan will feel the storm of our arrows and the tip of our spears.”

The Gathering Storm is a miraculous achievement from Brandon Sanderson, building on Jordan's legacy, creating a Wheel of Time book that is marginally better than the best of Robert Jordan's books. However, the world and the story does not exist without Jordan, so I lay most of the praise to the late RJ. Brandon's unmatched competency in writing complex characters, mixed with Jordan's unparalleled story telling and worldbuilding makes one explosion of a book. Brandon has handled Fantasy's greatest character, Rand al'Thor with such grace, I should not be surprised at all, after reading the Stormlight Archive. This book takes a small step back from worldbuilding, making use of mostly existing worldbuilding. I hope this is not because we lost some of the ideas in RJ's mind. I hope the next two books will deliver.

This book is the beginning of the end, the last battle looms, the dark one twists the pattern. In spite of this looming doom, our champions prevail, and they hold the pattern together.

At the end of time, when the many become one, the last storm shall gather its angry winds to destroy a land already dying. And at its center, the blind man shall stand upon his own grave. There he shall see again, and weep for what has been wrought.

Emotional Impact -> Rand's character development in this book is shocking, terrifying and amazing. Egwene's victory is so satisfying to watch. That moment when she burns the Seanchan! Awesome! Amazing! My favorite WoT book so far. Even more enjoyable than the Great Hunt. Characters -> Rand Rand, the perfection. Fantasy's greatest character. The raging madness, the rampant paranoia, the PTSD all weaving together to a massive crescendo in this book! And the helplessness of the people around. The helplessness of Nynaeve, and when she finally bows to Cadsuane because, because!! there is no other way to help Rand. OMG! Duty. Duty was like a mountain. Well, Rand felt as if he was trapped between a good dozen different mountains, all moving to destroy him. Among those forces, his emotions seem to boil under pressure. Was it any wonder when they burst free? Plot -> Pure Madness, Madness I say! So much intricacy. So many things weaving together. Wheel of Time is the GOAT. That last moment when Rand questions the point of everything!Prose -> Pretty good. Not as good as book 11. Worldbuilding -> This book mostly makes use of existing worldbuilding. There are some great moments, with some really interesting reveals. But this book seems more plot and character focused than other top WoT books.