Sanderson, Brandon

It would be an understatement to say that a lot has happened since Knife of Dreams. It’s been nearly four years since the release of what Robert Jordan believed was going to be his penultimate novel in The Wheel of Time series, and nearly two years since he passed away. Two very long years. But the Wheel weaves as the Wheel wills. The story is not yet done, and there is more to be told. Much of Robert Jordan’s life was tied to these books, and it was important to him, I believe, to see them done.

I’m not going to recap the news that has led to the publication of this novel. Most likely you already know the story. But in case you haven’t, check out our Gathering Storm info page, which has a summary of how this book was written, why it’s not the last in the series, and why it’s not titled A Memory of Light. Once you’re educated on all that, come on back here and we’ll talk about what happens next.

Over the years I’ve seen, as many of you have, a huge amount of hype surrounding the release of new WoT novels. Nothing in all these years has come close to the attention that the newest novel, The Gathering Storm, is going to receive. Like the title suggests, there is already a restless calm in the air as fans hold their breaths, waiting. Fans who have not read the books in years are now re-emerging to see how things will play out. Long time, die-hard fans sit and debate over the news articles that come and go. Despite remarkable efforts by RJ’s family to keep fans informed throughout the entire writing process, the question still remains: will this new novel be a worthy installment to the series? Is Brandon Sanderson, the young author who was tapped to finish it, up to par? Will this book feel like a Robert Jordan novel?