Towers of Midnight [Hardcover]

After twelve books of slow-moving, intricate plotting (and a hefty dose of filler), the Last Battle against the Dark One is here.

So is "Towers of Midnight" good? Oh yeah. Brandon Sanderson and the late Robert Jordan came up with a solid penultimate volume, sprinkled with solid characterization, epic moments, and the occasional discovery that will probably have you bouncing and screaming with joy. It's a rich, fast-moving experience that will leave you on edge for the grand finale.

And yes, thanks for asking -- it IS hard to review this without spoiling too much.

While the previous book was more centered on Rand and his inner turmoil, this one centers on Mat and Perrin -- there are countless intertwined subplots in this one, but the important ones rest on those two. Specifically, Mat has to grapple with the gholam at long last, and Perrin has to work out his issues as well as his wolfish other side.

Tarmon Gai'don is coming, and Jordan and Sanderson really hammer it home that this will not be an easy or quick battle. "Towers of Midnight" has a lot riding on it: not only does it have to build up to an epic grand finale in the next book, but it has to start wrapping up all the important storylines. Does it deliver?

For the most part, yes -- Sanderson doesn't quite capture a few of the characters' personalities (such as Mat), but overall this is a smashing book. Sanderson's vibrant juggernaut prose actually meshes very well with Jordan's intricate, slow-moving storylines. And despite Tarmon Gai'don looming over the characters' heads, there are actually some funny moments (mostly from Mat) and some powerful, riveting ones that seem to leap out from the pages.

Additionally, Jordan/Sanderson deal with some long-running subplots such as "Who killed Asmodean?" And without revealing too much, a favorite character returns after many books, although some unexpected revelations about said character had me scratching my head.

As I said, Perrin and Mat take center stage here -- and while Mat was a bit off in "The Gathering Storm," Sanderson seems to have gotten a grip on his quirky sarcastic personality. And after getting put on the backburner for awhile, Perrin has a strong, action-filled arc in which some kinks are ironed out of his personality.

Actually, pretty much all the characters get at least SOME time, Egwene especially as she keeps grappling with problems in the White Tower. As for Rand, he's a little mixed -- he's finally gotten over his annoying wangst and whining, but he's now a little too mellow. Did someone slip him some pot between books?

With the series back on track and new blood injected into the prose, "The Towers of Midnight" is a powerful mixed experience -- it leaves you craving more, but also dreading the end.

Towers of Midnight is the penultimate book in the Wheel of Time and the second to be written by Brandon Sanderson after Robert Jordan's untimely death in 2007. Readers who liked the previous Sanderson-produced WOT volume, The Gathering Storm, will find plenty more of the same to love in ToM.

The action moves along at a good clip and many of the annoying character traits (braid-tugging, skirt-smoothing, sniffing,etc) are toned down or absent. Meanwhile a number of prophecies are resolved, almost at breakneck speed, and there is clearly a sense of momentum gathering in the runup to the final showdown between Rand and the Dark One. Jordan, unfortunately, fell madly love with his work and readers who spent years suffering in between lacklustre installments that hardly moved the plot along should be particularly relieved.

That said, there are some faults which need to be mentioned. From a technical standpoint, Sanderson is hardly the writer Jordan was. His prose drags; it's leaden, repetitive and often downright uninsipired, making for some particularly tedious and awkward passages. Check out the last scene in the prologue and the description of General Ituralde's battle for examples of what I mean.

Also, ToM is extremely Perrin-heavy because his arc was chronologically the farthest behind. Much of it involves dull, Rocky-like training montages set in the World of Dreams and most of the rest sees Perrin and his supporting cast sitting around talking. Some terrific new stuff does happen at the end, but getting there is a slog.

Meanwhile, Sanderson has Mat flirt with hot women - while telling himself that, as a married man, he's only checking them out for his friends - so often that it verges on parody. Equally annoying, the pivotal event depicted on the cover doesn't occur until the very end and is over in a blink. Considering the buildup, I expected more.

The WOT series has never lacked for gaps in logic or myopic characters, but it remains a fun, immersive read. If you're a fan or were a fan who abandoned the series out of frustration, it's definitely time to return - the action is back. If you're a newcomer to the series, now is also the time to jump in. By the time you get through all 14 books, the final entry should be out.

What a wrap up! I have the enter series of Wheel of time and I have read them all three times. Now, finally, it is finished. Brandon Sanderson writing style is much different that Robert Jordan. Jordan will spend a lot of time on just what each character is wearing whereas Sanderson seems to skip over this part and gets to the storyline. Throughout the series I was getting a little annoyed with what dress show was wearing on which occasion. It became a little tedious. This book dives right into the story and you cannot put it down. The ending is a bit of a surprise and I do not know if I like it or Not. It is what it is. Good read though.