Perrin: *scratches beard* Hopper: You're here too strongly wolf cub

All I'm gonna say here is that I sat listening to your wishlist with a cheshire cat grin.

Listening to this, sitting here grinning like a schoolboy. I've been waiting for you to get to this one Mike! I am so envious of you! Experiencing everything this world has to offer for the first time! It's been wonderful hearing your insights, your wishes. Some of them being the exact same I had, others I had never considered. I'm looking forward to the review of this book. It's the one I've been waiting for! 😁

Just a heads up, Merphy gave you a shout-out on her KoD review. I love how many KZfaqrs help each other rather than viewing each other as competition.

Nynaeve is my absolute favorite WoT character. Glad you love her too. She gets so much hate sometimes.

On the 1st read. I thought this was a bad entry. On a re read, after some soul searching. This is now one of my favorites with the great hunt and knife of dreams. Thanks Mike. Stay safe

Doesn't Mat remind you of a fantasy version of Han Solo? Both are lovable scoundrels that are reluctant heroes. Both end up falling for a Princess. Han always says "never tell me the odds" and Mat always defies the odds.

You're awesome, Mike. Just keep doing what you're doing. :)

Regarding the supergirls' power levels, I'm pretty sure that at their full potential Elayne is Egwene's equal and Nyneave is stronger then both, It's just that Egwene was "forced" under both the Senchean and Aiel, so she's closer to that potential then them.

You can always start from beginning again once you finish Memory of light. Lot of things make so much more sense during re-reading :) Egwene doesn't though.

Rand from ToM and AMoL is my favorite version of Rand.

Mike, I really enjoy your wishlist videos, maybe even more than your reviews. Makes me remember all the anticipation I had when I was reading the series for the first time. I really liked ToM, and I think you will too. ToM definitely felt like a "part two" for Gathering Storm to me, and the conclusion is as epic as you would expect from Brandon Sanderson. You will not be able to keep yourself from jumping into Memory of Light. Trying not to spoil things, but for me, this book was when all the mail characters met their potential. Your wishlist was very similar to the one in my head before I read ToM, and I think Brandon Sanderson had a similar view on some of the characters and I won't go so far as to say that Sanderson fixed any of the characters as you put it, but you can tell he cares about them (and that's all I can say). Enjoy!

This book will always have a soft spot in my heart. It helped me get through a rough point in my life. It’s also a damn good book.

Are you planning to release another video after you finished, covering your favourite / most hated moments, what did the series well / poorly and any unanswered questions you still have and we could answer for you? An additional topic could be speculation about the upcoming TV series i.e. what in your opinion should be left untouched, changed or cut.

You are in for an absolute treat on some of these items, looking forward to the review.

I love Rand in this book, he really reaches his potential.

The story that I’ve been waiting for, since the Great Hunt, is the sounding of the Horn of Valere!

I can't wait till his review on this book. Hurry up Mike and get this done...lol,

I most definitely felt about 70 percent of what you said I agree with you on and hope to read in the next book. As I finished book 12 I am like I need my boys back together it's been since book 4 where they was in the same location

You have come around on one of the "supergirls". Now I can't wait to hear you say, " give me more Elayne". 😂😂😂

Man I love this book. Perrin stuff is so good

This is the last book with a normal pace. It has lots of closers but still small. Zen Rand is a good refreshing change.

Something I've not said yet. While I don't exactly agree with you regarding the comparison of the Forsaken to watching the Stooges, I do agree that they've not been that effective of villains, aside from a couple of standouts at certain points, chiefly, the more independent ones rather than the ones that somewhat banded together. Elan Morin as Ishamael was indeed beginning to grow stale with the predictable end of book confrontation that stopped with Book 3, and the confrontation at the docks was the end of the effective Lanfear for some time. When Moridin first appeared, due to how effective he seemed to be, I had two theories as to his identity. One was correct, and the other went back to something Elan Morin said, possibly in the first book, regarding that there were turnings of the Wheel where Lews Therin himself served the Shadow. For that to be true, there would have been a bit of a convoluted mess as to whether Rand was truly his rebirth or just having gone insane with delusions of grandeur due to misinterpretations of prophecy. Without spoiling much more, I do feel as if the final confrontation between Moridin and Rand brings things full circle. Cyndane... yeah, Mierin's fallen from grace a bit, though I will say that she does have a part to play in these last two books. Vague, I know, but I'm leaving it there. And relatively predictable if you consider that of all the Forsaken, both she and Elan Morin are the two that have remained the truest to their Age of Legends selves. Also. Demandred's *far* more effective than he's been given credit for. While I won't say exactly what he's been up to, the reveal in Memory of Light is totally worth it. Aside from those three, I think of the rest of the Chosen as elder vampire counts squabbling over territory and realms, rather than consolidating their power base, presenting a unified front, and truly demonstrating the meaning of the words "Ever Victorious". But if they did that, these books would have been over long before this point, now wouldn't they?

I just finished my third full-read through last night. It took me over 10 months to do all 15, because I read slowly to get all the juicy details, since I hadn’t read any WoT in a few years. And yeah, it’s tough to fathom not having more to enjoy in the coming days. The conclusion is absolutely satisfying, although nothing staves off the craving to want more. I think the last four books are masterful and largely redeem the series from the slog. I won’t spoil anything for you. I’ll just say that Sanderson’s conclusion stays true to Jordan’s vision and themes. It’s not a spoiler for me to tell you that The Gathering Storm and Towers of Midnight were written to be one book originally but had to be split into streams that would fit into two tomes because of publisher requirements. Sanderson struggled with how to do that without creating another Crossroads of Twilight. There’s a reason you got so little of Mat, Perrin, and yes, even Elayne in The Gathering Storm. Speaking of your favorite Queen, I’d say if you hate Elayne now it is unlikely you will change your mind about her going forward, but hey, anything’s possible. I never really hated her even on my first read-through. She has character flaws, as do they all. I have higher hopes for your views on Egwene, just as I knew you’d grow to love Nynaeve, but you might surprise me. I remember having a lot more appreciation on re-reads for most of the characters I hadn’t cared about much on my first read. It’s easier to understand their motivations and outcomes and understand the characters’ evolution when you know the final outcome. This series remains the highest-yield re-read series for me, and I highly recommend you do so in a couple years. For all your requests, know that everything does come together. No character is wasted. Fans argue about which storylines or characters were fulfilled most satisfactorily, with some quibbles about whether this, that, or the other was adequately fleshed out, but the consensus is that the story as a whole and most loose threads wrap up deliciously. Even by the end of book 13, you may be left wondering how that’s possible, but it truly is. I’m excited to see your reactions to this pivotal book 13. We long-time fans are stoked to continue to live vicariously through your fresh eyes. As I said on a comment for another WoT read-through video, I feel like a snake, or maybe even a fox....

Awesome shirt! I knew I liked this guy!! 🤘🤘

ToM has some of the absolute best as well as the absolute worst moments for some characters. Strap in for some emotional whiplash!

Ahh the last blocks being put in the wall, the pawns put in place and maybe some more character development, Jordan and now Sanderson have been building the mountain high for alot of books can not wait to see your thoughts as we reach the peak and start the long sprint to the end :)

Having read the series it is really interesting hearing your thoughts on how things will pan out.

I will not go into specifics or spoilers but a favorite character you like is going to have an amazing story arc, and your head is going to explode.😁😁😁😁😁

Your wish-list videos have been just as interesting as the reviews. TWO MORE!

Protip for when you hit A Memory of Light: when you get to The Last Battle chapter, STOP. It's over 400 pages and on audible it's longer than the entire first Harry Potter book. I see the Wheel of Time Companion book on your shelves. In that crazy awesome fount of knowledge, there are progressive maps to follow the whole drawn out battle. I believe there are six in a row. They helped me SO MUCH in visualizing the massive movements of troops on both sides. Hope this helps! (Commented before watching, knowing you're done with ToM already)

On an amount of power one can channel scale Egwene, avhiendha, elayne are all roughly the same strength, stronger than any sisters currently in the tower, I think including cadsuane. Nynaeve is stronger than them. Elaida and moiraine were the strongest before the supergirls showed up

Can't wait for the group chat on the last book. please give me lots of notice so I can show up to it.

You are in for a treat!!!!

And the real battle begins...

Just a heads up on something that sometimes confuses first time readers: Up to a certain point in the book, any Chapter that does not feature Rand, Egwene, or a character who is with them overlaps with The Gathering Storm on the timeline. Chapters that feature Rand or Egwene take place after the end of The Gathering Storm.

I was waiting for Lan's story and Moiraine's rescue trip.

This book might have my favorite scene in all of wot (I'd have to think about it some more, though!) and it concerns Perrin!

Early on in the books Moiraine describes Nynaeve as a bonfire to Egwene as a candle in terms of strength

Hey! I started Dresden Files and 2/3rds through Stormfront. This is fucking hilarious!

Hey Mike, I very much enjoy your long and detailed episodes. Just wanted to let you know that if you were to release these as podcasts, there would be an audience for them as well. And moreover, you might be able to go even longer if you wish to. There is a dearth of podcasts about fantasy books. (if i'm wrong, I ask others to recommend me some. I only know of the Legendarium). And you can fill that void. Moreover there is the prospect of sponsorships in the future. In any case, just a suggestion. Love your content anyways. Take care, stay safe.

Fantastic that you have come to the Penultimate book of this series. But Two books😉 Enjoy

I hope you are gonna do a review of the whole series

prologue in this book gave me chills

Elayne isn't one of my favorites either. I like Avienda but I think Min is Rand's true love.

Whats better then a love story? A LOVE TRAGEDY! Love it 😂

I know there is one scene in this book you will be absolutely giddy about. Aside from that I was so off on the Egwenne moment in the battle for you I just dont know. I think this it's going to be your favorite book in a long while though.

I read it many years ago, so I'm not sure anymore what happens in which of the last two books. Most of your wishlist will come true though, but there was one big disappointment coming (won't spoil which one).

Before you read the last book, read "River of Souls" from Sanderson in Unfettered. Nope. Stop. DO NOT. I'm not going to edit that, but don't read it first since the forward to the "novella" is spoiler-y. So read it if you can skip the forward. Jesus, my mind rambles. Anyway, once the series is over and you love it as I do, read the alternate Prologue to tEotW, "Ravens" and read "A Fire Within the Ways" and "Strike at Shayol Ghul." But give yourself at least a week after aMoL. Anyway, I hope you're enjoying Towers of Midnight.

I wonder what are you going to say on Perrin's storyline. I liked it while reading, but after some thought, I am not so keen on it. And regarding Sanderson writing Perrin - Jordan apparently didn't leave much notes for him so he had to make up a lot of it.

I'm going to need some emotional support after you finish the series too!

If you count the Brian Herbert and Kevin Anderson books, the Dune series is longer than this, I believe. And if you want to count New Spring for this when it's just a fleshed-out short story, those should count too. ;-) I'm assuming of course that you've read them, since you're a big Dune fan.

I liked Towers pretty much , hate Egwene though :)

Yeah, I've never really been a fan of Elayne. To me her story line always just felt like there where many more pages spent on it than it was worth. Plus, I always felt like she was really annoying. On a re-read, I feel like her recklessness was supposed to be an arc from earlier in the series where she was a coward... but it never felt like that part really paid off because I don't think her being a coward was properly set up in the early part of the series.

Don't be ridiculous. This is Egwene. She is a female Galad type. That's why Gawyn can put up with her. Goody-two-shoes dialed up to 11. She is guaranteed to be such a perfect Amyrlin that every sister who ever opposed her feels like total crap, and she's not even going to notice that any of this is happening. She is Egwene, the girl who always gets what she wants due to her perfect-ass-perfectiveness, she's not going to change. BTW: Did the Seanchan actually lose? Or did their raid gain them a large number of damene for very little cost? Also do you actually want a) a bunch of chapters where Elaida gets tortured by some rando sul'dam, b) a new Elaida escapes subplot, or c) Elaida is barely mentioned at all?

Some things on your wishlist are definitely coming. And some definitely aren’t 😂

Perrin needs to resolve a lot of things and it gets done in this book.

Hi. Love your videos and I'm sorry to be preachy and writing an essay here but it's bugging me. Egwene is not my favorite character either but she makes sense and I don't get your confusion. At the beginning of the books it was made clear that Moraine and Siuan were among the strongest aes sedai in the last generations(maybe 100 years), and they were all very impressed that the 3 girls were found since Elayne and Egwene were far stronger than them and Nynaeve was almost as strong as a woman could be. Of course, during the series we encounter stronger women in other communities, but the girls remain in top 20 in the world. Also it should be taken in consideration that women grow to their potential over time unlike men who grow faster and in sudden bursts, the exception to this being Egwene who was forced while being damane, and has already mostly reached her potential(Nynaeve and Elayne still have years before they do).This isn't done normally because it's very dangerous, but it explains clearly why she is so strong. Also she is noted to be very dexterous, splitting her weaves in many ways, which is rare and requires both mental strength and strength in the One Power and enables her to make lots of difficult weaves. Egwene was chosen to be Amyrlin for 3 reasons: she knew Rand, the Hall wanted a figurehead that was strong, yet young enough to be "guided" and Siuan manipulated them to choose her (because she knew for sure that she wasn't a darkfriend and she thought she could influence her). I think it makes sense that she could wrestle control for herself if you take into account what had happened during her journey. -While traveling to the Eye of the World and hunting darkfriends she was learning to act in dangerous situations and to make life or death decisions, also how to behave in multiple different cirumstances. -While traveling with the Aiel she immersed in their culture and was getting training from both Moraine and the wise ones, in both channeling and politics(mostly off page but she certainly did). -She got lessons from Moghedien in advanced weaves and forgotten ones. -And she clearly was a genius with weaves since she rediscovered the making of cuendillar on her own. -Also Siuan was her mentor and she's at her core, before aes sedai, before Amyrlin, an accomplished spy master Of course she used mainly politics when dealing with aes sedai since that's how they usually behave anyway. Please clarify why she isn't a decent person. I don't get it. I mean...she's unlikable, but she doesn't "nuke" castles or enslave people. She just usually puts aes sedai first(after she is named Amyrlin), which is what she's supposed to do. And wants to be obeyed, which once again...she's the Amyrlin,.

nynaeve is more powerful than eggy in terms of raw power

Still on my same wavelength brother. Honestly the worst characters for me in the whole series is the ENTIRE Trekand family Elayne hate hate hate Gawyn hate hate Morgase slightly hate

There are perrin storylines still coming that will frustrate the hell out of you. I'm telling you that he gets his turn at being awesome. He gets one scene which is my Favorite Perrin Moment Ever, and he also has a big part to play in The Last Battle. Have faith!

NO SPOILERS IN THIS POST, JUST ENCOURAGEMENT AND HOPES FOR YOUR REACTIONS! Darth Rand is done, we have Zen Rand now. You'll get more answers about male channeler insanity. Cadsuane still has a bit more to contribute to the story. Yes, Perrin does become more than just Faile's husband. Just wait for "weave" quote. *edited to reduce 90% of quote out.* You are correct about Nynaeve's strength, explicitly stated earlier she's stronger the either Elayne or Egwene. Big changes coming for the Tower. All I can say about that. Seanchan story stays interesting. Oh man, Padan Fain's story... Can't wait to hear your reaction to that... Wish we got the unwritten story "The Outriggers" about Matt and... Going to...

I’m confused 😐 I just finished reading The Gathering Storm over an hour ago, and I just don’t see how so many people think Egwene is a horrible person? I personally have found her character development to surpass almost every other character so far. She used to annoy the hell out of me, especially her “someone needs to box his ears” interactions with Rand; and then her indignation after seeing Moiraine obeying Rand only aided fuel to the flame... When she started proving herself as more than a puppet to the Rebel Aes Sedai (ie. discovering Lan’s reappearance, Nicola’s successful blackmail), & was getting sisters to swear fealty to her is when I started noticing her. In TGS, she seemed to have a mixture of Siuan & Amys’s essence who has proven to be a strong, selfless leader. Aside from her unapologetic forceful nature, she is proving to be a strategist worthy of a great General and a true ruler who understands that pity for the guilty is treason to the innocents. She knows she must make the White Tower whole again, not only because the Last Battle is upon them, but also (and maybe just as important) for the future or all will be for naught. The White Tower, and I assume once the vermin are kicked out of it, The Black Tower, will be pivotal for the next Age. Without a stable governing for the factions left with the One Power, it would be a disaster without the Tower(s) to keep a handle on things mere mortals can’t possibly deal with.

Rand does something that makes egwene very annoying throughout this book.

Lol the NWO shirt represent 👌🏼👌🏼👌🏼👌🏼

God, I can't wait till you move on! Looks like you won't anything truly epic - without being a million pages long! - until next year. Scott Oden's duology A Gathering of Ravens and Twilight of the Gods, ALL of John Gwynne's Faithful and the Fallen, best the shot out of these over-long series.

6:50 Mike Stop defending your reasons why you dislike Elaine. Opinions are like assholes we all have one and there are some with diarrhea at the mouth in which every time they open it shit comes out. I know you're trying to avoid spoilers but there is a part of me that thinks you should look up WOT most hated characters. You may be surprised at some of the selections and why. My point is that everyone one has their favorite and not so favorite characters for whatever reasons. I told you in your "New Spring" review that Lan and Moraine were never my favorite characters. I didn't hate them but I thought (still do) there were other more interesting characters and stories in WOT that Jordan could have done. Most of the people I know placed Elaine at best a distant third among Rand's women and as for Egwaine? I have a hate on for her and Gawain that at one point bordered on sexual (I'm joking, REALLY! :P) while others sing her praises in particular for one act.This is all about debate and discussion in which ideas and point of view are exchanged. Some people get it and some people don't. 11:00 Egwene is the most Powerful Amyrillin to sit on the chair in generations. However Nynaeve is potential wise stronger in the one power than Egwene. I know you've read so many of these books in so short a time but way back in book 6 or 7 ? Egwene makes a decree that all women who can channel shall be connected to the tower and that the age restriction would be lifted. When the aes sedai tested women after that restriction was lifted there was a grand mother I believe by the name of Shara? That had even more potential than Nynaeve. It made Nynaeve prickly, particularly when she was around the woman. So in terms of potential she has far greater than Egwene however it could be argued that at present Egwene is stronger due to the fact that she was forced and reached her potential sooner rather than later. Also in terms of Battle weaves and tactics Egwene far outclasses Nynaeve but it's like comparing apples to oranges considering Nynaeve is a healer first and foremost, specializing in more subtle weaves. It's like comparing a scalpel to a battle axe. You're far enough in the series that I think I can give you a hint or something to look for in terms of Sanderson. In multiple videos you have raved about Sandersons World building and especially how in depth his magic systems are. So let me ask you this: What do you think Sanderson could do with Jordan's WOT system? Ask yourself that as you read.

Yes Yes Kinda No Yes And finally no.