Book Review Wednesday: A Memory of Light

A Memory of Light
Author: Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson
Length: 1168 pages
(My) Rating: PG13

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A Memory of Light is the 14th and final book in the Wheel of Time Series. I'm reviewing it out of order, because I wanted to write down my impressions while they were still fresh. 

Overall, I was happy with the conclusion of this series. Some characters died that I wish hadn't, but if no one died, it wouldn't have been a very convincing final battle. Those that died, did so epically, and, as Grig says (I'm paraphrasing), "Sometimes you do something so awesome, that you just can't top it, and you have to die."

That happened with several of the characters. I am sad to see them go, but they died in a fitting way. 

On the other hand, some characters that I thought were going to die, lived. That was rather a pleasant surprise. 

Sanderson and Jordan's writing mingled seamlessly in my opinion. I had heard that Jordan had written much of the final battle by himself, and so I was trying to figure out which parts he wrote, and which ones Sanderson interposed. I was unable to do so. The final three books built up well and supported the final scenes. Many things were explained, and unlike some series where I'm left saying, "..but what about this?" I can't think of a single thing that wasn't wrapped up. There might be some, but if they were, I can't remember them. 

On a personal level, I disliked how little Rand did again. Yes, he fought the biggest bad of them all, but I wanted to have him involved in the conclusions of characters that have been hounding him since the beginning. For example, I wanted one final showdown between him and Padan Fain. Fain's ending was fairly satisfying, but distinctly lacking in Rand al'Thor. It ended up being, as Rand himself says, never about him at all. In some ways, it was much more about the other characters that Jordan created. 

Events in this book moves swiftly and I had a difficult time putting it down, while at the same time, I struggled to finish. That was due mostly to my own reluctance to end a series that I had been reading for such a long time, and not due to the quality of writing itself. 

The ending was happy, and that was a good ending for me. There were some parts I really liked, especially among the conversations between Rand and the Dark One. There were many interesting ideas that were tossed around, and that have made me think in the week or so since I've finished this book. 

Overall, I really did like it, and I'm grateful that Jordan's wife made sure that the series was finished. It was a pretty proper ending. Though I might have done things differently, that doesn't mean that they were done well and appropriately. Many events that seemed to be unexplained finally found meaning and nearly all of Min's prophecies were fulfilled.

I appreciated that almost everyone got a chance to shine. Mat's character is a little weird, but that could just be him transitioning into becoming a married man. I distinctly disliked the Seanchan and their views about Aes Sedai, but I appreciated that Jordan didn't suddenly have them change their minds about centuries of beliefs and traditions. I thought that was well done.

It was a great book and a great series.

Highly recommended.

PARENTAL GUIDE

On my scale, this book is probably PG13. The majority of this book is a battle. There is nearly nothing in the way of sexuality, though there is one scene that is strongly implied between Mat and Tuon (at least, I think that was in this book). As always, I appreciate the way that Jordan handles those scenes. Though there are plenty of descriptions of action and war, Jordan does not dwell on the blood or violence. He tends to describe without being too graphic.

The world that Robert Jordan has created also has its own swear words, which are inoffensive in general. There are a few British swear words that have made their way into the book, but those are few and far between. 

Finishing and Bullying

I'm going to talk about a book series for a few minutes. Bear with me, it does have a point.

I started reading Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series sometime between 1996 and 1997. I can say that for certainty, because I remember having to wait for the 8th book to be published, and that came out in 1998.

That means I began reading the series when I was nine or ten years old.

I am now 28.

Wheel of Time has been one of my favorite book series for decades. I've read the first seven books numerous times, and 8 and 9 a couple of times. However, when I read Crossroads of Twilight in 2003 (when I was a sophomore in high school), I was a bit irked.

Up until book ten, I thought the plot had moved quickly and I love the characters. I was a bit annoyed with how much time was spent on other characters besides Rand (who was supposed to be the main character), but I still enjoyed the books.

All that changed when I read book ten. The plot was slow. In fact, it was so slow that it was practically nonexistent. All the other books before that point had a fairly rapidly moving plot and a conclusion. Not only did book ten have no conclusion, barely any progress was made at all.

I remember telling someone after I read it that it was like everyone took two steps forward and that was it. Rand, the main character, wasn't even mentioned until nearly the end of the book. I was frustrated at that point, and for a long time I lost interest in reading the series.

Robert Jordan produced another book in 2005, but I didn't read it. Then, a couple of years later, he passed away.

I was sure that his death would be a very disappointing end to what had started out as a great series, but his wife hired a different author, and based upon Robert Jordan's extensive notes, three more books were created and the series was completed in 2013.

A year or so ago, I felt a kindling of interest resurface, and I borrowed book number 12 from the library. This was the first book that Brandon Sanderson had helped to author. To my joy and surprise, it was like encountering an old friend. The pace was fast, and I was captivated. However, I quickly realized that I didn't completely know what was going on.

So, at the end of last year I decided to re-read the series. Grig decided to read it as well. When I finished the first book, he picked it up. In the last six months I have read thirteen of his books. I read the first seven in a couple of months, and then it took me a few more to read books 8-10. They were  a bit slow, and not among my favorite of his books.

Two weeks ago, I finished book number ten again.

It wasn't quite as bad as I remembered it being. There were some interesting things that happened, but it was still a relief to be done with it, because then I was entering the realm that I'd really been looking forward to...reading books I hadn't read before.

I haven't blogged much in the last couple of weeks. I'm afraid that's because I've been reading quite a bit. Mostly it's been at night when Grig and Kevin are asleep, but because of it, I've been staying up later and not getting up as early, which has made it difficult to find time to write.

The more I've read the more excited I've become.

I finished book number thirteen a few moments ago. I only have one book left in the series, and it makes me a little sad. Finally, this old friend of mine will have a conclusion. It will be nice to get to the finishing line with these familiar characters that I've known for nearly two decades. It will also be an accomplishment in my life.

Recently, a tragedy occurred to someone I love that has set me to thinking a lot lately.

In part, this tragedy occurred because of bullying. It's made me think about my own high school and junior high years.

This is a great video about bullying and how we need to stop it.

High school was not always a happy time for me. It wasn't as bad as junior high, where I frequently cried after school from loneliness. I would go home, turn on Karen Carpenter's song "Only Yesterday," and drop on my bed to have a good cry. The first verse always really resonated with me. It says:

After long enough of being alone
Everyone must face their share of loneliness
In my own time nobody knew
The pain I was goin' through
And waitin' was all my heart could do

Hope was all I had until you came
Maybe you can't see how much you mean to me
You were the dawn breaking the night
The promise of morning light
Filling the world surrounding me

At the time, I didn't have anyone who had filled that void, but I did feel that "nobody knew the pain I was going through."

I never considered myself bullied when I was in those grades. However, when I think back on it, I realize that I did experience bullying. I had kids be downright rude to me, and often those I thought were my friends hurt me deeply.

However, as I've thought about it, I've wondered why I didn't struggle more. Though I was frequently in pain (and occasionally thought about running away), I never really wanted to leave my life. I think there are three reasons for that.

In writing these three things out, I don't want anyone to think that I'm trying to make myself look good or show that I was perfected as handling criticism and loneliness, because I wasn't.

These are just the ways that I personally coped with trials.

#1: Family
I knew my family loved me (even if we didn't always get along perfectly). I knew I could go to my parents about anything and they would make time to talk to me.  

I have been so blessed with loving and supportive parents. 

#2: Church
The gospel had been a guiding light in my life since I was small. In times when I've really struggled, I turned to prayer, and I found someway to endure. 

Without the church, I would be a very different person today. Even if you don't believe the same things I do, I can tell you truthfully that the teachings that I follow have helped me become a good person. 

#3: Books (Escapism)
In junior high, I read a ton. People probably thought I was crazy. I tried to devour everything in my school's library. I consistently received over 1500 Accelerated Reader points every year (which might mean nothing to you, but at the time it was a source of pride for me), and I even competed with the school's librarian to see who could read more.  

What the other kids didn't understand is that the books were my friends. In them, I was popular, I was the hero, and I was always surrounded by people. The harder life got, the more I had to bury myself into a book to escape it. 

The Wheel of Time was one of the series that I read during this part of my life, which is one of the reasons that it has a special place in my heart. 

I've since learned that this actually isn't a very healthy way to deal with stress.
When I was separated from my book-world, it made me pretty unhappy. In fact, if I was reading a tense moment, I was pretty heavily invested emotionally, and if I was called away before it was resolved, that tenseness would remain with me and I would channel it. I'm sure my siblings always appreciated that.  

These three things got me through a pretty tough time. I don't read as much as I used to (except maybe this last week when I've read three 800-900 page books), and I've found other ways to cope with stress. Books have become a hobby as opposed to my life, but I'm grateful for how they helped me deal with loneliness when it felt like no one in the world loved me.

We never know what's going on inside somebody else's head. Having felt loneliness in my youth, I really empathize with others and hate it when I see someone sitting alone.

I try really hard not to judge others, and to try and see things from their perspective. This has occasionally placed me in the role of peacemaker, and it pleases me when I can help people settle conflict.

Life can be difficult, but it's important to keep going. We never know that pain that we will cause others if we leave them behind prematurely. Life does get better. I know that sometimes it doesn't seem like it ever will, but it eventually does get better.

Finishing what we start is important. It might have taken me two decades, but tonight (after Grig brings home the final book from the library for me) I will begin that last book in this very long series. I know that I'm going to feel great when I can finally say that I've finished it.

Won't it feel great when we get to the end of our lives and we can look back and see how we endured and finished?

Sometimes that isn't possible for everyone, but we should do what we can to make everyone's journey a little easier. It's always more fun to be traveling with real people than fictional ones, and nothing makes me happier than to discuss books I love with my husband.

Please treat those around you with kindness. I know I have ways that I can do better at that as well. We live in an age where people can be cruel anonymously and think that they aren't affecting anyone, or that there are no consequences for their actions.

This is such a lie.

There is no such thing as anonymity and actions without consequences. We are deluding ourselves if we think that what we say and do doesn't matter. It's not just the bad either. Good actions can have enormous, positive consequences as well.

We don't know what other people are going through, and how they're coping, but we can always do things to ease their burdens. Life's hard enough as it is.

Let's all try to finish together.

Book Review Wednesday: The Shadow Rising

The Shadow Rising
Author: Robert Jordan
Length: 980 pages
(My) Rating: PG13

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The Shadow Rising is one of my favorite books in the Wheel of Time series. It was a happy addition for me after The Dragon Reborn, which had caused me to wonder if my favorite character had gone insane. The Shadow Rising really explained a lot of his actions in the previous book.

Rand has now accepted that he is the Dragon Reborn. Having conquered Tear, he now travels with the Aiel into The Waste to see if he can achieve their loyalty as well. As he proves himself to this hardened people with their strange culture, he learns more about his own history and future. 

Egwene is also experiencing training with the Aiel, while Mat is compelled to come with them in order to save his own life. They both are permanently changed by what they will experience..

Meanwhile, Perrin travels to the Two Rivers to save his home from White Cloaks by giving himself up. Unable to prevent the woman he loves from following him, he must struggle with her stubbornness as he fights his own internal struggle with the wolves. Once he reaches his home, he is surprised to find that it is filled Trollocs and other horrors. He must put aside his own plans and become the leader and hero that he was meant to be.

The Shadow Rising does a great job of giving each character equal time and really moving the plot along. I really enjoy the Aiel and most aspects of their culture. Though it is probably one of the most foreign cultures that Jordan creates, I feel like it might be the one he put the most love into as well. 

The history of the Aiel is revealed in an interesting and different way, and all of the characters experience fascinating growth. 

As well-written as all of his series, The Shadow Rising stands out in my mind as one of the books that has a lot of really important events told concisely . While some of the later books begin to drag a little, The Shadow Reborn is fast-paced and interesting. I can't think of any complaints that I had in this book. 

This is really the one where Mat, Perrin, and Egwene begin to grow as characters and becomes far more interesting. 

Though it is the longest book yet, I find that it is a pretty quick read that I have a hard time putting down. 

PARENTAL GUIDE

On my scale, this book is probably PG13. There is very little in the way of sexual content though the Aiel are not shy about nudity. However, though nudity is mentioned, it is not described. This particular book contains violence, but again it usually fairly non-graphic. Though there are plenty of descriptions, Jordan does not dwell on the blood or violence. The violence is an integral part of the story, but not the reason for the story. 

The world that Robert Jordan has created also has its own swear words, which are inoffensive in general. There are a few British swear words that have made their way into the book, but those are few and far between. 

Book Review Wednesday: The Dragon Reborn

The Dragon Reborn
Author: Robert Jordan
Length: 674 pages
(My) Rating: PG - PG13

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I have to say, the third book in the Wheel of Time Series is not my favorite book. In reality, it is probably one of my least favorite books in the entire series. 

This isn't due to poor writing. 

This book is equally well-written and just as exciting as the previous books. 

Rand has been accepted to be the Dragon Reborn by his followers, but he has a hard time believing it himself. Driven to prove or disprove the fact, Rand leaves his friends and journeys toward Tear to see if he can fulfill a prophecy that can only be done by the true Dragon. His friends pursue him, and Perrin learns more about his connection to the wolves. Mat recovers from being separated from the dagger, and tries to separate from the Aes Sedai as well. 

Meanwhile, Nynaeve and Egwene adjust to the White Tower and begin their training to become Aes Sedai. However, their training is put on hold when they are asked to complete a dangerous mission that may not only cost them their lives, but their souls.

All events culminate at the Stone of Tear where they discover some new allies...and enemies. 

Okay, so there is a lot more that goes on than that, but that's a fairly good summary. 

The reason I don't like this book as much, is because I'm a main-character type of person. Rand is my favorite character, and you spend the majority of the book wondering if he's gone mad. You don't get things from his perspective until the very end of the book, and by that point, you're not sure what to make of him anymore.

This is a great book for the development of the other characters and furthers along their own personal stories. It also adds new characters and cultures, including the Aiel, who are some of my favorite people. 

Even though this wasn't my favorite book, the books that follow it are. It is worth reading through this one. It has some really good moments that are made even better with a second read when you already know what's going on.

Still recommend reading it, especially if your favorite character isn't Rand. If it is, read it anyway. The series hits one of its high points with the next book. 

PARENTAL GUIDE

On my scale, this book is probably PG for content, and PG-13 for length. There is very little in the way of sexual content, and very little swearing as well. This particular book contains more violence than some of the previous books, especially a scene where Rand cuts off a woman's head. (In later books this is explained, but it is one of the things that really makes you wonder if he's gone insane.)

The world that Robert Jordan has created also has its own swear words, which are inoffensive in general. There are a few British swear words that have made their way into the book, but those are even few and far between. 

Book Review Wednesday: The Great Hunt

The Great Hunt
Author: Robert Jordan
Length: 681 pages
(My) Rating: PG - PG13 (for length)

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This is the second book in Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time Series.

Rand now knows that he is a man who can channel, and he has to come to grips with knowledge that he will eventually go mad. Trying to keep the truth from his friends is difficult, and his only solution is to try and chase them away. 

When that doesn't work, he turns his thoughts to running away. However, he changes his mind after Mat's dagger is stolen, and it is revealed that the influence will eventually kill Mat unless he gets the dagger back. 

Believing himself free of Aes Sedai influence, Rand embarks on a quest with Perrin and Mat to save Mat's life. Along the way, he meets new and interesting friends and enemies. 

Written in the same fast-paced and fashion as the first book, new cultures and societies are created by Jordan as he continues to write about his fascinating characters. I really liked the second book in this series, and though occasionally I wanted to smack some sense into the characters, it only made the situations more realistic. 

Robert Jordan has a great way of writing detail without getting too bogged down by it. You can really picture everything that's happening, and though the situations are fantastic, the emotion behind them is very real. 

This book was less confusing toward the end than the first one, and I really enjoyed it. So much happens, that I was surprised a bit surprised sometimes. I thought some of the events in this book occurred much later in the series. 

I don't really have much to complain about with this book. It is pretty fantastic.

Parental Guide

On my scale, this book is very similar to the first one. It is PG for content; it contains violence and action, but very little sexual content. The PG-13 is mainly for length. You won't find very many children under the age of 13 who will sit down and read a nearly 700 page book. Swearing is nearly nonexistent, due to the author's method of creating his own swear words for the characters, which are really fairly mild. 

Book Review Wednesday: The Eye of the World

The Eye of the World
Author: Robert Jordan
Length: 782 pages
(My) Rating: PG - PG13

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I have been a fan of Robert Jordan for years. I couldn't tell you exactly when I first read this book, but it was somewhere between 7th-9th grade. The other day I decided to re-read the series, and also complete it. I've read most of the books two or three times, but I haven't read the final book yet.

The Eye of the World is the first book in Robert Jordan's epic series. It is set in a fantastic world with many different and original cultures. Robert Jordan writes likable characters that are realistic and interesting. 

Rand is a young man who lives with his father just outside of Emond's Field. While traveling to town for the local celebration, he spots a man in a black cloak watching him. His father doesn't see the man, but when he speaks to his friends, Mat and Perrin, they tell him that the man is black has been watching them too. Later that night, only their homes are attacked by monstrous Trollocs. 

This is the beginning of an incredible adventure that catapults Rand, Mat, and Perrin in a wild journey where they, with a couple of other young women from their town, join the Aes Sedai Moraine and her Warder Lan. Racing across the country, they visit many different cities, and meet many interesting people, with the Trollocs and Myrddraal always close behind them. 

As the book continues, you discover why they are being chased and who is after them. 

There are many interesting aspects of this book. One, which my husband and I have discussed, is the interesting place that women hold in their culture. In almost every culture in the book, women tend to be in charge. There is a queen, the female Aes Sedai (who are essentially magic users), and even the Women's Circle, who basically run Emond's Field. 

The dynamics between the characters are always fun to read, and they do respect to both genders. 

I have heard differing opinions about this series, but I find it fast-paced and gripping. It is one of those books that every time you read it you learn or catch something new. For some people this book might take you a while to read. The very length will make it for either avid readers or older ones. This book takes me a couple days to read, but I enjoy longer books. 

I highly recommend this story to anyone who enjoys fantasy or Tolkien. 

My one complaint about this story is that the ending can be a little confusing. It wasn't until this last time that I read it that I really felt like I knew what was going on at the ending. 

Parental Guide

On my scale, this book is probably PG for content, and PG-13 for length. There is very little in the way of sexual content, and very little swearing as well. 

The world that Robert Jordan has created also has its own swear words, which are inoffensive in general. There are a few British swear words that have made their way into the book, but those are even few and far between. 

There is violence, but nothing gratuitous and it's mostly against Trollocs. A few people die, but they don't go into detail about their deaths.