50 Books 2013: Update [1]

I have joined Julie over at Mama OWL for her 50 books 2013 challenge. As I said in my previous post I was reading Game of Thrones, but was waiting with baited breath for the release of the last book in the Wheel of Time series (A Memory of Light).

It was released on 8 January, and as predicted, I couldn’t resist and I am now firmly ensconced in reading this 900 page epic. I had hoped to buy the ebook (I have the 13 previous books on my e-reader and wanted to complete the set), but the publisher – at the request of the late Robert Jordan’s wife – has delayed the release of this for a few months… Cue vitriolic comments on the Amazon reviews. I have to admit I was a little irritated, but not to the extent that I would give the last book in this phenomenal series one star because of it! So, I am now lugging a massive hardback around with me… Takes me back it does!

It was perhaps not a great choice for my first book in this challenge as it is going to take me a little while to finish it – reading during nap time isn’t really going to cut it! And is it just me, or does the act of going to bed early with a book now result in falling asleep immediately?!

I can’t review this book properly yet as I am only half way through it, but suffice to say that it hasn’t disappointed so far and I am completely immersed, back in the world of Rand al’Thor, Perrin Aybara, Mat Cauthon, Moiraine, Egwene, Elayne, Nynaeve, Lan, Aviendha, Min… to name but a few. It is a wonderful series of books, if you have a spare year or so (!), then I would highly recommend reading them. Robert Jordan created a wonderful world of magic, power, darkness, responsibility, heroism and redemption. Brandon Sanderson has done a wonderful job of taking the series (and outline and notes left by Robert Jordan) and completing it, retaining the tone, style and flow – while injecting his own flair.

I will be sad when I have finished reading this book, as there will be no more. But I cannot wait to find out how it ends!