Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time Series???

[Wolfshead]

Rand. There was a scene (and I may have the wrong girl, the queen one) where she pretty much seduced him near the end of the book and the next book she was traveling around not speaking to him and Min (??? name) said she was going to have a girl. Just after the three girls all bound him or whatever it is called.

Ah, I have a vague recollection of them making him their Warder, but as for Elayne being pregnant... completely gone. It's that kind of thing that's making me apprehensive about reading the newest one - I can't remember what the hell is going on!

[Lindir]

It is rather hopeless to keep track of the events in this series. There are some Internet resources which might be helpful in summing it up.

The Last Battle is approaching rapidly (obviosly as there is only one book left to come), Rand has issues with sanity (Lews Therin Telamon in his head), has lost an arm and damaged his eyesight while capturing Semirhage (one of the Forsaken). He har furhermore cleased Saidin, is bonded to Min, Elayne and Aviendha (as well as to Alanna) and is the father to be of Elayne's twins (which he, of course, doesn't know). Has yet to learn laughter and tears.

Perrin made a deal with the Seanchan to defeat the Shaido, which he did and thus finally rescued his annoying wife. The tinker Aram (under the influence of Masema) tried to kill him but was killed himself in the process.

Mat is now married to Tuon (Daugther of the Nine Moons) and is on the verge of inventing some weapons of mass destruction. He and Thom will also attempt to rescue Moiraine (at last!) from the Aelfiin andd Eelfinn.

Nynaeve is trying to raise support for her husband Lan who has gone to the Blight to fight. She was also instrumental in the cleansing.

Elayne has at long last secured the throne of Andor and is, apart from pregnant, very irritating.

Egwene managed to get herself captured again and is now held at the White Tower. She is the elected Amyrlin of the Rebels and is currently stirring things up in the Tower. She wants to unite the Aes Sedai before the Last Battle.

Those are some of the things that has happened recently but I would imagine it to be quite difficult to keep up without re-reading the previous books as there are so many characters, of which some are even important.

[Aulë]

I'm feeling rather guilty that my first thought when I heard of Robert Jordan's death was "Oh no! I won't know the ending to the WoT series!!!". Hopefully his relations and business partners can piece together some form of book to farewell Mr Jordan once they are done grieving.

[Varokhâr]

I'm only on book seven - would've been done with the series already if a myriad of events in my personal life had not happened, but I still find his series to be very entertaining.

It won't quite capture my heart and soul like LOTR did, but it is coming close

[Aulë]

OH DEAR GOD NO!
I really thought that I'd finally get my closure this year. Damn you, Tor! Damn you to hell! November 2011 is a long, long way away.

http://www.dragonmount.com/News/?p=483

Tor announces The Gathering Storm, Book Twelve of Robert Jordan’s legendary Wheel of Time® fantasy series
Tor Books is proud to announce the November 3rd, 2009 on-sale date for The Gathering Storm, Book Twelve of The Wheel of Time and the first of three volumes that will make up A Memory of Light, the stunning conclusion to Robert Jordan’s beloved and bestselling fantasy series. A Memory of Light, partially written by Jordan and completed by Brandon Sanderson, will be released over a two-year period.
Robert Jordan, one of the greatest storytellers of the 20th and early 21st centuries, passed away in 2007 after a courageous battle with the rare blood disease amyloidosis. Brandon Sanderson, the New York Times bestselling author of the Mistborn books, was chosen by Jordan’s editor—his wife, Harriet McDougal—to complete the final book.
The Wheel of Time series has sold over 14 million copies in North America and over 30 million copies worldwide with translations into 28 languages. The last four books in the series were all #1 New York Times bestsellers, and for over a decade readers have been eagerly awaiting the conclusion to the epic story.
Harriet McDougal said on the process behind A Memory of Light: “The scope and size of the novel was such that it could not be contained in a single volume, It was a piece of marvellous good fortune that Brandon Sanderson undertook the work. He is a great pleasure to work with, as well as a wonderful writer.”
President and Publisher of Tor Books, Tom Doherty, also expressed his happiness with A Memory of Light, saying: “It is a magnificent closure to a great American epic fantasy whose journey began almost twenty years ago. There is no way Robert Jordan would have squeezed it to a single volume, and somehow it seems fitting that what began as a trilogy will also end as one.”
The first ever JordanCon will take place this April 17th – 19th, 2009 in Alpharetta, GA. Harriet McDougal, Tom Doherty, Brandon Sanderson, and other members of “Team Jordan” will attend as featured guests and speak personally on The Wheel of Time and The Gathering Storm and the stories behind the rich literary legacy of Robert Jordan. JordanCon will also include a special preview of The Gathering Storm.
This year will also see major publications of Robert Jordan’s The Wheel of Time comic books and graphic novels with the launch of The Eye of the World comics in May and the New Spring graphic novel with bonus material in November. The Dabel Brothers will be releasing the comic book series, which will then be collected and published as graphic novels by Tor Books.
Universal Pictures acquired the movie rights to The Wheel of Time in August 2008, and currently plan to adapt The Eye of the World as the first movie.

[Illuin]

I read The Eye of The World and thought it was decent. After I was finished, I thought about continuing the series, but I obviously didn't think too much about it, because I haven't done it yet, and it's been years. I don't know, I just don't have the time to read a tale that takes 10,000 pages to complete unless it is beyond uber-spectacular. If a writer can't close the deal in a thousand pages or so, then I'll pass. The only soap opera I've ever gotten into is the one with Luke & Laura about thirty years ago, and that will never be topped, so why bother with another .

[Lindir]

I had also hoped for a final book this year, but I am not entirely displeased. There will at least be a book and the conclusion of the series certainly needs quite a few pages, as there are still too many loose ends. It really wouldn't do to rush it.

[Aulë]

Here's a good response from Brandon Sanderson regarding the issue: http://www.brandonsanderson.com/arti...Splitting-AMOL

[Starflower]

Here's an interview with Harriet on the subject:
http://www.dragonmount.com/Books/Mem...terview_01.php

Dragonmount.com in general is a good place for inside news.

[EdBurke]

The first three books are excellent, but the following 6 were hard work. I didn't bother reading 10 or 11. There is also the fact that the man is now dead, and that a second rate fantasy writer has become his literary executor.

I dislike the publishers splurge at the back of the books, which says 'dominated the world that Tolkien created' - blah. Not true. It doesn't hold a flame to Middle earth. Randland is a shallow world masquerading as being deep. All the socieites have superficial differences which Jordan deliberate invented so as to make them appear different - whereas you never doubt for a moment that Tolkiens world is entirely organic. I think Jordan is guilty of trying too hard, as well as being a much inferior writer.

That said, there are some good aspects. The story can be exciting at times, and its best when its sentimental.

[Belladonna]

I have read and reread ALL of Jordan's Wheel of Time books. They are epic in many ways: the vast subplots; the numerous characters and the larger-than-life story which never ceases to captivate. Yes, the middle books are slow, but get past them to books 11 and 12 and the pace picks up really well. Sanderson has done a great job on The Gathering Storm. The audio books are wonderfully read and bring the story alive (and make travelling in heavy traffic a breeze!). If one is a fan, as I am, then the books are compelling. I suppose that like Tolkien, one either loves Jordan or not. I love Tolkien's books and, old fashioned though they might be and a little "stuffy", they are wonderful tales to read and reread. Jordan is the same, only bigger, deeper in some respects, and just as powerfully gripping. To those of you who cannot remember what's what - try the audio books instead. However, one cannot read Jordan half-heartedly because then one will not remember what is what and who is who. Open The Eye of the World and simply enjoy it. It's worth the slog at the end.
"The Wheel weaves as the Wheel wills."