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A Memory of Light

A Memory of Light

Epic FantasyFantasy
Pages
912
Published
2013
Language
English

Synopsis

The final volume of The Wheel of Time brings the series to its long-awaited conclusion with the Last Battle — Tarmon Gai'don — consuming much of the book in a single chapter that spans approximately 200 pages. All of the series' storylines converge as Rand al'Thor faces the Dark One for the fate of the Pattern itself, while Mat, Perrin, Egwene, Nynaeve, and dozens of other beloved characters fight across multiple battlefields simultaneously. Sanderson worked from Robert Jordan's own notes and completed scenes to write the ending Jordan had known for years, delivering it with all the scale and emotion fans anticipated across fourteen volumes. Published January 8, 2013, it was the final book in the series that began in 1990.

Prose complexity
7/10

Vibe

DarkTenseEmotionalAdventurousInspiring
Chosen OneMultiple POVsSacrificeRedemption ArcFound FamilyBetrayal

Genres

Epic Fantasy Fantasy High Fantasy

Authors

R
Robert Jordan

Born in Charleston, South Carolina, James Oliver Rigney Jr. (1948-2007) wrote under the pen name Robert Jordan and became best known for the epic fantasy series The Wheel of Time. He served two tours as a U.S. Army helicopter gunner in Vietnam, earning the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Bronze Star, then took a degree in physics from The Citadel and worked as a nuclear engineer for the Navy. A fall and a long convalescence in the late 1970s turned him toward writing full time. Before fantasy...

B
Brandon Sanderson

Born in Lincoln, Nebraska in 1975, Brandon Sanderson spent his early twenties working graveyard shifts at a hotel — writing novels at the front desk between guest check-ins. By the time his debut, Elantris, was published by Tor Books in 2005, he had completed thirteen novels in the drawer. His subsequent Mistborn trilogy and the ongoing Stormlight Archive series established him as the primary architect of the Cosmere, an interconnected fictional universe in which most of his fantasy series share...

Characters

Rand al'ThorProtagonist

The Dragon Reborn, who must face the Dark One in a confrontation that was prophesied from the series' first pages.

Matrim CauthonSupporting

Ta'veren general commanding the armies of the Light across multiple battlefields during the Last Battle.

Perrin AybaraSupporting

Wolfbrother lord whose unique connection to Tel'aran'rhiod proves crucial in the Last Battle's most dangerous front.

Egwene al'VereSupporting

Amyrlin Seat leading the Aes Sedai in the Last Battle and making pivotal sacrifices in the defense of the Light.

Nynaeve al'MearaSupporting

A superpowerful Aes Sedai whose Healing abilities and personal courage are tested to their limit in the Last Battle.

All characters in A Memory of Light

Frequently asked questions

  • How long is the Last Battle chapter?

    The Last Battle is contained within a single chapter that runs approximately 200 pages — making it arguably the longest chapter in the history of published fantasy fiction.

  • Did Robert Jordan write any of A Memory of Light himself?

    Yes. Jordan had written the ending of the series years before his death and it appears largely as he wrote it. Some other scenes also derive from his notes and completed drafts. Sanderson has been transparent about which portions came from Jordan.

  • Published when?

    A Memory of Light was published January 8, 2013, completing the series that began with The Eye of the World in 1990 — a span of 23 years.

  • Do major characters die?
  • Is A Memory of Light a satisfying conclusion to the series?

    Reception is broadly positive as series conclusions go. Most long-time Wheel of Time readers consider it an emotionally satisfying end to the saga, with the Last Battle praised for its scale and the emotional resonance of its character payoffs.

  • How many books are in The Wheel of Time?

    Fourteen main volumes, including the prequel New Spring — fifteen if counting it. Sanderson wrote books 12, 13, and 14; Robert Jordan wrote all previous books.

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