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The Gathering Storm

The Gathering Storm

Book Twelve of the Wheel of Time
Epic FantasyFantasy
Pages
880
Published
2009
Language
English

Synopsis

When Robert Jordan died in September 2007 before completing The Wheel of Time, his widow and editor Harriet McDougal selected Brandon Sanderson to finish the series based on his written tribute to Jordan. Working from Jordan's extensive notes, outlines, and completed scenes, Sanderson began what was initially planned as one final volume. The sheer volume of the remaining material meant the ending was split into three books. The Gathering Storm focuses primarily on Rand al'Thor, the Dragon Reborn, as he marches toward Tarmon Gai'don — increasingly ruthless and unstable under the weight of prophecy. Equally central is Egwene al'Vere's struggle to reunite the fractured White Tower. Together they move toward reckonings that Jordan always planned but never lived to write.

Prose complexity
7/10

Vibe

DarkTenseAtmosphericThought-ProvokingEmotional
Chosen OneMultiple POVsRedemption ArcSacrificeBetrayalCourt Intrigue

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, approaching psychological breaking point under the weight of prophecy, battle, and the demands of the Last Battle.

Egwene al'VereProtagonist

The Amyrlin Seat-in-exile working to end the White Tower's schism through courage and political cunning.

Matrim CauthonSupporting

Ta'veren trickster and general, leading a daring rescue mission while pursued by the gholam.

Perrin AybaraSupporting

Wolfbrother lord pursuing his kidnapped wife while struggling with the prophetic role thrust upon him.

Nynaeve al'MearaSupporting

One of the most powerful Aes Sedai, loyal to both Egwene and Rand, whose skills in Healing are crucial to the arc.

All characters in The Gathering Storm

Frequently asked questions

  • How was Sanderson chosen to complete The Wheel of Time?

    Robert Jordan's widow and editor Harriet McDougal selected Sanderson after reading his tribute to Jordan posted online shortly after Jordan's death in September 2007. She was struck by how well Sanderson understood Jordan's work.

  • Why did the final book become three volumes?

    What was originally planned as one concluding novel proved too massive — the material Sanderson drafted with Jordan's notes ran to over a million words. Harriet McDougal and Sanderson decided to split it into three books to give each storyline the space it deserved.

  • How much of The Gathering Storm was written by Robert Jordan himself?

    Jordan had written complete scenes, extensive notes, and detailed outlines. Some dialogue and scenes appear verbatim from Jordan's drafts. Sanderson has described his role as completing a collaborative work, not writing his own Wheel of Time novel.

  • Do I need to read all 11 previous Wheel of Time books first?

    Yes. The Gathering Storm is book 12 of 14 in a continuous epic series with hundreds of named characters and years of ongoing storylines. It is not accessible as a standalone.

  • Is this book's writing style different from Robert Jordan's?

    Yes, though deliberately so — Sanderson aimed to honor Jordan's voice rather than replicate it exactly, resulting in a style some readers describe as slightly faster-paced and more action-forward than Jordan's previous volumes.

  • Published when and what position in the series?

    The Gathering Storm was published October 27, 2009, and is the twelfth book in The Wheel of Time series.

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