As any author knows, it's easy to get attached to your characters. You can begin to feel a certain responsibility to them. Once you gain readers, you're vested in the project. So, can anything be more difficult than not being able to see your work through to the end?
For my first book endorsement, I'd like to suggest Book 12 in the Wheel of Time series, The Gathering Storm. The Wheel of Time series has spanned two decades! The first book, Eye of the World, came out in 1990. And fans have been devoted to the series ever sense. Unfortunately, Robert Jordan passed away before he could finish the series himself. However, Brandon Sanderson was selected to finish the work, and The Gathering Storm is his first contribution to the effort.
The main endorsement I can give this book is that Sanderson did an amazing job staying true to the characters and the plot. He successfully meshes his writing style in such as way that it doesn't jar one to pick up this book in the series and read it.
Of course, Sanderson has much to build on that I love, as well. Let's start with the characters. I actually know several people who remind me of the characters, and I often wonder whether Jordan knew kindred spirits to these people who inspired his characters. For me, that means the characters are real--they are not cardboard cutouts.
The other thing I love about this book is its complexity. In a publishing world where secondary characters tend to get paired down and subplots minimized, Jordan's series is complex enough to require a dictionary at the back of each book, a map at the front, and a chart to keep track of which characters are where.
Over all, the entire series is worth reading, with special attention to this book that celebrates the creative genius of two men.
Need more endorsements? Check out the sites dedicated to the series. Here are just a few:
Have you read the series or this book? What did you think?
I haven't read this series of books, but after you review, I'll have to check it out!
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