The Wheel of Time turns and after 20 years, its time to finish the series

Approximately 20 years ago, when I was in the midst of a full blown fantasy reading phase (I even bought myself a broadsword. And I still have it tucked away behind the door to wield on some unsuspecting orc.), I picked up a little A-format book, the first in a series by Robert Jordan.

Having satiated my reading self in a smorgasbord of Raymond E. Feist, David Eddings, Tolkein, Tad Williams, William Horwood and more, I was running out of epic fantasy and desperate for a new series. Instantly hooked on Jordan's Eye of the Storm, little did I know I would still be reading this series two decades later.

This year, Brandon Sanderson who took over the mantle of Jordan after he passed away several years ago leaving fans bereft at the thought that this series STILL HADN'T ENDED, publishes the final book (he will have written the final three in all).

Some years ago, I paused in my reading.

As much as I have loved the 8 (or 9?) books I have read to date, the time between each instalment was long and hard going. And on reaching the end of some of the latter books to find that the plot had barely progressed while we were distracted in an ever exploding fantasy universe, I was getting quite frustrated.
I've waited until the end so I could tear through the remaining books and finish. That time has come, my pause is un-paused, at last.

Winter's Heart, book 9, was originally published in November 2000. I may or may not have already read it, I lost track but suspect I haven't. But the aim aim is to spend the rest of the year feasting on The Wheel of Time and hoping it has been worth the wait (and that I won't go blind in the process -- a lot of reading still to go).

Anyone familiar with this series, or its fans, will know how consuming it has been. And stunningly successful, bringing fantasy into the mainstream in ways only Tolkein had previously achieved, and paving the way for the success of authors like George R Martin and his Game of Thrones and HBO adapted series.

Thousands of pages of fansites, fanfiction, fan art, all dedicated to this world. Even fan trailers!

One of the most prolific is www.dragonmount.com, and their FAQs are essential for readers like myself who took a break, and whose memory recall is hopelessly inadequate for the incredible detail and complexity of this world Robert Jordan has created.

Other refreshers available include publisher Tor's a dedicated site here: www.tor.com/blogs/2009/10/wheel-of-time-on-torcom