A Memory of Light

Wheel of Time, Book 14

By: Robert Jordan, Brandon Sanderson

Narrated by: Michael Kramer, Kate Reading

Length: 41 hrs and 47 mins

Publisher's summary

Now an original series starring Rosamund Pike as Moiraine!

Since its debut in 1990, The Wheel of Time® by Robert Jordan has captivated millions of readers and listeners around the globe with its scope, originality, and compelling characters.

The Wheel of Time turns and Ages come and go, leaving memories that become legend. Legend fades to myth, and even myth is long forgotten when the Age that gave it birth returns again. In the Third Age, an Age of Prophecy, the World and Time themselves hang in the balance. What was, what will be, and what is, may yet fall under the Shadow.

The seals of Shayol Ghul are weak now, and the Dark One reaches out. The Shadow is rising to cover humankind.

In Tar Valon, Min sees portents of hideous doom. Will the White Tower itself be broken?

In the Two Rivers, the Whitecloaks ride in pursuit of a man with golden eyes, and in pursuit of the Dragon Reborn.

In Cantorin, among the Sea Folk, High Lady Suroth plans the return of the Seanchan armies to the mainland.

In the Stone of Tear, the Lord Dragon considers his next move. It will be something no one expects, not the Black Ajah, not Tairen nobles, not Aes Sedai, not Egwene or Elayne or Nynaeve.

Against the Shadow rising stands the Dragon Reborn....

The Wheel of Time®
New Spring: The Novel
#1 The Eye of the World
#2 The Great Hunt
#3 The Dragon Reborn
#4 The Shadow Rising
#5 The Fires of Heaven
#6 Lord of Chaos
#7 A Crown of Swords
#8 The Path of Daggers
#9 Winter's Heart
#10 Crossroads of Twilight
#11 Knife of Dreams

By Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson
#12 The Gathering Storm
#13 Towers of Midnight
#14 A Memory of Light

By Robert Jordan
Warrior of the Altaii

By Robert Jordan and Teresa Patterson
The World of Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time

By Robert Jordan, Harriet McDougal, Alan Romanczuk, and Maria Simons
The Wheel of Time Companion

By Robert Jordan and Amy Romanczuk
Patterns of the Wheel: Coloring Art Based on Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time

©2012 The Bandersnatch Group, Inc. (P)2012 Macmillan Audio

The saga that brought 'Epic' back to fantasy

This was a very fitting and satisfying end to a saga that was perhaps the most epic in scope since Tolkien. While the merits of Robert Jordan's style has been hotly debated, and the individual books have been received with varying enthusiasm, the importance of the series cannot be ignored.

In A Memory of Light, fast rising author Brandon Sanderson does an admirable job of pulling together the overwhelming number of plot threads that Jordan wove through his masterwork. From the Dragon Reborn himself to the shaggy pony that accompanied him in the first chapter of the first book, we learn the fates of all the characters that have intrigued us, frustrated us, drawn our sympathy, and pulled us into their lush and complex world. While the story is brought to a close, enough mystery is left to remind the reader that there are truly no endings to the Wheel of Time.

Readers Kate Reading and Michael Kramer, as always, bring life to the characters and light to the rich environs of the novel.

For fans like myself who have literally grown up along with the Wheel of Time and its cast of characters, this book is exciting, heart-rending, and satisfying, though more than a little bittersweet. I salute Brandon Sanderson for the passion and professionalism he brought to this beloved series, and I fondly extend my thanks to Mr. Rigley, whose life work has rendered him truly immortal in literature.

Finally we have closure!

What did you love best about A Memory of Light?

It was good to finish something started so many years ago. Mr. Snaderson does a great job of bringing the series to a satisfying close. A lot of the fanboys may disagree, but I believe Mr. Sanderson did a better job finishing the series than Mr. Jordan would have done. Sanderson is much better at action and this book is non-stop action from page one. I believe the weakest points of the series are the elements of Mr. Jordan's that Sanderson is forced to shoe-horn in. Jordan definitely didn't have this worked out nearly as well as he said he did.

What was one of the most memorable moments of A Memory of Light?

There were so many. I think I liked the part where Moiraine makes her return and saves the day.

Which scene was your favorite?

There are so many good scenes I couldn't honestly pick one.,

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

that is physically impossible. This book is LONG. They could easily have made two books out of this but I am glad they did not.

Any additional comments?

The book is long and very dark in points. I had to take a lot of breaks in reading it. Sanderson did a great job and should be commended as the end of the series had been built up so big that no one could have satisfied everyone. He came as close as anyone could have, including Mr. jordan himself. The series tanked for a while but the last three books are much better than what Mr. Jordan was putting out near the end. If you made it this far in the series nothing is going to stop you from finishning anyway. The form didn't ask but the narrators are excellent as well.

Thought it would be better

After 13 books to set it up, the final book (?) left too much out, while carrying redundancy to new levels. Many of the characters were just brushed off in this final chapter and the descriptions that were given were so redundant that I wanted to yell at the radio playing it. Michael Kramer does a wonderful job with the story, but alas, Kate Reading once again dragged down the entire performance as she has done from book one. It has been my belief from the first book that Kramer should have done it solo.
I was also amazed that the fight with the "Dark One" which was so setup from book one, turned into almost a nothingness in the total landscape of the book. Some characters were shown to be almost stupid in their actions to try and achieve a story line that was being reached for by Sanderson.
Overall, I expected more from this book, and in the end, saw it as nothing more then a stepping stone for a "follow up" series.

And so it comes to an end...

I had so many feelings about this book. Excitement that I was about to begin the last book of the Wheel Of Time. Riveted as the last battle played out. Regret as I grew closer to the end of the book. Sorrow as some of my favorite charterers fell. Joy as others became heroes, and ultimately shock that this is the end.

I have to admit that I am a late comer to the Wheel Of Time. A while back I began this journey attempting to get through every audiobook in the series before this last book came out. I didn't quite make it, but it seems that the characters of the Wheel Of Time have been a part of my life every day for a long time. I have watched them grow from farmers to kings and queens, and from heroes to villains. It will be strange putting on my headphones and listening to something else.

May Robert Jordan rest in peace knowing he brought such a masterpiece to the world, and many thanks to Brandon Sanderson who wrote three of the best books in the series including an awesome ending. A Memory Of Light was everything I hoped it would be.

You must get the entire series

What made the experience of listening to A Memory of Light the most enjoyable?

The narrators used good voice inflections for the different characters and the sound track went well

What other book might you compare A Memory of Light to and why?

A gathering storm

What does Michael Kramer and Kate Reading bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

The voice inflections and details are not overlooked

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

yes, but it is impossible and I would not want it shortened

Awesome ending to a great series

Would you listen to A Memory of Light again? Why?

Yes I will listen to this many times. The world that Robert Jordan creates is to rich and complex to hear in just one listen.

What was one of the most memorable moments of A Memory of Light?

The twist at the end with Rand.

Any additional comments?

Robert Jordan made a great world here and Brandon Sanderson did a great job finishing the series.

Its Finally Over

Not my favorite book series, but I had to see it through. A little anti-climatic and leaves some sub-plots just unfinished. Definitely a worth wile book if you have made it this far just be prepared to smile at the end not necessarily shout in triumph.

I loved this series, but a book for one battle?

Would you consider the audio edition of A Memory of Light to be better than the print version?

The Audio edition is comparable to the Print version. It would be difficult to say which is better. I always believe that fantasy novels need maps and you lose that with audio books, but the narration really lends itself to Fantasy.

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

I loved that it ties up 90% of the story in depth. It may have been too much depth considering the last book was mostly filler to prepare you for this book.

What about Michael Kramer and Kate Reading ’s performance did you like?

Their reading was outstanding. I will look for them in the future

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The ending was great and fit the characters.

The End

Any additional comments?

A proper end to a great story. I'm sorry to move on and know that there will be will be no more adventures with these characters. Sanderson did well in finishing the job Jordan started.

No loose ends but NOT the best in the series

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Hard not to recommend this to anyone who has read or listened to the previous 13 books. Sanderson does a decent job with material that isn't his.

What other book might you compare A Memory of Light to and why?

Has a large number of similarities to the Star Wars movies, I think.

Which character – as performed by Michael Kramer and Kate Reading – was your favorite?

Kramer's Rand and the Dark One, and Reading's Egwene

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

***SPOILER ALERT***

Gawyn Trakand's death scene, where he says goodbye to his brother Galad and tells him there is another Skywalker...er...that he has another half brother...one that will bring balance to the Force...er...one that will defeat the evil Emperor...er...one that will defeat Shait'an, the Dark One, the Dragon Reborn

Any additional comments?

I'm surprised at Sanderson's use of modern turns of phrase throughout the book. Plus, all the jumping around between story arcs...we're talking every other paragraph...can be a little maddening

Overall the book was a little busy for my taste, but I also understand that he needed to tie up all the story lines. I actually liked that he wasn't afraid to kill off some of the major characters

***SPOILER ALERT***

I would have actually enjoyed reading (hearing) Artur Hawkwing's conversation with Fortuona