Though with books and movies the only preparation possible is steeling oneself against disappointment. That made AMoL less underwhelming than it would otherwise have been. Naetheless, I am still angry Bela died while Faile and Olver lived. Apparently bad tempered whining and viciousness are virtues in Randland, and stoic good humor and faithfulness vices. Maybe that explains what happened to the Trakand brothers; too bad for Gawyn he matured beyond his contrariness, else he might have survived (except, of course, he probably would have committed suicide-by-battle when Egwene died.)