Over all, I enjoyed it... really.

The only issues I had were small...

1. I disliked how quickly Semirhage was killed. RJ spent how many books building her up into practically a nightmare... then she cries because she gets humiliated and then dies in a puff of glittering dust? I was not pleased. I expected an epic duel between Semirhage and Nynaeve... evil Healer gone bad against cranky Healer gone good.

And we got none of that... she latched the collar on Rand, had Elza kill some nobody Aes Sedai, and then tried to make Rand kill Min... and poof, she's gone.

2. Graendal... pretty much the same problem I had with the treatment of Semirhage.

Honestly, with these two, it almost felt like RJ/BS realized they couldn't wrap up the book with that many Forsaken running around, so they make Moridin tell Rand about Balefire permanently removing Forsaken from the playing field... and suddenly, wham, bam, thank you Rand, a few more Forsaken are gone.

3. Mesaana. I liked that Verin revealed that she was in the Tower... but we never got any closure as to who she was. We never got to have the big reveal... and unless she appears as a damane in the next part of the last book, we never will.



Some parts that I really liked, and might take over as my favorite scene, were:

1. A visit with Verin. That scene was perfect... the shock on Egwene, the fact that you were still guessing until Verin connected all the dots for you, and the way she died. It brought to mind Socrates taking his own poison knowing it was for the greater good. Verin gets mad props from Phelix.

2. Egwene's throw down with the Seanchan. In fact, I've been so impatient to finish the whole Egwene/White Tower Split story line, that all of her scenes made me smile, clap, and/or cheer.

3. Faile and Masema... on the one hand, it was sad to see such an interesting character just disappear... but on the other, it made Faile just a bit more badass in my mind.



So, would any of you like to share your favorites and dislikes?