Audiobook Review: A Memory of Light by Robert Jordan & Brandon Sanderson

Title: A Memory of Light
Author: Robert Jordan, Brandon Sanderson
Narrated by: Michael Kramer & Kate Reading
Series: The Wheel of Time, book 14
Genre: Epic Fantasy
Publisher: Macmillan Audio

Format: Audiobook

“‘And it came to pass in those days, as it had come before and would come again, that the Dark lay heavy on the land and weighed down the hearts of men, and the green things failed, and hope died.’ – From Charal Drianaan te Calamon, The Cycle of the Dragon. 

In the Field of Merrilor the rulers of the nations gather to join behind Rand al’Thor, or to stop him from his plan to break the seals on the Dark One’s prison – which may be a sign of his madness, or the last hope of humankind. Egwene, the Amyrlin Seat, leans toward the former. 

In Andor, the Trollocs seize Caemlyn. 

In the wolf dream, Perrin Aybara battles Slayer. 

Approaching Ebou Dar, Mat Cauthon plans to visit his wife Tuon, now Fortuona, Empress of the Seanchan. 

All humanity is in peril – and the outcome will be decided in Shayol Ghul itself. The Wheel is turning, and the Age is coming to its end. The Last Battle will determine the fate of the world . . .”

"Since 1990, when Robert Jordan’s The Wheel of Time® burst on the world with its first book, The Eye of the World, listeners have been anticipating the final scenes of this extraordinary saga, which has sold over 40 million copies in over 32 languages.

When Robert Jordan died in 2007, all feared that these concluding scenes would never be written. But working from notes and partials left by Jordan, established fantasy writer Brandon Sanderson stepped in to complete the masterwork. With The Gathering Storm (Book 12) and Towers of Midnight (Book 13) behind him, both of which were number-one New York Times hardcover best sellers, Sanderson now re-creates the vision that Robert Jordan left behind.

Edited by Jordan’s widow, who edited all of Jordan’s books, A Memory of Light will delight, enthrall, and deeply satisfy all of Jordan’s legions of listeners.

The Wheel of Time turns, and Ages come and pass. What was, what will be, and what is, May yet fall under the Shadow. Let the Dragon ride again on the winds of time."

A Memory of Light is the fourteenth book in The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan.

This review will be a bit different from my usual reviews because I won’t say much about the book itself but more about my general experience. Why I’m doing this? This book was a very complex book, with so many characters and so many events happening at the same time that it would impossible to say much without giving spoilers away.

After having heard Linda from Books-For Life (also known as Book Girl of Mur-Y-Castell) say so many good things about this series I decided to give it a try; little did I know that I was going to devour the prequel and following thirteen audiobooks one behind the other, I listened to them while driving, organizing, cleaning, knitting, traveling, you get the idea. It took me months to finish them, they are not short books, the shortest audiobook was the prequel and it was 12 hours long and the shortest book was 24 hours long, most of them were over 30 hours long with 2 or 3 audiobooks over 40 hours long.

When I reached the end of Towers of Midnight, book thirteenth of the series, I was glad that I hadn’t started my journey through The Wheel of Time twenty-three years ago as many fans of the series have done it. I was very glad I just needed to wait couple of weeks for the release of the last and final book of this amazing series, A Memory of Light, that doesn’t mean I didn’t count the days and hours to it’s release, because I did.

Last Friday I bought the audiobook and immediately knew it will take me days to listen to it, it was 41 hours 55 minutes long!! I had mixed feelings, I wanted to devour it and get to the end to know how it all ends, but you can’t rush an audiobook, you need to listen at its pace and enjoy the ride and what a ride it was. It took me five days to finish it, listening an average of eight hours a day. Even though some times I thought I would have preferred the book to finish it faster, I’m actually glad I went the audiobook way, why? Because it made me experience every single event to its fullest. The narrators of these books (Michael Kramer & Kate Reading) are Amazing! They really brought the story and the characters to life injecting them with so much emotion that it was impossible not to feel submerged in the fabric of the story. I laughed, cried, suffered and hoped hours after hours.

A Memory of Light is not a happy book, its one of deep sacrifices and losses, where the core of humanity is tested over and over again, but at the same time it’s a book of love, compassion, strength and the powerful will to live and to do what is right regardless of the price.

Am I happy with the end? Yes, I am, it was a good end, one that did justice to this series. It is also an end left open to many possibilities to come and I can’t help it but hope for a spin-off series; I don’t think I’m ready to say a final goodbye to The Wheel of Time characters and to its world, so who knows… “The Wheel weaves as the Wheel wills, and we are only the thread of the Pattern.”

I can’t recommend this series enough, if you are a fan of the epic fantasy genre this series is a must read for you (these books should be read in order).

My Verdict: 5 Paws

Other books in the series

New Spring (Prequel)

The Eye of the World
The Great Hunt

The Dragon Reborn
The Shadow Rising
The Fires of Heaven
Lord of Chaos
A Crown of Swords
The Path of Daggers

Winter’s Heart
Crossroads of Twilight
Knife of Dreams
The Gathering Storm
Towers of Midnight

A Memory of Light

Other reviews Goodreads

Visit The Wheel of Time Website