The paperback edition of Towers of Midnight finally came out a month or so ago, so I pounced at last. Yes, I am a cheap @ss. I waited a whole year just so that I wouldn't have to pay those exorbitant hardback prices.

Unfortunately, the year-long wait meant that I'd lost track of many of the threads in the gigantic Pattern that is the Wheel of Time saga. Fortunately, Brandon Sanderson's work in this, his second installment of his concluding volume (hah!) was engaging and remarkably fast-paced, considering its 1,218 pages.

I've been frustrated at times through the long, long series by Robert Jordan's rather ridiculous characterizations of Perrin, Mat and Rand. Thankfully, some of that ridiculousness is at last being sloughed off in this work, whether as part of Jordan's plan or due to Sanderson's stewardship. Whatever. I'm ready for this thing to end, and I was glad that this volume actually seemed to push the plot forward -- at almost breakneck speed compared to its predecessor, The Gathering Storm.

This book was a much easier read than the other book I finished (at last!) this month -- Dan Simmons' Drood (featured last month in this space). Of course, that's an unfair comparison. Simmons' book was meticulously researched, incredibly literate, and, well, convoluted as hell, whereas, Jordan's whole series is about as complex as a grilled cheese sandwich. Still, I'm a sucker for this sort of swords-and-scorcery swashbuckling. It was a fun and quick read, whereas Simmons' book was a challenge that nearly overwhelmed me (even as I very much appreciated his artistry).

What are you reading?