Splitting A Memory of Light...

[GoryCat]

He said on the blog, f he was to meet the Nov release date, he would have to finish the first half and get it it published while he worked on the second, so it looks like it will be 13 books, not 12  (14 counting new spring)

Why count New Spring?  It's basically a "Tales of" book.

[Vatdoro]

After waiting for aDwD from GRRM these past years, and his attitude towards people who ask about it on his blog, it's very refreshing to follow along with an author like Brandon Sanderson.  It has made a big enough impression on me that when Mr. Sanderson publishes Book 1 in his 10 book series I will be at the store to buy it the day it is released.  When GRRM starts his next series after aSoIaF I'll pass.

It is my opinion that GRRM treats us like pesky fans.  Brandon Sanderson, however, treats us like customers, and for that he has earned my loyalty.

Publius - I couldn't agree with you more. Just this last week I have decided I can no longer recommend friends read GRRM. I've lost faith in him finishing ADWD anytime before 2012 and he seems to have no interest in ever finishing ASOIAF. Too Bad. 

Now compare that to Sanderson. He is a prolific writer, he actually enjoys writing, doesn't really have other hobbies to distract him, keeps his work load manageable, keeps his fans/customers abreast of his progress, and on and on and on. What a HUGE difference. That is why I don't recommend GRRM to anyone any more, but I'm always suggesting people try Sanderson's books.

And since this thread is about splitting AMOL, I'll add my opinion on that, just to keep things on topic.
It would be nice to get the rest of WoT at once (one book), but it seems like it's pretty much a done deal that the book will be split. Brandon has stated that AMOL will end up being close to 750K words. The chances of TOR publishing that much in one volume are practically zero. Brandon has said he would ask TOR to print a special edition with both volumes in one, if AMOL is split. I believe that special edition would come out after AMOL volume 2 is published, and that's the best we can hope for ever seeing AMOL printed in one volume.

I like to think of myself as an optimist, so I'm just focusing on the good things that would come out of AMOL being split.
1 - Completing the final draft and review of half the book should take less time than the full book. Hopefully this results in volume 1 being released a little bit earlier than it would take to release the entire book. The sooner I can read more of WoT the better!
2 - I love reading WoT. I really want to find out how it ends, but at the same time I've LOVED the journey. Having AMOL split would just lengthen the wonderful journey that is the WoT!

Hopefully the release dates of the volumes will be VERY close to each other. Like within a month or two!

[Rrikor]

I'm actually glad it will probably be released in 2 books.  Its not like we have to wait 2 years for it this time and hopefully with 2 books they will stay in their bindings after the 6th or 7th read rather then fall apart.

[Loud_G]

There is another thing about it being split. It will make 13 books, and 13 is not a number without significance in the books.   (not as huge as 9 for LotR, but it does have significance)

[Shaggy]

I can be a little superstitious sometimes, but I think that would be going too far.

And, technically, it's one story in two parts–just like they did with some of the previous books.

[Loud_G]

I was referring to the number 13 being important in the books, not in superstitions.

If you have 13 Chosen and  13 fades you can turn someone to the shadow.

A circle of 13 can shield any male channeler.

And others...

[Razor]

I agree that 13 is an important # in the series and have long thought that 13 books would be the appropriate number.

[Shaggy]

Oh, my bad. Sorry, I thought you were saying something else. If the Dark One won in the thirteenth book that'd be sorta cool….

[Clomer]

I always thought that it would be cool if the last word of the series was ... flicker ...

[Reaves]

lol that would really, really suck. I hate Hate HATE stories that are like that.

[Clomer]

Oh, don't get me wrong - there will be a valid, viable ending that wraps up what needs to be wrapped up, but that one word will be the only word in the lower-right corner of an otherwise blank page at the very end.  I think that would be awesome.   

[Inquisitor]

I always thought that it would be cool if the last word of the series was ... flicker ...

Oh my God, I think I would go insane. I'd wake up in the middle of an empty field with a bottle of whiskey in one hand and a sawed off shotgun in the other. My life would be ruined by that one little word.

[mtlhddoc2]

ok, i will bite...  what does that mean?

[Razor]

When Rand took the group via Portal Stone to Toman Head they traveled through several alternative histories, frequently ending with Ba'alzamon saying I win again Lews Therin, followed by flicker, and another history would be experienced...flicker...and another history experienced...flicker, etc

so flicker at the end would be saying the series was a dream/;not the final reality and there are alternative endings

[Publius]

so flicker at the end would be saying the series was a dream/;not the final reality and there are alternative endings

I think that Brandon Sanderson may be required to write 12 more books if that is how is would end....