Finished today at 3:00 AM. It was worth it.
I felt that Brandon got every character almost exactly right, except Mat. Mat, I wanted to strangle. He was too goofy for me. It's like Brandon took Mat's character and pushed him just a little too far down the "Mischevious Trickster" Path. Mat is a Mischevious Trickster, but he seemed to be trying to be funny all the time. What's funny about Mat isn't the way he talks, although he does sometimes say some clever things, but rather the circumstances he's in and the way he reacts to them. I felt like Mat was trying to be funny too much, and as a result he came across as a different character to me. I didn't like him. The Legends scene in particular didn't fit. His reaction to Mandevwin (I think that's his name) thinking (or pretending to, at least) that he actually had a great aunt he was staying with were intended to show how he thought that Mandevwin was an idiot. But Mat wouldn't have said that, he would have been exasperated and thought about how Mandevwin was an idiot, but when he responds by saying "You don't have a great aunt!," it looks like Mandevwin is clever and Mat's an idiot. That's what really threw me. Mat seems to be less clever because he sounds like he's trying too hard.
By the way, I'm kind of making this up as I go along, so I'm only now realizing just what it was about Mat's character that annoyed me.
Also, saidared? Really? I about cried.
There were just a few other words that were really jarring to me. For whatever reason, whenever a character said, "Bloody Ashes," I mentally went, "What? That should read 'Blood and Ashes!' Hmmm...."
I realize this sounds really critical. It's me ranting because I need to rant about Mat's character. And kind of in the hope that it gets back to Brandon that Mat is just a little over-the-top so that he isn't as much so in the next one. But I liked the book quite a bit more than it sounds like I do. In fact, it was one of the best WoT books so far. The pacing was much better in my opinion, and since we seem to be reaching the end, that's a good thing. Most of the character's reactions were very real, and I thought Brandon did a good job of juggling the various cultures.
Honestly, with the number of characters that there are in this series, it's a miracle that there weren't more characters that I felt were off. As is, I really appreciate Brandon's skill. He was the right choice to finish the series.
I was going to write about my opinion on TGS, but this comment made it unnecessary, it says it all.
To me, Brandon Sanderson made a wonderful job, really. Except for Mat. And as I read threads on the net I see that I am far from the only one thinking so. I think there IS substance to this belief, and I hope that Mr Sanderson takes some time to think about it.
One other thing that bugged me was the characters general "understanding thinking" about themselves and their nature. One of the series general topics have been Rand's, Egwene's, Nynaeve's and the others good insight in their friends needs and nature, and the same time their failure to see their owns (Like it usually is in real life..). But this is however probably due to Sanderson's own writing style, and I think it is ok for him to leave some marks in the writing that it is he who is finishing this amazing series.
So a last message to Mr Sanderson (In case you have the time or interest to read it):
Thank you for a great achievement with the first of the last books! It is NOT an easy task you have, and you should feel great pride to what you have achieved so far.
But please, please take a moment to think about how you adressed Mat's character. I know I 'm in no way some judge whose words should be followed, but I also know that you are a very skilled writer who care for both yours and Mr Jordans fans.
Enough butter eh?
All the best!
