“The Gathering Storm” Chapters 41-50 + Epilogue

Spoiler Warning: It’s difficult to review any form of entertainment without some spoilers. Read with this in mind.

OK! The fifth and final installment of my review of “The Gathering Storm” is here! It has been quite a ride and quite some time, but I finally finished the book not long ago. As I said in my first review, I’ll talk briefly about these final chapters and then try to sum up my feelings about the book as a whole. So, let’s get started!

First thing I could possibly say is that the ending is fantastic! It was dramatic, it was moving, and it worked. I liked how more than one thread was tied up in these final chapters and yet some were still left open for the next books. Not only that, but we weren’t left with a pervasive feeling of gloom like it actually looked like we would be. The characters are finally starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Whether or not that means that the next book will challenge them in new and more devastating ways is unknown, but for now, there’s a little hope.

Spoiler Warning: It’s difficult to review any form of entertainment without some spoilers. Read with this in mind.

I can honestly say for the first time that it was difficult putting down the book to write this review. Although things started off slow in this collection of chapters, by the end we’re really getting going and speeding toward the climax. Woo! Some major plot points occur in this portion of the novel, and we’re pretty much on the edge of our seat by the time we get to Chapter 41. Well, basically.

Spoiler Warning: It’s difficult to review any form of entertainment without some spoilers. Read with this in mind.

OK, so due to my terrible laziness (and other commitments but mostly laziness), this review has been delayed quite some time. Boy, does time go fast. Actually reading these chapters went pretty quickly for me, and I had to stop myself from reading more before I forgot what I had to say about what happened in this collection of chapters. Sorry about the delay.

So, we’re into the third fifth of the novel and some of the most compelling plot points are finally coming in. Finally. Can’t stress that enough. But I digress. The chapter where Semirhage attacks Rand is great, real drama, real conflict. Amazing conclusion. The consequences are believable and set up some great character development for Cadsuane. It will be interesting to see where the hardening of Rand’s character goes from here and how it will affect the coming conflict with the Dark One and his relationships with his allies. There’s an incredible darkness in this novel that began, of course, with Lord of Chaos, but has really been enhanced as we get closer to the Last Battle. The world is really going to go to Hell in a hand basket (ever wonder where that expression comes from? I do) before things get resolved, and it’s going to be quite a ride.

Love it or Hate it is pretty much the word. After all, there were a few grunts and quite a few more “What the Fuck”s floating in the theatre room the second the screen went black. Indeed Scorsese is not exactly the easiest director to digest, but then again if you want an easily digestible experience you probably shouldn’t have bought your ticket for a movie about a psychiatric institution treating the criminally insane.