So I've just finished The Gathering Storm, what can I say?

I think the story has gone in the direction intended by Robert Jordan even if it's already past the 10 originally planned books. I think he's chosen a good place to split the books and there's not too much of the waffling that I saw in earlier books. Like all good stories there's periods of calm and action and twists that you may or may not see coming, still though my major grief is that he has changed almost all of the personalities and made them all, well, darker, more angry. Even Mat has become a darker character with Egwene becoming downright cold and Min being sidetracked into an almost inconsequential role. Some of this is a natural reflection of the story as it moves towards the final battle but I felt he could have eased us into the change throughout the book more than he has.

All in all though I don't grudge the money I paid for it and will be buying the other two to see the series ended.