Wheel of Time Book 12 Cover Blurb

Tor have published their late 2009 catalogue, and have included a write-up on The Gathering Storm. No cover yet, although according to Brandon Sanderson's blog the cover will be similar to that which was leaked last month, save that Rand is facing the reader and not doing a weird dance any more. My guess is we will see that in the near future. There's also some titular confusion going on, with the catalogue calling the book A Memory of Light: Gathering Clouds - Book Twelve of The Wheel of Time. Gathering Clouds was the working title which has been ditched. The Gathering Storm will be the correct title, apparently. I'm not too keen on this confusing Book 12 of WoT/Book 1 of AMoL thing going on either. My idea is that they should ditch AMoL on the covers at least and just have A Memory of Light as the title of the final book when it is released in 2011.

The blurb:

"Tarmon Gai’don, the Last Battle, looms. And mankind is not ready.

A Memory of Light was partially finished by Robert Jordan before his untimely passing in 2007. Brandon Sanderson, New York Times bestselling author of the Mistborn books, was chosen by Jordan’s editor—his wife, Harriet McDougal—to complete the final book. The scope and size of the novel was such that it can not be contained in a single volume, and so Tor proudly presents A Memory of Light: Gathering Clouds as the first in a short sequence of novels that will complete the struggle against the Shadow, bringing to a close a journey begun almost twenty years ago and marking the conclusion of the Wheel of Time, the preeminent fantasy epic of our era.

In this epic novel, Robert Jordan’s international bestselling series begins its dramatic conclusion. Rand al’Thor, the Dragon Reborn, struggles to unite a fractured network of kingdoms and alliances in preparation for the Last Battle. As he attempts to halt the Seanchan encroachment northward—wishing he could form at least a temporary truce with the invaders—his allies work in desperation to forestall the shadow that seems to be growing within the heart of the Dragon Reborn himself.

Egwene al’Vere, the Amyrlin Seat of the rebel Aes Sedai, is a captive of the White Tower and subject to the whims of their tyrannical leader. As days tick toward the Seanchan attack she knows is imminent, Egwene works to hold together the disparate factions of Aes Sedai while providing leadership in the face of increasing uncertainty and despair. Her fight will prove the mettle of the Aes Sedai, and her conflict will decide the future of the White Tower—and therefore the world itself.

The Wheel of Time turns, and Ages come and pass. What was, what will be, and what is, may yet fall under the Shadow."

Sanderson has also confirmed on his Twitter that the final edit has been done, the book has gone off for a final round of approval and then should enter production for its planned release date, which at the moment is 30 October from Orbit in the UK and 3 November from Tor in the USA.

There's also a report here from JordanCon 2009, where among other things the story for the 'outrigger' Wheel of Time novels Jordan planned before his death can be found.