A Memory of Light
Added 2025-09-23 13:00:20 +0000 UTCThank you all so much for being apart of this <3 I also want to make it clear, ALL future series summary videos will be put out early here on patreon.
Comments
This full summary is a triumph. I have finally been able to finish it all the way through and what became apparent to me by, maybe, the half way point is that not only is this a summary, but it’s a full and stand alone adaptation in its own right. The white board(s), drawing and style, inside jokes, narrative style, etc all come together to make this something that stands on its own within the WoT world. Incredible.
Aaron
2025-10-28 16:15:16 +0000 UTCObviously I like Wheel of Time. I just spent 15 odd hours of my life excitedly watching you recap this amazing story. But for me, its weakest point (even more so than the "slog" if you ask me) is actually right in the middle of the last battle. And in many ways, right at the core of what Wheel of Time is trying to say philosophically. The Dark One and Rand are having a dream-off. The Dark One first shows a world which people think will come to be, if he won. Total, overt oppression, sky is red, et cetera. A surface-level dystopia, if you will. Rand then shows him a surface-level version of a utopia, which is then punctured by The Dark One by pointing out that "children still go hungry" and "the wealthy exploit and corrupt, only hidden", etc. So far so good. The next vision The Dark One shows what he will actually do - he will remove compassion itself, and remove even the "suspicion that something is wrong". This is terrifying - partly because it is realistic. Dictators of our day try to do exactly this. In many parts of our real world (including where I come from), this is a lot closer to reality. In this, the book is successful in showing us a true dystopia. Great job. In response, Rand shows a world where The Dark One (let's be honest, a proxy for "all bad things") never existed, or a true utopia. Everything is good, there isn't any violence, even the weather is "perfect" etc. This is great. But then the book tries to poke holes to this utopia. Poorly. The "cracks" it presents to this vision are inadequately thought out. First, Rand finds Elayne is palace gardens, but instead of being surrounded by subjects, he finds her alone! Because: "This was a world without problems. A world where people worked out their own grievances easily. A world of giving, not dispute. What would someone need of the Queen?" And this is presented as a... bad thing? A world that doesn't need monarchs sounds pretty great to me. Then, he learns that Aviendha is tending children instead of fighting: "But it was wrong, too. He thought Aviendha would be a wonderful mother, but to imagine her seeking to spend all day playing with other people’s children…" Again, this is a bad thing? Fighting is not a job in a utopia. Again, that actually sounds good thing to me. The Dark One then explains that what Rand has done here is the same thing The Dark One had done in his version, only flipped. I love RJ, I love BrandoSando, but this is honestly some horseshoe theory nonsense. It somehow tries to convince me that "Pure good" is the same as "Pure evil". It's not! Pure good is good actually! This is where the book fails me. It then puts spooky shadows inside Elayne's eyes, but that's reminiscent of a film going, "Oh no! The villain is making valid points! Quick, make him kill a grandma or something". If the royalty of the world will feel lonely and the soldiers will feel purposeless - but in exchange there is literally no evil? Are you kidding me? It's the easiest bargain. Rand, my guy, this is the simplest version of the trolley problem. Obviously one can defend this by saying that Rand is imperfect, or the Dark One was lying. But I dunno... the authorial intent here feels like it's trying to say something about the real world rather than just telling a fantasy story. I think the book genuinely cannot imagine an actual utopia, or (more likely) "and everything was great ever after" might be considered a "lame" ending. But are we so cynical that we can't even imagine a perfect utopia? I mean the root of this problem is quite mundane. Since there is a literal, biblical God in this universe, this is the book's attempt to answer "okay then why are there children with leukaemia?", which never has a satisfactory answer. You can patch over this problem expertly so that they might not be noticeable in the momentum of the story. But when you think about it afterwards, you can notice it. Because of this, Wheel of Time would never be a 10/10 series for me. Still a great story though!
Darshan Zend
2025-10-05 22:40:12 +0000 UTCThis was an amazing summary for such an immense series. You guys nailed it. Would there be any way we could get a compilation of the Daniel read book sections? The emotion you were able to insert into these already intense/emotional sections took them to a new level
JakesDevil
2025-10-04 17:28:06 +0000 UTCyou are right! Having listened to Daniel's reviews on the 'SLOG' portion, it went much easier this time.
Carol Briscoe
2025-10-03 02:50:54 +0000 UTCThank you. Waited till I was mentally ready to hear your review of the last book. Knowing it's all over, done, finished, had left me kinda sad. This was a once in a lifetime experience. Others may offer their own reviews, but it will never be the same. Thank you again. And please keep these reviews available till at least the end of the year. I find them tremendously helpful while I am re-reading the books. And, thank you for that map! Can't tell you how many times I refer to it while reading the books. Though the one used here has more detail than the original. Thank you once again.
Carol Briscoe
2025-10-03 02:49:22 +0000 UTCStruggling to find the artwork that was talked about...
Grant Head
2025-10-02 01:57:05 +0000 UTCFinally made the jump to goblin when you started this series. I enjoy watching you talk about WOT almost as much as I enjoyed reading it. The slog was definitely easier to get through in your version, that's for sure! And since I'm new here, this might have been done already, but have you ever held Q&A/discussion session with bookreaders? Would be so fun to hear your thoughts on all details and characters - large and small - that couldn't fit in these videos!
Sannah Salameh
2025-09-30 21:58:09 +0000 UTCas someone who never read the books and only saw the show ty so much from the bottom of my heart this is now my favorite story of all time Much love
Kevin Wood
2025-09-29 21:07:18 +0000 UTCalso Moridin/Rand gives me Ron Swanson vibes
Jack Casson
2025-09-29 07:59:51 +0000 UTCShowing the Rob Roy fight for Lan vs Demandred was the perfect choice
Louis Correia
2025-09-29 06:09:33 +0000 UTCI would absolutely listen to you do this for the Cosmere and Malazan
Jared Phelps
2025-09-29 02:32:51 +0000 UTCRands hands were blown of in a fireball when he met with Lady suroth a few books back.
Adam Fabian
2025-09-28 08:12:49 +0000 UTCSo excited to finally get to this, I waited until I finished the work week to be able to sit and watch it with the focus it deserves! I remember the first time I read this book and we were introduced to the samma n'sei, it was such a jaw dropping moment! Every reread I still go through so many fluctuations with Egwene. Rand and Aviendha weren't in the Arctic, just in a Seanchan winter. Moiraine's entrance was just phenomenal, beautifully done, and so great to see the Emonds Fielders reactions to her. Rand demanding the Dragon's Peace was such a good inclusion from a Chosen One. Bashere was in Caemlyn and Bryne in Kandor with the Aes Sedai :) Rand and Tam's final spar was such a wholesome moment. He gives lead to Elayne, not Egwene. Lan's final charge being supplemented by the Borderlander armies was *chefs kiss* your reading brought tears to my eyes! Androl and Pevara :) they also can't get to the outside Aes Sedai because of guards set by Taim. I think if RJ had finished it, Androl wouldn't have had the main character energy Brandon gave him. Love the shout out to his dark materials. You got the angreal/sa'angreal and ter'angreal mixed up, Elayne has been making ter'angreal but not the other two. With the seed Rand gives her she can. (Horrible sentence) Mat taking command and refusing to tell anyone his plans was so good, and Elayne's reaction always makes me chuckle. Oh God, tears again when you read Egwene's sacrifice. Bravo! I wish you'd also read the passage of Lan charging up the hill with Tam directing arrows to clear his path. You did so well covering as much as you could of the Last Battle, thank you for your dedication and your time. Wheel of Time is my favourite book series, I have Mat's catchphrase tattooed on my arm, and you have done it more than justice.
Nikita Balfour
2025-09-27 08:31:45 +0000 UTCDaniel, Kayla from all of us, thank you so fucking much! I finished my first read through just as you started the videos and they have made me wanna re-read already x amazing work, so much effort can be seen in every video and they came out sooooooooooo good!!
Jack Casson
2025-09-27 07:51:07 +0000 UTCThis whole experience was incredible!
Manda Myers
2025-09-27 03:20:42 +0000 UTCIf you’re taking suggestions on what series to cover in this format next, pleaseeeee do Realm of the Elderlings, it deserves the attention!!
Andrew David
2025-09-27 00:15:35 +0000 UTCWe did it!
Rune
2025-09-26 00:44:12 +0000 UTCSo very well done!! I have loved the series for such a long time and had my doubts that it could even remotely be summarized but you killed it!! My wife, who hasn’t read any of the books, followed along and loved it. Thank you so much for allowing me to share this amazing experience with her.!!
Andrew CONNELL
2025-09-25 17:25:41 +0000 UTCI becam a Patreon just to watch these videos early, but after watching them all, whislt reading the books for myself. (I'm on The Fires of Heaven.) This series was amazing to watch, and it's clear so much time and effort has been put into it, I think I'll be sticking around to see more of your work. Hopefully more breakdown series' like this, it was amazing!
Joshua Dixon
2025-09-25 16:16:32 +0000 UTCI'm stalled on book 8 and I've missed how Rand's hand got cut off? You mention it in this video, but I don't recall in a previous video you explaining when an how it happened? Or did I just miss it? Also, you mentioned that the seals were stolen from Egewene by a dark friend, but I didn't hear how they came into Logain's posession? Or did I just miss that too?
Alex Harvey
2025-09-25 13:06:37 +0000 UTCWow - epic. So happy for you completing this project and so grateful you did it. Just amazing and I love that it was such a passion project.
Alex Harvey
2025-09-25 13:04:35 +0000 UTCGhost Aludra @ 1:53:00 has me rolling. Great summary. I really loved the reading section with the text included, hopefully the text can be added to all of them. Bela should've gotten a mention at the end with Olver. What an incredible journey these videos have been. It's been a great supplement to my current re-read, and I'm sure I'll watch these videos every time I do another.
Bryan
2025-09-25 10:32:52 +0000 UTCNo flowers for Bela???
Alley
2025-09-25 01:34:39 +0000 UTC❤️
Alley
2025-09-25 01:34:05 +0000 UTCThank You so much I know this was a a lot of work for you two!! Loved every second of it!! Ready for GREEN BONE SAGA
Zak Stevens
2025-09-25 01:02:57 +0000 UTCthat ending is really funny
Sterling Ayers
2025-09-24 19:36:13 +0000 UTC👏💜 brilliant job!! thanks for sharing your passion with us! It made me appreciate this series like 20,000x more.
Dan Wagner
2025-09-24 17:34:03 +0000 UTCThis was incredible. As an OG WoT fan who used to hang out on rec.arts.sf-written.robert-jordan that walked away after book 9 and never went back this has put a fire in me to read the whole thing. I know it's probably dodgy in copyright terms but I'd love a chaptered audio file of this to listen to like a podcast or audiobook Thank you so much for doing this crazy thing :)
GC
2025-09-24 15:52:53 +0000 UTCThank you.
lethen tucker
2025-09-24 06:24:56 +0000 UTCDamn I did so much crying in the course of three videos 😭 i really tried to not get into it before the finished product, as to have reason to view it multiple times, but fuck, I just wanna read the whole series again, and watch these again too
Inka Reunanen
2025-09-24 04:07:14 +0000 UTCi want that drawing, where can I find it?
David Buck
2025-09-24 01:12:59 +0000 UTCHey man I’ll start by saying I’ve been watching your videos since I was sixteen… I’m now twenty two. To say life hasn’t been horrible is a lie, to say I haven’t been horrible would also be. But your videos have always been there. Thankyou. I’m editing this now because I wanted to clarify I’ve suffered from anxiety since I was in primary school and was bullied for a long time and to say that destroyed me would be an understatement, you could have called me a dark friend to be on topic😂 but your videos always inspired me. My creativity and love for media, just on an emotional level aswell and I grew up looking up to you in a parasocial type of way but I’m rambling so yeh stoned emotionally me out🤙
Xenix
2025-09-23 23:29:21 +0000 UTCElayne takes over the army, not Egwene, this was agreed upon by him after Moiraine says he can't lead the army and fight the dark one.
Denny
2025-09-23 21:19:05 +0000 UTCGreat job this was so well done. Ive watched every part and would love to see you do this with other series.
Johny Leatherman
2025-09-23 21:10:38 +0000 UTCI am now refreshed. I don't need to read it again for the ninth(?) time. I got a lot in my TBR-pile but I will return to WoT again. There are no endings, just another reread.
phnome
2025-09-23 21:10:14 +0000 UTCThis was perfectly executed. Thank you so much for making these videos.
Erik Mayne
2025-09-23 21:05:41 +0000 UTCDaniel, this was magnificent. Robert would be proud of you....I'm sure Boppledeboop Slappadabipple is.
Breezaholic
2025-09-23 21:00:31 +0000 UTCThe Final Battle was a fitting payoff to the series (which doesn't happen all that often) and this video was a fitting payoff to Daniel's video series. It is as epic as it has to be!
Phil Parkman
2025-09-23 20:18:00 +0000 UTCBravo. Just... bravo.
Blake Engholm
2025-09-23 20:12:46 +0000 UTCTLDR? Kidding of course, great work on this whole project. While WoT is not my favorite series by a good margin the love and passion you put into this project is palpable. Congratulations on finishing!
Charlie Gilroy
2025-09-23 19:20:52 +0000 UTCThis recap series has been absolutely amazing, from the recap itself, the delivery, the drawings, the editing to the memes. Everything! Thank you so much for helping me relive this series and some of the most amazing moments within it. And also in such a short amount of time without butchering the essence of the story. Your love and knowledge of this series really shows! Thanks again for the great amount of work you (both) put into this! Have a feeling that I will rewatch the stitched Youtube versions again soon. ;)
Bas
2025-09-23 18:10:59 +0000 UTCHey just clarification. Gareth Bryne went to Kandor with the white tower forces. Davram Bashere went with Elayne to Caemlyn and Cairhien
UnknownSoldier
2025-09-23 17:44:13 +0000 UTCThank you this was GREAT!!!!!
Patrick Minze
2025-09-23 17:27:41 +0000 UTCI hate the "reveal" that Lanfear lived. It robs an earned victory from Perrin and adds absolutely nothing. I know it. The chick is D.E.D. dead.
Jason the Dave
2025-09-23 15:49:32 +0000 UTCIt was perfect, thank you both! I just hope you can do New Spring at least separately 😭
Ejder
2025-09-23 15:16:17 +0000 UTCThe dragon giving a big old belly laugh brings me so much joy
Daniel Greene
2025-09-23 14:34:44 +0000 UTCThe Rand and Mat one upping convo is one of my favorite bits of dialogue in the entire series. It felt so real, just 2 old buddies giving a shoulder nudge for old times sake. I think about that convo at least once a month.
Stefo47
2025-09-23 14:23:41 +0000 UTC2 hours for the last book is appropriate. Great work. Correction on the armies of the light. It is Elayne who gets the control of the armies, not amerlin, as she is the last to sign.
giorgi barbakadze
2025-09-23 14:10:24 +0000 UTCLiterally just finished watching all the previous Videos, so excited to start this one :)
TheGoblinGobbler
2025-09-23 14:02:49 +0000 UTCyou both did it!!! Congratulations!! I know this took so much for your time recently and we thank you both SO MUCH!
mk9beatz
2025-09-23 13:02:52 +0000 UTC💙💛❤️
Laurențiu Lazar
2025-09-23 13:02:52 +0000 UTC❤️❤️❤️
Royce Shatzel
2025-09-23 13:02:28 +0000 UTC
