The New Improved Wheel of Time?

So I have been rereading the entire series--I bought the latest book and after about ten pages realized I'd lost too much context to continue. I've really enjoyed the books, more than I ever have before. I think it's because I've thrown myself into my own writing with such abandon. I have found myself analyzing Jordan's prose, the mechanics of the stories and the characters and how he built them. He had a lot of interesting tools at his disposal that he used to build a sense of individual voice for each character, and over eleven books he'd managed to create such a huge, diverse cast of players that I find myself impressed. Deeply impressed.

Granted, at times his handling of some of the characters becomes clunky or even forced--Nynaeve in particular is not a fun character to follow. But the way he built Mat's voice is one of my favorite parts of these books--I have learned a lot in this most recent read by simply paying attention to the mechanics of how that characterization is carried off.

Now that I've finally arrived at the latest book, which Brandon Sanderson actually authored using Jordan's copious notes and plans, I was prepared to dislike and mourn the shift in writing styles. But I'm enjoying this one just as much as the previous books. In some ways much more. Sanderson is a talented writer--he uses many of the same tools and mechanics that Jordan lived by, but he applies a finer sense of economy to his prose, while at the same time is able to imbue the same lushness of the story. Jordan chose well who his successor would be. I still find myself sad at his death but I am pleased where Sanderson is taking the story.

Of course, I'm still waiting to see if Nynaeve tugs her damned braid.