Towers of Midnight- Jordan/Sanderson - Wheel of Time #13 Before the Last Battle
Towers of Midnight- Jordan/Sanders - Wheel of Time #13 Before the Last Battle
By: a.d. elliott | Take the Back Roads - Art and Other Odd Adventures
A Rite of Fancy Book Recommendation and Review
A short summary:
As the Last Battle approaches, the world tightens toward inevitability. Perrin Aybara faces trial by the Whitecloaks and finally embraces the leader—and wolf—he has resisted becoming, forging both hammer and identity in preparation for what lies ahead.
Elayne strengthens her throne and, with Mat’s help, brings Aludra’s “dragons” into the world, reshaping warfare itself. Meanwhile, Rand climbs Dragonmount and emerges transformed, finding clarity instead of destruction. Aviendha’s vision of the Aiel’s possible future is devastating, forcing her to confront whether her people can survive not the war, but the peace that follows.
My favorite quote from the book:
Questions to ponder while reading:
My review:
Book thirteen. So close you can feel the ground shake.
This installment doesn’t feel like filler; it feels like tightening. Every storyline sharpens into purpose. Perrin’s arc is particularly satisfying. For so many books, he resisted what he was becoming. Here, he finally stops apologizing for existing. There’s something deeply moving about a man choosing to stand trial when he could easily crush his enemies. Strength without arrogance. Power without cruelty. That’s growth.
Rand’s transformation is the emotional spine of the book. After volumes of watching him fracture under prophecy, it is profoundly relieving to see him choose life, choose hope. Not naïveté, but balance. His ascent to Dragonmount is less about spectacle and more about surrendering to something larger than rage. It feels earned.
Aviendha’s discovery hurt. Deeply. The vision of the Aiel’s potential future is one of the most quietly tragic sequences in the series. It isn’t dramatic annihilation, it’s cultural erosion. That sadness lingers. And it matters, because it raises a real question: what happens to a warrior people when the war ends? That thread elevates the book beyond simple battle-prep fantasy.
Elayne and Mat’s development of the dragons adds a sharp, almost industrial edge to the narrative. The world is evolving technologically even as it faces mythic destruction. That layering gives the story texture.
As for Mazrim Taim, what a piece of work. He has always carried the smell of ambition gone wrong. The closer we get to the Last Battle, the tighter the tension around him coils. Distrust here feels intentional and earned.
This book doesn’t explode the way the finale will, but it hums. It forges. It aligns the pieces on the board. You can feel the inevitability of what’s coming. And honestly? That sense of standing on the edge of something monumental is its own kind of thrill.
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About the Author
a.d. elliott is a wanderer, photographer, and storyteller traveling through life
She shares her journeys at Take the Back Roads, explores new reads at Rite of Fancy, and highlights U.S. military biographies at Everyday Patriot.
You can also browse her online photography gallery at shop.takethebackroads.com.
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