The Gathering Storm is a fantasy novel by American writers Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson, the twelfth book in the series The Wheel of Time.

The expected final book was split into three volumes: The Gathering Storm, Towers of Midnight, and A Memory of Light.

In the foreword, Sanderson states that they can be thought of as "the three volumes of A Memory of Light or as the final three books of The Wheel of Time.

The series' storyline has been leading up to the "Last Battle" (Tarmon Gai'don)—a fight between the forces of Light and Shadow.

While it follows al'Thor's attempts to unite and rally the world's forces for the Last Battle, it also addresses his struggle with his sanity, caused by the corruption of his mind from the use of the male half of the One Power.

The unification of the White Tower, the headquarters of the female users of the One Power known as Aes Sedai, is addressed from al'Vere's perspective, as well as the exposure of the Black Ajah, a secretive and opposing faction within the story.

[6] As Rand's story begins, he is restoring order in the nation of Arad Doman while searching for Graendal, one of the Dark One's favored servants known as the Forsaken.

After being freed by her allies, Semirhage is given a Domination Band, an item used to control male channelers, and locks it around Rand's neck.

She and Black Ajah sister Elza Penfell use it to make him torture and attempt to kill his lover, Min Farshaw.

Angry at the futility of life bound to the Wheel, he uses the Choedan Kal to draw enough power to destroy the world.

Taking advantage of the weakened White Tower defenses following the Seanchan raid, the rebels prepare an immediate attack.

[21] Just before the attack is mounted, the Tower Aes Sedai announce that Elaida was captured in the Seanchan raid, and that they would have Egwene as their leader, the Amyrlin Seat.

[22] "It seems to me that another part of doing honor to an author who is no longer with us is knowing when to write "The End" and cease the production of work in his world.

After Jordan fell fatally ill in December 2005 from a rare disease, cardiac amyloidosis,[26][27] he still intended to finish at least A Memory of Light, and thus the main story arc, if the "worse comes to worst.

"[38] In an interview with Sci Fi Wire, Sanderson stated it was a great honor to be given the chance to complete the series but conceded he was unable to fill Jordan's shoes.

[42] The reread lasted until March 2008, at which point he "began to grasp the daunting nature of this book," with so many plot lines that needed to be resolved.

[34] Information emerged on the Internet pertaining to the book, with a draft cover suggesting it was to be split into multiple volumes.

Sanderson has stated that had the book remained as a single volume, it would not have been able to be released before November 2011, and likely would have been so large (around 2,000 pages) that it would be unpublishable.

Sanderson felt using the title A Memory of Light for the final book was "the best way to honor Mr. Jordan's wishes.

The first event in the tour was a midnight release party in Provo, Utah with several hundred fans of the series attending.

[57] The Gathering Storm, like the previous four books in the series, entered the top of The New York Times Best Seller list for hardcover fiction for the week of November 6, 2009; it ended Dan Brown's The Lost Symbol's seven-week reign.

Club found satisfying, saying that the book had "a blessed willingness to tie up loose ends," something he felt Jordan had been unwilling to do.

[15] In a positive review, Seth Bracken of Deseret News explained that the pace is jarring but it also "creates a sense of urgency.

Michael Mason-D'Croz writing for the Lincoln Journal Star went on to say Sanderson's "voice comes through in certain ways", describing the book as the "ultimate fan fiction.

"[15][62] In a review of the audio book, AudioFile magazine were positive, saying the narrators bring "intensity and passion" to the series.

Co-author Brandon Sanderson, who was chosen to complete the book partially because of his “natural feeling” for ethical and moral issues,[36] has admitted in an interview with Wired that these were on his mind but he was not intentionally making a political allegory.