[redfern314]

> Wheel of Time ... was considered a mess by fans but was a critical success.

Can you go into why it was considered a mess? I'm a relatively recent finisher of the series so I can't speak to the contemporary reaction of the fanbase, but my impression has been that the current community is, at a minimum, satisfied with Sanderson's work. There are several things that people complain frequently about (and that I agree with) like Mat's character development and the Androl arc. Not to mention the lost possibility of follow-on series after A Memory of Light! That doesn't mean people think it's a mess, though.

[effingwewt]

It's just what I remember from release. We'd waited so long. I haven't even read it since. Checked reviews and it's sitting at 4.5. I will have to reread the series anyways, maybe it was just some of us never being satisfied, I know I've been that guy before.

I personally was glad for the ending. My main critique was with the series as a whole meandering wildly. But was still something I loved.

I believe they had lots of notes and a roadmap from Jordan as well, but I could be mis-remembering.

One weird series that had an ending that wasn't supposed to was the Gunslinger series. I think King went like 20 years between books before ending it. I really remember it because he had a note when you got to the ending saying he didn't feel the story should have an ending, and he recommended stopping there, but for those who needed an ending he provided one to give some closure.

I thought that was so cool, and read it, but prefer to think Roland is still out there somewhere chasing some new Walter, so rather than preferring an ending that time I preferred open-ended, which almost never happens.