Official Release Date for A Memory of Light, the final Wheel of Time book

Tor has announced an official release date for A Memory of Light by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson, the final book in The Wheel of Time - it'll be on January 8, 2013. The news release is quoted below:

The first novel in Robert Jordan’s The Wheel of Time®, The Eye of the World, was released on January 15, 1990. Now more than twenty years later, Tor Books is thrilled to announce the official publication date for the final novel in the series.

A Memory of Light will release on January 8, 2013, in the final month of the Year of the Dragon.

A Memory of Light is one of the most important titles that Tor will ever publish. Many of the principal players have been involved with the series since its inception, including Publisher Tom Doherty and Editor Harriet McDougal, who worked with Robert Jordan on all of his books, and who is working with Brandon Sanderson, the writer finishing the series from Robert Jordan’s outline and his notes. This is a landmark publication not just for Tor but for millions of fans of the late Robert Jordan, who eagerly await the conclusion to his epic tale. Everyone involved with the project is committed to making this an ending to remember.

Over the next few seasons, Tor will continue to release new Wheel of Time material, including trade paperback editions of the early novels with new art, new graphic novel editions of the The Eye of the World comics, and other material related to A Memory of Light as we get closer to publication date.

As many of you know, I'm a huge fan of The Wheel of Time and it is essentially due to my love of the series that led me to starting this blog a bit over 6 years ago. So, it's no surprise that I am very excited about this book. Of course I'll also be sad to see a series that has had such an impact on me come to a close.

So, what are your thoughts? I see some of the early reactions to the news release are not positive at all due to the later-than-expected release date.