When I first started reading these books as a teenager, I wasn't too acquainted with death. Teenagers often think they will live forever. I remember reading that first scene and never really understanding what had just happened. A guy had just killed his wife, and didn't even know what he had done. It didn't really sink in, it was just drama like you see on TV. So much has changed in all those years since I first read that. I became a father not too long ago. Yes, these are "just" fantasy books, and I don't think of them the same way I once did, but there's something very special about them, experiences I've never had. You really get the impression that Jordan *knows* what he's writing about. I've had mixed feelings about picking up the new book right away, but your post may have changed my mind.