The Gathering Storm (part 2)

I finally finished reading The Gathering Storm a few days ago. The impression I got was something of a whirlwind with how much actually happened, particularly when compared to say books 8-10. There was a noticeable difference in style in the later parts of the book, which was sometimes good as things were moving along and it was also quite easy to read, but also occasionally a little dissatisfying as events were wrapped up in the space of a couple of pages, when they could possibly have done with taking a whole chapter - almost feeling rushed. Maybe that's just because I had got used to the style of the preceding few books where they at times felt unnecessarily padded out, but there was sometimes a sense of unseemly haste.
On the whole though, I did enjoy the book. Plenty of storylines have finally got to where they were going; things are beginning to be explained; and my love for the series has been renewed somewhat - I'm waiting for the next one slightly impatiently anyway.
Overall, I guess I'd give it something around 7.5/10. Half a point of which is for a beautifully resolved minor plotline that I won't explain as that would spoil it.