As for their speculations, I would probably agree. I've not (as yet) staked a claim in that regard, although I know where I'm leaning.
Still, I would strongly disagree with the readability. Some of the writing is just painful. I think it was 8 or 9 (I forget which book), I put down for months cause I just couldn't stomach it...
I confess, I only read the last one.
I have pains with such books for another reason--it's too easy for me to identify to intensely with the characters and their traumatic situations in such books.
But, hey, my friends rated the first Star Wars movie a
"9 tripper!'
Meaning Quix took 9 bladder breaks during the tense parts.
And, I fast forwarded through quite a number of parts of Lord of The Rings! LOL.