Robert Jordan (author) dead at 58

[Evan]

Surely a few fans here of "The Wheel of time" series?

Such a shame.

On a very selfish side, I cannot believe we won't get to read the ending. 11 HUGE volumes and no ending. Book 12 was going to be the final one that wrapped it all up.

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'Wheel of Time' author dead at 58
Story Highlights
Robert Jordan wrote 11 books in "Wheel of Time" series

Author had number of bestsellers

Jordan died of a rare blood disease; he was 58
CHARLESTON, South Carolina (AP) -- Author Robert Jordan, whose "Wheel of Time" series of fantasy novels sold millions of copies, has died of a rare blood disease, his aide said Monday. He was 58.

Jordan, whose real name was James Oliver Rigney Jr., died Sunday at the Medical University of South Carolina of complications from primary amyloidosis with cardiomyopathy, his personal assistant, Maria Simons, said. The disease attacks the body's major organs; in Jordan's case, it caused the walls of his heart to thicken.

He wrote a trilogy of historical novels set in Charleston under the pen name Reagan O'Neal in the early 1980s. Then he turned his attention to fantasy and the first volume in his Wheel of Time epic, "The Eye of the World," was published in 1990 under the name Robert Jordan.

Jordan's books tells of Rand al'Thor, who is destined to become the champion who will battle ultimate evil in a mythical land.

Book 11, "Knife of Dreams," came out in 2005; there was also a prequel, "New Spring: The Novel," in 2004. The other les in the series include "The Great Hunt," "Lord of Chaos" and "The Path of Daggers." Jordan was working on a 12th volume at the time of his death, Simons said.

He is survived by his wife, Harriet McDougal Rigney.

[Evan]

A Memory of Light is the working le for the twelfth book of the popular The Wheel of Time fantasy series written by American author Robert Jordan. The novel was incomplete as of the time of the author's death.

Scheduled for publication by Tor Books in early 2009,[1] it was intended to conclude the series, which began in 1990 with The Eye of the World. On September 16, 2007, Robert Jordan died from amyloidosis.[2] Before his death, Jordan stated "I'm getting out notes, so if the worst actually happens, someone could finish A Memory of Light and have it end the way I want it to end." The decision whether to posthumously complete the book has been left to his wife Harriet and Tor Books president Tom Doherty.[1]

Robert Jordan repeatedly said that the main sequence would have concluded with this book. He stated at a 2005 book-signing event that it was not possible for him to write two more coherent books in The Wheel of Time series, and that the twelfth book would therefore conclude the series. [3] More recently, at ComicCon 2006, Jordan said he would "finish the story in one more book even if it takes 1500 pages hardcover."

[leemajors]

i quit caring after book 6 or 7.

[Evan]

i quit caring after book 6 or 7.

Yeah I hear ya. The story just plods along.

[leemajors]

Yeah I hear ya. The story just plods along.

well at least it didn't decrease in quality as much as terry goodkind's wizard's first rule stuff. still just lost interest.

[Evan]

well at least it didn't decrease in quality as much as terry goodkind's wizard's first rule stuff. still just lost interest.

Ah really? You think so?

I love all of Goodkind's book except for that one with nothing but his sister. Faith of the Fallen or something? great series IMO.

Anyway, Sword of Truth ends with this next book as well.

[leemajors]

i thought faith of the fallen was horrible, and quit reading after that. he got way too long winded and preachy for my tastes.

[Cry Havoc]

Wow, I thought it was just me. I made it through Winter's Heart (Book 9) before that series lost me.

Faith of the Fallen was incredibly hard to read.

Still, this is sad to see him go. A big loss for the fantasy world.

[L.I.T]

I'm going to have to agree with the Goodkind thing. The first three were absolutely brilliant. Then they began to lose their way and really went off the tracks with The Pillars of Creation.

I hated the middle sections of The Wheel of Time, but liked the last book. This...does suck. The guy had was extremely talented and I grew up with his stories. The fantasy world lost one of it's pillars.

[Cry Havoc]

I'm going to have to agree with the Goodkind thing. The first three were absolutely brilliant. Then they began to lose their way and really went off the tracks with The Pillars of Creation.

I hated the middle sections of The Wheel of Time, but liked the last book. This...does suck. The guy had was extremely talented and I grew up with his stories. The fantasy world lost one of it's pillars.

Well, we still have George R.R. Martin. By far my favorite fantasy author. His novels blow the doors off the Wheel of Time & Sword of Truth series.

[Trainwreck2100]

I too read all 11 books in the wheel of time, now there is no ending. Robert Jordan has pwned me in his death.

[CubanMustGo]

Well, we still have George R.R. Martin. By far my favorite fantasy author. His novels blow the doors off the Wheel of Time & Sword of Truth series.

Now if GRR would just get off HIS massive butt and get the "Ice of Fire" series moving before HE passes on ... getting worse and worse and the last effort (Feast of Crows) was frustrating as it only told half of the story. FIVE YEARS and we get half a book stretched to make a "complete" novel. At this rate it'll be five years between "Crows" and its other, hopefully better half, "Dance With Dragons." And there's two more to go after that.

The good news is that I found out I have a first edition "Game of Thrones" hardcover supposedly worth $300 or so (according to GRR's site, anyway). Total accident.

[L.I.T]

Well, we still have George R.R. Martin. By far my favorite fantasy author. His novels blow the doors off the Wheel of Time & Sword of Truth series.

I agree, the guy is the best fantasy writer going today. Well, except for that last novel. But I reserve judgment until the second part comes out.

I enjoyed the first novel of the Farland series, but after that it was too ed up. I haven't read the granddaddy of them all (Donaldson's) new series yet though.

[L.I.T]

Now if GRR would just get off HIS massive butt and get the "Ice of Fire" series moving before HE passes on ... getting worse and worse and the last effort (Feast of Crows) was frustrating as it only told half of the story. FIVE YEARS and we get half a book stretched to make a "complete" novel. At this rate it'll be five years between "Crows" and its other, hopefully better half, "Dance With Dragons." And there's two more to go after that.

The good news is that I found out I have a first edition "Game of Thrones" hardcover supposedly worth $300 or so (according to GRR's site, anyway). Total accident.

I thought the bas wrote them at the same time? Ah, Amazon shows October 30. One more month...and then sometime around December he gets electrocuted by his Christmas tree.

[leemajors]

i dig robin hobb. my favorite stuff was probably gene wolfe's book of the new sun though. shadow and claw, then sword and citadel were great. urth of the new sun was out there, but still excellent.

[L.I.T]

i dig robin hobb. my favorite stuff was probably gene wolfe's book of the new sun though. shadow and claw, then sword and citadel were great. urth of the new sun was out there, but still excellent.

Haven't read wolfe, I'll check it out, always looking for something to read on flights.

I've always liked Brust for quick and enjoyable reads.

[leemajors]

Haven't read wolfe, I'll check it out, always looking for something to read on flights.

I've always liked Brust for quick and enjoyable reads.

it can be a bit daunting at first, his prose is incredibly detailed without sacrificing narrative flow - lots of long sentences. incredibly well written to say the least. well worth it when you get into it. very good for multiple readings.

[CubanMustGo]

I thought the bas wrote them at the same time? Ah, Amazon shows October 30. One more month...and then sometime around December he gets electrocuted by his Christmas tree.

His blog has an "Ice and Fire update" section, and says "the next time I update this will be when Dance with Dragons is finished." That was February, nothing since. I'm afraid the October 30 date you refer to is for a trade paperback version of Feast of Crows. Why they feel the need given that it's been out in hardcover and standard paperback for some while is unknown.

[Cry Havoc]

Well, he can take his time, because I'm only on page 800 of "A Clash of Kings". Absolutely wonderful novel. At least this series isn't going to run 10 books plus, that's all I'm saying.

[Evan]

I too read all 11 books in the wheel of time, now there is no ending. Robert Jordan has pwned me in his death.

hahaha....true.

Someone else finishing the book holds mild interest for me but one day I will give it a go perhaps.

Robert Feist is great as well. Relatively quick reads.

[peewee's lovechild]

Robert Jordan's death is a blow to the fantasy world.
Damn, he was too young.

[peewee's lovechild]

Still, there is no fantasy series better than Stephen King's "The Dark Tower".

[1369]

Still, there is no fantasy series better than Stephen King's "The Dark Tower".

Especially if you really like waiting 10 years between books.

[peewee's lovechild]

Especially if you really like waiting 10 years between books.

So true.

I started to panic when he got run over.
I thought that he would die with out finishing the series.

I'm glad he didn't, eventhough the ending satisfied me as much as the Sopranos ending.

[maxpower]

I too read all 11 books in the wheel of time, now there is no ending. Robert Jordan has pwned me in his death.

morbidly funniest line of this thread.