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Robert Jordan (Wheel of Time) Died September 16th

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glorybaby

PostPosted: Tue Sep 18, 2007 10:10 am


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Author Robert Jordan Dies
By BRUCE SMITH – 5 hours ago

CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) — Author Robert Jordan, whose "Wheel of Time" series of fantasy novels sold millions of copies, died Sunday of a rare blood disease. He was 58.

Jordan, whose real name was James Oliver Rigney Jr., was born and lived in this southern city most of his life. He died at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston of complications from primary amyloidosis with cardiomyopathy, his personal assistant, Maria Simons, said Monday. The blood disease caused the walls of Rigney's 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 titles 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.

"The younger devotees of the series, who seem to be legion, have a habit of dutifully rereading the complete gospel before each addition. ... (Jordan) creates a universe simple enough to master and then challenges the characters to do the same in meticulously choreographed battles against chaos and dissolution."

In a 2004 online chat on the USA Today Web site, Jordan said he hoped to finish the main "Wheel" series in two more books. "It's not an absolute promise, but I'm very much hoping for it and I think I can do it," he wrote.

Most of the books made The New York Times list of best sellers.

In an interview with The Associated Press in 2003, Jordan discussed having a best seller. The first time it happens "you go out in the middle of the floor and you do a little dance. Then you go someplace booze is being served and buy a drink for everybody in the house.

"You have to have talent to some extent — I certainly hope I have talent — but you have to have luck as well," Jordan said. "Once you get that first shot, that will get you noticed for the rest of your books and that will give the rest of your books a better chance."

He said in the interview that his Southern background came through in his work, even though it is set in a fantasy world.

"What I write is certainly not set in South Carolina, but I have had a number of reviewers comment on the fact that I write with a distinctly Southern voice," he said.

"It goes beyond more than simply where the story is set. I believe it is something we take in in the air and the water. It's a matter of word choices — of the rhythms of sentences and the rhythm of speech in particular."

A graduate of The Citadel, South Carolina's state military college, Rigney worked as a nuclear engineer at the old Charleston Naval Shipyard before taking up writing full time in 1977. He served two tours of duty with the Army in Vietnam. He was decorated several times, including winning the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Bronze Star.

He is survived by his wife, Harriet McDougal Rigney.

Funeral arrangements had not been finalized on Monday, Simons said.

~~~(http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5gBy7pK1U-kIvTHx4PYeiI8rqBkmg)
PostPosted: Tue Sep 18, 2007 12:58 pm


Oh my god.... That's terrible. He was such a good writer. A damn good writer. I've been following his books for years. I can't believe that this is it....
-LD

Leavaros
Crew


crystalsmuse
Captain

PostPosted: Tue Sep 18, 2007 9:17 pm


Was it bad that the first thing I thought about was whether or not he finished his series before he died? I mean, I'm sad of course. That was just the first thing to enter my head. sweatdrop

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PostPosted: Wed Sep 19, 2007 12:56 pm


That's the first thing that I thought of to, Crystal. And somewhere I read he didn't... He was writing the second to last book if I remember correctly.


>.> Leavaros scaring me...

glorybaby


Leavaros
Crew

PostPosted: Wed Sep 19, 2007 4:54 pm


...I'm ashamed to admit that I thought of that too.... Damn, and I wanted to meet him so badly.... I'm seriously going to cry....

But I heard that he had notes and that his wife is going to finish them for him. I just want to know how it ends, really.

Love and Vale,
-LD
PostPosted: Wed Sep 19, 2007 8:32 pm


I'm glad his wife is going to finish it. I wonder if it'll be one of those "I'm waiting until mourning is over" things or an "He would have wanted me to finish it right away" thing.

I guess I'm sort of immune to death. My family runs a burial service. sweatdrop


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crystalsmuse
Captain


Leavaros
Crew

PostPosted: Thu Sep 20, 2007 3:41 am


People around me have a bad tendency to die. So, I've more or less gotten used to it. I hope she'll be quick about it though...
-LD
PostPosted: Fri Sep 28, 2007 12:39 am


Leavaros
Oh my god.... That's terrible. He was such a good writer. A damn good writer. I've been following his books for years. I can't believe that this is it....
-LD


I know, when I found out about this, it was terrible. I guess I didnt really know how he was, but I thought he'd been saying that he was getting better... It's really sad sad
At first I couldn't believe it was true when my friend told me. And -I feel bad about this- when she told me, I couldn't believe that he died before he finished the series. The Wheel of Time is probably the best series I've read so far. Hopefully, whoever it is that finishes it for him, will be able to write it the same way. Though that's probably quite a selfish thought so soon after he's passed sweatdrop
R.I.P Robert Jordan
-An amazing author, and undoubtedly a good person too

frohesmaedchen


MorganMacFey

PostPosted: Mon Oct 08, 2007 2:22 pm


Oh my! burning_eyes This is the first I heard that he had died! I knew he was seriously sick, but I hoped he would get better and finish his books.
PostPosted: Tue Oct 09, 2007 8:06 pm


It makes me sad, but I knew he wouldn't live long enough to finish the series. He was an amazing writer and his skills will be missed.

stratigo


LordBravhart

PostPosted: Wed Nov 28, 2007 9:19 am


I'm sad to say my first thought was also what about the series?

I felt horrible.... friend of mine told me, and I didn't believe her. Then I went to cnn.com and found out for fact.

Fortunately he did leave enough in notes and on word processor to finish the book how he wanted.

no outrigger novels like he was planning...but that I can deal with as long as the main series is finished.
PostPosted: Fri Dec 07, 2007 5:20 pm


that sucks he died with a disease that 8 out of 1million get but his whife stayed with him till the very end may he find shade and water.

mat cauthion


dreamingscribe

PostPosted: Sat Dec 15, 2007 9:22 pm


Well, I'm a bit behind. This is the first I've heard of this. Very sad, but he leaves behind a lot.
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The FSFBG

 
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