Robert Jordan: Dying as he's writing (WoT)


Books

Contributor

I know there's a Wheel of Time thread already a little further down the list, but it's been eating at me to just say something about my favorite author and his devotion to finishing the series as he's very literally dying. He has a rare disease called amyloidosis. His doctors have given him about 2 years to live, although it has been said he could fight this thing for a good 5 years.

It saddens me so much everytime I think about it. Yet, he's plugging away at the Wheel of Time and his other projects and taking part in support groups, maintaining a blog, and talking to fans. He's a remarkable man and an extremely talented writer from which my own writing aspirations owe much to. He was the first person I ever wrote an honest-to-goodness fan letter to. And he wrote me back. Not just, "Thanks for your interest. Keep reading." A real letter of substance as if he was talking to an equal. I really appreciated that.

Anyway, I love the Wheel of Time series and really hope he has enough days left to finish it. If not, I still have to admire his dedication to at least trying to.

The Exchange

Well, while I wish him the best and all, he hasn't half procrastinated with the story. Maybe this will give him a bit of a tighter focus for the last few volumes. I don't mean to be macabre, but it might have helped if he had known this a bit earlier.


Yeah, it's pretty sad. I read about eight of the Wheel of Time books, steadily losing interest with each one, but I have to admire his work ethic and just the sheer amount of material he's put out.

For those of you out there with some artistic ability, Tor books art director Irene Gallo and Robert Jordan are putting together a benefit calendar of art submissions from the Wheel of Time. Any character, any scene, any location. Due August 15, any medium, 300 dpi, 12 x 12 (square, so larger workers can easily be scaled down to that size). All proceeds go to benefit Amyloidosis Research at the Mayo Clinic. Details here and submissions here. Still enough time to get some good pieces out and it's for a good cause.


Damn! That sucks big time! Poor Robert Jordan. ~sighs~ I really do feel sorry for him. I just hope that his time here is pleasant and happy. And that he finishes the Wheel of Time Series too!

Dark Archive RPG Superstar 2013 Top 32

Sharoth wrote:
Damn! That sucks big time! Poor Robert Jordan. ~sighs~ I really do feel sorry for him. I just hope that his time here is pleasant and happy. And that he finishes the Wheel of Time Series too!

Yeah, and I hope he's able to finish everything on time, too! Just because he's sick is no reason to slack off on his deadlines! That's unprofessional!

It had to be said. I'm sorry.

RPG Superstar 2013 Top 16

I would hardly call writing while dying unprofessional ;<

But I do hope he finishes what he started all those years ago, I have read every title in the wheel of time series and allthough he got a bit side tracked.....to say the least, I do enjoy the series and don't want it to end because he died.

Liberty's Edge

Pathfinder Battles Case Subscriber; Pathfinder Maps, Pathfinder Accessories Subscriber; Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Charter Superscriber; Starfinder Charter Superscriber

Robert Jordan Wheel of Time Novels Are currently my Favorite novels I have read and to this day are the only books I have read more then once (Every time he releases a new one i read the whole series over) I am sad to hear this news but optimistic after hearing his strength with dealing with the disease he has. For thos ewho wish to read it here is his original statement he sent out when he told everyone he was sick.


Pathfinder Adventure, Adventure Path Subscriber

Sad news, but hopefully he can beat this thing.

I haven't read his books much lately, but I used to be a big fan of his. I was intending to wait for a few more to come out and then read them all again from the beginning so that I didn't feel disjointed reading them one every year or two.

Dark Archive RPG Superstar 2013 Top 32

Darkjoy wrote:
I would hardly call writing while dying unprofessional ;<

I was making a joke regarding someone else's opinion that Rich Berlew being ill and getting behind on his deadlines was unprofessional and provided the link. I'm truly not as insensitive as it sounds and, while I've never read one of these books, I know people who have and they say it's a very good (if extremely long) read.

RPG Superstar 2013 Top 16

Fatespinner wrote:
Darkjoy wrote:
I would hardly call writing while dying unprofessional ;<
I was making a joke regarding someone else's opinion that Rich Berlew being ill and getting behind on his deadlines was unprofessional and provided the link. I'm truly not as insensitive as it sounds and, while I've never read one of these books, I know people who have and they say it's a very good (if extremely long) read.

I know, hence the ;<.

Contributor

It's kind of weird to think that I've been following the WoT series since 1991. Man, that's 16 years!!! Reading a series of books for 16 years... It's crazy. Yeah, Jordan has a way of using about 100 words to explain something that could be described in about 10, but that's part of what I like about his writing style. He seems to savor every thing he describes as if trying to wring every last bit of description and nuance out of it that he can and not letting it go until he feels like he has. It's the same way when I'm reading his books. I want to get every last little bit of imagery and feeling from each page. Especially since I know that I'll have to wait at least a year before getting the next book.

I also read the entire series again when the next book is about to release. There's just so much details and mini-plots going on that you kind of have to. Incidentally, the next book in the series is called A Memory of Light for anyone that hasn't heard yet.


Good books. Long story.


wow; I am now totally bummed; what a loss for all of us; I will add him to my prayer list; he has given me many hours of enjoyment and enhanced my imagination, maybe we can get a miracle with enough positive prayer; seems like everyone is always dying of something wierd and unusual these days :(


As I explained in another WOT/Jordan related post, Jordan has amaloidosis. This is a very rare blood disease where the amaloids (blood proteins) do weird things. It affects almost every sufferer a little differently, thus making it extremely hard to diagnose until it’s advanced to a very late degree. In Jordan’s case, the blood proteins were attacking the heart wall, weakening it and stiffening it at the same time. In effect, eventually his heart would no longer be able to beat, regardless his other health levels.

He volunteered for an experimental treatment. He had a large amount of bone marrow drawn out (very painful) for “cleaning”, the idea being to get rid of the bad proteins. Then, he underwent chemo-therapy to kill off the rest of the bone marrow (very dangerous). Then, the “cleaned” marrow was reinserted and would hopefully “take root”. Voi la! No more amaloidosis…

Problems. The marrow draw + chemo + reinsertion of cleansed marrow procedure had about a 50/50 chance of survival with only about a 20% chance of success of the procedure.

Normally, from diagnosis to death is about 2 years. With treatment, like the radical one described above, there’s about a 50% chance of extending lifespan by up to 3 more years, making it 5 years from diagnosis. No one with positively identified amaloidosis has survived beyond that 5 year point with anything close to “quality of life” considerations intact. In other words, they’re alive, but in a hell-on-earth, waiting --- perhaps praying --- for death.

In Jordan’s case, he survived everything (so far) and is “recovering’ nicely, at least to this point. He’s on a veritable cocktail of drugs and chemical treatments, but manages to keep a fairly regular schedule now, months after treatment. He’s determined to finish Wheel, no matter what and dedicates the lion’s share of his limited waking time to it.

It will be a shame when he dies. I’ve predicted, many times, that 75 to 100 years from now, Wheel of Time may well supplant Lord of the Rings as the greatest Fantasy Epic ever written. Just my opinion, mind, but in scope, it blows Tolkein away, and I used to be a HUGH LoTR fan.

I’ll pray while he lives and tip one back for him when he’s gone.


Fatespinner wrote:
Sharoth wrote:
Damn! That sucks big time! Poor Robert Jordan. ~sighs~ I really do feel sorry for him. I just hope that his time here is pleasant and happy. And that he finishes the Wheel of Time Series too!

Yeah, and I hope he's able to finish everything on time, too! Just because he's sick is no reason to slack off on his deadlines! That's unprofessional!

It had to be said. I'm sorry.

Yep, Fatespinner. That would certainly be VERY unprofessional of Rober Jordan! Perhaps we should get the whips out?

(BTW, I am one of the people who has expressed some understanding about Rich and his problems on OotS, so I will be VERY understanding of Robert Jordan.)

The Exchange Contributor, RPG Superstar 2008 Top 6

James Oliver Rigney, Jr. (Jordan is a pen name) actually announced this diagnosis back in March of last year, so he's had some time to cope with his illness at this point. Word is treatment is going well.

Sovereign Court

I am very sad to hear this.

I started to read WoT about ten years ago. And of course I bought the d20 roleplaying version by WotC when it came out. I thoroughly enjoyed the plots, even though I have to admit that I also lost some interest when
a) all of the main characters turned out to be "epic level" in D&D terms,
b) and when the plot grew more and more winding.

The books I own are very captivating, I am going to move to a different country soon, and these were the books I couldn't turn my back on.
I'd be very sad if an authour of this quality would leave us.

Greetings,
Günther


Horrible news- Robert Jordan is a living legend and a great storyteller, but foremost a person whose loss would strike out at the many people whose lives he's touched, and I say this as someone who gave up on Wheel of Time (he lost me at book eight). That said, I fully appeciate the man's achivements and wish himself and his family all the best

Silver Crusade

According to Dragonmount.com, Mr. Jordan passed away over the weekend.
Sir, rest in peace. I do not think we will see your like again. Thanks for providing one heck of an epic tale.


I was just coming here to post that. Just learned about it on George R. R. Martin's site.


My prayers go out to his family, he will be missed.


It really stinks that he passed away. As I'm sure I've said, he lost me around Path of Daggers, but I have to admire his dedication to his craft.

Contributor

I'm so depressed over this. The letter he wrote back in reponse to my one and only fan letter I've ever written (around 1998) is proudly kept with my first printing collection of hardback WoT books. We all have our heroes. He was one of mine and the world is a greater place for his contributions, and a lesser place because he's gone.


Wow, this is the first I've heard of his sickness and passing. He will be greatly missed. I picked up WoT just last year and plowed through the series. He quickly became one of my favorite authors.

Liberty's Edge

In '94 I picked up a copy of a book that was lying on the break room table at work and started reading it. It was the second or third book in the series, I forget which now, but it was what got me started readying fantasy novels.


When A Crown of Swords came out, a friend of mine told me that I should start reading this series. So I picked up The Eye of the World in paperback. A week later I purchased the rest in the series. Never have I read a series that fast. After that, it was tough waiting for the next hardcover to come out. I will always treasure my time with those books in my hand.

Robert Jordan, my prayers go out to you and your family.


I raise my glass to a true Southern gentleman and author.


This is a terrible loss to the fantasy community. He will be greatly missed. Raise a glass to a life well-lived, if all too short. And prayers for those he left behind--both loved ones and community of fans.

Contributor

If you didn't see today's late blog, James Sutter posted up a very nice ode to Robert Jordan. Thanks, James.

Scarab Sages

Pathfinder Maps Subscriber
Steve Greer wrote:


I also read the entire series again when the next book is about to release. There's just so much details and mini-plots going on that you kind of have to. Incidentally, the next book in the series is called A Memory of Light for anyone that hasn't heard yet.

I also reread everything book when a new book comes out. I have loved reading them many times over. I was very sad when I heard the news that he was so ill. I hope he has the opportunity to finish the WOT. It was be very sad if he could not finish it after all the effort and such a good story - a story that deserves a finish.


A true loss. Raise a glass.

Contributor

Shem wrote:
Steve Greer wrote:


I also read the entire series again when the next book is about to release. There's just so much details and mini-plots going on that you kind of have to. Incidentally, the next book in the series is called A Memory of Light for anyone that hasn't heard yet.
I also reread everything book when a new book comes out. I have loved reading them many times over. I was very sad when I heard the news that he was so ill. I hope he has the opportunity to finish the WOT. It was be very sad if he could not finish it after all the effort and such a good story - a story that deserves a finish.

He died yesterday Shem. That's what the chatter on this thread has been. It really, really sucks. :(

Scarab Sages

Pathfinder Maps Subscriber

Yes, Steve I saw that right after I wrote my post. I am sad indeed. I share your love for his work...


That's just awful- nothing worse the watching a brave soul going down in it's fight against such a horrible disease.
On a more selfish note, as a reader, one hopes that his notes and drafts can be collated to bring A Memory of Light to press. It would be a fine tribute indeed.

With that in mind, let's use the spoiler function to best effect and celebrate the writer's work- what was your favorite moment from WoT so far?

Paizo Employee Director of Game Development

A true loss. A least he died surrounded by the people he loved most. Harriet we feel for your loss.

The Exchange RPG Superstar 2010 Top 32

What terrible news! I've been following his battle with what sounds like a horrible disease and hoping his determination and willpower would get him through it. Sometimes life just sucks. My condolences to all his nearest and dearest. I'll have a pint in his honour tonight. His WoT series was the series I have read the most, and with each new book I reread the whole lot first. An amazing piece of work!


God bless all of Mr. Jordans family. The man could write.

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