So, I found out via text from Becky Rupp at 7:36am that Robert Jordan had died last night. It was kind of a weird bit of news for me to be honest. I mean, first I was shocked and disbelieving, but then I got to work and saw news stories and realized that it was true. Then I naturally thought of the long-running joke (though I guess less funny in the past year or two that he's been incredibly sick with some rare disease) that he had better finish up the Wheel of Time before he died, or he'd have a lot of angry fans to answer to. Sadly now he won't have to answer to anyone because he died while still writing the 12th book in the series, set to be the final one, wrapping up an epic that has spanned 73% of my lifetime. He published the first novel when I was 6, though of course I didn't read it until probably Freshman or Sophomore year of high school.
I can't even tell you how many days of my secondary educational career were spent with one of his novels gracing the corner of my desk, allowing me to sneak a few pages at a time whenever waiting for class to start, or after finishing busy work early, or while eating lunch. Since first finishing what was already written of the series at that point, I've re-read it with each successive book he has released, about five I believe. It's become almost tradition for me to read the whole series (9,353 pages, as of book 11) each year, just to refresh myself of its brilliance. Not that the series didn't have its low points or its problems, given that some of the later novels were a bit bogged down by the overabundance of plot and characters and advanced little of the story.
Regardless of that, though, the series he has crafted since 1990 is, to me, the landmark acheivement of fantasy writing. It contains the most complex characters, the densest plots, the most imaginative and immersive reality, that I have ever encountered in a fantasy/sci-fi novel. The characters that he brought to life for me as a teenager have remained with me, having been my constant companions during those years.
He built, using the tropes and standard elements of basically every fantasy novel ever, a unique and fully realized world that has not only entranced my imagination from the moment I opened The Eye of the World, but all things considered, probably absorbed a significant portion of the time I've spent on this Earth, whether through actual reading, online roleplaying (the truest form of geeky homage) or lengthy, passionate discussions with other fans.
It would have been hard enough next year to have said goodbye to the world, the characters, and the mythology of the Wheel of Time, but it is by far harder to say goodbye to the man who created the series that is one of those staples of fantasy writing that fans of the genre will continue to talk about for years. And harder still to think that he died before he could finish his greatest work, one that was so clearly close to his heart and one that helped him fight so hard during his illness.
I took a moment to read through the post his brother left on Robert Jordan's blog, announcing his death, and I confess that seeing Jordan's words used to describe people's loss in the comments section made me shed a few tears of my own for this great man:
“Till shade is gone, till water is gone, into the Shadow with teeth bared, screaming defiance with the last breath, to spit in Sightblinder’s eye on the Last Day.” - Ryan Breen
"Tai’shar Manetheren" - DZ
"May you shelter in the palm of the Creator’s hand Robert Jordan. And may the Mother’s last embrace welcome you home." - Gwydion Quatar
"Ars longa, vita brevis." - Vincent
‘Duty is as heavy as a mountain, Death is as light as a feather.’ - Roshan George
"The Wheel of Time turns, and Ages come and pass, leaving memories that become legend. Legend fades to myth, and even myth is long forgotten when the Age that gave it birth comes again. In one Age, called the Seventh Age by some, an Age yet to come, an Age long past, a wind arose from the Final Breath of James Oliver Rigney, Jr.. The wind was not the ending. There are neither beginnings nor endings to the turning of the Wheel of Time. But it was /an/ ending." - Kotan
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As the blog announcing his death says, "the Dragon is gone." Rest in peace, Robert Jordan.
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9 comments:
It's so sad isn't it? Even for me and I'll admit I only re-read the series one time (when there was an inordinate gap in time between the book where nothing happened until the last chapter and then another book where nothing happened.)
I don't necessarily think these books are really all that good in a literary sense, but there's nothing like them in a different, more personal sense. You're right that the characters were complex and interesting. Rand al'Thor is a character for the ages and I still want to have so much sex with Mat Cauthon that it's not even funny.
But beyond that there are truly remarkable inventions -- like the entire Aes Sedai concept that gives magic some kind of logical limit and design.
But most of all, these books anchor me to an entirely different sense of myself. I was ten when I started reading these books. I'm 27 now. That's a huge gulf of history between Then-Me and Now-Me and there is a lingering part of me that feels that some kind of real closure would come with the end of the final volume.
And now we'll never really know how it will end.
PS: Your statement about this being the great achievement in fantasy made me think of the series that I'd say holds that title: have you read "Memory, Sorrow and Thorn"?
I definitely hear you on that gap when nothing happened (think it was books 9 and 10). And I do agree that it's probably not the greatest literary acheivement ever, but I've rarely been so passionate about characters as I have been with Nynaeve al'Maera or Egwene al'Vere or that hugely complicated Rand al'Thor.
Yeah, the Aes Sedai are probably the best conceptualization of magic that I've ever read, and I've read a LOT of fantasy novels. It was easy to grasp but had incredible depth. Hell, I used to roleplay as an Aes Sedai on various MUDs. Even beyond magic and stuff, most of the races (especially, of course, the Aiel and the Borderlanders) are so fully realized that the novels often seemed like history to me, rather than existing in the limits of one man's head, they were so real.
On an up note, I have read that he dictated huge chunks of what was left as well as plot lines to his wife and cousin, who will be transcribing the tapes and compiling the final novel. His wife has been his editor for years, so I imagine if anyone can duplicate his style, it would be her. And I believe he may have already written the end, so they'll at least know how it all ends up.
PS: No, I've never heard of it, but I did just look it up. I shall need to purchase it at some point. I'm always looking for new fantasy novels to get into.
Nynaeve is one of those characters that half the time drove me insane. She's such a bitch! I mean, nowhere near as obnoxious as Min or Faile because on occassion I do like her, but still! I hope you're right about the final volume eventually appearing in some form, because dammit, of all the things I need resolution on, Moiraine Damodred's almost-certain reappearance is on the top of my list. I miss her!
And yes, very few books of any sort are as involving as the Wheel of Time. Or as prone to making me be an obsessive weirdo. When I'm reading the books, it's all I can think about. And when cool things happen I get excited for days. And I often dream of having a sex change and becoming a member of the Brown Ajah.
As for Memory, etc . . . I think you'll like it a lot. It's another example of fantasy that manages to maintain some semblance of character and humanity as well as creating an entire, complete, lived-in, historical world.
Man, I 100% agree with you. I can't believe in all my thinking about the Wheel of Time the past few days I didn't think of Moiraine. I literally cried when she died because I'd come to love her so much. Of course, I always expected her to come back and at the end of the last one, when I found that she would return, I crapped myself.
When I used to RP on WoT MUDs (how's that for acronyms?), I always played a Brown Ajah Aes Sedai, because they are totally awesome. Verin makes me twitter like a little girl whenever she does something badass. Of course, I still prefer when Nynaeve single-handedly takes on the Forsaken and Heals insane shit. Love her.
Oh man. We are like the same person in two totally different bodies! Verin Sedai is my favorite character of them all. She is so awesome. Mostly because Jordan actually keeps her somewhat mystical and aloof unlike all other characters. There are a lot of things that bug me in the book, but I think one of them is how ALL THE AES SEDAI HAVE BOYFRIENDS! Siuan is all in love like a little schoolgirl. Siuan! Sanche! Scusies?
I like Nynaeve just fine. I also love when she Heals shit. And when she and Moghedien have lesbian prison sex. But I don't like she she pulls on her braid. Seriously, bitch needs to go on "What Not To Wear" and get a new hairstyle.
I too cried at Moiraine's death. And I don't cry for nothin'. I cried both times I read it. And when Rand reads her letter afterward. Of course I knew she was gonna pull a Gandalf, but still. I miss her.
Do you ever read those lengthy FAQs and whatnot about the books on the internets? Apparently there's a huge theory that Verin is Black Ajah. This is based on some "lie" she told. In my view she didn't even tell a lie, but nonetheless even the THOUGHT that she might turn out to be Black makes me furious. I would resurrect Robert Jordan and rape his soul if that came to be.
PS: Do you ever think the characters are sexy? I don't know why but I wanted to have a lot of sex with Asmodean. Then he died and I just had to have make believe sex with Mat which was not nearly as awesome.
Yeah, I totally dig her too. I mean, bookish, kinda sexy in that Librarian-ish way, and badass when she wants to be. word. I also TOTALLY found it odd that they all have bf's. They are like, "OH, once in a GREAT LONG WHILE, an Aes Sedai MIGHT get jiggy." and then every single one is like "omfgwtfbbq he is so hot i want to make babies!"
Wha?
Yeah, but her braid is hot. What else would she get with hair that long? Though come to think of it a sexy dyke haircut could be HOT.
I've read the bit about Verin before. I forget what the "lie" supposedly was, but I don't think she's black ajah. I think she's just hella smart. I wouldn't be shocked if she actually found some way to get around the Oath. But I think she's in that group that think it's necessary, right? Maybe not. Hard to remember details.
Mat always annoyed me, but I definitely thought Asmodean sounded hot. Also, that one Aiel dude, the guy with the Wise One and dreamwalker for wives. I know he's supposed to be 50 or something, but I found him hot. I'd have Perrin's babies despite him being a bit annoying sometimes, cause he's got a sex beard and could toss me around like a wolf cub. RAWR.
Hmm...who else? Oh, well duh, Lan. sexpot. ohhh and Egwene's lover, what's-his-name. He's hot too, though a bit whiny. I mean, get over it, she's clearly right.
I don't like any of the big muscle men, although I agree with you re: Egwene's lover (Gawyn) because he has red hair. Also Elayne and Gawyn's half-brother seems not in a real queeny way to me, but his name is Galededrid Damodred and his aunt in Moiraine so naturally I'd be fucking him no questions asked even if he is a Whitecloak.
I think that's kind of it. Oh, I would also have sex with the Ogier guy whose name I forget because I'd want to see what Ogier-cock looks like.
Yeah, Galad is pretty sexy, though being a witchhunter tends to be a turn off.
As for Loial (the Ogier), as hot as teacup eyes and hairy ears sound, I think Ogier cock would rip you in half. lol
Listen, I spent a lot of time googling "tiger cock" one day and due to a huge black market trading in dried tiger penises there were a lot of pictures of tiger penises, but few of them on a tiger. When I finally found them I was like "man, that tiger's cock is TINY." So maybe Ogier are giant but they have tiny little penises. That's my theory.
And at least I didn't admit to my sexual lust for the Myrdraal.
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