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RIP Robert Jordan
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Guido-the-Gypsy
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Posted: Mon Sep 17, 2007 12:14 pm

As per George R R Martins website, Robert Jordan has passed away. While I was a fan of just the first 4 books of the Wheel of Time series, it is sad to think that this series will not be finished by the original author.

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Kingofpain89
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Posted: Mon Sep 17, 2007 12:33 pm

Damn...well that just sucks.

I assume Tor Books and Jordan had a contingency plan put into place if he was not able to complete the last book? I cant get to his official site to check to see if there is any information about that. I cant begin to imagine just how many hits his site is getting right about now.

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g026r
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Posted: Mon Sep 17, 2007 12:42 pm

Supposedly he left notes as to how he wanted the last volume to end, so that someone else (no notes on who, I'm assuming that's up to Tor and his wife) could finish it.

Badmike
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Posted: Mon Sep 17, 2007 2:03 pm

g026r wrote:Supposedly he left notes as to how he wanted the last volume to end, so that someone else (no notes on who, I'm assuming that's up to Tor and his wife) could finish it.

Damn, so glad I never started this series, it was ridiculous to think that as many illnesses as the man had he would be around to finish his gazillion volume series. I've been trying to stick only to series that are finished so I won't get stuck on book whatever when the author decides to take a few years off. It'll probably take another 10 years to work out all the legal details and ever get the Wheel of Time (ironic name, since it will end up being about 20 years to have the entire series out) finally finished. A warning for all publishers who let these guys spin these bloated epics...get most of it in the can first before promoting it.

Mike B.

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Badmike
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Posted: Mon Sep 17, 2007 2:15 pm

Guido-the-Gypsy wrote:As per George R R Martins website, Robert Jordan has passed away. While I was a fan of just the first 4 books of the Wheel of Time series, it is sad to think that this series will not be finished by the original author.

http://grrm.livejournal.com/

BTW, another on the watch list has to be the aforementioned George RR Martin's Fire and Ice series. It's simply brilliant, but it seems that he has put someday finishing this gigantic epic somewhere on the back burner (he talks in his updates about getting house renovations done instead of writing, and he attends dozens of cons a year, not to mention the other books he writes or the anthologys he edits...sheesh!) and it will probably be close to 20 years from beginning to end, that is if he lives that long (he takes 2-3 years between books, and he has THREE left in the series). Not to mention his said several times he has NO NOTES of how he will finish his series...if he passes away, we'll all be left with a nice 5 thousand page unfinished story....!

I would advise anyone wanting to start Martin's series to put it off...there are plenty of finished series out there that you can read through. I find this sort of "hold the reader hostage" crap offensive, and now I really wish I had never started Martin's series (I was under the impression it was going to be five books long, and the fourth book was out, so I thought I wouldn't have to wait long...instead it's been 2 years and the 5th book isn't out, and there are two more after that.....!). This is the same reason I haven't picked up Donaldson's new trilogy (only one book out) and I won't until all three are available in a nice collected edition.

Once again, very happy I never started the Wheel of Time....!

Mike B.

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Mars
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Posted: Mon Sep 17, 2007 2:23 pm

Only time will tell how long it will take for the final book to be published. I guess part of it depends on how much has already been written and how much more there is to go. If you look at the timeline of the previous books, its around 2 - 2.5 years per book which would have put the release of the last book around early 2008. I don't know the details of the book publishing industry but I think it is probably safe to say that a number of the final months are used for editting and revising the book which would mean that most of the book is potentially already written.

I'm sure that Tor knows what kind of book sales they are looking at and would want that money so I don't think this will get blocked up for years on estate lawsuits. I don't have many doubts that the final book of the series will be published within the next 2 years but this book only wraps up the main plotline. Other books were planned to deal with a number of the subplots - many just as interesting as the main plot and most likely these will now never get finished.

Guido-the-Gypsy
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Posted: Mon Sep 17, 2007 2:23 pm

Badmike wrote:
I would advise anyone wanting to start Martin's series to put it off...there are plenty of finished series out there that you can read through. I find this sort of "hold the reader hostage" crap offensive, and now I really wish I had never started Martin's series (I was under the impression it was going to be five books long, and the fourth book was out, so I thought I wouldn't have to wait long...instead it's been 2 years and the 5th book isn't out, and there are two more after that.....!). This is the same reason I haven't picked up Donaldson's new trilogy (only one book out) and I won't until all three are available in a nice collected edition.

Mike B.

Very much agree with what the Bad Man says above. Awesome story, but damn it . . . be done with it. Now that the story is to be adapted to TV by HBO (I am hopeful, but doubtful), maybe Martin will feel some presure to wrap up the story.

Side note - if you are a big fan of the Fire and Ice Series, check out the new miniatures from www.darkswordminiatures.com . I love the Jon Snow piece. Several more on the way too. Jim, the owner, is a huge fan and has devoted loads of time to this, so much so he has been out of my campaign for about 2 months.

Let's git to killin'!!

Badmike
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Posted: Mon Sep 17, 2007 2:39 pm

Guido-the-Gypsy wrote:
Very much agree with what the Bad Man says above. Awesome story, but damn it . . . be done with it. Now that the story is to be adapted to TV by HBO (I am hopeful, but doubtful), maybe Martin will feel some presure to wrap up the story.

Side note - if you are a big fan of the Fire and Ice Series, check out the new miniatures from www.darkswordminiatures.com . I love the Jon Snow piece. Several more on the way too. Jim, the owner, is a huge fan and has devoted loads of time to this, so much so he has been out of my campaign for about 2 months.

Don't mistake my rant...Guido is right. The story is incredible. It's as if Dickens did a fantasy story, with dozens and dozens of characters (all interesting), tons of subplots, and a grand theme that really isn't even totally revealed by Book Four (I have no idea where GRRM is going, or what will happen when he gets there). He has a knack for pulling the rug out from under you (several main characters die during the first four books, some unexpectedly).

However, GRRM does need to get his ass in gear. Reading his blogs, you almost get the impression he ENJOYS having people going nuts wondering when his next book comes out, or what will happen to their favorite characters, etc. while he spends lots of time painting his house, going to conventions all over the world, going on vacations, editing anthologies, watching football games, writing a couple of pages a night (of a 1000 page book, do the math....!). While I heartily enjoyed the first four books, I will have forgotten everything in them by the time book Five comes out (this Christmas? Next year? The year after?) and would have had to probably start over anyway..

Along with Guido, I hope the release of the mini series (only the first book) will cause him to move it along, especially if it does really well.

Mike B.

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silver_beetle
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Posted: Mon Sep 17, 2007 3:08 pm

Badmike wrote:
I would advise anyone wanting to start Martin's series to put it off...there are plenty of finished series out there that you can read through. I find this sort of "hold the reader hostage" crap offensive, and now I really wish I had never started Martin's series (I was under the impression it was going to be five books long, and the fourth book was out, so I thought I wouldn't have to wait long...instead it's been 2 years and the 5th book isn't out, and there are two more after that.....!). This is the same reason I haven't picked up Donaldson's new trilogy (only one book out) and I won't until all three are available in a nice collected edition.

Once again, very happy I never started the Wheel of Time....!

Mike B.

Dang, and I was about to ask you what the first book in that series was! I'm just glad Harry Potter is finished.

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Mars
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Posted: Mon Sep 17, 2007 3:16 pm

Badmike wrote:However, GRRM does need to get his ass in gear.

I haven't read the GRRM series at all but can understand your frustration. In looking at that series, there is a 5 year gap between books 3 and 4 and at least 3 more books are forthcoming. I don't think Jordan ever has a gap that big between books. It looks like the longest gap was 2 years and 2 months. But even at that it is difficult to keep track of everything that was going on. I started the WoT series before book 9 came out and finished the 8 just before the release of 9. Book 10 was a real frustrating read and I haven't read book 11 (although I hear it is good and gets things moving again).

But at this point, I don't remember half of the subplots or characters and to fully enjoy the series, I would need to reread them all again. I will probably do this after the final book comes out.

Its definitely a tough situation when you are waiting so long to continue a story but I find this with most media. Even in waiting a week to watch the next episode of a TV show you lose so much. And its a real pisser when a good show leaves a cliffhanger season ender and then there is no next season.

flying_purple_monkfish
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Posted: Mon Sep 17, 2007 3:20 pm

I never read them, but I know my step dad will be sad, he's been waiting for the next book. Ahh well.
Sad really, still.. supposedly the last book will be finished by someone else using his notes, of course purists will still bitch but what can you do.

RIP Robert Jordan

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Guido-the-Gypsy
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Posted: Mon Sep 17, 2007 3:22 pm

[quote
"Its definitely a tough situation when you are waiting so long to continue a story but I find this with most media. Even in waiting a week to watch the next episode of a TV show you lose so much. And its a real pisser when a good show leaves a cliffhanger season ender and then there is no next season."][/quote]

Alas, "Serenity", it was sad to see you go . . . come on Joss, we need more Serenity. I know its been a few years, but it takes me along time to let go.

Let's git to killin'!!

killjoy32
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Posted: Mon Sep 17, 2007 4:05 pm

i quite liked the wheel of time books, but for me, they were just a little too long and drawn out.

shame about the guy passing away though

Are we nearly there yet?

Badmike
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Posted: Mon Sep 17, 2007 5:35 pm

Mars wrote:
Its definitely a tough situation when you are waiting so long to continue a story but I find this with most media. Even in waiting a week to watch the next episode of a TV show you lose so much. And its a real pisser when a good show leaves a cliffhanger season ender and then there is no next season.

My wife and I started forgoing the initial TV offerings and instead watching the DVDs of the series after the season is over. Makes a lot more sense, and watching an episode every night or so you can really make a lot more sense of the plots, characters, and overall story arcs. Also, you miss out on the frustration of series that start....and never have a conclusion.

Mike B.

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Blackmoor
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Posted: Mon Sep 17, 2007 5:37 pm

Another Legend passes on; very sad :cry:

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beasterbrook
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Posted: Mon Sep 17, 2007 5:52 pm

Badmike wrote:
Damn, so glad I never started this series, it was ridiculous to think that as many illnesses as the man had he would be around to finish his gazillion volume series. I've been trying to stick only to series that are finished so I won't get stuck on book whatever when the author decides to take a few years off. It'll probably take another 10 years to work out all the legal details and ever get the Wheel of Time (ironic name, since it will end up being about 20 years to have the entire series out) finally finished. A warning for all publishers who let these guys spin these bloated epics...get most of it in the can first before promoting it.

Mike B.

I have to agree, I read the first 6-7 book and then realised that there were more to come.. grr... I've done it with 2 other series as well..

The Space Mavericks series by Michael Kring.. The first 2 books were printed the 3rd was not for some reason... I spent years looking for the 3rd book...

War Against the Cthorr series by David Gerrold.. God I'd wish he finish the series...

Brette:)

Badmike
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Posted: Mon Sep 17, 2007 6:14 pm

beasterbrook wrote:
I have to agree, I read the first 6-7 book and then realised that there were more to come.. grr... I've done it with 2 other series as well..

The Space Mavericks series by Michael Kring.. The first 2 books were printed the 3rd was not for some reason... I spent years looking for the 3rd book...

War Against the Cthorr series by David Gerrold.. God I'd wish he finish the series...

Brette:)

Gerrold....another case in point. If I'm not mistaken, hasn't he been reduced to soliciting online donations to continue writing that series? Supposedly the 5th book is finished...after a long many year wait....yet isn't going to be publishd until next year...after which there are TWO MORE BOOKS...sheesh. I'll start this one when Book #7 comes out in a few years....

Mike B.

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"The Acaeum hates fun" Sir Allen
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beasterbrook
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Posted: Mon Sep 17, 2007 6:38 pm

Badmike wrote:
Gerrold....another case in point. If I'm not mistaken, hasn't he been reduced to soliciting online donations to continue writing that series? Supposedly the 5th book is finished...after a long many year wait....yet isn't going to be publishd until next year...after which there are TWO MORE BOOKS...sheesh. I'll start this one when Book #7 comes out in a few years....

Mike B.

Just re-read his site (not updated since 2003) and the last inetrview I could find quickly was about july/2004, which says it was just to be polished off and printed in 2005... 1983 the first book was released, 24 years ago.. geez! Its been 14(!) years since the last book was released...

I aslo stumbled across this..
http://www.amazon.com/Fantasy-series-wi ... GX3WOTLGXE

Which list series without an end... I see that there is a weis/hickman book there as well...

Brette:)

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