Brandon Sanderson to Complete Wheel of Time

[gyrehead]

Well, at least you haven't made up your mind before seeing one single printed word.

Yes because eleven volumes of WoT plus one novel by Jordan and three novels of Sanderson make me completely unschooled in forming an opinion on style and tone. Odd that none of those who prate about how great they think it will be get a snide passive aggressive slap for making up their mind before seeing one single printed word, eh?

That seems a bit uncalled for. I happen to be a fan and I don't feel that I've been screwed over in the least. To imply that Sanderson is selling out as a writer simply because he took this on is a bit harsh, don't you think?

Well it that is what I said perhaps. Perhaps. But since I didn't, the point is moot. But I feel it is Tor who less than three months after Jordan's death obviously felt the need to make a decision and hand to a writer who is not even fully up to date on the canon of the work. Let alone announcing it (would it have killed all involved to just keep it quiet and let the readers come to AMOL untainted as it were if it was solely their intention to honor Jordan and his work?) and then skipping acorss sites like He's Barak Obama following Oprah through Iowa and S. Carolina. I'm sorry that I am unhappy about the situation and I am not making nice. I'm sorry that as soon as Sanderson (who I actually think is probably a decent guy, a good writer of his own material and not the villain of this farce) appears and posts, I don't tuck my tail between my legs and practically piddle on the floor in glee at a chance to lick his hand and beg for a treat. I'm sorry that I don't sit down, hold hands and sing Kumbayah with the rest of you. I'm sorry that I thought it was okay to voice my opinion since so many others did as so freely. My bad. I won't let my negative stridency upset the happy little rose colored world. Heaven forfend that anyone express a less than sugarcoated palliative on the matter.

But I would say, just so the visiting glad-handing Sanderson knows I truly mean him no ill will, I envy you your access to those notes that apparently only I would like to see published as I feel they are the last true words of Robert Jordan. I can't begrudge what could be the oportunity of a life time as a writer and truly hope that if you stumble or if you fail the turning of the same people licking your hand is not vicious cruel and personal. I do hope you stop at AMOL and don't let the estate or the publisher turn it into another Ludlumesque fiasco. I do think you would be wise to cut yourself off from said fans. Not just the lone bitter ones like me but also the well meaning ones. Jordan kept a distance for a reason. Disengaging from the readership while you research and write this book might be a good thing no matter how much ass-kissing adulation makes your day. You, as a fan, already are saddled with agendas, biased and perceptions that all fanas have and adding to that can't help int he long run I would suspect. AS of now you are no longer the fellow fan with inside access. You are the writer now for good or ill. If you want to tell us who killed Asmodean? Fine. Do it in the book. RAFO was a huge part of Jordan's philosophy in how he engaged his fandom. But don't tell us you are doing so. Even if Jordan said he might do so, its a bit different when the temp tells us with no uncertainty that it will happen. Go ahead and make it happen. You ahve the power. But don't ruin the moment by confirming it will happen before you even sit down to write one word. Talk about a total flouting of what Jordan and WoT was about not 24 hours out the gate.

Oh yeah. Good luck, Hugs and kisses. Puppy tail wagging. And all that good stuff. Because apparently telling it the way I feel just is such a mean small thing to do.

[Max the Mostly Mediocre]

How do you really feel?

[Myshkin]

I'm sorry that I am unhappy about the situation and I am not making nice. I'm sorry that as soon as Sanderson (who I actually think is probably a decent guy, a good writer of his own material and not the villain of this farce) appears and posts, I don't tuck my tail between my legs and practically piddle on the floor in glee at a chance to lick his hand and beg for a treat. I'm sorry that I don't sit down, hold hands and sing Kumbayah with the rest of you. I'm sorry that I thought it was okay to voice my opinion since so many others did as so freely. My bad. I won't let my negative stridency upset the happy little rose colored world. Heaven forfend that anyone express a less than sugarcoated palliative on the matter.

Nobody likes a martyr. I think I remember telling you that once before.

You don't seem to understand where you went wrong in your original post, so let me point it out for you: the fact that you are unhappy with the decisions that TOR made is fine, I respect that. But making baseless accusations that A) TOR is trying to screw it's readers for profit, and Sanderson is selling out for a fat paycheck come off as the angry rantings of a jilted fantard. Simply say that you're unhappy, nobody is going to fault you for that. But don't lash out at people who don't deserve your anger just because things didn't turn out the way you wanted them. That's just rude.

[Brandon Sanderson]

I understand what you're saying, and disagreeing with it won't really solve much. I'll try to say what I can that will be of use regarding your criticism of me, which I understand is not a personal attack, and which does not offend me.

You're right. I'm not Robert Jordan. He didn't interact much with readers on the internet. That was his way. I, however, am different. I'm a product of my generation. I've posted on forums since the first days of the web, and on Usenet before that. It's not about getting adulation--I'm just an on-line type of person. I've only posted on forums I regularly read; I've been a member of many of them since before I got published. I released my next book on-line years before it was slated to come out so I could get feedback on it. It's just how I work.

Now, I realize that soon, I'll have to retreat and won't be able to interact as much. That's also part of how I work; my forum reading and attendance comes in cycles as I get busy with books.

Now, that said, I want to say something more important. I take exception to your treatment of Harriet and Tom Doherty. I understand your frustration at not having Mr. Jordan to write this book, but also realize that before his death, he asked Harriet to find someone to finish aMoL so it would be released for his fans. I have never met anyone who is as respectful to Mr. Jordan's memory as Tom Doherty at Tor. They were good friends. Harriet was Tom's friend in publishing when he and Jim Baen were together with Harriet as editors at Ace. They aren't just looking out for the cash.

Harriet had real troubles relaxing until she knew this project was seen to. From what I've seen, she treats this project with urgency. I think she considers Mr. Jordan's desire to have it finished like a death-bed request of her. We have an author three months later because of her, not because of Tor. She said he continued to dictate right up until his death because he was so concerned that his fans get the book. She couldn't rest until she knew it was being taken care of.

If you don't want to read the book I release, I understand completely. But if you have any respect for Mr. Jordan's work and his life, then you'll know he'd want one thing.

Leave Harriet alone.

Anyway, on to other questions. This book will be one volume, but it's going to be long. How long? I can't say yet. Longer than any book I've published, I'm certain. However, I'm also very certain we can make it one book. It will not be split into two volumes. If there's one thing I know how to do, it's how to FINISH.

[Ran]

Well-said, Brandon.

I'll note, gyrehead, that Jordan actually outright promised that he'd reveal who killed Asmodean, even if he had to do it in an afterword. So Brandon's not doing anything new.

[BLU-RAY]

Nice response, Brandon. Best of luck with the undertaking, I'm sure you'll do your damnedest. I look forward to reading it (also to checking out your other stuff, though I doubt it will be an indicator of your work on AMoL, where much of the writing is likely to be dictated by Jordan's style and notes).

[Calibandar]

Brandon

Anyway, on to other questions. This book will be one volume, but it's going to be long. How long? I can't say yet. Longer than any book I've published, I'm certain. However, I'm also very certain we can make it one book. It will not be split into two volumes. If there's one thing I know how to do, it's how to FINISH.

It is interesting to have you confirm that. I say this because TOR has a strong tendency to cut books in half that could easily have been put in one book. For instance John Wright's Everness books. Dave Duncan's Children of Chaos duology. Scott Westerfeld's Risen Empire duology. A few others. In all of these cases the two books together are not even as long as the final WoT novel would be.

Your novel Well of Ascension was almost 600 pages in hardcover, so if you say the final Jordan novel will certainly be bigger than that and will still be one volume, I wonder if TOR will really pull that off.

Anyway, I also wanted to congratulate you on this great opportunity, could be a great career boast aside from the fact that you wil be pleasing many thousands/millions of WOT readers by having a book out instead of an incomlete novel or a set of notes, and for the fact that people now know that Fall 2009 will see the final volume. It's good to know.

Personally, I have not read any of your books but I do know that Mistborn has been very favourably received. Also, having read some Robert Jordan, I fail to see how you could really be that much worse. If anything I expect the final novel to be a boost in quality.

[Padraig]

Because apparently telling it the way I feel just is such a mean small thing to do.

And you are right.

[Gerold Hightower]

Congratulations to that commission and good luck Mr. Sanderson!

One thing about WoT is that a lot of things are foreshadowed or hinted at early in the series and RJ has always said that he has known the final scene since he began writing the books. It isn't as if somebody could come along, make up a random "sequel" to the last book and sell that as WoT. I'm fairly confident that as far as the plot is concerned the book will be as RJ himself had finished it. As for the style we'll have to wait and see. There's no reason to dismiss this book before reading it.

[zakalwe7]

I don't want to read hundreds of pages of notes and unfinished material. I want to read an actual novel. I think most readers feel the same way.

Yeah I agree.

gyrehead, don't you need some perspective on this? Most of the people here have mainly just wished this new guy good luck. Of course it's fine to make your points and disagree, but you seem to be taking this as a personal affront.

Also I'm sure Robert Jordan made his wishes know to his estate prior to his death. If he'd wanted only his notes published, would his wife and family not have known this?

[Xray the Enforcer]

gyrehead -- wishing someone luck is not the same as kissing their ass. disagree with the choice made, fine, but lashing out at people who are trying to be polite seems pretty absurd.

[Budgie]

Good Luck Mr. Sanderson.

Like many people here i am glad that the series will be finished, and i am sure that Mr. Sanderson will do justice to the series.

[EHK for Darwin]

I just might have to add to the current sales bump that the works of one Brandon Sanderson are no doubt seeing at the moment. Definitely curious about the past work of the guy currently taking over the reins.

[Gormenghast]

Your novel Well of Ascension was almost 600 pages in hardcover, so if you say the final Jordan novel will certainly be bigger than that and will still be one volume, I wonder if TOR will really pull that off.

From the wikipedia:

"Jordan also warned that the final volume of the saga "could be a 1500-page monster" because he has so many dangling plot threads to wrap up in a single volume. He maintained that A Memory of Light would remain one volume "whether it is 1500 pages long, Tor has to invent a new binding system, or it comes with its own library cart"."

That's part of the heritage!

Personally, I have not read any of your books but I do know that Mistborn has been very favourably received. Also, having read some Robert Jordan, I fail to see how you could really be that much worse. If anything I expect the final novel to be a boost in quality.

Yes, but readers expected a boost in quality from Jordan himself. It's the final volume, there's not any excuse to pan things or be short on the plot. It should have been the payback for three-four bad books.

[Larry.]

Well, I see his Amazon numbers have gone from the high 7Ks for the paperback version of the first Mistborn novel to the 1900s range this morning. So yeah, I'd have to say there's been a slight bump there

[Ebenstone]

We are such an inflamatory bunch sometimes!

Well said, Brandon!

I am not a HUGE fan of WOT, though I read the first three books and plan on getting to the rest eventually. I've read Elantris and Mistborn is on my To Read List. I like Brandon's style and his level of access is refreshing. Can't we just be happy that first off, the series is coming to a close, second, that it's happened at the request of Mr. Jordan's estate with his wife hand-picking the author and finally, something happening to a truly NICE individual!

[sparky]

I like Brandon Sanderson, but there's no way he can do justice to WoT. :cry:

Wow, nothing like witholding judgement...

And some people (okay, a lot) would argue that Jordan wasn't doing justice to WoT, either.

[Geddon]

Good luck with the book Mr Sanderson, you're a braver man than I. This looks like the mother of all lose/lose situations to me, I suspect you will get the blame for anything in the book that the readers dislike, while RJ and his notes will get the credit for all the stuff they do like.

For those who seem dismayed at the difference in style I'd say relax; I don't think it is possible to make any useful predictions about how well Brandon Sanderson will perform this task by comparing his previous work with the existing WoT novels. Imitating somebody else's writing style would seem, to me at least, to require a different skillset than writing in your own voice. Similarly working with another writer's characters and plot would seem to require a different type of creativity than that used to generate your own.

[Padraig]

Wow, nothing like witholding judgement...

Yes, in a clearly non-ideal situation, there is no point dwelling on the negative. Hopefully aMoL will even surprise people.

[The Wedge]

I can see why folks think this is lose/lose for Sanderson, but I'm not so sure.

First of all, as Dylanfanatic points out above, there has already been a bump for Mistborn sales. Sanderson got a similar bump for his Alcatraz books a few weeks ago after a positive mention on NPR. Any press is good press.

Second of all, if he mucks up aMoL, well, then he's proven the naysayers correct. They can feel righteous in their smugitude at that point. Congratulations will be in order.

Third, there is the possibility that he treats the material and spirit of the project with the utmost respect to bring closure to the WoT saga. Maybe it turns out to be a wonderful read. The only downside I see to this is that it takes away the infinite speculation from the internet boards. "Oh no. Sanderson denied us the chance to speculate forever about what happens at Tarmon Gaidon!" That's just speculation on my part, but I'm pretty sure there will be fodder for infinite conversation and conspiracy even if every loose end is tied up.

What a thankless position this has got to be for Brandon. I'm sure he didn't need to take this gig, but as far as I can tell, he's already on the right path to doing what justice he can.