Brandon Sanderson to Complete Wheel of Time

[pat5150]

Their styles are completely different.

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

I wonder what made Harriet choose him out of every eligible author out there...

Ah man...

Patrick

[strings]

http://www.tor-forge.com/NewsArticle.aspx?articleId=647

Tor Books announced today that novelist Brandon Sanderson has been chosen to finish the final novel in Robert Jordan's bestselling Wheel of Time fantasy series. Robert Jordan, one of the greatest storytellers of the 20th and early 21st centuries, died September 16th after a courageous battle with the rare blood disease amyloidosis.

The new novel, A Memory of Light, will be the twelfth and final book in the beloved fantasy series which has sold over 14 million copies in North America and over 30 million copies worldwide. The last four books in the series were all 1 New York Times bestsellers, and for over a decade fans have been eagerly awaiting the final novel that would bring the epic story to its conclusion.

Harriet Popham Rigney, Jordan's beloved wife and editor, said of her decision to have Sanderson complete the last book in The Wheel of Time series: "I have chosen Brandon Sanderson to complete Robert Jordan's great work, and I am absolutely delighted that he accepted. I will of course be editing this book as I have all of the other books of The Wheel of Time."

President and Publisher of Tor Books, Tom Doherty, also expressed his happiness with Harriet's decision, saying: "I am delighted that Harriet has chosen Brandon to complete Robert Jordan's magnificent and timeless epic."

It is the perfect match for Sanderson, who gratefully acknowledges the role Jordan played as an inspiration to him as a writer. In the tribute piece "Goodbye Mr. Jordan," posted on his blog, Sanderson writes to Jordan: "Personally, I feel indebted to you. You showed me what it was to have vision and scope in a fantasy series--you showed me what could be done. I still believe that without your success, many younger authors like myself would never have had a chance at publishing their dreams. You go quietly, but leave us trembling."

Like Jordan, Sanderson was an avid reader and writer from an early age. His debut novel, Elantris, was an unagented gem discovered after Sanderson, then a college student writing during his late night shift at a local hotel, approached Tor editor Moshe Feder at a fantasy convention. Several months later, after reading the manuscript and deciding he had to have it, Feder tried to find the author, who had since moved. Using the internet, he tracked down Sanderson through a campus directory--and the rest is history.

Sanderson has since gone on to establish a loyal fan base as the author of three critically acclaimed fantasy novels: Elantris, Mistborn, and The Well of Ascension, as well as a YA novel, Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians. Publishing trade magazines Publishers Weekly and Library Journal gave Elantris starred reviews and it was the winner of the Romantic Times Award for best epic fantasy. The Washington Post also praised Sanderson for his creation of "a fascinating world" in Mistborn.

Sanderson will have large shoes to fill in his role bringing A Memory of Light to publication but will work very closely with Jordan's longtime editor, Harriet Rigney, to be sure that the writing stays true to Jordan's voice. Jordan himself worked on the novel almost daily for the last few months of his life and according to Harriet: "Some scenes were completed by Robert Jordan, and some exist in draft form; he left copious notes and hours of audio recordings."

Jordan had known the ending of the series for a long time and, according to a blog posting by his cousin, Wilson W. Grooms, Jr., on the popular Jordan fan site www.dragonmount.com, Jordan had a few months ago revealed secret details about the end of the series to close members of his family which he had never discussed before. Grooms wrote: "During a recent family sit around, he [Jordan] became the Gleeman and told the bones of it ALL to Harriet and me. You read that right, I did say ALL. Don't ask, ain't telling. Two and a half hours of story telling by the Creator himself went by in the twinkling of an eye."

Sanderson knows that fans are very anxious to read the last novel in The Wheel of Time series and says, "I'm both extremely excited and daunted by this opportunity. There is only one man who could have done this book the way it deserved to be written, and we lost him in September. However, I promise to do my very best to remain true to Mr. Jordan's vision and produce the book we have all been waiting to read."

At a recent Toastmaster's address at the World Fantasy Con this past November, author Guy Gavriel Kay saluted Jordan's enduring legacy, stating that his "impact on the place of fantasy in the culture is colossal."

Jordan has also often been referred to as Tolkien's heir and in an article about The Wheel of Time series, The New York Times lauded Jordan for his extraordinary story-telling ability: "The books' battle scenes have the breathless urgency of firsthand experience, and the ambiguities in these novels--the evil laced into the forces of good, the dangers latent in any promised salvation, the sense of the unavoidable onslaught of unpredictable events--bear the marks of American national experience during the last three decades, just as the experience of the First World War and its aftermath gave its imprint to Tolkien's work."

John Clute said of Jordan's magnum opus, "when complete, the sequence will almost certainly constitute one of the major epic narratives of modern fantasy."

Now Brandon Sanderson has signed on to complete A Memory of Light, with scheduled delivery of the manuscript in December 2008 and a planned publication date of Fall 2009. "The Wheel of Time turns and ages come and pass. What was, what will be, and what is, may yet fall under the Shadow. Let the Dragon ride again on the winds of time?"

For more information about Robert Jordan or Brandon Sanderson, please contact Tor Publicity Director Elena Stokes at: [email protected]

[Mister Manticore]

There's already a thread.

And can we get some of these duplicate copies of the press release edited out?

Me, I'm not sure what this will mean, but I can hope it'll at least end well.

[swedeheadchris]

http://www.tor-forge.com/NewsArticle.aspx?articleId=647

Tor Books announced today that novelist Brandon Sanderson has been chosen to finish the final novel in Robert Jordan's bestselling Wheel of Time fantasy series. Robert Jordan, one of the greatest storytellers of the 20th and early 21st centuries, died September 16th after a courageous battle with the rare blood disease amyloidosis.

The new novel, A Memory of Light, will be the twelfth and final book in the beloved fantasy series which has sold over 14 million copies in North America and over 30 million copies worldwide. The last four books in the series were all 1 New York Times bestsellers, and for over a decade fans have been eagerly awaiting the final novel that would bring the epic story to its conclusion.

Harriet Popham Rigney, Jordan's beloved wife and editor, said of her decision to have Sanderson complete the last book in The Wheel of Time series: "I have chosen Brandon Sanderson to complete Robert Jordan's great work, and I am absolutely delighted that he accepted. I will of course be editing this book as I have all of the other books of The Wheel of Time."

President and Publisher of Tor Books, Tom Doherty, also expressed his happiness with Harriet's decision, saying: "I am delighted that Harriet has chosen Brandon to complete Robert Jordan's magnificent and timeless epic."

It is the perfect match for Sanderson, who gratefully acknowledges the role Jordan played as an inspiration to him as a writer. In the tribute piece "Goodbye Mr. Jordan," posted on his blog, Sanderson writes to Jordan: "Personally, I feel indebted to you. You showed me what it was to have vision and scope in a fantasy series--you showed me what could be done. I still believe that without your success, many younger authors like myself would never have had a chance at publishing their dreams. You go quietly, but leave us trembling."

Like Jordan, Sanderson was an avid reader and writer from an early age. His debut novel, Elantris, was an unagented gem discovered after Sanderson, then a college student writing during his late night shift at a local hotel, approached Tor editor Moshe Feder at a fantasy convention. Several months later, after reading the manuscript and deciding he had to have it, Feder tried to find the author, who had since moved. Using the internet, he tracked down Sanderson through a campus directory--and the rest is history.

Sanderson has since gone on to establish a loyal fan base as the author of three critically acclaimed fantasy novels: Elantris, Mistborn, and The Well of Ascension, as well as a YA novel, Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians. Publishing trade magazines Publishers Weekly and Library Journal gave Elantris starred reviews and it was the winner of the Romantic Times Award for best epic fantasy. The Washington Post also praised Sanderson for his creation of "a fascinating world" in Mistborn.

Sanderson will have large shoes to fill in his role bringing A Memory of Light to publication but will work very closely with Jordan's longtime editor, Harriet Rigney, to be sure that the writing stays true to Jordan's voice. Jordan himself worked on the novel almost daily for the last few months of his life and according to Harriet: "Some scenes were completed by Robert Jordan, and some exist in draft form; he left copious notes and hours of audio recordings."

Jordan had known the ending of the series for a long time and, according to a blog posting by his cousin, Wilson W. Grooms, Jr., on the popular Jordan fan site www.dragonmount.com, Jordan had a few months ago revealed secret details about the end of the series to close members of his family which he had never discussed before. Grooms wrote: "During a recent family sit around, he [Jordan] became the Gleeman and told the bones of it ALL to Harriet and me. You read that right, I did say ALL. Don't ask, ain't telling. Two and a half hours of story telling by the Creator himself went by in the twinkling of an eye."

Sanderson knows that fans are very anxious to read the last novel in The Wheel of Time series and says, "I'm both extremely excited and daunted by this opportunity. There is only one man who could have done this book the way it deserved to be written, and we lost him in September. However, I promise to do my very best to remain true to Mr. Jordan's vision and produce the book we have all been waiting to read."

At a recent Toastmaster's address at the World Fantasy Con this past November, author Guy Gavriel Kay saluted Jordan's enduring legacy, stating that his "impact on the place of fantasy in the culture is colossal."

Jordan has also often been referred to as Tolkien's heir and in an article about The Wheel of Time series, The New York Times lauded Jordan for his extraordinary story-telling ability: "The books' battle scenes have the breathless urgency of firsthand experience, and the ambiguities in these novels--the evil laced into the forces of good, the dangers latent in any promised salvation, the sense of the unavoidable onslaught of unpredictable events--bear the marks of American national experience during the last three decades, just as the experience of the First World War and its aftermath gave its imprint to Tolkien's work."

John Clute said of Jordan's magnum opus, "when complete, the sequence will almost certainly constitute one of the major epic narratives of modern fantasy."

Now Brandon Sanderson has signed on to complete A Memory of Light, with scheduled delivery of the manuscript in December 2008 and a planned publication date of Fall 2009. "The Wheel of Time turns and ages come and pass. What was, what will be, and what is, may yet fall under the Shadow. Let the Dragon ride again on the winds of time?"

For more information about Robert Jordan or Brandon Sanderson, please contact Tor Publicity Director Elena Stokes at: [email protected]

But cheers, having someone steal your thunder shouldn't put you off! We (i.e. Me, on a tired UK evening!) need to hear these things twice so it sinks in properly

[Werthead]

Oddly, Sanderson is one of the authors I thought would be really in with a shot of doing this. Apart from him the only other author who fit the bill (talented midlister who isn't busy with his own projects and has the ability to do it) is Greg Keyes.

I think Sanderson could do as good a job as anyone else. But I do wonder if we'll ever find out who else Tor asked before selecting Brandon...

[Myshkin]

Please everybody don't judge Sanderson's skill on Elantris alone! I hated Elantris, but the two Mistborn novels were some of the best I've read all year. I think this was a decent choice and I can't really think of anyone else who could pull it off, except maybe (as Wert said) Greg Keyes.

[Brandon Sanderson]

Ah, Westeros. This place is always so fun to visit. It's actually kind of refreshing--there's never a lack for determined opinions.

I will make no claim on being anywhere as near as good an author as Mr. Jordan. However, in my opinion, there are very few authors out there who are that good. Mr. Martin could have done it, I'm sure--but it would have put a serious delay on his own books, which are already very delayed.

These are big shoes to fill, and--to be honest--I don't think I'll ever fill them. However, it IS a dream come true to be able to work on this project. I'm honest when I say I've loved these books since I was a youth.

Pat, my style is different from Mr. Jordan's intentionally. Both Mistborn and Elantris are reactions to the current fantasy market, as I try to add to the discussion without retreading ground others have already covered. That doesn't mean, however, that I don't appreciate a more densely-descriptive, introspective style like the Jordan books. I hope that, in several years time, you'll find you agree with Harriet's choice.

[Max the Mostly Mediocre]

Good luck to you, Brandon.

[Larry.]

Brandon,

Thanks for replying. You seem to be the source of a great many questions over at wotmania, by the way. I'm sure the people there will be eager to read what you just said above. And of course, best of wishes on completing this and all those other projects I just read about

[Caligula_K]

An interesting choice. Best wishes to you, Brandon, and good luck.

[Werthead]

Brandon also posted this at Dragonmount, which I'm sure will be of interest:

Just a quick note to thank you all for your good wishes. I just wanted to let you know that I have now seen the notes, and while I can't say anything specific without breaking my NDA, I will say that the notes are in far better shape than I had expected. Mr. Jordan's staff are very skilled, and they have complied an outline for me that goes scene-by-scene. After reading through it, I'm confident we can produce a book that Mr. Jordan would have been pleased with.

Also, I DO finally know who killed Asmodean, and I promise to include it in the book to finally answer that question for you.

Also, I WILL be more detailed in my descriptions for this book. I may need a fleet of people to help me get the clothing descriptions down, but I'll do it!

[Stego]

As long as it gets done, I'll be happy.

Good luck, Brandon...

Your entire career as a novelist will be judged by the the quality of this book. No pressure.

[Angalin]

Recently he was on soliciting critiques on the Warbreaker cover art.

Yes, and did he get a few opinions. What was the final decision, btw?

These are big shoes to fill, and--to be honest--I don't think I'll ever fill them. However, it IS a dream come true to be able to work on this project. I'm honest when I say I've loved these books since I was a youth.

Brandon - I haven't read any of Jordan's work, heretic that I am, but I did enjoy your "Warbreaker". Good luck with the project, and success to you!

[Ebenstone]

Ah, Westeros. This place is always so fun to visit. It's actually kind of refreshing--there's never a lack for determined opinions.

I will make no claim on being anywhere as near as good an author as Mr. Jordan. However, in my opinion, there are very few authors out there who are that good. Mr. Martin could have done it, I'm sure--but it would have put a serious delay on his own books, which are already very delayed.

These are big shoes to fill, and--to be honest--I don't think I'll ever fill them. However, it IS a dream come true to be able to work on this project. I'm honest when I say I've loved these books since I was a youth.

Pat, my style is different from Mr. Jordan's intentionally. Both Mistborn and Elantris are reactions to the current fantasy market, as I try to add to the discussion without retreading ground others have already covered. That doesn't mean, however, that I don't appreciate a more densely-descriptive, introspective style like the Jordan books. I hope that, in several years time, you'll find you agree with Harriet's choice.

Behold the power of SUMMON AUTHOR!!!!

(breaks own arm to pat self on back to congratulate self on breaking the news over here!)

[Xray the Enforcer]

Ah, Westeros. This place is always so fun to visit. It's actually kind of refreshing--there's never a lack for determined opinions.

I will make no claim on being anywhere as near as good an author as Mr. Jordan.

I, for one, wish you all the courage and success in this, and I think you can pull it off. Just think of it as doing a cover of a beloved song -- be true to the original, but don't try to copy every stylistic fillip.

[Amras]

Better than the Yeard, that's for sure, but I'm not convinced at all that Sanderson will be able to pull this off. "The Well of Ascension" is probably the worst epic fantasy book released this year that I've read and their stiles are worlds apart. At least we won't get that many dress descriptions this time around.

I'll certainly be setting the bar pretty low on this one now, but I'm hoping I'll be pleasantly surprised. And Stego's right - you're about to get a millions of new readers if you do a good with MoL. You'll probably get a couple million even if you don't....

[Ran]

Good luck with this, Brandon. I've not yet read any of your books (but have very much admired the covers you've gotten for them), but I think I'll have to give them a try now.

[pat5150]

Pat, my style is different from Mr. Jordan's intentionally. Both Mistborn and Elantris are reactions to the current fantasy market, as I try to add to the discussion without retreading ground others have already covered. That doesn't mean, however, that I don't appreciate a more densely-descriptive, introspective style like the Jordan books. I hope that, in several years time, you'll find you agree with Harriet's choice.

Brandon, best of luck with this project. As you have mentioned, those are big shoes to fill.

Having read your three novels, I see very little similarities in your writing style and that which made Robert Jordan the bestselling author he became. As was the case with Herbert and Anderson, you can never "truly" write something that will satisfy the WoT fans. And like them, I wonder if you can really capture the essence of the series.

Unlike them, I know for a fact that you will try your damnedest to do it, though!

As Stego mentioned, your career might hang on this. So this is one hell of a gig, no question!

Patrick

[Myrddin]

Brandon, I haven't read any of your books yet, but I wanted to wish you a good experience with this. Talk about pressure! But your posts seem very realistic, and you're approaching this with an admirable spirit and enthusiasm.

And bless you for promising to reveal who kills Asmodean!!! I'm more than ready to Read And Find Out that Graendal did indeed pull it off.

The best part of all this for you must be the upsurge of readership headed your way. Not just for the money, which will be nice, but the opportunity to reach more people.

It kind of reminds me how I went out and rented House after Hayden Christensen was cast as Anakin Skywalker. I wanted to see how the "new guy" would approach an old favorite. Good luck to you and remember that this place will be one of the hardest forums you'll face.

[Smeech]

A reasonable choice. I actually quite liked Elantris and his writing style is not that far removed from Jordan's. He'll need to step up the detail level somewhat but given that most of the storyline is already laid out for him and Jordan has completed some fairly large chunks of the book, it's not as difficult a task as it perhaps first appears to be.

Still, the spirit of Kevin J. Anderson may lurk over Sanderson's shoulder on this one. It's a very, very tough job and frankly Sanderson must have some serious balls to have accepted it. As someone said, it could do his own career wonders or kill it stone dead if he fucks up (and I'm pretty sure he won't).

It could have been worse. It could have been the Yeard (shudders).

Would the fact that it's partially written not complicate the task? Sounds as if it'll be written by two authors. If he's as faithful to the series as everybody says, he likely won't alter many chapters, etc that are already written. He will, if I understand this correctly, have to be someone else, be Robert Jordan, for this novel. Failure to do this would burden the book with divergent -- and possibly incongruous -- styles.

(Never liked the series, and didn't even make it through book one, but this is an interesting development. I felt compelled to add my two cents, as they say.)