The Wheel of Time Claims Robert Jordan

“The Wheel of Time turns, and Ages come and pass, leaving memories that become legend.” Fantasy author Robert Jordan passed away on September 16, 2007 at the age of 59. Jordan is best known as the author of The Wheel of Time, an eleven-volume fantasy series loved by millions of readers, including my teenage son. The best-selling series is an achievement of epic proportions, with each volume averaging around 700 pages. The last four books reached the top of the New York Times bestseller list. Jordan, whose real name was James Oliver Rigney, Jr., died of complications from cardiac amyloidosis.

Jordan’s books have been popular with my students since the first one was published in 1990. Since that time, Jordan has become one of most prolific and beloved authors in the fantasy genre.

I enjoyed the first book of the series, The Eye of the World, but was never able to finish the second book, The Great Hunt. My son, on the other hand, began the series towards the end of the summer and has plowed through the first seven books. He is currently reading the eighth book, The Path of Daggers, and like other eighth graders I’ve taught, he is thoroughly enjoying them.

Jordan planned for the series to end with a twelfth book called A Memory of Light, and it remains to be seen if anyone will write that book from Jordan’s notes.

When asked what he would like his epitaph to say Jordan replied, “He kept trying to get better at it.”