Brandon Sanderson tapped to finish Wheel of Time
Many are still mourning the passing of Robert Jordan. Friday's news is going to bring a mixture of hope and concern: Brandon Sanderson, one of TOR's rising stars, has been tapped to complete the final volume of Jordan's multi-volume epic The Wheel of Time. Here's the official press release.
Brandon Sanderson is a friend of mine, and is one of the local pros I see at events in the area. He and his wife Emily were over at my place just a couple of months back for dinner. I was flattered to be in something of an advisory position as we discussed "how do you make room for your family and your art." Sandra had lots of advice for Emily -- including some comforting tips on "what to expect when the baby arrives."
When I heard that Brandon had been tapped to finish The Wheel of Time I was elated. Not only is this a huge thing for my friend's career, it's also a really, really good thing for Wheel fans. Brandon knows how to work a mythos, and though he's a fairly new author, he's got the chops to tackle big projects like this. He's a Jordan fan himself, and he'll be working from extensive notes, drafts, and audio-recordings left behind by Jordan. Harriet Popham Rigney, Jordan's widow and editor, hand-picked Brandon for this, and of all the people most likely to make the right decision, she certainly tops the list.
Jordan fans who want to know what Brandon can do should check out Elantris. As should anybody looking for a good Fantasy book to dive into over the holidays.