James Oliver Rigney: 1948-2007

I just found out today that the author of one of my favourite series passed away last week. For those less informed of the fantasy genre, James Oliver Rigney went by a few pen-names, one of which is Robert Jordan, creator of the fantasy masterpiece, The Wheel Of Time.

He passed on on the 16th. There wasn't any announcement in the papers, not even a tiny blurb in the corner. I admit, I haven't been frequenting the messageboards in a while, spending most of my time looking Heroes up. But this really came as a shock to me, since I had read some months ago that his disease had gone into remission, and that he was undergoing an experimental treatment for it.

Even though I had only found out about the Wheel and its vast Pattern in 2005, I did a lot of reading within the following two years to make sure that I caught up with the rest of the world. At that time, The Knife Of Dreams (the penultimate 11th in this series that spanned 17 years to date, and still counting) wasn't even released yet. A Memory Of Light, the final book, didn't even have a title yet! Reading A Memory Of Light next year was something I was very much looking forward to doing, just like reading Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows this year. I'm sorry to say that I was not acquainted longer with Rand, Perrin, Mat, Egwene and the rest of your colourful characters, but all that time reading Books 1-11, I feel like I've known them since Adam.

The papers stated that he passed out significant plot points of the final book to his family before he passed on. I'm sure that Harriet Rigney will do this final book justice, but it's just not the same without the one and only Robert Jordan.

Farewell, and rest in peace, Mr. Rigney. Your legacy will live on in all of our hearts forever.