October 27th is fast approaching. If you have to ask why is this date so important, then you're not a Robert Jordan/Wheel of Time fan. October 27th marks the date that the final novel of the Wheel of Time series will be released. Of course, this is a 12-book epic saga, so there was no hope that it would all be wrapped up that easily. The book, titled A Memory of Light, will be released in three installments, the first of which is called The Gathering Storm. Since Robert Jordan passed away before he could complete the series, Brandon Sanderson has stepped up to finish it.
Despite the fact that The Gathering Storm will be out in a little over a week, I felt compelled to check out Sanderson's writing ahead of time. I decided on his debut, Elantris (it seemed like the best place to start). I will admit that a strangely large amount of my decision was dictated by the design of the back flap. Odd, I know, but sometimes it isn't the story that pulls you in as much as the art/design, as sad as that is. I also read the first line of chapter one:
"Prince Raoden of Arelon awoke early that morning, completely unaware that he had been damned for all eternity."
That's a pretty compelling hook.
I'm now a mere 89 pages into the novel, and I'm greatly enjoying it. Better yet, I can tell from the rhythm of his writing that I'm going to enjoy his style in The Gathering Storm. Best yet, I've found a new author I like!
(Holy cow! I just checked out his website. The man is doing a ton of signings for The Gathering Storm, as in multiple signings in different states on the same day. Also, he and I would probably get along great if those little tracker bars he has on his site are any indication. And he's got a lot of information on his site about his books that I've never seen on an author's site before. I'm impressed. Brandon Sanderson, my new hero.)
2 comments:
My son and I read the Wheel Of Time series together, so I'm looking forward to this one!
I pictured you and your son beginning the series by reading out loud to each other, and now, 19 or so years later, he could be grown up and moved out. I have no idea if that's how it happened, but it got me thinking: I was barely eleven or twelve years old when I started this series. While I've been reading it, I've finished high school, gotten my BA, and spent a good number of years in a career. If I'd been so inclined, I could have had a child who would now be almost old enough to begin the series (if I'd given birth at twenty).
Yes, this snowballed into a weird fantasy world with me and a child sitting up at night, me reading The Wheel of Time as a bedtime story, but it boggles my mind that this series has been a part of my life for so long, since the moment I accepted the first half of the book that was being given away for free at the Waldensbooks in the mall on a vacation to Tucson. Crazy. No wonder I was so sad when I heard of Robert Jordan's death. Not to give him too much credit, but in a small way, he helped raise me. LOL
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