Kevin's Watch

There is an article at the Locus online site, as well as on Jordan's blog:
www.dragonmount.com/RobertJordan/?p=38

Here is a link to Jordan's letter to Locus:
www.locusmag.com/2006/Features/03JordanLetter.html

While I have criticized some of the man's writing in the past, I wouldn't wish something like this on the worst person in the world, much less someone who has given so much pleasure to other people over the years, and who has created so many fantasy fans through his Wheel of Time series.

From what I understand, the treatment for this condition is horrifyingly painful, involving high doses of chemotherapy to kill off your bone marrow, with transplants of healthy marrow to hopefully begin to produce healthy blood cells.

From what I also understand, the prognosis is usually not very good, though I will bring this thread to Don's attention, as he has a doctorate in pharmacy and can explain all of this much better than I could...

God's blessings for health and healing to Robert Jordan, and to his family.

Well, this is surely a very invasive treatment... with his bone marrow gone, he'll also be lacking his immune system until his stem cells will rebuild the whole bone marrow; and nobody can be certain that some of those stem cells won't be producing bone marrow capable of synthetizing amyloid proteins, either. As far as I can see, the main dangers of this therapy in the short term are the aggressive chemotherapy and the lack of immune response in case of infections, as well as the extensive tissue damage; in the long term, the risk of the amyloidosis to show up again is always a possibility.

But it's also true that attitude counts for something, and he looks like the kind of person who's not going to despair no matter how grim the odds, so that's always a good thing. Let's hope he makes it!

Wow, terrible news. I'm glad he's approaching it with such a great attitude. Don't know if I'd be able to show such resolve. Don't read his books, but I hope he turns out fine and finished his Wheel of Time saga.

You know, stuff like this makes me worry about the health of a certain other fantasy writer: George R.R. Martin. Reminds me that he is mortal, and the saga is a long way off from completion. Take care of yourself, Mr. Martin!

Lord Foul wrote: You know, stuff like this makes me worry about the health of a certain other fantasy writer: George R.R. Martin. Reminds me that he is mortal, and the saga is a long way off from completion. Take care of yourself, Mr. Martin!

I'm trying not to think about that.

Well. he's been undergoing treatment at the Mayo Clinic over in Minnesota. You can read about his treatment at his blog:
www.dragonmount.com/RobertJordan/

This doesn't sound good.

It's all very distressing to find out some people who have touched our lives and elightened our minds in a way no one on earth has or will again...it's also a gentle reminder to us all to love everybody in our lives as if it were our last day here,you never know when your time is up or you number has been drawn.Remeber to tell those close to you how much you do care and love them so they WILL know if and when you depart from this plane of existence to the next.........

spacemonkey wrote:It's all very distressing to find out some people who have touched our lives and elightened our minds in a way no one on earth has or will again...it's also a gentle reminder to us all to love everybody in our lives as if it were our last day here,you never know when your time is up or you number has been drawn.Remeber to tell those close to you how much you do care and love them so they WILL know if and when you depart from this plane of existence to the next.........

First off, I should just say that I'm glad that SRD does karate; even if he's not up to par with the younger students it's at least gonna help keep him healthy, I assume.

All-in-all early (or earlier than expected) deaths are tragic all on their own, but I feel like they must be particularly painful when an author, with divers imagined works still ahead, has to confront the possibility. The idea that you have so many works you want to get on paper and have people read, but are limited by the bounds of mortality, must be very stressful.

It is maddening.

It is no less painful for an early death to strike the unknown,as opposed to theknown.Writer or not you have no idea just how many lives just you alone affect.Choose your paths wisely,and above all-BE TRUE!! Be true to what you believe and what your heart whispers to you.

Yeah, I was stunned when I read the letter to Locus back in March. It sounded like my worst nightmare coming true. Honestly, that was my first reaction--to think about the story. Then I thought about the man, and now that is what is important to me. I know that all of his fans wish him a long and healthy life--and not just because they'd like to know how the series ends.

Besides. . . if he were to leave the series unfinished for any reason, I could write my version of the last novel, and have things wrap up the way I want them too. Just kidding. . .

But yes. . . it is important to live each day to the fullest, and to make sure that your loved ones know that they are loved. Any one of us could die at any time. Remember 9/11. . .

I'm not as interested in the series as I used to be. The later books lost me, as he introduced new character after new character after new character and new plot line after new plot line after...

You get the drift.

On one hand, it's admirable that he attempted to give us a "fantasy" that was as close to "reality" as possible, including all interested parties in the world. Turn that hand, and it gets a bit boring.

That's one thing I like about SRD. As he's said...he only writes what he thinks is essential for the story.

RJ has passed that.

That said...I've always had faith in the ending...that he knew what it was, and that it would be *terrific*. I certainly hope we get to see that, but more than that, I hope that he is able to write it. Not for us, but for himself.

I have a brother who is battling cancer (though he is in remission), so this is compelling. Good luck Mr. Jordan.

My Prayers are with you and yours Gunslinger.

burgs wrote:I'm not as interested in the series as I used to be. The later books lost me, as he introduced new character after new character after new character and new plot line after new plot line after...

You get the drift.

On one hand, it's admirable that he attempted to give us a "fantasy" that was as close to "reality" as possible, including all interested parties in the world. Turn that hand, and it gets a bit boring.

That's one thing I like about SRD. As he's said...he only writes what he thinks is essential for the story.

RJ has passed that.

That said...I've always had faith in the ending...that he knew what it was, and that it would be *terrific*. I certainly hope we get to see that, but more than that, I hope that he is able to write it. Not for us, but for himself.

You know, RJ always has maintained that he started the series with the final scene in his head, and then he had to go back and figure out how things happened that way. I find that a fascinating approach to storytelling.

And the thing you speak of regarding plot lines and characters. . . well, that's part of why I like it so much. I love analyzing things, and the more realistic a story the better. I've had a fantastic time trying to figure out what is going to happen next. I even love the fact that some fans still argue over who killed Asmodean. . . and that happened, what, in book 4? I like the fact that I have to think while I read the books. In fact, my family and friends have developed slang for me and my behavior while reading. Apparently they have watched me do this on countless occasions. I will stop reading, look off into space for a minute or two, then pick up on the word I left off on. When asked, I always say that I was thinking over how a certain thing/event played into a story. The term they use for this is "processing." Yeah. . just like your computer does.

All in all, I find Mr. Jordan to be a gifted storyteller, and one of the best writers out there today.

He is most certainly a gifted storyteller, and in that specific definition he finds very few equals. Those that are his better(s) are plain. That said, he's fooled me more than once, tossed a plot line at me that I never thought would branch out and completely enthrall me...

And then he bored the tears out of me. So much that I sold all but two of his books as used on Amazon (the only two I didn't sell were worth less than a $1 for a used seller).

There's a website that captures it all...I'll just refer to that.

A person can be tremendously gifted and still lose their way. I think he lost his way. Again, for his fans, and for himself, I hope he finds his way. Having witnessed difficult and painful passings, and "potential" passings, I wish RJ all the luck in the world. He started out to change fantasy as we know it - and sadly, he slowed it down. When people talk about RJ and Terry Goodkind as if they are peers, it sickens me. That's RJ's fault. He's stretched this beyond limit. Again, bless him, etc., Anyone with functioning synapses knows that he and TG - for all of RJ's faults - are not peers. TG sucks ass.

I hope RJ returns to 100% health as quickly and smoothly as his disease allows.

Diseases are a real bitch, and can cast aside all the best laid plans of mice....

And whomever.

Oh, yeah, and please... GRR ... just finish the darn thing in 7 books ... PLEASE.

He has the opportunity to write perhaps the greatest dynastic fantasy ever. If he drags it on (now that he's had a #1 bestseller), it will make him rich, but his readers poor.

Good posts. Yeah, gotta admit my thoughts are more for the story than anything else.

Sorry.

--A

Gotta say, i just started reading his books (literally--i JUST started reading them like two days ago) and i'm already wanting more.

More to the point, i hope RJ comes out of this on top. I love his writing and his sense of storytelling so far (fifty pages so far) and wouldn't mind seeing the end of it...if there is an end to it, that is...

Whoo...too gloomy. Must be ten o'clock at night again.

Seriously, my prayers are with him--and anyone else who was diagnosed with cancer/other diseases.