Before I begin, please allow me to thank InvestComics™ for this opportunity and space to post my musings about one of my favorite fantasy novel series of all time.

Now, let’s start with Robert Jordan’s “The Wheel Of Time.”

That title has, for many, brought images to mind of epic battles, wondrous and frightening creatures and a ingenious, somewhat scientific, magic system unlike anything seen in a fantasy series before. But before we dive into this series and speak of its world, its characters and the massive plot line that has taken more than 20 years to chronicle from its beginning to its end, I would like to take a moment speak about the author of this wonderful series.

Robert Jordan, one of many pen names used by Charleston, South Carolina resident James Oliver Rigney Jr.

Born in 1948, Rigney served in the United States Army as a helicopter gunner during two tours in the  Vietnam War.

Rigney was honored several times for his valor, with the Distinguished Flying Cross with bronze oak leaf cluster, the Bronze Star with “V” and bronze oak leaf cluster and two Vietnamese Gallantry Crosses with palm.

Later, his writing would reflect the horrors of war, as well as the honor of the men who fight.

After returning from Vietnam, he attended The Citadel where he received an undergraduate degree in physics, and upon graduation, he began working for the United States Navy as a nuclear engineer.

In 1977, Rigney suffered a major leg injury which had him in the hospital for an extended period and it was during his hospitalization that he began contemplating a writing career.

In 1980, he published his first novels using the pen name Reagan O’Neal. It was at this time he began working with book editor Harriet McDougal, who is currently working with Tor Publishing. Rigney and McDougal has been working together since he began his first novel and over the years they became closer, eventually they married. Harriet has acted as the editor on all of Rigney's novels to date. These historical novels, starting with THE FALLON BLOOD, would start the Fallon Trilogy. Because of their moderate success, this lead to Rigney writing several novels based in the Conan universe (including a novelization of the film CONAN THE DESTROYER).

In the late 1980s, he began working on what would come to be seen as his masterpiece.It was on January 15, 1990, a date to remember and celebrate, THE EYE OF THE WORLD,  the first “Wheel Of Time” novel was released to the public. It was a massive success and started a fantasy subculture which has expanded beyond the novels.

Over the years, Wizards Of The Coast produced a table top Dungeons And Dragons style Role Playing Game. Legend Entertainment released a “Wheel of Time” computer game in the “first-person-shooter-style.” Dynamite Entertainment has a comic book adaption in production and Universal Studios has a movie in pre-production.

Collectibles and toys, new video games and so much more are all springing forth from the mind of one humble man who has a quiet voice; a twinkle in his eye; and, as a Southern gentleman, enjoyed Hunting, the study of history and collecting pipes.

On March 23, 2006, James Oliver Rigney Jr. announced to his fans the sad news that he was ill after was he was diagnosed with cardiac amyloidosis, which is a form of heart disease that causes a thickening and hardening of the walls of the heart chambers. The mortality rate for this illness is high and sufferers normally only survive a little over two years.

Sadly, after a valiant and hard fought struggle, and the aid of the experts at The Mayo Clinic, James Oliver Rigney Jr. passed away at 2:45 p.m. on September 16, 2007.

Shock and sadness rippled though the literary world and though his fan base. An outpouring of sympathy and well wishes came from all over the world, went to his widow and family.

The Dragonmount web site (www.dragonmount.com), where Rigney had kept his personal blog, setup an online memorial for fans to express their thoughts, well wishes and how they felt their lives had been impacted by Ridney’s writings.

Several months after his passing, Harriet McDougal released a press release, through Tor Publishing, conserning the ending of her late husband’s epic fantasy. She announced that, according to her husbands final wishes, she had hand picked an author to finish the grand epic that is “The Wheel Of Time.”

Brandon Sanderson, author of ELANTRIS and The Mistborn Trilogy, had been approached and agreed to take on the task. He would be working from the outlines dictated by Rigney, his hand written notes and partial scenes left behind to build the ending Rigney had intended for his series.

Months after the announcement, it soon became clear that a single final novel, entitled A MEMORY OF LIGHT, which was Rigney’s intention, would be to large to publish.

It was decided that it would be split into three books.

THE GATHERING STORM, the first book in the final “Wheel of Time” trilogy, was released in November of 2009. The second book, TOWERS OF MIDNIGHT, is scheduled to be released in November of this year, with the final book, A MEMORY OF LIGHT, slated for release in November of 2011.

As was mentioned, though these final novels will be constructed by a different hand, it is still guided by the plans and directions left by Rigney before his passing.

During his illness, Rigney spent much time, both at home and even while in the hospital, working on the ending to his series.

As late as a week before his passing, he was dictating notes and scenes both to his aides and on tapes for whom ever would take up the challenge of finishing his work.

As Sanderson put it in a interview ,“It’s like another director coming in to film the final scenes for a movie using the same production crew script and actors.”

Given the reception of the first of these final novels, THE GATHERING STORM, it is obvious the fans were pleased, because it quickly became a number one seller. According to The New York Times, THE GATHERING STORM knocked out the latest book from writer Dan Brown (THE DA VINCI CODE) from the top spot.

It was obvious Rigney’s legacy was in good hands.

In my next article we will begin delving into the world that James Oliver Rigney Jr. built for us. An epic fantasy world that has been called the successor to J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings” series.

Prepare yourselves as we enter a world with thousands of years of history, fantastic creatures - both good and evil; with nations and armies both vast and small - both powerful and weak; with characters who are as pure as new fallen snow and so evil you can feel it from 20 feet away.

We will experience this together as we enter Robert Jordan’s “The Wheel Of Time.”

Stay Tuned!

May The Light Shine On You James Oliver Rigney Jr. And May You Shelter In The Palm Of The Creators Hand. May The Last Embrace Of The Mother Welcome You Home. You Will Be Missed.