A week or so ago TOR made the announcement that they are going be publishing the first – and last? – novel by Robert Jordan.
The story goes that back in ’79, Tom Doherty bought the book when he was publisher for Ace, but for whatever reason it was never published. That it is ‘a standalone fantasy story told with implacable momentum, readers new to Robert Jordan will find Warrior of the Altaii an easy gateway to the author’s artistry.’
I am both excited and apprehensive.
The Wheel of Time was/is very important to me, and Jordan spent so many years working on it, writing it that we fans never got to experience his writing in other works. Yes, I am aware he wrote several Conan novels, but while they are his words, it’s not his world building, and Jordan’s world building is amazing. Yes, he also wrote The Fallon Blood under the name Reagan O’Neal, but this isn’t fantasy. I did try the first novel but didn’t connect it with for whatever reason – maybe I should give it another go, I don’t know.
In any case, as much as I love The Wheel of Time, I was always excited about what he might do after it was concluded, he’d made mention of a story set in a land similar to that of the Seanchan Empire of the WoT books – which as really exciting, in fact I am pretty sure he’s sold the series to TOR but was planning on finishing WoT first – as well as what he called ‘Outrigger’ novels set after the Last Battle of the WoT books I believe. These things were not to be however as Jordan passed away in September 2007, before concluding WoT.
So, to hear his first fantasy novel is finally going to be published, and that it contains ‘themes that Jordan continued to develop in The Wheel of Time’ is exciting, but I wonder how much did Jordan’s writing change from the time he wrote this first fantasy novel to the time that The Eye of the World was released? I guess we will have to wait and see.
Regardless, I will be buying this one for sure.
