Tributes to Robert Jordan

[DragonDai]

...but I have never really felt loss like this before. I just learned about RJ's passing this morning at about 2am. I have been sort of a "lazy" fan and didn't visit the websites very much. It hit me like a ton of bricks.

 

I have never really had anyone important to me die before, not while I was old enough to remember anyways. The closest thing to that was my two dogs that died recently. I never met the man, but this hurts every bit as much as those deaths did.

 

RJ touched my life in so many ways. I first heard his works thru stories my dad would tell me before he turned out the lights at night. Over the course of about 6 months, I heard the whole Eye of the World novel, with my dad's rather silly embelishments, of course. After enquireing where he got the ideas for this amazing story that lasted months on end, he told me it was the story of the Wheel of Time, a series of books he was reading. I immediatly became interested, because if my dad thought it was great, well, I was of the age where I thought it was great too. And just like that, I became hooked.

 

I rarely read for pleasure. School and work (pharmacy) keeps me very very very busy and along with my hobbies (D&D, WoW, and CCGs just to name a few), I rarely had time for pleasure reading. Also, with the amount of class material I had to read, I rarely felt like reading. But about 4 months ago, I decided it was time to re-read the Wheel of time. I had finished book 9 last time I went thru the series, because that was the last book in print at the time. I felt that since there were two books I hadn't even touched yet, now was the time to do it. From the very first chapter of the Eye of the World, I instantly remembered why this series of books had so much power over my imagination. I remembered all the wonder and awe that these books inspire in you, not to mention all the laugh out loud moments and tear jerking scenes. I rememebered why I loved these books more than any other thing I have ever read, ever.

 

I am currently in the middle (almost exactly) of book 6. Every page is like a new adventure. I know I have read this book twice before, but it doesn't matter. Everything feels like it did the very first time. RJ's writing continues to impress me to this day.

 

And now, I sit here, writing my own little tribute to a man who, without ever meeting me, ment so very much to me, and I just can't help but feel so lost without him. It sounds kinda cheesy, but I don't know what the world will be like without RJ. He brought so much joy to so many people, me included. I have beem on the brink of tears all day, and I don't feel the least bit ashamed to write that I cry silently even as I type these words. I will miss you, Mr. Jordan. The world will miss you, and we are all better for having been touch by your work.

 

Thank you, from the bottem of my heart.

Grant

[ALITA SEDAI]

:'(Why this title that’s easy I have been read RJ's WOT since 91 when it got released in mass paperback. I live in the UK so the book was the US release. What got my attention was the beautiful cover. I know you should never judge a book by a cover, but I DID AND I AM GLAD I DID!!! SO THERE :P.

Which is now, may I say is One of Greatest Works Of Fantasy I have ever or will read. I met RJ once when a came to England Birmingham to Andromeda Bookshop to promote The Fires of Heaven in 1993 where he signed the HB And my copy PP Eye of the World which have always been on pride of place on my bookcase. As with most fans I was very shy and in awe of this until then a faceless author of my favourite books. A big American man behind a simple table with a pen. What does one say to an idol, to someone who you spend so much of our free time immersed a world you come to love and people you care about for so long. How did write the book’s? With a pen or typewriter?  Oh God did I really say that What A MAJOR TWIT!!!! But he looked at me with a small smile while signing my book and said "Actually on my Computer if used a pen I would be in lots of pain." He said it with a simple humour I have never forgotten. I have been coming on this site, reading your blogs for a few years. But never registering. I learned of his illness but like so many believed he would recover. But today I walked into my local Waterstones and was so shocked, upset, and to be honest shocked to the core of my soul to learn of this great kind man has left me. I say me because all this time I lived and waited for each book to be released has always been one of my greatest pleasures in my life. Reading of Rand, Mat and Perrin and of course Nynaeve Egwene and Elayne. The world has lost the greatest writers of heroic fantasy. And I know our world will never be same with this great man gone, but never never ever will we forget this man who gave us all so much pleasure and joy. I send my condolence to his family at this awful time in their life; I will always remember my time meeting RJ. Miss You and All My Love

 

[halo6819]

i dont know if i can do much as far as helping out, but i would definitely attend

[Child of Lir]

Thank you Jason for your account of RJ's funeral. I found it very moving and it was so kind of you to share your experiences with all of us - and to take a little part of each of us there with you. I really appreciate it, as I am sure we all do.

 

Thank you again.

 

Child of Lir

[Giocasta]

Hey if you still need crocheters count me in. Although it seems as though i only have an H, J and K size hook with me right now and the pattern calls for an I, that can be remedied.

[Kaznen]

I was getting a little choked up when I read it.

[Guest nephitess]

we'd love to have you...once you are done let me know and i'll PM you my address. Thanks for your help!

 

SO, how are we all doing with the patches?? how many do we all have done? I've done 20 so far and have made a plan to do at least once a day untill i get everyones patches.

[Relluc]

Sorry it's taken me so long to register/post, but I've been deployed. I just wanted to take a moment to express my condolences and my thanks. Reading the WoT helped to ease the time spent away from family while deployed to the Gulf. His series took us away from the dirt, heat, dust, near constant terror of wondering if it was "your day".  May he rest in peace and may his family know that his books weren't just an absolute enjoyment to read, but therapeutic as well to those in a combat zone.

[Giocasta]

Sounds good, the pattern is pretty easy I can probably get a whole bunch done in the next week or two. I will let you know when I am done.

[damane]

i still can't get mine to come out right

[D1RTNAP]

I wish that I had gotten into Fantasy type books sooner. I have generally always leaned toward Science Fiction and while I still enjoy it, in the last year or so I have learned the joys of the Fantasy genre. I say this by way of intro because I wish that I had been exposed to the Wheel of Time years ago, so that I could have enjoyed the years of both enjoying these books, as well as the discussions of them. Also I have spent some time reading RJ's blog from around the last year, and I hate that I was too late getting into them to let him know how much I enjoyed the stories as a whole and his style in particular.

 

I send my condolences to his family, my regrets and sorrow for your loss. Any families loss hurts, and only now do I see the extent of the family that he like his Ta'veren has drawn to him. Clearly not only was he an immense story teller, but he also had an enormously supportive family to whom I also owe much thanks. Thank you to the members of his family and any others that had a hand in his creation. Thank you Mr. Rigney/Jordan for the many hours of joy I have recieved reading and listening to the audio versions of your books. They have inspired me to many hours of fantasizing, and entertained me on the road as I drive and enjoy your stories.

[Guest nephitess]

Whats going wrong?

 

[damane]

it's not coming out in the shape it is supposed to. i've tried everything, gonna get with someone who is more experienced next week and see if she can help me

[Doogie]

Yesterday I came home for lunch and I decided to come here to this site and see if anything new has transpired with RJ and see how he was doing.  I don't come here TOO often b/c everytime I hear something new about the new book A Memory of Light I get real excited and I know I still have a long ways to wait until it is supposed to come out.  Well, the last thing I expected was to see his passing had occurred back in the middle of September.  Now, I'm not someone who cries much at all.  Ever since I was a teenager I can probably count how many times I've cried b/c I do it so rarely.  However, reading the tragic news yesterday I could feel that burning in my eyes (the same feeling I'm experiencing now as I type this). 

 

Robert Jordan has been an inspiration to me.  I've been reading fantasy novels since I was a kid.  I've read thousands of books pertaining to that genre but no other author has shown such imagination and creativity than I've experienced with him.  He drew his readers into his wonderous world and you didn't want to leave.  There was history and a deep culture that fueled your desire to find out more about the people living within his books.

 

I will sorely miss his presence in the world.  I'm sure he fought until the very end.  May God bring you within his loving embrace Robert Jordan.  You will always be remembered as one of the greatest here.

[ImMorTaL]

A memory of light

 

Remember us,

For we did not die in vain

We the last heroes pray to light

In these moments we are afraid

But we do not stand alone

We fight not for are self’s

We fight for a future

The shadow is near

Remember our bravery

As the Gambler roles his last dice

The Wolf casts his last cry

As the Dragon sheds his last tear

We walk towards are life in light.

 

TK

[Guest nephitess]

ok good Idea hun! thanks for not giving up..LOL

[greywolfe226]

For those who have read these types of postings endlessly since RJ's death, I apologize.  This is the first time I've squirled up the courage to join in the worthy discussions here, and I would like to put my own two cents in on how RJ has made his mark on me. 

 

First, I'd like to offer my most heartfelt condolences to his wife and family.  I find it hard to fathom how you can feel with such a large part of your lives going on paths that you can't follow.  I pray and ask for His blessings on you and may He grant His peace that passes all understanding to you and your house.

 

Second, I rejoice that RJ was well known and knew well his Savior.  At least I know that I'll be able to sit at his feet and listen to his stories at some point in the future.  Until then he can keep the angels entertained and I have no doubt he'll do that well enough.

 

And now to the meat of why I felt that I should write something here.  I learned about Robert Jordan and his Wheel of Time back in 1992 and have read completely through the series twice a year since then.  Needless to say, for I'm sure it is with all who read them, the people in those books have taken on a life of their own and become some of my very favorite friends.  Robert Jordan....No...Jim Rigney has become one of the most influential men of my adult life.  Because of him, I have decided to persue a writing career.  Because of him I've never let my sense of wonder die.  Because of him I still battle the dragons and monsters of my imagination and have dared to put those struggles down on paper. 

 

Two days after his death I turned on my computer and hit my favorites button on the browser and checked the forums here as I had for the last 2 years.  Since I found out about them and at the same time Jim's Amyloidosis...  Incidentally, when he first wrote about it on here was the first time I ever read his blog.  And now after his leaving, I am writing here for the first time.  My mind did not want to consider that he may be gone.  And still it rebels against the thought that perhaps the greatest story-teller of my time is gone; that I'll not be able to look forward to his next saga. 

 

I am truly sorry for those closest to him.  I can only imagine that a good deal of the color has gone from your world.  I know it has because my own world has less magic than it did before I read the news of his passing.  I will continue to log on here.  I hope that I will be welcomed back as warmly as I have seen others welcomed.  And know that I pray for all those who feel "The Empty Hole" be they readers, family, or friends of Jim's.  God bless you and keep you. May his light shine down on you.

 

 

 

[Jaydena]

LOL still stuck one mine, can't seem to understand how to make it go to the shape I need. So how long till you move up here Neph?  :P

[Giocasta]

Hey Damane,

One thing I did wrong which threw off the entire shape was that on round one i only did ten sets of dc and ch but you need eleven. I don't know if you have tried that but I got hung up on a lopsided hexagon for awhile because of that, and slip stitching into the double instead of the single chain.

good luck

 

 

[Guest nephitess]

LOL...In December Jade. :)

 

I know you can do it...i guess there are not very good insructions in the pattern. Sorry guys. try this one...

 

Chain 6

 

RND 1: Slip stitch to connect the chains onto a circle. Chain three. Double Crochet *dc* eleven. Slip stitch into the first chain on begining chain three.

 

RND 2: Chain three. Three DC in backloop of first DC in RND 1. one DC in backloop of next DC of RND 1. do this five more times. you should have 6 groups of three DC seperated by 1 DC. connect with Slip Stitch *SS* in first chain of begining chain three of RND 2.

 

RND 3: same basic idea as RND 2. Three DC in first DC of RND 2. One DC in next three DC of RND 2. do this five more times. Connect with SS in first chain of RND 2.

 

RND 4: Same idea as last RND. Three DC in fist DC of RND 3. One DC in next five DC of RND 3. do this five more times. Connect with SS and finish.

 

I hope that is clear...please ask if you have any questions. I hope this pattern will be easier. *hugs all her little crafters!!*

[labdog]

Thank you. 

 

I just read the post the other day and have to admit, I did get the feeling I was there and appreciated the pictures, I've always wondered where he sat and actually wrote these incredible books.  I also forwarded the post to my brother whom I got to read "The wheel of time" series same time i did.

[ironcross]

i was going to try and do my patches when my wife went into labor but they decided to take the baby early and we dident have any of our stuff, so i wasent able to do them yet, but i did do an relly nice drawing of a sea folk raker escaping a seanchen man o war while blasting it with lightning. i will scan it and post it as soon as we get home from the hospital.  i still have some time off from work so maby ill be able to get a few patches done but obviously, for now, my wife and kid are going to be taking priority. 

[ironcross]

let me be the first to welcom you here.  we all miss him just as much as you do, and i know personaly that theres less majic in the world without him.  all i can say is that as long as we remember him and read his words we can keep his memory alive, and in a way, keep him alive.

[Guest nephitess]

Oh WOW...Congrats Iron. was it a girl or boy? don't worry about us..your family is more important.

[Stevros]

I have never been a master of words like Robert Jordan was, so I realise that what I put here will never do justice to such a great writer. I wish to say that it has been a pleasure reading his books and I will forever be grateful to my friend who introduced me to the WoT. I know this must be an extreemly difficult time for his family and my thoughts and prayers are with them. It is my belief that his books will continue to encaptivate people for years to come and I am thankful that he gave so much to everyone who reads his work.

To RJ!