The Gathering Storm Finished

[Charlz Guybon]

Another Update from Brandon Sanderson's Twitter page:

 

BrandonSandrson800/1400 pages of edits done. In answer to a question, in this format 1400 pages is around the length of EYE OF THE WORLD or CROWN OF SWORDS

7 minutes ago from Twadget

 

Man, I'm getting psyched! ;D And we still have months until the prologue comes out. :(

[Jonn]

When I made the quote, it still state the release date for "A Memory of Light, the last part of the world famous Wheel of Time series"

They've changed the name, but it still says it's the conclusion.

 

And you might think that if they were in doubt about page count (which they obviously must be since Sanderson is still doing last minute edits to the manuscript) you would put an "approx." in the page count.

You might think that if they didn't have a release date, they wouldn't make one up, or admit that whatever they had was subject to change. They don't. If they don't have the correct information, they'll make something up.

 

I gotta say, I still don't like the title. It's not very clever...It makes me worry.

 

I'm sorry, but I have to be an insufferable brat about this whole deal...This has to be close to perfect, not just good. Coming out with an iffy title out of the gate really bothers me.

 

I like Brandon Sanderson, he seems to have a good nature, and I like his books, but I just can't help but shake the feeling that's he's being backed into a corner here.

 

Look at some of his titles:

 

The Well of Ascension (love that one)

 

Elantris (nice, and very high fantasy)

 

Alcatraz vs. the Scrivener's Bones (A sense of humor and fun)

 

I just look at The Gathering Storm and imagine the meeting where people throw out ideas for something and this title as one of those ones that you would just go: "Hmmm...Next."

 

This is supposed to be the close of the greatest fantasy epic of our generation. There has got to be a more inspired choice of title than The Gathering Storm. It's like something I'd write to describe what happens to me when I eat too many beans.

 

My sense of hope and dread grows concurrently now. Everything that has been coming out of Tor of late has only been adding to the latter feeling.

[Mr Ares]

Normally, the worldvwide publisher sets the publication date, foreign distributors then publish in conjunction with that date (to avoid a foreign addition coming out prior to the domestic addition). On a high profile release like this its almost certain that the domestic and foreign additions are being synchronized thus what Tor says is the publication date is important.

It is quite common to see foreign editions out before US editions (with George R.R. Martin's books, for example). But this is starting to drift away from my original point, which was that Amazon frequently makes stuff up without saying it's a guess or approx. or similar. That would include page counts.

 

I gotta say, I still don't like the title. It's not very clever...It makes me worry.

 

I just look at The Gathering Storm and imagine the meeting where people throw out ideas for something and this title as one of those ones that you would just go: "Hmmm...Next."

Back when they planned to use the AMoL supertitle, something that generic wasn't a problem, but with the book just called The Gathering Storm, it feels rather weak. Like a placeholder, but they couldn't think of something better.

 

Tom and Harriet chatted' date=' and several things came up. One of the most dominating points was this: it had been four years since the fans had been given KNIFE OF DREAMS. Tom felt that we NEEDED to provide them a book in 2009. They couldn't wait until I finished the entire volume to publish something.[/quote']Why would they feel they need to publish a book in 09? It might be a nice thing to do, but it is hardly necessary.

[Shard]

It is if you want your company to earn money and stay in buisness.

 

After reading a synopsis of the Prologue the Title does make a bit more sense. Brandon even admitted and apologized for the weak title and promised the next two would be much more cleverer.

[Jonn]

It is if you want your company to earn money and stay in buisness.

 

After reading a synopsis of the Prologue the Title does make a bit more sense. Brandon even admitted and apologized for the weak title and promised the next two would be much more cleverer.

 

Uh, you could call this book Monkey Shats, and it would sell. Selling it is not a problem.

 

Ticking off the fans with a rushed and sloppily presented book is bad business.

 

And I don't know why Sanderson has to "apologize" for something that isn't his fault again and again. Not his idea to rush in and put up a November 09 deadline.

The title, again, not his doing.

 

I just get the awful feeling that there are a lot of things getting in the way of having this series end the way it was meant to by RJ.

 

Look, the way I interpret Tom Dohrety's decision to release a book this year, pointing out the fact that it has been four years since the last book, is that Tor needs this to be out, and to sell well. That's the business bottom line.

 

Instead of banking on one huge book up to two more years from now, the math wizards can see that maybe...three books in the same amount of time might be more...profitable?

 

Notice how we went from excitement when RJ was still alive and his promise to publish a giant final volume...to great sadness over losing him, to despair that we may not knew an ending to the tale, to hope when Sanderson was tapped and his insistence to follow through on RJ's words and structure...

 

Then we start to wonder about a possible split, and the concept of volumes for the finale AND LOOK-

 

There is no more concept of there being one last book. It's now viewed as three more books. There is no more concept of three volumes- it's books 12, 13 and 14. No more concept of it all reading like one continuous narrative as RJ envisioned it...it's now got to have manufactured endings for each artificially sundered section.

 

How easily people accept such a drastic change is beyond me.

 

I hold to the belief that RJ's interest in writing these novels DID NOT center on making the most profit, or how good sales would be. I don't think he ever stopped to think about how he could extend this series for profit. The wheel of Time comes off as a labor of love, something that RJ needed to do, a tale he MUST tell.

 

So, I really think the whole dynamic of Tor working on this project without RJ is lacking the balance of having a writer who will not agree to business decisions for the sake of it, but is coming from the angle of having to tell this tale his way FOR HIMSELF.

 

I guess what I would want right now is the sense that-

 

Sanderson can be meaner...that he would want to put up a fight, be more difficult, toil over his creative decisions and really battle to handle the project he was hired to complete really because of his talent. That he has the integrity of self to not toe the line every time he gets an order from on high. To me an artist cannot take orders for everything and remain creative in the right way. Yes, you have to have discipline and remain on task, but if you simply say yes to every request someone commissions you to do, what are you? You're a machine, painting by numbers.

 

I've read that Keanu Reeves is a pretty agreeable person on set, is always on time, professional, and listens. Let's face it though, he's not a great actor for the sake of advancing the craft. He's been in some pretty good movies, but really...

 

Russell Crowe throws phones at doormen. Christian Bale throws tantrums at directors. Now, both are pretty good actors who've been in some pretty good movies. The point is that you can be an actor and have less talent simply because you want the job. If you want to be in the conversation as a truly gifted artist though, you have to take risks and fight for the sake of the art. This does not necessitate being agreeable all the time.

 

I guess how this translates to Sanderson is, you may make this work and everyone is happy, your boss, you colleagues and the fans, but is it the best you could do without compromising?

 

Who knows? But the signs are already there that he is truly being forced to compromise. The uninspiring title- the concession and over-elaborate explanation for splitting the book into three books.

 

If you really believe that it is better why does it have the tone of having to convince the people to get on board with the changes made to the piece when you talk about it?

 

I just think Sanderson is at a great disadvantage here, because he doesn't own the story. I just don't think you can write effectively if you can't execute ultimate authority over the story you are writing.

He's taking a lot of direction from outside sources. Granted they are competent and well meaning, but an artist has to trust his or her own voice above all others. Someone could talk to RJ till they are blue in the face, but if he didn't want to compromise something he had the authority of ownership to do what he wanted. Sanderson is not afforded this, so although he may mean well and do an excellent job, I worry that he may be too appeasing, or a better thing to say would be accommodating.

 

Whatever happens I do hope...*sigh*

...I hope it turns out good, but honestly I'm starting to lose hope of it being phenomenal.

 

The feeling and the vision of this ending that I had when RJ was still with us and at the helm...even after he had passed and Sanderson had taken over, stating he would follow RJ's intention- It's gone.

 

It feels too different, and in fact it really is unrecognizable. New author, of course. New, mediocre title. 3 books instead of one. Sanderson changing his tune about how he would approach this project.

 

Looks and feels like A Memory of Light truly is just a memory now.

 

The Gathering Storm has the potential to be the gathering s*** storm instead.

[Mr Ares]

It is if you want your company to earn money and stay in buisness.

So Wheel of Time is their only profitable series? And how does making money and staying in business translate to it being necessary for the fans? That's really not an answer.

 

It feels too different' date=' and in fact it really is unrecognizable. New author, of course. New, mediocre title. 3 books instead of one. Sanderson changing his tune about how he would approach this project.[/quote']What next? RJ's name taken off the cover?

[Hallow]

Honestly, im THRILLED that the next book is out in November instead of in 2 years, I only finished knife of dreams a month ago but I feel like a drug addict on the rebound right now, I cant imagine how it's been for those whove already waited since Knife of dreams first came out.

[Bela]

haha, I have reread twice in that time. Just finished the whole series again about a week ago.

[Charlz Guybon]

It is if you want your company to earn money and stay in buisness.

 

After reading a synopsis of the Prologue the Title does make a bit more sense. Brandon even admitted and apologized for the weak title and promised the next two would be much more cleverer.

At the Con, or somewhere else?

[Casco]

800/1400 pages of edits done. In answer to a question, in this format 1400 pages is around the length of EYE OF THE WORLD or CROWN OF

 

1000/1400 pages done. In every edit, there are sections lacking edits. Was the writing cleaner, or was the editor caught up in the story?

 

1100/1400 pages of line edits entered. And time for sleep. Getting close.

 

1200/1400. Harriet emailed me and quipped that the 'vultures at Tor are circling' wondering where their manuscript is. Better hurry! ;)

 

1300/1400 pages of line edits done. Once done, I'll have read through this book sixteen times total.

 

Okay! Line edits all DONE. Now on to spell-checking the document and looking over the chapter titles and ornaments one last time.

 

It's off. Draft 16 sent to Charleston. Now Tor goes to production. I will get some more chances to tweak, but it's essentially done.

 

 

 

 

Its realy fun to follow Brandon on the Twitter site :D http://twitter.com/BrandonSandrson

[Shard]

From his Blog:

 

That title swap came at me rather fast. I plan to be ready for the next one, so hopefully we'll have the time to produce something a little more evocative. I don't mind THE GATHERING STORM, but I do realize that it is one of the more bland Wheel of Time titles. (My favorite title, by the way, is THE CROSSROADS OF TWILIGHT.)

 

I realize I may be putting in some of my own interpretation but it does sound like an apology to me. Especially since this was supposed to be a subtitle to A Memory of Light.

[Kadere]

At the Con Harriet said Brandon told her he would change the title of the second volume, and the third might be titled A Memory of Light, but they haven't worked it out yet.

[Charlz Guybon]

;D

http://media.us.macmillan.com/video/olmk/fall09/Tor-Fall-09-1.pdf

 

    In this epic novel, Robert Jordan’s international bestselling series begins its dramatic conclusion. Rand al’Thor, the Dragon Reborn, struggles to unite a fractured network of kingdoms and alliances in preparation for the Last Battle. As he attempts to halt the Seanchan encroachment northward—wishing he could form at least a temporary truce with the invaders—his allies work in desperation to forestall the shadow that seems to be growing within the heart of the Dragon Reborn himself.

    Egwene al’Vere, the Amyrlin Seat of the rebel Aes Sedai, is a captive of the White Tower and subject to the whims of their tyrannical leader. As days tick toward the Seanchan attack she knows is imminent, Egwene works to hold together the disparate factions of Aes Sedai while providing leadership in the face of increasing uncertainty and despair. Her fight will prove the mettle of the Aes Sedai, and her conflict will decide the future of the White Tower—and therefore the world itself.

    The Wheel of Time turns, and Ages come and pass. What was, what will be, and what is, may yet fall under the Shadow.

[Vambram]

http://www.brandonsanderson.com/blog/779/TGS-Turned-In!---Book-Signing-News

 

Now, on to THE GATHERING STORM news. The last few weeks have consisted of entering final tweaks, as requested by Team Charleston as they read the final (but not really final) draft of the book. I got these all in (doing the last of them on the flight to Atlanta--note to self, next time get Business class, as writing on a full sized laptop in coach is killer. When I got to Atlanta, I found that Harriet had brought me line edits. This is where the editor goes line by line in the book and tweaks the language, fixing typos but also revising for clarity, detail, and general readability. Harriet is very good at this, but it meant another few solid days of revision for me, as I needed to enter the changes into the manuscript. It's better for me to do this myself, rather than just having a typist do it, as line edits are often meant to be suggestions or nudges, rather than always just straight revisions. In almost all cases, I just enter the line edits as marked--but there are places where a revision from Harriet sparks me to do a tweak in a different way that I think will help more, and I also can make arguments for certain changes not being made if I feel they change the meaning too much or do something I think Harriet might not have expected. (In some places of a manuscript, a certain phrase will be used intentionally in order to connect to a different phrase somewhere else, and you have to watch how you tweak these.)

 

Anyway, I finished these yesterday, then made a few spot changes and sent the book off to Charleston. So, in short, the final, final edit is in--though now it goes to copyedit. Copyedit is where a different editor reads through focusing specifically on continuity and looking for typos. Very little is actually changed editorially. I can still make changes when the copyedit comes back, but I'll have to do them on-paper rather than electronically. (Actually, Robert Jordan's editorial assistant Maria will probably handle the copyedit herself, so I'll send any last-minute changes I want to her for insertion.)

 

That's probably more detail than you needed to know. I guess the thing that it would be good for you to know is that the book is now officially 'In production.' That means we've hit our deadline, and the boulder--so long perched on the peak--has started rolling down the cliff. You no longer have to worry if some phantom problem is going to delay it. It is in, and it is coming.

 

 

8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8)

[Elgee]

Yay! Egwene and the Tower in the first book/volume  ;D

 

I loved reading about the procedures  :D

[Rael]

I am really happy that the White Tower will be somewhat resolved in this volume. Should be a really exciting, action-packed novel. I wish it wasn't split up but I think BS and Harriet will deliver with this one.

 

Thanks guys for keeping me updated. ^^

[Negawonka]

I am somewhat displeased that Egwene will occupy most of the first volume to tell the truth. It is not as much as I dislike reading in her perspective as it is that I have grown to dislike reading about Aes Sedai in general as of the last couple of books. I would much rather have it go

 

First Volume - Mat and the Tower of Ghenji

Second Volume - Egwene and the White Tower

Third Volume - Tarmon Gaiden

 

with all the other view points meshed in there.

 

Having waited for a few years now to read more Mat stuff I can only hope that the first volume at least has some Mat stuff in it.

[Bela]

I think Rand is going to take up the majority of the happenings in these books. He has been hiding and quiet for a while but I feel like he has some plans, some major plans. Mat/ToG doesn't seem like it would be able to fill that many chapters, I doubt his journey there will be very descriptive. Egwene may get some quick chapters too. Seems like Elaida is ready to fall. One thing I am curious about is whether the Black Ajah is going to be routed out, or when the tower is mended and Egwene is amyrlin, if they will try to assassinate her or break the tower again before leaving on the march for TG.

[Darth_Andrea]

Where was the write up on the outriggers from Jordan*con posted? I can't find it :(

 

 

 

Darth_Andrea       

[Ludmian]

There's a thread about it here on this board. I see you've already found it, but just in case anybody else needs it:

 

http://forums.dragonmount.com/index.php/topic,42625.0.html

 

Something from DM news:

 

The first of the three remaining books will be entitled THE GATHERING STORM.

The working title for the second book is SWIRLING WINDS, but that is likely to change

The third and final book in the WoT series will be entitled either TARMON GAI’DON or simply, A MEMORY OF LIGHT. (Which do you prefer? Leave your thoughts in the comments!)

 

So now it's Swirling Winds instead of Shifting Winds. To me the new title sounds even worse. Hope they will come up with something better.

 

As for the third title, I don't like either alternative. Tarmon Gai'don is the lamest title imaginable. A Memory of Light is beautiful, poetic and simply awesome. But the book that RJ wanted to call A Memory of Light exists no more. Somehow it seems to me wrong to give this title to a different book.

[Vambram]

Somehow, it seems right to me, to allow Robert Jordan's wife to be the one to decide the titles for these final three books, and I shall be perfectly happy to accept whatever Harriet decides to chose to name each one of these final three books.

[Shard]

I would still like A Memory of Light to be used for the last book. The second book could be Tarmon Gai'den

[Mr Ares]

Somehow, it seems right to me, to allow Robert Jordan's wife to be the one to decide the titles for these final three books, and I shall be perfectly happy to accept whatever Harriet decides to chose to name each one of these final three books.

Because being married to RJ magically gives you the ability to come up with good names? Somehow, it seems right to me to give the books good names.

 

I would still like A Memory of Light to be used for the last book. The second book could be Tarmon Gai'den

TG probably won't take place in it though.

[RobertAlexWillis]

Because being married to RJ magically gives you the ability to come up with good names? Somehow, it seems right to me to give the books good names.

 

If by "wife" you mean "empty headed trophy piece who is asked to stay in the bedroom except when cooking good meals", then no.  But if by "wife" you mean "professional editor who has been intimately involved in the production of the series since its conception", then the answer is much more likely to be "yes".

 

Pretending that Harriet's qualifications are limited to being RJ's wife is disingenuous.

 

That said, I think the titles should be judged on their content, if we have it, and "Swirling Winds" sucks, in my opinion.  I still like "The Trumpets of Battle" or "Rent in Fire and Blood".

 

In short, I agree with your conclusion, but not the route you took to it.

[Roxinos]

...empty headed trophy piece who is asked to stay in the bedroom except when cooking good meals...

 

What other definition of a wife is there?

 

Sheesh...