I’ve seen people talk about actors and artists that had a terrible time.
My own would be Anne Rice. She wrote Interview with the Vampire after her young daughter died of Leukemia. Then her husband suddenly died of a brain hemorrhage. I suspect her Christian, anti-fanfic phase was a result of mental illness and manipulation from the publishers, although I don’t think she ever apologized.
Robert Jordan. The guy loved his fans and wrote most of a beloved series (including a wonderful ending scene), but died of cancer before the last books could be finished. He deserved to see the series come to an end and how much joy it brought people.
And of courses the requisite statement, that Brandon Sanderson did a pretty good job of finishing the series. Even he has said not as good as if Robert Jordan had done it–specifically I know he’s said that he feels his characterization of Mat was more like early series Mat than late series Mat, and that he wishes he’d adjusted it a bit.
It kind of annoys me that he did such a good job. I’m kinda really not into his work. But I’m fully aware that he is generally a well regarded figure in the fantasy genre.
Have you read The Way of Kings? It’s some of my favorite Sanderson. I think he did a great job on the wrap up and was really glad that his taking over WoT introduced me to him back in 08-09. He’s my favorite author currently.
I would say though that though I do feel bad for Jim, I also feel bad and possibly worse for Harriet (his wife and editor/publisher). She was with him all the way through and never got to see him finish the series, then saw someone else finish it and there had to be a really contradictory beautiful melancholy in that experience.
For what it’s worth, I remember reading somewhere that she gave Sanderson her blessing to finish the series after he gave a very moving eulogy at Jordan’s funeral, so at least she had some say in finishing it up.
Nah, I read Elantris, and the first Mistborn trilogy, and I just sorta didn’t feel like continuing. I hear Stormlight Archives is supposed to be his top tier stuff, though.
Yeah elantris is his first ever books and is understandably rough. Mistborn was fine but eh to me. Stormlight really was much better than them imo.
Wholely agree. And it’s clear that Jordan had so many other ideas for stuff within the wot world (a Tam prequel, the Mat/Toun Seanchan books).
Jordan deserved to finish his series.
I believe you meant to say “Empress Fortuona, may she live forever”. Might as well add “Knotai, Prince of Ravens” to that one.