On Wednesday September 16 James Oliver Rigney Jr (aka Robert Jordan) passed away from an unknown fever.
DragonMount

The world has lost one of its greatest authors.

God rest his spirit.

I'm surprised that you didn't hear the gnashing of teeth and wails of frustration from the long-suffering, anticipatory nerds the world over back when it happened.

Books 8 and 9 (in combination with the release rate after that) probably saved a great many people from that.

~J

My whole family has been reading his series over the years. I feel bad, because most of them were upset first that the Wheel of Time series wouldn't be finished than about his actual death. More disturbing was that they felt better when they heard that the end was supposed to be finished by a ghost writer. At least they had the decency to be a little ashamed about it.

and i had the misfortune to be informed via web comic

something positive

at first i thought they were joking and then i realized that it was true, and i was of the mind first that "Frag, now i wont have a favorite author to read" and second "Frag, i wont be able to see the end of the series"

i feel for his family and even at this late a date wish them well.

Rest in peace dear friend, let not this mortal world trouble you any longer.