James Oliver Rigney Jr., who wrote under the pseudonym Robert Jordan, was an American author primarily known for his epic fantasy series, The Wheel of Time. This monumental work, comprising 14 books and a prequel, achieved immense commercial success, selling 90 million copies worldwide. Before embarking on his most famous series, Jordan contributed original novels to the Conan the Barbarian franchise, which are highly regarded by fans. He utilized various pen names throughout his career, adapting them to different literary genres.

Jordan's early life included a childhood marked by early literacy and military service during the Vietnam War, where he served as a helicopter gunner and experienced events that influenced his perspective on life and death. After his military service, he pursued a career as a nuclear engineer before a serious knee injury led him to discover his passion for writing. He began his writing career in 1977, initially writing a fantasy novel by hand, which eventually led to a publishing opportunity. He and his editor, Harriet McDougal, later married, and their relationship informed the dynamics within his later fictional works.

Robert Jordan, whose birth name was James Oliver Rigney Jr., adopted various pen names throughout his writing career, with Robert Jordan becoming his most recognized moniker. His initial foray into writing began in 1977, driven by a newfound passion discovered during a period of recovery from injury. His first completed manuscript, 'Warriors of the Altaii,' was written by hand and demonstrated his rapid writing capability. Despite an initial publishing setback, he resigned from his nuclear engineering position to pursue writing full-time. His early work included the 'Fallon' saga and the western novel 'Cheyenne Raiders,' showcasing his versatility across genres.

Jordan's involvement with the Conan the Barbarian universe began when he was approached to write original novels within the established franchise. Although initially hesitant to work within another author's creation, he found the project to be a valuable exercise in creative discipline. He penned seven Conan novels between 1982 and 1984. Jordan described this work as 'completely over the top, full of purple prose,' and found it beneficial for learning to expand upon existing characters and worlds while still introducing new elements.

The epic fantasy series 'The Wheel of Time' became Robert Jordan's magnum opus. Initially conceived as a trilogy, the series grew significantly in scope, ultimately encompassing 14 books and a prequel, 'New Spring.' The writing of this series occupied much of his creative energy for the remainder of his life. While the early installments were met with critical acclaim and widespread popularity, later books saw a perceived slowing of pacing, attributed by some to the series' expanding narrative complexity. Jordan's dedication to the series was profound; even after a terminal diagnosis, he meticulously prepared extensive notes to ensure another author could complete the final book, 'A Memory of Light,' a task eventually undertaken by Brandon Sanderson.

Beyond his literary pursuits, James Rigney Jr. was a man of diverse interests, including history, hunting, fishing, sailing, and card games. He identified as a 'high church' Episcopalian and described his political views as 'libertarian monarchist.' His extensive reading habits led him to accumulate a personal library of over 14,000 books. Early relationships influenced his writing, particularly his exploration of complex interpersonal dynamics. He married his editor, Harriet McDougal, with whom he shared a collaborative working relationship that involved presenting his work chapter by chapter for revision.

“I can do better than that.”

“strangled that SOB, drove a stake through his heart, and buried him face down under a crossroad outside Saigon before coming home, because I knew that guy wasn't made to survive in a civilian environment.”

“the remover of obstacles”

“brooding”

“I had two girlfriends simultaneously, who arranged my dating schedule between them, who was going to date me on which night. They chipped in together to buy me birthday presents and Christmas presents. You know, they just sort of shared me between them, you know. And they had been friends before, and I am not quite sure whether or not they made the decision they were both going to date me or not, on their own, before they first met me, it just came about.”