World Fantasy Nominations

[EUOL]

As you may know, the nominations are due in just a few days.  You can do this via email if you were a participant of one of the last two conventions, I believe.

Might I make a suggestion?  As you may have noticed on my blog post today, I'm advocating Robert Jordan for the Grandmaster award.  It's popular to bash him for some reason, but I think he deserves it, particularly since we don't know how much longer he'll be around.

Nobody in the adult fantasy market has left more of an impact on more people's lives than Robert Jordan.  I read him when I was in junior high.  Sixteen years later, he's getting ready to wrap up the series, and I doubt that he's ever been acknowledged by the awards community.  It's a sad fact that we usually look down our noses at anyone who is too popular.  

So, anyway, if you haven't voted yet, consider Mr. Jordan.  And, of course, I wouldn't mind a nomination in the novel category myself!

[stacer]

I doubt I'll have a membership by then, sadly. Robert Jordan is who actually got me back on fantasy in college. A guy I was dating at the time really liked them and recommended them, and after my high school career of reading mainly books that bored me, it was so refreshing. I still haven't read the most recent one because it's just DRAGGING so. Nothing ever seems to happen. But I loved them, and still do love the earlier books, and I agree that he had a big impact on fantasy.

[Linternet]

I didn't know about the World Fantasy Nominations before reading about it on this site.

I agree and can't think of anyone who has had a greater impact on modern adult fantasy than Robert Jordan.  I was upset when I heard about his illness but I have been reading his blog and his optimism (along with the fact that he takes the time to update his fans - even as he needs 20 hours of sleep per day) is humbling.

I don't think it's his popularity that makes him a target.  I admit that I can't keep up with him easily and I can be a lazy reader.  I believe many are in the same boat.  "Amazing" is too weak a word to describe how he builds and maintains such a complex universe and who knows how many characters.  If I had the patience to go back and read every book again before reading the newest one I'm sure I'd get a lot more out of his series.  I get through it and enjoy what I can, content to just follow the major plots as if I'm watching a movie, but I can easily see someone getting frustrated enough to close the book.