Lost Symbol Out, Gathering Storm In

By Neal 

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Brandon Sanderson, the fantasy author handpicked to complete the late Robert Jordan‘s Wheel of Time series, chats with “Storm Leaders” and Tor employees at a reception in the Flatiron Building yesterday afternoon toasting the debut of The Gathering Storm, the first of three volumes expanding upon Jordan’s unfinished material, in the top slot of the New York Times bestseller list for hardcover fiction. (As one publicist was said to have exclaimed shortly before our arrival, “Take that, Dan Brown!”) Meanwhile, Tor’s founder, Tom Doherty, touches base with Macmillan CEO John Sargent. Just a few hours later, Sanderson would head over to the Union Square Barnes & Noble, where fans had begun staking out seats for his reading shortly after noon.

Also, there was cake. Chocolatey, chocolatey cake, with a dragon on top.