From Tor.com:
A while ago we announced that Michael Whelan will be creating the ebook cover art for A Memory of Light, the final volume of The Wheel of Time. I am proud to announce that his artwork will also be used in the print edition.
Everyone at Tor was deeply saddened to hear the news that Darrell K. Sweet had passed away and deciding how to complete the series without him was a challenge that none of us wanted. In choosing Michael Whelan, however, the series gains an artist who has dedicated his four-decade-long career to interpreting fantasy and science fiction literature in a way that is true to the source material while serving as an inspirational centerpiece on it’s own. We are thrilled to have him on board for this series.
From Whelan himself: “I’m flattered to no end to have been asked to work on such a prestigious and popular project. My only regret is that it had to come under such unfortunate circumstances; I never would have accepted had Darrell been here to see the Wheel of Time saga to it’s completion. It will always remain a testament to his career, and I’m humbled to stand in his shadow for the work on the final volume.”
We do not have a cover reveal date yet but rest assured we will reveal it as soon as possible.
Sweet being replaced by my favourite cover artist of all time? Good deal. It’s obviously a bummer that the series won’t match, and I half expected Tor to ‘discover’ a nearly complete painting by Sweet (but actually emulated by another artist based on Sweet’s drafts) to cover the final novel. An unfortunate situation all around, but Whelan’s as good a consolation prize as any Wheel of Time fan could wish for.
