Fantasy writer Robert Jordan by the numbers

One of fantasy's most acclaimed series, The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan, spins to its conclusion this week with the release of the final book, A Memory of Light (Tor), completed by Brandon Sanderson after Jordan's death in 2007. Sometimes compared to J.R.R. Tolkien, Jordan's saga explores the battle between good and evil.

1990: Year the first book, The Eye of the World, was published.

14: Books in series.

44 million: Copies in print of the series worldwide.

500,000: First printing for A Memory of Light.

4/9/2013: Release date for e-book version.

42: Running time in hours of the unabridged audio version.

909: Pages in final book.

179: Weeks Jordan's novels have spent on USA TODAY's Best-Selling Books list.

3: Titles that reached No. 1.

2: Tours served by Jordan in Vietnam as a helicopter gunner.

58: Jordan's age when he died on Sept. 16, 2007, of the rare blood disease amyloidosis.

3: Books completed by Sanderson.