`Dragonmount` | The Wheel of Time Saga

The Wheel of Time
by Robert Jordan

	What is "The Wheel of Time"? The Wheel of Time is an epic fantasy book series written by Robert Jordan. There are currently eleven books in the series, all of which are telling the same story and weaving towards the ultimate climax. There will probably be fourteen books for the main story line. Books 12 through 14 are being completed by fantasy author Brandon Sanderson, as Robert Jordan passed away in 2007. He left an abundance of notes and audio recordings, however, which allowed his family and Brandon to tie up the series in a way that very closely matches his original vision. The first book, The Eye of the World was published in 1990 by Tor Books and has been in continuous print ever since. Each book the series has appeared on the New York Times best-seller list, and most of them have been #1 when they first come out. What's it about? Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time is a story that takes place both in our past and our future. In his fantasy world, the Dark One, the embodiment of pure evil, is breaking free from his prison. The overall plot is about a man who learns that he is the reincarnation of the world's messiah and is once again destined to save the world from the Dark One -- but possibly destroy it in the process. What are the books like? Often compared to The Lord of the Rings, this series differs in some key elements. First, The Wheel of Time is significantly longer than LotR. Humans are the main focus, although there are other intelligent races; if far fewer than what J.R.R Tolkien envisioned. The books begin very simply, but they quickly escalate into one of the grandest epic sagas ever written. With a cast of characters in the thousands, Jordan weaves together dozens of plot lines, all of which eventually come back to the basic story. He deconstructs our own myths and cultures by showing how they might have actually happened and still become known by how we know them today. A former nuclear engineer, Jordan creates a world that is goverened by complex rules, but all of which have logical consequences, even if they are hard to predict. Although the books focus on a specific number of characters, this truly is a story about a world on the brink of a new Age. It's themes focus on the nature of time, the dissemination of information, and, of course, the balance of the sexes. Which book do I start with? There are two possible starting points within the series. The first is with The Eye of the World which was the first book written for the series. This is where most people start, and where we recommend you begin. The other possibility is that you may begin with New Spring which is a prequel novel. The story in this novel takes place 20 years before the main sequence novels. The book was marketed as being "In the beginning" and Robert Jordan did say fans could start there. Despite this, most people will find it a smoother and more enjoyable ride to begin with Eye of the World.
Main Sequence Novels
	The Eye of the World Book 1 of The Wheel of Time - Originally published in February, 1990 More Info \| Chapter Summaries \| Buy it
	The Great Hunt Book 2 of The Wheel of Time - Originally published in November, 1990 More Info \| Chapter Summaries \| Buy it
	The Dragon Reborn Book 3 of The Wheel of Time - Originally published in November, 1991 More Info \| Chapter Summaries \| Buy it
	The Shadow Rising Book 4 of The Wheel of Time - Originally published in November, 1992 More Info \| Chapter Summaries \| Buy it
	The Fires of Heaven Book 5 of The Wheel of Time - Originally published in November, 1993 More Info \| Chapter Summaries \| Buy it
	Lord of Chaos Book 6 of The Wheel of Time - Originally published in November, 1994 More Info \| Chapter Summaries \| Buy it
	A Crown of Swords Book 7 of The Wheel of Time - Originally published in June, 1996 More Info \| Chapter Summaries \| Buy it
	The Path of Daggers Book 8 of The Wheel of Time - Originally published in October, 1998 More Info \| Chapter Summaries \| Buy it
	Winter's Heart Book 9 of The Wheel of Time - Originally published in October, 2000 More Info \| Chapter Summaries \| Buy it
	Crossroads of Twilight Book 10 of The Wheel of Time - Originally published in January, 2002 More Info \| Chapter Summaries \| Buy it
	Knife of Dreams Book 11 of The Wheel of Time - Originally published in October, 2005 More Info
	The Gathering Storm Book 12 of The Wheel of Time - Written by Robert Jordan & Brandon Sanderson. Release date: Nov 3, 2009 More info
Prequel Novels
	New Spring: The Novel Prequel 1 of The Wheel of Time - Originally published in January, 2003 More Info \| Chapter Summaries \| Buy it
	[Untitled Prequel 2] Prequel 2 of The Wheel of Time - Publishing time unknown More info to come
	[Untitled Prequel 3] Prequel 3 of The Wheel of Time - Publishing time unknown More info to come
Other Books & Stories
	The World of Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time An illustrated guide to The Wheel of Time - Originally published in 1998 Also contains information about The Strike at Shayol Ghul. More Info \| Buy it \| The Strike at Shayol Ghul