The Eye of the World: Book One of The Wheel of Time (Wheel of Time, 1)
The Wheel of Time is now an original series on Prime Video, starring Rosamund Pike as Moiraine!
The Eye of the World, the first novel in Robert Jordan's #1 New York Times bestselling epic fantasy series, The Wheel of Time®, follows Moiraine Damodred as she arrives in Emond's Field on a quest to find the one prophesized to stand against The Dark One.
The Wheel of Time turns and Ages come and pass, leaving memories that become legend. Legend fades to myth, and even myth is long forgotten when the Age that gave it birth returns again. What was, what will be, and what is, may yet fall under the Shadow.
When a vicious band of half-men, half beasts invade the Two Rivers seeking their master’s enemy, Moiraine persuades Rand al’Thor and his friends to leave their home and enter a larger unimaginable world filled with dangers waiting in the shadows and in the light.
Since its debut in 1990, The Wheel of Time® has captivated millions of readers around the globe with its scope, originality, and compelling characters. The last six books in series were all instant #1 New York Times bestsellers, and The Eye of the World was named one of America's best-loved novels by PBS's The Great American Read.
The Wheel of Time®
New Spring: The Novel
#1 The Eye of the World
#2 The Great Hunt
#3 The Dragon Reborn
#4 The Shadow Rising
#5 The Fires of Heaven
#6 Lord of Chaos
#7 A Crown of Swords
#8 The Path of Daggers
#9 Winter's Heart
#10 Crossroads of Twilight
#11 Knife of Dreams
By Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson
#12 The Gathering Storm
#13 Towers of Midnight
#14 A Memory of Light
By Robert Jordan and Teresa Patterson
The World of Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time
By Robert Jordan, Harriet McDougal, Alan Romanczuk, and Maria Simons
The Wheel of Time Companion
By Robert Jordan and Amy Romanczuk
Patterns of the Wheel: Coloring Art Based on Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time
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Community Reviews
The first in an epic fantasy, The Eye of the World, opens a new world for readers everywhere.
Compelling Start
I am shocked that I have never picked up the Wheel of Time series before now. Considering I lived in the fantasy section of the bookstore, plucking a book off the shelf and then sitting in the aisle to read, I am shocked that it never once occurred to me to pick up this series.
However, with the new Amazon Prime show, I was determined to read book one before beginning the show.
And here we are.
The Eye of the World originally came out in the 90s, but with this new publication, there are two prologues. It was exciting to see the story pull itself together with these prologues. First, we are given brief introductions into these characters at a younger age, following them through a time of innocence before we are thrust into a life of The Dragon, the Chosen One who is reincarnated time after time only to fall to darkness. Or so that is what the story alludes to.
There is a bit of mystery working here, which works well for any good fantasy, especially one that sends our band of heroes on a quest to get from point A to point B.
A Little Heavy on the Tropes
As much as I did enjoy reading and listening to The Eye of the World (I split my time between reading the physical trade paper to listening to the audiobook), I will say it did capture many of those fantasy tropes.
Our main hero, our chosen one, is a farm boy—however, not just any farm boy, an adopted one with no clue to his past. I have seen this done many times, yet I am still charmed by it. I am probably a sucker for a good farm boy story (i.e., Superman, Eragon, Luke Skywalker).
Then, of course, our band of heroes gets separated! Honestly, I was reminded of Tolkien. However, again, not a bad thing; I quite like it when the bad of heroes gets separated because there is more room for development, not only of the story but also for the characters.
While The Eye of the World captures many fantasy tropes, the story is enjoyable. It filled me, as a reader, with this sense of familiarity as I read it. Moreover, we got to see the characters change so drastically from who they were initially. I do not think the story would have been as entertaining had the bad of heroes not split up because we are led to believe they are all important in some way or another.
The Eye of the World gives the reader time to know the heroes as they venture through the world. They change and evolve; they come to accept so much about themselves that challenges everything they thought they knew. Their little town of Two Rivers was so secluded from the rest of the world, but now they have to figure out how they fit into their new lives as the world changes and turns around them.
Final Thoughts
The Eye of the World is an excellent start to a new series. It flows, keeps the adventure and world-building up, and allows for strong character growth.
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