The Eye of the World
The first novel in Robert Jordan’s #1 New York Times bestselling epic fantasy series, The Wheel of Time®.
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 The Two Rivers is attacked by Trollocs—a savage tribe of half-men, half-beasts–five villagers flee that night into a world they barely imagined, with new 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.
Robert Jordan
Robert Jordan (real name James Oliver Rigney, Jr, 1948–2007) was born in Charleston, South Carolina, where he lived in a house built in 1797 with his wife Harriet, who works as a book editor. He was a graduate of The Citadel, the Military College of South Carolina, with a degree in physics. He served two tours in Vietnam with the U.S. Army. A history buff, he also wrote dance and theater criticism. He enjoyed the outdoor sports of hunting, fishing, and sailing, and the indoor sports of poker, chess, pool, and pipe collecting. Jordan described himself as a ”High Church” Episcopalian. He died of amyloidosis in 16th of September, 2007.
The Wheel of Time
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. This saga is not only his story, but the story of an entire world’s struggle to deal with war and change, destruction and hope.
The Wheel of Time consists of fourteen primary books, and includes four additional books that complement the series but are not considered mandatory reads. The current recommended reading order for the series is provided below.
Book Reviews
I picked this book up in an airport in 1997 because I'm not a good flyer and needed something to distract me. I liked the cover art and the brief synopsis on the back. Fifteen years later...Robert Jordan is my absolute FAVORITE author. The Wheel of Time series is not an easy read. Jordan is hyper-descriptive to the point of madness sometimes, but because of the way he writes you really feel like you are THERE and the characters (and there are a LOT of them) are rich and full and you get a strong picture of who they are. There are few books/authors that measure up to this type of Epic story telling...if you have read these books and enjoyed them, Patrick Rothfuss is a fantastic writer who reads almost like poetry. If you are a true reader...pick up these books...it's a long commitment, but well worth the story!!!