The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan is one of those epic fantasy series that is often spoken of in the same breath as The Lord of the Rings. It is a story filled with its own dramatic history, lands, and a cast of characters that continue to captivate readers 35 years and many books later.
In the world of the Wheel of Time, the One Power is a source of strength and magic for those known as channelers. This wellspring emanates from something referred to as the True Source and has two halves that are constantly working against each other and with each other. Saidin, which can be wielded only by men, and Saidar by women.
Long ago in the Age of Legends, an immensely powerful male channeler, Lews Therin Telamon, (known as The Dragon), took the Hundred Companions and worked together to seal the Dark One. But this resulted in a taint on Saidin, which went on to cause any man who could channel to go mad. This madness led to the Breaking of the World, and unfortunately, the seal was destined not to last forever, and it was prophesied that the Dragon would be reborn and spell the coming of the final confrontation between him and the Dark One, in the Last Battle. It is here that the Wheel of Time books begin.
If you are looking at getting into the books after the Prime Video series' unfortunate cancellation, the show roughly translates the first two seasons, covering the first two books, and the final third season does an amalgamation of the fourth and fifth books, with the fourth, The Shadow Rising, serving as the main base.
How Many Wheel of Time Books Are There?
The Wheel of Time is composed of 14 books and was released in mostly chronological order (a couple of books happen concurrently) and is a series best read in release order. Due to Robert Jordan’s unfortunate passing in 2007, he wasn’t able to complete the series himself, leaving the final book, A Memory of Light, unwritten. However, thanks to his notes, a substantial amount of Memory of Light was already written, and with the guidance of his longtime editor and spouse, Harriet McDougal, the final chapter was delivered to fans with the help of fellow epic fantasy writer Brandon Sanderson. The same author behind works including Mistborn: The Final Empire, A Way of Kings, and the other novels set in his Cosmere universe.
1. The Eye of the World
Brandon Sanderson took the work that Jordan had done already on Memory of Light, and with approval and support from Harriet, opted to split it into three novels and expanded on it to deliver the final part of the Wheel of Time series.
12. The Gathering Storm
New Spring
Released in 2004, New Spring is a novella that takes place 20 years before The Eye of the World. After it is revealed to Moraine, Siuan Sanche, and the Amyrlin Seat of the time, that the Dragon has been reborn. This tells the tale of how Moirane and her Warder, Lan, first meet, and the early days of Moirane's search that will one day lead her to a small village called Two Rivers.
River of Souls (Robert Jordan & Brandon Sanderson) - Unfettered Collection
River of Souls is a small selection of scenes that were written for A Memory of Light from the perspective of the Forsaken Demandred during his time in Shara. It was included in the anthology Unfettered, which was put together to help author Shawn Speakman with his medical debt gained while being treated for Hodgkin's Lymphoma.
Companion Books
With such a large and expansive world full of lore and its own history, companion books have been released that give additional details and explanations to aspects of the story.
The World of Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time
Written and edited by Teresa Patterson, The World of Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time collects notes and information provided by Jordan. This was originally published with Illustrations in 1997, with an updated one a year later, with information up through The Path of Daggers. This book, while still worthwhile to look through for die-hard fans, doesn’t include details of the later books or the end of the series, as they hadn’t been written yet.
The Wheel of Time Companion: The People, Places, and History of the Best Selling Series
For anyone who really wants to dive deep into the lore of the world and characters of the books, should check out the Wheel of Time Companion book. This volume, formatted almost like a dictionary with an A-Z format, gives you great breakdowns and details of your favorite characters, maps, portraits, histories, and so much more. A great tome to add to your shelf once you finish A Memory of Light!
Origins of the Wheel of Time
For folks that want to know more about the story behind The Wheel of Time and the man who wrote it, Origins of the Wheel of Time is a non-fiction title that reveals details of Jordan's writing process in creating these books and various real-world inspirations he found to pull into it.
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