The Wheel of Time Books in Order: Wheel of Time Reading Order

October 12, 2021

We love the Wheel of Time epic fantasy series written by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson (after Jordan’s passing in 2007). While not as well known as Game of Thrones or Lord of the Rings, the series has its band of loyal followers. The series is so popular that Amazon bought the rights to make a TV series that airs on November 19, 2021. In this post, we’ll provide you with The Wheel of Time reading order so that you can read The Wheel of Time books in order.

The main series consists of 14 books and a prequel. There have also been a number of graphic novels and companion books developed over the years. Below you’ll find a list of all of the Wheel of Time books in order.

Table of Contents

The Wheel of Time Chronological Order

An alternative reading order for The Wheel of Time is to read the prequel first. We only recommend this order once you’ve read the series once since there are things mentioned in the prequel that make more sense after reading through book 10.

1. New Spring – Prequel (2004)

2. The Eye of the World (1990)

3. The Great Hunt (1990)

4. The Dragon Reborn (1991)

5. The Shadow Rising (1992)

6. The Fires of Heaven (1993)

7. Lord of Chaos (1994)

8. A Crown of Swords (1996)

9. The Path of Daggers (1998)

10. Winter’s Heart (2000)

11. Crossroads of Twilight (2003)

12. Knife of Dreams (2005)

13. The Gathering Storm (2009)

14. Towers of Midnight (2010)

15. A Memory of Light (2012)

The Wheel of Time Series

Robert Jordan (real name: James Oliver Rigney Jr.) began writing the Wheel of Time series in 1990 with The Eye of the World. The series consists of 14 books and a prequel. Unfortunately, Robert Jordan passed away in 2007 and did not finish writing the series. The 12th book was supposed to be the final book of the series, but when Brandon Sanderson, a well-known sci-fi writer, took over the series, he realized there was too much content to include in one book so he split the 12th book into three books. Below is The Wheel of Time book order including the prequel and books written by Brandon Sanderson.

The Wheel of Time Graphic Novels Order

Well-known comic book writer Chuck Dixon, working closely with the Jordan estate, created the New York Times bestselling graphic novel adaptation of Robert Jordan’s international bestseller.

The Eye of the World: The Graphic Novel (Volume One) – 2011
The Eye of the World: The Graphic Novel (Volume Two) – 2012
The Eye of the World: The Graphic Novel (Volume Three) – 2013
The Eye of the World: The Graphic Novel (Volume Four) – 2013
The Eye of the World: The Graphic Novel (Volume Five) – 2014
The Eye of the World: The Graphic Novel (Volume Six) – 2015

The Wheel of Time Companion Books

There are several companion books that Robert Jordan and others created to help people understand the Wheel of Time universe.

The Wheel of Time Book Summaries

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.

The 14 book series (and prequel) follow the lives of three young men, Rand al’Thor, Matrim Cauthon, or Perrin Aybara, during the coming of the Dragon Reborn who will save humanity from the Dark One.

The Wheel of Time series has 14 fantasy-packed novels. It also has a prequel book and two companion novels. This article will be outlining the Wheel of Time Book plots in the prequel and its main subsequent works. Find below the plots and reading order of The Wheel of Time book series.

The Prequel: New Spring

The city of Tar Valon is introduced as the place where a legendary baby will be born. This child, or the Dragon Reborn, is prophesied to change the world. All should go as planned, as long as the Shadow doesn’t kill him first.

Book 1: The Eye of the World

Five villagers must flee into an unknown world to escape a group of half-man/half beasts known as Trollocs with the help of two strangers, Moiraine and Lan. These people of the Two Rivers nation have no idea what the armies of the Shadow, and light, have in store for them.

Book 2: The Great Hunt

This novel follows a quest to retrieve the Horn of Valere. An intriguing figure who knows the identity of the Dragon Reborn visits the protagonists. Egwene, Nynaeve, and Elayne visit Tar Valon’s White Tower on their own mission. Will the mythical horn be found?

Book 3: The Dragon Reborn

Rand al’Thor is the Dragon Reborn. His first quest takes him to the Stone of Tear fortress to find the sword Callandor and determine whether his destiny is to battle the Dark One.

Book 4: The Shadow Rising

The Dark One stirs and touches the world as the seals of Shayol Ghul. Humanity is threatened by the looming Shadow. The Reborn Dragon plans his next move while in the Stone of Tear, but no one expects his final decision.

Book 5: The Fires of Heaven

Rand al’Thor now graces the forbidden city, Rhuidean, with his presence and conceals a secret. Elaida do Avriny a’Roihan occupies the White Tower formulating other plans, unbeknownst to anyone else, that could put things further in jeopardy.

Book 6: Lord of Chaos

Myrddraal swords are being made on the slopes of Shayol Ghul. The Lord of the Two Rivers, Perrin Goldeneyes, prepares to march after feeling the tug of ta’veren to ta’veren. Caemlyn’s Morgase makes a surprising ally and an embassy is prepared for Caemlyn.

Book 7: A Crown of Swords

The Wheel of Time Book plots thicken as Mat, Elayne, and Aviendha come closer to finding the bowl ter’angreal. It may be the only thing that can restore the natural weather and calm the deadly heat wave piercing the world. Rand al’Thor battles the Forsaken Sammael within the shadows of Shadar Logoth, with the Mashadar waiting hungrily nearby.

Book 8: The Path of Daggers

The Seanchan’s invasion force has taken ownership of the Ebou Dar. Nynaeve, Elayne, and Aviendha discover an enemy more threatening than Seanchan while on the way to Caemlyn. Rand vows to defeat the Seanchan once again but the Asha’man begins showing signs of going mad.

Book 9: Winter’s Heart

Rand is on the run with Min. Cadsuane tries to uncover his plans. The leader of the Black Tower, Mazrim Taim, turns out to be quite the liar, which begs the question of what he is really up to. Perrin searches for Faile and Slayer stalks Tel’aran’rhiod and the wolfdream.

Book 10: Crossroads of Twilight

Mat Cauthon flees Ebou Dar with his betrothed, the Daughter of the Moon, but realizes that their safety is in jeopardy if he keeps her and if he lets her go. The males of Asha’man may soon be the only ones left to fight the Dark One if Egwene al’Vere does not quickly extinguish the heart of Aes Sedai’s power.

Book 11: Knife of Dreams

Egwene is believed to be dead because her boat was found overturned but that may be far from true. This assumption has caused chaos amongst the Rebel Aes Sedai. The White Tower is no longer a safe place and Rand al’Thor must come to terms with the Dark One possibly being humanity’s last hope.

Book 12: The Gathering Storm

The last battle, Tarmon Gai’don, is quickly approaching. Egwene is held captive by the White Tower and is at the mercy of their tyrannical leader. The Dragon Reborn struggles to unite fractured kingdoms in preparation for the upcoming war.

Book 13: Towers of Midnight

The Third Age is coming to an end as the turmoil continues. Perrin Aybara is haunted by some challenges from the past and decides to find answers in Tel’aran’rhiod. Matrim Cauthon prepares to confront the hardest setback in his life, as the Aelfinn and the Eelfinn creatures torment his mind.

Book 14: A Memory of Light

Rand gathers all of the nations for a meeting to prepare for the war but not everyone is on board with what he has planned. The war proves difficult for everyone as they all scramble to make the best of their new agreement. The Last Battle on the Field of Merrilor is quite revealing for the parties involved and the Blight’s fate is sealed by the end, along with a few others’ fates as well.

About Wheel of Time Authors, Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson

Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson are the co-authors of the Wheel of Time series.

Jordan started the series in 1984. It was initially planned as a six-book series. However, he passed on in 2007 before he could finish the last one. He left notes that were so extensive that another author could easily finish it. That was where Brandon Sanderson came in.

However, Sanderson found the finish to be way too large to complete in just one book. So the series continued into three volumes of a total of 14 books instead of just the one.

Robert Jordan Biography

Jordan’s real name was James Rigney Jr. Jordan was also one of the many co-authors of the original Conan the Barbarian series. He also wrote three other genres under three different pen names—Reagan O’Neal for historical fiction, Jackson O’Reilly for western, and Chang Lung for dance criticism.

Robert Jordan was born in Charleston, South Carolina, on October 17, 1948. He spent a year at Clemson University. Then, he dropped out to enlist in the Army and served as a helicopter gunner in the Vietnam War. He received four awards for his service.

After returning from Vietnam, he studied physics at the Citadel. After graduating with a Bachelor of Science Degree, he went into the Navy as a nuclear engineer. He didn’t start writing until 1977. He was a history buff and enjoyed several other pastimes, such as fishing and chess.

He was diagnosed with cardiac amyloidosis in 2004 and passed on in 2007 after a series of treatments. His ashes are buried at Goose Creek at St. James Church.

His wife, Harriet McDougal, still works as an editor at Tor Books.

See more Robert Jordan books

Brandon Sanderson Biography

Sanderson was born in Lincoln, Nebraska, on December 19, 1975. He was a voracious fantasy reader by the time he was in his early teens and made several attempts at his own novels then.

He attended Brigham Young University for a year in 1994 before taking a two-year leave of absence to serve as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in South Korea.

After completing his mission tour, he returned to Brigham Young and changed his major to English Literature. While doing so, he took a job as a night auditor at a hotel in the Provo area. He said it gave him the freedom to write on the job. He graduated with his Bachelor of Arts in English in 2000. He then went on to earn his Master’s of Arts degree in English with an emphasis in creative writing in 2004.

Sanderson is married to a teacher and now his business manager, Emily Bushman. They have three children and live in American Fork, Utah.

See more Brandon Sanderson books

Principal Characters in “The Wheel of Time” Series

Rand al’Thor

This central character is the Dragon Reborn – the one who champions the Light in the epic struggle in opposition of the Dark One.

Ran al’Thor is tall with blue-gray eyes, and dark hair with a slightly red tinge to it. His physical features primarily. come from his Aiel ancestry. However, because of the long stretch of time that the series spans over, Rand gradually changes in appearance as the stories progress.

Nynaeve al’Meara

You may recognize this character by her married name of el’Nynaeve ti al’Meara Mandragoran. She was born in 974 NE. Of the female protagonists in The Wheel of Time, she’s one of the most powerful channelers.

She previously held the title of Wisdom of Emond’s Field and is currently among the Aes Sedai representing the Yellow Ajah. Once Nynaeve was wed to Lan Mandragoran, she officially became the Queen of Malkier.

Mat Cauthon

Another central hero in this series, most characters simply call him Mat. He’s a ta’veren with exceptional powers, although he doesn’t wield as much power as Rand al’Thor.

The ta’veren are the specific people who the Wheel of Time weaves its Pattern around, which intersects with every other life-thread that surrounds it.

Mat is a bit above average height with long limbs and a wiry appearance. His eyes are brown, and a twinkle in them is a common indicator that he’s up to something mischievous. His brown hair is about shoulder-length, reaching down to the collar of his coat.

Egwene al’Vere

Formerly the Amyrlin Seat, Egwene was raised of no Ajah. This was because of the highly irregular events that resulted in her direct upbringing from Accepted.

Emond’s Field was her birthplace. She was Mayor Bran al’Vere’s daughter. Moiraine Damodred came to the Two Rivers with the belief that the Dragon Reborn was a friend of Egwene. Egwene learned from Moiraine that she has notably high potential as a channeler. This is when Egwene decided to embark on an epic quest in search of adventure with Rand, Perrin, and Mat.

Perrin Aybara

Sometimes called Perrin Goldeneyes or Young Bull, of all the central protagonists in the series, Perrin is certainly one of the strongest.

He is a highly advanced ta’veren as well as a wolfbrother, which is a person who is able to communicate with wolves and form friendships with them, while also developing some wolfish traits themselves. His ability to manipulate Tel’aran’rhiod – a parallel world also called the World of Dreams or the Wolf dream is rivaled by few.

Faile Bashere, the Lady of the Two Rivers, is his wife. Over the Two Rivers, he was the unofficial lord until he was officially named Lord Steward of the Dragon in the Two Rivers.

Elayne Trakand

Elayne Trakand by the Grace of the Light, Queen of Andor and Cairhien, Defender of the Realm, Protector of the People, High Seat of House Trakand, and Aes Sedai representing the Green Ajah.

She is a daughter of Prince Taringail Damodred and Queen Morgase Trakand, making her the Andor Daughter-Heir from the moment she was born. Falling in with familial tradition, she was educated at the White Tower.

There, it was discovered that she could become one of the era’s most prolific channelers, and her enrollment as a novice immediately followed. During her noviceship, Elayne developed a close friendship with Min Farshaw, Nynaeve al’Meara, and Egwene al’Vere.

Moiraine Damodred

Moiraine was born in 956 NE in Cairhien. She was the youngest daughter of Daleresin Damodred, a scholar. Her mother was Dalresin’s second wife, but her name is not known. Sometimes Moiraine simply goes by “Alys.”

Among the Aes Sedai, Moiraine’s story had fallen into legend. Some would say that her legendary tale rivaled that of even Cadsuane Melaidhrin: an Aes Sedai from the Green Ajah who is the order’s eldest surviving sister. Moiraine’s rise to fame is due mainly to the amazing things that Moiraine managed to accomplish. Being placed upon the Sun Throne as the Queen of Cairhien was something that Moiraine avoided for a number of years.

Aviendha

Aviendha is a Wise One of the Nine Valleys sept of the Taardad Aiel and one of the three lovers of Rand al’Thor. She was previously among the Far Dareis Mai.

Aviendha traveled westward of the Spine of the World on the hunt for He Who Comes With the Dawn. When she returned to the Three-Fold Land, her spear was forcibly removed from her and she was made to undergo training from the Wise Ones – because it was revealed that she had a profound ability to channel the One Power. It only took one visit to Rhuidean for her to be made an apprentice.

FAQs:

How Long Is the Wheel of Time Series?

The Wheel of Time series consists of 14 books and one prequel. The main 14 books contain 4,287,886 words.

How Long to Read The Wheel of Time?

The 14 primary Wheel of Time books will take about 240 hours to read based on the word count.

How Many Wheel of Time Graphic Novels Are There?

There are 6 graphic novels that cover the first book, The Eye of the World.

How Many Wheel of Time Books?

There are 14 books plus a prequel.

When Does The Wheel of Time TV Show Come Out?

The TV show by Amazon will premier on November 19, 2021.

When to Read Wheel of Time Prequel?

As noted above, we recommend reading the prequel after book 10 since there are many characters and storylines that will make more sense after this time.

Who Wrote The Wheel of Time?

Robert Jordan wrote the first eleven books, the prequel, and the companion guides. After Jordan pass away, Brandon Sanderson took over using notes from Robert Jordan and help from Jordan’s widow, Harriet McDougal.

Recommended The Wheel of Time Reading Order