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The Eye of the World

Book 1 in the series:The Wheel of Time

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The Eye of the World, the first book in The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan, follows the epic journey of two young women and three young men as they leave their small village in the Two Rivers. The series introduces readers to a richly detailed world with a well-thought-out magic system and a diverse cast of characters. The plot is filled with adventure, danger, magic, darkness, and brave deeds, capturing the readers' imagination and keeping them on the edge of their seats.

The writing style in The Eye of the World is described as well-written, fast-paced, and engaging, with a richly detailed world that immerses readers into the story. The book sets the bar high for the rest of the series, delivering a stirring tale of small-town folk who find themselves embroiled in a frightening scenario beyond their wildest imaginations. Despite some comparisons to other fantasy stories, The Eye of the World is praised for being the beginning of a unique series that offers a fresh take on the epic fantasy genre.

Characters:

The characters are well-developed and relatable, showcasing a range of personalities, particularly strong female leads, who grow and evolve throughout the story.

Writing/Prose:

The writing style is rich in description and detail, effectively immersing the reader in the fantastical world while maintaining a character-driven narrative.

Plot/Storyline:

The plot follows young protagonists from a small village who are thrust into an epic quest against dark forces after their home is attacked, weaving in themes of prophecy and destiny.

Setting:

The setting is a richly detailed world with complex cultures and a unique magic system, against a backdrop of rising dark forces.

Pacing:

While the pacing starts a bit slow, it picks up, with exciting climactic scenes that maintain reader interest, although some later sections can feel lengthy.
The palace still shook occasionally as the earth rumbled in memory, groaned as if it would deny what had happened. Bars of sunlight cast through rents in the walls made motes of dust glitter where the...

Notes:

The Eye of the World is the first book in the Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan.
The series features a mix of classic fantasy tropes, like a young hero and a dark lord.
Robert Jordan's writing includes very detailed worldbuilding and character development.
The series is known for its complex magic system and the way it interweaves multiple character arcs.
Rachel and their companions face Trollocs, Myrddraal, and dark forces throughout their journey.
The story is set in a world where male magic users go insane due to a taint on their power.
Rand al'Thor is believed to be the Dragon Reborn, a figure prophesied to either save or destroy the world.
The narrative shifts between multiple characters, enhancing the richness of the story.
There were notable similarities to Tolkien, which some readers found derivative, yet others enjoyed.
The first book has been described as a slow start, with more excitement in subsequent volumes.
The series has a strong fanbase and is considered one of the cornerstones of modern epic fantasy.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

Content warnings may include violence, themes of captivity, as well as discrimination based on gender.

Has Romance?

There is a medium level of romance in The Eye of the World, particularly between Rand and Egwene, but it is not the primary focus of the plot.

From The Publisher:

Soon to be an original series starring Rosamund Pike as Moiraine!

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.

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

Warrior of the Altaii

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

Ratings (493)

Incredible (97)
Loved It (165)
Liked It (121)
It Was OK (54)
Did Not Like (47)
Hated It (9)

Reader Stats (887):

Read It (496)
Currently Reading (11)
Want To Read (239)
Did Not Finish (26)
Not Interested (115)

15 comment(s)

Did Not Like
11 hours

World building was too intense for me to escape into

 
Liked It
5 days

Epic world building.

 
Did Not Like
3 weeks

Romance is in this book like don’t recommend it as a romance free book

 
Did Not Like
1 month

try as i might i could not finish this book - i have begun the novel at three different times in my life, and this is the third and final try - i cannot do it - i do not like nor care for the characters nor do i like or care for the purpose - there is plenty of narrative that goes no where and very little actual movement once the story does start - the beginning is always great and then it goes from 200 MPH to broken down on the side of the road for me, which is a shame, because i know that this series will stand the test of time, just not on my book shelves.

 
Liked It
1 month

I'm in an odd position in which I can tell why I gave this book one star initially and yet, I feel like it's amazing now.

Here's why I originally gave it one star.

It is slow. As molasses. It is moving in the summer heat in the Deep South slow. Glacially slow. I've seen paint dry faster.

It is long. The pace plus the length did not initially endear me to it.

Now, however, I've read longer books than that, and I have more experience with the pacing there. Even so, this book is still glacially slow. I enjoy the writing, however, which compensates for the fact that the book takes bloody forever to get anywhere. And then the action happens all at once. XD I understand that we're setting up for later books and therefore, I expect a lot of stopping to explain. So in that way, I'm more acclimated to this type of writing than I was before.

The book is very well written and the way it is written immerses me in the novel. Even if I found Mat annoying at times (also, I can totally see the "nouveau Lord of the Rings" vibe), it was still good. I had the feeling of getting a treat and then knowing there's a lot more ahead of me.

Would I recommend it? I have mixed feelings about that. I've read books that are slow like this (though I'd like to think not nearly as slow)--I mean, I once read a book that spent about 100 pages or so talking about bridge brigades and literally moving bridges to help men fight and the petty squabbles that ensued. (coughWayofKingscough) So, if you have the patience for it, it's a good story. If you don't, you might wanna look for a shorter book. Or at least one with more action from the get go.

 
Did Not Like
3 months

Slow pacing, dark, repetitive

 
Loved It
3 months

4.5 stars

Reading It for the 2nd time.

The story begins in the peaceful village of Emond's Field. The three young villagers Rand al'Thor, Mat Cauthon and Perrin Aybara doesn't know that their peaceful life is going to be shattered soon. The legends, myths and stories of faraway land are going to be true for them. Their village is attacked by Trollocs (inhumane creatures of the dark) and with the help of Moiraine Sedai (an Aes Sedai, women who can wield One Power, in short can do magic) and her Warder, Lan (a ninja kind of person), the village survives somehow. But Rand, Mat, Perrin along with Egwene (a potential Aes Sedai) embark on a journey with dark forces on their tail.

Jordan's world building is in detail and worth an applause. We are introduced to different aspects of the story in bits and pieces which is digestible, nothing moves fast. Plot is heavily dependent on the characters, their nature and actions. A compelling start to the vast world of the Wheel of the Time.

Happy Reading!!

 
It Was OK
3 months

Love the concept of the book, but in the end it felt bland.

 
Hated It
4 months

Writing style

 
It Was OK
5 months

It took me quite a while to finish this book. I think that's partially due to the length, and partially due to the story itself. I've read books longer than this before, but this one felt longer than even those. There wasn't anything especially wrong with the book, although I felt a need for a bit more character development and a bit more explanation as to the nature of the boys' involvement in the plot. All of that will most likely be cleared up in the next book, however.

All in all, I enjoyed this book and think that it tells a very engaging and interesting story. I will definitely be reading the next book, and most likely reading the series until the end.

 
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About the Author:

ROBERT JORDAN (1948-2007) is best known for his internationally bestselling epic fantasy series The Wheel of Time®, which has sold over 40 million copies in North America and is currently being adapted for the screen. A native of Charleston, Jordan graduated from The Citadel, the Military College of South Carolina, with a degree in physics. He served two tours in Vietnam with the U.S. Army and received multiple decorations for his service.

 
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