Wheel of Time Question

[logankstewart]

I've not read any of the Wheel of Time books. I own the prequel and Books 1 and 2 of the series. I plan to start this series soon but I have a question. Should I start out the series by reading the prequel (New Spring) first or begin with Eye of the World?

Thank you very much for answering.

[Chris]

You could read the prequel first and be okay. But I'd recommend starting with Eye of the World. New Spring will mean more to you if you read it later on, and Eye is great for getting one into the series.

[Brittany]

Definitely read Eye of the World first!

[Caius]

I hope you know what you're getting into. Wheel of Time is extremely long and painfully detailed. But, if it's your cup of tea, then there's loads of tea to go around.

To answer your question, start with EotW and read straight through the published order. I think that would put the prequel somewhere around book 9.

[logankstewart]

Thank you, everybody. I've read fantasy for years, but never this series, even though it's one of the so called greats. I'll just have to find out for myself. Thank again.

[Russ]

It is a great series so long as you can read them back to back. As the series goes on, there are so many subplots that some books felt that they only marginally moved the story forward, with an agonizing 1-2 year wait for the next book as your only reward! I would think this is a great time to start the book, as the end of the series is finally arriving. It is an incredible series, however. Enjoy.

Oh...and read the Eye of the World first. I don't think it would be as interesting of a beginning if you read the prequel ahead of time. Some enjoyable mysteries would be mysteries no longer.

[Luci]

Read "Eye of the World" first. The first half of this series is my favorite fantasy--through about book 7 I can't put them down once I start reading. Unfortunately they do get a bit out of control--way too many characters and subplots. They are all enjoyable reads and worth your time.

[Alan]

Out of control is right... LOL, the "last" book has now become the three last books. : ) I have enjoyed the series but it does seem in the last few that the author was milking the series. Sadly, since his passing, we'll never know if that was the case or if he just got carried away with his work.

[Charles]

Chris wrote: "You could read the prequel first and be okay. But I'd recommend starting with Eye of the World. New Spring will mean more to you if you read it later on, and Eye is great for getting one into the s..."

I agree with the majority. New Spring would be a bad spoiler for Eye of the World. work it in later.

[Luci]

Alan, I am so irritated by the "last book" nonsense that I had to stop my reread(I reread all of them before I read the latest so everything is fresh in my mind)and calm down so I can fairly judge "Gathering Storm". I never really believed he could have wrapped up the story in one book, but I still hoped, more because I'm anxious to learn how the story ends than because I don't want to keep reading about this world.

It feels more to me like the story and characters got away from him than that he was milking the series; he has so many subordinate stories going that it simply takes too much to wrap everything up, but, frankly, he still could have been milking us, too.

[logankstewart]

Thanks everybody that answered. Everyone suggested that I start with Eye of the World and save the prequel for later on, and that is what I shall do.

Thanks once again for the help.

[Katerina]

LOLOLOL. This is too much! Read it as he wrote it.