Robert Jordan didn’t just write a series; he built a mountain.
When people ask about the wheel of time order of books, they usually expect a simple list of fourteen titles. It’s never that simple. You’re looking at over four million words. That is roughly eight times the length of War and Peace. If you read at a standard pace, you’re committing months of your life to Rand al'Thor and the Dragon Reborn.
Honestly, it's intimidating. You see those thick paperbacks lining a shelf at a used bookstore and you wonder if you should start with the prequel or just dive into the main course.
Most fans will tell you to stick to publication order. They’re mostly right. But there are nuances—like the "Slog," the Brandon Sanderson takeover, and that pesky prequel—that change how you should actually approach the journey.
The Absolute Basics of the Wheel of Time Order of Books
If you want the straightforward, no-nonsense chronological release, it looks like this. You start with The Eye of the World (1990). It feels a bit like The Lord of the Rings at first. That’s intentional. Jordan’s publishers wanted something familiar to hook readers before he pulled the rug out and turned the series into a complex political and philosophical juggernaut.
From there, you hit The Great Hunt and The Dragon Reborn. This is where the world opens up. By the time you reach The Shadow Rising, Jordan has completely abandoned the "Tolkien clone" vibe. It’s widely considered one of the best books in the entire genre. Then comes The Fires of Heaven and Lord of Chaos.
Lord of Chaos has arguably the most famous ending in fantasy history. Dumai's Wells. If you know, you know. "Asha'man, kill." It still gives me chills thinking about it.
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Then things get... slow.
Navigating the Infamous Slog
Around book seven, A Crown of Swords, the pacing shifts. You move into The Path of Daggers and Winter's Heart. This is what the fandom calls "The Slog." It’s not that the writing is bad. Jordan just started focusing on every single minor character's internal monologue and the exact weave of their silk dress.
Crossroads of Twilight (Book 10) is the peak of this frustration. It basically covers the same timeline as the previous book but from different perspectives. It’s a tough hang. But you can't skip it. Too much character growth is buried in the subtext.
The Sanderson Era
Robert Jordan passed away in 2007 before he could finish the tale. His wife and editor, Harriet McDougal, chose Brandon Sanderson to finish the series based on Jordan's extensive notes and some dictated scenes.
The transition is jarring. Sanderson has a very different "voice"—it’s faster, more modern, and less descriptive. But he stuck the landing. The Gathering Storm, Towers of Midnight, and the massive finale, A Memory of Light, are a breakneck sprint to the finish.
What About New Spring?
This is the big debate in the wheel of time order of books discussion. New Spring is a prequel. It tells the story of how Moiraine and Lan first met and began their hunt for the Dragon Reborn.
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Technically, it was published after Book 10.
Don't read it first. Seriously.
If you start with New Spring, you lose the mystery of who Moiraine is. You lose the "fish out of water" feeling of the Emond's Fielders. It also spoils several world-building reveals that are supposed to hit you like a ton of bricks in the main series. The best time to read it? Usually after Book 8 or Book 10. It’s a nice palate cleanser when the main plot feels like it’s treading water.
A Realistic Checklist for Your Shelf
If you’re buying these, here is the order you’ll see on the spines:
- The Eye of the World
- The Great Hunt
- The Dragon Reborn
- The Shadow Rising
- The Fires of Heaven
- Lord of Chaos
- A Crown of Swords
- The Path of Daggers
- Winter's Heart
- Crossroads of Twilight
- Knife of Dreams (Jordan’s final solo book, and it's a masterpiece)
- The Gathering Storm
- Towers of Midnight
- A Memory of Light
And then there's New Spring. Tuck it in whenever you need a break from the main drama, but definitely wait until at least after Book 7.
Why the Order Matters for the Amazon Series
If you're coming to the books because of the Rosamund Pike show, be warned: the show mixes things up. The first season pulls elements from the first book but also bits of the prequel and even some later world-building.
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The books are much more methodical.
In the show, the mystery of "Who is the Dragon Reborn?" is the central hook. In the books, specifically in The Eye of the World, it's pretty obvious quite early on, but the consequences of that revelation are explored with much more depth. Following the proper wheel of time order of books allows you to see how Jordan deconstructs the "Chosen One" trope. It’s not about whether Rand is the hero; it’s about whether he’ll go insane and destroy the world before he can save it.
Common Misconceptions About the Reading Order
Some people suggest reading the "prologues" separately. Jordan’s prologues are famous for being 80-page novellas in their own right. Don't skip them. They often introduce villains or plot threads that won't pay off for three volumes.
Another mistake? Trying to read the companion books like The World of Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time (often called the "Big White Book") too early. The art in there is... questionable, and it’s full of spoilers for the later half of the series. Save the lore deep-dives for your first re-read.
Yes, people re-read this series. Multiple times. The foreshadowing is so dense that you literally cannot catch it all the first time through.
Actionable Tips for New Readers
Start today, but don't rush.
- Audiobooks are your friend. Rosamund Pike has started narrating new versions, but the classic versions by Michael Kramer and Kate Reading are legendary. They help you get through the slower descriptive passages of the middle books.
- Use a spoiler-free glossary. Most of the paperbacks have them in the back. Use them. There are over 2,700 named characters. You will forget who is who.
- The "One Book" Rule. Tell yourself you’ll finish The Eye of the World. If you aren't hooked by the end of that, the series might not be for you. But if you make it to The Shadow Rising, you’re probably in for the full four million words.
- Ignore the Prequel Initially. Just put it on the shelf and forget it exists until you are at least halfway through the "Slog." It’s a reward for making it through Book 10.
The Wheel turns, and ages come and pass. Your journey through the wheel of time order of books is going to be long, but for many fantasy fans, it’s the most rewarding experience in the genre. Just take it one chapter at a time. The ending is spectacular. As Sanderson wrote in the final pages, there are no endings to the turning of the Wheel of Time. But it is an ending. And it's a damn good one.
Go find a copy of The Eye of the World. Look for the one with the original Darrell K. Sweet cover art if you want that old-school fantasy feel. Or grab the show tie-in if you prefer something sleek. Just start.