And so it begins. I have started the 14-book, 4,410,036 word, beloved (by many but apparently not all) epic fantasy series The Wheel of Time. Written by Robert Jordan from 1990 through 2007 where upon his death, the series was finished by another beloved epic fantasy author, Brandon Sanderson.
While this particular post will be focused on the first book, I want to first provide some general thoughts on the series overall. While I have not read but the first book, I want to call out a few thoughts before diving into any specifics of The Eye of the World. Reading online and watching some review videos, it appears there are some unhappy folks with the pacing of the series. This does not happen until much later in the series (book 8 or so I hear) which could be a product of having already read 75 million pages on one story by one author, or it could be that Robert Jordan simply writes in a, perhaps, overly descriptive manner. I can see this as both good and bad.
You will get details on what every character is wearing, the colors, the collars, the embroidery. You will get details on characters heights, hair, ages, and facial expressions. You will get details on landscapes, buildings – exterior and interior. You will get details on food, what they are eating, the consistency, the smells and flavors. While this can (and often is) likely unneeded detail that does not necessarily advance the story forward, it does depict a highly detailed world. This essentially does the heavy lifting for your brain in building the images of the world… as Robert Jordan just writes everything out for you. I don’t mind this… yet… but I haven’t gotten to the “slow” part of the series that, again, apparently happens later in the series before Brandon Sanderson takes over and kicks things up again. Only (The Wheel of) Time will tell.
Additionally right out the gate, it’s highly apparent we have Tolkein parallels. I suppose it’s hard to write a fantasy series without doing this, as the man essentially created (or at least perfected) the genre with The Lord of the Rings being the gold standard that everything is held to. Moiraine is basically Gandalf in ladies clothes, Rand is basically Frotto as the chosen one (though appears to have hidden powers similar to Moiraine), Mat and Perrin feel much like Meriadoc Brandybuck and Peregrin Took… I might’ve known. This does not bother me, as LOTR = Good.
The Eye of the World – Book 1
Written by Robert Jordan, published 1990. Summary, review, and spoilers ahead.
This book follows a group of young people from a small village called Emond’s Field (aka the Two Rivers) who are thrust into a grand adventure to save the world from evil forces. Cool right?!?
We begin with Rand al’Thor (Rand), a sheepherder from Emond’s Field, and his friends Matrim Cauthon (Mat) and Perrin Aybara (Perrin), who set out on a journey to the nearby village of Watch Hill. However, their plans are disrupted when they encounter Trollocs (part-human part-animal beast warriors), who are under the command of an evil entity known as the Dark One (a Sauron-esque dark being who’s trapped in a prison called Shayol Ghul). The group barely manages to escape and returns to Emond’s Field where Rand meets his dad Tam, who gives him and old sword marked with a heron. While at home, they get attack by Trollocs and must fight and flee.
With the help of a mysterious stranger named Moiraine Damodred (an Aes Sedai, an ancient order of sorceresses or basically lady-Jedi), Rand and his friends escape the village and begin a journey across the Westlands, accompanied by Moiraine’s warder, Lan Mandragoran (Lan), Thom Merrilin (Thom) a gleeman (bard and jack-of-all-trades type), and a two young woman of Emond’s Field, Egwene al’Vere (Egwene, also Rand’s childhood sweetheart) and Nynaeve al’Maeara (Nynaeve).
Moiraine explains to the group that they are being pursued by the Dark One, an evil entity that seeks to destroy the world. The Dark One’s minions, including the Trollocs and the Myrddraal, powerful shadowspawn that serve as the Dark One’s lieutenants, are seeking something that the group possesses. Moiraine believes that the group is destined to save the world from the Dark One, but they must first find the Eye of the World, a powerful source of magic that can be used to defeat the Dark One.
Side Note: I really love the detail about the Myrrdraal, the shadowy dark figures that lead the Trolloc armies, in that their cloaks do not blow in the wind. I can’t say why specifically this detail hits so hard, but it really helps paint a eerie and dark picture of these undead type beings (are they human, undead, supernatural, something else, all of the above?).
As they travel, Rand begins to experience strange and powerful abilities that he cannot explain. Moiraine, who understands much though says little, reveals to him that he may be the prophesied Dragon Reborn, a powerful figure who is destined to fight the Dark One and save the world from destruction. Rand is initially skeptical, but as his abilities grow stronger, he begins to believe that he may indeed be the Dragon Reborn. Elsewhere in the world there is rumor of another Dragon Reborn, but as no one believes this to be possible he is labled a False Dragon.
Side Note: In this world, only women who are properly trained are able to harness the One Power (Saidar, the female half of the True Source). They are known as the Aes Sedai and you will see this written 8-billion times throughout the story. We don’t learn much in this book, but there are several different sects of Aes Sedai, associated with colors and abilities that vary based on elemental forces (think Captain Planet – earth, wind, water, fire, heart). Chosen men can also tap into the One Power (Saidin, the male half of the True Source), however they are unable to harness it for long as it drives them mad. And thus further skepticism throughout the world that tales of any Dragon Reborn can be true.
Our group eventually reaches the city of Shadar Logoth, which is infested with an ancient evil known as Mashadar. They encounter a man named Mordeth, who is possessed by this evil. He offers them all the gold they can carry if they help him out. Rand feels something is off when he notices Mordeth doesn’t have a damn shadow and gets the crew to back out at the last second and run… but not before, secretly, Mat steals a dagger. A fateful decision.
The group is then forced to flee the shadow city as Trollocs arrive and chase them. In this chase our crew is divided due to a creepy mist called Mashadar (basically touch the mist, die). Rand, Mat, and Thom find themselves on their own. Egwene and Perrin find themselves alone. And Moiraine, Lan and Nynaeve find themselves alone. [ADD]
Adventure 1 – Rand & Crew
These three flee to a nearby river, meet a boat and crew, and travel to Whitebridge. In a kerfuffle, we lose Thom in a battle with the Myrddraal. R.I.P. Mat and Rand continue on to Caemlyn, a massive white city along a bay. The description of this city is fantastic. I imagine a Minis Tirith type city half-encircling water with great bridges and towers. In Caemlyn our duo meets Loial, an Ogier (think Beast from Beauty and the Beast), a kind-learned creature who joins them on their quest. In Caemlyn, we also hear of the False Dragon who has been captured. Basically a man who is said to possess the one true power (i.e. the Force). However only women (Aes Sedai) are able to control the power. Any man who tries is ultimately driven to madness. It is said that the Dragon Reborn would be a man who can control the power. No one believes this is possible, and thus the False Dragon is assigned to our captured.
Rand wants a look at our False Dragon who is being paraded through town, so he climbs a giant wall for a better view. But oops, he slips and falls and lands in a courtyard where, as luck would have it, he meets Elayne Trakand, the princess and heir apparent to the Throne of Andor (largest country in our world) and her brothers Gawyn Trakand and Galad Damodred, princes. He makes quick friends, thankfully, and is spared. But must be taken to the Queen, Queen Morgase.
Queen Morgase and her Aes Sedai advisor grill poor Rand and the Aes Sedai foretells of pain and division among the land, pretty much due to Rand just existing and wants Morgase to take him prisoner. But Rand wins over the Queen and is bird set free.
While this is happening, Mat just chilling at an inn has begun to feel more and more suspicious and ill… the curse of the black pearl (aka the sword he stole) is having some not great side-effects. Greed, it turns out, it not good.
Adventure 2 – Perrin & Egwene
The two flee the Trolloc hoarde and head for Caemlyn. As they head through the forest near Shadar Logoth they run into a strange man by the name of Elyas Machera. He is a man who can communicate with wolves, telepathically (cool right?). Elyas tells Perrin that you can talk with wolves too my man.
After wolfing around, our group runs into the Children of the Light. White cloaked “religious” folk who think they know how the world works. They also aren’t very friendly (think the Faith of Seven from Game of Thrones) and take them prisoner after a fight that kills one of Perrin’s new wolf friends Hopper and Perrin offs two Children of the Light. For that, he is sentenced to death. No bueno. However in his capture, he hears from a wolf friend that help is coming.
Adventure 3 – Moiraine & Crew
They too escape the Trollocs. Moiraine tell Nynaeve she has the ability to channel and will take her to the White Tower, where Aes Sedai train. She wants Nynaeve to be able to handle her powers. On their way, they find the White Cloaks (Children of the Light) and help Perrin and Egwene escape. Moiraine summons some lightning on the religious zealots while Perrin and Egwene sneak out with white cloaks they’ve stolen.
The Regrouping
With Rand set free from the Queen, Moiraine and the rest of the crew meet back together. And pretty much right when they do, sad sack and sick-boi Mat, feeling the effects of the cursed dagger, attempts to kill Moiraine (this is like Merry trying to kill Gandalf… c’mon man). Obviously this fails, and Moiraine tries to help Mat with her healing force. Problem is, the curse is real-real bad and she can’t do it alone though he does get a little better.
With that behind them, the crew shares their stories and Loial asks about a story he’s heard, that of The Eye of the World (the title of the book!). Moiraine knows a thing or two saying that basically the Eye of the World is a powerful source of magic that may hold the key to defeating the Dark One (aka Ba’alzamon – with whom Rand has been having lots of pretty-realistic dreams of). Moiraine asks if Loial, a learned beast man, can navigate them to Fal Dara using the Ways (basically portals).
So now we’re going through this wild portal land which is dark and scary and winding and littered with crumbling stone bridges. But going through this and finding the right portal will cut their otherwise super long journey down big time. Short cut city. And boom, they find themselves at the right Waygate and right next to Fal Dara.
But in order to get to the Eye of the World, they must head through the Blight. Holy smokes do I love this chapter. The Blight is terrifying. A dangerous and scary woodland type area with venomous plant life and terrifying creatures that hide in the fog ready to strike at any moment. And the sounds… really good imagery here. Truly scary stuff.
They navigate through, barely surviving, and find the Eye of the World, where they meet the Green Man (a super old guardian of the Eye) and shit starts getting weird. The world changes around them and two Foresaken baddies appear – Aginor and Balthamel. Basically Ba’alzamon’s right hand men.
The Green Man uses some sweet tree magic and manages to kill Balthamel, but he himself is mortally wounded. Dude was super old, just met our crew, then immediately kills a top dark lieutenant and dies himself. Tragic.
Moiraine is no match for the other dude, Aginor, but basically distracts him long enough for our crew to run away. Aginor hones in on Rand and they start fighting (like trying to steal the force) from the Eye of the World that is just glowing with the stuff. Love this battle scene. Basically Aginor gets out-magic’d and bursts into flames. Then Rand sees top dawg Ba’alzamon in a vision (or is it?). They have a crazy battle in the sky, and Rand lights up his heron sword (turns out it’s a pretty special sword) with literal light and strikes down B. Game, set, match. Or is it?
With the battle over, where do we stand? Well Rand realizes he might be the Dragon, though he doesn’t seem to like it. And where the Eye of the World was, they find a Dragon banner, the Horn of Valere, and one of the seven seals for the Dark One’s prison broken. Kinda good news bad news situation.
We end with Rand going off on his own to, I dunno, think about stuff and Moiraine is like, Rand, you’re my boy blue. You’re the true Dragon reborn.
That basically sums up the book. I’m pretty stoked to see where things go from here. We’ve got Rand probably being supersaiyan, Perrin as some kind of wolfman, Mat still cursed and sick af, Egwene just kinda being there, Nynaeve as a fiery pre-Aes Sedai with potential to go full Eleven (Stranger Things style), and Moiraine as this sorceress all-knowing mystery lady that likely has way more story ahead.
Definitely a fun read, super detailed (wayyyy beyond my overly lengthy recap), and with so much more to come. I, so far, highly recommend the Wheel of Time and The Eye of the World.
TLDR: An epic start to an epicly long series. We only get a fraction of what we will into our characters, but provides us with a solid origin story and solid payoff at the end, while also leading nicely into our next adventures. Would recommend. 4/5 Stars.
