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The Wheel of Time
The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan has 15 known books (15 published). It is best read in publication order, starting with The Eye of the World (1990). A Memory of Light is the latest book with a fully recorded publication date. Robert Jordan wrote the series; it was continued by Brandon Sanderson.
- Books
- 15 known books (15 novels)
- Published
- 15
- First published
- 1990
- Status
- completed
- Shelved under
- Fantasy
Start here: The Eye of the World (1990)
— then read straight through in publication order.
Reading order
The date order of published books and any announced future entries — the default way to read the series.
- Book 1:
The Eye of the World
The Eye of the World (1990, 782 pages) opens Robert Jordan's fourteen-volume epic, following Rand al'Thor, a sheepherder from the Two Rivers, as his quiet life is shattered by Trollocs, Aes Sedai, and the growing suspicion that he is the prophesied Dragon Reborn. It's the book that set the template for the modern doorstopper epic fantasy that followed. Alternative text for cover: Cover of The Eye of the World - Book 2:
The Great Hunt
At 672 pages, The Great Hunt (1990) is the second Wheel of Time novel, sitting between The Eye of the World and The Dragon Reborn. Rand al'Thor's childhood friends Mat Cauthon and Perrin Aybara continue to be pulled into their own destinies as Jordan's magic system, built on the male and female halves of the One Power, comes further into focus. Alternative text for cover: Cover of The Great Hunt - Book 3:
The Dragon Reborn
The Dragon Reborn (1991, 672 pages) precedes The Shadow Rising as the third Wheel of Time novel, continuing Rand al'Thor's dawning, terrifying recognition of his role as the prophesied Dragon Reborn -- doomed to fight the Dark One at the Last Battle even if it costs him his sanity. Alternative text for cover: Cover of The Dragon Reborn - Book 4:
The Shadow Rising
At 960 pages, The Shadow Rising (1992) is the longest book in this list and the fourth Wheel of Time novel, part of the stretch where Robert Jordan's secondary world widens dramatically -- deep history, a growing cast, and subplots that multiply for volumes before converging. Alternative text for cover: Cover of The Shadow Rising - Book 5:
The Fires of Heaven
Following The Shadow Rising, The Fires of Heaven (1993, 894 pages) is the fifth Wheel of Time novel, continuing the series' hallmark blend of intricate political maneuvering and slow-burn found-family relationships among Rand al'Thor, Mat Cauthon, and Perrin Aybara. Alternative text for cover: Cover of The Fires of Heaven - Book 6:
Lord of Chaos
The sixth book in The Wheel of Time, Lord of Chaos (1994, 921 pages) sits between The Fires of Heaven and A Crown of Swords, arriving as the series' vast cast and consistent, thousands-of-years-deep history keep expanding around Rand al'Thor's fight against the Dark One. Alternative text for cover: Cover of Lord of Chaos - Book 7:
A Crown of Swords
A Crown of Swords (1996, 771 pages) is the seventh Wheel of Time novel, continuing Robert Jordan's slow-burn epic of prophecy paying off literally, political maneuvering, and the One Power's tightly ruled magic system -- part of the sprawling middle stretch fans are famously warned to stick with. Alternative text for cover: Cover of A Crown of Swords - Book 8:
The Path of Daggers
At 608 pages, The Path of Daggers (1998) is the eighth Wheel of Time novel, sitting between A Crown of Swords and Winter's Heart in the series' famously sprawling middle books, where subplots multiply for volumes before converging. Alternative text for cover: Cover of The Path of Daggers - Book 9:
Winter's Heart
The ninth book in The Wheel of Time, Winter's Heart (2000, 668 pages) sits between The Path of Daggers and Crossroads of Twilight, continuing Rand al'Thor's fraught path toward the Last Battle as Robert Jordan's hundreds-strong cast keeps widening. Alternative text for cover: Cover of Winter's Heart - Book 10:
Crossroads of Twilight
Following Winter's Heart, Crossroads of Twilight (2003, 704 pages) is the tenth Wheel of Time novel, part of the notoriously slow-paced middle stretch of the series that tests reader patience before the back half accelerates hard toward the ending. Alternative text for cover: Cover of Crossroads of Twilight - Book 11:
New Spring
New Spring is the shortest book in this list at 336 pages, a 2004 prequel telling the story of Moiraine and Lan roughly twenty years before The Eye of the World. Longtime fans generally advise reading it only after the first few main novels, since it lands better once you already know who Moiraine and Lan are and why their choices matter. Alternative text for cover: Cover of New Spring - Book 12:
Knife of Dreams
Knife of Dreams (2005, 832 pages) precedes The Gathering Storm as the eleventh Wheel of Time novel, and is the last full volume Robert Jordan completed and published in his lifetime before his death in 2007 -- the final three books would be finished from his notes by Brandon Sanderson. Alternative text for cover: Cover of Knife of Dreams - Book 13:
The Gathering Storm
The Gathering Storm (2009, 824 pages) is the twelfth Wheel of Time novel and the first of three completed by Brandon Sanderson from Robert Jordan's notes and outlines after Jordan's 2007 death. The prose voice shifts noticeably, but the story carries forward the Dragon Reborn's arc toward the Last Battle that Jordan began in 1990. Alternative text for cover: Cover of The Gathering Storm - Book 14:
Towers of Midnight
Towers of Midnight (2010, 944 pages) is the thirteenth Wheel of Time novel, the second of the three volumes Brandon Sanderson completed from Robert Jordan's notes after Jordan's death, continuing directly from The Gathering Storm as the story accelerates toward its ending. Alternative text for cover: Cover of Towers of Midnight - Book 15:
A Memory of Light
A Memory of Light (2013, 928 pages) is the fourteenth and final Wheel of Time novel, closing the series Robert Jordan began in 1990 and completing the fight against the Dark One at the Last Battle. It's the last of the three volumes finished by Brandon Sanderson from Jordan's notes following his 2007 death. Alternative text for cover: Cover of A Memory of Light
The order the story's events happen in, novellas slotted where they belong.
- Book 1:
New Spring
New Spring is the shortest book in this list at 336 pages, a 2004 prequel telling the story of Moiraine and Lan roughly twenty years before The Eye of the World. Longtime fans generally advise reading it only after the first few main novels, since it lands better once you already know who Moiraine and Lan are and why their choices matter. Alternative text for cover: Cover of New Spring - Book 2:
The Eye of the World
The Eye of the World (1990, 782 pages) opens Robert Jordan's fourteen-volume epic, following Rand al'Thor, a sheepherder from the Two Rivers, as his quiet life is shattered by Trollocs, Aes Sedai, and the growing suspicion that he is the prophesied Dragon Reborn. It's the book that set the template for the modern doorstopper epic fantasy that followed. Alternative text for cover: Cover of The Eye of the World - Book 3:
The Great Hunt
At 672 pages, The Great Hunt (1990) is the second Wheel of Time novel, sitting between The Eye of the World and The Dragon Reborn. Rand al'Thor's childhood friends Mat Cauthon and Perrin Aybara continue to be pulled into their own destinies as Jordan's magic system, built on the male and female halves of the One Power, comes further into focus. Alternative text for cover: Cover of The Great Hunt - Book 4:
The Dragon Reborn
The Dragon Reborn (1991, 672 pages) precedes The Shadow Rising as the third Wheel of Time novel, continuing Rand al'Thor's dawning, terrifying recognition of his role as the prophesied Dragon Reborn -- doomed to fight the Dark One at the Last Battle even if it costs him his sanity. Alternative text for cover: Cover of The Dragon Reborn - Book 5:
The Shadow Rising
At 960 pages, The Shadow Rising (1992) is the longest book in this list and the fourth Wheel of Time novel, part of the stretch where Robert Jordan's secondary world widens dramatically -- deep history, a growing cast, and subplots that multiply for volumes before converging. Alternative text for cover: Cover of The Shadow Rising - Book 6:
The Fires of Heaven
Following The Shadow Rising, The Fires of Heaven (1993, 894 pages) is the fifth Wheel of Time novel, continuing the series' hallmark blend of intricate political maneuvering and slow-burn found-family relationships among Rand al'Thor, Mat Cauthon, and Perrin Aybara. Alternative text for cover: Cover of The Fires of Heaven - Book 7:
Lord of Chaos
The sixth book in The Wheel of Time, Lord of Chaos (1994, 921 pages) sits between The Fires of Heaven and A Crown of Swords, arriving as the series' vast cast and consistent, thousands-of-years-deep history keep expanding around Rand al'Thor's fight against the Dark One. Alternative text for cover: Cover of Lord of Chaos - Book 8:
A Crown of Swords
A Crown of Swords (1996, 771 pages) is the seventh Wheel of Time novel, continuing Robert Jordan's slow-burn epic of prophecy paying off literally, political maneuvering, and the One Power's tightly ruled magic system -- part of the sprawling middle stretch fans are famously warned to stick with. Alternative text for cover: Cover of A Crown of Swords - Book 9:
The Path of Daggers
At 608 pages, The Path of Daggers (1998) is the eighth Wheel of Time novel, sitting between A Crown of Swords and Winter's Heart in the series' famously sprawling middle books, where subplots multiply for volumes before converging. Alternative text for cover: Cover of The Path of Daggers - Book 10:
Winter's Heart
The ninth book in The Wheel of Time, Winter's Heart (2000, 668 pages) sits between The Path of Daggers and Crossroads of Twilight, continuing Rand al'Thor's fraught path toward the Last Battle as Robert Jordan's hundreds-strong cast keeps widening. Alternative text for cover: Cover of Winter's Heart - Book 11:
Crossroads of Twilight
Following Winter's Heart, Crossroads of Twilight (2003, 704 pages) is the tenth Wheel of Time novel, part of the notoriously slow-paced middle stretch of the series that tests reader patience before the back half accelerates hard toward the ending. Alternative text for cover: Cover of Crossroads of Twilight - Book 12:
Knife of Dreams
Knife of Dreams (2005, 832 pages) precedes The Gathering Storm as the eleventh Wheel of Time novel, and is the last full volume Robert Jordan completed and published in his lifetime before his death in 2007 -- the final three books would be finished from his notes by Brandon Sanderson. Alternative text for cover: Cover of Knife of Dreams - Book 13:
The Gathering Storm
The Gathering Storm (2009, 824 pages) is the twelfth Wheel of Time novel and the first of three completed by Brandon Sanderson from Robert Jordan's notes and outlines after Jordan's 2007 death. The prose voice shifts noticeably, but the story carries forward the Dragon Reborn's arc toward the Last Battle that Jordan began in 1990. Alternative text for cover: Cover of The Gathering Storm - Book 14:
Towers of Midnight
Towers of Midnight (2010, 944 pages) is the thirteenth Wheel of Time novel, the second of the three volumes Brandon Sanderson completed from Robert Jordan's notes after Jordan's death, continuing directly from The Gathering Storm as the story accelerates toward its ending. Alternative text for cover: Cover of Towers of Midnight - Book 15:
A Memory of Light
A Memory of Light (2013, 928 pages) is the fourteenth and final Wheel of Time novel, closing the series Robert Jordan began in 1990 and completing the fight against the Dark One at the Last Battle. It's the last of the three volumes finished by Brandon Sanderson from Jordan's notes following his 2007 death. Alternative text for cover: Cover of A Memory of Light
Key facts about The Wheel of Time series
Our list has 15 books in The Wheel of Time series. Since all 15 are out now, you can read the whole list today.
Start with The Eye of the World, since it opens the publication order in 1990. The Great Hunt is book 2, from 1990. The Dragon Reborn is book 3, from 1991.
The Shadow Rising is book 4, from 1992. The Fires of Heaven is book 5, from 1993. Lord of Chaos is book 6, from 1994.
A Crown of Swords is book 7, from 1996, while The Path of Daggers is book 8, from 1998. Winter's Heart is book 9, from 2000.
Crossroads of Twilight is book 10, from 2003, while New Spring is book 11, from 2004. Knife of Dreams is book 12, from 2005. Since the list above shows all 15, you can find the rest there.
However, the story's own timeline begins with New Spring. Use the order switch above to see that timeline.
A Memory of Light is the latest book with a full release date, out on 8 January 2013. Since the catalogue marks the series as complete, we list no next book.
The books came out between 1990 and 2013, while their length runs from 336 to 960 pages. That is a run of 23 years.
Robert Jordan has 27 books on our list. Additionally, they write The Fallon Trilogy and Conan: The Robert Jordan Novels. We shelve the books under fantasy.
About The Wheel of Time
In the Third Age, the Wheel of Time turns and ages come and pass, but the Dragon is bound to be reborn to save the world — or break it. Robert Jordan's fourteen-volume epic follows Rand al'Thor, a sheepherder from the Two Rivers, as his quiet life is shattered by Trollocs, Aes Sedai, and the growing, terrifying suspicion that he is the prophesied Dragon Reborn, doomed to fight the Dark One at the Last Battle even if it means going mad and destroying everyone he loves. Around him, his childhood friends Mat Cauthon and Perrin Aybara are pulled into their own destinies, and the story steadily widens into one of the most fully realized secondary worlds in fantasy: a magic system built on the male and female halves of the One Power, a deep and consistent history stretching back thousands of years, and a cast that eventually numbers in the hundreds.
This is the series that codified the modern doorstopper epic fantasy that came after it — readers who love intricate political maneuvering, slow-burn found-family relationships, prophecy that pays off literally instead of vaguely, and a magic system with real rules will find their patience rewarded many times over. It is also famous for its sprawl: subplots multiply for volumes at a time before converging, and the middle books test the reader's commitment before the back half accelerates hard toward the ending. Jordan died in 2007 with the series unfinished; Brandon Sanderson completed the final three books from Jordan's notes, closing out the story he began in 1990.
Frequently asked questions
Who writes the The Wheel of Time series?
Robert Jordan wrote the series; it was continued by Brandon Sanderson.
How many books are in The Wheel of Time?
There are 14 numbered novels in the main sequence, plus the prequel novel New Spring and the short story "River of Souls," for 16 pieces of fiction in total.
What order should I read The Wheel of Time in?
Publication order, starting with The Eye of the World. Save the prequel New Spring for later — it reads better once you already know the characters it's about, and reading it first spoils reveals from the main books.
Did Robert Jordan finish The Wheel of Time before he died?
No. Jordan died in 2007 partway through writing what became the final volume. Brandon Sanderson completed the series from Jordan's extensive notes and dictated outlines, splitting the planned final book into three: The Gathering Storm, Towers of Midnight, and A Memory of Light.
Is The Wheel of Time finished?
Yes. The main story concluded with A Memory of Light in 2013. There is no announced new novel in the works.
Do I need to read New Spring before The Eye of the World?
No. New Spring is a prequel about Moiraine and Lan's backstory, but it was written and published after ten of the main books and is best read as a supplement once you're already invested in those characters.
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