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A community for the quality discussion of The Wheel of Time series of novels by Robert Jordan (& completed by Brandon Sanderson) as well as Amazon's streaming adaptation, the first audiobook recordings by Michael Kramer & Kate Reading, the second audiobook recordings by Rosamund Pike, the graphic novels adaptation by Chuck Dixon & Chase Conley (and continued by Rik Hoskin and Marcio Abreu) as well as the collectable card game, the video game, the tabletop role-playing game, etcetera.

Question about how the books are structured.

I've been reading Eye of the world and im 33% through. I'm not saying its bad but honestly I have been slightly struggling to get through it sometimes. So I'm asking if this is LoTR-esque where the first book is essentially a set up and the story eventually diverges with more character work.

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All 15 wheel of time books, ranked worst to best.

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Wheel Of Time Season 2 Ending Explained (In Detail)

Wheel of time's show hints rand will drop a huge part of his strategy from the books, wheel of time season 3 theory replaces a major book villain with padan fain.

• The Wheel of Time is a massive book series, and the overall quality of each novel varies.
• Crossroads of Twilight ranks last due to slow plot progression and focus on minor storylines, detracting from the main narrative.
• Winter's Heart struggles with excessive exposition and minor storylines, making it feel like a minor cog in the larger saga.

The Wheel of Time is based on the novel series of the same name by Robert Jordan, and the 14 books and single prequel novel in the series can be ranked from worst to best based on a variety of factors . The Wheel of Time began in 1990 when Jordan published the first book in the series, The Eye of the World , and was completed by Brandon Sanderson after Jordan's death in 2007. The Wheel of Time season 3 is expected to cover the fourth book in Jordan's series, The Shadow Rising .

As The Wheel of Time 's cast works on season 3, it's interesting to consider whether the best seasons of the show will line up with the best books in the series. First, however, the best books in the series have to be identified. With such a massive novel series to examine, there is obviously going to be a significant amount of variance, even if most of them were written by the same person. That being said, every Wheel of Time book is worth reading, even if some rank much higher than others.

The climactic battle at Falme in The Wheel of Time season 2 finale recreated several book moments, while also laying the groundwork for season 3.

15 Crossroads Of Twilight (2003)

Book 10 of the wheel of time.

Every book in The Wheel of Time has its merits, but there's one in particular that doesn't match the quality and originality of the others: Crossroads of Twilight . This is the 10th book in the Wheel of Time series and the third book in the series to reach the number one spot on the New York Times best-seller list.

This book has some great moments, and Jordan's prose is as descriptive as ever, but the plot moves at a very slow pace . There are no major Rand moments in the book, and the narrative largely consists of Perrin and Elayne's arcs, which detracts from other great characters and storylines. Also, many events here happen at the same time as those in Winter's Heart . Ultimately, the narrow narrative and plodding pacing are the main culprits for Crossroads of Twilight 's lackluster quality.

14 The Path Of Daggers (1998)

Book 8 of the wheel of time.

The Path of Daggers is certainly an entertaining novel, and it contains some of the most critical events in the series, but like Crossroads of Twilight , it struggles with pacing. The eighth book in The Wheel of Time novel series, it begins on an exciting note with the Bowl of the Winds ter'angreal being used, but things begin to slow down shortly afterward.

There are large stretches of the novel where characters are simply traveling or working through minor obstacles that almost feel like side quests. The Path of Daggers ' climax is exciting and explosive, literally, but too much of the story feels like filler. On a positive note, this book was where fans started to really buy into the series as it was the first to hit number one on the New York Times bestseller list.

13 Winter's Heart (2000)

Book 9 of the wheel of time.

Like The Path of Daggers , there is too much focus on minor storylines and not enough emphasis on more important events.

Like The Path of Daggers , there is too much focus on minor storylines and not enough emphasis on more important events. Although Winter's Heart has one of the most incredible climaxes of any Wheel of Time book, it struggles because of the excessive exposition and rambling narrative. The plot is not bad by any means, but Jordan gets the balance of the book's various stories a little out of whack .

There is too much focus on minor storylines and not enough emphasis on more important events. These minor storylines are likely because the events in this book occur at the same time as those in the next book, so it seems there was a little more room here to ramble since characters were split between stories. Because of this, Winter's Heart struggles to distinguish itself as an individual book and feels more like a minor cog in a larger saga.

12 Towers Of Midnight (2010)

Book 13 of the wheel of time.

Towers of Midnight is the second of the three books in the series completed by Brandon Sanderson (part two of the A Memory of Light series), and the difference in the two authors' styles is evident in the text. Sanderson writes the final three novels at a much faster pace than the last few that Jordan wrote, solving the biggest issue with the books after Towers of Midnight .

However, Sanderson's descriptive ability is not quite at the level of the legendary Robert Jordan's . The narrative also becomes a bit clogged with all the storylines being juggled, preventing Towers of Midnight from matching the earlier books in the series. Despite this, it still hit the top spot on the New York Times bestseller lists, bringing in both Jordan and Sanderson fans for the continued fantasy series.

11 A Crown Of Swords (1996)

Book 7 of the wheel of time.

A Crown of Swords is a thrilling installment in The Wheel of Time , easily earning a mid-tier ranking for Jordan's books in the series. The seventh book in the series, A Crown of Swords, boasts an epic battle with one of The Wheel of Time 's Forsaken , intriguing Aes Sedai politics, and a fight with a Gholam. A Crown of Swords also sticks to three main storylines for the majority of the novel, which helps maintain a focused, well-paced narrative.

However, A Crown of Swords lacks some of the magic present in the best books in the series , failing to deliver any of the massive twists or unforgettable moments that sets it apart. The best parts of this particular addition to the Wheel of Time series are the smaller moments, more so than any plot or character development.

10 New Spring (2004)

Prequel to the wheel of time.

This standalone prequel is a thrilling read, and it doesn't require previous knowledge of the series to enjoy it.

Released in 2004, New Spring is the prequel novel to The Wheel of Time series, telling the story of Moiraine Damodred's early quests to find the Dragon Reborn and the tale of how she and Lan Mandragoran came to be bonded as Aes Sedai and warder. This standalone prequel is a thrilling read , and it doesn't require previous knowledge of the series to enjoy it.

However, because it's not part of the main series, it lacks the incredible moments that require a series worth of groundwork to create, preventing it from ranking among The Wheel of Time 's best. For anyone looking at something small to dig into or something that might not require any knowledge of the world-building, this is a great read. However, it won't offer much in the way of the ongoing storylines or provide any real new information.

9 The Great Hunt (1990)

Book 2 of the wheel of time.

The Great Hunt is the second book in the series, and it makes up the majority of The Wheel of Time season 2's plot. Though The Wheel of Time makes some massive changes to The Great Hunt , it keeps the bones of the story intact, which is a positive considering how good the book is. Rand, Mat, and Perrin head out to retrieve the Horn of Valere, while Egwene, Nynaeve, and Elayne head to the White Tower to learn the Aes Sedai's way.

The Great Hunt might not be a top-five contender in The Wheel of Time because of the need for heavy exposition and world-building , but it remains a compelling story that includes critical character development for the foundational characters in the series. There is also a lot here, as it was split into two books in 2004 ( The Hunt Begins and New Threads in the Pattern ).

8 The Gathering Storm (2009)

Book 12 of the wheel of time.

This book provides a positive change of pace compared to Jordan's last few books, and begins the final trajectory of the series.

The Gathering Storm is the first novel in the series completed by Brandon Sanderson, and the twelfth book in The Wheel of Time as a whole. It's also the first part of the A Memory of Light storyline. Jordan died in 2007, and the book was incomplete. His widow looked for an author who could finish the story. It was immediately proven to fans that Sanderson was up to the task of completing the series.

This book provides a positive change of pace compared to Jordan's last few books and begins the final trajectory of the series. The tension in Gathering Storm is palpable as the stakes build toward Tarmon Gai'don , and Sanderson relentlessly moves the plot forward. Though it can feel a bit rushed and spread out at times, this is one of the better books in The Wheel of Time series.

7 Knife Of Dreams (2005)

Book 11 of the wheel of time.

Knife of Dreams is the final book in The Wheel of Time that was completed solely by Robert Jordan before his death. It represents a significant step forward from the three preceding it. In the three books before Knife of Dreams , it felt like Jordan's saga might have grown out of his control and become impossible to weave into one coherent story.

However, he brilliantly pulls his narrative back together in Knife of Dreams , consolidating the plot and quickening the pace . Knife of Dreams gets the series back on track and moves the narrative inexorably toward the finish line. As with the previous three books, it raced to the top of the New York Times bestselling fiction novels list. The next book in the series following Knife of Dreams was the first that Brandon Sanderson worked on as a co-author.

6 The Eye Of The World (1990)

Book 1 of the wheel of time.

The Eye of the World introduces the reader to the brilliant world of The Wheel of Time , capturing the imagination in an unyielding grip. It strikes a perfect balance between world-building and storytelling , setting up compelling and nuanced characters along the way. The story itself begins with Rand al'Thor and his friends escaping their homes after a Trolloc attack and realizing fate has plans in store for all of them.

Its story can stand alone as an enjoyable novel, but its real achievement is successfully setting up an incredibly expansive world. Other books in the Wheel of Time series are better because they have the benefit of the groundwork laid by this novel, but none of it would've been possible without this audacious fantasy classic. This was the one that started it all and remains a brilliant fantasy launching pad.

5 Lord Of Chaos (1994)

Book 6 of the wheel of time.

Lord of Chaos , the sixth book in The Wheel of Time , is not only one of the best novels in the series, it's one of the best fantasy novels ever written. The stakes begin to rise in this book as the Dark One's touch on the world grows stronger, allowing him to affect the weather and create an avatar in the form of Shaidar Haran.

This gives the narrative an extra sense of weight and starts to build tension around the Dark One breaking loose from his prison. Lord of Chaos also has one of the most exhilarating climaxes in the series , which helps put it in the top five books in Jordan's series and one that sets the table for all the books that followed. Lord of Chaos was nominated for the Locus Award for Best Fantasy Novel in 1995, losing to Brittle Innings by Michael Bishop.

4 A Memory Of Light (2013)

Book 14 of the wheel of time.

A Memory of Light , the final book in The Wheel of Time series and the conclusion of Brandon Sanderson's trilogy of the same is one of the best epic fantasy books ever written. All the events of the 13 novels before it converge in this explosive finale, sending the series out in the perfect way. There are plenty of clever twists, ridiculous emotional stakes, thrilling action, and so much more.

However, A Memory of Light 's brilliance is partly a product of all the books before it . As pulsating as the plot is, Sanderson's prose can't compare to the effortless flow and literary elegance of Jordan's prime novels. Regardless, Sanderson did more than a commendable job of finishing the series that Jordan started so many years before. It finished up the run with one last trip to the top of the bestseller lists.

3 The Dragon Reborn (1991)

Book 3 of the wheel of time.

The Dragon Reborn is the beginning of a three-book stretch in The Wheel of Time that is true peak fantasy literature. The story is thrilling, the world-building fascinating, the characters are explored in depth, and there is plenty of action to get the blood pumping. Jordan's words seem to flow off the page with an elegance that is hard to find in any area of literature.

This Wheel of Time book also benefits from having two novels before it that set up the world. Rand al'Thor is now the Dragon Reborn and sets out to prove himself to the world at large. This book is also part of the story in the third season of The Wheel of Time on Amazon Prime Video. All that being said, only two books in The Wheel of Time can top The Dragon Reborn .

2 The Fires Of Heaven (1993)

Book 5 of the wheel of time.

The Fires of Heaven is an utterly engrossing novel with perhaps the best ending in the series. Like The Dragon Reborn , this book was written during Jordan's prime, and his talent is on full display once again. The Fires of Heaven has one of the best duels in the series when Rand fights Rahvin in Caemlyn, and it ends up with one of the most joyous and shocking twists in The Wheel of Time .

In this book. the most powerful Forsaken band together and go into battle against the Champion of Light, Rand al'Thor. The pace of the novel is excellent throughout , and if not for one jaw-dropping book, it would be the best novel in The Wheel of Time series. The cliffhanger endings also become a staple and allow Jordan to keep people anxiously awaiting what he has in store for them next.

1 The Shadow Rising (1992)

Book 4 of the wheel of time.

The good news for Wheel of Time fans is that the best book in the series, The Shadow Rising , is the book that the third season of Amazon Prime Video's The Wheel of Time series will be mostly based on. The Shadow Rising is a fantasy masterwork, executing fascinating character development, rich world-building, and an addictive pace.

This is the longest book in the series, with Rand al'Thor claiming the crystal sword and setting out to prove himself as the Dragon Reborn. However, he learns of the Forsaken's plans and knows a war is coming. Furthermore, The Shadow Rising does all of this within the best narrative of the series, which keeps the readers on their toes at all times, building to the epic conclusion . When all is said and done, few fantasy books can hold a candle to The Shadow Rising .

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Brandon Sanderson and Robert Jordan's expansive fantasy series is brought to life in The Wheel of Time, a fantasy tv series created for Amazon Prime Video. The series follows a woman named Moiraine, a member of the all-female Aes Sedai group who can utilize a great power. Following an attack on a local village, Moiraine heads there to find a villager that may be the reincarnation of an all-powerful dragon that will either save or destroy the world.

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Every Wheel of Time Book, Ranked Worst to Best

Before it was a hit Prime Video streaming series, The Wheel of Time was a beloved series of fantasy novels by Robert Jordan. This original canon encompasses a whopping 15 entries – which begs the question: which Wheel of Time books are the best (and worst)?

It wasn’t easy, but after a bit of soul-searching – and at least as much re-reading – we’ve settled on the following rankings. So read on to see where your favorite Wheel of Time tome landed!

Related: Wheel of Time, One Piece, & Why Adaptations Work or Fail

15. Crossroads of Twilight

Universally regarded as the weakest link in the Wheel of Time series, Crossroads of Twilight brings the overarching narrative to a screeching halt. Jordan’s 10th Wheel of Time doorstop takes place around the same time as its predecessor, Winter’s Heart , killing any sense of momentum.

Crossroads of Twilight is also very much Jordan in “subplot, subplot, subplot” mode. Sure, plenty of this material is interesting, and some of it (such as Mat and Tuon’s relationship) is important later. But it ultimately makes the Last Battle feel further away than ever.

On the plus side, Crossroads of Twilight wraps up with a low-key great twist, so that’s something, at least.

14. The Path of Daggers

The Path of Daggers is a fitting name for the eighth book in the Wheel of Time series since it’s a long, often painful reading experience.

Don’t get us wrong: there’s some good stuff in here – not least of all, the suitably epic battle that fills its closing chapters. But not even massive armies and magical lightning storms are quite enough to make up for The Path of Daggers ‘ glacial pace early on.

This volume also gives short shrift to core characters such as Egwene and Mat (the latter of whom is absent entirely). True, we get to spend some quality time with the likes of Nynaeve and Elayne, but The Path of Daggers ‘ overall vibe is that Jordan is treading water, narratively speaking.

13. Winter’s Heart

Jordan devotes a decent chunk of Winter’s Heart ‘s 781 pages to Perrin slogging through the snow to rescue Faile. Unfortunately, the author succeeds a little too well at immersing us in Perrin’s frustration, as the monotony of these chapters makes them a chore to get through.

This glaring flaw is balanced out somewhat by the welcome return of Mat, along with a slightly bigger role for fan-favorite characters like Lan. Winter’s Heart also boasts a barnstormer of a climax that has major repercussions for The Wheel of Time ‘s wider lore – and that’s nothing to sneeze at.

Related: Amazon’s Wheel of Time Has a Serious Dragon Reborn Problem

12. A Crown of Swords

The Wheel of Time ‘s gradual scope creep becomes more noticeable in A Crown of Swords . Even so, Jordan does an admirable job of keeping the main narrative rumbling on. Sure, the Aes Sedai’s antics bog things down occasionally, but Rand’s nail-biting duel with Sammael ultimately gets us back on track.

Not all of A Crown of Swords ‘ subplots are a momentum killer, either. Notably, the seventh Wheel of Time installment lays the groundwork for the Mat/Gholam rivalry – a long-running feud that remains riveting right up until its eventual resolution in Towers of Midnight .

11. New Spring

Back in 2004, New Spring was the Wheel of Time prequel novel that nobody – and I mean nobody – wanted. Indeed, more than a few readers were cranky at Jordan for rewinding the clock to Moiraine and Lan’s first adventure together rather than focusing on wrapping things up.

Yet, divorced from that context, New Spring is actually a decent read. It’s always fun spending time with Moiraine and Lan, and their origin story fills in some significant gaps in the series’ continuity. At only 304 pages, New Spring is also refreshingly streamlined, with fewer subplots and ciphers than the other books.

10. The Dragon Reborn

The Dragon Reborn zeroes in on the prophecy surrounding Callandor – and mythical swords will never fail to pique fantasy fans’ interest. At the same time, the third Wheel of Time tome’s name is a bit of a misnomer, as Jordan’s shift away from Rand as the story’s central focus kicks off here.

This isn’t a bad thing per se, as it frees the scribe up to develop the series’ other characters more fully. But your mileage will likely vary on how satisfying The Dragon Reborn is, given Rand is effectively sidelined until very late in proceedings.

It’s also worth mentioning that The Dragon Reborn ‘s big, Dark One-related revelation feels kinda cheap, even if it does allow Jordan to expand his original plans for the series.

Related: The Wheel of Time Season 3 Is Official at Amazon

9. Lord of Chaos

With Lord of Chaos , we’re entering the stretch of our Wheel of Time rankings where there’s increasingly less to complain about. So, while we could grumble about this sixth outing’s occasionally convoluted plotting and general to-ing and fro-ing, that’s about the only bad thing we have to say.

Otherwise, Lord of Chaos is an engaging read from cover to cover. It’s full of political intrigue, shocking reversals of fortune, and momentous missions, capped off by one of the most unforgettable battles in Wheel of Time history. In short – stuff happens in this book, and pretty much all of it rules.

8. Knife of Dreams

Rightly or wrongly, Knife of Dreams comes across as a conscious attempt by Jordan to right the ship following fans’ backlash over Crossroads of Twilight . Forward momentum is the order of the day in the Wheel of Time canon’s 11th entry, which opens with a page-turner of a duel and never slows down.

Several ongoing plot threads are tied up in Knife of Dreams , not least of all Perrin’s hunt for Faile. Rand, Mat, and Egwene also see their own arcs progress meaningfully – with Egwene’s storyline arguably the best it’s been in several novels.

Is the Last Battle still agonizingly out of reach when Knife of Dreams ‘ epilogue ends? 100%. But it’s also a helluva lot closer than before, which makes all the difference.

7. The Gathering Storm

The Gathering Storm is the first Wheel of Time book co-authored by Brandon Sanderson following Jordan’s death in 2007. This transition is virtually seamless, although there’s a briskness to the storytelling that even Jordan, at his most dynamic, would struggle to match.

That said, for all its pace, the 12th Wheel of Time novel is largely a stage-setter for the final two, so it lacks some of the punch of this list’s higher-ranked entries. Yet The Gathering Storm isn’t all set up – there’s plenty of payoff here, too.

Not only do Jordan and Sanderson draw a line under Rand’s seemingly endless angst once and for all, but they also deliver some knock-out, saga-spanning revelations via enigmatic supporting character Verin.

Related: Why Wheel of Time Recast Barney Harris’ Mat Cauthon in Season 2

6. The Fires of Heaven

The fifth Wheel of Time book, The Fires of Heaven re-centers the series on the World of the Wheel’s core characters, and they’re all given something worthwhile to do.

Rand tries to stamp out an Aiel rebellion, backed by Mat’s growing martial prowess. Nynaeve goes head-to-head with the Forsaken Moghedien. And Moiraine proves once and for all just how far she’ll go to ensure the Dragon Reborn fulfills his destiny.

If The Fires of Heaven has any real shortcoming, it’s that Perrin doesn’t show up. But chances are you’ll be too engrossed by everything that’s going on to even notice.

5. Towers of Midnight

If The Gathering Storm places the last of Wheel of Time ‘s narrative dominos, Towers of Midnight is where they’re finally tipped over. That’s the sensation you get reading the series’ penultimate installment: it’s payoff after payoff as the finish line draws near.

This makes Towers of Midnight a captivating read – particularly those chapters detailing Mat, Thom, and Noal’s rescue mission late in the game. Jordan and Sanderson cram in a decent amount of character development, too, with the arcs of Rand, Egwene, and Perrin among the standouts.

Still, at its core, Towers of Midnight is more about adrenaline than emotion, which is why we didn’t rank it higher.

4. The Shadow Rising

After sitting out large stretches of The Dragon Reborn , Rand steps back into the spotlight in the fourth Wheel of Time entry, The Shadow Rising . The journey Jordan cooks up for him is a doozy, too – transplanting the young hero to the Aiel Waste, where stunning revelations await.

Yet The Shadow Rising ultimately belongs to Perrin, not Rand. The former blacksmith’s gradual transformation into “Lord Perrin” is one of the series’ most satisfying arcs, and his romance with Faile hits the mark, as well.

The upshot of this is that by the time Perrin’s calling the shots at the Battle of the Two Rivers, this comparatively small dust-up packs as much punch as a skirmish double its size.

Related: Wheel of Time Showrunner Teases Season 3 as Big for Rand, More Details

3. The Eye of the World

The Wheel of Time book that started it all, The Eye of the World encapsulates everything fans love about the series. Most of the core characters are here and already clearly rendered, just as Jordan’s world and its lore. Better still, all these elements are packaged up in a rollicking yarn that’s impossible to put down.

So, what’s keeping The Eye of the World from the top spot on this list? Well, for starters, the early chapters, while charming, suffer a bit from Jordan wearing his Tolkien influences on his sleeve. The Eye of the World also falls victim to “appetizer entry” limitations that prevent Jordan from truly cutting loose.

2. A Memory of Light

A Memory of Light is paradoxically a marathon and a 100-yard dash. The final Wheel of Time book is nearly 1,000 pages long and follows 14 hefty volumes, yet Jordan and Sanderson set such a blistering tempo that it feels like a much shorter read.

That A Memory of Light ‘s pacing never costs it any narrative or emotional heft is downright impressive, as is the way Jordan and Sanderson conclude every character’s arc on surprising yet satisfactory terms. Even more incredibly, the pair pull all this off while orchestrating one of the most epic showdowns between good and evil the genre has ever seen.

Even more incredibly, the pair pull all this off while orchestrating one of the most epic showdowns between good and evil the genre has ever seen.

Few long-running sagas go out on a high note, but thanks to A Memory of Light , the Wheel of Time series does – and then some.

1. The Great Hunt

With The Great Hunt , Jordan could finally start to cook – and cook he does. The second Wheel of Time book moves at a cracking pace, driven by a strong quest with clearly defined goals and stakes. Jordan also finds time to develop Rand and his inner circle and expands the series’ mythos even further.

This includes the introduction of a formidable new enemy, the Seanchan, which sows the seeds for a conflict that helps propel the remaining Wheel of Time volumes. Best of all, Jordan draws The Great Hunt to a close with a genuinely awe-inspiring battle that’s still grounded in a human dimension.

Sticks and Stones

"one of the secrets of life is that all that is really worth the doing is what we do for others." – lewis carroll, book review: the wheel of time: a complete series review.

A Complete Series Review of

Robert jordan’s: the wheel of time.

The Wheel of Time is one of the best-selling fantasy novel series of all time. It introduced a wealth of fresh new ideas into the fantasy genre and expanded on others in truly creative ways. However, if one delves into reviews of the series it will not take long to discover it also has a fairly large number of detractors. This series review will go into four positive and four negative aspects of the novels to highlight some of the reasons why it is almost equally touted as the best and the worst of the fantasy genre.

Below is both my video and full written analysis.

Con: Change in Thematic Scope

Pacing is one of the major criticisms of The Wheel of Time and the origin of this problem can arguably be traced back to the shift in thematic scope around the fifth book. It must be stated that for some readers, or even perhaps the majority, what will be argued here can be construed as one of the strengths of the series. Still, this shift brought with it a dramatic expansion in theme and much slower pacing that has sparked considerable criticism.

It is obvious from the outset of the first novel that Robert Jordan was heavily influenced by the works of J.R.R. Tolkien (as well as Arthurian legend to a smaller extent), and Jordan himself admitted as much before his untimely passing. As such, the first three novels in the series were quest driven journeys with titles that informed readers of the end goal. For example, The Eye of the World began with introducing the main cast of characters, who soon discover that the Eye of the World is in peril, and the end of the book has them fighting to defend it. The same in many ways can be said of the two novels that follow (The Great Hunt and The Dragon Reborn). The titles themselves tell you the quest, and the characters accomplish it, in one way or another, by books end. By the time the fourth novel comes around the thematic scope begins to shift away from self-contained prophecy fulfilling journeys toward a much grander exploration of all the minutia involved in rallying a discordant land toward facing off with a world ending threat.

This shift in scope was welcomed by most readers, as many wanted to see grander themes addressed in fantasy, and they also craved a deeper dive into the masterfully crafted world Jordan devised. However, there are many that felt exactly the opposite. Many readers got into the series specifically for the quest driven journeys and cared nothing for the catty politicking involved in rallying a land of increasingly dishonest and generally unsavory people. Nor did some readers appreciate the reality that this grand scope also brought with a much slower narrative pace, an increase in books ending with little to no plot development, or that many characters or themes would be completely abandoned for whole books.

The first three books in the series are excellent, arguably 8.5-10-star books. What complicates matters is that the shift happens four books into the series. Thus, the readers who did not care for the shift in thematic scope justifiably feel betrayed in many respects, but now they are invested. Once you are that deep into a series and it starts to shift, many feel their only recourse it to rage. It could also be argued that this series, by changing thematic scope, effectively accomplished the opposite of the Harry Potter series. When Harry Potter shifted to darker, more adult themes in the third book many feel that it broadened its potential audience while only alienating a select few. The Wheel of Time, on the other hand, may have effectively narrowed its audience around the fifth book by broadening its thematic scope and drastically slowing its narrative pacing.

Pro: Magic System

Magic is a staple of the fantasy genre, though many authors struggle with presenting the means, method, and basic rules of their magic systems with any kind of consistency. Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time is the great exception to this rule. The magic system in The Wheel of Time is very well thought out while being equally complex and easily grasped by the reader. The magic system contains aspects of the overall theme of balance, which will be touched on later, and that balance – whether between men and women, or even between different elemental aspects of the power itself – make for a deeply intriguing magical system with clearly defined limitations.

Each magic user, or channeler, in this series has a varied level of strength in the power, as well as varied skill in different uses of the power. For example, not all channelers can heal and some can only channel to accomplish one specific spell (or weave). Furthermore, there is a difference in what each life element (fire, earth, air, water, and spirit) does to channeling, and men and women have different levels of strength in each element. As all powerful as this may make the channelers seem however, they still require a guardian, or warder, because all it takes is an arrow in the back to fell them. Thus, their magic is not so incredible as to make them impervious to danger.

The series also introduced a vast number of magic amplifying artifacts that varied in strength and purpose. This adds another level of depth to this system in that simply finding an artifact does not increase the users magic ability in a blanket way, but that each has its own specific purpose and the user must know not only what the purpose is, but also what aspect of the power need be utilized to make the object do what it is meant to. Failing to know either of these and attempting to use the object usually ended in death or being cut off from the power permanently. This makes for an incredibly intricate system with well establish checks and balances. The magic system in The Wheel of Time is quite possibly the best in the fantasy genre, and it can easily be recognized from many novels that come after it how this system is used throughout the genre and beyond as a benchmark of greatness to be drawn from.

Con: Portrayal of Women

The portrayal of women in The Wheel of Time has been the cause of quite a bit of commentary both for and against the series. For some it is argued that the series, first published in 1990, was groundbreaking in presenting so many “strong female characters” who champion the series as often, if not more so, than the male characters. There is an interesting statistical analysis of the series that can be found HERE which points out how perspective wise women dominated the series as often, if not more so, than men as the series progressed. However, there is another contingent that sees Robert Jordan’s portrayal of women as all too often catty, condescending, and arrogant without cause. This may be caused by two factors: first, that the series seemed to take the brash, arrogant bravado of the stereotypical hero and implant it into nearly all female characters in the series, and second, that the series mistakes the idea of ‘being strong’ as a character with being overbearing.

What makes this more difficult is that the series often told readers how incredibly wise or crafty these women were, only to show them making arrogant mistake after mistake. Nowhere is this more evident than in the Aes Sedai, the main group of female channelers. At the close of the fourth book there is a break in this sect of magic users that lasts well into the 13 th book. Up until this point the Aes Sedai were portrayed in the narrative as serene women with the expansive knowledge of one who had lived an incredibly long life – some well past the century mark. Once this rift happens their entire storyline could be summed up as nine books worth of catty political backbiting. These women, and the drama surrounding them, is the worst kind of soap opera trash. Nearly everyone is two-faced in one form or another, they all jump to the first available conclusion, and they rarely even entertain the idea that they could be making a mistake – regardless of how many times this is consecutively proved wrong.

If this were limited to the channelers, one may be able to accept this as a factor brought on by having incredible power. One could almost understand that. However, most female characters in the Wheel of Time behave this way. In nearly every book you can find instances of women learning some new fact or power and then immediately lording it over others or making wild assumptions that lead them right back into nearly getting themselves killed. Then there is the tendency of women in this series to belittle a man so thoroughly that the man somehow realizes he loves said woman. This is toxic and a poor way to present romance in a novel. Finally, they also spend incredible amounts of time finding the fault in anything someone says, but even more so when a male character says it. To be fair, there is a deep seeded trust issue between men and women due to the breaking in this series, but this does not justify every word coming out a man’s mouth being summarily ignored while basically calling the man an idiot. Does this happen in real life at times with some women? Of course. However, the women who treat other human beings this way are not the type one wants to read about.

Someone once said that Robert Jordan learned how to write women’s interaction by watching a gathering of housewives at a women-only party. Whether or not this is true, one can see where this story arose from. All too often in this series the female characters, in an attempt to be a strong character, come off as arrogant and patronizing to the point of being unsympathetic. One almost wishes the bad things that befall them if only to temper their pride.

Pro: Theme of Balance

Robert Jordan drew from several eastern philosophies in creating the world of The Wheel of Time. The wheel itself comes from the Hindu belief in time as an ever-turning wheel, and the ancient symbol of the Aes Sedai is easily recognized as the Yin and Yang of ancient Chinese philosophy. In both ideologies, balance plays a primary role and Jordan attempted to capture that essence in his novels. Using this as a basis worked wonders for creating tension as well as harmony within the story. Just as in the dualism of Yin/Yang, the two opposing forces collide and contradict, but that contradiction can create complimentary relationships as they interact. Reading these novels with an understanding of this philosophy, particularly in how the Aes Sedai interact with the Asha’man, one begins to see a wealth of meaning hidden within the crafting of the story.

The tension between men and women, particularly channelers, takes on a different meaning in some instances when one sees their contradictory forces clashing to create a form of stability. Male channelers in this series are represented by black, or the Yang, and their eventual place of power is named the Black Tower to represent this. Female channelers are then represented by a white symbol and their place of power is the White Tower. Yang in Chinese philosophy is meant to represent the ‘active’ half and even, at times, ‘disorder’, while Yin is ‘receptive’ and ‘orderly’. In the way Jordan describes use of the power this can easily be seen where Saidar is surrendered to and Saidin must be forcefully taken hold of. There are a wealth of references to this philosophy and how it is meant to create balance peppered throughout the novels that helps it create a stabilizing theme of a universe out of balance and struggling to regain it. Robert Jordan was masterfully creative in incorporating these concepts into his work and presenting them in a way that was faithfully representative of their origins while also adding interesting elements that fit his own narrative.

Both the wheel and Yin/Yang concepts are also primarily focused on balance, and this story uses this theme as a foundation throughout. For each weave of the True Source/One Power (the magic of Wheel of Time) there must be a counterbalance. Furthermore, it become increasingly obvious as the novel goes on that the process of removing men who could channel from the equation severely weakened the world and had essentially thrown it out of balance without those doing it fully realizing the consequences of their actions. Finally, the ultimate resolution of the books also taps into this theme to investigate in a new way what ‘evil’ represents for human nature, and ultimately dealt with the idea of the ‘adversary’ in a unique manner that was impressively faithful to the theme of balance.

Con: Repetition

Many of the main characters in The Wheel of Time, and quite of the few of the tertiaries, have notable idiosyncrasies. That in and of itself is not damning. What is, however, is the incredible frequency that readers are forced to read about the same action or description being detailed ad nauseum for fourteen books. Whether it is the dice rattling in Mat Cauthon’s head, or the various emotional scents that Perrin Aybara picks out, or the slime like characteristic of Saidin when Rand tries to grab hold of it, this series has a virtual plethora of banal descriptive repetition. Though perhaps the most notable tick is Nyaneve’s sadistic self-castigating tendency to yank violently at her own hair when she is angry. However, this only covers some of the primary characters. There is also the knuckling of mustaches, fingering of blades, bonds carrying emotions, people being described as something completely with “… down to their toenails”, and the ever-incessant fussing with clothing – skirt smoothing or shawl adjusting. The amount of repetition brings many readers to a point where they can sense the repetition coming and will voluntarily skip over entire paragraphs in the book to avoid it. In many ways it begins to feel like Robert Jordan did not know how to pause and let a moment simply lie without filling it somehow. Sadly, he then tended to fill it with the same things over and over, which become very tedious to read.

Beyond character idiosyncrasies, there is also the case of excessively addressing women’s breasts throughout this series. Sadly, this is not unusual in the fantasy genre, but the incredible frequency in which breasts are the first point of focus in describing clothing – particularly in a series that loves redundant and unnecessary detail when dealing with clothing – makes this to stand out. Furthermore, the breasts are usually described as ample or impressive, bursting forth from the clothing in some manner. So, the series pushed forth the idea of strong female characters, yet still tended to hypersexualize them. While it is possible to have both, it felt incongruous in many ways. Then there is the ceremony to become the Amyrlin Seat, the highest seat amongst the female channelers, where a room full of women must bare their breasts to prove they are women, two women have to lay their heads on the bare breasts of another to complete a ceremony to become sisters, and an entire race of seafarers take their tops off (women included) when out to sea. Though perhaps the most egregious case of unnecessary repetition regarding breasts is that every time a woman crosses her arms it must be pointed out that this is accomplished, of course, but crossing them under her breasts. One can safely assume readers have no need of this added detail. All it truly adds to the series is an increase of the word “breasts” by no less than thirty occurrences per book. Time and again the writing returns to this part of the female anatomy to a point where it almost feels a fetish of the writer, and it grows tiresome.

One final repetitive element in the series is the archaic and almost juvenile methods used to enforce rules or to punish wrongdoing. Often this was accomplished by spanking, birching, paddling, or smacking someone with a shoe or sandal. When one takes into consideration that Robert Jordan was a professed country boy from South Carolina who grew up in the 60’ and 70’s, this can almost be understood. Nevertheless, one would assume that a magic wielding race of women with members near a century old and with seemingly limitless knowledge could devise a more effective method of breaking someone than putting them over their knee and spanking them. While being spanked is humiliating, and part of reprograming someone is to humiliate them, this simply comes off as a juvenile tactic that these women should not have fallen to. Further, in a latter book when Mat takes a grown woman over his knee and spanks her mercilessly, it comes off far more ridiculous in a perverted way rather than a comical one. He’s a twenty-year-old man spanking a woman at least twice his age. If one simply pictures a twenty-year-old man spanking a forty or fifty-year-old woman, regardless of what her face looks like, it can be nothing but disturbing. Perhaps it should be pointed out for those whose minds live in the gutter, as my mother would say, that this scene was not meant to be sexual. In latter books Cadsuane also finally breaks one of the forsaken, a sadist no less, by spanking her in front of other people. This is the straw that breaks her. One would assume people who have given their soul over to evil would all enjoy a bit of spanking, but apparently that is not true in Robert Jordan’s world.

Pro: The “Adversary”

While the Wheel of Time began with the story of a world being consumed by “the shadow” and our heroes setting off in preparation for a battle against the dark one to save it, how ‘evil’ is ultimately portrayed in this book is perhaps one of the better representations of this theme in fantasy. All too often the ultimate evil has little ambition beyond destroying everything for the sake of destruction. The fault for this can easily be laid at the feet of the age old tale of ‘creator’ versus ‘destroyer’ where an omnipotent yet ambivalent creator leaves his creation to fend for itself while a seemingly equally powerful destroyer is trapped in the creation with the inhabitants and is bent on ripping the creation to shreds to spite the creator. One need look no further than the Holy Bible, the best-selling book throughout all human history, to see where his story originated.

However, Robert Jordan’s “adversary” was ultimately different when the time came to finally confront it. The series attempted to address what ‘evil’ means in the overall balance of human nature. Therefore, this was more than a battle of good guys versus bad guys. This was a story of how and why this evil was able to rise, what caused it to ebb previously, and why it cannot simply be disposed of. In many ways this series also attempted to frame evil in a manner consistent with human history: all eyes turn toward the representation of the ultimate evil, but in truth it is the evil festering in the man standing next to you that presents the greatest danger. The ‘big bad’ often blinds us to who and what we are really fighting. In this, The Wheel of Time put a great twist on a tired trope.

Con: Overabundance of Characters

According to THIS Wikipedia entry, Wheel of Time has 2,782 named characters. Even for a fourteen-book series, that is an incredible number of characters. Thus, one of the problems in the series is uneven character development. Even primary characters are abandoned for entire books. However, the greater issue is progression of the vast number of tertiary characters.

Some characters introduced in the opening half of the series are shelved for large swaths of time only to be re-introduced later, making it difficult to reengage with the characters motivations. Gawyn Trakand is an excellent example of this. He plays a solid tertiary role in the first several books, but from book seven to eleven you read next to nothing about him. He then reemerges in book 12 and readers are expected to feel invested in his motivations. However, when an author disregards a character for that long it says something about his importance both to the author and to the narrative.

Non-primary character arcs also suffer from this abundance. Some arcs are far too long only to be dealt with haphazardly, while others are neglected for long swaths despite their potential. With so many characters fighting for page time there are several arcs that could have been flushed out and made into a larger plot only to be put on the back burner to bring in new characters. This series thus seemed to suffer from ‘new shiny’ syndrome, opting to flood the narrative with more and more characters without finishing what they started, or to kill off more interesting characters to replace them with banal new characters in an attempt to liven things up. At times this worked, but more often it did not.

Pro: Power Creep

All too often in fantasy writing characters go from being a talentless nobody at the outset of the first story to being an all-powerful, unstoppable force in the span of a single book. However, The Wheel of Time is one of the great outliers and is perhaps the standard bearer in how a power creep can be done well. The main characters begin the series with massive potential, but fully realizing that potential takes all fourteen books. This allows them to avoid, for the most part, the pitfall many other fantasy series fall into of adding stronger and stronger adversaries to up the ante, which necessitates the heroes power to continue escalating to a point of becoming ridiculous and repetitive. The Two Rivers Gang (Rand, Mat, Perrin, Egwene, and Nyaneve) slowly gain in experience, confidence, and power as each book moves along. This is done so well that each step in their progression feels natural with the movement of the story, rather than a spike in power just to address the current situation. Furthermore, the power progression falls in line with the character progression, synchronizing the narrative in a positive way.

The Wheel of Time was a ground-breaking series for the fantasy genre. The masterfully imagined magic system, thematic portrayal of balance, steady power creep, and the subversion of the standard adversary trope are but a few of the areas where this series shines. However, the thematic shift around the fifth book that slowed the pacing, the portrayal of women in an arguably antagonistic manner, overuse of repetition, and excess of named characters represent some of the points that detractors of the series have rightfully pointed out as weaknesses. Ultimately this series has quite a lot to offer fans of high fantasy, but it must be entered into with the understanding that the quality is inconsistent. Further, that the pacing and thematic scope of the series will shift in a way that some will not appreciate. In sum, while The Wheel of Time has rightfully earned its high place in the annals of the fantasy genre in many ways, it has equally earned a large number of reproofs making it a series with nearly as much downside as up.

Individual Book Ratings

• The Eye of the World: 9/10
• The Great Hunt: 5/10
• The Dragon Reborn 5/10
• The Shadow Rising: 9/10
• The Fires of Heaven: 5/10
• Lord of Chaos: 4/10
• A Crown of Swords: 1/10
• The Path of Daggers: 1/10
• Winter’s Heart: 2/10
• Crossroads of Twilight 1/10
• Knife of Dreams: 7/10
• The Gathering Storm: 9/10
• Towers of Midnight: 8/10
• A Memory of Light: 6/10

Series Total: 5.6/10

Share this:, 7 thoughts on “ book review: the wheel of time: a complete series review ”.

This is a great review and pretty much mirrors my reading of the entire series. I can’t believe I actually stuck with it after the story started to bog down for me… for book after book, but I was far enough in that I wanted to finish. I honestly can’t recommend the series despite finishing it, but I guess it didn’t win worldwide recognition by being terrible. It would have been great as a trilogy! Lol.

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Completely agree, it would have been great at perhaps 5 books for me. I love up to book 4… then it just got long winded and really convoluted. Thanks for the comment and the follow!

I think I skimmed the middle 6 books. 🙂

If you recommend this series to someone, make sure they know that they may want to just read a synopsis of books 7 – 10.

Your review is well thought out and has some of the negative vibes I have about the books. I came here to find out if I was crazy. Thankfully your review confirms I am not completely so. I made it through book 4. I don’t trust the series to try more even if Brian Sanderson pulled the series across the finish line. Thanks for so complete a review.

This is so accurate. I also want to add that it kinds of get annoying when there are so many characters getting angry and keep bickering all the time (especially the females) but I love fantasy and the story is interesting so far (I am into the 6th book currently) and I know I will finish the entire series. Thanks for a great review!

I enjoyed each book and was thoroughly engaged and entertained by each. Every time I finished a book I either immediately picked up the next or suffered the wait for R.J./B.S. to finished the latest. I can understand the criticisms, but, personally, I wish there was more Wheel of Time. If the series never ended I’d be reading it still. The world and characters are so full of life and detail that I can close my eyes and see it all clearer than some of my real memories.

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All ‘Wheel of Time’ Books Ranked Worst to Best

The  Wheel of Time  is a smash hit with Amazon Prime subscribers . The high fantasy show created by Rafe Judkins for the streaming service is based on books of the same name, which are just as fascinating (if not more so) as the show.

Robert Jordan’s magnum opus,  the  Wheel of Time  books  (which he later handed off like a narrative baton to Brandon Sanderson), is a sprawling saga that could rival the complexity of your grandma’s most intricate quilt. Envision Middle Earth meets  Days of Our Lives , with a dash of  Fashion Police  (courtesy of those meticulously detailed dress descriptions). 

From humble Two Rivers beginnings, where the most challenging problem is perhaps sheep prices, we are thrust into a whirlwind of prophecies, political intrigue, and hair tugs.  The books are less a roller-coaster and more an entire theme park of emotions , from the thrilling highs of Rand’s ascents to the cringe-worthy lows of Mat’s pub escapades. However, with such many books, some have clearly stood out as better than others. With that in mind, here’s a list of all the books, from worst to best.

15.  Crossroads of Twilight  (Book 10)

Imagine eagerly opening a gift box, and within, you find another box, and within that, another. Such is the meticulous unfolding of this chapter in the tale. Readers, by this juncture, are seasoned travelers in the world of Rand al’Thor and company. Yet, in this installment, Jordan opts for a leisurely, almost contemplative stroll rather than a galloping ride across his vast narrative landscape. It’s as if the Wheel itself decided to stop for a breather, perhaps a cup of tea. While some bemoan the perceived lack of explosive action, others appreciate the deeper dives into political maneuvering, whispered intrigues, and the atmospheric tension of a world on the brink. 

14.  The Path of Daggers  (Book 8)

The Path of Daggers , the eighth foray into Robert Jordan’s dizzyingly vast  Wheel of Time  world, is where our beloved author embraced the maxim, “Why sprint when you can saunter?” Journeying through its pages feels akin to attending a grand ball where every dancer insists on introducing their third cousin twice-removed. Now, don’t get me wrong, every epic saga needs its grandiose narratives, but Jordan might’ve been playing a bit of hide-and-seek with the plot here. It’s like amid the dizzying whirl of political games and the ever-increasing ensemble of characters, the book carves its own niche. 

13.  Winter’s Heart  (Book 9)

Winter’s Heart  is like that one guest at a party who arrives fashionably late, makes some small talk, but saves their most dramatic revelation for the very end, ensuring they’re the talk of the town the next day. Among the subtle character moments and simmering political machinations, the book’s climax delivers with a bang, or should we say, a cleansing. For those who’ve faithfully waltzed through the series, this volume is the slow dance before the tempo picks up again. In Jordan’s grand symphony, every note has its place, even if some are more lingering than others. 

12.  New Spring  (Prequel) 

The unexpected detour in Robert Jordan’s  Wheel of Time  express train,  New Spring , offers readers a nostalgic jaunt down memory lane—only, it’s a lane we’ve never actually wandered. This prequel flutters its eyelashes and invites us to a more innocent time when Moiraine and Lan weren’t yet the legends we’ve come to revere but rather bright-eyed young souls navigating the complexities of channeling and warder-binding. Some would call this side story a diversion from the main narrative, but I see it as a reminder that even the grandest stories started somewhere.

11. A Crown of Swords  (Book 7) 

Nestled as the seventh volume in Robert Jordan’s  Wheel of Time  marathon, this book finally chooses to gain some bounce in its step. The narrative landscape, which in prior books might’ve been content to meander like a leisurely Sunday drive, suddenly remembers it has places to be. The title isn’t just for show—it’s a clue. While some heroes are busy collecting shiny headgear, others delve deep into the complexities of romantic geometry—because why have a love triangle when a more, erm, multi-sided shape can do? 

10.  Towers of Midnight  (Book 13) 

With the handover to Brandon Sanderson—who seems to have taken a caffeinated approach compared to Jordan’s more languorous sips of narrative tea— Towers of Midnigh t ratchets up the pace. If previous volumes were about the slow burn, this is where the fireworks start to really go off. This book offers serious returns on emotional investment for long-term series investors. Characters reach their pivotal moments, and Tarmon Gai’don, the much-whispered-about Last Battle, looms ever closer. 

9.  The Dragon Reborn  (Book 3) 

Just when you think you’ve settled into the cozy familiarity of Rand al’Thor’s perspective, Jordan, with a wink, sidelines our curly-haired hero in favor of some ensemble storytelling; Mat, Perrin, and a delightful chorus line of others step into the limelight, swinging their narrative arcs with gusto. And as for Rand? Well, he’s off on a whirlwind tour, largely off-page, letting rumors and whispers speak louder than actions. By the book’s end, it’s clear that this isn’t just Rand’s world; it’s a vast canvas where every thread counts. 

8.  The Gathering Storm  (Book 12) 

The Gathering Storm  breezes in with the energy of a new professor taking over a semester-long class, keen to honor the original syllabus and toss in a few spicy anecdotes of their own. Enters Brandon Sanderson. Entrusted with Robert Jordan’s extensive notes, he takes the narrative reins earnestly. In this installment, the storm isn’t just gathering; it’s practically at the front door, tapping its foot and checking its watch. Characters who earlier drifted through a web of political intrigue and personal introspection find themselves caught in storms of vital decisions. 

7.  The Great Hunt  (Book 2)

If the first book was the invitation to the dance, this sophomore entry in the  Wheel of Time  series is where the music’s tempo kicks up a few notches. Suddenly, Rand and the gang are not just playing with magic and prophecies; they’re entangled in horn-blowing, portal-stepping, and Seanchan-introducing escapades. Our curly-haired, sheepherding protagonist gets a crash course in destiny, and it’s clear this isn’t just any old hunt—it’s  the  Great Hunt. Through this volume, Jordan subtly hints: if you thought the adventure was epic before, you haven’t seen anything yet. 

6.  The Fires of Heaven  (Book 5)

The Fires of Heaven  feels like Jordan decided to spice things up by throwing in a couple of extra queens onto the chessboard, just to keep us on our toes. Rand’s ambitions? Growing by the day, almost as quickly as his list of would-be assassins. Mat? Well, he’s busily transitioning from “I’m just here for a good time” to “Perhaps I’m a general now?” And Nynaeve? Let’s say her braid-tugging has never been more justified. The world of the Wheel expands even further, introducing us to the Aiel’s homeland, which is just a tad hotter and a smidgen more dangerous than a summer in the Two Rivers. 

5.  Lord of Chaos  (Book 6)

Lord of Chaos  arrives with the air of a magician pulling not just one rabbit out of the hat but a whole warren of them. Our earnest Rand, now brandishing titles like a noble collecting estate lands, learns that managing a world teetering on the brink of chaos is more challenging than herding sheep in the Two Rivers. And speaking of chaos, Jordan seems to have made a checklist of all things tumultuous: political scheming? Check. Tower-splitting drama? Double check. Rand’s growing list of woes and “friends”? Checkmate. And in the middle of all this mess, the Aes Sedai, with their centuries of wisdom, decide kidnapping is the way to go—because what could go wrong? 

4.  Knife of Dreams  (Book 11) 

With  Knife of Dreams , Jordan seems to look at the expansive narrative canvas he’d painted, arched a brow, and decided it was high time to start tightening some knots. Rand’s dance card is full of politics and skirmishes, while Mat’s romantic endeavors make one wonder if he’s perhaps bitten off more than he can chew, even with his foxhead medallion. But it’s not all chaos and romance; there are ample moments that remind us why we fell in love with this world in the first place.  Knife of Dreams  is like that moment in a concert when the musician, after several teasing notes, finally dives into your favorite song. 

3.  The Shadow Rising  (Book 4)

Our favorite Two Rivers folk are growing up, gathering magical artifacts and heaps of personal baggage. Rand, the ever-reluctant Dragon, grapples with prophecies and responsibilities, while Perrin’s wolfish side isn’t the only thing casting shadows. And Nynaeve? Her ongoing battle with the One Power feels akin to wrestling a particularly cranky cat—claws, hissing, and all. We’re treated to a deep dive into the world’s lore, unearthing secrets that make the phrase “ancient history” sound downright thrilling. 

2. A Memory of Light  (Book 14) 

A Memory of Light , the grand finale of the  Wheel of Time  masterpiece, strides onto the stage with the confidence of a maestro ready to conduct a symphonic crescendo that’s been building for 13 acts. The end is nigh, and both Jordan’s blueprint and Sanderson’s finesse intend to leave no thread untagged, no prophecy unfulfilled, and certainly no braid unplugged. Tarmon Gai’don, the Last Battle, isn’t just another skirmish—it’s the narrative equivalent of every firework going off at once, and what a spectacle it is.

1.  The Eye of the World  (Book 1) 

The first novel set in Robert Jordan’s vast fantasy universe,  The Eye of the World , starts with the quaint, pastoral charm you’d expect from a village named Emond’s Field. It’s all sheep, festivals, and innocent joy—until, of course, it isn’t. Suddenly, our unsuspecting sheepherder Rand and his pals are thrown into a maelstrom of prophecy, danger, and a crash course in “Magic 101.” It’s a bit like imagining Frodo Baggins decided to form a band, and Gandalf was their edgy tour manager. Jordan sets the grand stage, introducing us to a world brimming with history and cultures and hints that things are about to get very complicated. 

(featured image: Amazon Prime)

'The Wheel of Time' Review: Rosamund Pike Anchors an Intimate Fantasy Series About Power and Prophecy

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Among many of the sci-fi and fantasy properties finally tackled in 2021 on both the big and small screens, The Wheel of Time has long been regarded as one that could possibly be "unadaptable" — and since the rights were first optioned back in 2000, it's been a long and winding journey for the sprawling world of the late Robert Jordan 's novels to finally become translated into a series format. With showrunner Rafe Judkins ( Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. ) now behind the wheel, so to speak, both long-time readers of the books and anyone who was even mildly intrigued from trailers and scene teases have been waiting to see whether the upcoming Prime Video adaptation is fully worth tuning in for. The good news? Those of you who found yourselves more than a little burned by the ending of another epic genre series (and I'm including myself within that group) may have just found your latest fantasy obsession to succumb to.

First, the overarching summary: The Wheel of Time is set in a world that is inherently matriarchal in its construction — a group of women known as the Aes Sedai wields the "One Power," wherein they channel saidar (aka magic) to access various elements and draw them together to create weaves that can be used for battle, shields, or other various means. Men are forbidden from channeling because every previous attempt has been known to drive the wielder insane, so over the years, the Aes Sedai became a female-only institution, with a particular division (or Ajah) tasked with tracking down male channelers and effectively neutralizing the potential threat.

It's through this powerful group of women that we're first introduced to Moiraine ( Rosamund Pike ), an Aes Sedai who has been on a secret search of her own for many years for someone called the Dragon Reborn, an immensely powerful individual who is prophesized to either save the world or lead it into destruction. Accompanied by her loyal Warder, or bodyguard, Lan Mandragoran ( Daniel Henney ), Moiraine makes her way to the small mountain region known as the Two Rivers, where it's possible that the reincarnation of the Dragon might exist from among a quintet of characters — sheepherder Rand al'Thor ( Josha Stradowski ), blacksmith Perrin Aybara ( Marcus Rutherford ), innkeepers' daughter Egwene al'Vere ( Madeleine Madden ), gambler and thief Mat Cauthon ( Barney Harris ), and Wisdom (or healer) Nynaeve al'Meara ( Zoë Robins ). Within the first season, tracking them down is actually the easy part for Moiraine; taking them all back to the White Tower, where the Aes Sedai reside in the city of Tar Valon, proves to be a lot more complicated — but as any fantasy lover will tell you, the quest is an essential part of any good story, and The Wheel of Time delivers on that front.

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Everything I've taken time to explain already might seem like a lot to wrap your head around, but the truth is that The Wheel of Time doesn't necessarily feel like a show where you have to be absolutely caught up on the source material before diving in. I'll admit to not having been very familiar with the books at all myself prior to my watch, and maybe the fact that I'm a big genre reader and grew up on thick sci-fi and fantasy doorstoppers makes me somewhat more predisposed to enjoy a certain amount of worldbuilding and lore with these types of shows. But The Wheel of Time also doesn't get bogged down in too many confusing made-up terms or overly complicated politics, and once our small group of heroes begins their trip to Tar Valon, it's actually fairly easy to just follow along with them, uncovering much of the story as they themselves do.

Although The Wheel of Time boasts a broad main and supporting cast, it is Pike's shoulders on which a large amount of the story rests — and while the first season does take significant time to explore many different relationships, much of its emotional center revolves around Moiraine herself. In the world of the series, the bond between an Aes Sedai and her Warder is described several times as being closer than anything romantic or familial that exists, and Pike and Henney commit wholeheartedly in giving their characters both the unspoken weight and affection that two people who have been fighting side-by-side for years would possess. It's this connection that we see echoed in multiple Aes Sedai/Warder pairs (and at least one apparent instance of a throuple) that becomes one of the season's most poignant as well as heartwrenching threads: when you're magically bonded to a person and can feel everything they're feeling, from pain to grief, it makes the stakes that much higher and the threat of loss that much greater.

And, as it turns out, the Aes Sedai have more than one threat to contend with on a broader level. Not only is there a dangerously powerful male channeler going around claiming to be the Dragon Reborn ( Álvaro Morte ), but an independent organization of religious fanatics, the Whitecloaks, is also viciously targeting female channelers and burning them at the stake. One Whitecloak in particular ( Abdul Salis ) derives a particularly sadistic pleasure of killing Aes Sedai and then wearing their rings on his belt as trophies. All of that aside, The Wheel of Time has a lot more going for it than the Aes Sedai-related plots — but they are some of the biggest reasons to watch. Over the course of the first season, the plot makes the choice to split up the core five (plus Moiraine and Lan), with various pairs forced to make their way separately to Tar Valon, but the advantage there is that these characters are given more room to breathe apart from one another, narratively speaking. We learn more about the unique powers that each of them might possess — and how some may not be the Dragon Reborn after all but something equal to or even stronger than that, outside of prophecy.

The Wheel of Time also, quite frankly, gives the small-screen genre adaptation the injection of inclusion it desperately needed — and what's more, it makes it look so easy, taking Jordan's books and turning them into a world that feels effortlessly diverse, effortlessly queer, with women at the heart of power, and all something that requires no in-universe explanation or justification for why; it simply is . The extended exploration of character and relationship development might also feel slower by comparison to a recent series' very rushed final season, but digging into these dynamics only works to the story's benefit. The result is a show that satisfyingly deals more in intimate moments rather than overly relying on big action set pieces or CGI'd mythical creatures to conjure excitement. One particular scene early in the season, in which Pike's Moiraine delivers a nearly four-minute monologue on horseback, is as enthralling as any intense battle sequence we're given later on.

By the end of the six episodes that were given to critics for review, it really feels like the adventure is only just beginning — so it's fortunate that the streaming series has already been renewed for a second season. Like any good fantasy epic, The Wheel of Time is one that promises very impressive returns, provided audiences are willing to settle in for the long haul.

The Wheel of Time premieres its first three episodes on November 19, exclusively on Prime Video.

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The Wheel of Time , Amazon’s foray into epic fantasy , is not Game of Thrones . There’s a natural inclination to compare the two, or to imagine that the audiences of one could swap out for the other; there’s also that persistent rumor that Jeff Bezos pushed for Amazon to acquire the series as an answer to HBO’s breakout genre hit. But where George R.R. Martin wrote of lands wrought with cynicism and intrigue, murder and anger, Robert Jordan — and showrunner Rafe Judkins — bring in a lightness, innocence, and hope.

This is not to say there’s no violence or backstabbing in The Wheel of Time . In the six episodes made available to reviewers, there are plenty of battles and monsters that strike fear into the most heroic of hearts. But part of what people love so much about Jordan’s series is that it’s the hero’s journey, an epic quest, but turned sideways and far more gender inclusive than its mainstream compatriots at the time. Consider yourself warned: don’t come to The Wheel of Time for gratuitous sex scenes.

Amazon Prime will premiere the first three episodes, nearly half the first eight-episode season, on Nov. 19. That choice feels like a gambit to pull viewers new to the series into the complicated world of the Great Pattern’s making, and abate some fears of longtime fans, the self-dubbed dragonsworn , who have imagined how the series — 14 volumes, published over the course of 23 years — would play on screen. The books kick off with Moiraine ( Gone Girl ’s Rosamund Pike) in the midst of a long journey in an attempt to find the prophesied Dragon Reborn who will defeat the Dark One and stop the world from breaking. She is an Aes Sedai, meaning she’s part of a magical faction dedicated to saving the world and that she can use the One Power. In the small hamlet of Two Rivers she finds three potential dragons, and embarks on a journey to keep them safe and figure out the chosen man among them.

Judkins updates this in the Amazon adaptation: There are still the three men from the books — Rand al’Thor (Josha Stradowski), Matrim Cauthon (Barney Harris), and Perrin Aybara (Marcus Rutherford) — but they’re now joined by two women, Egwene al’Vere (Madeleine Madden) and Nynaeve al’Meara (Zoë Robins). The latter exist in the books as significant characters, Jordan writing from their perspectives, and giving them their own distinct storylines that have immense impact on the overall plot. But in the books, Jordan explicitly tells us that Rand, Mat, and Perrin are important by naming them ta’veren — people who, in-world, significantly impact the story, or who have remarkable events happen around them. He doesn’t do the same for Egwene and Nynaeve. But not only did Judkins give Egwene and Nynaeve the grace to potentially be the prophesied Dragon Reborn, he also made the choice to shift focus to Pike’s Moiraine.

It’s a somewhat radical change, and a telling one. The show actually opens with Moiraine getting ready for traveling while her voiceover gives us context for the world we’re about to enter: Many years ago, the world was broken by powerful men who thought they could cage darkness. It’s a strong statement by refocusing our attention on a character whose perspective is rarely centered in the book series. And it’s a strong statement from Judkins that Moiraine is our entry point as viewers. Here we get an immediate attempt to subvert how women would traditionally be represented in fantasy. Starting with a fake out, it’s Moiraine pulling a shirt up over her bare shoulders in what could be seen as sexualization, but very quickly shifts to journey-mode with her pulling her suspenders on, gloves, her weapon, her tools, and holding a map. Pike has said that she was attracted to the role after seeing a woman as this force for change, and as the guide to a fellowship of important characters upon whom the fate of the world hangs. Pike is more than up to the task, embodying the agelessness and wisdom Jordan wrote of, but layering in a needed thread of humanity — even if her perfected tear-filled eyes do get to be a bit overused at times.

In the books, Jordan plays with point of view — he shifts perspectives constantly from men to women, between characters large and small — and themes of balance, making it clear that in a perfect world everything should be equal and even. But he has a frustrating and dated commitment to a very binary way of thinking, especially in regard to gender. In his writing, men and women are constantly at odds with one another, they’ll never understand the other, and Jordan often attributed actions or choices entirely to one’s gender. The One Power itself is rooted in men and women each owning one half of that power. There’s no recognition of how people who exist outside that binary would fit into the system. Judkins and company do manage to update these ideas, with certain relationships or mysteries, but only to a point. Barring revelations in the seventh and eighth episodes, it seems to stick to the world Jordan created, where men have a certain relationship to the Power and women have another, and there doesn’t seem to be a space beyond those two identities.

By and large the changes pay off, given the amount of time Amazon has allotted for the first season of the story ( Judkins says he’s mapped out eight seasons , but at seven or eight episodes each that’s not a lot of time given how long the books are). By design the show is not a scene for scene replication, thankfully, but it still manages to hold onto the spirit of the books, even with some favorite characters missing, or scenes amalgamated together. Perrin’s guide Elias is nowhere to be found, and as the show attempts to combine storylines from several books at once, the journey Mat and Rand take to Caemlyn is redirected entirely. One of the biggest departures from the book is a major death that will likely frustrate readers and new viewers alike.

But Judkins retains Jordan’s commitment to the innocence of these characters. Our core cast of young people: Nynaeve, Egwene, Rand, Mat, and Perrin, have all only ever known their small village, and they’re thrust into this adventure. Judkins really allows them to be as wide-eyed and terrified and excited and brave as they want to be, arguably one of the most important aspects of the books, and done to fine effect here. Moiraine and Lan are allowed to be furious fighters who retain their hope for the future, and their commitment to surviving. In the premiere, there’s a truly stunning sequence of the two of them fighting in tandem, one with magic and the other with a blade. Overall Judkins and his team have done an admirable job bringing Jordan’s epic story to the screen.

There aren’t really words to describe what a joy it is to see a fantasy series with such a matter of fact statement on what a fantasy world could look like. Every society and community presented has a wide array of skin tones and bodies, and the show doesn’t feel the need to explain why. It’s just the way this world is, filled to the brim by a diverse and talented cast. Among the newcomers, Robins and Harris shine (although Harris has already been recast for season 2, for some reason ).

Not every choice is perfect: the show still falls prey to colorism practices common in Hollywood. Abdul Salis is a real stand-out with his role of the painfully reprehensible Whitecloak Questioner Eamon Valda, part of a group of zealots who arbitrarily designate people as Dark Friends and who hate and hunt the Aes Sedai. He’s terrifying and his first appearance calls to mind John Noble’s Denethor in The Lord of the Rings trilogy. But the scene where he, as a dark-skinned Black man, manhandles Pike’s Moiraine is difficult to stomach, particularly within the context of the very long history of entertainment deliberately mythologizing and falsifying Black men’s aggression against white women.

That said, Salis is so good in all of his scenes, you can’t take your eyes off him; his work, wonderful and compelling as it is, cements the White Cloaks as just as important a villain to watch as the ever-present references to the Dark One. And it’s emblematic of the rest of the immense talents that fill out the world of Wheel of Time . We only get the briefest glimpse of Johann Myers as Padan Fain, but I already can’t wait to see where he will take the infamous character. And though she doesn’t appear until the latter half of the season, Sophie Okonedo as the Aes Sedai Amyrlin Seat Siuan Sanche is an utter scene-stealer.

If it feels like Wheel of Time still has room to grow, that’s because it does. The writers pull narrative threads from the first three books, as well as the prequel title, A New Spring, which largely works, but does lead to some pacing issues. While the show takes its time to unravel who the Chosen One will be, the first book is much more obvious. For those who have read the book, The Wheel of Time show begins to feel strange as it continues to obfuscate over who the Dragon Reborn actually is. It’s a decision that leads to some strange and frenetic pacing and odd structuring throughout the series, with the show needing to follow characters who aren’t doing anything particularly interesting equally with characters who are, purely in the interest of manufacturing mystery around who the Dragon is.

That frenetic pacing and structuring of the story do make it somewhat difficult to follow at times — there were frequent scenes where a character might have a single line before moving onto the next, or ones that felt they were there just to dump exposition out. I wonder how many viewers will remember Moiraine’s long monologue about Manetheran, or how many were surprised after such an action-packed first episode to get a second episode full of walking and talking. But still the show has its rewards, and is enjoyable to sit through multiple times, with new pieces of set or character being discovered on each watch. Nestled in that exposition is fantastically detailed world building, and I found myself pausing and rewinding just to get a closer look at the costuming — masterful work by Isis Mussenden — or the constructed sets (like that of the Two Rivers). The commitment to detail just adds to the authenticity of the characters — they all feel like real people despite the fantastical reality they live in.

After so many years of waiting, there’s certainly a lot for fans to chew on with this adaptation. The Wheel of Time is a very strong start to a much-awaited series and created by someone who has a clear understanding of how adaptations can soar when complementing their source material rather than just copying it. It remains to be seen how much of Jordan’s world can really fit in such a tightly compacted running time, however, as the books just get grander as they go on. I’ll be tuning in to find out.

The Wheel of Time season 1 premieres on Nov. 19 on Amazon Prime Video.

Why I Gave Up Reading The Wheel of Time

Chris M. Arnone

The son of a librarian, Chris M. Arnone's love of books was as inevitable as gravity. He holds an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Missouri - Kansas City. His novel, The Hermes Protocol, was published by Castle Bridge Media in 2023 and the next book in that series is due out in winter 2024. His work can also be found in Adelaide Literary Magazine and FEED Lit Mag. You can find him writing more books, poetry, and acting in Kansas City. You can also follow him on social media ( Facebook , Goodreads , Instagram , Twitter , website ).

View All posts by Chris M. Arnone

I’m a big fan of fantasy stories. Just ask most of my TBR customers. I’m recommending new and old fantasy novels left and right.

Robert Jordan’s The Wheel of Time is spoken of in fantasy circles with the likes of The Lord of the Rings and A Game of Thrones . It’s huge. It’s popular. It’s a classic. After reading more than three and a half of them, I gave up. Here’s why.

I read the first The Wheel of Time book, The Eye of the World , back in 2017. I liked it. I loved the way Robert Jordan introduced readers to his world through the eyes of these everyday people from Two Rivers. He packed so much history and diverse believes into his world. Jordan even managed to take a trope I generally dislike, prophecy, and make it so big that it was cool.

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In 2018, I read the next two novels: The Great Hunt and The Dragon Reborn . As that third book was moving past halfway, though, it was slowing down. The identity of The Dragon Reborn was revealed in the first book, so it was just a march toward that information becoming public knowledge. In anticipation of the new The Wheel of Time series, I decided to dig into book 4, The Shadow Rising .

I read 100 pages. 200. 300. I was waiting for something to happen. Despite the myriad characters and their shifting perspectives, the complicated political and cultural clashes, armies and magic abound, the best Jordan could muster were “Bubbles of Evil” to insert a little action for no real reason. I cranked past page 400 of this nearly 600-page doorstop, and it just couldn’t hold my attention. Robert Jordan luxuriates in his world building, his characters, and forgets his plot entirely for hundreds of pages.

Apparently, it gets worse AFTER this book. All of these books are huge, and the official synopses on Tor’s website tiny, showing how little really happens over the course of these immense novels.

Gender Dynamics

Okay, so pacing is pretty bad. But if everything else was working, I could have forged ahead. What really made me walk away and refuse to read the rest of this 14-novel series were the terrible gender dynamics.

The Wheel of Time shifts between close third-person viewpoints regularly. Characters like Rand, Egwene, Mat, Perrin, and Nynaeve get their turns in the narrative spotlight. Other characters that don’t appear until later in the series do as well. You would think with this shifting POV, you would get dramatically different voices and emotional landscapes.

You would be wrong.

All of the men, without exception, are mopey. They think deeply, speak infrequently, and rarely say what they’re thinking. They perpetually perceive the women around them as indecipherable puzzles. And yet, they manage to fall in love with various women, though how or why never makes sense.

The women, on the other hand, speak frequently, but usually to manipulate the men and remain at odds with the other women. They plot and plan and expect the men to intuit what they are thinking. Oh, but they also fall in love with men only to serve the plot, not their own emotions.

I can understand if one man and one woman behaved this way. I could even understand if all of the men and women from one particular culture were mostly this way. Robert Jordan uses points of view for several different cultures, however. This overdrawn gender dynamic remains across all characters.

I understand these books began in the early ’90s. In some ways they are products of their time. But gender has always been a social construct, and Jordan has constructed his genders as two structures that look nothing alike. That’s just not how people work.

The TV Show is Better

Yeah, this is a hot take. It’s one I rarely make when comparing a book to a TV show, but Amazon’s The Wheel of Time series is fixing these issues. Even if I don’t understand every decision the writers are making regarding their adaptation, the pace is good and largely devoid of bloat. The men are still pretty mopey, but they’re speaking more. The women are asking for what they want and not just trying to manipulate the men (Moiraine still is, but she wouldn’t be her if she didn’t). The show is even tearing into the strict male/female split in The One Power, which has made the mystery of The Dragon Reborn more compelling.

Yes, I could keep reading the hundreds of thousands of words to stay ahead of the series, but since I’m enjoying the series more, why would I? And even though my friends have told me that the pace really picks up in the last few novels when Brandon Sanderson took over, do I really want to fight through six more huge books to get there? Nope. I’ll just watch the show with my wife and enjoy it thoroughly.

Maybe you agree with me or maybe your love for The Wheel of Time is raging at every word I’ve written. Fear not. The Amazon series has not changed or ruined anything. Those 14 books (plus the prequel) are still there, still unchanged, still very long.

In fact, my collection of The Wheel of Time hardcovers are coming soon to a used bookstore in the Kansas City area. Bye, giant books. I won’t miss you.

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How to Read the Wheel of Time Books in Order

The 15-installment series both subverted and expanded what’s possible for epic fantasy.

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If you're not up to speed on the Wheel of Time books, that's where we come in. We’ve spelunked our way through the books to bring you this roadmap to the sprawling series, with guidance on how best to navigate the novels and what to expect from each outing. Season One of Amazon’s series spanned only the first installment, The Eye of the World , so we recommend starting there, then plowing through the ensuing books in their publication order. The series changed hands for the final three volumes, owing to Jordan’s death in 2007, but with a treasure trove of notes from the author's personal archive, fantasy favorite Brandon Sanderson managed to bring the titanic story home, just as Jordan intended.

Drawing on global mythologies about the cyclical nature of time, as well as familiar themes of fate and free will, The Wheel of Time looms large in the literary canon as a definitive work that both subverted and expanded what’s possible for epic fantasy. If you fall in love with the books, don’t stop exploring—there’s a whole world of video games, roleplaying games, and even soundtracks to get lost in.

Let’s dive in.

Tor Fantasy The Eye of the World

The journey begins with The Eye of the World . In a peaceful village named Emond’s Field, a mysterious traveler named Moiraine Damodred arrives, seeking the Dragon Reborn: an individual destined to stand against The Dark One, a malevolent force determined to bring chaos and destruction to these sleepy lands. When the village is attacked by trollocs (beastly soldiers), Moiraine fights off the attackers alongside a band of locals: Rand, Mat, Perrin, Egwene, and Thom. To save their village from further attacks, the group flees, only to be separated along the perilous journey. When Rand decimates the trolloc army in a climactic battle, drawing on the One Power, Moiraine begins to suspect that Rand may be the Dragon Reborn.

Tor Fantasy The Great Hunt

For centuries, legends have coalesced around the Horn of Valere, a powerful artifact that, when blown, summons dead heroes to fight on behalf of the Light. When the horn is stolen, Rand sets out to keep it from falling into the Dark One’s hands, but first, he’ll have to step into his destiny as the Dragon Reborn, and master the magical capabilities he never dreamed of harnessing.

Tor Fantasy The Dragon Reborn

Rand has been declared the Dragon Reborn, while the war-ravaged peoples of the world cry out for his assistance. But before he can come to their rescue, he must complete another test: retrieve the mythical crystal sword Callendor, which can only be wielded by the Champion of Light, from a fearsome fortress known as the Stone of Tear. Journeying alongside Moiraine and other allies, the quest will test Rand’s mettle, and illuminate the truth of his destiny.

Tor Fantasy The Shadow Rising

Callendor in hand, Rand travels to the Aiel Waste, a desert region occupied by a mysterious race of legendary warriors. Rand hopes to be anointed as their prophesied leader, but the journey will demand much of him, forcing him to relive ancestral history, discover the secret past of the Aiel, and master the way of channeling the One Power.

Tor Fantasy The Fires of Heaven

Fearful that some Aiel will renounce his leadership and ally with his enemies, Rand rallies his Aiel followers to the defense of Cairhien, a city threatened by dark forces. With the armies of darkness beaten back, Rand establishes control of the city, and plans to avenge the deposed queen. Rand’s battle with her killer leads him into the world of dreams, where he seeks to stamp out an evil leader once and for all.

Tor Fantasy Lord of Chaos

As the threat posed by the Dark One grows, Rand sets about training a new legion of men who can channel the One Power. Meanwhile, Cairhien receives an unexpected visitor seeking to control Rand, which sets off political intrigue. When Rand is kidnapped and tortured by an agent of dark forces, his followers take up arms in the climactic Battle of Dumai’s Wells, which ends with rebels forced to swear fealty to the Dragon Reborn.

Tor Fantasy A Crown of Swords

Rand’s friends search for the Bowl of the Winds, an important magical artifact with the power to reverse the endless heat waves implemented by the Dark One. Meanwhile, female channelers (known as Aes Sedai) from different lands assemble, and Rand attempts to quell a rebellion among nobles in Cairhien.

Tor Fantasy The Path of Daggers

With the Bowl of the Winds located, the Aes Sedai succeed in their attempt to reverse the Dark One’s climate manipulations. Elsewhere, Rand works to repel invading forces, and suffers an attack from a traitorous enemy.

Tor Fantasy Winter's Heart

While Rand is on the run, his friends make moves to gain power and step into their destinies. Mat kidnaps the woman he’s prophesied to marry, while Perrin pursues the warrior who kidnapped his wife. Winter’s Heart culminates with a major game-changer when Rand cleanses saidin (the male dimension of the One Power) of the Dark One’s influence.

Tor Fantasy Crossroads of Twilight

While Perrin will stop at nothing to rescue his kidnapped wife, even torturing prisoners for information regarding her whereabouts, Mat courts his bride-to-be, the Daughter of the Nine Moons, whom he discovers can channel the One Power. Elsewhere, Rand fathers twins in secret. Stories converge when a truce requires the Dragon Reborn to meet with the Daughter of the Nine Moons.

Tor Fantasy New Spring

Some Wheel of Time fans argue that you can skip New Spring , a prequel that takes place twenty years before the events of The Eye of the World . We include it here to preserve the integrity of the series’ publication order, but just know that this installment will send you hopscotching backward in time. The story focuses on Moiraine Damodred, tracking how she became Aes Sedai, and recounting how she witnessed a prophecy of the Dragon’s rebirth.

Tor Fantasy Knife of Dreams

Jordan went out with a bang in Knife of Dreams , the final installment he managed to pen before his death. In this volume, the world is changing: unusual trolloc attacks, appearances of the walking dead, and ripples in the fabric of time indicate that the Last Battle is drawing near. Rand and the Daughter of the Nine Moons negotiate a truce, but things run off the rails when Lews Therin (Rand’s alter-ego) seizes control of saidin. The ensuing conflict costs Rand his left hand; we also learn that the mental disorder allowing him to communicate with his past self will likely kill him.

Tor Fantasy The Gathering Storm

Jordan intended for A Memory of Light , the final installment of the series, to follow Knife of Dreams . But after Jordan’s passing, it became clear that A Memory of Light was too vast to publish in one go; thus, it was split into three volumes, which Sanderson constructed from Jordan’s extensive notes. Sanderson takes the wheel with The Gathering Storm , teeing up the climactic fight between the forces of Light and Shadow. According to the prophecy, the Dragon Reborn must fight in the Last Battle for the forces of Light to have a shot at victory, but before the battle, Rand must first rally the world’s forces—and get a grip on his sanity.

Tor Fantasy Towers of Midnight

In the final days before the Last Battle, the world unravels. Mat and Perrin must align their followers to take up arms in humanity’s last stand. So too must they embrace their destinies, channelling the powerful and mysterious forces within themselves for the good of the world. Meanwhile, Rand’s power and madness grow, all while an army of Trollocs spills out across the land.

Tor Fantasy A Memory of Light

The armies of the world assemble for the cosmic confrontation between Light and Shadow. It all comes down to a fateful duel between Rand and the Dark One, during which Rand must harness all dimensions of the One Power to imprison and defeat the Dark One. After the dust settles, Rand is believed dead, but his inner circle knows that he survived in an evil accomplice’s body, galloping away in secret, even though he can no longer channel the One Power. Sounds like spin-off fodder, doesn’t it? Maybe by the time you make it to book fifteen, it’ll be you taking the baton from Jordan and Sanderson.

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• Wheel of Time Books

Why do people hate the Wheel of Time?

By trashbird1240 November 3, 2010 in Wheel of Time Books

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Trashbird1240.

I told a friend today that I was going to pick up my copy of Towers of Midnight . Here's how the conversation went down:

Her: What's Towers of Midnight ?   Me: It's the next Wheel of Time book   Her: There's more books? What the hell.   Me: I don't care if there's twenty more books, I would want to read all of them   Her: I just don't get it; why do they keep publishing them. They suck.

Considering that this is somebody that I otherwise really like, I was really surprised to hear her talking like that. I can think of plenty of books that I didn't like, but I wouldn't say that any of them "just totally suck." Beside that, why does anybody think these books suck?

What I like about the Wheel of Time (i.e. why I keep reading and wouldn't care if they dragged the series out for the rest of my natural life):

• The characters: I never thought I would say this, but I really love the characters and I find myself relating to them. The book is built around those characters and not necessarily around events that happen to them. Even though new characters keep coming up, they are always really well done.
• Robert Jordan's language: there is no "it came to pass" in the Wheel of Time. Reading Tolkien is like reading Shakespeare, it's beautiful and everything, but I don't think it really gets the job done (and people don't talk like that in real life, even in Shakespeare's time). Whereas the point with Shakespeare is IMHO to make beautiful language and express characters using mostly the skill of that language, novels have to use language that expresses the construction of the characters. Robert Jordan does this better than any other novelist I have read.
• These books are for adults. Even though the characters are quite young, the issues they face and the situations they deal with are presented in a very mature fashion. Not only that, but the situations are believable (yes, in a fantasy novel!) for people their age. Does Harry Potter get laid? Anywhere in the series?
• It's deep: yes, it's a fantasy novel and there's a certain levity that goes with that, but Robert Jordan deals gracefully with everything from intimate relations (an everyday subject) to free will versus determinism, the limitations of language; he deals with how folklore and history interweave, power structures in society, the place of art in society, and of course SEX! Show me another fantasy novel, or any kind of novel with mass appeal that deals with topics worthy of Rousseau and Wittgenstein. In the Wheel of Time it's all there, just as it's all there in real life. As I said above, I have not seen another author tackle more topics as well as Robert Jordan.

My question is what are these people expecting that they end up thinking the books suck? Crossroads of Twilight was kinda boring. Kinda. Star Wars prequel trilogy: that sucked. Nynaeve and Elayne join a circus: kinda hokey. A book full of wizards and stupid people who have to make the wizard explain everything to them, that wouldn't make sense unless you've read Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit : sucks. Women crossing their arms beneath their breasts: kinda repetitive. Dragons that talk? I'll let you decide.

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my one friend didnt like them because they wherent written from a womans pov, although she did like twilight which makes her taste excedingly bad

Jillain Sanche

WOT is like the War and Peace of the fantasy genre! What? Sanderson recently stated an estimation of about 2,000 characters.

Therefore, appreciation of this series requires a commitment to reading; it's not light reading. It might just be over the heads or focus level of some folks whom we otherwise like very much.

Okay, in the case of "Twilight," there is no question it is written at a reading level for youth, maybe about sixth or seventh graders? Very light reading.

I think Jordan does very well with the POVs of the female characters. But for someone to admit that WOT is too much for them, they would be embarrassed so they might sidestep the real issue.

We cannot beat our friends over their pointy little heads when they just can't get into the same literary tastes we enjoy.

I love Tolkien and Jordan. I rather suspect that Jordan loved Tolkien too. But they were not contemporaries. Tolkien served in WWI. Jordan served in Viet Nam. That's at least two generations apart. (Even Tolkien's son is in his late 80s now.) The language of fantasy has necessarily changed as times change. If you read Tolkien, your English will be improved. Yet of course Jordan is a master of fantasy, and he is every bit as descriptive as Tolkien.

Therein lies another point where there will be people who are afraid of reading both these authors. Some readers are not yet able to handle heavy descriptive narrative. They are spoiled perhaps by action movies, and they want action all the time. Crossroads moved several subplots forward and was a necessary transition in the development of the storyline. But for some readers, it required more focus than they could manage.

Conclusion: Don't let it get to you. Find something else you can discuss or do with your friend.

From what I've heard some people either dislike the level of detail, or find some things anticlimatic from the buildup. Eg: fights that are over quickly and fearsome Forsaken not proving to be any sort of challenge. Also, once the climax of a book occurs the books end kinda suddenly

My bf is one of these so called 'haters' yet he loves fantasy. Geez, i cant even begin to name all the fantasy he reads and loves - i think his biggest love is katherine Kerr and the silver dagger books. But seriously, we have probably 200-300 fantasy books at home. He actually gave me book 5 because he had read up to book 5 but just couldnt get into it, so at least he tried. when im reading he constantly comes up behind me and asks how rand is, or the wolf dude, or the dude with the sword (perrin and lan)

he has said if i read all 17 of his katherine kerr books, he will give the wheel of time another go, and i think after i read TOM im going to hold him to this, as i really just need someone to talk about this... when i was younger i was dating a guy and hes the one that got me into the serious, me, him and his brother would have these major, hours long discussions about WOT and it was freakin awesome (and i dont feel like a nerd posting that here either woohoo!)

i tried to get my brother into it, hes a huge LOTR fan, but nope, he just wasnt interested (think he read half of the EOTW)

I can understand some of the descriptions that go on for pages and pages as off putting but seriously, RJ has created such a visual world, its like watching a movie in ya head instead of just reading a book. some people just dont know what they are missing out on

I can understand people not liking how he describes furniture, rugs, clothing, etc. The problem is that those things matter -- a lot. If you don't think those things matter, you haven't read enough history. He makes them matter.

nogoodatnames

It's just a matter of taste. You could give a hundred people the greatest novel ever written, an some of them will hate it.

An example for me would be Stranger in a strange land, lots of people consider that to be a Sci-fi must read. I found it a complete bore. One of the only books I've never finished.

While it is true that everyone has different tastes. I've seen that the prevailing reason is that Jordan is "milking" the series over the years. Though I do appreciate opinions that are more then "Just sucks" just google up some reviews and you'll see.

I think it is foolish for someone to state that a story is "bad" or "it sucks" or whatever. The fact is, it is a creative work that is totaly subjective to personal opinion. In my opinion, if a person tries to lable a work of art as "bad" by definition, this person is a childish idiot and their opinion is not worth the time it took to listen to it.

Lynchgrinch

I never ever ever ever ever ever ever will understand how people can not like Wheel of Time. Fair enough if fantasy aint your thing you're probably never gonna pick up a book called " The Dragon Reborn" or anything like that.

But tbh WoT reads so well it's almost like modern day times...back 200 years ago...minus gunpowder (oops illuminators) and plus a bit of magic...

But it's not like wizzards and dragons or anything, WoT is something far mor REAL than that.

As for people who actualy like the fantasy genre yet still criticise RJ.

THERE WILL BE DEATH AND FIRE.

I realy don't understand it.

The reasons people don't like the series are plentiful. Some of them can be summed up as them holding the opposite opinion to the opening poster, that is to say:

1. Badly drawn characters, particularly the women, as many of them are seen as unrealistic, unpleasant and identical, virtually everyone is juvenile in their relationships, not talking to other people is taken to ridiculous extremes, and virtually everyone is, at best, two dimensional.

2. Robert Jordan's language, which is seen as needlessly bloated, insisting on pages of pointless description that does nothing to further the story, and isn't always clear, and leaves little to the imagination.

3. The books are not for adults, with juvenile interactions between the cast, overly simple (good v evil, Dark Lord, not enough by way of shades of grey, etc.), a coyness about subjects such as sex (it taking place off screen, often implied rather than outright stated).

4. It's not deep, the themes not being hugely profound, it saying little to nothing of relevance or importance, no real comment on the human condition.

In addition to these is the matter of the pacing, with many people feeling frustrated at a story seeming to take a very long time to go nowhere in particular, crawling forward inch by painful inch when they want him to get to the bloody story. This is seen as the principle problem with CoT, for example - while things do happen, they end up taking up far more space than they should. We do not need half a chapter of Elayne taking a bath. Also, people dislike the frequent use of stock mannerisms, said Mr Ares, pulling on his brain, sniffing at those wool headed fool men, and putting his hands on his hips while folding his arms beneath his breasts. Some dislike the spanking, which is felt to be excessive, and indicative of a certain preference of RJ's, likewise the frequent female nudity (ceremonies clad in the Light). Understand, of course, that these opinions are not my own. I'm just a fan who's read quite a lot of criticism of the series. For all its faults, WoT is a series that I think very highly of.

Jillain Sanche, I think you do many people a disservice when you accuse those who find RJ's style overly wordy as being perhaps spoilt by action films. For one thing, it isn't hard to find people who are well read offering this criticism. It would seem the greater problem is that RJ tells these people things that they feel they don't need to know (how much lace someone is wearing, for example), in too much detail, at far ggreater length than is really warranted. Again and again. It is a style that, as I mentioned above, many feel leaves too little to the imagination. Whereas authors with a more minimalist style (such as Hemingway) might be content to leave things undescribed, or give you a few pointers, RJ will tell you everything. This can be seen as authorial hand holding, and overly juvenile, simplistic, with the author having the much easier job of just telling you everything rather than trying to write both very well and very simply (deceptively difficult to do, from what I can gather).

As for this: "Show me another fantasy novel, or any kind of novel with mass appeal that deals with topics worthy of Rousseau and Wittgenstein." I would offer the response: Prince of Nothing. A fantasy trilogy with well drawn characters, many philosophical themes, with good use of language and that is most definitely for adults. Others might also put forward George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire or Steven Erikson's Malazan Book of the Fallen. Many people feel these books have the qualities you acsribe to WoT - more so than WoT does.

TalonSpiritCat

I am the only one in my gamer/writer groups who likes WOT.

This is what I have heard in the last few weeks -- they come for gaming and I have been rereading the series in prep for ToM.

"I read the first few....they were too slow."

"I stopped in Book 2 with those Seanchan. They enslaved people so I couldn't read more." (Seriously -- he stopped reading cause he disapproves of slavery! It's a book!)

"I'm waiting for the series to be done before I start...don't want to wait so long for new material."

"Isn't that series done yet? Too slow, too boring...it's like reading the Bible." (I might let my partner live despite his lack of taste though it's up for debate. I'll make him eat with sursa...that will show him!)

And we just added a new D&Der and he likes WOT! Yay!

The reasons people don't like the series are plentiful. Some of them can be summed up as them holding the opposite opinion to the opening poster, that is to say: 1. Badly drawn characters, particularly the women, as many of them are seen as unrealistic, unpleasant and identical, virtually everyone is juvenile in their relationships, not talking to other people is taken to ridiculous extremes, and virtually everyone is, at best, two dimensional. 2. Robert Jordan's language, which is seen as needlessly bloated, insisting on pages of pointless description that does nothing to further the story, and isn't always clear, and leaves little to the imagination. 3. The books are not for adults, with juvenile interactions between the cast, overly simple (good v evil, Dark Lord, not enough by way of shades of grey, etc.), a coyness about subjects such as sex (it taking place off screen, often implied rather than outright stated). 4. It's not deep, the themes not being hugely profound, it saying little to nothing of relevance or importance, no real comment on the human condition.   In addition to these is the matter of the pacing, with many people feeling frustrated at a story seeming to take a very long time to go nowhere in particular, crawling forward inch by painful inch when they want him to get to the bloody story. This is seen as the principle problem with CoT, for example - while things do happen, they end up taking up far more space than they should. We do not need half a chapter of Elayne taking a bath. Also, people dislike the frequent use of stock mannerisms, said Mr Ares, pulling on his brain, sniffing at those wool headed fool men, and putting his hands on his hips while folding his arms beneath his breasts. Some dislike the spanking, which is felt to be excessive, and indicative of a certain preference of RJ's, likewise the frequent female nudity (ceremonies clad in the Light). Understand, of course, that these opinions are not my own. I'm just a fan who's read quite a lot of criticism of the series. For all its faults, WoT is a series that I think very highly of.   Jillain Sanche, I think you do many people a disservice when you accuse those who find RJ's style overly wordy as being perhaps spoilt by action films. For one thing, it isn't hard to find people who are well read offering this criticism. It would seem the greater problem is that RJ tells these people things that they feel they don't need to know (how much lace someone is wearing, for example), in too much detail, at far ggreater length than is really warranted. Again and again. It is a style that, as I mentioned above, many feel leaves too little to the imagination. Whereas authors with a more minimalist style (such as Hemingway) might be content to leave things undescribed, or give you a few pointers, RJ will tell you everything. This can be seen as authorial hand holding, and overly juvenile, simplistic, with the author having the much easier job of just telling you everything rather than trying to write both very well and very simply (deceptively difficult to do, from what I can gather).   As for this: "Show me another fantasy novel, or any kind of novel with mass appeal that deals with topics worthy of Rousseau and Wittgenstein." I would offer the response: Prince of Nothing. A fantasy trilogy with well drawn characters, many philosophical themes, with good use of language and that is most definitely for adults. Others might also put forward George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire or Steven Erikson's Malazan Book of the Fallen. Many people feel these books have the qualities you acsribe to WoT - more so than WoT does.

Sorry, but WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING ON A WHEEL OF TIME FANSITE?

It seems like you don't even like the books at all, just sayin'.

Thanks for all the great replies.

While it is true that everyone has different tastes. I've seen that the prevailing reason is that Jordan is "milking" the series over the years.

One of my friends said that: I thought it was weird. Authors really don't make that much money. I think if RJ wanted more money, he would have finished the series and pushed it to film.

I think it is foolish for someone to state that a story is "bad" or "it sucks" or whatever.

I wouldn't read Harry Potter just to tell somebody it sucks. I certainly don't think Lord of the Rings sucks, but I didn't really like it.

This is one of the things that I forgot to put in my original list: the Wheel of Time is self-contained. If you don't know what a wizard is, you can still know what an Aes Sedai is. I seriously laugh when I hear people comparing the Wheel of Time and Lord of the Rings. Hello? There are no dwarves, elves or wizards in the Wheel of Time. I actually saw a review (not a customer, but a trained critic) calling Aes Sedai "female wizards." They're not wizards! They have a skill. Does Gandalf require skill? Not the way I read it.

The reasons people don't like the series are plentiful. Some of them can be summed up as them holding the opposite opinion to the opening poster, that is to say: 1. Badly drawn characters, particularly the women, as many of them are seen as unrealistic, unpleasant and identical, virtually everyone is juvenile in their relationships, not talking to other people is taken to ridiculous extremes, and virtually everyone is, at best, two dimensional. 2. Robert Jordan's language, which is seen as needlessly bloated, insisting on pages of pointless description that does nothing to further the story, and isn't always clear, and leaves little to the imagination. 3. The books are not for adults, with juvenile interactions between the cast, overly simple (good v evil, Dark Lord, not enough by way of shades of grey, etc.), a coyness about subjects such as sex (it taking place off screen, often implied rather than outright stated). 4. It's not deep, the themes not being hugely profound, it saying little to nothing of relevance or importance, no real comment on the human condition.

I thought of all these, but I think that if people really think that, they weren't paying attention. I started reading The Wheel of Time when I was 29, and I think anybody who thinks his coverage is not mature in nature, is still young enough to think they are more mature than most other people. The "needlessly bloated" language, as I said, is all about really important stuff.

Who thinks which relationships are portrayed with coyness or unrealistically? I feel absolutely the opposite.

And sex offscreen is just fine for me. What would the alternative look like?

Some dislike the spanking, which is felt to be excessive, and indicative of a certain preference of RJ's, likewise the frequent female nudity (ceremonies clad in the Light).

The spanking, denigration, humiliation --- especially with Galina and Egwene --- totally links in to the cultural pain of the Aiel, something they can't escape, and the temporary nature of pain experienced within a lifetime. Am I the only person who had this interpretation?

As for nudity: most books, in my opinion, don't have enough. This series has enough boobs and explosions that it should please everyone.

A Game of Thrones is at my house, waiting for me to finish Towers of Midnight . I'll look into the others --- thanks!

Because they are fools!

But seriously, I can see how some people would dislike the pace, or how some people think that some parts are boring as hell. Elayne´s succession. Geez.

Perhaps the somewhat lighter tone of the series (compared to other series) is a bit of a turn-off too for some. Personally though, I have read Black Company, A song of Ice and Fire, Malazan and while i did enjoy them greatly, i did not feel the acute need for an immediate re-read (or any re-read for that matter). Because let´s be honest, they can be quite depressing. How the Chain of Dogs turned out in Malazan for example. I wanted to stab the book. And Whiskeyjack! Gah!

It might be a bit shallow, but to hell with. It´s got humor, action, a cool world and characters for every taste. I´ll continue to love and not care what anyone else thinks.

My personal opinion is that a lot of people who complain about WoT, complained mostly about the pacing that took place in the series from books I want to say 6-11. Every book you were expecting at least some of the major plotlines that had been going on to be resolved, and yet they kept stringing on from book to book. In addition, if you were reading these books as they came out and had the years and years of waiting between books, I can understand the frustration. I had little of that frustration, as when I picked up the series, by the time I got to PoD, WH was coming out. So, I didn't have as much waiting to do between those books. I think a lot of the pacing complaints will dissappear once the series is finished, and you can immediately pick up the next book and continue the story. Especially, once you can see the importance of all those scenes that didn't seem important at the time in the earlier books.

Jordan absolutely loves to foreshadow, and almost every scene contains something within it that will become important later on and can't be skipped over, which is why they survived the editing process. The problem is, that without knowing the ending of the series, or being able to talk to the writer in a way where he'll actually give answers other than RAFO, it's almost impossible to see that importance. So, yes, things seem bloated and overly described, but given that Jordan has created his world such that the amount of embroidery on your dress can often be a measurement of one's political standing, along with the material it is made of, such details become important. This also gives one an insight into a particular character's personality. Do they flaunt their station, trying to appear even higher within their cultures hierarchy, or are they more humble about their position, displaying less embroidery than they are entitled to, or exactly the right amount? That's the real problem with Jordan, everything is important, even if it doesn't appear to be.

Just like a good red wine these books require patience. The thing is some people can appreciate a fine red wine, while those that drink it for the alcohol miss the quality. And like all things it might not be someones taste, and with that I cannot argue.

People have also become use to having everything the moment they want it. They want the ending NOW! But for me it is not the end but the journey. That journey will make the end something sad (as it comes to an end) but also wonderful.

I started reading the books this year, as a result those long ardous scene are not that bad. Being able to immediatly pick up the threads again the books just flow one into the other, making this not a 13 book story but one long amazing story.

one of my coworkers describes them as "12 books full of spanking...they suck"

Sure..if you want to pull 50 pages of material out of 9000 pages, and ignore the battles, characters, etc...

Which friend is this! Im gonna have to Chuck Norris her ass..

Sorry, but WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING ON A WHEEL OF TIME FANSITE?   It seems like you don't even like the books at all, just sayin'.

Ok, you don't get how people can have different tastes than you... Can you comprehend that someone might like something for what it is but still be able to see it's flaws? That's likely why the poster you're caps-screaming at is on these boards. Or maybe he doesn't even hold to those opinions himself, but knows why others have the opinions they do.

It's ok people, you can dislike parts of something and still be a fan. I have full understanding for people who quit reading this series, and it's not because they are stupid or otherwise "unable to appreciate" the greatness of it. I still like it, but I don't like several chapters in almost every single book, because they are simply mind-numbingly boring and irrelevant (Chapter upon chapter of Salidar gaaah, chapter upon chapter about Elayne in Caemlyn, Egwene on a neverending journey to the White Tower, Perrin planning to rescue Faile for at least an entire book, brooding on the same thing every single POV from him? Hell, even some of the chapters in Ebou Dar searching for the bowl were going nowhere slow.) Usually, if you divide each book into two parts, splitting it in the middle, the middle of those two parts are often slow-paced uninteresting transports to very exciting passages. This was much less true in the first few books, but staretd to show in the fires of heaven or thereabouts, in my opinion. I also don't like the fact that there are characters whose name I can't even be arsed to remember because they are so out there in the periphery. I'm still glued to my copy of Towers of Midnight, which I took a 30 minute car drive to get today, instead of waiting three days for delivery.

Fair enough, i can agree with that, kinda...

I just think that the origonal poster(who i was screaming at) pointed out way to many flaws. It seems like the ammounto "flaws" he pointed out outwayed all possible good points.

I suppose you have to be a certain type of person to be total and completly devoted to WoT. I'm not merely a fan, i'd call myself THE FAN if it wasnt for people like...Jason, Luckers and Jenn...LUCKY SODS.

Thats how passionate i am about the series, to me luckers etc are just lucky and better than me with publicity and know more people, I CAN'T COMPREHEND SOMEONE BEING A BIGGER FAN THAN ME.

It just would not make sence.

In saying all that, it's in no way a stab at the people mentioned who have done so much for the WoT community...they have nothing but my utmost respect.

I HATE THE MAYOR OF CASTERBRIDGE I HATE IT I HATE IT I HATE IT.

people have different taste, let them be :D

Bob T Dwarf

See, I don't HATE the Wheel of Time series, I'm just very disappointed in it. It is needlessly bloated. Every story line drags on far too long. Many chapters are nothing but a collection of stock phrases that repeat and repeat and repeat ad nauseum throughout the series. There is no dead horse that Jordan would not haul out of the dust by its scraggly tail and flog again.

Other than Mr. Ares excellent post above ( can't believe I actually agree with him about anything, but I do on this one ), the best descriptions of the series I've ever read - and both come from posts on this site by other, much more talented folks than me, are:

"Too much faffing about with frocks";

"Too many adjectives and not enough verbs."

Nonetheless, the underlying story is great. You've just got to work far too hard to get the meat off the bones.

I have to say that many people who don't like this series dislike it for all of the reasons that I have found lacking in other series.

I love the whole picture painted style while others wish only to have a boiled plotline.

I love the fact that there are 15-20 main characters and 60-120 ancillary character that creep in and out of the story line while others wish only to follow one - three main character(s) along a straight story line that will entertain them without thought on their part.

I love the time that we get to spend learning the back stories, motivations and internal dialog of even some of the ancillary characters while others wish only for enough of these details in the main character to move the plotline ahead.

The biggest complaints I have from normal sci-fi and fantasy books is that they spend too little time developing the characters sacrificing to move the plot line ahead for a 400 page book. Even the beloved J.R.R. series have whole story lines that I would love to have explored but he chose to end his in three books and only later came back and wrote one prequel. I would have cut off an ear to read the back story and further adventures of the Ents...

(guess all of this makes me a geek - I do wear glasses...)

oh and I agree with trashbird1240 about the level of the audience that it was intended for.

I would not have been able to appreciate this series even as a young adult and have read many other who started the series very young and have indicated that a reread of the material meant much different things to them when they returned to the books many years later.

This series is not intended for children to be reading and it is a mature (if still tactful) handling of mature topics that are not appropriate for children such as sex and death.

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‘Hitler and the Nazis’ Review: Building a Case for Alarm

Joe Berlinger’s six-part documentary for Netflix asks whether we should see our future in Germany’s past.

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By Mike Hale

Hitler’s project: “Making Germany great again.” The Nazis’ characterization of criticism from the media: “Fake news.” Hitler’s mountain retreat in Berchtesgaden: “It’s sort of like Hitler’s Mar-a-Lago, if you will.”

Donald Trump’s name is not mentioned in the six episodes of “Hitler and the Nazis: Evil on Trial,” a new historical documentary series on Netflix. But it dances just beneath the surface, and occasionally, as in the examples above, the production’s cadre of scholars, popular historians and biographers can barely stop themselves from giving the game away.

The series was directed by the veteran documentarian Joe Berlinger (“Paradise Lost,” “Metallica: Some Kind of Monster”), who has a production deal with Netflix and has given it popular true-crime shows like “Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich” and the “Conversations With a Killer” series.

In promotional material, Berlinger explains his decision to step up from true crime to total war and genocide: “This is the right time to retell this story for a younger generation as a cautionary tale,” he says, adding, “In America, we are in the midst of our own reckoning with democracy, with authoritarianism knocking at the door and a rise in antisemitism.” In other words, you can’t make a documentary about Germany in the 1930s and ’40s without holding the United States of the 2010s and ’20s in your mind.

To that end, Berlinger has made a deluxe version of the sort of history of Hitler, the Third Reich and the Holocaust that for years has been a staple of American cable television. The information is not new, but the resources available to Berlinger are reflected in the abundance of material he deploys across nearly six and a half hours: archival film, most of it meticulously colorized for the series, and audio; staged recreations with a sprawling cast of actors; and the copious roster of interviewees.

A new telling of an old story requires a twist, of course, and Berlinger has several. The American journalist William L. Shirer serves as the series’s unofficial narrator, despite having died in 1993 — an A.I. recreation of his voice recites passages from his many books about the period, and occasionally his actual voice is heard in excerpts from radio broadcasts. He is also represented onscreen by an actor in scenes recreating the series’s other primary framing device, the first Nuremberg trials in 1945.

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Pat Sajak’s final ‘Wheel of Fortune’ airs Friday

LOS ANGELES – Pat Sajak will wind down his record-breaking spin hosting “Wheel of Fortune” on Friday night. Here’s what to know about the game show icon’s decadeslong tenure on the show.

The “Wheel of Fortune” Season 41 finale, titled “Thanks for the Memories,” airs at 7:30 p.m. Friday on NBC affiliate KHQ. Thursday’s penultimate episode included a farewell message from Sajak’s longtime co-host, Vanna White.

How long has Sajak hosted?

Sajak has hosted the Hangman-style game show for more than 40 years, stepping in for original host Chuck Woolery during the second season in 1982, when “America’s Game” still aired on daytime television.

“Wheel of Fortune” debuted in 1975 with Woolery and Susan Stafford leading the show before the “Love Connection” host departed over a salary dispute with NBC. Legendary producer Merv Griffin hired Sajak and famous letter-turner White in 1982, and the two have become fixtures of the series. In 2019, Sajak scored the Guinness Book of World Records title for longest career as a game show host on the same show. He will retire with almost 8,000 episodes to his name.

He earned three Daytime Emmy Awards as game show host during his run and a Daytime Emmy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2011. He also has a People’s Choice Award and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame credited to his “Wheel” run.

In 2021, “Celebrity Wheel of Fortune” premiered in prime time on ABC with Sajak usually serving as host.

Why is Sajak stepping down?

The 77-year-old announced his retirement a year ago, writing on X that the current season would be his last. In an interview with his daughter, “Wheel” social correspondent Maggie Sajak, the host said that he could continue hosting the show if he wanted to but felt he needed to exit on his own terms.

“I’d rather leave a couple years too early than a couple years too late,” he said, adding, “I’m looking forward to whatever’s ahead.”

Who’s taking over?

Less than a month after Sajak revealed his retirement, “American Idol” and “On Air” host Ryan Seacrest announced that he would step into the emcee’s shoes. At the time, Seacrest lauded his predecessor for the way Sajak “always celebrated the contestants and made viewers feel at home.”

Seacrest, who signed a multiyear deal with Sony Pictures Television last June, will begin the new gig in September.

White is set to remain on “Wheel of Fortune” for the next two years. She has previously filled in for Sajak as host on a few occasions and, before the brief search for Sajak’s successor came to an end, fans campaigned for White to replace her longtime colleague.

What did Sajak do before ‘Wheel’?

It’s hard to think about Sajak doing anything other than soliciting consonants and vowels or declaring a player “bankrupt,” but his storied career began long before “Wheel of Fortune.”

Born and raised in Chicago, Sajak got his broadcasting start as a newscaster and announcer at a small radio station, looking to broadcast legends Arthur Godfrey, Dave Garroway, Steve Allen and Jack Paar for inspiration to shape his TV personality. He served in the U.S. Army in the late 1960s and was sent to Vietnam, where he hosted a daily show for Armed Forces Radio in Saigon shouting “Good morning, Vietnam!” each day.

After being discharged, he worked at small radio stations in Kentucky and Tennessee, spending several years as a staff announcer, talk show host and weatherman at WSM-TV in Nashville, Tennessee. A talent scout for NBC-TV in Los Angeles spotted him and brought him on board in 1977 to serve as the local NBC station’s primary weatherman.

In 1981, Griffin asked him to assume hosting duties on “Wheel” when it still aired during the day on NBC, well before the syndicated version premiered in 1983.

“The nice thing about working in local TV in L.A.,” Sajak has said, “is that decision makers are watching you every night.”

What else is on Sajak’s resume?

During his tenure, Sajak has entertained generations of fans, inspired “Saturday Night Live” and “South Park” jokes and generated numerous headlines about his behavior with contestants . He also briefly hosted the short-lived late-night talk show “The Pat Sajak Show” in the late 1980s and played himself in a number of films and TV shows, including “The A-Team,” “227,” “Airplane II: The Sequel,” “Santa Barbara,” “The King of Queens,” “Just Shoot Me!” and “Fresh Off the Boat.”

“We became part of the popular culture … more importantly became part of people’s lives,” he said in a recent interview with his daughter, who made her “Wheel” debut as a 1-year-old when she joined her dad onstage. The Princeton and Columbia University grad has been the show’s social correspondent since 2021.

Sajak’s awkward dad jokes have raised eyebrows in recent years, with the stalwart host fully committing to an odd voyeurism quip while bantering with White during a 2023 episode. He also has landed in hot water for asking her if she liked watching opera in the buff and repeatedly raised social media hackles when he mocked and pranked a contestant over her fear of fish, poked fun at a man and his long beard by referring to him as one of Santa’s helpers, and put a winning contestant in a chokehold.

What’s next for Sajak?

Sajak said he’s looking forward to time to “with my crossword puzzles” and family. He will continue his duties as chairman of the Hillsdale College Board of Trustees, a position he took up in 2019 .

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Review: 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe Steps Up In All Areas

The new Santa Fe is bigger, more comfortable, and more striking than ever before

by Brad Anderson

The ever-popular Hyundai Santa Fe has entered its fifth generation and while all previous models shared some similarities, the carmaker has thrown out the rule book with the new Santa Fe. It looks nothing like its predecessors, the interior has been overhauled, and it now features a new 1.6-liter hybrid engine.

When Hyundai first showcased the new Santa Fe in July last year, the dramatic exterior design triggered fierce debate among the car community. Some love it, some hate it, but regardless of how you feel about it, there’s an undeniable fact about the Santa Fe we discovered during its recent Australia launch. It’s a seriously good SUV.

So, what makes it so good?

Quick Facts

The 2025 Santa Fe has entered the Australian market with three trim levels and a single hybrid setup. This powertrain consists of a 1.6-liter turbocharged petrol engine working alongside an electric motor mounted in the gearbox and a small 1.49 kWh lithium-ion polymer battery pack. The engine itself is good for 172 kW (231 hp) at 5,600 rpm and 367 Nm (271 lb-ft) between 1,000 rpm and 4,100 rpm while the electric motor adds 44.2 kW (59 hp) and 264 Nm (195 lb-ft) at 1,700 rpm.

While this is the only powertrain on offer during launch, Hyundai will add a 2.5-liter turbocharged petrol engine in Q4. It will pump out 206 kW (276 hp) and 422 Nm (311 lb-ft) of torque and be coupled to an 8-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. Unfortunately, the carmaker has ditched the 2.2-liter CRDi diesel found in the old Santa Fe and still offered in the facelifted Kia Sorento, citing low sales as the reason. Hyundai also told us that towing isn’t a priority for Santa Fe buyers, meaning most won’t need the added towing capacity a diesel traditionally provides.

Hyundai expects 60% of the 2025 Santa Fe sales to be for the HEV and the rest for the 2.5-liter.

Hyundai Santa Fe Elite

The new Santa Fe is bigger than the model it replaces. It measures 4,830 mm (190.1 inches) in length, is 1,900 mm (74.8 inches) wide, and stands at 1,720 mm (67.7 inches) tall with a 2,815 mm (110.8 inches) wheelbase. That makes it 45 mm (1.7 inches) longer than the old model, 60 mm (2.3 inches) taller, and gives it a 50 mm (1.9-inch) longer wheelbase. When viewed in person, however, the size discrepancy between this new Santa Fe and the old model seems more apparent, partly because of the boxier and more upright design.

Australian buyers can order the new Santa Fe in one of ten available colors, including Creamy White matte and Earthy Brass matte.

Sitting at the base of the range is the standard Santa Fe, available in front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive guises. Positioned above is the Elite, sold exclusively in all-wheel drive, while topping out the range is the Calligraphy, available in six- or seven-seat forms. Hyundai Australia believes roughly 50% of buyers will go for the Calligraphy and expects the Elite and base model to account for 25% of sales each. Prices start at AU$55,500 (~$36,900) for the base model with front-wheel drive and increase to AU$58,500 (~$38,900) with all-wheel drive. The Elite is priced from AU$65,000 (~$43,300) while the Calligraphy tops out at AU$75,000 (~$49,900).

Hyundai Santa Fe Calligraphy

A much-improved interior

The interior of the new Santa Fe shares almost nothing in common with the model it replaces. While we always liked the interior of the fourth-gen model, this new one feels significantly more spacious and premium.

Stepping inside the new Santa Fe for the first time, it’s impossible not to notice the Range Rover-inspired steering wheel. This wheel is similar to the one found in the Hyundai Grandeur in Korea and fittingly reflects the big, chunky nature of the new model. In front of the wheel are dual 12.3-inch screens housed within a single Panoramic Curved Display. Wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay come standard. Over-the-air updates are available, and software related to safety systems, braking, performance, and driver assist functions can be updated without visiting the dealer.

Read: 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe Gets A Huge Price Hike To Start At $33,950

At the SUV’s launch , we spent plenty of time in the base model and the flagship Calligraphy and we were deeply impressed with both. The base model, despite starting at a competitive AU$55,500 (~$36,900), is very well equipped. It has the same screens as the flagship model, including a dedicated display for the climate control, and includes a single wireless smartphone charging pad.

A key change made to the fifth-gen Santa Fe is the relocation of the gear selector from the tunnel to the steering column and the adoption of shift-by-wire. This hasn’t just allowed the brand to fit a new storage tray where the old shifter was, but there’s also a large storage cubby beneath the tunnel, a feature we’re more used to seeing in EVs. The standard model’s seats are clad in a lovely soft fabric.

Of course, the Santa Fe Calligraphy’s cabin feels even more special. In fact, it feels almost as premium as the Genesis GV80 we drove a few weeks ago, an impressive feat considering it costs roughly AU$60,000 ($40,000) less.

The steering wheel, dashboard, door panels, center console, and seats of the Calligraphy are adorned in beautiful, soft leather available in several colors. It also adds a configurable ambient lighting system and has a clever storage cubby at the top of the dash, which uses UV-C light to sterilize items like phones, wallets, and glasses. The Elite and Calligraphy also include twin wireless smartphone charges. There’s also a heated steering wheel and heated and ventilated front seats.

Photos: Brad Anderson/Carscoops

Hyundai has fitted a 12-speaker Bose audio system to the Elite and Calligraphy models, and it sounds fantastic. The Calligraphy also adds a digital rear-view mirror and 14-way driver’s and 8-way passenger seats.

The second row is extremely spacious, particularly with the available captain’s chairs. There is plenty of leg room, toe room, and headroom. The lack of a dedicated climate control unit for the second row is a strange omission. Instead, the driver has to use the screen up front to adjust the A/C and heating settings in the second row. The third row is surprisingly spacious, thanks in no small part to the tall roof line, and is big enough for adults.

Cargo space has grown for the new Santa Fe. With the rear seats in position, it offers 628 liters (22.1 cubic feet) of cargo carrying capacity, a figure that increases to 1,949 liters (68.8 cubic feet) with the rear seats folded down.  

Smoooootthhhh operator

For most of the first day driving the 2025 Santa Fe, we were in the entry-level model. As mentioned, it starts at AU$55,500 (~$36,900), which is AU$7,500 (~$5,000) more than the base Santa Re we reviewed three years ago . While that’s a sizeable sum, this new Santa Fe feels vastly more premium and is much nicer to drive.

For starters, the interior is way more well-equipped and almost entirely void of the scratchy black plastic of the old model. It doesn’t feel like a step forward but rather a monumental leap. There’s plenty of soft leather and heaps of storage, and the two screens are easy to use and offer crystal-clear graphics. The added space of the new Santa Fe is also impossible to ignore.

While Hyundai’s decision to equip the new Santa Fe as standard with a hybrid powertrain has caused some controversy, it only took us a short time to be won over. The system will intelligently switch between pure electric power and hybrid mode when it sees fit. The SUV has excellent noise insulation, so much so that even when the 1.6-liter engine was on, I couldn’t hear a thing unless giving it a bootful.

The Santa Fe HEV isn’t particularly quick, but it gets up to the speed limit effortlessly and without fuss. The transmission is also supremely smooth. Hyundai quotes fuel consumption of 5.6 l/100 km (42 U.S. mpg) over the combined cycle, and while we didn’t quite match that number, we were able to easily dip into the 6 l/100 km (39.2 U.S. mpg) range for long driving stints.

Read: Next Hyundai Palisade Will Be As Radical As The New Santa Fe

In recent years, Hyundai Australia has prided itself on developing its own suspension tunes to suit local roads. The new Santa Fe does not benefit from a local ride and suspension tune because, according to Hyundai, the company’s Korean engineers considered Australian conditions when developing the SUV. Two prototypes were sent to Australia for testing and both received the thumbs-up from local representatives without needing any chassis tuning. We can see why. This thing is comfortable. Like, really comfortable.

Our route out of Sydney included a mix of highway driving, mountainous roads, and gravel sections, the Santa Fe felt at home in all of them. It is well-damped yet doesn’t feel floaty and still feels agile enough to flick through corners. The front-wheel drive setup of our base model was also more than adequate for everyday driving duties.

Unfortunately, we didn’t get the chance to sample the mid-range Elite, but we did drive the flagship Calligraphy, which will account for the most sales.

In addition to receiving a more well-equipped interior, the Calligraphy sits on distinctive 20-inch wheels, comes with a dual sunroof, and like the Elite, includes more safety features. These include Highway Driving Assist 2 with an automatic lane change function, Navigation-based Smart Cruise Control, and Remote Smart Park Assist. There’s even a handy grab handle on the C-pillar to make it easier to access the roof rails.

The Nappa leather seats are extraordinarily comfortable and only lack a massage function for that authentic luxury feel. The all-wheel drive seamlessly shuffles power between the front and rear wheels. While we drove the Calligraphy on gravel, we could not test the various ‘Terrain’ driving modes. That will have to wait until we can live with it for a week. We also couldn’t test out the towing. Hyundai says it can pull 1,650 kg (3,637 lbs).

Final thoughts

I’ll admit to being a little put off by the new Santa Fe based purely on the images released of it last year. However, get it in the right spec (like the matte white Calligraphy seen here), and it actually looks pretty cool.

Then there’s the cabin. It is a vast improvement over the old model and feels much nicer than the current Kia Sorento. The materials are high-quality, the surfaces are plush, and there’s more than enough technology and safety gear. Add a supremely comfortable drive, and you get a compact SUV that’s hard to ignore. It deserves to be at the top of the shopping list for buyers in this segment.

Pat Sajak set for final 'Wheel of Fortune' episode after more than four decades: 'An odd road'

It's been a spincredible run for "Wheel of Fortune" host Pat Sajak, but it's coming to an end.

Sajak, 77, is retiring Friday from the syndicated hangman-style puzzle game show ( check local listings ) after 41 seasons and 8,010 episodes, holding the Guinness Book of World Records spot for longest-running host on the same show.

Since 1981, the dry-witted Sajak has helmed "Wheel of Fortune" with a star boost from co-host and vaunted letter-turner Vanna White , to massive global popularity.

"It's been an amazing run, no doubt about it," says Ron Simon, curator at the Paley Center for Media. "Pat has exuded good humor and fellowship visiting America's home each weeknight for more than four decades. Pat and Vanna have become part of the family. It's the end of a game show era."

Watch Vanna White Send tearful farewell to Pat Sajak on 'Wheel of Fortune': 'I love you, Pat!'

The departing host has taped a farewell to the TV audience for Friday's show. But Sajak avoided a farewell media tour, giving his only exit interview to his daughter Maggie Sajak, who joined the show as its social correspondent in 2021. Sajak called his tenure "awfully gratifying" in the interview, posted to the "Wheel of Fortune" media sites.

"This was announced a long time ago, almost a year ago. So I've had time to sort of get used to it. And it's been a little bit wistful and all that," Sajak told his daughter, "I've been enjoying it, taking it all in and reflecting on the great run."

The Army veteran took a trip down career memory lane, detailing a career that included a Vietnam War stint working the morning show on Armed Forces Radio (with the traditional greeting, "Good morning, Vietnam!").

How did Pat Sajak start hosting 'Wheel of Fortune'?

Sajak bounced around TV jobs from Nashville, Tennessee, to Los Angeles in the 1970s. While working as a witty weatherman on Los Angeles' KNBC, Sajak impressed gameshow impresario Merv Griffin, the creator of "Jeopardy!" and "Wheel."

Griffin insisted Sajak take over the NBC version of "Wheel" after its original host, Chuck Woolery, left in a 1981 contract dispute. Griffin's choice came despite strong network objection, his son Tony Griffin recalled in a 2010 TV interview.

"My dad said, 'Contractually, I can shut down the show unless you hire Pat Sajak,'" Tony Griffin said. "They hired Pat Sajak the next day."

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The 35-year-old Sajak waltzed into his "Wheel" debut on Dec. 28, 1981 , joining co-host Susan Stafford. “Please do not adjust your sets at home. Chuck Woolery has not shrunk,” Sajak told viewers. "I’ve been fortunate enough to wander onto the set of a very successful program."

Yet Sajak did not have big expectations for the low-rated show, expecting his stint to last maybe two years. But "Wheel" started gaining momentum. White replaced Stafford in 1982, and the next year, the show began its evening syndicated run on local stations.

"And 41 years later, here I am," Sajak said in his interview. "It's an odd road."

Contestants' frequent requests to Sajak – "I'd like to buy a vowel" – became part of the vernacular. "Somewhere along the line, we became more than a popular show; we became part of the popular culture," Sajak recalled.

Pat Sajak parodied on 'South Park' and 'SNL'

Sajak, White and "Wheel of Fortune" have been parodied on everything from Comedy Centrral's "South Park" to NBC's "Saturday Night Live " and Nickelodeon's "Rugrats" (Sajak voiced himself in the latter). The witty host became a big enough personality to host his own short-lived late-night CBS talk show, "The Pat Sajak Show," from January 1989 to April 1990.

In the internet era, Sajak accidentally created regular viral moments with his sometimes awkward guest interactions. The National Review contributor drew controversy by exposing his right-wing views and posting global-warming denialist social media posts.

However, with an annual salary estimated by Forbes at $15 million in 2016 , Sajak leaves "Wheel of Fortune" with his own sizable fortune. He's still perplexed by the secret of the show's longevity.

"If I knew, I'd be out creating other shows with the same secret, and I'd be a wealthy man," Sajak said in his interview, before adding, "Oh, I am....That's a joke."

Who will take over 'Wheel of Fortune' from Pat Sajak?

The show will go on. ABC's primetime "Celebrity Wheel of Fortune" is plotting a return for a new season, with the possibility that Sajak and White will host. Meanwhile, White will remain on "Wheel of Fortune, with Ryan Seacrest stepping into Sajak's shoes in September. Seacrest, 49, who also hosts ABC's "American Idol," was just 7 when Sajak started hosting "Wheel."

“I’m truly humbled to be stepping into the footsteps of the legendary Pat Sajak,” Seacrest said last September on Instagram . "I can’t wait to continue the tradition of spinning the wheel and working alongside the great Vanna White.”

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Pat Sajak says goodbye to ‘Wheel of Fortune’: ‘An incredible privilege.’ Seacrest pays tribute

FILE - Pat Sajak, left, and Vanna White, from “Wheel of Fortune,” attend a ceremony honoring Harry Friedman with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles on Nov. 1, 2019. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP, File)

FILE - Pat Sajak, left, and Vanna White appear aboard the Wheel of Fortune Express in Miami on Feb. 12, 1987 to tour 33 cities from Miami to Washington, DC. (AP Photo/Judy Sloan, File)

FILE - Vanna White, left, and Pat Sajak make an appearance at Radio City Music Hall for a taping of celebrity week on “Wheel of Fortune” in New York on Sept. 29, 2007. (AP Photo/Peter Kramer, file)

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LOS ANGELES (AP) — After 41 years and over 8,000 episodes, Pat Sajak made his final turn as the renowned host of “Wheel of Fortune” on Friday.

The season 41 finale, dubbed the “Thanks for the memories” show, opened with a clip from Sajak’s first episode as the host of “Wheel of Fortune” in 1981 and closed with Sajak’s warm message of gratitude.

In his farewell message, Sajak thanked the viewers of the beloved game show for granting him the “incredible privilege to be invited into millions of homes, night after night, year after year, decade after decade.”

Sajak, 77, also gave a heartfelt thanks to his “professional other half,” Vanna White, who has co-hosted with him for over 40 years and delivered her emotional tribute to Sajak a day earlier.

“We’ve seen a lot of changes in each other’s lives over the years, but we’ve always been there for each other,” he said. “I will miss our nightly closes and her laughter and her good nature. She’s a very special woman.”

Among the many thanks and shoutouts Sajak offered during the final episode before his retirement, he said the crew and staff, some of whom have been working on the show as long as he has, were a “joy” to work with. “Your skills and dedication and good humor made this a place I always wanted to be,” he added.

Sajak thanked one staff member by name: his daughter Maggie. She began working as the show’s social correspondent in 2021 and he said their collaboration has been the “best part of the last couple of years.” Sajak also mentioned his son, Patrick, and his wife, Lesly, and said that he is “blessed” to have his family.

The famed host also said that the “real stars of the show” have been the contestants who competed for cash and luxury prizes throughout the decades of the show’s run. He called them “kind and considerate,” noting that they always “took great pride in talking about their family, their hometown, their friends, their schools, their jobs, even their pets.”

Reflecting on the show’s massive reach, Sajak noted that he always found it important to keep the daily half-hour show a “safe place for family fun,” excluding any social issues or political topics from the banter he shared with contestants and White. He said he wanted to keep the show “just a game,” before noting that to many, it became a part of their daily lives.

“Gradually, it became more than that,” Sajak continued. “A place where kids learned their letters, where people from other countries honed their English skills, where families came together along with friends and neighbors and entire generations. What an honor to have played even a small part in all that.”

Sajak’s closed out his message with a crack about how viewers could still see more of him through reruns of the show during its summer break. “The jokes will be the same, but I’d appreciate it if you’d laugh anyway,” he quipped before saying a final goodbye.

To make time for his closing message, Sajak truncated the game by cutting out a round. He said he wanted to ensure the competition was still fair for contestants Tammi, Adrienne and Nino, so Sajak spun the wheel himself and added to their totals. While he initially said he’d add $1,000 to the prize money the wheel landed on, he bumped the bonus up to $5,000 for each person after noting that it wasn’t his money he was allocating. “Little Jimmy’s surgery can wait,” he joked.

During her tribute on Thursday , White called Sajak “like a brother” and a “true lifelong friend.” In the pre-recorded video that featured clips and photos of their decades as co-workers, she added that their personal friendship has meant even more than their professional collaboration.

Sajak announced in June 2023 that he would retire from his hosting duties at the end of the show’s 41st season, with Ryan Seacrest set to succeed him . White will stay on as Seacrest’s co-host through the 2025-2026 season, based on a contract extension she signed in September.

Seacrest paid tribute to Sajak — and White — in an Instagram post on Saturday.

“Your dedication, charm, and wit have made the show a beloved part of American television for decades. Your partnership with Vanna has been nothing short of iconic, and together, you’ve created countless wonderful memories for viewers,” said Seacrest’s post, which included a photo and a video of him, Sajak and White at the game show’s familiar set. “You’ve set the standard for hosts everywhere, and this marks the end of an era.”

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Pat sajak’s final spin: ‘wheel of fortune’ host signs off after four decades.

"It’s been an incredible privilege" to be part of the game show for so long, the host says.

By Rick Porter

Rick Porter

Television Writer

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Pat Sajak hosted his final episode of Wheel of Fortune on Friday, and took time to thank the viewers of the enduringly popular game show he’s hosted for more than 40 years.

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Ryan seacrest on pressure to continue pat sajak's 'wheel of fortune' legacy, vanna white extends 'wheel of fortune' tenure through 2025-26.

Sajak, 77, announced a year ago that he would step down as host of Wheel of Fortune . Ryan Seacrest will take over as host of the syndicated game show starting with the 2024-25 season; he’ll be joined by Sajak’s long-time co-host, Vanna White, who will remain with the show for the time being.

White also paid tribute to Sajak in a video on Wheel of Fortune’ s social media outlets (watch it below). “I don’t know how to put into words what these past 41 years have meant to me,” she says. “When I first started, I was so green. You made me so comfortable and so confident, Pat. You made me who I am, you really did.”

Sajak first hosted an NBC daytime version of Wheel of Fortune in 1981, and White joined the show a year later. They became hosts of the daily syndicated version of Wheel in 1983, and throughout their tenure the show has been among the most popular game shows in syndication. Sajak and White have also hosted ABC’s Celebrity Wheel of Fortune for the past four years.

Sajak won three Daytime Emmy Awards for outstanding game show host and received a lifetime achievement award at the awards in 2011.

He also reflected on Wheel of Fortune’ s legacy in television in his farewell, saying the show became “a place where kids learned their letters, where people from other countries honed their English skills, where families came together along with friends and neighbors and entire generations. What an honor to have played even a small part in all of that. Thank you for allowing me into your lives.”

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