The Eye of the World: Book One of 'The Wheel of Time' (Wheel of Time)

Book Description

In one short decade, Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time has become the bestselling American fantasy series of all time-comparable in depth and scope to J.R.R. Tolkien's legendary trilogy, The Lord of The Rings. Now, the first two titles in the series, The Eye of the World and The Great Hunt, are available unabridged on CD.In the THE EYE OF THE WORLD three young friends; Rand, Matt and Perrin are attacked by subhuman monsters,bestial Trollocs. With the help of Lady Moiraine, an Aes Sedai, a woman who can wield the One Power and her Warder, Lan--the young boys flee their homeland. But they are pursued relentlessly by the forces of the evil Dark One--and begin an adventure across an imaginative, fantastical world of strange wonders and deadly horror--where goodness stands on the brink of destruction--for the Wheel of Time is weaving a web in the pattern of ages, a web to entangle the world.

Customer Reviews:

An excellent start...........2007-10-01

to a captivating series. The audiobook is well done with readings by kate reading and michael kramer.

An Epic Fantasy.......2007-09-20

Robert Jordan's The Eye of the World, part of the Wheel of Time series, is an epic fantasy. He creates a Tolkien-ish world, full of strange creatures. Rand, a simple farm boy from an out-of-the-way village believes most of those creatures to be travelers' tales, until about 100 of them attack his village. With the help of Lady Moiraine and her companion Lan, they defeat the minotaur-like Trollocs, and their leader, and evil Myrddraal. Rand and his two friends are forced to flee the village, with Trollocs hunting them down on the orders of the Dark One. Moiraine reveals herself as an Aes Sedai, with strange and powerful magical abilities. She uses her amazing magic to get them away from the Trollocs, while Lan helps with his own fighting powers. He is her Warder, one of many mythical fighters sworn to protect a certain Aes Sedai. They journey through a land full of perils, to discover why the Dark One is after Rand and his friends.

This book has filled me with delight, as it is so well described. I might as well have been there, pushing my way through the crowded streets of Caemlyn, or riding as fast as I could to get away from the Trollocs. I am already reading the prequel, then I'll move on to the 9+ books that follow The Eye of the World. If you enjoyed Tolkien, or any other typical fantasy book, you will like this one. The traditional band of good guys, pursued by the servants of some evil guy, combined with some of the best wording and use of magic I have ever read, really makes this book hard to put down. I find myself reading late into the night, even when I am drop-dead exhausted, just because I want to know what happens next. This is a must-read for readers who enjoy fantasy.

Ava W.
Grade 6
Ms. Kawatachi

Eye of the World by Robert Jordan.......2007-09-19

I tried. I gave it over two years of my life and I still couldn't keep going till the end. Of course, the real end will probably be book fifteen or twenty or, heaven forbid, twenty-five and up. I'm talking about Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series. Currently there are eleven books in the series, the latest, Knife of Dream, came out last October. The first book, Eye of the World, started out really well and I felt like I'd discovered a great new epic fantasy series similar to that of Lord of the Rings. The first book proved this and I thought it was great; I was also very excited at the notion of there being so many books in the series, with the story still incomplete. The second book, The Great Hunt, while not as mind-mashingly great as the first book, was still a great read, as was the third, The Dragon Reborn, where we find out that the main character is the guy prophesied to save the world, essentially. Eight books from th ere and the big showdown still hasn't come, while Jordan has continued to drag out into the hundreds and thousands of pages scenes, descriptions, and characters bickering at each other about the same thing while repetitively employing their annoying habits, to the point where I feel like I'm reading a children's nursery rhyme. Then there's the whole deal with the main character, Rand, having his undeniable love for three of the women characters, which he is okay with, and which they are okay with, apparently, and are quite willing to share him amongst themselves. I may have kept sloughing through the series better if there'd been a lot less purple prose and books four to ten had been condensed into say books four to six, which would've made more sense and made the stories move along better. Around book five I began spotting the routine the books go through: a few hundred pages of sitting around talking, explaining and regurgitating what's happened in the past books, bitching at each other; then about four hundred pages of people painstakingly crawling from a starting point to a destination (and bear in mind that these people can "travel" through vortexes real fast), and then the last hundred pages is a big action scene. At book seven, Crown of Thorns, halfway through, I decided I'd wasted enough time on Mr. Jordan and his wordiness, so I employed a slow speed-reading method which got me through them a lot faster. In about three days I reached the end of book nine and decided I'd had it and it just wasn't worth any more of my time. At this point I'd been able to summarize each book into three or four sentences, and I'd decided that if I can do that, maybe it's just not worth it and I should put my reading time to something more important that I'd enjoy reading more.

So here I am Mr. Jordan, signing off on your series that held so much promise and crashed and burned like a planet falling into a sun. Oh, and you know what, I'm not the only one who thinks this way. There are other people I know who've given up earlier than me, and others who've not even bothered to start because they know it's going to end bad.

On the plus side, I get to sell all my Robert Jordan books and make money off him!

For more book reviews, and other writings, go to www.alexctelander.com

Nothing but Praise for THISBook, but a Word of Warning for the Series.......2007-09-19

This book is one of my all-time favorite fantasy novels. Through the course of my life (I first read the book when I was in 6th grade), I have successfully recommended the book to at least a dozen people. It takes place in a rich, vibrant imaginary world full of intriguing details, fascinating magic, and its own engaging history. The plot of this book is compelling, and I loved the adventure that I encountered at each twist and turn of the storyline.

But what really makes this a phenomenal book is the characters. The characters are fully-fleshed out, very complex, and extremely likeable, a feat that I've found many fantasy authors are unable to achieve. You care about the characters, you want them to succeed, and they seem real. Your enthusiasm continues to rise as the main characters (who start out as country-bumpkins) develop their skills and become adept swordsmen, savvy magic-wielders, or skilled leaders, yet retain a bit of the wide-eyed wonder they had at the beginning. This book is a must-read for anyone over the age of 11 who enjoys fantasy.

HOWEVER, a word of warning is due for the rest of series in two respects. First of all, the author of the series sadly died a few days ago, leaving the series unfinished. He had been working on book 12, so only 11 books (plus one prequel) have been published. The community of Wheel of Time lovers will unfortunately never know how it all ends.

Secondly, and more importantly perhaps, after around book 6 of the series, the books begin to go downhill in quality. I am sorry to speak ill of the author so soon after his passing, but somewhere along the way, he realized that each of his books was a best-seller and decided to draw out the series as long as he could. As a result, the books (starting with around book 7) do not have the amount of adventure and action necessary to sustain a reader's interest. These books are all long - roughly 700 pages. In the first 6 books, the investment in time is worth it. After that, you feel like you are wasting your time reading a story in which nothing significant is happening. Personally, even though I loved the series at the beginning, even I stopped reading the books after book 9.

In short, if you are the type of person who can read and enjoy a book knowing that a) the series is ultimately unfinished, and b) the quality of the series will eventually diminish, then pick up this book. I guarantee you will enjoy the series for the first 6 books. After that, don't say you haven't been warned.

One of the best.......2007-09-08

The Eye of the World is the beginning of what is, quite simply, the best fantasy story ever told. The Eye of the World is a fantastic book that will leave you utterly hooked. You will have no choice but to move on to the Great Hunt, and then the absolutely mind blowing Dragon Reborn.

I highly recommend this book to anyone with the ability to read English. If you can't read English, find a translated version! I don't know how you're reading this, but kudos to you. Seriously, I don't care if you like or dislike fantasy. One's life is simply not complete without reading this.

It's basically the Lord of the Rings, but better. I know, nerds across the nation have just declared war against me for saying that. It's simply true though.

Parents, this book is great for kids maybe 12 and up. Before you give it to them though, read it yourself. You'll love it too.

To The Blight : Part Two of 'The Eye of the World', The Beginning of 'The Wheel of Time' (Wheel of Time (Starscape))

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Consisting of chapters 24 - 53 of THE EYE OF THE WORLD
I liked this book.
to the guy asking the hair question
repackaging
Continuing a grand tradition

To The Blight : Part Two of 'The Eye of the World', The Beginning of 'The Wheel of Time' (Wheel of Time (Starscape))
Robert Jordan
Manufacturer: Starscape
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0765342219

Book Description

An American Library Association 'Best Books for Young Adults'A VOYA 'Best Books for Young Adults''Jordan has come to dominate the world that Tolkien began to reveal.' -The New York TimesPursued by Trollocs and Myrddraal, Rand and his friends find refuge in the deserted city of Shadar Logoth. But their wandering-and the many dangers they face-are far from over. For from the lips of a dying Aiel girl they learn that the Dark One means to blind the Eye of the World. Having barely escaped capture and death, Rand finds himself face to face with Aginor: a wielder of the One Power and an ally of the Dark One.In the battle that follows, Rand will discover his true identity...and destiny.'The most ambitious American fantasy saga [may] also be the finest. Rich in detail and his plot is rich in incident. Impressive work, and highly recommended.'-Booklist'Recalls the work of Tolkien.'-Publishers Weekly'This richly detailed fantasy presents fully realized, complex adventure. Recommended.'-Library Journal'The definitive American fantasy saga.' -Chicago Sun-Times

Customer Reviews:

Consisting of chapters 24 - 53 of THE EYE OF THE WORLD.......2005-07-04

This volume (which cannot stand on its own as a story) is the second half of THE EYE OF THE WORLD, from "Flight Down the Arinelle" to the final chapter, "The Wheel Turns". The book opens with the same set of quotations as does THE EYE OF THE WORLD proper. The chapters are numbered as for the entire book, beginning with chapter 24, and the head-of-chapter icons were retained. As usual in Wheel of Time books, a glossary is included, in this case differing from that given to Part One, FROM THE TWO RIVERS.

Apart from some very minor tweaks to the glossary, the material hasn't been modified from its counterpart in THE EYE OF THE WORLD.

Due to the size of THE EYE OF THE WORLD, I'd recommend investing in a hardcover edition of the entire book rather than a paperback, because a single paperback won't hold up well even on a first read. Failing that, the split-into-two-volumes form represented before you is worth considering. A few illustrations were added, all character portraits. Although they appear to be of better artistic quality than their counterparts in THE WORLD OF ROBERT JORDAN'S THE WHEEL OF TIME (faint praise, I know) the print quality is quite poor where they're concerned.

I liked this book........2004-07-12

In this second part of The Beginning of the Wheel of Time, Rand and his friends have fled from the city of Shadar Logoth overrun by Trollocs and Myrddraal. Sailing on the Spray ship down the Arinelle River, they decide to go separately to Tar Valon after hearing about a lost treasure, and to Caemlyn to talk to the Queen. But along the way they face many dangers along with their adventures.

As Perrin, Elyas, and Bela are heading to the city, they run across the Tinkers, a group of traveling people. Stopping to visit with these strangers before moving on, they learn that the Tinkers are believers in The Way Of The Leaf, a way of living with people without using any violence. Meanwhile, Rand and Mat are struggling to survive on their own by trying to earn money and a place to sleep. They wind up entertaining people by playing the flute and juggling balls in exchange for the things they need.

When Rand and Mat finally get to Caemlyn, they are relieved to find that the rest of their friends are alive. But they still face danger in the city of Caemlyn. Aginor, a wielder of the One Power and an ally of the Dark One, challenges Rand to a battle. Will Rand win against the One Power? Will he discover his true identity and destiny?

I liked this book because it made me think about what I would have done if I had been Rand traveling with his friends. What would you have done to survive? TO THE BLIGHT is part of the classic fantasy series, Wheel of Time, and I think you'll enjoy them.

--- Reviewed by AshleyH88

to the guy asking the hair question.......2002-10-22

i think the tree is grabbing it, and she is trying to free herself by cutting off the hair the tree is holding/entangling, whatever.

oh, and the book is good, too.

repackaging.......2002-05-13

This and part 1 is merely repackaging of the 1st hard-bound book [Eye of the World]. The advertisment reads as if it is a prequel. Wrong. The publisher just figured another way to make a few more dollars. The Eye of the World and all of the remaining books of "The Wheel of Time" are outstanding. They didn't need / require this treatment!

Continuing a grand tradition.......2002-05-02

Yes, yes, I know that this is merely the second part of a book that was written more than a decade ago, but that book, "The Eye of the World", is one of the greatest works of fantasy in history, and the series which follows it isn't too shabby either. The one purpose this book, and it's counterpart, "From the Two Rivers," serves is to get people that are intimidated by the size of The Eye of the World to work up their courage and try it.

Although the storyline is reminiscient of a few hobbits we all know, the genre that the Lord of the Rings started was turned on its head witht the soryline written here. Through narrow escape after narrow escape, Rand, Mat, Perrin, and Egwene come of age in this trial by ordeal. Incredibly rich detail drips off of each page, and the climax is worthy of standig alone against any other fantasy epic.

ALthough I can't give 5 stars to a remake of another book, I heartliy endorse the book and the series.

Amazon.com

"The Wheel of Time turns, and Ages come and pass, leaving memories that become legend. Legend fades to myth, and even myth is long forgotten when the Age that gave it birth comes again." Jordan's Wheel of Time series has uncountable fans, and those who are looking for an encyclopedic history and mythology of Rand al'Thor's world will enjoy this work, which fills in background rather than furthering the story. Also included are double-page spreads of Darrell K. Sweet's seven book jackets for the series.

Book Description

The Wheel of Time-its most recent volume (The Path of Daggers) a #1 New York Times and international bestseller- is the most extraordinary work of American fantasy ever published. Its popularity is immense; its quality is dazzling. And its world has indeed taken on a fictive reality for its millions of readers.Over fourscore new full color paintings include stunning new maps of the world, portraits of the central characters, landscapes, objects of Power, and national flags. The reader will learn about the exotic beasts used by the Seanchan and read of the rise and fall of Artur Hawking, peruse the deeper story of the War of the Shadow. Here is the tale of the founding of the White Tower, and the creation of the Ajahs. The inner workings of the closed country, Shara, are revealed, as is the existence of a hitherto unknown continent called The Land of the Madmen.This stunning volume also includes double-page spreads of the seven book jackets by Darrell Sweet so that the art can be enjoyed without type, and all the known maps of the world, including maps of the Seanchan Empire, the nations of the Covenant of the Ten Nations, and the nations as they were when Artur Paendrag Tanreall began his rise to legend. Every Robert Jordan fan needs this book.

Customer Reviews:

Needs Update.......2007-09-19

The book is great, but would be better if it was updated. It only go to book 6. There are no drawings of new characters like Tuon. Nice to have though.

Outstanding Resource.......2007-08-22

I wish I had had this book from the beginning of the Wheel of Time series. I try to put a little time between the books, so I often had to thumb through the previous books to remember different characters and things that happened. By the time I reached number 9, it was a real chore. That sparked me to find out if there was a companion book for the series. Well, there is, and it's very informative. Now everything I need or want to know about Jordan's fantastic world is easy to find. To anyone who enjoyed the first book and expects to continue on, I suggest that you buy this book right away.

The art burns my eyes but the text is OK.......2007-06-09

in many circles this book is refered to as the Big Book of Bad Art (BBoBA)

If I rated this book soley on the art it would get a 1 but for a fan of the series who wants to be able to look somthing up quickly its a great resource I used to play the RPG and this book was a lifsaver. even if it is outdated now I would love to see a new version of the book that would include some of the new stuff seen but I am more than satisfied with this book I would however suggest you try and grab one used if you want one as its not great.

A Great Big Thank You to Amazon .......2007-05-29

I wish to thank Amazon for helping "the readers" decide by printing real readers reviews. I will not buy this book because of what I have read. Michael Jordan should be ashamed of himself to try to capitalize more money on this series, especially when he hasn't FINISHED the series for publication or hint of date of the finale.. Authors, take heed, we readers will take note on this type of fluff. We tire of the delays many authors exhibit. We may hesitate on any future "series" as a result. Again thank you to Amazon for printing the good and the bad. I hope authors take note and begin to respect us "the readers".

Informative.......2006-12-31

I have read a lot of peoples reviews and read the book several times, and I find the book informative. The book puts together lots of information that there is only a paragraph or two about in the series. Paragraphs you may miss. You also learn the months, other holidays, more in depth history, and what other places look like. The down sides are that you only see maps of cities whose map is already in the series. You don't see a map of Bandar Eban, Mayene, chachin, ect. Also, the pictures of the people are rather on the poor side. In all, I would buy the book for the background information. Very interesting.

From The Two Rivers: The Eye of the World, Book 1 (Wheel of Time (Starscape))

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Adults and Kids!
From The Two Rivers
A book to get lost in 2 jmeascsKeinnon
A. D. Tarbox, Freelance Reviewer for Midwest Book Review
manageable size

From The Two Rivers: The Eye of the World, Book 1 (Wheel of Time (Starscape))
Robert Jordan
Manufacturer: Starscape
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0765341840

Book Description

An American Library Association 'Best Books for Young Adults'A VOYA 'Best Books for Young Adults'For Rand al'Thor and his pals, life in the sleepy village of Emond's Field has been pretty dull. Until the appearance on festival night of Moiraine, a mysterious woman who claims to be an Aes Sdeai-a magician who can wield the One Power. Soon after, the village is attacked by Trollocs-a savage tribe of half-men half-beasts. Rand's father is nearly killed. But for Rand, the news gets worse. It was not the village the Trollocs were after, Moiraine tells him. It was you, Rand. Rand and his friends are forced to flee. But his escape will bring him face to face with the Dark One...the most powerful force of evil in the universe.

Customer Reviews:

Adults and Kids!.......2007-10-06

My 15 yr old son and I just finished this book. The book itself is a little slow through spots, but overall, is wonderful! The story starts out in a small farm area with the goings on of small farm area life but before very long, we learn of ominous stories and tales that seem unimaginable to many of the townsfolk. Before long, the kids we have gotten to know find themselves deeply rooted in those very tales that had earlier seemed so unimaginable and are all in a great deal of danger. Worse yet, some of the people they have feared much of their lives are the very people they are having to turn to for help. They aren't quite sure who to trust. This is a magnificent tale that will have you reading late into the night just so you can find out what happens next. If it were not for the few slow moments in the book, this would be perfect. If you liked Eragon, you will like this one too.

From The Two Rivers.......2007-10-01

At first i thought it was an addition to the new book. I started WoT when I was 12, I don't see why a normal (ok, very smart) person couldn't read the normal books... Who would trade pictures and big font for the real story, not an edited addition! If you are 10 years old or younger you should read this book though, the normal books are sortov advanced and you may not understand everything.

A book to get lost in 2 jmeascsKeinnon.......2006-12-29

From the Two Rivers is a GREAT book. In this book Robert Jordan uses descriptive words and realistic speech. You may think the beginning is dry, but it gets BETTER!!!

Many people think splitting up The Eye of the World into two books(From the Two Rivers and To the Blight) is a money-making scheme. But trust me, I never would have dreamed of tackling an 800 paged book, like the Eye of the World.

P.s If you don't like lots of detail, I'd advise you to go search for a different author. Try my 2 favorite authors, Gerald Morris(Arthurian tales) or Tamora Pierce(Fantasy,magic)

A. D. Tarbox, Freelance Reviewer for Midwest Book Review.......2005-11-02

I decided to read this book after my eleven-year-old son told me he liked it. This book is for adults too. Jordan is a wonderful writer and he has created a very believable fantasy world. The adventure, drama, and characters are fascinating. My personal favorite was the warder in the story. Jordan could not put him in the plot enough for me. In fantasy the world has to be believable and Jordan achieved this. I thoroughly enjoyed the several evenings I spent reading about the Two Rivers, its people, and all the unusual places Rand al Thor and his comrades went. The villians were also interesting and added enough conflict to keep me reading more. Jordan has written several books in this series which will undoubtedly please those that get a chance to read this book. And don't skip the Earlier Ravens chapter or the Prologue Dragonmount chapters on pages xi and xxxv. Many readers do, opting to begin reading at chapter one. In this book those chapters include some of the book's best and most powerful writing. Don't skip over those chapters. They are very good.
A. D. Tarbox, author of ALREADY ASLEEP (fall 2006)

manageable size.......2005-08-18

So... I got this book because I was out of Diana Wynne Jones books to read and it was beside her books on the shelf. I'd heard that this series was great but didn't want to carry around the huge hardcovers that you see at the library.

I enjoyed the book. It took a few chapters for me to be won over but by the end, I cared about the characters and their fates. I *really* appreciated the glossary. The book became much more comprehensible for me after I discovered it. I also appreciated not having to lug a huge book around!

Try David Eddings and Terry Brooks, and of course Diana Wynne Jones...they're my favs

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The World of Robert Jordan's the Wheel of Time
Robert; Patterson, Teresa; Hamilton, Todd Cameron Jordan
Manufacturer: Tor Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Wheel of Time | Series | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1857235053

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5 Titles By Robert Jordan Wheel of Time Series (1-5) : 1. The Eye of the World 2. The Great Hunt 3. The Dragon Reborn 4. The Shadow Rising 5. The Fires of Heaven
Robert Jordan
Manufacturer: TOR
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

Wheel of Time | Series | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B000OL84X0

Product Description

5 Titles By Robert Jordan Wheel of Time Series (1-5) : 1. The Eye of the World 2. The Great Hunt 3. The Dragon Reborn 4. The Shadow Rising 5. The Fires of Heaven. Five mmpb books.

The Great Hunt (Book Two of the Wheel of time and Sequel to The Eye of the World)

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The Great Hunt (Book Two of the Wheel of time and Sequel to The Eye of the World)
Robert Jordan
Manufacturer: Tor
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

Complimentary edition chapters 1 through 18 of the Eye of the world: Which is book one of the Wheel of time (The wheel of time)

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Complimentary edition chapters 1 through 18 of the Eye of the world: Which is book one of the Wheel of time (The wheel of time)
Robert Jordan
Manufacturer: Tom Doherty Associates
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

The Eye Of The World - Book One Of The Wheel Of Time

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The Eye Of The World - Book One Of The Wheel Of Time
Robert Jordan
Manufacturer: Tom Doherty Associates
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

The Eye of the World Book 1 of the Wheel of Time

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The Eye of the World Book 1 of the Wheel of Time
Robert Jordan
Manufacturer: Orbit
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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