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Wheel of Time Book Order

Robert JordanComplete15 books

Wheel of Time is best read in publication order: all 15 Wheel of Time books, from The Eye of the World (1990) to A Memory of Light (2013). Open The Eye of the World and keep going. New Spring is optional; most readers save the prequel for later.

Updated August 2026

Best read in publication order

  1. Cover of The Eye of the World

    The Eye of the World

    Jordan main sequence

    1990

    Rand al'Thor and his friends flee their village as the Dark One's servants hunt them.

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  2. Cover of The Great Hunt

    The Great Hunt

    Jordan main sequence

    1990

    Rand pursues the Horn of Valere while darkfriends plot across the continent.

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  3. Cover of The Dragon Reborn

    The Dragon Reborn

    Jordan main sequence

    1991

    Rand seeks mastery of saidin while the hunt for the Dragon intensifies.

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  4. Cover of The Shadow Rising

    The Shadow Rising

    Jordan main sequence

    1992

    Rand claims the desert and ancient powers stir beneath the White Tower.

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  5. Cover of The Fires of Heaven

    The Fires of Heaven

    Jordan main sequence

    1993

    Rand consolidates power in the west as rival factions maneuver for control.

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  6. Cover of Lord of Chaos

    Lord of Chaos

    Jordan main sequence

    1994

    Multiple factions prepare for war as Rand's authority and madness grow.

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  7. Cover of A Crown of Swords

    A Crown of Swords

    Jordan main sequence

    1996

    Rand battles the Shaido and Seanchan while the White Tower fractures.

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  8. Cover of The Path of Daggers

    The Path of Daggers

    Jordan main sequence

    1998

    Rand and his allies strike against the Seanchan and the Asha'man conspiracy.

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  9. Cover of Winter's Heart

    Winter's Heart

    Jordan main sequence

    2000

    Parallel threads advance as winter deepens and the Last Battle approaches.

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  10. Cover of Crossroads of Twilight

    Crossroads of Twilight

    Jordan main sequence

    2003

    Characters regroup and react after major events in the preceding volume.

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  11. Cover of New Spring

    New Spring

    Prequel (optional)

    2004

    Prequel about Moiraine and Lan. Read after Crossroads of Twilight, Lord of Chaos, or the series.

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  12. Cover of Knife of Dreams

    Knife of Dreams

    Jordan main sequence

    2005

    Jordan's final completed volume sets the stage for the concluding arc.

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  13. Cover of The Gathering Storm

    The Gathering Storm

    Sanderson finish

    2009

    Sanderson continues as Rand confronts darkness within and war engulfs the world.

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  14. Cover of Towers of Midnight

    Towers of Midnight

    Sanderson finish

    2010

    Multiple heroes advance separate missions as the Last Battle draws near.

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  15. Cover of A Memory of Light

    A Memory of Light

    Sanderson finish

    2013

    The series concludes with the Last Battle against the Dark One.

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How Wheel of Time is structured

Before you start

The Wheel of Time is Robert Jordan's epic (1990–2013): Rand al'Thor and a swelling cast as the Dark One's prison weakens and the Dragon Reborn steers toward the Last Battle. Jordan wrote eleven books; Brandon Sanderson finished the last three from Jordan's notes. The whole run is complete.

Fourteen main novels plus optional prequel New Spring are listed below in publication order. Jordan published the expanded New Spring novel after Crossroads of Twilight. Read it after Crossroads of Twilight, after Lord of Chaos, or after the series. Do not start there. The World of Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time is a companion guide, not story.

Start with The Eye of the World. Cast and scope explode after the early books; publication order keeps Jordan's pacing and foreshadowing intact. There is no widely loved alternate reorder for a first pass through the Pattern. Mid-series stretch is real; readers who push through usually say the ending run pays the patience back.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many Wheel of Time books are there?

Fourteen main novels plus optional prequel New Spring. Companion The World of Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time is reference, not story.

Should I read New Spring first?

No for a first pass. Start Eye of the World; read New Spring after Crossroads of Twilight, after Lord of Chaos, or after A Memory of Light.

Where should I start with Wheel of Time?

The Eye of the World. Rand and the core companions start there.

Are the graphic novels required?

No. They adapt Eye of the World and part of The Great Hunt; not a shortcut past the novels.

What about the Ravens prologue?

Only in some YA split editions. Optional flavor before Dragonmount; not a missing main book.

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