The Wheel of Time (abbreviated by fans to WoT) is a bestselling fantasy book series written by Robert Jordan. It establishes its own detailed imaginary world known colloquially as "Randland", and a complex cast of characters. Eleven books have been published in the series, not counting the prequel to the series. A twelfth book, expected to be the final book of the series, is currently being prepared. Books 8-11 have each reached #1 on the New York Times bestseller list^[1]. As of 18 September 2007 the series has sold over 30 million copies worldwide.^[2] The series has spawned several games and a soundtrack. For other persons named Robert Jordan, see Robert Jordan (disambiguation). ... Cover of New Spring, showing Moiraine and Lan Cover of Legends, edited by Robert Silverberg, the anthology in which the novella New Spring first appeared New Spring (abbreviated as NS by fans) is a prequel novel in the Wheel of Time fantasy series by American author Robert Jordan. ... The Eye of the World (abbreviated as tEotW by fans) is the first book of The Wheel of Time fantasy series written by American author Robert Jordan. ... The Great Hunt is the second book of The Wheel of Time series, written by Robert Jordan. ... The Dragon Reborn (abbreviated as tDR by fans) is the third book of American author Robert Jordans fantasy series The Wheel of Time. ... The Shadow Rising (abbreviated as tSR by fans) is the fourth book in American author Robert Jordans fantasy series The Wheel of Time. ... The Fires of Heaven (abbreviated as tFoH or FoH by fans) is the fifth book in American author Robert Jordans fantasy series The Wheel of Time. ... This article or section contains a plot summary that is overly long. ... A Crown of Swords was the first Wheel of Time book for which the cover of the first paperback edition, shown here, did not use the same art as the hardcover edition. ... Original cover of The Path of Daggers, showing Rand alThor leading his forces into battle The Path of Daggers (abbreviated as tPoD by fans) is the eighth book of The Wheel of Time fantasy series written by American author Robert Jordan. ... Winters Heart (abbreviated as WH by fans) is the ninth book of the Wheel of Time fantasy series written by American author Robert Jordan. ... Crossroads of Twilight (abbreviated as CoT by fans) is the tenth book of The Wheel of Time fantasy series written by American author Robert Jordan. ... Knife of Dreams (abbreviated as KoD by fans) is the eleventh book in the fantasy series The Wheel of Time by American author Robert Jordan. ... A Memory of Light is a working title for the twelfth book of the popular The Wheel of Time fantasy series written by American author Robert Jordan. ... Wheel of time may refer to: The Wheel of time or history, a religious concept predominant in Buddhism and Hinduism The Wheel of Time, a fantasy book series by author Robert Jordan The Wheel of Time (computer game), an action first-person shooter based on the series The Timewheel, a... For other definitions of fantasy see fantasy (psychology). ... For other persons named Robert Jordan, see Robert Jordan (disambiguation). ... An imaginary world is a setting, place or event or scenario at variance with objective reality, ranging from the voluntary suspension of disbelief of fictional universes and the socially constructed consensus reality of the Social Imaginary, to alternate realities resulting from disinformation, misinformation or imaginative speculation, and the subjective universe... Randland Randland is a name adopted by fans to refer to the imaginary world of The Wheel of Time fantasy book series by Robert Jordan, and is derived from the name of the central character Rand alThor. ... The New York Times bestseller list is a weekly chart in The New York Times newspaper that keeps track of the best-selling books of the week. ... is the 261st day of the year (262nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ...

Premise

In the beginning, the Creator made the Wheel of Time, which spins the Pattern of the Ages using the lives of men and women as its threads. The Wheel has seven spokes, each representing an age, and it is rotated by the True Source from which the One Power, a source of energy, is drawn. The One Power is divided into male and female halves, saidin and saidar, which work in opposition and in unison to drive the Wheel; those who can use this power are known as channelers. One organization of such channelers is The White Tower, made up of agents called Aes Sedai, a name meaning "Servants of All" in the Old Tongue. The Creator God is the divine being that created the omniverse, according to various traditions and faiths. ... Wheel of time may refer to: The Wheel of time or history, a religious concept predominant in Buddhism and Hinduism The Wheel of Time, a fantasy book series by author Robert Jordan The Wheel of Time (computer game), an action first-person shooter based on the series The Timewheel, a... In The Wheel of Time fantasy series by Robert Jordan, the One Power is the force that maintains the continuous motion of the Wheel of Time. ... In The Wheel of Time fantasy series by Robert Jordan (1948-2007), the One Power is the force that maintains the continuous motion of the Wheel of Time. ... In The Wheel of Time fantasy series by Robert Jordan, the One Power is the force that maintains the continuous motion of the Wheel of Time. ... In The Wheel of Time fantasy series by Robert Jordan, the One Power is the force that maintains the continuous motion of the Wheel of Time. ... The Aes Sedai[EYEZ seh-DEYE] are a society in the fictional universe of Robert Jordans The Wheel of Time book series. ... The Old Tongue is a fictional language from Robert Jordans The Wheel of Time fantasy series. ...

The Creator imprisoned Shai'tan, known as the Dark One, a powerful, evil being, at the moment of creation, sealing him away from the Wheel. However, in a time called the age of legends the Dark One was given purchase in the world through the machinations of people who opened his prison, and began his efforts to conquer the world, creation, and even the Wheel itself. In response to this, the Wheel spun out the Dragon, a channeler of immense power, to be a champion for the Light. Due to the cyclical nature of the Wheel, there has been no definitive victory for the forces of the Light; the war has been fought innumerable times since the dawn of Creation. The Dragon would defeat Shai'tan and seal him from the Wheel, only to have him break out (or be released) several millennia later, forcing the Dragon to be reborn and repeat the entire process. The Dark One is a fictional entity and primary antagonist of The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan. ... The Dark One is a fictional entity and primary antagonist of The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan. ... The Dark One is a fictional entity and primary antagonist of The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ...

Jordan's novels concern themselves with one particular incarnation of the Dragon. About 3000 years have passed since the last war between Shadow and Light. This war ended when the Dragon, then born as Lews Therin Telamon, led a daring raid to Shayol Ghul and sealed the breach in the Dark One's prison with the help of a group of other male channelers known as the Hundred Companions (female channelers, due to recent gender politics and the extreme risk of the strike, refused to assist). Though Lews Therin succeeded, the Dark One managed to spread a taint on saidin itself, bringing madness and a wasting sickness to any who channeled it. The taint quickly overcame nearly every male channeler in the world, including Lews Therin and his companions, with catastrophic results that radically changed the face of the earth. From then onwards, Lews Therin was also called the "Kinslayer", as one of the last results of his madness was to destroy everyone who carried his blood as well as everyone he loved. Lews Therin Telamon is a fictional character in Robert Jordans The Wheel of Time fantasy series. ... This article is about the fictional world history of Robert Jordans The Wheel of Time fantasy fiction series. ...

For these reasons, the return of the Dragon is a cause for both hope and fear amongst the populace. On the one hand, the Dragon Reborn is the only person capable of defeating Shai'tan, who will inevitably begin to escape his prison. On the other, the Dragon Reborn will still be prey to the madness caused by the taint of evil in saidin, and is a harbinger of the horrifying fact that Shai'tan is once more breaking free. The only man who can save the world is also the man most likely to destroy it. He must not only work to unite the civilized world against the Dark One, but struggle to stay alive—for, while prophecy indicates he will be reborn, it says nothing as to whether he will succeed...

Eternity or infinity motif

Jordan's Wheel of Time concept and art, while fictional, recalls common circular motifs from world religions and folklore. Buddhism has the Wheel of Rebirth, Hinduism the Wheel of Law. Taoism and other major and minor religions make use of the wheel symbol, in the round or twisted, to symbolize eternity. The snake or dragon swallowing its tail is found in folklore as a hoop snake and in fiction and elsewhere as an oroborus. The symbol for the One Power is similar to the taijitu, a Taoist icon representing the harmony of opposites. A statue of the Sakyamuni Buddha in Tawang Gompa, India. ... Hinduism is a religious tradition[1] that originated in the Indian subcontinent. ... Dharma-chakra is the wheel that represents the dharma. ... For other uses, see Dharma (disambiguation). ... Taoism (or Daoism) is the English name referring to a variety of related Chinese philosophical traditions and concepts. ... The hoop snake is a legendary creature of the United States. ... The Ouroboros Alternate spelling: Uroboros / Uroborus The Ouroboros is an ancient symbol depicting a snake or dragon swallowing its tail, constrastingly creating itself and forming a circle. ... A commonly used version of the Taijitu The Taijitu of Zhou Dun-yi. ...

Books in the series

All page totals given are for the most widely available paperback editions. Cover of New Spring, showing Moiraine and Lan Cover of Legends, edited by Robert Silverberg, the anthology in which the novella New Spring first appeared New Spring (abbreviated as NS by fans) is a prequel novel in the Wheel of Time fantasy series by American author Robert Jordan. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Eye of the World (abbreviated as tEotW by fans) is the first book of The Wheel of Time fantasy series written by American author Robert Jordan. ... is the 15th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the year. ... The Great Hunt is the second book of The Wheel of Time series, written by Robert Jordan. ... is the 319th day of the year (320th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the year. ... The Dragon Reborn (abbreviated as tDR by fans) is the third book of American author Robert Jordans fantasy series The Wheel of Time. ... is the 288th day of the year (289th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the 1991 Gregorian calendar). ... The Shadow Rising (abbreviated as tSR by fans) is the fourth book in American author Robert Jordans fantasy series The Wheel of Time. ... is the 258th day of the year (259th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar). ... The Fires of Heaven (abbreviated as tFoH or FoH by fans) is the fifth book in American author Robert Jordans fantasy series The Wheel of Time. ... is the 288th day of the year (289th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1993 Gregorian calendar). ... This article or section contains a plot summary that is overly long. ... is the 288th day of the year (289th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1994 (MCMXCIV) The year 1994 was designated as the International Year of the Family and the International Year of the Sport and the Olympic Ideal by the United Nations. ... A Crown of Swords was the first Wheel of Time book for which the cover of the first paperback edition, shown here, did not use the same art as the hardcover edition. ... is the 135th day of the year (136th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar). ... Original cover of The Path of Daggers, showing Rand alThor leading his forces into battle The Path of Daggers (abbreviated as tPoD by fans) is the eighth book of The Wheel of Time fantasy series written by American author Robert Jordan. ... is the 293rd day of the year (294th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar). ... Winters Heart (abbreviated as WH by fans) is the ninth book of the Wheel of Time fantasy series written by American author Robert Jordan. ... is the 311th day of the year (312th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full 2000 Gregorian calendar). ... Crossroads of Twilight (abbreviated as CoT by fans) is the tenth book of The Wheel of Time fantasy series written by American author Robert Jordan. ... is the 7th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Knife of Dreams (abbreviated as KoD by fans) is the eleventh book in the fantasy series The Wheel of Time by American author Robert Jordan. ... is the 284th day of the year (285th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... A Memory of Light is a working title for the twelfth book of the popular The Wheel of Time fantasy series written by American author Robert Jordan. ... Brandon Sanderson (born 1976) is an American fantasy author. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article may require cleanup. ...

There is also a prequel novella, New Spring in the Legends anthology edited by Robert Silverberg. Jordan expanded this into the standalone novel New Spring that was published in January 2004. A novella is a narrative work of prose fiction somewhat longer than a short story but shorter than a novel. ... Cover of New Spring, showing Moiraine and Lan Cover of Legends, edited by Robert Silverberg, the anthology in which the novella New Spring first appeared New Spring (abbreviated as NS by fans) is a prequel novel in the Wheel of Time fantasy series by American author Robert Jordan. ... Legends is a collection of short stories by a number of noteworthy fantasy authors, edited by Robert Silverberg. ... At the 63rd World Science Fiction Convention in Glasgow, August 2005 Robert Silverberg (January 15, 1935, Brooklyn, New York) is a prolific American author best known for writing science fiction, a multiple winner of both the Hugo and Nebula Awards. ... Cover of New Spring, showing Moiraine and Lan Cover of Legends, edited by Robert Silverberg, the anthology in which the novella New Spring first appeared New Spring (abbreviated as NS by fans) is a prequel novel in the Wheel of Time fantasy series by American author Robert Jordan. ...

In 2002 the first book, The Eye of the World, was repackaged as two volumes with new illustrations for younger readers: From the Two Rivers, including an extra chapter (Ravens) before the existing prologue, and To the Blight with an expanded glossary. In 2004 the same was done with The Great Hunt, with the two parts being The Hunt Begins and New Threads in the Pattern. Also see: 2002 (number). ... The Eye of the World (abbreviated as tEotW by fans) is the first book of The Wheel of Time fantasy series written by American author Robert Jordan. ... This article or section contains a plot summary that is overly long. ... This article or section contains a plot summary that is overly long. ... Look up glossary in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Great Hunt is the second book of The Wheel of Time series, written by Robert Jordan. ...

There is a short story available on the web, "The Strike at Shayol Ghul", which predates the main series by several thousand years. That story is also found in The World of Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time (ISBN 0-312-86219-9), an official guide to The Wheel of Time published in November 1997. This article is in need of attention. ... The World of Robert Jordans The Wheel of Time is a reference book for the bestselling The Wheel of Time fantasy book series by Robert Jordan. ... For the band, see 1997 (band). ...

Prologue ebooks

• Snow: The Prologue to Winter's Heart (September 2000)
• Glimmers: The Prologue to Crossroads of Twilight (July 17, 2002)
• Embers Falling on Dry Grass: The Prologue to Knife of Dreams (July 22, 2005).

is the 198th day of the year (199th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also see: 2002 (number). ... is the 203rd day of the year (204th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Offshoots

The online game Wheel of Time Multi-User Dungeon (WoTMUD for short) is the oldest authorized game based on the series (started 1993), and various commercial game adaptations have also been spawned, including a video game released by Atari for the personal computer, and a role-playing game based on d20 rules released by Wizards of the Coast. There is also a soundtrack album. There was a collectible card game based on the books, but it has been out of print since 2002. It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into CircleMUD games. ... This action/strategy game is based on Robert Jordans best-selling series of fantasy novels. ... This article is about the corporate game company. ... The Wheel of Time Roleplaying Game is a role-playing game based on The Wheel of Time, a twelve-volume epic fantasy series by American author Robert Jordan. ... d20 redirects here. ... Wizards of the Coast (often referred to as WotC or simply Wizards) is a publisher of games, primarily based on fantasy and science fiction themes. ... A soundtrack for the Wheel of Time is a music album inspired by Robert Jordans bestselling fantasy book series The Wheel of Time. ... A collectible card game based on Robert Jordans The Wheel of Time fantasy series, published by Precedence Entertainment (which closed its doors in late 2002). ...

Miniseries

In a 2000 chat on CNN.com, Robert Jordan mentioned that NBC had purchased an option to do a miniseries of "The Eye of the World." ^[3] Year 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full 2000 Gregorian calendar). ... This article is about the television network. ...

Author's death

Jordan had repeatedly said that the main sequence would conclude with the twelfth book, with a working title of A Memory of Light. Numerous times, including most recently on ComicCon 2006, he said he would hold to this statement even if it has to be 1500 pages long. Before his death Jordan had planned to write two more short prequel novels, an encyclopedia, and possibly two or three other side-plot novels. ^[4] A Memory of Light is a working title for the twelfth book of the popular The Wheel of Time fantasy series written by American author Robert Jordan. ...

With Jordan's death on September 16, 2007, the conclusion of the series was in question. On December 7 the publisher, Tor Books, announced that fantasy author Brandon Sanderson would finish A Memory of Light.^[5] is the 259th day of the year (260th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 341st day of the year (342nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Tor Books is an imprint of Tom Doherty Associates, LLC which publishes popular fiction, and is particularly noted for its science fiction and fantasy titles. ... Brandon Sanderson (born 1976) is an American fantasy author. ...

Brandon said on his website he has begun writing the final book in the series.^[6] He also stated that he wants to finish the series in the final book as planned.

References

2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 80th day of the year (81st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 291st day of the year (292nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The New York Times is a daily newspaper published in New York City and distributed internationally. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 63rd day of the year (64th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 344th day of the year (345th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 344th day of the year (345th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 86th day of the year (87th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 91st day of the year (92nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to:

The Wheel of Time

• Official website
• Robert Jordan's blog
• Tar Valon.net Wheel of Time based community and site
• A Wheel of Time Wiki
• WoTmania Wheel of Time FAQ Discussion and explanation of many aspects of the series. Updated to include New Spring and Knife of Dreams
• The Wheel of Time FAQ - Discussion and explanation of many aspects of the series. Updated up to Crossroads of Twilight.
• Encyclopaedia WoT
• Wheel of Time Concordance v3.1 (PHP version) (Text version)
• Chronology of The Wheel of Time
• Wheel of Time websites Past and Present
• Wotmania reference desk. - Includes chapter summaries and other tools.