Book Review: Eye of the World by Robert Jordan

She shrugged. ‘You are all tied together in something dangerous, but I can’t make any more of it.’ ‘All of us?’ Rand muttered.

I have been terrified of this series for so long. To me, The Wheel of Time series falls right under Lord of the Rings as far as epicness goes. A fantasy series that is interesting but takes time to read. Due my hesitations, yet interest, I added Eye of the World to my reading list for this year, you can see the full list here. In honor of the recent release of Amazon’s adaptation of the Wheel of Time, here is my review of book one, Eye of the World.

Summary

The Wheel of Time turns and Ages come and pass. What was, what will be, and what is, may yet fall under the Shadow. Let the Dragon ride again on the winds of time. The Wheel of Time turns and Ages come and go, leaving memories that become legends. Legend fades to myth, and even myth is long forgotten when the Age that gave birth returns again.

In the Third Age, an Age of Prophecy, the World and Time themselves hand in the balance. What was, what will be, and what is, may yet fall under the Shadow. When Two Rivers is attacked by Trollocs- a savage tribe of half-men, half-beast- five villagers flee that night into a world they barely imagined, with new dangers waiting in the shadows and in the light.

My Thoughts

I started Eye of the World shortly after giving up on The Way of Kings. I was defeated, wondering if I actually enjoyed fantasy Eye of the World restored my faith.

Eye of the World is easy to follow. I highly recommend the audiobook, but Eye of the World reads just as easily in book form. Be warned it is 814 pages. Don’t like let that stop you from giving Eye of the World a read. From the first few pages, I was hooked. I knew there was no way I read 814 pages in ebook form. So I jumped into the audiobook.

The story starts in Edmond’s field, where the majority of the characters live. It is a village tucked away from the other cities, with an interesting past. Shortly after the arrival of Moraine, a magical woman in touch with the One Power comes warning of evil rising in the world…Trollocs attack Edmond’s Field. The attack leaves many wounded, scared, and confused because Trollocs are a monster of folklore. With the town nearly destroyed our heroes Rand, Perrin, and Mat must leave Edmond’s Field in hopes to make it to a safer city and find answers to why Trollocs are haunting the land. Guided by Moraine and her companion the boys start their journey that is anything but easy. This is a very simplified summary of what this wonderful book entails.

While I enjoyed this book there is a laundry list of characters, who all play a part in the story. While learning who is who you are also introduced to the magic system and lore of the world. Everything falls into place but can be a lot to take in if you are not used to the fantasy genre. Some might not enjoy the slower start to the book, but I did not have a problem with it. Read the prologue! I skipped it in the ebook but listened to it with the audiobook. 🙂

I loved so many things about Eye of the World, so much so that I have recommended it to almost everyone I talk to. My favorite element was Jordan’s use of fate. I enjoyed how this was presented as “the pattern” that the character are becoming weaved in. I also liked the phrases Jordan developed to shape his universe such as, “the wheel turns,” and “the pattern weaves,” being my favorites. The world Jordan build is lush and easy to disgust, which is not always the case in fantasy. I feel like there are a few fantasy tropes not covered in Eye of the World, which make it familiar, fun, and enjoyable.

Should You Read Eye of the World?

Yes! I think everyone should give Eye of the World a try. I fell in love with this long tale, but I know that will not be the case with every reader. This is a LONG book and the first in a long series. Eye of the World can seem intimidating, but do not let the side stop you!

A more nerdy fun fact: If you are interested in Eye of the World & Wheel of Time as a whole, I recommend reading Lord of the Rings first, to appreciate the influence it had on WOT. It is not necessary to read first, but cool to see the influences and evolution of fantasy.

If you want to watch a cool video about Robert Jordan’s influence on other fantasy writers check out this video.

I hope you enjoy this book as much as I did! I am trucking through the series and will do a full review one day when I finish the series.