Best WoT book to start with?

[I, Brian]

How standalone are the Robert Jordan Wheel of Time novels?

More to the point, is it absolutely necessary to start at Book 1 to really get into the story?

Or is it possible to read one of the later novels to get into it?

Is there a recommended book other than 1 that a reader new to the entire series and concept can really get into without missing too much?

[dwndrgn]

The Wheel of Time series shouldn't be read as stand-alone novels but it could be done. The actual amount of time over the (seven I think?) whole series so far is about a year so that gives you an idea of how Robert Jordan writes. There are at least ten major characters and in the later books, how they act and react are directly related to what happens in the first and subsequent books. Also, each book just starts and ends - there aren't any big beginnings or complete endings (not yet anyway), so they would sort of leave you hanging.

Each one, however, does sort of give a snapshot of what has happened before. Unfortunately, this is just a snapshot and when you have so many major characters, with their own stories and events, it would be difficult to recreate their stories sufficiently to give the reader a 'legs up' on who and what the characters are.

An example, one of the characters, Matt Cauthon (I think I have that right, I haven't read them in forever) goes through a huge traumatic change from being in the right place at the wrong time and he is completely outlook on life is completely different. Much like how in the "Lord of the Isles" books (David Drake), the main character, Garric, has somehow had the soul (if you will) of one of his ancestors implanted in his brain. If you didn't read the first book, you'd get the idea in the sequels (as he talks to himself often and his ancestor talks back) but you weren't there to witness how it occurred. With Matt, you sort of get hints at what has happened to him but you don't really know like you do with Garric.

So now that I've blathered on about nothing really, I'll restate what I said; you could read them by themselves but you probably wouldn't really enjoy them. It would be like watching one episode of a soap opera - you'd really end up lost.

[knivesout]

You just have to start with The Eye of the World. It's not a series so much as one story extended over many, many volumes. Most of the incidents extend across several volumes - if you plunge in at any point but the beginning, the intrigues, counter-intrigues, battles, wars and most of all, the characters, will make no sense at all.


Although, the new prequel, New Spring, seems to be a standalone, so at this point it could be a good way for a new reader to check the overall feel of the series out. The incidents it covers happen long before the main series, but it introduces several key characters and plot elements.

[Loial]

I started with Dragon Reborn, I found it in a charity shop and boy i wish i'd walked by that day lol

no seriously, I couldn't read any without wanting to to read all those before to see what i missed (k i'm a nosey begger)

[ladyflorange]

I just finished the Eye of the World and I thought it was absolutely brilliant! Definately going to read more! Being that it's the only one I've so far read, I would have to say start with that one And also, that I don't think it could be read as a stand alone novel - I'm going to start on the second one asap!!

[GOLLUM]

Originally Posted by ladyflorange

I just finished the Eye of the World and I thought it was absolutely brilliant! Definately going to read more! Being that it's the only one I've so far read, I would have to say start with that one And also, that I don't think it could be read as a stand alone novel - I'm going to start on the second one asap!!

It will be interesting to see your opinion later after you've got through to about Book 7 where things begin to lag somewhat and the main contention for current readers of the series.

[direghost]

I'm not sure there's much reason to read anything other than the first book. I guess the next two are decent, but yeah the 1st one is a good placed to start and to end.

[speedingslug]

The first book is a MUST, Probably better reading them all at once, because spread over a decade has been slightly annoying.

BUT they are good.

The characters grow and multiply and you forget who did what - well I did anyway !

[Void Dragon]

I got confused and mixed up the characters in book one already...

I have book two standing on my shelf, and I hope one day I'll have the courage to read that, cause it's written real good, but the story is way too big.

I'm more of a Feist person

[the_faery_queen]

i rally don't think they're standalone at all. everything bui8lds up. you need to read them all, tho to be honest, im not sure why you'd want to! wait until he finishes the series

[purple_kathryn]

Originally Posted by ladyflorange

I just finished the Eye of the World and I thought it was absolutely brilliant! Definately going to read more! Being that it's the only one I've so far read, I would have to say start with that one And also, that I don't think it could be read as a stand alone novel - I'm going to start on the second one asap!!

I've only started reading it but I've found a lot of similarities to Lord of the Rings (which isn't necessarily a bad thing).

[Werthead]

A bit puzzling, this thread. Book One, The Eye of the World, is the only place you can start. All 12 books form one massive storyline and The Eye of the World is where it starts.

A more understandable question would have been whether to start with The Eye of the World or the prequel, New Spring, which is set before it. In which case I'd still say The Eye of the World, as New Spring is absolute pony and spoils some of the later revelations in the series.

[Roheryn]

Yes, I would definately go with reading the main series before reading New Spring. That's how I did it, and I am SO glad that I waited 'til the end to read it.

And yes, a lot of people do get turned off the series around book 6, but if you get to 9 and then 11, I really liked those two...

[JBI]

The only one you could read before The Eye of the World and still know what is somewhat going on is New Spring (RJ intended the novella to be readable before any book in the story, though he recomends you start with tEotW) Though I recomend just reading the eye. It's so much more satisfying readin NS after a bunch.

[Talysia]

I guess everyone else has already said this, but I think the best book to start with is the Eye of the World. With some of the storylines being finished in later books, it does make it difficult to read them as standalone novels (particularly the later books), but some of the earlier ones would be.