Wheel of Time Reading Order Guide
By Robert Jordan · 15 books
How to read Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series in order. All 14 books plus the prequel, New Spring.
About the Wheel of Time
The Wheel of Time is one of the most ambitious fantasy series ever written — 14 main novels plus a prequel, totaling over 4.4 million words. Started by Robert Jordan in 1990 and completed by Brandon Sanderson after Jordan's death in 2007, it follows Rand al'Thor and his companions as they confront a cosmic evil threatening to break the world. The series is known for its deep worldbuilding, complex magic system, and enormous cast of characters.
Reading order
The Wheel of Time is a single continuous story. Read the main series in publication order. The only question is where to place the prequel.
| # | Title | Year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Eye of the World Start here. Period. | 1990 |
| 2 | The Great Hunt | 1990 |
| 3 | The Dragon Reborn | 1991 |
| 4 | The Shadow Rising Where many fans say the series hits its stride. | 1992 |
| 5 | The Fires of Heaven | 1993 |
| 6 | Lord of Chaos | 1994 |
| 7 | A Crown of Swords | 1996 |
| 8 | The Path of Daggers | 1998 |
| 9 | Winter's Heart | 2000 |
| 10 | Crossroads of Twilight The slowest book — push through, it gets better. | 2003 |
| 11 | Knife of Dreams Jordan's final solo book. The pace picks up dramatically. | 2005 |
| 12 | The Gathering Storm Brandon Sanderson takes over. Excellent. | 2009 |
| 13 | Towers of Midnight | 2010 |
| 14 | A Memory of Light The epic conclusion. | 2013 |
Where does the prequel fit?
New Spring (2004) is a prequel set 20 years before The Eye of the World. Read it after book 5 (The Fires of Heaven) or after finishing the whole series. Do not start with it — it spoils character reveals from the early books and assumes you already know the world.
The 'slog' — books 7 through 10
Fans widely acknowledge that books 7-10 slow down considerably as Jordan expanded his cast and subplot count. This is where many readers give up. The best advice: push through. The payoff starting at book 11 is worth it, and Sanderson's final three books deliver one of the most satisfying conclusions in fantasy. If you're struggling, it's okay to skim subplots that don't interest you.