Frequently Asked Questions
The most-asked questions about The Wheel of Time.
What is The Wheel of Time?
It is a 14-book epic fantasy series originally written by Robert Jordan and finished by Brandon Sanderson, set in a world where a cosmic force called the One Power underpins all magic. The story tracks a band of young people swept into an ancient war as the imprisoned Dark One works to shatter the Pattern of reality and remake the world in chaos.
Who is Rand al'Thor?
Rand is a young farmer from the village of Emond's Field who is identified as the Dragon Reborn, a prophesied champion destined to face the Dark One in the Last Battle. He anchors the narrative across all fourteen volumes and undergoes a dramatic arc from reluctant shepherd to world-shaking leader.
What is the One Power?
It is the universal energy that flows through every living being, divided into a male half (saidin) and a female half (saidar). The male half was corrupted during the original War of the Shadow, so in the main timeline only women can safely channel, though a few men retain the ability and are feared as potential threats.
Who is the Dark One, also called the Shadow?
The Dark One is the primordial source of destruction and chaos who was sealed away after the first great war, and who now schemes to unravel the Pattern and remake creation. Every antagonist in the series, from the Black Ajah to the Seanchan, ultimately serves this entity's agenda.
Where should a newcomer start reading?
Book One, The Eye of the World, is the natural entry point and introduces the world, its magic system, and the core cast. The series is designed to be read in publication order, since later volumes depend heavily on character development and plot threads established early on.
What are the Aes Sedai?
They are an ancient order of trained female channelers headquartered in the White Tower, wielding vast political, military, and diplomatic influence across the continents. They function as one of the series' central power structures and a recurring source of both aid and conflict for the protagonists.
How many books are in the series and who wrote them?
There are fourteen novels in total. Robert Jordan authored the first eleven before his passing in 2007, and Brandon Sanderson completed the final three using Jordan's detailed outlines, character notes, and plot summaries.
What is Tarmon Gai'coin?
It is the prophesied Last Battle in which the Dragon Reborn will confront the Dark One, and it functions as the ultimate narrative destination of the entire series. The fourteen books essentially build the world, the alliances, and the stakes toward that single climactic confrontation.
Who is Moiraine Damodred?
She is an Aes Sedai whose decisions in the opening volumes set the whole story in motion, as she escorts a group of young people away from Emond's Field to protect them from the Shadow. She serves as mentor, protector, and moral anchor for Rand, Perrin, and the others throughout much of the series.
What do the Wheel and the Pattern mean in the cosmology?
The Wheel of Time is the eternal metaphor for the turning of Ages, while the Pattern is the specific, intricate weave of events and lives within the current Age. The Dark One seeks to unravel the Pattern, but the cosmology holds that the Wheel itself will always keep turning, ensuring a new Age follows every destruction.