14 main novels + 1 prequel novella. The series is complete. Robert Jordan wrote Books 1–11 before his death in 2007. Brandon Sanderson completed Books 12–14 from Jordan's notes, finishing the series in 2013.
Read in publication order. The series is linear — each book continues directly from the last:
| # | Title | Author | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | New Spring (prequel) OPTIONAL FIRST | Jordan | 2004 |
| 1 | The Eye of the World START HERE | Jordan | 1990 |
| 2 | The Great Hunt | Jordan | 1990 |
| 3 | The Dragon Reborn | Jordan | 1991 |
| 4 | The Shadow Rising | Jordan | 1992 |
| 5 | The Fires of Heaven | Jordan | 1993 |
| 6 | Lord of Chaos | Jordan | 1994 |
| 7 | A Crown of Swords | Jordan | 1996 |
| 8 | The Path of Daggers | Jordan | 1998 |
| 9 | Winter's Heart | Jordan | 2000 |
| 10 | Crossroads of Twilight | Jordan | 2003 |
| 11 | Knife of Dreams | Jordan | 2005 |
| 12 | The Gathering Storm | Sanderson | 2009 |
| 13 | Towers of Midnight | Sanderson | 2010 |
| 14 | A Memory of Light | Sanderson | 2013 |
New Spring is a novella set 20 years before The Eye of the World. It tells the story of Moiraine and Lan before the main series begins. Most readers recommend reading it after you've finished the main series, because you'll understand and appreciate its characters far better. A minority read it first for chronological order — that works too, but you'll miss some of the context.
Yes. Robert Jordan was diagnosed with a rare heart disease called cardiac amyloidosis in 2006 and died in September 2007, with the final book unwritten. He had completed extensive notes and some scenes for the ending.
His wife and editor, Harriet McDougal, chose Brandon Sanderson to complete the series. Sanderson found Jordan's material so extensive that the final book became three volumes: The Gathering Storm, Towers of Midnight, and A Memory of Light (Books 12, 13, and 14).
Sanderson's style is noticeably different from Jordan's, but the transition is handled well. Most fans consider the final three books a worthy conclusion to the series.
The Wheel of Time is the longest completed fantasy series by page count. At approximately 11,000 pages and 4.4 million words, reading it at an average pace takes around 300–400 hours. Most dedicated readers spread it over 1–2 years. Audiobook listeners often find it more manageable — the audiobooks are narrated by Michael Kramer and Kate Reading, widely considered among the best fantasy audio performances ever recorded.
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