The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan (Wheel of Time #1)

Genres: High Fantasy, Adventure
Publication Date: January 15th 1990
POV: Alternating - Third-person, Past tense.
My Rating: 4 out of 5

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The Wheel of Time turns and Ages come and go, leaving memories that become legend. Legend fades to myth, and even myth is long forgotten when the Age that gave it birth returns again. In the Third Age, an Age of Prophecy, the World and Time themselves hang in the balance. What was, what will be, and what is, may yet fall under the Shadow.

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This wasn't quite what I had expected but I still greatly enjoyed it. I read New Spring first so I expected this to be similar. New Spring was heavily political and focus mostly on magic, mythology, and intrigue. I was totally blown away by it, but I later discovered a lot of people weren't because they expected it to be like the rest of the series. I suppose its a good thing then that I read it first and was able to enjoy it. The Eye of the World had a good deal of magic but very little politics and intrigue. It was primarily an adventure.

I know this must be simply the introduction to a much grander story, and there were certainly signs of that. With curses and prophecies and chosen ones, this is far from over. I would have known that, even if 14 books hadn't already been publish. But all that was introduced to us so far would not have taken 800 pages. The bulk of it was running from one danger to the next. One city to the next. One monster to the next. I enjoyed it immensely. I knew there was always a threat around the corner. I may not have known who or why but I knew someone was after them and I wanted to run with them. Trying to stay one step ahead.

There is quite a large cast of characters. I believe most, if not all of them, stay in the story till the end. So I don't have to worry over much, but really I know absolutely nothing about the future of the story. I feel awkwardly vulnerable reading such an old series. I don't know what to expect, and so many other people do. I will say that I enjoyed Rand, Perrin, and Lan the most. I found Nynaeve and Egwene annoying at times although they had their positive qualities. I seem to prefer the sedate men, although Mat made me bark an occasional laugh, he was mostly a nuisance. I can only imagine what everyone's role will be in the bigger picture, or "the pattern". I honestly have no idea.

I really was not expecting any romance in this book. I was pleased, but caught completely off guard. When I read the scene when Nynaeve spoke to Lan my heart nearly leapt from my chest! But I was in public and I was freaking out and trying not to show it! But 13 books! Gosh, I can't imagine all that could happen between now and then. I have no expectations and am not letting myself get too attached to any particular characters, or particular relationships, or subplots. But I can still speculate. My mind is going in every possible direction while I read this! Some people may be intimidated by the length of this series, but I look at it as a lot of potential for expansion. I am sure my imagination has not even brushed its possibilities yet.

“The Wheel of Time turns, and Ages come and pass. What was, what will be, and what is, may yet fall under the Shadow.”