The Eye of the World was published by Tor Books in January 1990, beginning the Wheel of Time series that Robert Jordan (pen name of James Oliver Rigney Jr.) would work on for the rest of his life. In the village of Emond’s Field, in the agrarian region called the Two Rivers, three young men — Rand al’Thor, Matrim Cauthon, and Perrin Aybara — are forced to flee when Trollocs (monstrous soldiers of the Dark One) attack on Winternight. They are guided by Moiraine Damodred, an Aes Sedai (a wielder of the One Power), and her Warder Lan, joined by two young women from their village: Egwene al’Vere and Nynaeve al’Meara.
The novel’s structure deliberately echoes Tolkien — the pastoral village disrupted, the fellowship journeying into danger, the ancient evil stirring — but Jordan’s world-building quickly establishes its own identity. The magic system (the One Power, divided into male and female halves, with the male half tainted by the Dark One’s corruption) is rigorously systematic. The cosmology (the Wheel of Time weaving the Pattern of Ages, which repeat with variation) gives the world philosophical depth. And the cultural diversity of Jordan’s nations — each with distinct customs, clothing, political systems, and attitudes toward gender — surpasses Tolkien’s Middle-earth in sociological complexity.
The Wheel of Time’s Place in Fantasy
The series occupies a crucial transitional position between Tolkien’s mythological fantasy and the grimdark movement that followed. Jordan inherited Tolkien’s scope and moral clarity (good and evil are real, the stakes are cosmic) but added psychological complexity, political intrigue, and a gendered magic system that foregrounded questions about power and gender that Tolkien’s work avoided.
The series sold over 90 million copies, was adapted into an Amazon Prime television series (2021–present), and influenced virtually every major fantasy author who followed, from Brandon Sanderson to Patrick Rothfuss to George R.R. Martin.
The Tolkien Inheritance
Jordan was explicit about his debt to Tolkien: the Shire-like Two Rivers, the wizard figure (Moiraine), the quest structure, the Dark Lord. But the debt was strategic, not slavish. Jordan used familiar Tolkien elements as entry points, then systematically diverged: the magic became harder, the politics became more complex, the gender dynamics became central, and the moral palette expanded from Tolkien’s clear good-versus-evil into a world where institutions of good (the White Tower, the Children of the Light) could become as dangerous as the Shadow.
Projected Values
Value trajectory (2016–2026): Strong appreciation, accelerated by the Amazon Prime adaptation (2021). First printings have become premium collectibles.
Projected values (2026–2036): Continued strong growth. Signed first editions should reach $3,000–$8,000 as the series’ canonical status in fantasy literature solidifies and Jordan’s death (2007) ensures a finite supply.
Collecting The Eye of the World
First edition (Tor Books, New York, 1990): Boards with dust jacket. First printing identifiable by the number line.
Approximate market values:
- Fine in dust jacket (first printing): $500–$2,000
- Signed first edition: $1,000–$4,000
- Later printings: $20–$50
The first printing was modest; Tor did not anticipate the series’ eventual success. Fine copies are genuinely rare.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this a good entry point to epic fantasy? Yes. It is deliberately accessible, using familiar Tolkienian elements to ease readers into Jordan’s more complex world-building.
How long is the complete series? Fourteen main novels plus a prequel (New Spring), totalling over four million words. Jordan died while writing the twelfth volume; Brandon Sanderson completed the series from Jordan’s extensive notes.
Is the TV adaptation faithful? The Amazon Prime adaptation (2021–present) takes significant liberties with characters and plot, particularly in its first season. Opinions among fans are divided.