New Spring
Encyclopedia
New Spring is a prequel
novel in the Wheel of Time
fantasy
series by American
author Robert Jordan
. New Spring consists of 26 chapters and an epilogue
.
in the speculative fiction
anthology
edited by Robert Silverberg
entitled Legends: Short Novels by the Masters of Modern Fantasy
. Published by Tor Books
, this anthology was released on September 15, 1999, between the 1998 publication of The Path of Daggers
(Book 8 of The Wheel of Time) and 2000 publication of Winter's Heart
(Book 9).
Robert Jordan later expanded the novella into a standalone novel (though of significantly shorter length than typical Wheel of Time books), which was then published by Tor Books in January 2004, between the 2003 publication of Crossroads of Twilight
(Book 10) and the 2005 publication of Knife of Dreams
(Book 11).
The New Spring novel was originally conceived of as the first in a trilogy of prequel novels. The second and third were to focus on Tam serving in the Illianer army and finding Rand, and Moiraine and Lan's journeys and discoveries to reach the Two Rivers just before the events of the first novel. Jordan's original plan was to complete this trilogy before books 11 and 12 of the main series, but he was disappointed with New Springs reception and decided to postpone this until after the main series was completed. However, his death on September 16, 2007 before the completion of the final novel in the series leaves the fate of any more prequel novels unsure. Once the main series is completed Robert Jordan's wife will determine if Brandon Sanderson
will write the other planned prequels as well.
The first paperback edition of New Spring, released on June 13, 2005, gave readers the first look at Knife of Dreams (Book 11), as it featured an advance excerpt of part of the prologue
of Knife of Dreams.
(Book 1). The story begins in the last days of the Aiel War, and the Battle of the Shining Walls around Tar Valon
. It is set primarily in Tar Valon
and the Borderlands, specifically Kandor.
New Spring focuses mainly on Moiraine Damodred
and Siuan Sanche
, two Aes Sedai new to the sisterhood, and how a young Moiraine became Aes Sedai, met Lan Mandragoran
and made him her Warder. The novel also explains how Moiraine and Siuan witnessed a prophecy of the Dragon's rebirth and came to begin investigating the Karaethon Cycle, the Prophecies of the Dragon
, decades before discovering Rand al'Thor
.
format. Issue #1 was published in July 2005. Issue 2 was to be published sometime in September 2005. It is planned to run eight issues total. It is produced by DB Pro, who previously adapted "The Legend of Huma" by Richard A. Knaak
and "The Hedge Knight" by George R. R. Martin
and published by Red Eagle Entertainment.
The comics are adapted by Chuck Dixon, drawn by Mike S. Miller, colored by Etienne St Laurent, edited by Ernst Dabel, lettered by Artmonkeys, with design by Bill Tortolini.
All eight issues were collected and re-released together as a single graphic novel in January 2011. It includes extra bonus material of developmental art, script pages, and correspondence between Jordan and Dixon.
Prequel
A prequel is a work that supplements a previously completed one, and has an earlier time setting.The widely recognized term was a 20th-century neologism, and a portmanteau from pre- and sequel...
novel in the Wheel of Time
The Wheel of Time
The Wheel of Time is a series of epic fantasy novels written by American author James Oliver Rigney, Jr., under the pen name Robert Jordan. Originally planned as a six-book series, the length was increased by increments; at the time of Rigney's death, he expected it to be 12, but it will actually...
fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
series by American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
author Robert Jordan
Robert Jordan
Robert Jordan was the pen name of James Oliver Rigney, Jr. , under which he was best known as the author of the bestselling The Wheel of Time fantasy series. He also wrote under the pseudonyms Reagan O'Neal and Jackson O'Reilly.-Biography:Jordan was born in Charleston, South Carolina...
. New Spring consists of 26 chapters and an epilogue
Epilogue
An epilogue, epilog or afterword is a piece of writing at the end of a work of literature or drama, usually used to bring closure to the work...
.
Background to publication
"New Spring" was originally published as a novellaNovella
A novella is a written, fictional, prose narrative usually longer than a novelette but shorter than a novel. The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America Nebula Awards for science fiction define the novella as having a word count between 17,500 and 40,000...
in the speculative fiction
Speculative fiction
Speculative fiction is an umbrella term encompassing the more fantastical fiction genres, specifically science fiction, fantasy, horror, supernatural fiction, superhero fiction, utopian and dystopian fiction, apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction, and alternate history in literature as well as...
anthology
Anthology
An anthology is a collection of literary works chosen by the compiler. It may be a collection of poems, short stories, plays, songs, or excerpts...
edited by Robert Silverberg
Robert Silverberg
Robert Silverberg is an American author, best known for writing science fiction. He is a multiple nominee of the Hugo Award and a winner of the Nebula Award.-Early years:...
entitled Legends: Short Novels by the Masters of Modern Fantasy
Legends (book)
Legends: Short Novels by the Masters of Modern Fantasy is a collection of 11 novellas by a number of noteworthy fantasy authors, edited by Robert Silverberg. All the stories were original to the collection, and set in the authors' established fictional worlds...
. Published by Tor Books
Tor Books
Tor Books is one of two imprints of Tom Doherty Associates LLC, based in New York City. It is noted for its science fiction and fantasy titles. Tom Doherty Associates also publishes mainstream fiction, mystery, and occasional military history titles under its Forge imprint. The company was founded...
, this anthology was released on September 15, 1999, between the 1998 publication of The Path of Daggers
The Path of Daggers
The Path of Daggers is the eighth book of The Wheel of Time fantasy series written by American author Robert Jordan. It was published by Tor Books and released on October 20, 1998...
(Book 8 of The Wheel of Time) and 2000 publication of Winter's Heart
Winter's Heart
Winter's Heart is the ninth book of the Wheel of Time fantasy series written by American author Robert Jordan. It was published by Tor Books and released on November 7, 2000...
(Book 9).
Crossroads of Twilight
Crossroads of Twilight is the tenth book of The Wheel of Time fantasy series written by American author Robert Jordan. It was published by Tor Books and released on January 7, 2003...
(Book 10) and the 2005 publication of Knife of Dreams
Knife of Dreams
Knife of Dreams is the 11th novel in the fantasy series The Wheel of Time by American author Robert Jordan. It was published by Tor Books in the U.S. and Orbit in the UK and released on October 11, 2005...
(Book 11).
The New Spring novel was originally conceived of as the first in a trilogy of prequel novels. The second and third were to focus on Tam serving in the Illianer army and finding Rand, and Moiraine and Lan's journeys and discoveries to reach the Two Rivers just before the events of the first novel. Jordan's original plan was to complete this trilogy before books 11 and 12 of the main series, but he was disappointed with New Springs reception and decided to postpone this until after the main series was completed. However, his death on September 16, 2007 before the completion of the final novel in the series leaves the fate of any more prequel novels unsure. Once the main series is completed Robert Jordan's wife will determine if Brandon Sanderson
Brandon Sanderson
Brandon Sanderson is an American fantasy author. A Nebraska native, he currently resides in American Fork, Utah. He earned his Master's degree in Creative Writing in 2005 from Brigham Young University, where he was on the staff of Leading Edge, a semi-professional speculative fiction magazine...
will write the other planned prequels as well.
The first paperback edition of New Spring, released on June 13, 2005, gave readers the first look at Knife of Dreams (Book 11), as it featured an advance excerpt of part of the prologue
Prologue
A prologue is an opening to a story that establishes the setting and gives background details, often some earlier story that ties into the main one, and other miscellaneous information. The Greek prologos included the modern meaning of prologue, but was of wider significance...
of Knife of Dreams.
Plot summary
New Spring describes events which take place twenty years before the events of The Eye of the WorldThe Eye of the World
The Eye of the World is the first book of The Wheel of Time fantasy series written by American author Robert Jordan. It was published by Tor Books and released on January 15, 1990. The unabridged audio book is read by Michael Kramer and Kate Reading...
(Book 1). The story begins in the last days of the Aiel War, and the Battle of the Shining Walls around Tar Valon
Tar Valon
Tar Valon is a fictional city in Robert Jordan's fantasy series the Wheel of Time.-The City:Tar Valon is an island city in the River Erinin, within sight of the Dragonmount. It is the home of the White Tower, which is the center of Aes Sedai power...
. It is set primarily in Tar Valon
Tar Valon
Tar Valon is a fictional city in Robert Jordan's fantasy series the Wheel of Time.-The City:Tar Valon is an island city in the River Erinin, within sight of the Dragonmount. It is the home of the White Tower, which is the center of Aes Sedai power...
and the Borderlands, specifically Kandor.
New Spring focuses mainly on Moiraine Damodred
Moiraine Damodred
Moiraine Damodred is one of the main characters of the Wheel of Time fantasy series by Robert Jordan. She is an Aes Sedai of the Blue Ajah and is the niece of King Laman Damodred of Cairhien.-Description:...
and Siuan Sanche
Siuan Sanche
Siuan Sanche is a character of the Wheel of Time fantasy series by Robert Jordan.The sharp-tongued daughter of a fisherman from Tear, Siuan Sanche joined the White Tower at the same time as Moiraine Damodred...
, two Aes Sedai new to the sisterhood, and how a young Moiraine became Aes Sedai, met Lan Mandragoran
Lan Mandragoran
Al'Lan Mandragoran is one of the main characters of the Wheel of Time fantasy series by Robert Jordan.Lan is very similar in characterization to Aragorn from The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien...
and made him her Warder. The novel also explains how Moiraine and Siuan witnessed a prophecy of the Dragon's rebirth and came to begin investigating the Karaethon Cycle, the Prophecies of the Dragon
Dragon (Wheel of Time)
In the fictional Wheel of Time fantasy series by Robert Jordan, the Dragon is the champion of the Light and the Creator against the evil Dark One. Although the Dark One was imprisoned by the Creator at the moment of creation, he continually seeks to break free of his prison. In each Age, the Dragon...
, decades before discovering Rand al'Thor
Rand al'Thor
Rand al'Thor, also known as the Dragon Reborn, is the fictional main character and protagonist of The Wheel of Time, a series of fantasy novels by Robert Jordan.Rand al'Thor has many other titles within the series:...
.
Graphic novel
It is also the first of Jordan's works to be adapted to graphic novelGraphic novel
A graphic novel is a narrative work in which the story is conveyed to the reader using sequential art in either an experimental design or in a traditional comics format...
format. Issue #1 was published in July 2005. Issue 2 was to be published sometime in September 2005. It is planned to run eight issues total. It is produced by DB Pro, who previously adapted "The Legend of Huma" by Richard A. Knaak
Richard A. Knaak
Richard A. Knaak is the author of Dragonlance novels, Dragonrealm, six novels for Blizzard Entertainment's Diablo series, and nine works in the Warcraft universe...
and "The Hedge Knight" by George R. R. Martin
George R. R. Martin
George Raymond Richard Martin , sometimes referred to as GRRM, is an American author and screenwriter of fantasy, horror, and science fiction. He is best known for A Song of Ice and Fire, his bestselling series of epic fantasy novels that HBO adapted for their dramatic pay-cable series Game of...
and published by Red Eagle Entertainment.
The comics are adapted by Chuck Dixon, drawn by Mike S. Miller, colored by Etienne St Laurent, edited by Ernst Dabel, lettered by Artmonkeys, with design by Bill Tortolini.
All eight issues were collected and re-released together as a single graphic novel in January 2011. It includes extra bonus material of developmental art, script pages, and correspondence between Jordan and Dixon.
| Issue # | Issue title | Book chapters covered | Release date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "The Hook" | 1, 2 | July, 2005 |
| 2 | "Practice" | 3-5 | August, 2005 |
| 3 | "Shreds of Serenity" | 6-8 | September, 2005 |
| 4 | "It Begins" | 9-11 | November, 2005 |
| 5 | "Business in the City" | 12-14 | December, 2005 |
| 6 | "The Deep" | 15-18 | April, 2009 |
| 7 | July, 2009 | ||
| 8 | includes Epilogue | May, 2010 |
External links
- Official site from Tor Books
- Review at http://www.booksforabuck.com/
- Review at http://www.bookloons.com/
- Review at http://www.dragonsworn.com/
- Review at http://www.harlows.org/
- Review at http://www.rpg.net/
- Review at http://www.sfsite.com/
- ISBN 0-7653-0629-8 (hardcover)
- ISBN 0-7653-4545-5 (paperback)