The Eye of the World
Encyclopedia
The Eye of the World is the first book of The Wheel of Time
(WoT) 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. Upon first publication, The Eye of the World consisted of one prologue
and 53 chapter
s, with an additional prologue authored upon re-release.
On January 2, 2002, The Eye of the World was re-released as two separate books aimed at a young adult literature
market, with larger text and a handful of illustrations. These were From the Two Rivers and To the Blight. The former included an additional prologue entitled "Ravens", focusing on Egwene al'Vere
. The American Library Association
put The Eye of the World on its 2003 list of Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults.
There is a film adaptation tentatively scheduled for release in 2013.
, Matrim (Mat) Cauthon, Perrin Aybara
, Egwene al'Vere
and Nynaeve al'Meara
.
Emond's Field is unexpectedly attacked by Dark forces—bestial Trollocs
and a Myrddraal who seem to specifically target Rand, Mat and Perrin. Hoping to save their village from further attacks, the young men and Egwene flee the village accompanied by an Aes Sedai
named Moiraine Damodred
, her Warder
Al'Lan Mandragoran and a Gleeman Thom Merrilin
. They are later joined by Nynaeve al'Meara
, the Wisdom of Emond's Field.
Pursued by ever-increasing numbers of Trollocs and Myrddraal, the travellers are forced to take refuge in the abandoned city of Shadar Logoth
, a place even the dark forces are reluctant to enter because of the evil Mashadar
that resides there. While escaping the city the travelers are separated.
Rand, Mat and Thom make their way by boat to Whitebridge where Thom is apparently killed while allowing Rand and Mat to escape a Myrddraal. In Caemlyn Rand befriends an Ogier
named Loial
. While exploring the city and trying to catch a glimpse of the recently captured False Dragon, Rand falls into the palace gardens. Once there he meets Elayne Trakand
, heir apparent to the throne of Andor
and her brothers Gawyn
and Galad Damodred
. Rand is taken before Queen Morgase and her Aes Sedai advisor, Elaida
who foretells that Rand is dangerous. Queen Morgase, however, decides to let Rand go free.
Meanwhile Egwene and Perrin travel separately to Caemlyn in the company of Elyas Machera, a man who can communicate with wolves and who claims that Perrin can do the same. The three run afoul of a legion of the Children of the Light. Perrin kills two Whitecloaks after witnessing the death of a wolf at their hands and is sentenced to death. Moiraine, Lan and Nynaeve rescue Egwene and Perrin from the Whitecloaks in time to escape their fate. Together they travel to Caemlyn where they are reunited with Rand and Mat. Rand tells Moiraine that Mat has been suspicious and withdrawn, and Moiraine diagnoses Mat's "sickness" as the corrupting influence of a ruby dagger Mat took from Shadar Logoth. Moiraine says that Mat must travel to Tar Valon in order to be healed.
Loial warns Moiraine of a threat to the Eye of the World, which is confirmed by vivid and disturbing dreams Mat, Rand and Perrin have had. The Eye of the World was created by Aes Sedai who sacrificed themselves to create a pool of Saidin untouched by the Dark One's
taint, and is hidden in the Blight
. The Eye of the World is protected by Someshta (the Green Man) and contains one of the seven seals on the Dark One's prison, the Dragon banner of Lews Therin Telamon
and the Horn of Valere
.
Loial guides the group through the Ways (passageways built by the male Aes Sedai during the Breaking of the World, which are now tainted by the same evil that tainted Saidin) in order to reach the Eye of the World. The group enters the Blight, in search of the Eye of the World guided by The Green Man. The Eye is revealed to be a pool of Saidin, pure and untainted. The companions are confronted by the Forsaken
Aginor
and Balthamel
. Balthamel dies at the hand of the Green Man and Aginor and Rand battle for control of the Eye of the World. Rand defeats Aginor and guided by blind luck uses the pure Saidin to decimate the Trolloc army and defeat Ba'alzamon.
Afterwards Rand realizes to his own horror that he has channeled the One Power
and is therefore condemned to a fate of insanity and horrific death. It is revealed that Moiraine believes Rand is the Dragon Reborn.
of Middle-earth
in J. R. R. Tolkien
's The Lord of the Rings
. Other strong allusions to The Lord of the Rings exist as well, particularly the incorporeal and invisible Dark Lord, the dark home realm of Mordor compared to Thakan'dar (as well as Shayol Ghul to the fiery pit of Mount Doom). Additional similarities exist between Trollocs and Orcs, Myrddraal and Nazgûl, Padan Fain and Gollum, Lan and Aragorn, Moiraine and Gandalf, Baerlon and Bree, The Mountains of Mist and The Misty Mountains, The Ways and Moria, The Black Wind and The Balrog, and the Green Man and Treebeard
.
The Eye of the World is a coming of age
(Bildungsroman) story, in which young people mature, experience new things, and accept greater responsibilities. Another theme prominent in the book is the nature of trust
; the people of the Two Rivers have to rely on Moiraine, but they fear she is only manipulating them and using them for her own ends.
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...
(WoT) 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 written 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...
. It was 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...
and released on January 15, 1990. The unabridged audio book is read by Michael Kramer and Kate Reading. Upon first publication, The Eye of the World consisted of one 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...
and 53 chapter
Chapter (books)
A chapter is one of the main divisions of a piece of writing of relative length, such as a book. Chapters can be numbered in the case of such writings as law code or they can be titled. For example, the first chapters of some well-known novels are titled:*"The Boy Who Lived" – Harry Potter...
s, with an additional prologue authored upon re-release.
On January 2, 2002, The Eye of the World was re-released as two separate books aimed at a young adult literature
Young adult literature
Young-adult fiction or young adult literature , also juvenile fiction, is fiction written for, published for, or marketed to adolescents and young adults, roughly ages 14 to 21. The Young Adult Library Services of the American Library Association defines a young adult as "someone between the...
market, with larger text and a handful of illustrations. These were From the Two Rivers and To the Blight. The former included an additional prologue entitled "Ravens", focusing on Egwene al'Vere
Egwene al'Vere
Egwene al'Vere is one of the main characters of the Wheel of Time fantasy series by Robert Jordan.-Description:She is described as beautiful, with large brown eyes and long dark hair. Like all adult women in her home village of Emond's Field, she initially wore her hair in a long braid, but as soon...
. The American Library Association
American Library Association
The American Library Association is a non-profit organization based in the United States that promotes libraries and library education internationally. It is the oldest and largest library association in the world, with more than 62,000 members....
put The Eye of the World on its 2003 list of Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults.
There is a film adaptation tentatively scheduled for release in 2013.
Plot summary
The Eye of the World revolves around the lives of a group of young people from Emond's Field in The Two Rivers district: Rand al'ThorRand 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:...
, Matrim (Mat) Cauthon, Perrin Aybara
Perrin Aybara
Perrin t'Bashere Aybara, or Goldeneyes, is one of the main characters of Robert Jordan's epic fantasy The Wheel of Time. Character is largely based on Slavic god Perun. In addition to the name similarity Perrin's choice of weapons include the axe, hammer, and bow...
, Egwene al'Vere
Egwene al'Vere
Egwene al'Vere is one of the main characters of the Wheel of Time fantasy series by Robert Jordan.-Description:She is described as beautiful, with large brown eyes and long dark hair. Like all adult women in her home village of Emond's Field, she initially wore her hair in a long braid, but as soon...
and Nynaeve al'Meara
Nynaeve al'Meara
Nynaeve al'Meara is one of the main characters of The Wheel of Time fantasy series by Robert Jordan.-Personality:Nynaeve's personality often runs a gamut of emotions, meek at times before more experienced women but also able to stand up and run down others. While she will deny it, Nynaeve is...
.
Emond's Field is unexpectedly attacked by Dark forces—bestial Trollocs
Trollocs
The Trollocs are a race in the fictional universe of Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time book series.A Trolloc is a type of Shadowspawn created in the Age of Legends that comprises the bulk of the Dark One's armies. A crossing of human and animal stock, their physical characteristics are a blending...
and a Myrddraal who seem to specifically target Rand, Mat and Perrin. Hoping to save their village from further attacks, the young men and Egwene flee the village accompanied by an Aes Sedai
Aes Sedai
The Aes Sedai are a special society in the fictional universe of Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time book series. Aes Sedai means "Servant to All" in the Old Tongue. They are the wielders of the One Power...
named 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:...
, her Warder
Warder (Wheel of Time)
A Warder in the world of Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series is a person bonded by an Aes Sedai through the use of saidar to become her bodyguard as she travels....
Al'Lan Mandragoran and a Gleeman Thom Merrilin
Thom Merrilin
Thomdril "Thom" Merrilin is one of the main characters of the Wheel of Time fantasy series by Robert Jordan.Not much of his early life is known, although he was Bard to the young Lady Morgase of House Trakand. He helped her ascend to the throne of Andor and became her Court Bard, and was renowned...
. They are later joined by Nynaeve al'Meara
Nynaeve al'Meara
Nynaeve al'Meara is one of the main characters of The Wheel of Time fantasy series by Robert Jordan.-Personality:Nynaeve's personality often runs a gamut of emotions, meek at times before more experienced women but also able to stand up and run down others. While she will deny it, Nynaeve is...
, the Wisdom of Emond's Field.
Pursued by ever-increasing numbers of Trollocs and Myrddraal, the travellers are forced to take refuge in the abandoned city of Shadar Logoth
Shadar Logoth
In the fictional world of Robert Jordan's fantasy series The Wheel of Time, Shadar Logoth, formerly known as Aridhol, was a city located in what is now Andor...
, a place even the dark forces are reluctant to enter because of the evil Mashadar
Mashadar
Mashadar is a malicious, though unintelligent, entity lurking within the depths of Shadar Logoth in the Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan....
that resides there. While escaping the city the travelers are separated.
Rand, Mat and Thom make their way by boat to Whitebridge where Thom is apparently killed while allowing Rand and Mat to escape a Myrddraal. In Caemlyn Rand befriends an Ogier
Ogier (Wheel of Time)
The Ogier are a race of non-human creatures who have an intense love of knowledge. They are also great architects and stonemasons, responsible for many of the most impressive structures and cities of the world. Ogier stonework is known for its organic nature, often appearing to have been grown...
named Loial
Loial
Loial son of Arent son of Halan is one of the main characters of the Wheel of Time fantasy series by Robert Jordan.Like all Ogier, he is deliberate and methodical in his thought; haste leads to waste appears to be his people's motto. However, when roused to anger, he is an implacable enemy...
. While exploring the city and trying to catch a glimpse of the recently captured False Dragon, Rand falls into the palace gardens. Once there he meets Elayne Trakand
Elayne Trakand
Elayne Trakand is one of the main characters of the Wheel of Time fantasy series by Robert Jordan. She bears a resemblance both in name and appearance to Ilyena, the doomed wife of Lews Therin Telamon from the Age of Legends.-Description:...
, heir apparent to the throne of Andor
Andor (Wheel of Time)
Andor is a country set in Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time series of fantasy fiction novels.Andor is one of the strongest countries in the Westlands of the main continent. It is located in the middle of the Westlands, and is one of the largest nations...
and her brothers Gawyn
Gawyn Trakand
Gawyn Trakand is a fictional character in the Wheel of Time fantasy series by Robert Jordan.Lord Gawyn of House Trakand is the son of Taringail and Queen Morgase, as well as the brother of Elayne and half-brother to Galad Damodred...
and Galad Damodred
Galad Damodred
Lord Galadedrid of House Damodred, called "Galad" for short, is a fictional character in the Wheel of Time fantasy series by Robert Jordan....
. Rand is taken before Queen Morgase and her Aes Sedai advisor, Elaida
Elaida a'Roihan
Elaida do Avriny a'Roihan is an antagonist in the Wheel of Time fantasy series by Robert Jordan.-Background:The youngest daughter of a minor House in the north of Murandy, Elaida was the first novice to be raised to Accepted in only three years. She was raised to the shawl after Siuan Sanche and...
who foretells that Rand is dangerous. Queen Morgase, however, decides to let Rand go free.
Meanwhile Egwene and Perrin travel separately to Caemlyn in the company of Elyas Machera, a man who can communicate with wolves and who claims that Perrin can do the same. The three run afoul of a legion of the Children of the Light. Perrin kills two Whitecloaks after witnessing the death of a wolf at their hands and is sentenced to death. Moiraine, Lan and Nynaeve rescue Egwene and Perrin from the Whitecloaks in time to escape their fate. Together they travel to Caemlyn where they are reunited with Rand and Mat. Rand tells Moiraine that Mat has been suspicious and withdrawn, and Moiraine diagnoses Mat's "sickness" as the corrupting influence of a ruby dagger Mat took from Shadar Logoth. Moiraine says that Mat must travel to Tar Valon in order to be healed.
Loial warns Moiraine of a threat to the Eye of the World, which is confirmed by vivid and disturbing dreams Mat, Rand and Perrin have had. The Eye of the World was created by Aes Sedai who sacrificed themselves to create a pool of Saidin untouched by the Dark One's
Dark One
The Dark One is a fictional character in the The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan. It is the main antagonist; bound to its prison at the moment of Creation and partially freed during the Age of Legends , it is the primary source of evil in the series.-Character:In The Wheel of Time books,...
taint, and is hidden in the Blight
Blight
Blight refers to a specific symptom affecting plants in response to infection by a pathogenic organism. It is simply a rapid and complete chlorosis, browning, then death of plant tissues such as leaves, branches, twigs, or floral organs. Accordingly, many diseases that primarily exhibit this...
. The Eye of the World is protected by Someshta (the Green Man) and contains one of the seven seals on the Dark One's prison, the Dragon banner of Lews Therin Telamon
Lews Therin Telamon
Lews Therin Telamon is a fictional character in Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time fantasy series. He was the Dragon of the Age of Legends. He is the most powerful, most hated, and most feared man in history, for his part in the Breaking of the World and killing his loved ones, earning him the...
and the Horn of Valere
Horn of Valere
The Horn of Valere is a fictional object in Robert Jordan's fantasy series The Wheel of Time. It is a horn that is able to call the heroes that are linked to it back from the grave. Sounding the Horn bonds the horn to its sounder. Until that person's death, only he can use the Horn of Valere to...
.
Loial guides the group through the Ways (passageways built by the male Aes Sedai during the Breaking of the World, which are now tainted by the same evil that tainted Saidin) in order to reach the Eye of the World. The group enters the Blight, in search of the Eye of the World guided by The Green Man. The Eye is revealed to be a pool of Saidin, pure and untainted. The companions are confronted by the Forsaken
Forsaken (Wheel of Time)
In the fictional world of Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time fantasy series, the Forsaken are the most powerful and favored servants of the Dark One. They were formerly Aes Sedai, but became corrupted by the desire for power and immortality...
Aginor
Aginor
Aginor , originally known as Ishar Marrad Chuain, is one of the primary antagonists of the Wheel of Time fantasy series by Robert Jordan. He is one of the Forsaken.-Origin:...
and Balthamel
Balthamel
Balthamel is one of the primary antagonists of the Wheel of Time fantasy series by Robert Jordan. He is one of the Forsaken.-Origin:...
. Balthamel dies at the hand of the Green Man and Aginor and Rand battle for control of the Eye of the World. Rand defeats Aginor and guided by blind luck uses the pure Saidin to decimate the Trolloc army and defeat Ba'alzamon.
Afterwards Rand realizes to his own horror that he has channeled the One Power
One Power
In The Wheel of Time fantasy series by Robert Jordan, the One Power is the force that maintains the continuous motion of the Wheel of Time. It comes from the True Source, and it is separated into two halves: saidin , the male half, and saidar , the female half. It is used in the series by people...
and is therefore condemned to a fate of insanity and horrific death. It is revealed that Moiraine believes Rand is the Dragon Reborn.
Themes and allusions
Robert Jordan has stated that he consciously intended the early chapters of The Eye of the World to evoke the ShireShire (Middle-earth)
The Shire is a region of J. R. R. Tolkien's fictional Middle-earth, described in The Lord of the Rings and other works. The Shire refers to an area settled exclusively by Hobbits and largely removed from the goings-on in the rest of Middle-earth. It is located in the northwest of the continent, in...
of Middle-earth
Middle-earth
Middle-earth is the fictional setting of the majority of author J. R. R. Tolkien's fantasy writings. The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings take place entirely in Middle-earth, as does much of The Silmarillion and Unfinished Tales....
in J. R. R. Tolkien
J. R. R. Tolkien
John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, CBE was an English writer, poet, philologist, and university professor, best known as the author of the classic high fantasy works The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion.Tolkien was Rawlinson and Bosworth Professor of Anglo-Saxon at Pembroke College,...
's The Lord of the Rings
The Lord of the Rings
The Lord of the Rings is a high fantasy epic written by English philologist and University of Oxford professor J. R. R. Tolkien. The story began as a sequel to Tolkien's earlier, less complex children's fantasy novel The Hobbit , but eventually developed into a much larger work. It was written in...
. Other strong allusions to The Lord of the Rings exist as well, particularly the incorporeal and invisible Dark Lord, the dark home realm of Mordor compared to Thakan'dar (as well as Shayol Ghul to the fiery pit of Mount Doom). Additional similarities exist between Trollocs and Orcs, Myrddraal and Nazgûl, Padan Fain and Gollum, Lan and Aragorn, Moiraine and Gandalf, Baerlon and Bree, The Mountains of Mist and The Misty Mountains, The Ways and Moria, The Black Wind and The Balrog, and the Green Man and Treebeard
Treebeard
Treebeard is a fictional character from J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth fantasy writings. The eldest of the species of Ents, he is said to live in the ancient Forest of Fangorn and stands fourteen feet in height and is tree-like in appearance, with leafy hair and a rigid structure. Fangorn Forest...
.
The Eye of the World is a coming of age
Coming of age
Coming of age is a young person's transition from childhood to adulthood. The age at which this transition takes place varies in society, as does the nature of the transition. It can be a simple legal convention or can be part of a ritual, as practiced by many societies...
(Bildungsroman) story, in which young people mature, experience new things, and accept greater responsibilities. Another theme prominent in the book is the nature of trust
Trust (sociology)
In a social context, trust has several connotations. Definitions of trust typically refer to a situation characterised by the following aspects: One party is willing to rely on the actions of another party ; the situation is directed to the future. In addition, the trustor abandons control over...
; the people of the Two Rivers have to rely on Moiraine, but they fear she is only manipulating them and using them for her own ends.
Release details
- 1990, U.S., Saint Martin's Press (ISBN 0-312-85009-3), Pub date January 15, 1990, hardcover (First edition)
- 1990, U.S., Tor Books (ISBN 0-8125-0048-2), Pub date February ?, 1990, paperback
- 1990, UK, Little, Brown (ISBN 0-356-19068-4), Pub date July 12, 1990, hardcover
- 1990, UK, Orbit (ISBN 1-85723-353-0), Pub date July 12, 1990, hardcover
- 1992, UK, Orbit (ISBN 1-85723-076-0), Pub date July 15, 1992, paperback
- 1993, U.S., Tom Doherty Associates (ISBN 0-8125-1181-6), Pub date October ?, 1993, paperback
- 1995, U.S., Gallant / Publishing Mills (ISBN 1-879371-52-9), Pub date December ?, 1995, Audio book cassette
- 1999, U.S., Rebound by Sagebrush (ISBN 0-613-17634-0), Pub date October ?, 1999, hardcover (Library binding)
- 2000, U.S., Tor Books (ISBN 0-8125-7995-X), Pub date September ?, 2000, paperback
- 2002, U.S., Starscape Books (ISBN 0-7653-4184-0), Pub date January ?, 2002, paperback (pub as "From the Two Rivers Pt.1")
- 2002, U.S., Starscape Books (ISBN 0-7653-4221-9), Pub date January ?, 2002, paperback (pub as "To the Blight Pt.2")
- 2003, UK, ATOM (ISBN 1-904233-20-1), Pub date March 6, 2003, paperback (pub as "From the Two Rivers Pt.1")
- 2003, UK, ATOM (ISBN 1-904233-19-8), Pub date March 6, 2003, paperback (pub as "To the Blight Pt.2")