The Eye of the World

Book One of The Wheel of Time

By: Robert Jordan

Narrated by: Kate Reading, Michael Kramer

Length: 29 hrs and 57 mins

Publisher's summary

"These veteran narrators keep the plot moving and the narration fresh" (AudioFile Magazine)

This program is read by Audie Award-winning narrators Michael Kramer and Kate Reading, and includes a bonus interview with the author.

Now an original series starring Rosamund Pike as Moiraine!

The first novel in Robert Jordan's #1 New York Times bestselling epic fantasy series, The Wheel of Time®.

The Wheel of Time turns and Ages come and pass, leaving memories that become legend. Legend fades to myth, and even myth is long forgotten when the Age that gave it birth returns again. What was, what will be, and what is, may yet fall under the Shadow.

Moiraine Damodred arrives in Emond’s Field on a quest to find the one prophesized to stand against The Dark One, a malicious entity sowing the seeds of chaos and destruction. When a vicious band of half-men, half beasts invade the village seeking their master’s enemy, Moiraine persuades Rand al’Thor and his friends to leave their home and enter a larger unimaginable world filled with dangers waiting in the shadows and in the light.

Since its debut in 1990, The Wheel of Time® has captivated millions of readers around the globe with its scope, originality, and compelling characters.

The Wheel of Time®
New Spring: The Novel
#1 The Eye of the World
#2 The Great Hunt
#3 The Dragon Reborn
#4 The Shadow Rising
#5 The Fires of Heaven
#6 Lord of Chaos
#7 A Crown of Swords
#8 The Path of Daggers
#9 Winter's Heart
#10 Crossroads of Twilight
#11 Knife of Dreams

By Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson
#12 The Gathering Storm
#13 Towers of Midnight
#14 A Memory of Light

By Robert Jordan and Teresa Patterson
The World of Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time

By Robert Jordan, Harriet McDougal, Alan Romanczuk, and Maria Simons
The Wheel of Time Companion

By Robert Jordan and Amy Romanczuk
Patterns of the Wheel: Coloring Art Based on Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time

Listen to more books in The Wheel of Time series.

©1990 Robert Jordan (P)1996 Books on Tape, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Jordan has come to dominate the world that Tolkien began to reveal." (The New York Times)

Along the Lines of Lord of the Rings

If you could sum up The Eye of the World in three words, what would they be?

Tolkien Derivative Enjoyable

What did you like best about this story?

Its well written fantasy fare

Which character – as performed by Kate Reading and Michael Kramer – was your favorite?

I enjoyed both readers, but Michael Kramer has an interesting voice

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I would worry about that person that could

Let the Saga Begin ...

Once again my thanks and appreciation go to the reviewers before me. Reading through their thoughts made it clear that this is a stage setting book and the entry point to a long and rather detailed saga. I particularly noted the advice to pay attention to details -- that is very important in this series, as very little is thrown in as purely superfluous chaff.

My four stars are based solely on the length and tedium of a few of the battle scenes. The character development and interactions are hugely entertaining. This listener definitely got the feeling that she was getting to know characters who would become friends over time.

The narrators truly stole the show in this book! The array of voices, emotions and age/gender mixes (and some of the non-human characters as well) were portrayed with true artistry. The use of two narrators is easy to adjust to when you realize that each is portraying the story through the perspective of the primary male and female characters.

I listened to the first book of the Game of Thrones before I bought this book. GoT was too violent for me so I stopped and picked up WoT. Although WoT isn't for the faint of heart, the violence is part of the plot flow and never gratuitous.

And now, on to book 2.

great but tracks are unorganized

chapters of book do not align with tracks of audio. so you will be in chpt 15 but burried in track 4. makes it difficult to find your place sometimes

New Audible Fan

I originally read this book in the early 90's. At that time we sometimes had to wait a year or oftentimes several years for the next book in the series to be published. This is my first foray into audio listening and I must admit that I was blown away by the ability of the readers to convert the story and all of its inherent descriptions of people places and situations into a truly remarkable experience for me, the listener. Kate Reading and Michael Kramer brought the characters to life.

Great fantasy

I loved the story. It did more than hold my attention, it transported me to another universe full of wonder, mystery and adventure. I found myself arranging my day for maximum listening time. The narration is first class. I love how the reader can create characters with his voice.

Great Narration

Absolutely loved the story and the narration brought it to life. I can't wait to read the next book.

Highly recommend

Wonderful book to listen to. A while new world that the narrators are clearly able to convey

Excellent book in a very long series

I've read most the books in this series. I gave up before finishing it, but I'm gonna see if I can power through this drawn out series. First 4-5 books were amazing, but then it gets drawn out and takes too long to get to the point. Instead of Thirteen books, it should have been 6-7 books. Overall this book is very good

Storyline excellent, voice acting could use more emotion

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! This book has an incredible storyline, and much of it was well conveyed through the narration of Michael Kramer and Kate Reading. I enjoyed the speaking style of Kramer much more than that of Reading: he was able to vocally differentiate the dialogues of multiple characters while Reading’s efforts barely came through. Although it can be taxing to the voice, any time Kramer “yelled” I could only picture the image of a large and elderly turtle attempting to swallow an egg. Actual yelling that is sampled, copied and pasted where necessary would have helped. I was bothered by Reading’s tendencies towards excessive pronunciation of consonants and word divisions over stylistic changes to her speech patterns that could have broken the monotony. Overall I was very pleased with the book and the narration, thank you!

a very fun story and very well read

an epic story that is well written and very well read. I would recommend this series to any fan of fantasy.