Everything else aside, 2021 really has been—and continues to be—an incredible year for fans of epic fantasy series. The new Dune movie is now in theaters. The second season of The Witcher airs at the end of the year. Filming has started on the Netflix adaptation of 's The Sandman—and , the second installment of the star-powered Audible Original drama, was released in September 2021. Plus, the Game of Thrones prequel House of the Dragon has started filming, and The Lord of the Rings television show has been given a premiere date.
Perhaps the most exciting news of all: The Wheel of Time television series, adapted from one of the most successful and most ambitious series of novels in the history of fantasy publishing, is on its way. It has been more than two decades since its creator, the late , first mentioned the possibility of seeing the series brought to life on the screen. Now, finally, it's happening—the epic fantasy television series will begin streaming on Amazon Prime Video on November 19, 2021. And author , who completed The Wheel of Time series after Jordan's death in 2007, is as excited as fans. As an early reader of the first episode's script, : "Excellent dialogue, nuanced characters, great pacing."
In case you're not yet a fan or need a quick refresher, is an epic high fantasy series set in an unnamed world; it's sometimes referred to by fans as “The Randlands,” after the main character Rand al’Thor, or simply, the "World of the Wheel.” "Wheel of Time" refers to the great cosmic loom that weaves the stories of this universe. The books are set on Earth, in both the distant past and the distant future because time is circular. This story arc is set specifically in the Third Age, after the Second Age, the Age of Legends. The Third Age has lasted for almost 3,500 years.
Warning: the following article contains spoilers for The Wheel of Time series.
The Wheel of Time series starts in the Third Age, the Age of Prophecy, with the search for the Dragon Reborn, a powerful champion who, it has been said, will rise up against the forces of darkness and keep the Breaking of the World from happening like it did in the Second Age. The Aes Sedai, channelers of the One Power drawn from the True Source, have been preparing people for the search for the Dragon Reborn and the coming wars. The quest to find the Dragon Reborn will be long, difficult, and daunting. Along the way, many battles will be fought between Light and Darkness, eventually leading to the ultimate showdown between the Dragon Reborn and the sentient force of evil in the universe: the Dark One.
