Robert Jordan was the best-known pen name of James Oliver Rigney Jr., an American fantasy author best known for creating The Wheel of Time.
The Wheel of Time is his central body of work, but it is not his entire bibliography. Jordan also wrote Conan adventures, the historical Fallon trilogy, the Western Cheyenne Raiders, and the posthumously published fantasy novel Warrior of the Altaii.
Affiliate Disclosure
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This article may contain affiliate links. If you click one of these links, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.
He used different names for different genres. His Fallon novels originally appeared as by Reagan O’Neal, while Cheyenne Raiders was published as by Jackson O’Reilly.
For most readers, the decision is straightforward: begin The Wheel of Time with The Eye of the World, keep the fourteen main novels in order, and delay the prequel New Spring until at least book five.
The Reading Map
Use the route that matches what you plan to read.
The Wheel of Time
Begin with The Eye of the World.
Read the fourteen main novels in numerical order. Add New Spring after The Fires of Heaven, after Crossroads of Twilight, or after completing the series.
Conan
Begin with Conan the Invincible when reading only Jordan’s Conan novels.
These books share Robert E. Howard’s larger Conan setting, but Jordan’s seven contributions are episodic adventures rather than one tightly serialized storyline.
The Fallon Saga
Begin with The Fallon Blood.
The three historical novels follow successive generations of the Fallon family and should be read in publication order.
Standalone Fiction
Cheyenne Raiders and Warrior of the Altaii are independent novels. Neither connects to The Wheel of Time.
The Wheel of Time Books in Order
The Wheel of Time consists of fourteen main novels and one published prequel novel.
Robert Jordan wrote the first eleven main volumes and New Spring. After his death in 2007, Brandon Sanderson completed the final three books using Jordan’s notes, outlines, dictated material, and completed scenes, working with Jordan’s editor and widow, Harriet McDougal.
The Opening Journey
1. The Eye of the World
The Eye of the World (1990): Rand al’Thor and several other young people flee the Two Rivers after a violent attack, beginning a journey that reveals the return of ancient enemies and the possibility that the Dragon has been reborn.
This is the correct first book for new readers.
The novel introduces the One Power, the Aes Sedai, the Dark One, the Pattern, and the central group whose paths shape the rest of the series.
2. The Great Hunt
The Great Hunt (1990): Rand and his companions pursue the stolen Horn of Valere while political forces, invading armies, and the growing pressure of prophecy pull them in different directions.
The sequel begins soon after The Eye of the World.
It expands the world beyond the first novel’s journey and establishes conflicts that continue through the middle of the series.
3. The Dragon Reborn
The Dragon Reborn (1991): Rand travels toward the Stone of Tear while Perrin, Mat, Egwene, Nynaeve, and Elayne follow separate paths that increasingly confirm the identity of the Dragon Reborn.
Rand has fewer viewpoint chapters here than the title may suggest.
The book broadens the supporting cast and makes their independent choices increasingly important.
The World Expands
4. The Shadow Rising
The Shadow Rising (1992): Rand enters the Aiel Waste, Perrin returns to the Two Rivers, and the White Tower faces internal division as several major storylines separate across the world.
This volume reveals essential Aiel history and substantially enlarges the series’ political and cultural scope.
It should not be skipped, even by readers who already know the central prophecy.
5. The Fires of Heaven
The Fires of Heaven (1993): Rand attempts to control the Aiel and confront a rival claimant, while Nynaeve and Elayne continue their search for enemies operating outside the White Tower.
The book develops the consequences of The Shadow Rising and contains several major confrontations.
It is also the earliest commonly recommended point for reading New Spring.
6. Lord of Chaos
Lord of Chaos (1994): Rand struggles to govern expanding territories while Aes Sedai factions compete to control him and new male channelers gather under his authority.
The novel pushes the conflict between prophecy and political control toward one of the series’ most consequential battles.
Its ending changes how several factions understand Rand and his followers.
7. A Crown of Swords
A Crown of Swords (1996): Rand deals with the aftermath of the previous book’s battle while pursuing control of Illian, and other characters search for a weather-changing artifact in Ebou Dar.
The novel begins immediately after Lord of Chaos.
Many of its storylines continue directly into The Path of Daggers.
The Middle Campaigns
8. The Path of Daggers
The Path of Daggers (1998): The use of the Bowl of the Winds changes the world’s unnatural weather, while Rand fights a difficult campaign against the Seanchan and rival groups maneuver around the divided White Tower.
This is one of the shorter main novels, but it advances several simultaneous military and political conflicts.
It assumes full knowledge of the Ebou Dar storyline from A Crown of Swords.
9. Winter’s Heart
Winter’s Heart (2000): Rand prepares an attempt to change the conditions surrounding male channeling, while Mat becomes trapped in Seanchan-controlled Ebou Dar and Perrin searches for the captured Faile.
Several storylines move at different speeds, but the book culminates in a major change to the series’ magical balance.
Read it directly after The Path of Daggers.
10. Crossroads of Twilight
Crossroads of Twilight (2003): Characters across the world react to the enormous use of the One Power at the end of Winter’s Heart, while political sieges, divided loyalties, and rescue efforts continue.
Much of the book overlaps chronologically with the ending of Winter’s Heart.
Its emphasis is on reactions and positioning rather than a single central confrontation.
11. Knife of Dreams
Knife of Dreams (2005): Mat’s escape, Perrin’s rescue campaign, Egwene’s struggle with the White Tower, and Rand’s negotiations all move toward decisive turning points as the Last Battle approaches.
This was the final main Wheel of Time novel completed entirely by Robert Jordan.
It accelerates several plots that had developed across the preceding books.
The Last Battle Sequence
12. The Gathering Storm
The Gathering Storm (2009): Rand’s increasing emotional isolation threatens his ability to face the Last Battle, while Egwene fights to reunify the White Tower from within.
This was the first of three concluding novels completed by Brandon Sanderson from Robert Jordan’s material.
It should not be treated as a separate Sanderson series. It continues Jordan’s characters, world, and planned ending.
13. Towers of Midnight
Towers of Midnight (2010): Perrin confronts unresolved questions about leadership and the wolf dream, Mat prepares to enter the Tower of Ghenjei, and the nations of the world move closer to the Last Battle.
Some events overlap with parts of The Gathering Storm before the timelines converge.
The book completes several long-running quests and places the principal armies for the finale.
14. A Memory of Light
A Memory of Light (2013): The forces of the Light enter the Last Battle as Rand confronts the Dark One and the series’ many nations, armies, and channelers fight for survival.
This is the conclusion of the fourteen-book main sequence.
Jordan wrote or dictated important portions of the ending, including material used in the final scenes, while Sanderson and Team Jordan completed the larger manuscript.
Where New Spring Belongs
New Spring (2004): Moiraine Damodred and Siuan Sanche learn that the Dragon has been reborn, while Lan Mandragoran’s path brings him into Moiraine’s search.
New Spring takes place roughly twenty years before The Eye of the World.
It was first published in shorter form in the 1999 anthology Legends, then expanded into a novel in 2004.
Best Placement for New Readers
The safest placement is after The Fires of Heaven.
By that point, readers understand Moiraine, Lan, the White Tower, and several political relationships that the prequel assumes are already meaningful.
Another natural placement is after Crossroads of Twilight, which preserves the novel’s original publication position.
Can New Spring Be Read First?
It can, but it should not be the default starting point.
Beginning with New Spring introduces Aes Sedai politics before the main series presents the world through the more accessible perspective of the Two Rivers characters. It also changes the mystery surrounding Moiraine and Lan.
Is New Spring Required?
No.
The fourteen main novels form a complete story without it.
New Spring is strongly recommended for readers who want Moiraine and Lan’s earlier history, but it does not need to interrupt the opening books.
The Recommended Wheel of Time Order
This arrangement gives the prequel context without placing it too early:
- The Eye of the World (1990): Rand and his friends leave the Two Rivers as the larger conflict begins to find them.
- The Great Hunt (1990): The pursuit of the Horn of Valere expands the world and divides the central group.
- The Dragon Reborn (1991): Multiple journeys lead toward Tear and confirmation of the central prophecy.
- The Shadow Rising (1992): The Aiel, the Two Rivers, and the divided White Tower become major continuing fronts.
- The Fires of Heaven (1993): Rand’s conflict with a rival and the search for hidden enemies intensify.
- New Spring (2004): Moiraine and Lan’s earlier meeting explains how the search for the Dragon Reborn began.
- Lord of Chaos (1994): Competing powers attempt to control Rand as his authority and vulnerability both grow.
- A Crown of Swords (1996): The consequences of Lord of Chaos continue through political campaigns and the search for the Bowl of the Winds.
- The Path of Daggers (1998): The Seanchan war and the aftermath of the weather crisis reshape several fronts.
- Winter’s Heart (2000): Rand attempts a dangerous transformation of the world’s magical conditions.
- Crossroads of Twilight (2003): The wider cast reacts to the events of Winter’s Heart while several sieges continue.
- Knife of Dreams (2005): Long-running plots begin reaching resolutions as Tarmon Gai’don approaches.
- The Gathering Storm (2009): Rand and Egwene face separate personal and institutional breaking points.
- Towers of Midnight (2010): Perrin, Mat, and the gathered nations complete preparations for the final conflict.
- A Memory of Light (2013): The Last Battle concludes the main saga.
Readers who dislike interrupting a main sequence can save New Spring until after A Memory of Light.
Publication Order of The Wheel of Time
Publication order differs only in the placement of New Spring:
- The Eye of the World (1990): The central journey begins in the Two Rivers.
- The Great Hunt (1990): The search for the Horn of Valere widens the conflict.
- The Dragon Reborn (1991): Rand’s identity becomes increasingly difficult to deny.
- The Shadow Rising (1992): The story divides across the Aiel Waste, the Two Rivers, and the White Tower.
- The Fires of Heaven (1993): Rival claimants and hidden enemies drive several major battles.
- Lord of Chaos (1994): Political pressure around Rand leads to a defining confrontation.
- A Crown of Swords (1996): The struggle for Illian and the search in Ebou Dar continue the middle arc.
- The Path of Daggers (1998): Weather, war, and divided leadership reshape the world.
- Winter’s Heart (2000): Rand attempts one of the series’ most consequential uses of the One Power.
- Crossroads of Twilight (2003): Multiple characters react to that event while their own conflicts continue.
- New Spring (2004): The prequel reveals Moiraine and Lan’s early search for the Dragon Reborn.
- Knife of Dreams (2005): Jordan’s final completed main novel advances the story toward the Last Battle.
- The Gathering Storm (2009): Rand and Egwene undergo critical transformations.
- Towers of Midnight (2010): Several remaining quests and preparations reach their conclusions.
- A Memory of Light (2013): The complete series ends with the Last Battle.
Publication order is an excellent choice for readers who want New Spring only after becoming deeply familiar with the world.
Wheel of Time Short Fiction
The Wheel of Time has a small amount of shorter material outside the main novels.
Some of it is canon. Some consists of deleted scenes that should not be inserted into the official timeline.
The Strike at Shayol Ghul
The Strike at Shayol Ghul (1996): An in-world historical account describes Lews Therin Telamon’s assault on the Dark One’s prison and the disagreement that preceded the Breaking of the World.
The piece reads like a historical document rather than a conventional character story.
It can be read after The Dragon Reborn, although later placement gives its references more context.
New Spring, Original Novella
New Spring (1999 novella): The original shorter version follows Moiraine and Lan around the discovery that the Dragon has been reborn.
The 2004 novel expands and supersedes this version for most readers.
Reading both is unnecessary unless comparing how Jordan developed the story.
River of Souls
River of Souls (2013): A sequence removed from A Memory of Light follows Bao the Wyld and explains part of the Sharan storyline that enters the final conflict.
The material was written by Brandon Sanderson as part of the concluding Wheel of Time project.
It is generally regarded as compatible with the published continuity, but it was cut from the novel. Read it only after A Memory of Light to preserve the finale’s intended presentation.
A Fire Within the Ways
A Fire Within the Ways (2019): This deleted sequence follows Perrin on a mission through the Ways during material originally developed for A Memory of Light.
The story is explicitly non-canon because the published novel took the characters and events in a different direction.
Read it after finishing the series as an alternate version, not as a missing chapter that belongs in the official order.
Wheel of Time Companion Books
Companion books explain the world but are not novels.
They often contain spoilers, so publication order is less useful than spoiler-safe placement.
The World of Robert Jordan’s The Wheel of Time
The World of Robert Jordan’s The Wheel of Time (1997): Written with Teresa Patterson, this illustrated guide presents the world’s history, cultures, nations, creatures, channeling traditions, and legends as understood during the series’ middle period.
The book was published after A Crown of Swords.
Read it after book seven or later. Some information is deliberately presented through imperfect in-world knowledge.
The Wheel of Time Companion
The Wheel of Time Companion (2015): Harriet McDougal, Alan Romanczuk, and Maria Simons assembled an encyclopedic guide to characters, places, objects, cultures, and concepts using the completed series and Jordan’s records.
This book contains spoilers through A Memory of Light.
Read it only after completing the main sequence, or use individual entries with extreme caution.
Origins of The Wheel of Time
Origins of The Wheel of Time (2022): Michael Livingston examines Jordan’s life, influences, mythology, naming, military experience, and the development of the series.
This is a scholarly companion rather than a Robert Jordan novel.
It discusses the completed saga and is best read after A Memory of Light.
Split and Adapted Editions
Several Wheel of Time books have appeared in alternate formats.
These editions do not add new events to the main order.
From the Two Rivers and To the Blight
From the Two Rivers (2002): This edition contains the first portion of The Eye of the World and adds the alternate opening prologue Ravens.
To the Blight (2002): This edition contains the second portion of The Eye of the World and completes the same story.
Together, they equal The Eye of the World. Readers do not need both the standard novel and the split editions.
The Hunt Begins and New Threads in the Pattern
The Hunt Begins (2004): This edition contains the first part of The Great Hunt for a younger-market release.
New Threads in the Pattern (2004): This edition contains the second part and completes the original novel.
Together, they equal The Great Hunt.
Graphic Novels
The Eye of the World and New Spring have been adapted into comics and graphic novels.
These versions retell existing prose material. They are optional adaptations, not additional installments in the Wheel of Time chronology.
Who Wrote the Final Wheel of Time Books?
Robert Jordan wrote the first eleven main novels and New Spring.
He died before completing the final volume, which he intended to call A Memory of Light. He left extensive notes, outlines, dictated passages, completed scenes, and directions for important character endings.
Brandon Sanderson was selected to complete the story in collaboration with Harriet McDougal and Jordan’s editorial team.
The planned final volume became three published novels:
- The Gathering Storm (2009): The first concluding volume focuses heavily on Rand and Egwene.
- Towers of Midnight (2010): The second volume advances Perrin, Mat, and the preparations for the Last Battle.
- A Memory of Light (2013): The final volume completes the war against the Shadow and uses Jordan’s intended ending.
The books are credited to Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson.
They belong fully to the main Wheel of Time order.
Is The Wheel of Time Complete?
Yes.
The fourteen-book main sequence concludes with A Memory of Light.
New Spring was once intended to begin a larger prequel sequence, but Jordan did not complete further prequel novels. Plans for possible follow-up stories or “outrigger” novels were not continued after his death.
Readers should not expect an additional canonical novel after A Memory of Light.
Robert Jordan’s Conan Books in Order
Jordan wrote seven Conan novels during the early 1980s.
They belong to the wider Conan mythology created by Robert E. Howard, not to The Wheel of Time.
The adventures are relatively episodic. Publication order is the easiest route through Jordan’s contribution.
1. Conan the Invincible
Conan the Invincible (1982): Conan becomes involved in a struggle over sorcery and treasure as competing factions attempt to use an ancient source of power.
This was Jordan’s first published Conan novel.
It introduces his version of the wandering warrior without requiring a larger series commitment.
2. Conan the Defender
Conan the Defender (1982): Conan enters the political struggles of Nemedia, where rebellion, royal power, and supernatural danger complicate his work as a hired fighter.
The novel stands as another independent adventure.
Knowledge of Conan the Invincible is helpful but not essential.
3. Conan the Unconquered
Conan the Unconquered (1983): Conan confronts a sorcerous threat connected to an ancient artifact and a scheme that extends beyond ordinary theft or warfare.
The book continues Jordan’s episodic approach to Conan’s travels.
Its principal conflict resolves within the volume.
4. Conan the Triumphant
Conan the Triumphant (1983): Conan becomes caught in a conflict involving wealth, political ambition, and supernatural forces while pursuing opportunity in a dangerous city.
The novel does not depend on an unresolved ending from Conan the Unconquered.
Publication order remains the simplest arrangement.
5. Conan the Magnificent
Conan the Magnificent (1984): Conan joins an expedition involving a powerful jewel, hidden danger, and rival treasure seekers whose goals make cooperation temporary.
This is another self-contained sword and sorcery adventure.
It can be read independently, although it belongs fifth among Jordan’s Conan publications.
6. Conan the Destroyer
Conan the Destroyer (1984): Conan escorts a young woman on a quest involving a magical key, an ancient god, and companions whose mission conceals dangerous motives.
This is Jordan’s novelization of the 1984 film.
It occupies a separate adaptation role rather than continuing a plot from Conan the Magnificent.
7. Conan the Victorious
Conan the Victorious (1984): Conan becomes involved in seafaring conflict, sorcery, and a struggle for power during the final original Conan novel written by Jordan.
This completes Jordan’s seven-book contribution.
It is not the ending of the wider multi-author Conan chronology.
Conan Collections
Jordan’s Conan novels have been republished in omnibus editions.
The Conan Chronicles
The Conan Chronicles (1995): This collection contains Conan the Invincible, Conan the Defender, and Conan the Unconquered.
The three novels remain separate adventures inside the volume.
The Conan Chronicles II
The Conan Chronicles II (1997): This collection includes Conan the Magnificent, Conan the Triumphant, and Conan the Destroyer, along with additional Conan-related material depending on the edition.
Check the contents before buying separate copies.
The Further Chronicles of Conan
The Further Chronicles of Conan (1999): This omnibus collects Conan the Magnificent, Conan the Triumphant, and Conan the Victorious.
It overlaps with other collections and does not contain seven new stories.
Do Jordan’s Conan Books Have a Chronological Order?
A broader Conan chronology exists across books by many authors, but it is unnecessary for readers interested specifically in Robert Jordan.
The safest Jordan-only order is publication order:
- Conan the Invincible
- Conan the Defender
- Conan the Unconquered
- Conan the Triumphant
- Conan the Magnificent
- Conan the Destroyer
- Conan the Victorious
Each novel introduces the situation needed for its own adventure.
The Fallon Saga Books in Order
Jordan published the Fallon historical novels under the pen name Reagan O’Neal.
The trilogy follows the Fallon family through American history. It is separate from his fantasy fiction.
1. The Fallon Blood
The Fallon Blood (1980): Michael Fallon becomes involved in the violent political and personal divisions of the American Revolution in the Carolinas.
This was Jordan’s first published novel.
It establishes the family whose later generations continue through the trilogy.
2. The Fallon Pride
The Fallon Pride (1981): The Fallon family story continues into a later generation as ambition, conflict, and expansion reshape their place in the developing United States.
The novel should follow The Fallon Blood.
Its family history assumes familiarity with the foundation created in the first book.
3. The Fallon Legacy
The Fallon Legacy (1982): Another generation inherits the family’s ambitions and divisions as the historical saga moves into a new period of American growth and conflict.
This is the third and final published Fallon novel.
The trilogy is complete as a three-book sequence.
Fallon Collected Edition
Fallon (1995): This omnibus collects The Fallon Blood, The Fallon Pride, and The Fallon Legacy under the Robert Jordan name.
Readers who own Fallon do not need the three novels separately.
Later reissues sometimes emphasize Jordan’s better-known pen name even though the originals appeared as by Reagan O’Neal.
Cheyenne Raiders
Cheyenne Raiders (1982): A young man is captured by the Cheyenne and gradually becomes part of a culture caught within the violent pressures of the American West.
Jordan published the novel under the name Jackson O’Reilly.
It is a standalone Western and has no connection to the Fallon family, Conan, or The Wheel of Time.
Later editions may place Robert Jordan’s name more prominently because it became his best-known identity.
Warrior of the Altaii
Warrior of the Altaii (2019): Wulfgar leads the Altaii as their water supply fails, hostile powers gather, and a woman from another world brings knowledge that could either save or transform his people.
Jordan wrote the novel before The Eye of the World, but it remained unpublished during his lifetime.
It was released posthumously in 2019 after editing by Harriet McDougal.
Warrior of the Altaii is a standalone fantasy novel. Its warriors, cultures, magic, and world are not early chapters of The Wheel of Time.
Readers may notice ideas that resemble themes Jordan later developed, but the two settings are separate continuities.
Robert Jordan Books in Publication Order
This chronology shows how Jordan’s career moved from historical fiction into Conan and then The Wheel of Time.
It mixes unrelated settings, so it should not replace the series orders above.
- The Fallon Blood (1980): The Fallon family saga begins during the American Revolution in the Carolinas.
- The Fallon Pride (1981): A later generation continues the family’s historical rise and conflicts.
- The Fallon Legacy (1982): The third Fallon novel extends the family history into another period.
- Cheyenne Raiders (1982): A standalone Western follows a captive whose life becomes intertwined with the Cheyenne.
- Conan the Invincible (1982): Jordan begins his Conan work with a sorcery-driven adventure.
- Conan the Defender (1982): Conan enters a political conflict involving rebellion and supernatural danger.
- Conan the Unconquered (1983): An ancient threat and competing ambitions drive another independent quest.
- Conan the Triumphant (1983): Conan navigates political and magical dangers while pursuing fortune.
- Conan the Magnificent (1984): An expedition for a valuable object becomes a struggle against hidden enemies.
- Conan the Destroyer (1984): Jordan adapts the film’s quest involving a princess, a magical key, and an ancient god.
- Conan the Victorious (1984): The final Jordan Conan novel combines travel, warfare, and sorcery.
- The Eye of the World (1990): The Wheel of Time begins with the flight from the Two Rivers.
- The Great Hunt (1990): The pursuit of the Horn of Valere widens the young characters’ world.
- The Dragon Reborn (1991): The characters converge on Tear as the Dragon’s identity becomes clearer.
- The Shadow Rising (1992): The Aiel Waste, the Two Rivers, and the White Tower become major parallel settings.
- The Fires of Heaven (1993): Rand faces another claimant while several characters pursue hidden enemies.
- Lord of Chaos (1994): Political factions compete to control the Dragon Reborn.
- A Crown of Swords (1996): Rand pursues the throne of Illian while the Bowl of the Winds search continues.
- The Path of Daggers (1998): The Seanchan campaign and the world’s unnatural weather dominate several storylines.
- New Spring, Novella Version (1999): Moiraine and Lan’s early history first appears in shorter form.
- Winter’s Heart (2000): Rand attempts to change the condition affecting male channelers.
- Crossroads of Twilight (2003): The world reacts to the ending of Winter’s Heart as several sieges continue.
- New Spring (2004): The expanded prequel novel develops Moiraine and Lan’s search for the newborn Dragon.
- Knife of Dreams (2005): Major plots accelerate toward the Last Battle in Jordan’s final completed main novel.
- The Gathering Storm (2009): Brandon Sanderson and Team Jordan continue the series from Jordan’s notes and written material.
- Towers of Midnight (2010): Perrin, Mat, and the gathered nations move toward the final confrontation.
- A Memory of Light (2013): The Wheel of Time concludes with the Last Battle.
- Warrior of the Altaii (2019): Jordan’s early standalone fantasy is published posthumously.
Companion books, anthologies, adaptations, and omnibus editions are not included as separate novels in this career sequence.
Robert Jordan’s Latest Book
Robert Jordan died on September 16, 2007.
There are no confirmed upcoming novels written by him.
His most recently published standalone manuscript is Warrior of the Altaii, released posthumously in 2019.
Warrior of the Altaii (2019): Wulfgar attempts to protect a nomadic warrior culture from environmental collapse, political enemies, and knowledge capable of changing its future.
Later Wheel of Time reference books and adaptations may carry Jordan’s name because they concern his world or use his original material. They should not automatically be counted as new Robert Jordan novels.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Robert Jordan book should I read first?
Begin with The Eye of the World when reading The Wheel of Time.
Begin with The Fallon Blood for historical fiction or Conan the Invincible for Jordan’s Conan adventures.
Should I read New Spring before The Eye of the World?
No.
The Eye of the World provides the intended introduction to the setting, the Aes Sedai, and the central mystery. New Spring works better after The Fires of Heaven or later.
What is the best place for New Spring?
After The Fires of Heaven is the best balanced placement.
Reading it after Crossroads of Twilight follows the expanded novel’s original publication position, while reading it after A Memory of Light keeps the main series completely uninterrupted.
How many main Wheel of Time books are there?
There are fourteen main novels.
New Spring is a prequel, bringing the usual complete novel count to fifteen.
Is New Spring book zero?
It is often labeled as a prequel or book zero for convenience.
That label describes its chronology, not the recommended starting point.
Did Robert Jordan finish The Wheel of Time?
He did not complete the final manuscript before his death.
He left extensive plans, written passages, dictated material, and intended endings. Brandon Sanderson completed the final three novels with Harriet McDougal and Jordan’s editorial team.
Which Wheel of Time books did Brandon Sanderson write?
Sanderson completed The Gathering Storm, Towers of Midnight, and A Memory of Light using Robert Jordan’s material.
All three are credited to both authors and form the official ending.
Can I read only the Robert Jordan-written volumes?
Doing so would stop at Knife of Dreams before the Last Battle.
The final three books are necessary to complete the main story.
Is The Wheel of Time finished?
Yes.
A Memory of Light provides the ending of the main series.
Will there be more Wheel of Time novels?
No further canonical novels have been confirmed.
Jordan considered additional prequels and follow-up stories, but those projects were not continued as full novels after his death.
Is River of Souls part of the official reading order?
It is optional deleted material associated with A Memory of Light.
Read it after finishing the series rather than inserting it before the finale.
Is A Fire Within the Ways canon?
No.
It is a deleted alternate sequence that conflicts with the direction of the published final novel.
Are the companion books required?
No.
The World of Robert Jordan’s The Wheel of Time and The Wheel of Time Companion are reference works, not narrative installments.
When should I read The Wheel of Time Companion?
After A Memory of Light.
Its entries contain information and spoilers from across the complete series.
Are the split young-reader editions extra books?
No.
From the Two Rivers and To the Blight divide The Eye of the World into two volumes. The Hunt Begins and New Threads in the Pattern divide The Great Hunt.
Are Robert Jordan’s Conan books connected to The Wheel of Time?
No.
Conan belongs to the fictional setting created by Robert E. Howard.
Do the Conan books need to be read in order?
Not strictly.
Jordan’s Conan novels tell largely self-contained adventures, but publication order provides the clearest and simplest sequence.
Is Conan the Destroyer an original story?
It is a novelization of the 1984 film.
Jordan’s other Conan books are original licensed adventures using the established character and world.
What name did Jordan use for the Fallon books?
The original editions were published under the name Reagan O’Neal.
Later editions may identify the author as Robert Jordan or Robert Jordan writing as Reagan O’Neal.
What name did Jordan use for Cheyenne Raiders?
It was published under the name Jackson O’Reilly.
Is Warrior of the Altaii connected to The Wheel of Time?
No.
It is an independent fantasy novel written before Jordan began publishing The Wheel of Time.
Which Robert Jordan series are complete?
The Wheel of Time, the Fallon trilogy, and Jordan’s seven-book contribution to Conan are complete as published bodies of work.
Cheyenne Raiders and Warrior of the Altaii are standalone novels.
The Order to Keep
For The Wheel of Time, begin with The Eye of the World and follow the fourteen numbered novels without rearranging them.
Place New Spring after The Fires of Heaven when you want the prequel during the series, or save it until after A Memory of Light. Do not begin with it merely because it occurs earlier.
For Jordan’s other work, keep the three Fallon novels together and use publication order for the seven Conan adventures. Cheyenne Raiders and Warrior of the Altaii stand alone.
The central recommendation remains simple: The Eye of the World is the correct doorway into Robert Jordan’s defining series.
Frank is the editor of BookSeries.blog, focusing on publication order, chronological timelines, and spoiler-free reading guides for book series and fictional universes.