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An Epic Adventure: The Eye of the World Paperbacks

Last updated on 23 February 2025 at 08:55 pm

The Eye of the World paperback, Orbit's September 2021 edition. The cover depicts trees in the foreground and misty mountains beyond.

If you’re here to buy The Eye of the World paperback for the first time, you are about to begin an epic adventure that will inspire you for years to come. It’s a story that starts a lasting affection for the characters of Rand al’Thor, Matrim Cauthon, Perrin Aybara, Egwene al’Vere, and Nynaeve al’Meara. They will be your new best friends!

There are plenty more books to go before you complete Robert Jordan’s The Wheel of Time, but this is the one that lingers in the collective memory of its readers. You can shop for a paperback edition below—there are several to choose from. I’ll introduce the book and suggest 5 different retailers for your purchase. Start your inspiring journey today!

Books on a sky-blue background. Blue and white typography reads “The Wheel of Time Book 1: The Eye of the World Paperback.”

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About The Eye of the World

The Eye of the World was written by Robert Jordan and is the first novel in his hit fantasy series, The Wheel of Time.

The book tells how Rand al’Thor and his friends are whisked away by a magical woman and her sworn protector. They search for a place of safety after monsters attack their village but must outrun servants of the Dark One who are intent on snaring them.

The Eye of the World grabs your imagination and runs with it to the very end. It finds its own place of safety in the comforting realms of high fantasy, and that’s where all good hearts belong. You can read my full review for more details.

Books on a blue background. Blue and white text reads “The Wheel of Time Book 1: The Eye of the World Book Review.”
TAP FOR MY “THE EYE OF THE WORLD” BOOK REVIEW

Reading Age

The Eye of the World is suitable for competent readers in their early teens. You can buy it for an enthusiastic 12-year-old, but I wouldn’t go any younger. Don’t be embarrassed to begin your journey later in life, as the series has mature themes that resonate with older generations.

Reading Order

The Wheel of Time has a prequel, but New Spring is better if you save it for later. The next novel in the series is The Great Hunt, and you should read that next.

Book Spiel (Spanish Edition)

El Ojo Del Mundo, the Spanish edition of The Eye of the World, uses this great book spiel, translated for your enjoyment:

Where to Buy The Eye of the World Paperbacks

Curious about where to buy The Eye of the World paperbacks? I’ve got you covered with these top retailers:

Amazon

You can buy various paperback editions of The Eye of the World on Amazon right now.

Most Recent Paperback Edition of The Eye of the World

The most recent trade paperback editions of The Eye of the World were published by Tor Books on 5 October 2021 and Orbit on 18 November 2021. They are media tie-ins for Season 1 of the TV series, with covers depicting Moiraine Sedai at the Waygate.

Tor Books Edition (recommended for US & Canada)
Cover for The Eye of the World paperback 2021 media tie-in edition from Tor Books. It features Rosamund Pike’s Moiraine Sedai at the entrance to a Waygate.
Tor Books, October 2021 Edition

The Tor Books media tie-in paperback has 784 pages.

ISBN-10: 1250832365

ISBN-13: 978-1250832368

Orbit Edition (recommended for Europe & Australia)
The Eye of the World paperback, Orbit's November 2021 media tie-in edition. The cover has Rosamund Pike's Moiraine Sedai at the entrance to a Waygate.
Orbit, November 2021 Edition

The Orbit media tie-in paperback has 816 pages.

ISBN-10: 0356516857

ISBN-13: 978-0356516851

September 2021 Orbit Paperback Edition of The Eye of the World

The Eye of the World paperback, Orbit's September 2021 edition. The cover depicts trees in the foreground and misty mountains beyond.
Orbit, September 2021 Edition

A new run of The Wheel of Time books was printed by Orbit in September 2021, using landscape designs by Duncan Spilling on each cover. If you want to collect them all, this is the trade paperback edition of The Eye of the World from that release. It has the Westwood in the foreground of the cover and the Mountains of Mist beyond. It has 816 pages.

ISBN-10: 0356517004

ISBN-13: 978-0356517001

2020 Tor Books Paperback Edition of The Eye of the World

The Eye of the World paperback, August 2020 edition from Tor Books. The cover features Lan, Moiraine, and Rand on horseback.
Tor Books, August 2020 Edition

The cover for this 2020 trade paperback edition of The Eye of the World features Moiraine and Lan on their trusty steeds, Aldieb (West Wind in the Old Tongue) and Mandarb (Blade). It is a crop of the original artwork done by Darrell K. Sweet. It has 784 pages.

ISBN-10: 1250768683

ISBN-13: 978-1250768681

Mass-Market Edition of The Eye of the World

The Eye of the World paperback, October 2019 mass-market edition from Tor Books. The cover has the snake-wheel symbol on an aqua blue background.
Tor Books, October 2019 Mass-Market Edition

The cover for this mass-market edition of The Eye of the World, published in 2019, partially depicts the snake-wheel symbol that was trademarked by Robert Jordan. The color is Middle Blue Green. It has 864 pages.

ISBN-10: 125025146X

ISBN-13: 978-1250251466

Older Paperback Editions of The Eye of the World

Using the image links for these older paperback editions of The Eye of the World will direct you to an appropriate page on Amazon if the version isn’t available in your country.

2012 Edition from Tor Books
The Eye of the World paperback, May 2012 edition from Tor Books. The cover features Rand on board the Spray.
Tor Books, May 2012 Edition

The cover for this 2012 trade paperback edition has Rand al’Thor climbing The Spray’s rigging, drawing inspiration from a memorable scene in the book. The art is by David Grove. It has 752 pages.

ISBN-10: 076533433X

ISBN-13: 978-0765334336

Mass-Market 1990 Edition from Tor Books
The Eye of the World paperback, November 1990 mass-market edition from Tor Books. The cover has Moiraine and Lan on horseback with Rand following behind.
Tor Books, November 1990 Mass-Market Edition

The cover for this 1990 mass-market edition has Moiraine and Lan leading the Emond’s Field group as they leave the Two Rivers on horseback. The art is by Darrell K. Sweet. It has 832 pages.

ISBN-10: 0812511816

ISBN-13: 978-0812511819

Mass-Market 2000 Edition from Tor Books
The Eye of the World paperback, September 2000 mass-market edition from Tor Books. The cover features Moiraine’s blue gemstone.
Tor Books, September 2000 Mass-Market Edition

This millennium mass-market edition of The Eye of the World has Moiraine’s blue gemstone on the cover. It has 832 pages.

ISBN-10: 081257995X

ISBN-13: 978-0812579956

1991 Edition from Orbit (Reprint)
The Eye of the World paperback. Orbit's 1991 edition. The cover has a yellow snake-wheel symbol on a black background.
Orbit, 1991 Edition

The cover for this reprint of the 1991 paperback edition has a dark brown snake-wheel symbol, with the outline in a lighter shade. It had 832 pages.

ISBN-10: 1857230760

ISBN-13: 978-1857230765

2014 Edition from Orbit
The Eye of the World paperback, Orbit's 2014 edition. The cover has the snake-wheel symbol on an ivory background.
Orbit, 2014 Edition

The cover for this 2014 paperback edition of The Eye of the World has a dark vanilla snake-wheel symbol on an isabelline background (I call it Tar Valon white). It has 804 pages.

ISBN-10: 0356503828

ISBN-13: 978-0356503820

From the Two Rivers & To the Blight

From the Two Rivers and To the Blight were released by Starscape, an imprint of Tor Books, in January 2002 for the young adult audience. They divide The Eye of the World into two parts, with maps and black-and-white illustrations inside.

From the Two Rivers has the first 23 chapters of The Eye of the World and an added prologue from Egwene al’Vere’s point of view as a young girl. To the Blight is the second half, housing chapters 24 to 53 and an extended glossary.

From the Two Rivers Paperbacks

The extra prologue is exclusive to this version of the story and is called Ravens. Egwene interacts with other characters from the Two Rivers, and Tam al’Thor tells a story. From the Two Rivers ends with the campfire conversation between Perrin, Egwene, Elyas, and “others.”

2002 Edition from Starscape
From the Two Rivers paperback, January 2002 edition from Starscape. The cover features Rand and Egwene on horseback in Shadar Logoth.
Starscape, January 2002 Edition

Starscape’s From the Two Rivers cover features Rand and Egwene on horseback in Shadar Logoth. The art is by Charles Keegan. It has 416 pages.

ISBN-10: 0765341840

ISBN-13: 978-0765341846

2003 Edition from Atom
From the Two Rivers paperback, March 2003 edition from Atom. The cover has the snake-wheel symbol partially submerged by a glacial effect.
Atom, March 2003 Edition

From the Two Rivers was also published by Atom, a young adult imprint of Little, Brown Book Group, in the United Kingdom in 2003. The cover has the snake-wheel symbol partially submerged by a glacial effect. It has 448 pages.

ISBN-10: 1904233201

ISBN-13: 978-1904233206

To the Blight Paperbacks

As before, tapping the book images takes you to the Amazon page, where you can get more information and purchase. These are the paperback editions of To the Blight:

2002 Edition from Starscape
To the Blight paperback, January 2002 edition from Starscape. The cover features Rand and Egwene on horseback in the Blight.
Starscape, January 2002 Edition

Starscape’s cover for To the Blight features Rand and Egwene on horseback in the perilous Blight. It has 480 pages.

ISBN-10: 0765342219

ISBN-13: 978-0765342218

2003 Edition from Atom
To the Blight paperback, March 2003 edition from Atom. The cover has a congealed blood effect and the snake-wheel symbol.
Atom, March 2003 Edition

Atom’s 2003 paperback edition of To the Blight has a congealed blood effect and the snake-wheel symbol on the cover. It has 528 pages.

ISBN-10: 1904233198

ISBN-13: 978-1904233190

AbeBooks

Where the epic adventure begins! AbeBooks has a wide array of The Eye of the World paperbacks, ensuring you find the perfect edition to start your Wheel of Time quest. Search AbeBooks for new copies.

Biblio

Begin your epic journey with the nostalgia of a classic bookshop. Biblio‘s collection offers a sense of discovery, perfect for finding your ideal copy of The Eye of the World. Find The Eye of the World paperbacks at Biblio.com.

Blackwell’s

With a legacy dating back to 1879, Blackwell’s is a go-to source for reliable bookselling. Find multiple paperback editions of The Eye of the World and enjoy their fast worldwide shipping. Use my direct links for the media tie-in edition, September 2021 edition from Orbit, or the 2019 mass-market edition.

Bookshop.org

Bookshop.org makes it easy to support your local bookstore while embarking on your Wheel of Time journey. Find the perfect edition of The Eye of the World and give back to the heart of your literary community. Use these links to buy The Eye of the World paperbacks at Bookshop.org:

United States

2021 media tie-in edition from Tor Books

2020 edition from Tor Books

2019 mass-market edition from Tor Books

United Kingdom

2021 media tie-in edition from Orbit

2021 edition from Orbit

Available Formats for The Eye of the World

You can find similar posts at The Shining Walls covering these alternative formats for The Eye of the World:

The Eye of the World Hardcovers: Weaves of Destiny

The Eye of the World Audiobooks: An Epic Tale of Adventure

The Eye of the World Kindle Editions: Danger, Discovery, and Adventure

The Eye of the World Graphic Novels: 2023 Reprints

I hope you found your preferred paperback edition of The Eye of the World, but let me know in the comments if you need any help.

Until next time, may the Light shine on you, my friends!

Russell

Old books on a brown background. Brown and white typography reads “The Wheel of Time Book 2: The Great Hunt Paperback.”
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Wheel of Time paperbacks on a bookshelf. Link to "The Wheel of Time Paperbacks: The Wheel of Time Books in Order of Publication" post.
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The Pattern Demands A Share!

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