Book · 1990
The Eye of the World
by Robert Jordan
A farm boy's village burns in one night, and the Aes Sedai who saves him says the Dark One marked him before he could walk.
What does Reddit think of The Eye of the World?
4207 mentions across seven years, most of it in r/Fantasy (3187), with r/suggestmeabook (637) and r/printSF (383) trailing behind. 3397 different commenters have weighed in, and the loudest recurring warning is about the slog: readers say the pacing sags for several books in the middle before the series finds its legs again. r/Fantasy also treats it as a gateway drug problem: the top-upvoted advice is not to hand Wheel of Time or Malazan to a new reader as a first fantasy series, because both can stall out friendships before book five. The asoiaf comparison shows up unprompted: unlike Martin, Jordan died before finishing, and Brandon Sanderson closed it out, which some threads count as a mark in the series' favor. Sentiment reads neutral rather than measured in this pull, but volume hasn't dropped much. 2025 still logged 483 mentions, only slightly under 2019's 723.
Community feedback & reader fit
Themes
- · the slog
- · gateway series risk
- · Sanderson finished what Jordan started
- · farm-boy chosen-one origin
- · adaptation renewal skepticism
Common praise
- + Rereaders single out the 'he came like the wind' passage as the line that still makes them cry on every reread (r/Fantasy, ↑521).
- + Commenters give Brandon Sanderson credit for actually finishing the series after Jordan's death, unlike Martin's stalled ASOIAF.
- + Longtime fans defend the original mass-market paperback covers over the modern reissues, calling them the covers they'd buy every time (↑606).
Common criticism
- − The top-upvoted advice on r/Fantasy is to not hand this or Malazan to a new fantasy reader, since both can stall out a friendship before book five (↑841).
- − Multiple threads single out 'the slog,' the stretch where the plot barely moves, as the series' biggest drag (↑512).
- − The show's renewal gets a shrug more than excitement: keeping Rafe Judkins on as showrunner reads to some commenters as 'a choice,' not a vote of confidence (↑622).
Who it's for
Patience matters more than pace here: r/Fantasy's own framing is that the years-long wait between volumes hurt worse in real time than reading all fourteen books back to back does now. If 'the slog' is the only thing you've heard, that reputation belongs to the middle of the series, not this opening volume, and the people who pushed through say it pays off. Doorstop-length chosen-one plots, found-family stories that start in a farming village, and series that a different author actually finished after the original writer died - all three describe this book. Budget a decade of shelf space; three-book trilogies this is not.
Mentions over time
Top subreddits
Which Reddit comments matter for The Eye of the World?
Top-upvoted quotes across the subreddits where this book is mentioned. Click through to read the full thread.
“Don't try to introduce your friends into the genre with huge series like *Malazan* or *The Wheel of Time* (as much as I love them). Similarly, don't get mad if someone chooses not to read a series after telling them that it doesn't really take off after several novels.
“I would argue that a fantasy story *heavy on visible magic* would be best animated. Something like Lord of the Rings that doesn’t have people slinging around spells or giant magic duels is perfectly able to be adapted live action (clearly). Also something like Game of Thrones, basically a political …
“Any upset woman in the Wheel of Time
“It’s a very popular series that many people love and many people dislike/dnf. Personally I’ve taken asoiaf off of any of my lists, if Harriet can get the WoT finished after RJ literally dies I can’t in good conscience recommend a series that a living author has given up on finishing. The slog is …
“They have Rafe Judkins, showrunner of the Wheel of Time show, as the showrunner. That’s a choice. Also wonder what it means for the WoT show. EDIT: I just wanted to add that WoT has already been picked up for two more seasons.
“I love bad fantasy book covers. I'll take the original bad cover art 100% of the time. Gimme those original Wheel of Time covers please.
“[Wheel of Time] >!He came like the wind, like the wind touched everything and like the wind was gone.!< Makes me cry every single reread.
“>especially what I hear about the infamous "slog" in the middle - is it as bad as people make it out to be? The slog was only bad because we were waiting years between books at that point, and it didn't feel like the story was progressing much. You won't have that issue with all of the books out.…
Convinced? Pick up The Eye of the World
Readers also mention
All books like The Eye of the World →Books that share discussion threads with The Eye of the World — counted from the comments, not curated.
Gardens of the Moon
Steven Erikson
An empire quietly marks its own soldiers for death, and the gods are already choosing sides before the Bridgeburners find out.
The Way of Kings
Brandon Sanderson
A suicidal bridge slave assigned to the war camp's deadliest crew starts hearing storms answer when he gives orders.
The Lord of the Rings
J. R. R. Tolkien
A gardener, a burglar's heir, and seven others walk a piece of jewelry to a volcano because destroying it is the only way to stop a war.
Mistborn: The Final Empire
Brandon Sanderson
A street thief gets recruited into a heist crew plotting to overthrow a god-emperor who has ruled unchallenged for a thousand years.
A Game of Thrones
George R. R. Martin
A direwolf litter found beside a dead stag opens a decades-spanning war for the Iron Throne with no guaranteed survivors.
Assassin's Apprentice
Robin Hobb
A bastard prince trained as an assassin narrates sixteen books of loss, loyalty, and one very long grudge against fate.
The Eye of the World — frequently asked
Is The Eye of the World worth starting if you've heard about 'the slog'?+
Yes, r/Fantasy's most-upvoted threads are clear the slog hits several books later, not in The Eye of the World itself (↑512, ↑841). The opening volume moves fast, with the cast fleeing home within chapters. Readers who dislike the series tend to point at the middle books, not the start, so the reputation isn't really about this one.
Does the TV show change how Reddit talks about The Eye of the World?+
It's mixed enthusiasm. r/Fantasy notes that Rafe Judkins stayed on as showrunner through the renewal, calling it 'a choice' (↑622), which reads as lukewarm rather than a ringing endorsement. The show already has two more seasons confirmed, and book mentions haven't dropped: 2025 still logged 483, not far off 2019's 723.
Is The Eye of the World a better bet than ASOIAF, given Brandon Sanderson finished the series?+
Reddit largely says yes. Threads on r/Fantasy and r/suggestmeabook bring up the asoiaf comparison unprompted, usually without anyone asking for it: Jordan died before finishing, but Sanderson completed the series from his notes, while Martin's is still unfinished. Commenters count that as a real point in this series' favor, not just a footnote, and it comes up across both subreddits' threads.
Should you recommend The Eye of the World to someone new to fantasy?+
The top-upvoted r/Fantasy advice (↑841) says no, not as a first series. Handing a beginner Wheel of Time or Malazan risks losing them before the payoff arrives, since both demand years of commitment before the plot fully pays off. It's a better fit for readers who already know going in that they want something long and are willing to stick with it.