Fantasy fiction readers who haven’t read Robert Jordan’s beloved high fantasy series The Wheel of Time can take advantage of an awesome box set deal at Amazon right now. The first three books in the series are available in a paperback box set for only $12.36 (was $33), which breaks down to $4.12 per book.
To complete the 15-novel series, you’d need to pick up four additional box sets. None of the other sets are as cheap as the first one, but you can get each for $20 or less. Longtime fans who haven’t picked up the special 30th Anniversary Edition of The Eye of the World can get the nice hardcover edition of the first book in The Wheel of Time for over 50% off right now.
The Wheel of Time is widely considered one of the best fantasy novel series thanks to its detailed world-building, complex metaphysical concepts, and unique spin on social conventions compared to other fantasy fiction at the time.
The Wheel of Time series was started by author Robert Jordan, who 12 of the 15 novels from 1990-2005 before his death in 2007, after which the final three books were written by Brandon Sanderson (Stormlight Archive, Mistborn Saga) using notes left behind by Jordan. The series was adapted into a Prime Video series that ran for 24 episodes across three seasons before Amazon canceled it in May.
The Wheel of Time hardcover editions have nostalgic cover art
The paperback box sets offer a cheap way to try the series, especially with the first box set on sale for roughly four bucks per buck. But like many high fantasy series, The Wheel of Time has some doorstoppers. Book 1, The Eye of the World, is just shy of 700 pages in hardcover. Most Wheel of Time novels are at least 600 pages, and by the time you get to Book 14, A Memory of Light, that number balloons to 912 pages in hardcover. Mass market paperbacks like the ones in the budget-friendly box sets have smaller fonts, thinner paper, less durable bindings, etc. Hardcovers or trade paperbacks generally offer more pleasant reading experiences, and the books hold up better over time.
If you’re an existing fan or like collecting classic fantasy novels, all 15 Wheel of Time books are still in print in hardcover with their original cover and jacket designs, which is pretty cool. Amazon sells most of the hardcovers for far below retail price, though one hardcover will typically cost you as much, or more, than a paperback box set.
We’ve listed all 15 hardcover editions of The Wheel of Time below. In addition to its original design, The Eye of the World is also available in a 30th Anniversary Edition for $20 (was $43). The cover won’t match the rest, but it has four full-color maps as endpapers, a ribbon bookmark, an eye-catching new dust jacket, and the snake-wheel stamped on the cover. It also has an introduction by Brandon Sanderson.
Alternatively, you can save some cash and collect the trade paperback editions of The Wheel of Time. The pages are slightly smaller than the hardcover editions, but the the reading experience is very similar overall. Many of the trade paperback editions are available for around $15, a few are even cheaper. The Eye of the World, for instance, is only $9 (was $19) in paperback. The only downside to these editions is that you’ll miss out on the fully illustrated covers.
If you’ve already read the series and are looking to spend more time in Jordan’s captivating fantasy world, the massive Wheel of Time Companion is littered with lore, character backstories, and even characters and concepts that were cut from the series throughout the writing process. The World of Robert Jordan’s The Wheel of Time is another book that’s worth checking out. It’s both a companion with useful bits of background information and an art book with 80-plus paintings.
More Books for Wheel of Time fans:
The Wheel of Time Companion The World of Robert Jordan’s The Wheel of Time
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