Everything You Need to Know About Amazon's Epic Fantasy Series, The Wheel of Time

Published on 11/30/2021 at 4:30 PM

If you're looking for a new fantasy TV show to sink your teeth into, Amazon's The Wheel of Time is absolutely worth considering. The show, based on the book series by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson, is a Game of Thrones-level fantasy set in a whole other world in a different time. The characters — some of which have magic — traverse their world searching for who might be a reincarnation of an entity from long ago fated to save the world. They also have to figure out who might be out to end them, and that is what takes this from a simply binge-able show to a fantastical show we can't look away from.

The first season started airing in early November 2021 and is slated to run through the end of December, with another season already underway. For everything you need to know about this new show, keep reading.

Is Amazon's The Wheel of Time Based on a Book Series?

Amazon's The Wheel of Time is based on the book series created by author Robert Jordan, with Brandon Sanderson serving as a co-author on the last three books after Jordan died in 2007. The first book, The Eye of the World, was published in 1990.

The fantasy novels follow Moiraine of the Aes Sedai, a group of women who can channel the One Power, and trained at the White Tower. Basically, she has magic.

In the small town of Emond's Field, Moiraine links up with a few locals because she believes one of them is the Dragon Reborn, who's fated to both destroy and save the world. As they travel around the world and across vast amounts of time — both past and future — they split into different storylines, gathering new people and falling into new conflicts.

How Many Books are in The Wheel of Time Series?

The Wheel of Time books in order of the story are:

New Spring
The Eye of the World
The Great Hunt
The Dragon Reborn
The Shadow Rising
The Fires of Heaven
Lord of Chaos
A Crown of Swords
The Path of Daggers
Winter's Heart
Crossroads of Twilight
Knife of Dreams
The Gathering Storm
Towers of Midnight
A Memory of Light

The first novel listed, New Spring, is actually a prequel and was published more than a decade after the next book on the list, which is technically the first in the series.

Who Are the Characters in Amazon's The Wheel of Time?

Amazon's The Wheel of Time features a large cast of characters. At the center of it all is Moiraine (Rosamund Pike), a magical woman of the Aes Sedai. She's searching for the Dragon Reborn and believes one of the five people she meets while visiting the Two Rivers district is the one. Rand al'Thor (Josha Stradowski) may seem like a lowly sheep farmer, but he plays a central role as well and is someone Moiraine believes could be the Dragon Reborn. Perrin Aybara (Marcus Rutherford), Mat Cauthon (Barney Harris), Egwene al'Vere (Madeleine Madden), and the local Wisdom Nynaeve al'Meara (Zoë Robins) are the other townspeople Moiraine believes could be the Dragon Reborn. Out of all the magical beings, Siuan Sanche (Sophie Okonedo) might be the most magical — she's the leader of the Aes Sedai. Lan Mandragoran (Daniel Henney) rounds out the central characters as Moiraine's protector.

Where Was Amazon's The Wheel of Time Filmed?

Amazon needed a fantastical place to film the fantasy show, so it took production to the Czech Republic and Croatia. The show was filmed in and around Prague in the Czech Republic and Dubrovnik in Croatia. Decider also reported that some scenes were filmed in Slovenia and at a studio in Prague's Letnany district.

How Many Seasons of Amazon's The Wheel of Time Will There Be?

Amazon's The Wheel of Time may currently be airing season one, but season two started filming in July and is reportedly still filming. And while season three hasn't yet been confirmed, Amazon Studios head Jennifer Salke told Deadline that she feels confident about the show. She said, "Let's get a little time under our feet but I have a good feeling the show will go on for years and years."