Here is my first summary. As you publish your own, please make sure to categorize them under "Wheel of Time Read-Through".
Note that I wrote considerably greater detail than I would expect anyone else to write, because I like to write, and I *really* like to write about WoT. I included a few *tiny* pieces of information that are not directly evident from the novels themselves, but come instead from the many external resources I have collected over the years to help my own understanding and appreciation of this series.
, which is somewhat closer to what I imagine most of you will be writing, and put the full write-up behind the jump. So, without further ado, I give you The Eye of the World - Prologue through Chapter 6.
3000 years ago: A powerful magic user named “Lews Therin Telamon” (or the Dragon) nearly destroyed the world in a fit of madness, and then DID destroy himself, creating a new mountain in the process.
Now: The boy Rand al’Thor and his friends Mat and Perrin have been seeing a disturbing image of a rider dressed in black, but it cannot spoil the Bel Tine Festival with a gleeman, regal-looking visitors from beyond the Two Rivers, fireworks, and a peddler bringing news of War, and a man claiming to be the Dragon.
However, all these excitements do lose their appeal when Tam and Rand are attacked by Trollocs - monsters directly out of the stories used to scare children. As he tows his wounded and fevered father back to town on a litter, Rand is shocked and dismayed to hear Tam mumble about how he found the freshly-born Rand near the corpse an unknown woman on a field of battle, and brought him home to be raised by Tam and his wife as if it were their own child.
Prologue
The series opens on a scene of abject destruction as a man named Lews Therin Telamon, whom people call "The Dragon", wanders the hallways of a grand palace in a daze of madness, calling for his wife Ilyena, who lies (like everyone else in the palace) dead on the ground.
This prologue deals with a time known as The Time of Legends, and the events shown here transpire roughly 3000 years before the main body of the story; we are dropped into the tail end of an event known as The Breaking of the World, or more commonly, simply “the Breaking”.
Prior to the Breaking, the Time of Legends was an idyllic period, when war had become so scarce that even the word for it was lost to all but the scholars. In this time of plenty, the acquisition of material wealth has become so unnecessary that the only measure of success was to serve the public good; those who were accounted the greatest Servants of all, known as the Aes Sedai (“servant of all” in the Old Tongue) are magic users who channel a metaphysical energy known as The One Source. Their symbol was “a circle, half white and half black with the colors separated by a sinuous line” (similar to what we would normally associate with the Chinese symbol of Yin-Yang).
As Lews Therin Telamon (or LTT as I’ll begin calling him) wanders the halls of his destroyed palace, a magical portal opens and an evil figure steps forth to claim vengeance on him for slights committed in their shared past. Dismayed at finding LTT insane, the man whom we discover to be named Elan Morin Tedronai (EMT) - called by the world “Betrayer of Hope” - tries desperately to recall LTT to his senses so he can claim his final victory with his victim in full recognition of the tragedy.
In the course of this conversation, it is revealed that EMT owes allegiance to Shai’tan, the Great Lord of the Dark, and that for 10 years LTT and others have battled against this force of evil. We also learn that, as counter-stroke to some attack LTT and his companions orchestrated on Shai’tan that Shai’tan induced some kind of fugue of madness in LTT and a group of individuals known as the Hundred Companions; and that, in this state of madness, he is responsible for the destruction surrounding him, including the deaths of his wife and children.
Fleeing the horrifying memories, LTT travels via magical means (“Desperately he reached out to the True Source, to tainted saidin, and he Traveled.”) to a flat and empty plain, where in the depths of despair he draws so deeply upon the power of the True Source that he and the land about him are quite literally obliterated; the resulting release of titanic forces reshapes the very land about the event, creating a long island in the midst of the river, and a tall, desolate mountain.
Chapter 1
The wind.
These books *always* begin with the wind which - while not *THE* beginning, is *A* beginning.
This particular wind is blowing down on Rand al’Thor and his father Tam, farmers from the Two Rivers region who are on their way to the nearby village of Emond’s Field for the Festival of Bel Tine. Rand is disturbed by the image of a mysterious rider, cowled in black and emanating “hatred for everything that lived...[and for Rand] above all things,” and whose form was untouched by the wind that so bit at Tam and Rand. However, when he tries to point out the rider to his father, he turns back to find it has disappeared without a trace.
To settle Rand’s nerves, Tam reminds him of a mental exercise he calls “the flame and the void,” and the two continue their trip to town, although Rand remains discomfited. In town, they run into one of the local troublemakers - Wit Congar - who wants to talk to Tam about the village Wise Woman, or Wisdom, Nynaeve al’Meara, whom he believes to be too young to fill the role of Wisdom, and he wants Tam and the other members of the Village Council to intercede in the matter, although selecting the Wisdom is normally “women’s business”. Their conversation is interrupted by Wit’s wife, who makes it clear the Women’s Circle will brook no meddling in this matter by the men.
As they arrive at the inn and more talk about the Wisdom takes place between Tam, Cenn Buie, and the local innkeeper (and Mayor of Emond’s Field) Bran al’Vere, Rand meets with one of his good friends, Mat Cauthon, who has also glimpsed the Black Rider. Mat, sensing the evil of the figure, speculates that perhaps it was Shai’tan, or maybe the Dragon; Rand dismisses both of these as stories to scare children, but they both note that - although no one can corroborate the sightings - the figure was definitely frightening; however, they decide to keep the events to themselves for the time being. Their dark talk is interrupted by Tam who mentions that a gleeman - a rare treat in a remote village such as Emond’s Field - has arrived for the Festival. With a joke about his friend’s recently developed awkwardness around the mayor’s daughter Egwene, Mat begins to help unload the cart.
Chapter 2
After a very brief introduction of the village blacksmith, Haral Luhan, Rand and Mat hear about another pair of visitors to the village: the Lady Moiraine - so beautiful and elegantly befitted that they assume she is some kind of royalty; and her companion, Lan, who appears to be some kind of soldier. (“he defers to her, does what she says. Only he isn’t like a hired man. A soldier, maybe. The way he wears his sword, it’s part of him, like his hand or his foot. He makes the merchants’ guards look like cur dogs. And her, Rand. I never even imagined anyone like her.”)
Stepping outside the inn to investigate these novelties, Rand and Mat feel themselves being watched by a raven, and - after frightening it off - find themselves faced with the Lady Moiraine herself. Telling them she may need their assistance while she is in town, she gives the lads coins as tokens, stating “There is a bond between us now.” When pressed by Rand for her reasons on coming to Emond’s Field, she mentions that she is a collector of old stories, and she has come to study the stories of what happened long ago in the area now known as the Two Rivers. As she and Lan take their leave, Mat and Rand are amazed to discover that coins she has given them are worth enough to buy a horse. Agreeing that they will not spend these coins, they hurry to greet the newest bit of Bel Tine joy: a peddler has arrived.
Chapter 3
The peddler, Padan Fain, is a well-known figure in Emond’s Field, and peddlers bring not just goods, but a sort of impromptu form of journalism and an informal parcel post. As Rand and Mat work their way through the crowd to the peddler’s wagon, they meet another of their close friends - the blacksmith’s apprentice, Perrin Aybara. On this particular trip, Padan Fain bears dire news indeed - there is war in distant Ghealdan, a war spurred by the raising of the Banner of the Dragon. Once a rarity in the world, there have been three individuals in the past 5 years who have stepped forward and proclaimed themselves “The Dragon Reborn”, the literal re-incarnation of LTT. All of them have proved to be false Dragons, but the wars they start are none the less bloody for that. However, this one is different - he can wield the magic of the One Power. That bit of news is greeted with an outburst that this means he will go insane, and eventually die, for only women can avoid this fate when using the Power; specifically, the women known as the Aes Sedai. A band of these has, in fact, already sallied forth from their fortress of Tar Valon to confront this self-proclaimed Dragon.
While Rand and Mat find all this invigorating, Perrin does not, and the three sit and speculate about the suspicions, rumours, and heady concepts such as Aes Sedai, Darkfriends, the cause of the Breaking, and the role of the Dragon. With the three friends deep in discussion, they fail to notice the approach of the Wisdom, Nynaeve al'Meara and the Mayor’s daughter, Egwene. The two are rather upset about the topics the boys are bandying about, but when they pass on the news Padan Fain brought with him, Nynaeve rushes to join the closed-room meeting the Village Council is having with Master Fain. Egwene stays behind and exchanges a few words with Rand, revealing that she has been training to become a Wisdom, with an eye towards leaving the Two Rivers someday, news Rand does not take particularly well. The conversation between the two is taking a chilly turn when they are interrupted by Mat revealing that Perrin also got one of the special coins from Moiraine, and that he also saw the black rider. Egwene is not impressed with the trio’s story, but before she can really express herself, they are interrupted by the arrival of the gleeman.
Chapter 4
Thom Merrilin is a former Courtbard and Master Gleeman; after giving the lads a bit of a gentle ribbing for their naivete, he begins to work the crowd with feats of gymnastics and juggling, as well as promising stories. He lists many different legends and myths that seem to excite the crowd, but his impromptu performance comes to a complete halt as he comes face to face with the Lady Moiraine and her servant Lan, who seem to deeply trouble Thom for some unexplained reason.
The Village Council and Wisdom al'Meara break from their conference with the peddler, revealing that they will be working with other communities in the Two Rivers to set up patrols of the area, in order to aid those in need and ward off those looking to cause harm. Rand is dismayed to discover that he and his father will be heading back to their farmstead and return in the morning for the Festival, but in the few minutes he allots the boys to make their goodbyes, they express their intent to join up with the patrols - most specifically, to keep an eye out for the Black Rider. Deciding that perhaps they’d better tell the adults more about their individual experiences with the Rider, they determine the best course of action is to get as many additional witnesses as they possibly can, which Perrin and Mat will work on that night during the pre-Festival celebrations.
On the road home, Tam gives Rand a brief lesson in practical politics, discussing why - and how - the Council took the news about war in Ghealdan in hand, managing to reassure the townsfolk without actually doing much of anything specific. Finally, Tam surprises Rand with the news that the Council knows of - and, to some degree, believes - his and Perrin’s claims about the Black Rider, and that the entire village will be put on watch for the stranger; and that it’s the acceptance of the existence of the Black Rider that drove Tam to return home to the farmstead. Rand finds himself comforted to find that “others knew and believed”.
Chapter 5
Tam and Rand return to their small, cozy, and neatly kept farm, making the rounds to see that nothing has been disturbed in their absence - albeit, doing so unusually armed. Finishing their chores, the fundamental unease the two are feeling continues to be expressed, including Tam locking both doors and getting out something that truly shocks Rand - a sword. Although not adorned with gold or jewels, the exceptionally fine make of the sword - and the bronze Heron emblazoned on scabbard, hilt, and etched in the blade - tell the truth of the sword’s value. When asked about it, Tam makes an off-hand comment about he acquired it in his youth, and has tucked it away because it’s “not much use in herding sheep.” However, they are soon very glad he kept it, as their door is kicked in by a towering beast bearing a sword of its own - a Trolloc.
As more Trollocs pour into the house from front and rear, Tam cries out for Rand to run. After drawing the attackers away from Rand, Tam finds his son in the woods. Wounded, and suffering from a fever, Tam shares with Rand the little he knows about Trollocs, and Rand sneaks back to the farm to get the cart and blankets, so he can hurry his father to Wisdom al’Meara. There, Rand comes face to face with the Trolloc Narg, who had stayed behind - hidden - assuming one or more of the men would return eventually. Narg informs Rand that a Myrddraal, or Fade, wants to speak with him. The prospect seems to make the idea of Trollocs pale in comparison, and so Rand temporarily lowers his guard, but brings the sword back to bear just in time for Narg to impale himself on it while charging at Rand. Rand is dismayed to discover the cart lies broken in pieces, and their horse is missing. He uses his father’s heron-marked blade to chop the remains of the wagon to make a usable litter, hurriedly gathers everything useful he can think of, and returns to his father in the woods.
Chapter 6
Rand dresses his father’s wound and tries to get him to cease his fevered murmurings to Rand’s mother, Kari, and then loads Tam on the litter and sets forth for Emond’s Field. As he pulls his father along, Tam continues to mumble, talking about “Laman’s sin”, and of a horrible war that saw many souls dead and many cities ruined. Rand manages to silence his father just as the Black Rider rides past on the nearby road with an army of Trollocs at his heels.
After they pass, Rand continues on his way to Emond’s Field, listening all the while to his father’s delirious ramblings about the war, the Tree of Life (Avendesora); and, finally, about how he found - on the field of battle, nearly dead from exposure - a baby; and how he brought that baby home to his wife Kari, and they named him Rand. Scared, tired, worried about his father, and questioning his very identity, Rand continues to trudge into the night.
