I might not have read all the books in The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan, but I think The Eye of the World is a beautiful homage to The Fellowship of the Ring.
Having recently reread The Fellowship of the Ring (with the incredible audiobook read by Andy Serkis), and rereading The Eye of the World at the beginning of 2023, it is impossible not to see how closely related these two books are.
We have a group of naive teenagers who live in a settlement far from civilization, where the events of the rest of the continent don’t matter much to them. They are then whisked into the fray by a “wizard” (Gandalf/Moiraine), where they go on to travel the world and have a huge effect on the coming war with the Dark.
Comparisons can also be made between Frodo and The Dragon Reborn (no spoilers as to who that is), with their burdens growing ever heavier throughout the books, but this is seen more in later books from The Wheel of Time.
The Two Rivers is Robert Jordan’s love letter to the Shire, with its rolling hills and simple folk just living out their lives surrounded by a gorgeous landscape. Both settings are idyllic, quaint, and sound like just the sort of place you could settle for the rest of your life.
Moiraine is a great replacement for Gandalf, with her seemingly all-knowing stare and frustration when asked too many questions. She has her differences, though, as Gandalf was a slightly warmer character, beloved by the Hobbits, even if they did mistrust him to an extent.
I am sure there are many other comparisons you could make, but not a lot without spoilers! The aim of this article is to get people to read The Eye of the World as it is a great book. I am currently five books into The Wheel of Time and hope to complete it in the next couple of years (taking my time!).
