Do you have to read The Wheel of Time books to understand the show?

In the quest to find the next Game of Thrones, there is no shortage of fantasy shows coming out. Studios are trying to fill the void the HBO series left when it ended in 2019, and let’s just say it hasn’t been easy. One great thing about Game of Thrones is that fans of the books by George R.R. Martin and new fans alike could both enjoy it. This isn’t always the case.

Recent shows like The Witcher and Shadow and Bone have been criticized for being tough to understand without reading the source material, and we can’t blame viewers for getting frustrated. With the Wheel of Time TV adaptation now out on Amazon Prime Video, you might be wondering if it’s worth streaming if you aren’t already familiar with the story.

I certainly was curious about The Wheel of Time, having not read the 14-book series by Robert Jordan or knowing really much about the premise at all. The trailer, honestly, confused me a little, and I questioned whether or not I’d watch the show.

Is The Wheel of Time confusing without reading the books?

Nevertheless, I did decide to check out The Wheel of Time, and I dove into the first three episodes without expectations. I’m a fan of fantasy shows and movies, but sometimes I find the terminology to be hard to follow without prior knowledge.

So what did I think about these episodes? Really not confusing at all! It’s certainly possible to enjoy The Wheel of Time without having read the books the show is based on. I won’t give away spoilers in case you haven’t watched, but the premiere opens up with an explanation of the world the show is set in, and the themes presented here are consistent throughout the episode.

We’re introduced to our main characters pretty early on in the premiere, and it’s made evident who matters to the plot and who doesn’t. Moiraine Damodred (Rosamund Pike) is certainly mysterious, but we’re told what her motivations are, for the most part. We get some background about Egwene al’Vere and (Madeleine Madden) and Rand al’Thor (Josha Stradowski), two characters to keep a close eye on, and we get into the action by the end of the first episode.

The premiere does a great job at setting the stakes and introducing the main players. Although I did have some questions, some were already answered in the following two episodes, meaning by the end of the season I should understand everything going on.

There’s some terminology that won’t be familiar for anyone who hasn’t read the books, but the words and names are spoken frequently enough that it’s simple to start picking it up.

I will say, The Wheel of Time is definitely a show you need to pay attention to. I know that sounds silly, because you should be paying attention to anything you’re watching, but this isn’t something you should be on your phone during. If you’re new to the story, make sure you’re actively watching every scene to catch what’s going on.

Here’s hoping big fans of the book series will be impressed with the new adaptation, and if you’re new like me, you’ve got this! You could become a fan in no time.

The first three episodes of The Wheel of Time are now streaming on Amazon Prime Video, and the following five will be released weekly.

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