Robert Jordan’s fantasy epic book series The Wheel of Time has seen a massive boost in interest after the release of Amazon Prime Video’s new series of the same name. The Wheel of Time is a series of 14 books which draw from European and Asian religion and mythology to create a highly detailed fantasy world. Like Goerge R. R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire, The Wheel of Time features a huge number of characters and its story spans vast distances.
Amazon Prime Video’s adaptation of Jordan’s series stars Academy Award nominee Rosamund Pike in the leading role alongside a large ensemble cast. Wheel of Time's first three episodes released earlier in the week and received generally warm praise from critics and drew in a huge audience. The Wheel of Time season 2 has already been commissioned and began filming back in July.
Now, The Eye of the World, which is the first book in Jordan’s series, has taken the number 5 spot on Amazon Charts, which shows the currently bestselling fiction books. The renewed interest in Jordan’s novel can be attributed to the Prime Video series, with audiences keen to learn more about the source material. The book is currently behind Dune, which is at number 1 in the chart, and is another classic novel that has benefited from renewed interest thanks to a high profile on-screen adaption.
The Wheel of Time is successfully capitalizing on the rejuvenated interest in the fantasy genre generated by HBO’s immensely popular Game of Thrones. Alongside a new season of The Witcher, and next year’s House of the Dragon and Lord of the Rings adaptation, The Wheel of Time is one of several high profile fantasy series at the moment, and fans of the genre have more access to on-screen adaptations of fantasy work than ever before. The Wheel of Time series is also succeeding in attracting a new audience to the fantasy genre, as proven by the sales of Jordan’s book.
Whether or not interest in the genre will wane isn’t yet clear, but The Eye of the World’s position in the bestseller charts, as well as Wheel of Time’s hugely impressive viewing numbers, are an indication that any decline in interest in fantasy series hasn’t yet begun. Those figures also bode well for Amazon Prime Video’s other big-name fantasy series, which is the upcoming adaptation based on JRR Tolkien’s Middle Earth, set to premiere next year. Fans of both works, and fantasy more broadly, will be hoping that fantasy series can continue to succeed so that this era of on-screen swords and magic can continue.
Source: Amazon Charts