I watched The Wheel of Time on my own almost right away when it came out, and now I’m rewatching it with my wife. News dropped not long ago that it was one of or the most watched streaming series of 2021. While I’m not entirely sure how that can be true, I’m super glad for the recognition the series is getting!
I can’t pretend I’m all that familiar with the source material. They had already gone past what I read in the first episode by the time I started watching it. Since I was basically a newcomer to the series upon watching it, I think I’m qualified to say it’s approachable for those who haven’t read the books.
At the same time, someone should already be a fan of fantasy before watching it though. If you don’t like fantasy tropes, you might not like the show. If you’re used to science fiction and fantasy books/tv shows/video games/books, it’s a fun take on the genre. If you have read the books, don’t come expecting an exact adaptation. Prepare for some changes that feel like head scratchers at first and others that are genuinely odd.
Overall though, it’s good news for me as a fantasy writer that fantasy series are getting adapted and going out to a wider audience. Ever since Game of Thrones, lots of shows have tried to recreate that kind of success for a fantasy show, but The Wheel of Time seems to be the only true successor.
Just don’t judge the series by the first episode. It’s a weak opening, but by episode 4, it kicks into gear. Give it a shot, you probably already have Amazon Prime anyway.
The Phyronian Chronicle 