Spoiler-free book guide
The Gathering Storm
Book 12 of 14 in The Wheel of Time
Spoilers for books 1-11 of The Wheel of Time.
This page assumes you have read The Eye of the World, The Great Hunt, The Dragon Reborn, The Shadow Rising, The Fires of Heaven, Lord of Chaos, A Crown of Swords, The Path of Daggers, Winter's Heart, Crossroads of Twilight and Knife of Dreams. The opening below goes no further than chapters 1 and 2 of The Gathering Storm.How it opens and who you meet earlySpoils books 1-11. Nothing past chapters 1 and 2 of The Gathering Storm.ShowHide
How it opens
In a log manor house in the hills of eastern Arad Doman, Rand al'Thor watches Davram Bashere's Saldaeans dig an earthen wall around their camp. He lost his left hand capturing the Forsaken Semirhage, and the voice of Lews Therin in his head only sobs when he begs it for answers. Cadsuane and Nynaeve report that days of questioning have drawn almost nothing from Semirhage, and Rand forbids them to hurt her. Inside the White Tower, Egwene al'Vere is kept as a novice, strapped every day for her defiance, and ordered to serve Elaida at supper.
Who you meet early
- Rand al'ThorRand al'Thor is the Dragon Reborn, and he has cleansed saidin of its taint. Illian, Mayene, Cairhien and Tear are under his control in one way or another, and for weeks he has kept moving from one hidden manor to the next.
- Egwene al'VereEgwene al'Vere is the Amyrlin Seat of the rebel Aes Sedai, captured and imprisoned inside the White Tower. In her nine days there she has worn novice white and defied the Tower from within.
- Cadsuane MelaidhrinCadsuane Melaidhrin is a Green sister and Rand's counselor, on terms she set herself. Her ter'angreal broke Semirhage's disguise, and she now questions the Forsaken.
- Nynaeve al'MearaNynaeve al'Meara is an Aes Sedai who has never quite given up being Wisdom of Emond's Field. She travels with Rand and often follows Cadsuane, and she has joined in questioning Semirhage.
- Davram BashereDavram Bashere leads the eight thousand Saldaeans camped on the green of Rand's manor. Rand wonders how long it has been since Bashere reported to his own queen.
- Elaida do Avriny a'RoihanElaida do Avriny a'Roihan holds the Amyrlin Seat in the White Tower. She has abolished the Blue Ajah and wears a stole of six stripes instead of seven.
- Silviana BrehonSilviana Brehon is the Mistress of Novices, a Red sister whom Egwene thinks stern yet fair. She straps Egwene for every act of defiance and makes sure she still eats.
- MeidaniMeidani is a Gray sister, one of those Sheriam and the others sent to spy on the White Tower. Elaida keeps her close at supper and toys with her, and she is plainly terrified.
Where it sits
The Gathering Storm is book 12 of 14. Read The Eye of the World, The Great Hunt, The Dragon Reborn, The Shadow Rising, The Fires of Heaven, Lord of Chaos, A Crown of Swords, The Path of Daggers, Winter's Heart, Crossroads of Twilight and Knife of Dreams first, in that order.
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Next · Book 13
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The opening on this page is written only from chapters 1 and 2 of The Gathering Storm. Character notes say where each person stands as this book opens, written only from the earlier books and those chapters.