Celebrated fantasy author Brandon Sanderson co-wrote the final books ofThe Wheel of Timeseries, and I can’t wait to see the TV reignite a debate about his work. Brandon Sanderson is the author behind some of contemporary fantasy’s most beloved series. HisCosmere universeincludes titles likeThe Stormlight ArchiveandMistborn, both of which have accumulated enormous followings individually, outside the widespread acclaim for the broader story they share. With the sheer total of novels he’s published in recent years,it feels like a lifetime ago that he was tasked with finishingThe Wheel of Time.
Robert Jordan, the author behind theWheel of Timebook series, passed away in September 2007, with his final book for the series beingKnife of Dreams. Later that year, Sanderson and Jordan’s shared publisher,TOR Books, announced thattheMistbornauthor was selected by Jordan’s widow, Harriet McDougal, to finish the novels, with her continuing to edit them. Of the material in the final three books, it’s unclear how much was Jordan’s and how much was supplementary, but the instance created divisive responses.
The Wheel Of Time Season 3’s Positive Reviews Are Critical For The Show’s Future
The Wheel Of Time Might Go The Distance
The Wheel of TimeAmazon Prime show has an enormous budget, and even with the resources of Amazon behind it, nothing is guaranteed in the film industry. Just as Amazon’s $1 billion controversy,The Rings of Power, has the chance of being canceled, so doesThe Wheel of Timeif the show doesn’t perform as it was expected to. As a fan of the books, I’ll admit the show’s first two seasons didn’t do much for me, butseason 3 has turned things around in a drastic way that I couldn’t possibly have anticipated.
I’m still rooting for this show, and I believe the positive reviews increase its chances of renewal.
The Wheel of Time’sseason 3 reviews have been astounding. Season 1 scored an 81% on Rotten Tomatoes, while season 3 has jumped to a strong 97%. Of course, there are a few dozen fewer critics making up that score this time around, but fans of the novels appear to be in agreement that the show has made impressive strides, improving on its weaknesses, particularly in its production value. I’m still rooting for this show, and I believe the positive reviews increase its chances of renewal.
As of 4/15/25, Amazon has yet to greenlight season 4, with the season finale set to be released this week. It’s still unclear what metrics companies are using to determine streaming success, and much of what they’re analyzing isn’t available to the public. Only time will tell how far the show progresses through the fifteen books, butI’m increasingly curious to see how the shift to Brandon Sanderson material will look if they reach that point in the narrative.
Brandon Sanderson’s Wheel Of Time Books Are Divisive
Some Readers Found The Author Shift To Be Jarring
Brandon Sanderson’sWheel of Timebooks are divisive, but not in the same way that theGame of Thronesending is, for example. It seems likethe majority of readers are grateful to have had the series finished, even if there were notable differences.A Memory of Light’s4.58 score on Goodreads is the highest in the series, and the other two he wrote are also both higher than all of Robert Jordan’s novels inThe Wheel of Timesaga.
A Memory of Light’s4.58 score on Goodreads is the highest in the series, and the other two he wrote are also both higher than all of Robert Jordan’s novels inThe Wheel of Timesaga.
I’ll count this as a positive, but I would take Goodreads scores with a mild grain of salt, especially in regard to Sanderson, an author with an unprecedented following. Brandon Sanderson served his purpose in capping off Robert Jordan’s story faithfully, butmany readers cite the decline in prose quality as a fault in his books. Prose has often been a subject of critique for Sanderson, but there’s also something to be said about the accessibility of his work.
Narrative-wise,there are changes thatWheel of Timefans found jarring in the final three volumes, such as the treatment of Mat Cauthonas a character. They’re typically cited as being faster-paced and with more action than Jordan’s books, which can be a cause for celebration or a detriment, depending on where you stand. Finishing another author’s work is a horrifying task, and he was never going to perfectly emulate Jordan’s voice, but that doesn’t make it unfair to have feelings about the changes.
Brandon Sanderson Has Grown Exponentially In Popularity Since Writing The Wheel Of Time
Perception Of Brandon Sanderson As An Author Has Changed
A Memory of Lightwas published in 2013, a decade before Brandon Sanderson accomplished an unprecedented literary feat with his Kickstarter campaign, releasing four novels in the same year. Even before that,Sanderson had been picking up steam as one of the century’s most prominent speculative fiction voiceswithThe Stormlight Archive, which has impacted how his books are viewed. When an author becomes popular and develops a massive fan base, their previous work generally starts to receive more acclaim.
Now,Brandon Sanderson’s best booksdon’t just include his epic fantasy titles but also other books from his career that wouldn’t be as popular if not for his hits. The fact that the material the final seasons will be based on is from his work could be beneficial for the show, but it may also spark some curious discussion about the transition.
Will The Show’s Final Seasons Look Any Different?
Image via Prime Video
Of course, the later seasons ofThe Wheel of Timewon’t have Brandon Sanderson’s stamp as prominently as the books, given that it’s all an adaptation anyway. That said, when an adaptation covers events from a book series, the respective books are bound to be brought into question.The Wheel of Timenovels can almost be categorized into different “sections,” with books 7-10 typically treated as a dip in quality and 12-14 noted for the Sanderson involvement. How the show approaches these varying sections is going to matter.
IfThe Wheel of Timeshow runs for eight seasons, these sections are going to be bunched up, andSanderson’s work on The Last Battle will essentially define the show’s final run. Of course, the difference in prose isn’t going to affect a television adaptation, but the show could accommodate for the differences in Sanderson’s books with changes of its own. The discussion will be revitalized in any case, and I’m excited to see whatWheel of Timereaders have to say about the Sanderson novels after so long.
