I'm thinking of getting into the wheel of time books.

I want to know whats the best book to read first?

Probably better to start with the first one so you know what everything is .

Originally Posted by Kiljan Arslan

I want to know whats the best book to read first?

Robert Jordan, the author, died on 16 September 2007 so the series is unfinished. Don't get into it too deeply.

Originally Posted by Paggers

Robert Jordan, the author, died on 16 September 2007 so the series is unfinished. Don't get into it too deeply.

He still creates a fairly deep and complicated world (albeit one with some hallmarks of Middle Earth, but still interesting all the same). I see no reason to cast the series aside simply because it is not finished (some would count that as a positive element in the series favor, even).

If you want to start at the absolute beginning chronologically speaking, New Spring should be your first book. That said I thought New Spring was a much weaker composition than The Eye of the World of the other books of the series, but never the less it is the first and may help you understand The Eye of the World better when you read that.

True, it's just that I prefer an ending to the story, but that's just personal preference

I spent the past year reading them all only to have Jordan die just as was finishing the most recent and last book released. It is a a commitment and I know Jordan was aware that he might not live to finish the series, so by the time you finish they may have the final book released. I mean he was working on it for over a year and was due to have it to the publisher four months after his untimely death, so most of it must be written in some form.

And yes, start from the beginning. The first book is a page turner.

Only the first one is any good. The rest made me wish I was reading LOTR.

While reading the series I always found myself wishing for something better and never finished it. That being said, I had a hard time putting the books down as I was reading them.

The parrallels to the Lord of the Rings can be glaring at times, but all in all it's a decent series that isn't poorly written or conceived.

Well i was considering reading the Sword of Truth Series but then I started reading how it was mostly objectivist BS and that the Author had at times said he wasn't writing fantasy.

Originally Posted by Kiljan Arslan

Well i was considering reading the Sword of Truth Series but then I started reading how it was mostly objectivist BS and that the Author had at times said he wasn't writing fantasy.

I rather enjoyed the first two or three books, but again, it's a series I never finished.

A series you might enjoy is the Books of the Swords (link) by Fred Saberhagen. I at least finished this series and enjoyed it immensely in my teenage years.

Originally Posted by Kiljan Arslan

Well i was considering reading the Sword of Truth Series but then I started reading how it was mostly objectivist BS and that the Author had at times said he wasn't writing fantasy.

You should still read the SOT series, I loved it.

I read on wikipedia that they were still going to try to finish the book with the outlines and everything he made, and he told them the plot line for the last book in case he did die.

The eye of the world is quite good, but Jordan never should have made so many volumes. large part of the later volumes is dedicated to reminding what happened in the previous episode.... That said i really like Jordan's work - not only WOT, i think his Conan novels are the best of all, God rest his soul.
My personal favourite saga after LOTR is The song of fire and Ice. so far four volumes are out and they should be seven, finnished by 2011. HBO bought the rights and will make it a mini series, and that's awesome.