When I was very young, I had been really into reading, but had lost that desire at some point as a lot of my friends were not big readers. When I was in 8th Grade, my new best friend was hugely into fantasy and introduced me to many good fantasy series, all of which I immensely enjoyed. The one that really grabbed me the most, and the only one that I still re-read again and again to this day, was the Wheel of Time. I've never seen an author quite as detailed at creating an entire world in which to immerse yourself, replete with all the little things that make that world real.

I was in the US Navy getting ready to be a Geo Bachelor for about 6 months. I was at the book store looking for a series that would take a while for me to finish. The reies was up to book 5 at this point and with books so big, I figured it would take a long time to read. I bought all 5 and finished them in a month. Still the best book purchase I have ever made.

A friend picked up the first book in our first year of college and lent it to me. I was hooked. Been reading it over and over almost since the stories inception! One of the best series I have ever had the pleasure to read and it has led me to meet so many great people!

I discovered it in the cafeteria in high school, (via a girl who actually had the attention span to read the entire Simalrillion). I didn't start reading it then, but I was fascinated by the depth the the universe the back summary suggested. Many years later, during a my normal search for summer reading, I got the first book out of the library. I was warned I'd lose several years of my life to the series, but I finished the 11 books out at the time in just a few months. I've reread most of the books twice since then, and Eye of the World about four times.

1995 in high school. One of my better friends, and sci fi geek was reading it. Not being to much into Sci fi I pretty much ignored it, Until I saw that one of our mutual friends, who was also the girl I had a huge ass crush on was reading the books, then I decided I had better give the books a shot, if anything just to have something to talk to her about. I ended up falling in love with the books, and nothing ever happened with the girl. Over the years now I have bought Eye of the World 5 times, having loaned it out 4 and never getting it back. I no longer loan this series out.

A coworker of mine knew I loved fantasy books so she told me about the Wheel of Time series. I checked out the audio book of The Eye of the World from the library and I was hooked. I've gotten through the first three books and our library doesn't have any audio books available for The Shadow Rising, so I'm stuck. This contest is perfect timing since the library is ordering the audio book but who knows when it will come in. So, see. I have to win this contest! ; ) Guess we'll just have to see if some of Mat's luck that he has in The Great Hunt can come my way!

I was looking for some new reading material so I picked up a copy of Legends (1998) because I was well acquainted with Anne McCaffery and Ursula LeGuin, and hoped that I would like some of the other authors' work. I was very happy with my purchase and did find one or two new authors that piqued my interest. But the one that changed my life was the last novella in the book - New Spring. I was hooked from page one! As soon as I finished it I immediately purchased the first four books in the series and read them all in about a week. I recently talked my sister into reading EoTW and last time I spoke with her she was finishing TSR. She should be caught up in time for the release of AMOL. :)

I got New Spring from my uncle for my birthday. We have a quite similar taste in books so he guessed I'd like it. I was instantly hooked and had al the then available books read within a year.

I started with TEotW when it came out as a small paperback - whatever year that was. I had looked at the original large paperback version (I never saw the 1st hardback edition), but passed on it as I was in college on a tight budget. Once I read TEtW, I got TGH as soon as it came out in large paperback. I grabbed TDR in hardback as soon as it came out, foolishly thinking from the title that it would be the last book (but then RJ orignally thought he was writing a trilogy).

My best friend in Middle/High School loved the series and we gamed together. I was more of a sports guy and each time I would start it I would get distracted and set it down. When I got older I decided that I would try again and after starting anew I found that I couldn't put the first book down and continued from there...

Okay, I'm off to draw the winners...

Our winners are:

BlackBeltBob

mymansgirl

Atreides

Congrats, guys! I will PM each of you shortly.

In 1992 or 1993, I was a member of the Science Fiction Book Club. I sometimes would forget to respond to their monthly main book selections so they would automatically ship their 2 main books every month to members who didn't respond by the deadline.

I don't even remember what the other main book selection was, but they sent me "The Dragon Reborn", and I liked the cover artwork. I saw that this was book 3 in a series called "The Wheel of Time".

I had remembered seeing the 1st and 2nd books in paperback in the bookstores, but I had never picked them up. So, I went and bought the first 2 books in paperback, and after reading the prologue to TEOTW, I was really hooked. The prologue was really well written, and it just really captured my interest, and I couldn't wait to start Chapter 1.

All the allusions and references in the prologue to the grandeur of the age of legends was cleverly written, and I just had to find out who Lews Therin Telamon was, how did he summon the nine rods of dominion, or what was the ring of Tamrylin?

What had really happened in the Hall of the Servants? What had driven Lew Therin to such madness and despair that he killed those that were closest to him, even his beloved wife, Ilyena.

I know other epic fantasy books have grabbed my interest and intrigued me, but this was probably the first time I was pulled in and really cared about finding out what this series was all about. I just couldn't put TEOTW down!

I devoured the first 2 books very quickly, and then read TDR, and through all the long waits between each book in the series, I eagerly anticipated the next Wheel of Time Book.

I had no idead that the series would go as long as it has, and I don't remember how many times I have reread the entire series, quite a few, I know.

So, I am grateful to the Science Fiction Book Club for sending me TDR, and introducing me to my most favorite epic fantasy series I've ever read.

I am counting down the months now until AMOL, and since I never met Robert Jordan in person, hopefully I will get to meet Brandon Sanderson at one of the book signings for AMOL. Hopefully Brandon will come to either Orange County or Los Angeles, I live in Orange County in the city of Yorba Linda, so LA isn't too far from where I live.

Thanks to Robert Jordan, Brandon Sanderson, and Team Jordan for doing such a phenomenal job on creating and finishing such an amazing epic fantasy series that I'm sure will be read for the next millenium or so, until the Wheel of time turns and comes round again to the next Age of Legends!

Good luck to Rand al'Thor in his fight against the Dark One! I believe Rand will defeat the Dark One and usher in the new Age of Legends! Go Rand!

Larry Carrigan

I found the first book, "The Eye of the World" on an airplane when I was working for Delta in Denver, Co at Stapelton airport that a passenger had left. I wish I could Thank them now. I wonder if they know what they are missing ?

Great book!

It was 1990 and I was looking for a new story to read. I had recently read the best science fiction compilation of the year, and this book caught my eye. Here it is 20+yrs later and I am STILL reading these books. Recently I decided to reread all the books while waiting for the newest and last one to arrive. It astounds me how much I apparently forgot in 20yrs?! But it has truly made me understand once again why I have been entrenched and have loved this series for so many years.

I was really young when I first encountered this series. Putting it together has been fun. Sometimes I would get a new book (later) and other times I would raid all the local used book stores that I could find. This started in my favorite book store in Carson City with my Grandmother. I loved to visit the little out of the way shop... there were never that many people there... I could raid the shelves to my heart's content. I've never been as fond of other stories as I have of Fantasy. I read so often that many of my English and grammatical skills were learned partially from Osmosis... those books.

I was in a tough situation in my life. I don't know that I would call what I was (am!) a nerd persay... but whatever it was, it didn't agree with my classmates, and bullying was pretty much a daily thing. Books were an escape from the day to day horrors. They're the reason, probably, why I've been merely depressed rather than crazy or suicidal. I suppose I'm drifting a little bit from the point of where I first contacted the series, so to continue, I found the first five or six in Carson City, and I spent one year in Idaho where I found another few to add... I believe I was up to Lord or Chaos or Crown of Swords around then. I read and reread Eye of the World so many times I had to duct tape the cover back on!

After finishing those, I got a few more in Carson City, and finished the series (up to this point in the story that is) digitally in Texas with Towers of Midnight. I'm definately looking forward to A Memory of Light. I can't say how crestfallen I was when I'd heard that Robert Jordan had died... thinking that such a long story had never had a chance to be finished bothered me more than a little. Brandon Sanderson's takeover of Robert Jordan's work made me skeptical, and I have to admit I'm still a little skeptical about how things are going to end... but skepticism aside, it's definately far better to have a proper ending to the story and wonder if just MAYBE the original intent of the Author was shifted or changed in some way in the process of expanding upon that (what was supposed to be) last 12th installment of Robert Jordan's work.

It's definately worth it to see an end and hope that Rand can break the cycle and become more than what the world made of him. Not to mention the other memorable and in some cases lovable characters... I certainly wouldn't mind finding out if Egwene survives this... and what it would me to her to be happy after all is said and done... I guess only time (not that much time at this point) will tell!