New Spring (abbreviated NS by fans) is a prequel novel in The Wheel of Time series. The events in the novel take place roughly twenty years before the beginning of The Eye of the World. It was published by Tor Books and released in January 2004.
New Spring was originally published in short form in the fantasy anthology Legends: Short Novels by the Masters of Modern Fantasy. The anthology was edited by Robert Silverberg and was released by Tor Books on September 15, 1999.
Because it is not considered part of the main Wheel of Time storyline, New Spring was not selected for inclusion in the 2014 Hugo Voter Packet with the rest of the Wheel of Time series.
Plot Summary[ | ]
New Spring begins at the end of the Aiel War. The novel focuses on Moiraine and Siuan's training as Accepted in the White Tower and the genesis of Moiraine's search for the Dragon Reborn. It also expands on how Moiraine and Lan meet, as well as how he comes to be her warder.
The novel begins with the return of the Aiel to the Aiel Wastes, and a Foretelling by Gitara that the Dragon has been born. Moiraine, Siuan and the Amyrlin Tamra are the only ones to witness the foretelling. The Amyrlin then sets Accepted to record the births of all babies in towns and camps around Tar Valon and Dragonmount during the last days of the Aiel War, as a secretive way of finding the Dragon without letting other Aes Sedai know what is happening.
Moiraine and Siuan are tested and become Aes Sedai. Shortly after this, Tamra and a number of Aes Sedai she had secretive meetings with die mysteriously, and a new Amyrlin is chosen. Sierin tells Moiraine that she must stay in Tar Valon, as the tower has plans to put her on the throne of Cairhien. Moiraine flees north to the Borderlands, where she encounters Lan.
Lan's story through the novel follows events by his carneira, the Lady Edeyn, to raise support for him to regain the lands of Malkier, and to make Lan its King in more than just name.
The novel ends in the city of Chachin, where Moiraine takes on Merean Sedai, who is discovered to be Black Ajah. The confrontation results in five deaths, including Merean and Edeyn's daughter Iselle, which takes all the wind out of Edeyn's plot. After this, Lan leaves Chachin and Moiraine finds him outside the city. She tells him everything, including the existence of Black Ajah, and asks him to be her warder. He accepts and is bonded.
The title "New Spring" is not only a reference to the fact that winter has gone on much longer than usual, but it is also refers to the major changes that are about to happen with the birth of the Dragon Reborn.
Plot Developments by Character[ | ]
Accepted Moiraine Damodred and Siuan Sanche witness Gitara Moroso's Foretelling of the Dragon's birth. They are sworn to secrecy and raised to Aes Sedai.
Moiraine begins a quest to search for the prophesied child, and meets up with Lan Mandragoran on the borders of the Blight.
Graphic novel[ | ]
Template:Main It is also the first of Jordan's works to be adapted to graphic novel format. Issue #1 was published in July 2005. Issue 2 was to be published sometime in September 2005.The comics are adapted by Chuck Dixon, drawn by Mike S. Miller, colored by Etienne St Laurent, edited by Ernst Dabel, lettered by Artmonkeys, with design by Bill Tortolini. The original company that produced the comic when bust and the comic is now released by Dynamite Entertainment. They released comic number 8 and the trade paperback novel.
|
Issue # |
Issue title |
Book chapters covered |
Release date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "The Hook" | 1, 2 | July, 2005 |
| 2 | "Practice" | 3-5 | August, 2005 |
| 3 | "Shreds of Serenity" | 6-8 | September, 2005 |
| 4 | "It Begins" | 9-11 | November, 2005 |
| 5 | "Business in the City" | 12-14 | December, 2005 |
| 6 | "The Deep" | 15-18 | April, 2009 |
| 7 | "Pond Water" | 19-22 | July, 2009 |
| 8 | "The Evening Star" | 23-Epilogue | May, 2010 |
| The Graphic Novel | 1-Epilogue | February, 2011 |
Statistical analysis[ | ]
- See also the full statistical analysis for this book.
New Spring contains 26 chapters and an epilogue, of which:
|
POV |
% |
Chapters |
|---|---|---|
| Moiraine Damodred | 71 | Ch2 to 11, 65% of Ch12, Ch13, 14, 17 to 19, 58% of Ch21, Ch23 to 25, 72% of Ch26, and all of the Epilogue |
| Lan Mandragoran | 26 | Ch1, 10% of Ch12, Ch15, 16, 20, 42% of Ch21, Ch22, and 28% of Ch26 |
| Siuan Sanche | 3 | 25% of Ch12 |