The Widening War (Books 7–11) · #1

A Crown of Swords

The aftermath of Dumai's Wells reshapes loyalties, while a deadly search begins in the city of Ebou Dar.

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Where it fits in the The Wheel of Time

Recommended order
#7 of 15

after Lord of Chaos · before The Path of Daggers

The Widening War (Books 7–11)
Book 1 of 5

The slow middle arc: threads multiply across the map before Jordan begins pulling them taut.

On the map
2 mapped connections

to other The Wheel of Time books — mark it read on the map to reveal them, spoiler-free.

Read first: Lord of Chaos

What you've unlocked here

This section reveals spoiler-safe connections, cameos and lore as you read. Mark A Crown of Swords (and the books it links to) as read to light them up.

Common questions

Can I start the The Wheel of Time with A Crown of Swords?

Not ideally — read Lord of Chaos first. A Crown of Swords is #7 of 15 in our recommended The Wheel of Time order.

What should I read before A Crown of Swords?

Read Lord of Chaos before A Crown of Swords.

Where does A Crown of Swords fit in the The Wheel of Time reading order?

A Crown of Swords is #7 of 15 in our recommended The Wheel of Time reading order (#7 in publication order). The previous stop is Lord of Chaos. Up next is The Path of Daggers.