The Gardens of the Moon begins in the wartorn capital of a grasping empire just as a new and bloodthirsty Empress seizes power from her predecessor. The reader follows a young noble as he is attached to a squad of old-guard soldiers who have survived the coup and the Empress’ initial purges.
The “Eye of the World” starts in the sleepy village of Emond’s Field in the Two Rivers region. You are introduced to a handful of villagers on the day before the yearly Bel Tine celebration (more or less spring equinox.) These villagers become the main characters of the series. Everything is idyllic and tranquil, even with the hard winter just ending. And then, suddenly, the lives of everyone are upended by a surprise attack. The villagers’ expected life trajectory is pulled away from them and their stories become much more interesting.