I’ve been turning these pages since The Matrix had us questioning reality, and not just Keanu Reeves’ acting range. So as a die-hard fan of Robert Jordan’s original epic saga, the one that sprawls across 15 hefty tomes, I was equal parts excited and apprehensive when I heard Amazon was getting their mitts on it.

Whether you’re a book lover questioning the adaptation or a newcomer wondering what the fuss is all about, this is everything you need to know about season one of Amazon Prime’s The Wheel of Time before the new season drops.

If Sanderson’s on Board, Who Am I to Argue

At first I had my reservations. This is a universe that has more connections than a conspiracy theorist’s cork board. How the heck could a TV adaptation capture that richness?

But then on his podcast, Intentionally Blank, Brandon Sanderson, the guy responsible for taking up the mantle to finish the books after Robert Jordan passed, said this: “I found the vast majority of these decisions to be excellent choices, things that will give the show its own soul, but still in line with the feel and tone of the books. I can’t say for certain, but my instincts say the fan base will, in general, respond to them positively.”

Well, if Sanderson’s on board, who am I to argue? And it turns out he was right. This show’s got the magic, the prophecy and the grand quest. From Rosamund Pike’s fireball-flinging Moiraine to the rural squad of Rand, Mat, Perrin, Egwene and Nynaeve, the characters are as nuanced as their book counterparts.

It Starts Slow, So Hang in There

The Mirkwood elephant in the room is the first episode. It’s a mouthful, chock full of exposition and world building. But hang in there, because by the time you hit episode four it’s like riding a roller coaster that only goes up.

As Sanderson said, “Overall, the thing I’m most impressed with is Rafe himself, who really seems to be guiding this show with a balance between love for the source material and his own creative vision.”

If you were expecting a Game of Thrones replica, you might be disappointed. Wheel of Time doesn’t shy away from its high fantasy roots. But give it a chance. The series starts slow and then hits its stride, unraveling a narrative that grows more compelling with each episode.

Some Stuff Had to Get Cut

As someone who’s been devouring these books like they were the last slice of pizza at a Comic-Con, I had to adjust my expectations a bit. The series doesn’t really kick into high gear until about book four. I mean, if they included every side quest and subplot from the original books, we’d be looking at like 30 seasons of the show, easily. So obviously some stuff had to get cut.

For the purists out there screaming blasphemy, remember the essence of Wheel of Time. All of this has happened, and all of this will come again when the age that brought it forward is birthed once more. It’s a cycle. What we’re seeing might feel different because, well, it is. And that’s okay.

Any adaptation’s going to trim some fat. What’s important is that the show captures the spirit and heart of the story we love. The bones are the same. They’ve just been rearranged a bit to fit this new body. And to be honest, that’s what makes this adaptation exciting.

So what are you waiting for? Go catch up before the new season drops.

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