The Great Hunt: 2/12 (The Wheel of Time)

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My main issue with The Eye of the World was that I couldn't make out distinct personalities for most of the characters. Mat, Perrin, and Rand all seemed to blend together and Egwene appeared shallow. All that was remedied in this book. Well. I still don't get the hype around Mat, but I hear that comes later. Rand was amazing in this book. I loved to see him struggle with Saidin and if he really is the Dragon. His internal struggle of not wanting to be used by Aes Sedai but also not wanting to fall to the Dark One I thought was done extremely well. I liked how small things kept being thrown at him in this department as well, whether it was Hurin insisting on calling him "Lord", the people of Cairhien reading meaning into nonchalant actions because of Daes Dae'mar, or even Lan teaching him in the very first chapters how to appear to be more than just a shepherd. I can honestly say now, that I fell in love with his character. Just like with The Eye of the World, the ending was a phenomenal wrap up of many threads with some mysteries being solved and others being introduced. It was highly satisfying and entertaining as it sets up the third book nicely. I will admit, sometimes I do get frustrated when characters have been away from each other for awhile and we don’t get the anticipated conversation when they see each other again and aren’t expecting to. Either way, I know I am hooked on this series and can confidently say I will finish The Wheel of Time. I wasn’t so sure after The Eye of the World since I knew books 8-10 were going to be trials according to fans. I am sure now that I will endure to get to the end. I’m no longer reading because my favorite author had a hand in finishing this series. I am reading because I was thoroughly intertwined in the pattern as the Wheel wills. I guess this is because despite the extensive sword and sorcery embellishment, people remain the most important element in this novel: torn apart heroes, individuals hiding their secrets, searching for their own identity, struggling against inescapable destiny and ready for the biggest sacrifices. All the protagonists gradually mature and take more initiative (with the exception for Nynaeve who is a tad irritating in her wish to blame everything on Morraine when she remains a spiteful and self-righteous: nobody forced you to leave all the sheep in search for the lost one, you are not Jesus, girl!). But so far, all is well. Mr Jordan’s protagonists intrigue, sometimes entertain, move or irritate, but certainly do not leave the reader indifferent. I think I might even be able to survive the incoming tripled love triangle with Elaida, Egvene and Min all falling for Rand, plus the nefarious Lanfear, gah it was so obvious when a lusty femme fatale appeared who she really is! Liandrin peered at Elayne and Min. The late afternoon sunlight, slanting through the branches, shadowed their faces beneath the hoods of their cloaks. “So,” she said finally, still watching those two. “I had made arrangements for you to be taken care of, but as you are here, you are here. Four can make this journey as well as two.”

I sweated (literally) through the last few chapters and when I finished and relaxed, all my muscles hurt, lol. A lot is happening at the same time and even if I knew the outcome, I was still there 100%, reading with my heart in my throat. Rand, the Ogier Loial and Hurin are separated from the Shienaran party and transported to an alternate world; similar to their own, but deserted and distorted. Rand suspects that he activated the portal stone by unconsciously channeling saidin in his sleep, although Egwene dreams that a mysterious woman (later identified as the Forsaken Lanfear) is responsible. Rand's struggle to accept his channeling ability is a recurring element in the novel. In this alternate world, Rand meets Ba'alzamon and has a heron's image (the crest of his sword) branded into his palm in a fight. Later, with the help of the mysterious but beautiful Selene, they return to their own world, ahead of Fain's and Ingtar's groups. This done, they recover the Horn and dagger. At a loss to explain Rand's disappearance, Lord Ingtar's group pursue Fain with the aid of Perrin, who uses a telepathic ability to communicate with wolves.The Great Hunt consists of a prologue and fifty chapters. The main story is about a group of young heroes, namely Rand al'Thor, Mat Cauthon, and Perrin Aybara, all ta'veren, who join Shienaran soldiers in a quest to get the Horn of Valere out of enemy hands. At the same time, Egwene al'Vere, Nynaeve al'Meara, and Elayne Trakand go to the White Tower in Tar Valon to begin learning the ways of the Aes Sedai. Finally, in a distant land, a strange group of people start an invasion of the western coast. This book is over twenty years old but you can’t really tell and that is one of the coolest things about fantasy is they can stand up to the test of time since there is an entire new world in every single one and so it never really feels dated. The smell of death was all but gone long before the wind reached the stone-walled town of Fal Dara on its hills, and whipped around a tower of the fortress in the very center of the town, a tower atop which two men seemed to dance. Hard-walled and high, Fal Dara, both keep and town, never taken, never betrayed. The wind moaned across wood-shingled rooftops, around tall stone chimneys and taller towers, moaned like a dirge." What can I say: the Wheel of Time absorbed me completely. And all this is delivered in a light and pleasant style that is appropriately developed, but usually far from boring storytelling (and I am more than willing to forgive and forget a few deviations from the norm, given all the pros of the whole novel). Whoever has been discouraged by reading, or rather trying to read, the first volume should try this book. If you liked the predecessor, there are great chances, you will like this even more. One of the Forsaken, Lanfear has been used as a boogieman to scare children into behaving (a concept that I find horrific, incidentally . . . Does anyone actually do that? Tell their children that some super scary monster-person will get them while they're sleeping, if they don't do as they're told? I sincerely hope not . . .). Anyway, this early in the series, the Forsaken are mostly feared for nebulous follower-of-the-Dark-One reasons.

While most of the characters get a chance to shine in this book, two outshines everyone else for me. First was Rand. He has come a long way from the farm boy we first met in Eye of the World. He has power now but he is scared to use as he don’t want to get mad (as people have drilled it in his mind, the more one touch Source, the more closer they get to insanity). I love the part where this mental struggle was described. He wanted to help and yet also remains hidden but in the guy accepts his duty and does what was necessary. Second character that won my heart in this instalment was Nynaeve. I just love this girl. She is stubborn, get easily angry and yet she cares deeply. She doesn’t think twice before facing evil if someone she loves is in trouble. She has flaws but she is just too good a character to deserve hate or dislike. While reading Eye of the World, I kept seeing it’s similarities with LoTR but this book simply outshine its predecessor in every way. While first book was a drag in the middle chapters, this one has no such issue and that made it a better reading experience. Fortunately there are more than enough interesting supporting characters to read about: Geofram Bornhald, such a rarity as a benevolent Whitecloak commander; the beautiful and mysterious lady Selene, encountered by Rand and Loial in a different world; Bayle Domon, Verin Sedai and many more.

I must go now, Nynaeve mashiara. The Amyrlin wishes to leave before midday, and there is much yet to be done. Perhaps we will have time to talk on the journey to Tar Valon.” He turned and was gone, striding down the hall. Nynaeve touched her cheek. She could still feel where he had touched her. Mashiara. Beloved of heart and soul, it meant, but a love lost, too. Lost beyond regaining. I simply adore his descriptions; they are so vivid that I find myself transported into his world every time - I am always there, one with the all the characters at the same time. After the events of book 1, Rand is determined to leave the Blight, Aes Sedai, the Dark One, and all of that nonsense behind him. The Pattern had other plans. As plans for another Great Hunt of the Horn start to stir in Illian; as Moiraine tells Rand he is the Dragon reborn; as Mat's condition worsens a terrible fate befalls Fal Dara keep. The Horn of Valere along with the ruby-hilted dagger from Shadar Logoth are stolen in a Trolloc raid. Rand finds himself on a retrieval mission, which soon gets complicated as Saidin won't leave him alone. Egwene and Nynaeve are whisked off to Tar Valon to study channeling... but soon issues arise there too... As an army of humans from across the ocean calling themselves Seanchan start taking over Toman Head, our parties' futures are about to intersect once more. The action in this volume runs at its own pace: sometimes it slows down, and at other times it is very dynamic; the ending is a veritable whirlwind of developments and reveals. Ruthless invaders appear, accompanied by the leashed magical slaves damane, and monstrous grolms. There are magical portals and a mysterious woman in white. At the same time, as the friends split their ways, we can learn much more about Aes Sedai and the training they undergo, as well as about the ogier community. Note to the future self: I really want to see the huge twin sa’angreal in action (Egwene will you wield the female counterpart?) Finally, from the prologue the book is full of conspiracies, which clearly indicates that no one can be fully trusted (the Great Game of Houses was hilarious) although most of the time the divisions between the forces of Shadow and the forces of Light are too obvious. There was only one surprise, really, and it broke my heart.

Metal armor lacquered and segmented to look like an insect carapace . . . to better match the mandibles and feelers on their helmets . . . Usually we do not,” the Ogier replied almost curtly. “ Usually. The price has always been too high.” Gawyn scratched his head, then shook it. “Well, if it has anything to do with Rand al’Thor, be sure you don’t let Elaida hear of it. She has been at me like a Whitecloak Questioner three times since we arrived. I do not think she means him any—” He gave a start; there was a woman crossing the garden, a woman in a red-fringed shawl. “ ‘ Name the Dark One,’ ” he quoted, “ ‘and he appears.’ I do not need another lecture about wearing my shirt when I’m out of the practice yards. Good morning to you all.” What's that? I haven't really written about the book? Well three quarters into this volume I finally began to see what all the fuss was, and is, about. And I might moan about the excessive world building, but it is very good world building, it just always feels like exposition! 7 out of 12 The man who called himself Petrik will now review The Great Hunt, the second book in The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan.

The Great Hunt is in most aspects a better book than The Eye of the World. The writing is flawless, and both the storyline and the setting is perhaps even more interesting in the second volume than in the first. I considered giving this book five stars like I gave that one, but in the end I came to the conclusion that Rand al'Thor alone was by far enough reason to remove one star (at points when reading I was wondering if this was a three-star read), and other main characters were not good enough for a five-star rating either. In the end though, the book was entertaining enough with a great ending, and it managed to build the suspense leading to the next volume in the series. The Wheel of Time, book 2: What starts off with more of the previous, first book in the series with non-stop world building and 'our poor innocent protagonists' trying to come to terms with the wider world, slowly but surely evolves into a book and reality that I am beginning to care about it! It just needed some real jeopardy, and despite all the blatant foretelling the 'Great Hunt' for a mythical Horn and a dark dagger gave me some supporting characters of worth and fleshed out the main cast a lot better; as well as giving a lot more depth to the Aes Sedai :) The Great Hunt is a fantasy novel by American author Robert Jordan, the second book of The Wheel of Time series. It was published by Tor Books and released on November 15, 1990. The Great Hunt consists of a prologue and 50 chapters. In 2004 The Great Hunt was re-released as two separate books, The Hunt Begins and New Threads in the Pattern. If that wasn't obnoxious enough--and trust me, it is--she still hasn't figured out that it was her obsession with power and acquiring ALL OF IT that drove Lews Therin away the first time.