| Title | : | The Great Hunt (The Wheel of Time, #2) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 0812517725 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9780812517729 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Mass Market Paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 705 |
| Publication | : | First published November 15, 1990 |
Let the Dragon ride again on the winds of time.
The Great Hunt (The Wheel of Time, #2) Reviews
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The man who called himself Petrik will now review The Great Hunt, the second book in The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan.
Everyone who’ve read the first book most likely knows what the title of this installment implies. The Great Hunt continues immediately from where the first book left off. Allow me to mention how ridiculously repetitive—and hilarious, I guess—the prologue of this book was. It starts with “The man who called himself Bors,” and within a single prologue, the exact phrase “the man who called himself Bors” was mentioned literally 34 times. The man who called himself Petrik could be wrong, but the man who called himself Petrik THINK that the man who called himself Bors, is in fact, the man who called himself Bors *gasp* *suspense* *CPR the man who called himself Petrik out of this SHOCKING revelation* The man who called himself Petrik was amazed by Jordan’s way of increasing his word counts by 170 words. Jordan could’ve just written “Bors” instead of “the man who called himself Bors” but he won’t, that 170 words is a matter of Light and Dark! The prologue became a firm reminder to the man who called himself Petrik that this will be a series—despite all the greatness—that is full of repetitive phrases; so far the man who called himself Petrik hasn’t been proven wrong.
Picture: The Great Hunt by Kekai Kotaki
The man who called himself Petrik is tired of repeating “The man who called himself (insert whatever you want for future meme uses here…)” insane nonsense so the man who called himself Petrik will now get back to the man who called himself Petrik’s usual speech.
Continuing immediately from where the first book left off, the plot in The Great Hunt was pretty much a big chase scene over a stolen legendary item. Excluding the first 20% of the book, the remaining content of The Great Hunt revolved mostly around this premise. In terms of enjoyment of the book itself, I’d say it was more or less the same as how I felt regarding The Eye of the World. The story starts off strong and engaging, slowed down immensely in the middle section, then back on track around 70% mark.
There were a lot of parts that this book excelled in; the last quarter of this book, for example, was simply magnificent. The slow build-up towards it was worth the read and Jordan’s way of escalating the tension slowly until the superbly written conclusion was something I utterly enjoyed. But at the same time, there were also several moments in the middle section where I was quite bored and infuriated by the repetition regarding several character’s behavior. There were two issues I had with the content, one being Rand’s stubbornness to continue hiding secrets and his reluctance in doing some—which he ended up doing anyway—crucial actions immensely slowed the pacing of the story. The second one would be Nynaeve and everything about her really, that’s all. Also, I’m seriously dumbfounded by the sword moves of this series. Am I supposed to understand what The Swallow Takes Flight met Parting the Silk means? Moon on the Water met The Wood Grouse Dances? Ribbon in the Air met Stones Falling From the Cliff? What even… the man who called himself Petrik is has been struck by a spellbinding confusion spell.
This, of course, doesn’t mean the characters ever stopped being empathizing. Even when I was infuriated by some of the character’s actions, I feel like their attitudes were understandable; if I were in their shoes I’ll do a much poorer job than them. The characters—for better or worse—were well-written. Two books into the series and I’ve come to know their personality and inner voices really well. Jordan, in general, is slow in progression. Development in plot, world-building, characterizations, and actions was all there; they were just relatively much slower than most books these days. I loved reading Rand and the characters starting to grow up; it was quite satisfying seeing their slow development. New characters also appeared and most of them were great, interesting, and complex.
“There is one rule, above all others, for being a man. Whatever comes, face it on your feet.”
For now, though, my favorite character will have to be Rand and Loial, not saying that there weren’t any other characters—Perrin, Lan—I liked but those two and their heartwarming friendship with each other were one of the main highlights of the book for me. World-building grew in complexities and details; Jordan’s world-building captivated me and I love reading every lore, magic system, and prophecy in this book. In the first book, the world-building felt it borrowed too much from Tolkien, this book seems to have moved the world-building away from Tolkien’s and I’m glad for its originality.
“Some men […] choose to seek greatness, while others are forced to it. It is always better to choose than to be forced.
A man who is forced is never completely his own master. He must dance on the strings of those who forced him.”
Be prepared for this series, the prose might be accessible but the complexity and scope never stop increasing. Jordan’s prose was super wordy and descriptive, there’s no way around it. Two books (570k words in total so far) into the series and when it comes to the actual story progression, not too much have actually progressed. I strongly recommend getting a group of friends/readers if you’re about to undertake this series for the first time. I’m reading it together with my friends and it’s such a fun experience; moments that should’ve been aggravating to read became humorous to discuss. The Great Hunt was a great sequel that builds the characterizations—whether you liked them or not—and the intricate world-building even further. After reading the ending, I honestly feel like the first two books were merely foundational installments for the rest of the series, and you bet I'm excited to continue reading through it.
You can order the book from:
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this and the rest of my reviews at
Novel Notions -
UPDATE: $2.99 Kindle US today 6/27/20
I say this all of the time, but reading old school fantasy books is like reading with a friend. And they remind me of when I was young. I don't know why. Maybe because I'm old school.
Happy Reading!
Mel ❤️ -
The Eye of The world has some problems, but this book totally nailed it! The Great Hunt is significantly better in almost every aspect. Book 1 had serious pacing issues and is somewhat generic as it reminded me LoTR in a few ways. It was ok and very average, but not much more than that. It showed some potential, especially toward the ending, but I expected much more from it. Not true true for book 2, though, as Jordan solved a few problems and upped his game. Big Time.
The writing style is just as good as book 1 was, but the book is a lot better structure-wise, and always things seem to happen, with almost no slow chapters that go nowhere.
There is really interesting world-building here, as we get to know a lot more places, including The White Tower. New Enemies are introduced – Seanchan, which seem to have a very intriguing culture, we learn more about The White Cloaks, Padan Fain, The Forsaken, and get some glimpses into The Age of Legends.
As for Characters, Rand gets much more depth and I really start to like him. There’s a lot of development when it comes to Nynaeve and Egwene, both are slowly becoming my favorite characters. Nynaeve rocks, really, I like that girl. Even though Perrin and Matt seem like they have important roles, we don’t really get to know them much better in book 2. Perrin was pretty much well-drawn in book 1, but he didn’t evolve much in book 2. Matt was ok in both books, but not much more than that.
New Aes Sedai are being introduced – Elayne and Min, who join Nynaeve and Egwene at The White Tower, The Amyrlin herself , Verin, and Liandrin from the Red Aja.
I don’t want to reveal much, so I refrained from telling anything in regard to the plot. But the plot is very engaging, I always wanted to know what happens next. Epic fantasy at its best!
To conclude, The Great Hunt is a brilliant book. One of the most enjoyable books I’ve read this year.
4.5-4.75/5 -
3.5
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Probably not a long, in-depth review needed here. This series is long and in-depth enough that if I try to find something deep and meaningful to say with each review, I am going to run out of material very quickly! Here are my random thoughts:
• Similar to book one, but better.
• Lots of dragging in book one, felt like less here. Pacing better.
• Some same characters, some different. Always a lot!
• The first book ended in a way that it felt like more was needed. This one was ended in such a way that if no one liked it and he lost his book deal, it could have ended here. I mean, there are some things unanswered, but if it absolutely had to end here, it would have been a somewhat complete adventure in combination with book one (I am already afraid I am going to get a lot of flack for this bullet point!)
• I am a bit more motivated to try book three than I was to move on to book two. Guess I am starting to get into this world.
• So much worldbuilding, creature creating, magic theory, and societal development. It is a political science dissertation set in a fantasy world.
If you like fantasy and have never heard of this series, you are probably living under a rock!
Will it appeal to you if you like fantasy? Do you like loooooooong books and loooooooong series with lots and lots of detail, characters, locations, species, magic types, other realms, etc. Then, yeah, it will probably appeal to you! -
Reviewed by:
Rabid Reads
NOTICE: this reread is in preparation for finally biting the bullet and reading book 14. That means I HAVE NOT read book 14 yet. Please be mindful of this in the comments, both for me and for others who may or may not have progressed past this point in the series. Thank you.
For whatever reason, this is the installment that's held up the least well for me. Not b/c it's not awesome--it absolutely is--but b/c even MORE awesomeness is IMMINENT.
And I know it (b/c fiendish rereader).
SO. We have a Dragon Reborn and a Wolfbrother, but what's behind door #3? *raises hand* b/c I know, I know! *sighs*
The Great Hunt is a concept that can be found in numerous mythologies, but (not surprisingly) my favorite versions have always been the ones with Fae roots.
If you're unfamiliar, it's fairly simple: if the moon is particularly bright, and you hear a horn sounding in the distance, DO NOT LEAVE THE SAFETY OF YOUR HOME. B/c Fae on horses-that-don't-get-tired with hounds-that-have-super-senses (and may or may not have been human at some point), are out and about, hunting "big game" and NO GOOD can come of you getting caught up in that shit.
Jordan's version is pretty nifty too.
The Horn of Valere, prophecied to be found (just?) before the Last Battle, will call the greatest heroes who have ever lived to fight on behalf of the horn-sounder . . . whatever their intent may be . . .
YES, you read that correctly. The greatest heroes of legend will be compelled to fight for either good or evil, depending on who gets their grubby lips on it first.
So that's exciting.
Which is kind of impressive if you think about it: a hunt for a brass instrument vs. a hunt for human prey?
But yeah:" . . . for the grave is no bar to my call."
*goosebumps*
BUT. If I'm being honest, there are a couple of legitimate reasons that I didn't like this installment quite as much as the last one. You know, beyond being impatient for my favorite character to stop being an adolescent idiot.
Like Lanfear.
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.
However . . . we do learn a few things about Lanfear:
1. Before Lews Therin (the Dragon) met and married his wife Ilyena, Lanfear had been his lover.
2. Ultimately . . . the reason she joined the dark side is b/c hell hath no fury . . . YES, seriously . . .
And she wants him back.
Does not care that the Dragon Reborn is a completely different, maybe twenty-years-old model, when she herself probably had a couple of centuries under her belt before she was sealed inside the Dark One's prison for several thousand years.
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.
So we get to watch her numerous failed attempts to entice Dragon Reborn into seeking glory for himself.
It's just sad.
I mean, really . . . how can she claim to love him, yet willfully know nothing about him?
Then there are the Seanchan . . . and the Seanchan freak me the hell out.
Besides practicing numerous and varied types of slavery, which shows a terrifying lack of regard for human life . . . These people aren't just ethnocentric, they're an entire population brainwashed into wholeheartedly believing in the superiority of specific types of people and the inferiority of others . . . o.O
Right. So in addition to that, they've tamed monsters (like grolm: bear-sized, three-eyed beasts with grayish green, lizard-like, impossible to penetrate with things like swords or arrows, hide, and sharp, hooked beak-like mouths) to the point of riding them like horses.
And what do they wear when they ride their pet monsters?
Metal armor lacquered and segmented to look like an insect carapace . . . to better match the mandibles and feelers on their helmets . . .
Ye gods.
I don't know about you guys, but I can't come up with a scarier image than a GIANT INSECT riding some kind of prehistoric-looking monster into battle. Oh, and the ground might just swallow you whole before you even get a chance to defend yourself, b/c wielders of the One Power? Yeah, they're one of the MANY previously mentioned enslaved people groups.
Still a fantastic installment though. PLUS, *whispers* I may not have mentioned it, but WoT #3 brings ALL KINDS of awesome, so gird your loins, little fishy . . . and keep on swimmin'.
My other reviews for this series:
The Eye of the World (Wheel of Time, #1) by Robert Jordan
The Dragon Reborn (Wheel of Time, #3) by Robert Jordan
The Shadow Rising (Wheel of Time, #4) by Robert Jordan
The Fires of Heaven (Wheel of Time, #5) by Robert Jordan
Lord of Chaos (Wheel of Time, #6) by Robert Jordan
A Crown of Swords (Wheel of Time, #7) by Robert Jordan
The Path of Daggers (Wheel of Time, #8) by Robert Jordan
Winter's Heart (Wheel of Time, #9) by Robert Jordan
Crossroads of Twilight (Wheel of Time, #10) by Robert Jordan
New Spring (Wheel of Time, #0) by Robert Jordan
Highlights:
Forsaken:
Foresight:
Insight:
Musings:
It makes me laugh:
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There is so much going on in this book, we get to see a few familiar faces when some of the minor characters from the first book make unexpected reappearances but we also have a lot of new people to meet, some you'll immediately love and others will make you much more wary. It's hard to know who to trust and there are definitely lots of side plots and foreshadowing going on that I think will make more sense on a reread (and I can pretty much guarantee I'll be rereading this series again in the future to test that theory!). Once again I was pulled straight into this story, it starts a little slower but the pace really ramps up in the second half and I'm so invested in the characters that even when there's not a great deal happening I'm just so happy to be spending time with them all. While I wouldn't quite place this series as a favourite yet it's definitely heading in that direction and I'm sure it will be on the list well before I reach the final book.
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This was no where near as good as the first novel in the series; it completely lacked the initial plot driver that its predecessor wielded. Previously, the innocent, and young, protagonists were taken away from their homes as they were forced to flee for their lives. I wanted to find out exactly why this was going on; thus, I stormed through it. Instead, this premise of this book is Rand attempting to escape from his destiny, which, of course, is pure folly because one does not escape fate: one does not escape the wheel of time.
Reverse character development
I was a little disappointed with this because I just don’t like reluctant heroes. Well, at least not in this sense. Rand began to annoy me so much at the start of this because by the end of the last novel, I felt that he had found his courage, and he’d overcome his reluctant nature; it was like his character development had gone backwards and taken him to an early state of the previous novel. Thankfully, this didn’t last too long as the wheel forced him to act; he had to become the dragon reborn otherwise he would have fallen to his enemy. I’m glad he found his bravery, again. But, I felt like he had already gained it, and that this novel was padded out with development that had already been achieved.
I wanted this from the start:
Rand’s full potential is obviously something he's not fully aware of, although it's clear to the reader, and every other character he may encounter, of what he will one day be able to do. It’s like he's the only person in this world who doesn’t truly see what he is, and what he's capable of; it’s beginning to feel a little idiotic. When he chases after the horn, during the great hunt, the depths of his powers begin to unravel along with the true nature of this series. He is learning who he is, again, for the second time. I do hope the author doesn’t back track like this again because I want to enjoy this series completely and whole heartedly instead of having my precious reading time wasted with repetetive material.
This isn’t just Rand’s story, thankfully.
Many of the side characters form the last novel are beginning to develop more of their own personal story arcs. I think this made the story much stronger because if this was just about Rand, exclusively, I’d honestly stop reading. Through doing this the author is slowly revealing some of the mysteries of his fantasy world. Nynaeve had many point of view chapters, as did Egwene. I think this is the start of a transition away from a Rand central series. Hopefully, they will be just as important to the overall plot as this reluctant hero. He’s a rather tepid protagonist, and at this point I think he needs a reason to face his destiny. Perhaps, his relatives should die, or one of his friends, to give him an actuall reason to fight.
However, despite more point of view characters, I think the chapter placement was incredibly poor, and plain frustrating. What I mean is that there were four to five chapters of Rand’s story in one massive bulk; this was then interrupted by a single, or sometimes double, chapter from another point of view. It would then go back to Rand. I think the story would have flowed much better if Rand’s chapters were broken up a little more, and had no more than two or three chapters together. The result of placing chapters in the way that Jorden did is not seeing what happened to Mat and Perrin for almost three hundred pages. I found this very annoying. The pacing was very off.
Is this still perfect fantasy?
Despite my grievances with the protagonist and chapter placement, I still think this is a great series. This is everything I like in epic fantasy, and hopefully will continue to be so. The magic system is complex and interesting, and the different races/cultures are diverse and well thought out. The complexity of this fantasy universe is what makes this series enjoyable for me. I just hope that Rand retains the character development he has gained twice because if I have to read more about his reluctant nature, and him trying to run away, I may come to view this series as unnecessarily packed out. Hopefully that won’t happen, but time will tell.
This was not as accomplished as the first novel, but was enjoyable to an extent. It may be just the side characters that saved this book for me, However, I do think this series creates a lot of apprehension to how it will all end, and where the characters will end. I find books like this tend to be somewhat predictable, but I haven’t had that with the Wheel of Time so far. I’m not entirely sure how it will end, but I do want to see Mordeth again. And it would also be grear to see more of Perrin, my favourite character, because in this novel he felt like furniture.
The Wheel of time:
1. Eye of the World-
An unoriginal five stars
2. The Great Hunt- A reluctant three stars
3. The Dragon Reborn-
A well-developed four stars
4. The Shadow Rising-
A strong four stars
5. The Fires of Heaven-
A slow two stars
"And it came to pass in those days, as it had come before and would come again, that the Dark lay heavy on the land and weighed down the hearts of men, and the green things failed, and hope died. And men cried out to the Creator, saying, O Light of the Heavens, Light of the World, let the Promised One be born of the mountain, according to the prophecies, as he was in ages past and will be in ages to come. Let the Prince of the Morning sing to the land that green things will grow and the valleys give forth lambs. Let the arm of the Lord of the Dawn shelter us from the Dark, and the great sword of justice defend us. Let the Dragon ride again on the winds of time." -
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.
This book picks up from where Eye of the World has ended. Horn of Valere has been stolen and it is crucial to get it back before it fell into evil hands and dead heroes could be called back from the graves. So Rand, who is too eager to leave Aes Sedai behind, along with Matt and Perrin went on to get back the Horn but it’s not so easy as they’re not the only one looking for the legendary Horn.
This is a long book and had tons of characters where everyone pop up out of nowhere as the need arise. Some were new and scary; others were beautiful but equally horrible characters. What made this book a real pain was the secrets that Rand, Mat, and Perrin kept from each other. This book should have been cut by 100 or so pages if these goons had just trusted each other with their secrets.
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.
It was a great story (specially last five chapters) and fared much better than I had expected from this. Now my expectation are sky high from Dragon Reborn. -
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 female cast are superb, and the addition of Min and a delightful number of Aes Sedai were a joy to behold. Overall it still feels like the world building although detailed is overdone, and yet again I had to read the glossary at the end of the book to get the full picture. What made this book really tick though was the emergence of a third force that have no respect for the light or the dark! I wouldn't say I'm hooked yet, but I'm now really biting :)
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
2022 read -
4.5/5 stars. A step up from the first book and a wonderful addition to the series
While the first Wheel of Time book was good, I thought it suffered from being too similar to The Lord of the Rings. This book feels like Robert Jordan began to write his own story and diverge from where the first book took the reader.
I normally don't enjoy books that are mainly travelling books (looking at you Feast for Crows), but while travelling from Point A to Point B was in large part what this book was about, the concepts were original enough and the characters engaged enough to the point where that didn't really matter.
The ending of this book was fantastic, and everything you would hope for in a conclusion to a fantasy story. Unfortunately it was a bit similar to the first book, but I suspect that was done intentionally and I'm certain there is something I am missing that will make me have an "Ah-Ha!" moment later in the series.
Consider me fully enraptured with this story, and I look forward to continuing on with the series. -
The Great Hunt (Wheel of Time, #2), Robert Jordan
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.
تاریخ نخستین خوانش نسخه انگلیسی: شانزدهم ماه ژوئن سال 2018 میلادی
عنوان: شکار بزرگ: کتاب دوم از سری چرخ زمان (بخش اول شکار آغاز میشود)؛ نویسنده: رابرت جردن؛ مترجم: بهرنگ مافی؛ ویراستار: بنفشه محمودی؛ تهران، انتشارات پریان؛ 1398؛ در ؟ جلد؛ شابک دوره: 9786007058428؛ موضوع: داستانهای نویسندگان امریکایی - سده 20م
عنوانهای کتابهای سری چرخ زمان: «بهار نو (2004 میلادی) به عنوان پیشدرآمد و بیست سال پیش از رخدادهای نخستین رمان»؛ «1 - چشم جهان (1990 میلادی)»؛ «2 - شکار بزرگ (1990 میلادی)»؛ «3 - تجلی اژدها (1991 میلادی)»؛ «4 - قیام سایهها (1992 میلادی)»؛ «5 - شعلههای بهشت (1993 میلادی)»؛ «6 - ارباب آشفتگی (1995 میلادی)»؛ «7 - تاج شمشیرها (1996 میلادی)»؛ «8 - گذرگاه خنجرها (1998 میلادی)»؛ «9 - قلب زمستان (2000 میلادی)»؛ «10 - چهارراه شامگاهی (2003 میلادی)»؛ « 11 - چاقوی رؤیا (2005 میلادی)»؛ «12 - گرد آمدن طوفان (2009 میلادی)»؛ «13 - برجهای نیمه شب (2010 میلادی)»؛ «14 - یادآوری از روشنایی (2012 میلادی)»؛
چرخ زمان نخست قرار بود یک مجموعه شش جلدی باشد، اما «جردن» آن را به دوازده افزایش داد؛ «جردن» در سال 1984میلادی آغاز به نگارش نخستین کتاب از این سری با عنوان: «چشم جهان» نمودند، که آنرا در سال 1990میلادی منتشر کردند؛ پیش از پایان جلد پایانی سری در سال 2007میلادی، به علت بیماری قلبی درگذشتند، و در همان سال، همسر ایشان پس از خوانش «زاده مه»، «برندن سندرسون» را، برای پایان دادن به سری برگزیدند؛ «سندرسون» با خوانش یادداشتهای «جردن»، به این نتیجه رسید که یک جلد برای اتمام کار سری کافی نیست، و به همسر «جردن» پیشنهاد داد، که در سه جلد کار را به پایان برساند، که مورد موافقت همسر «جردن» قرار گرفت، و اینگونه چرخ زمان در پایان چهارده جلدی شد؛ در این سری از «اسطوره ها» و مکاتب دیگری ��مانند «بوداییسم»، «هندوئیسم»، «فرهنگ اروپایی»، «اسطوره شناسی آسیایی و اسلامی» استفاده شده است
تاریخ بهنگام رسانی 11/06/1399هجری خورشیدی؛ ا. شربیانی -
Loved this one even more than the first book in the series! The world-building is so rich and vast, and the characters are very compelling. This book was so good, I was almost grateful for my hospital time, since it gave me more time to read! (See, there's always a silver lining!)
Also, as of this book, Nynaeve has officially surpassed Moiraine as my favorite Wheel of Time character!
FULL REVIEW TO COME -
“And it shall come to pass that what man made shall be shattered, and the Shadow shall lie across the Pattern of Age, and the Dark One shall once more lay his hand upon the world of man. Women shall weep and men quail as the nations of the earth are rent like rotting cloth. Neither shall anything stand nor abide...
Yet one shall be born to face the Shadow, born once more as he was born before and shall be born again, time without end. The Dragon shall be Reborn, and there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth at his rebirth. In sackcloth and ashes shall he clothe the people, and he shall break the world again by his coming, tearing apart all ties that bind. Like the unfettered dawn shall he blind us, and burns us, yet shall the Dragon Reborn confront the Shadow at the Last battle, and his blood shall give us the Light. Let tears flow, O ye people of the world. Weep for your salvation."
The Great Hunt begins right where The Eye of the World left off, with our heroes still sheltering within the walls of Fal Dara. But soon enough, the fragile peace is shattered. The Amyrlin Seat arrives from Tar Valon, with dozens of Aes Sedai by her side. The Horn of Valere is mysteriously stolen from within the keep itself, along with the terrible dagger from Shadar Logoth. And from the borderlands in the far north, a new journey begins to recover what was stolen.
Already in the first few pages of the prologue, the reader is made aware of the dangers that lurk in the shadows. The darkfriends are everywhere. Nobles from all across the nations secretly serve the Great Lord of the Dark. Even the Children of the Light have been infiltrated by the servants of the Shadow. And in the halls of Tar Valon roams the Black Ajah; an eight Ajah and a secret fraternity containing those of the Aes Sedai who have given themselves to the Dark One.
While the battle rages on between light and shadow, new forces emerge on the horizon to make their impact on the world. In the east, groups of Aielmen come out of the Spine of the World in search of the Dragon Reborn. On the western shores, the Seanchan, claiming to be the descendants of Artur Hawkwing's armies, arrive from beyond the Aryth ocean to conquer the world once more. And in Cairhien, Daes dae'mar, the Great Game, is being played by the noble houses with increasing brutality and ruthlessness, and the threat of civil war is becoming more and more real.
"It is never over, al'Thor."
The characters are what really shape this book, for good or ill, and one of the most interesting characters from the world of the Wheel of Time is Padan Fain. From being a seemingly mad darkfriend in the dungeons of Fal Dara, he is sprung from his prison when the Horn is stolen, and after going along with the group of Trollocs and darkfriends for a while, he assumes leadership of it by nailing a Myrddraal to a village wall. From that point on, Fain becomes a villainous mastermind.
The matter of the main characters is sadly enough a totally different one. On the positive side, Mat and Perrin seem to be improving by each passing chapter. Egwene is as she was in the first book: a dull, uninteresting character with not much of a personality at all. And Nynaeve continues to astound me with her uncontrollable temper and her completely unfounded hatred towards Moiraine.
Nevertheless, there is only one reason why this book got only four stars from me, and that reason even has a name: Rand al'Thor. I know some of you who read this will not agree with what I'm saying, but so far Rand is just the worst main character I've ever read about. He refuses to acknowledge the truth of anything, he shuns and apparently even despises those who would help him and accuses them of trying to use him, and he's blind towards being manipulated by mostly everyone else. Nynaeve can be quite irritating occasionally, but Rand constantly left me wanting to throw the book in a wall somewhere.
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.
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.
Let the Dragon ride again on the winds of time.
Wheel of Time reviews:
#1
The Eye of the World
#2
The Great Hunt
#3
The Dragon Reborn
#4
The Shadow Rising
#5
The Fires of Heaven
#6
Lord of Chaos
#7
A Crown of Swords
#8
The Path of Daggers
#9
Winter's Heart
#10
Crossroads of Twilight
#11
Knife of Dreams
#12
The Gathering Storm
#13
Towers of Midnight
#14
A Memory of Light -
Sale Alert: Kindle deal June 22-28
$2.99
If you’ve read a few reviews by me you might know that I’m a huge fan of
Brandon Sanderson. This is one reason that 2016 is the year of the Wheel for me since Sanderson finished out this series. As I move along in this series I can see how BS got some of his roots from Jordan. They distinctively have different voices to be sure but one of the reasons I’m enjoying The Wheel of Time series is because of the intricate world building that is going on and the layers that are being set up.
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 Eye of the World reminded me of The Lord of the Rings in quite a few ways and while for the most part The Great Hunt is moving away from that feeling there is still one part that very much reminded me of Tolkien. The Great Hunt is all about the Horn of Valere. Whoever blows the horn calls an army of dead heroes to fight with them….I’m pretty sure I saw that somewhere else.
But that is about the only thing that really reminded me of LotRs this time around.
The world continues to get a little bigger for our group from The Two Rivers. There are new people, customs, places and danger seems to be EVERYWHERE. It seems that most of the book is about Rand since he seems to be the very reluctant and ridiculously stubborn hero. Temptations abound as various characters try to pull him into their machinations including a new beautiful woman Selene. I hated her immediately and seriously why does every woman (except Nynaeve of course) need to be in love with Rand??? Why can’t Perrin or Mat find someone interested in them??? I was sure I knew who she really was from the beginning and that can be nothing but trouble for Rand so I hope all the stubbornness pays off in the end.
Rand struggles with the fate that keeps calling him. He is so hell bent on going the opposite direction the Aes Sadai wants him to go he is easy to manipulate.“I have purposely let him think I no longer have any interest in him, that he may go where he pleases for all of me.” She raised her hands as the Amyrlin opened her mouth. “It was necessary, Siuan. Rand al’Thor was raised in the Two Rivers, where Manetheren’s stubborn blood flows in every vein, and his own blood is like rock beside clay compared to Manetheren’s. He must be handled gently, or he will bolt in any direction but the one we want.”
All the people from the Two Rivers seem to be incredibly naïve, except Nynaeve and I can’t help but yell at them sometimes in my head for the choices they make.
While Rand’s Journey was pretty interesting especially to the final showdown in the book I liked learning about the rituals and training of the Aes Sadai more. Nynaeve and Egwene’s time at the white tower and after was probably the most interesting part of the story for me. Learning what trials Nynaeve had to go through for part of her training was so intense and actually a little heartbreaking.“I do not know what is happening, Nynaeve, but I feel as if I were losing you. I could not bear that.” He put a hand in her hair; closing her eyes, she pressed her cheek against his fingers. “Stay with me, always.”
But the run in with the Seanchan and learning what they do with women who can channel was the most horrible and intense thing in the book for me. Egwene and Nynaeve have come far from where they started out and I’m very interested in seeing what becomes of them as the books continue.
Best side character for me is Loial. The Ogier is a great addition and I really enjoyed going into another stedding and meeting a few other Ogier. Plus could it be that Loial might have a crush. If that wasn’t the cutest thing ever I don’t know what it.
A few issues I had
They are really silly but I find this with quite a few older high fantasy novels. People know each other for a few pages and BOOM they are in love or speaking of marriage and such. Lan and Nynaeve are a good example of this. I like that they have this longing and forbidden romance of sorts happening between them. I’m a girl and I really like a little romance with my fantasy but I also like a little build up. Still at least there is a little bit on the romance side of life and I am rooting for them even though there wasn’t much build up.“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.
The other issue I sometimes have is that it seems like every core member suffers from what my friend
Gavin coined quite well Two Rivers Idiocy. At some key moment in the book one of the crew from The Two Rivers will do something that is completely stupid. ’Hey we need to sneak out of here under no circumstances use magic. Two paragraphs later: ’Draws in all the magic to use it. *sigh*.
Overall
This is good Epic High Fantasy. Sure there are smaller stories arcs being told but there are prophecies to be confronted and evil to destroy. There are epic journeys that need to be taken and bad guys all over the place, some of them even think they are the good guys White Cloaks I’m looking at you.
If you enjoy epic journeys then this series seems to be exactly what you are looking for. Plus good news is that it is finished no waiting years between books.
Audio Note: Kate Reading and Michael Kramer (who also do The Stormlight Archives by Brandon Sanderson *wink, wink*) are fantastic. This is very well performed if you are a fan of audio. -
I want to read the next one asap😂. This book is slow, but worth it. I just love this world and the characters. 😍
4⭐⭐⭐⭐ -
I’ve tried, I really have. I just don’t think that Jordan’s Wheel of Time series is for me. I want desperately to read it in its entirety and love it, but I’m roughly 1500 pages in and it’s already a struggle. The sad thing is, the plot and the world building are actually very interesting, as is the magic system and the mysteries it holds. But I just can’t seem to get past the characters. The way women view men, even while fighting over them, is so insanely irritating. The main perspective characters come across as whiny and mulish, and are so focussed on the same handful of thoughts repeating over and over again in their minds that they rarely have room to notice something new.
The three stars I’m awarding this book are in large part thanks to the world building and the plotting of the last quarter of the book. Perhaps I’ll try again one day, but I feel that as a modern reader of fantasy, going back and rereading the classics of the genre doesn’t hold the same power for me as for readers who came to these classics before the newer novels so popular in the genre were written. I appreciate that there are dozens of authors I love who might not have been able to craft the books that have inspired awe within me if Jordan had never penned this series. But having read those amazing works before coming to the series that inspired them as made the foundational material very difficult for me to enjoy.
If you’re a reader who loves this series and know it will always hold a special place in your heart, I’m sorry that I can’t join you in that love. But I can see why you love it, even if I can’t share the feeling. -
“The grave is no bar to my call.”
“The Great Hunt” is an impeccable continuation of the adventure that had started in the first volume. Well-developed arcs, gain a razor-sharp cutting edge as the Author starts using all his advantages: from the intricate worldbuilding to unavoidable tensions rooted in the conflict of aspiration and avoidance to a set of diverse characters, that are both archetypical and unique in their own way. After a stuttered opening, the pacing increases and the smooth course of events leads to the epic culmination.
“You may not want greatness, but it will take a great man to do these things.”
The main theme of the second wheel in this fourteen wheeler is the Great Hunt aimed at capturing the Horn of Valere, an artefact which will provide glory to whoever finds it. It is with its help that one can summon legendary heroes who fought the Shadow. I wrote that the beginning stutters and it is mainly due to the fact that the Horn needs to be stolen first so that it can be properly hunted and I found the whole setup mildly ridiculous. Nevertheless, this is a great excuse to provide the readers with a deeper background and share many interesting stories and further expand the margins of the created world. I liked it very much, that Mr Jordan left nothing to chance and had everything thought out, even if it can be argued that the novel is too long. In my opinion, this is the beauty and charm of this book, indeed the whole series! that we have the opportunity to explore the extraordinary world that comes alive on the pages of a novel. I didn’t have the impression of randomness and haphazard “production” of places and their stories in parallel with the ongoing story. Here, the reader has no doubts that the world existed in solid detail even before the events described in the series were conceived. Mr Jordan’s world (or rather, how exciting! worlds) is becoming more expressive. Something from Tolkien still remains here, but the Author finds his own voice and creates a completely new, original story (although there is a wink towards LOTR in the form of the Nine Rings adventure story read by one of the protagonists which I found very endearing).
“You are becoming more Shienaran every day…Any day now, you’ll start talking about your honour, and asking peace to favour your sword.”
The young people who set out from the remote hamlet as peasants and who did not know the world, hardened in the heat of adventure and are ready to face the incoming challenges. They are all part of a larger plan, so their paths intersect, and they start to fit the moulds awaiting them: the Blacksmith, the Swordsman and the Trickster. This diversity means that regardless of temperament and preferences, every reader will find the one character that will arouse his sympathy the most. Additionally, in “The Great Hunt,” the number of dialogues has definitely increased, which has undoubtedly a large impact on the narrative dynamics as they perfectly complement the numerous descriptions. They capture the emotions of the protagonists in such a way that you can almost hear the tone of their voice and sometimes imagine the gestures accompanying the conversation.
“The world will be broken whether you break it or not.”
For Rand al’Thor, the time of innocence is over. He already knows who he is and what role he is destined for, but he desperately wants to remove the danger from his friends and he is paralysed by the visions of inevitable madness and destruction. The boy (still not a man) does not let himself think about who he is and what task awaits him. He does not want to be a puppet in the hands of Aes Sedai (wow, the Red Ajah would make some feminists I know very proud, I'd deffo be a Brown one!), he wants to run somewhere where he won’t hurt anyone by wielding the One Power. When he does set off on a journey, it’s altogether different than what he had planned and his attitude and faith in his own abilities gradually change. The transformation takes place slowly, often Rand is torn by all kinds of doubts, sometimes even self-pity. However, when the moment of quick action comes, he shows capabilities he would not have suspected of himself. For a while, it seems that he can finally take his fate in his own hands. Silly boy. Also in this case, it is clear that the Author knows what he has prepared for the main hero from the very beginning.
“There is now one who walks the world, one who was and will be, but is not yet, the Dragon.”
Excessive pre-determinism is one cardinal flaw I truly detest about the overall premise of this series. Rand’s struggle who is trying to control his life is pointless: the Wheel of Time weaves the pattern using the lives of men for thread and even if you want to alter your life and your destiny, you can do so much as fart. If you are part of the prophecy, it must be fulfilled at all costs, pushing you along the path you have not chosen and this way it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy that all you can do is to follow. This circular way of thinking encapsulates the Wheel of Timetautologylogic for me (although the worlds and lives that might have been sequence was terrific).
“For you the battle is never done.”
Nevertheless, in some respects it can be said that “The Great Hunt” is better than the “Eye of the World,” we know the protagonists so we are already emotionally invested, the plot makes sense, even the descriptions become here more dynamic, and thus interesting. It is true that at the very beginning we have to get through a somewhat winded exposition, which drags mercilessly (at least I struggled) but believe me, it’s worth persevering because the real fun begins much faster than in the previous volume. Perhaps because the author is gradually revealing more and more secrets about the world or the Dragon Reborn, whereas the protagonists are getting more comfortable with the themes and paths set by the Wheel of Time. With each subsequent page, you can see how extensive and complex the story will be.
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.
“Death is lighter than a feather, duty heavier than a mountain.”
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 !
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.
Also in the series:
1.
The Eye of the World ★★★★☆
3.
The Dragon Reborn ★★★★☆
4.
The Shadow Rising ★★★★☆
5.
The Fires of Heaven ★★★★☆
6.
Lord of Chaos ★★★☆☆
7.
A Crown of Swords ★★★☆☆
8.
The Path of Daggers ★★★☆☆
9.
Winter's Heart ★☆☆☆☆
10.
Crossroads of Twilight ★★☆☆☆
11.
Knife of Dreams ★★★★☆
12.
The Gathering Storm ★★★★☆
13.
Towers of Midnight ★★★☆☆
14. A Memory of Light ★★★☆☆ -
Well, if the first book in this series diminished somewhat outside the cozy light of memory, this second book absolutely withers away. The plot is listless, its tension flagging between points that are only interesting by comparison. And the characters refuse to evolve. That is, they are all still hung up on the same issues they had at the beginning of the first book, even though they've been through fairly earth-shattering experiences in the intervening pages. I mean, why is Nynaeve still scheming on destroying Moiraine, even after the latter's motives in taking the people from Emond's Field have been thoroughly and comprehensively vindicated again and again?
Plus, and this is the big one, why does Robert Jordan insist on having his male and female characters interact in a manner so superficial, so polar, and so painful that it reminds one of bad 1950s television? The whole, Men don't understand women, women don't understand men except in so far as they want to control them. And the rampant use of this trope: "Rand blushed and wished Perrin was there; he always knew how to deal with women, way more than Rand ever would." followed, sometimes only a couple pages later, by "Perrin wished Rand was there. He knew how to deal with girls." I mean, is he serious? This same gag is used at least seven (7) times in the first two books of this series. It should also be pointed out that these "characters" are 17 years old.
So anyway, I'm done with these. -
What a book! What an amazing journey! Such an epic ending!*Takes calming breaths* I loved this book even more than the first one in the series!
“The Great hunt” begins exactly where “The Eye of the World” left off. So much happens in this second book! I was locked in suspense for the entirety of this novel, especially at the end.
New forces with monstrous creatures and terrible weapons emerge out of seemingly nowhere and shake the foundation of nations.
New threats are added to the old ones. The Darkfriends are everywhere, from nobles of many different nations to Children of the Light and even the Aes Sedai!
Aielmen finally make an appearance!
We get to learn more about the Ogier race, their steddings and their traditions.
Daes dae'mar, the Great Game, played by the noble houses of Cairhien is introduced.
And much more!
This is one amazing Epic fantasy. A journey into a well-thought universe with a very complex and intriguing magic system and compelling characters that come from many different nations and races. A must-read for fantasy fans! The length of these books no longer intimidate me. I can’t wait to read the next book.
-
This picked up right after the end happenings of The Eye of the World. Rand and his group of friends have found the legendary Horn of Valere. Unfortunately it is quickly stolen by Darkfriends. It must be found before the Last Battle with the Dark One!
The story started a little slow but definitely got more and more engaging as it progressed. Rand, Mat, and Perrin were on the quest for the Horn and I thought their journey was an interesting one. Egwene and Nynaeve started the Aes Sadai training at Tar Valon and were joined there by Elayne and Min. I enjoyed learning more about the Aes Sedai.
Jordan's world building continues to be excellent and it was good to see and learn more of the kingdoms. The addition of the Seanchan invasion force and their crazy ways also gave the story a whole new dimension.
The end happenings were quite dramatic so I'm looking forward to see where the story goes in the third instalment.
Rating: 4 stars.
Audio Note: Kate Reading and Michael Kramer do as good a job with this one as they did with the first book in the series. -
"Born among black, knife-edged peaks, where death roamed the high passes yet hid from things still more dangerous, the wind blew south across the tangled forest of the Great Blight, a forest tainted and twisted by the touch of the Dark One. The sickly-sweet smell of corruption faded by the time the wind crossed that invisible line men called the border of Shienar, where spring flowers hung thick in the trees. It should have been summer by now, but spring had been late in coming, and the land had run wild to catch up. New-come pale green bristled on every bush, and red new growth tipped every tree branch. The wind rippled farmers' fields like verdant ponds, solid with crops that almost seemed to creep upward visibly.
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."
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.
(Note to myself, the path on this journey, to remember later – major spoilers: )
"And men cried out to the Creator, saying, O Light of the Heavens, Light of the World, let the Promised One be born of the mountain, according to the Prophecies, as he was in Ages past and will be in Ages to come. Let the Prince of the Morning sing to the land that green things will grow and the valleys give forth lambs. Let the arm of the Lord of the Dawn shelter us from the Dark, and the great sword of justice defend us. Let the Dragon ride again on the winds of time."
And so he did.
5 stars all the way this time too.
(3rd read, 28.12.2021 - 06.01.2022)
-----
“Death is lighter than a feather, duty heavier than a mountain.”
Reading this volume, you realize that the LOTR foundation remain just that: the foundation. The story expands in a multitude of directions, even if this volume is centered around the Horn of Valere.
New characters appear, the old ones are growing. The Pattern draws one to the other more closely. Rand is far from the sheepherder he used to be even if he still denies what he is, Perrin is finally accepting his Old Gift, Mat is still linked to the Shadar Logoth knife, but he doesn’t abandon his friends and has a big surprise for us.
Nynaeve is one of the most loveable characters here, despite her hatred for Moiraine and Aes Sedai in general. She is a strong and powerful woman who will do everything for her loved ones, no matter how great the danger. But so are the others. From a bunch of childhood friends, they become much more than that, and for life.
I couldn’t help thinking that Daes Dae’Mar played in Cairhien, the Game of Houses, makes
A Game of Thrones a child’s play. Maybe it was the inspiration for GRRM? Don’t know and don’t care, to be honest. The story, the writing, the action, the worldbuilding, the pace here are levels up compared to ASOIAF, in my opinion.
And even if this is the battle between those who walk in the Light and those who don’t, there are Darkfriends which are not that bad and vice versa. I prefer some of the Dark One’s acolytes to some of the ‘righteous’ ones.
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.
Simply awesome! -
3.75 stars
**Even though this is a spoiler-free review, there may be spoilers for book 1,
The Eye of the World**
HOLY SMOKES THAT ENDING WAS EPIC!!! At this rate, this series will definitely end up on my favorites of all time! After reading
The Eye of the World I wouldn't say that I was underwhelmed. I did like the book, I wasn't crazy about it, but I saw that it had potential. I knew that the sequel would have to be at least as good or better in order to really start to see how this is considered to be one of the best fantasy series of all time. OH BOYYY, this book did NOT disappoint :D
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.“Death is lighter than a feather, duty heavier than a mountain.”
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.
I didn't think the world building was as good in this book as in book 1. There were many more times when we just got info-dumped (ex. the Seachan) or when we vaguely talked about something and moved on (the Portal Stones). I am excited to learn more about the Aiel because they just seem to be very different than the people this side of the Spine. They appear to have this entire different culture and system of life that I really want to explore. We finally got to see a stedding, which I thought was SO COOL! And we got an explanation as to why there are so little Ogiers out and about. I neeeed more. Also can I just talk about Loial?
Where in book one, the pacing throughout was generally pretty even, here I was just kind of overloaded at times, and bored at others. The boring areas never were too bad but they did stand out especially in the middle. The ending was EPIC though. I CANNOT stop thinking about it and I CANNOT wait to know where everything will go from here. I know that a turn off for many people is Robert Jordan's way of writing action, but personally I think it is a breath of fresh air and I like trying to visualise how all the moves look like.
The expansion of the magic system was something that I thought was done in a great way. I loved all the scenes with Nynaeve and Egwene in the White Tower. I really want to spend some more time there and to dive deeper into the Ajahs. Bringing Elayne and Min to the fore-front was also a great choice. They both had only a chapter or two in book 1, but here they were main characters and I just came to really really enjoy their perspectives!
The Great Hunt was an epic sequel. It improved on the things that I thought were not done as well in
The Eye of the World, but on the flip-side it came with it's own fair share of mishaps. I can't wait to see what will happen in
The Dragon Reborn.
-----------------------------------
Books in series:
#0
New Spring: ★★.75
#1
The Eye of the World: ★★★.5
#2 The Great Hunt:★★★.75
#3
The Dragon Reborn: ★★★
#4
The Shadow Rising: ★★★★.25
#5
The Fires of Heaven: ★★★★
#6
Lord of Chaos: ★★★★.25
#7
A Crown of Swords: ★★★.75
#8
The Path of Daggers: ★★.25 -
This is such a step up from the first. I feel like quite a lot of plot lines started moving in this, and I’m pumped to see where things start going. This seemed a bit like a filler where we learn a lot more about the world, but not a huge amount happens for the length of the novel. Regardless, I was engaged throughout it and am excited to continue now.
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Re-read: August 2020
When asked about the things I identify as, a Reader is on the top of that list. It is what I do. It is part of who I am. So when the coronavirus pandemic hit, I was glad I still had reading to keep me entertained and fell-to voraciously. Now I am at month 5 of unemployment after a pandemic related lay-off and reading is...difficult. I pick up my book, read a page or two, and put it back down. I can't seem to concentrate. Or care.
What to do except pick up an old favorite?
Even this was hard for me. It has been 8 years since my last read, and I have lost some of my patience for epic fantasy. There is so much build-up. I remember The Great Hunt as a wild ride, but it's... not?
I was crying through the entire climax though, so there's that. All you have to do is whisper "One last lesson" in my ear and I'll start weeping. This series has that effect on me. What I wrote above 8 years ago holds true - the climax is shiver-inducing, it did become harder and harder to put down with every passing chapter, and I do want to run to the bookshelf right now and pick up book 3.
Original Review: February 2012
The tone of the series really changes with this second installment. It goes from following a few country bumpkins on their first wide-eyed adventure into the world, to what we know and love the Wheel of Time for - a sprawling epic covering an entire continent. From the prologue, we're suddenly bombarded with the styles and personalities of all the diverse regions of the land, and though it will be hammered home so we always know what Jordan is talking about, we're also expected to start remembering all the crazy threads he is beginning to weave for us.
This is also where a number of phrases that Jordan uses ad nauseam really pick up. See the
Wheel of Time drinking game for more info - beware spoilers! Braid tugging, skirt smoothing, wool heads, boxed ears, and sword stances (such as "Heron Wading in the Rushes") make me constantly roll my eyes. I got into the habit of shouting out the stances whenever they occurred to my begrudgingly tolerating boyfriend. "Cat Crosses the Courtyard!" I shout across the room. "The Swallow Takes Flight!" I'm amazed at the wide variety Jordan came up with; I don't know if one is ever repeated. I thought it pretty ridiculous that anytime the Heron marked blade came out, so did the fighting stances. For me though, this endears the series to me. All the things that are repeated over and over again can either annoy you or bind you closer to the story, it's really up to the reader. I chose to let them make me laugh every time they're mentioned.
Once again we're traveling across the face of the world, but instead of being chased, our young heroes are the chasers. The stakes are high and they never back down, although many readers will find the middle slow-moving. There's a lot of information being given that doesn't come into play right away. The climax of The Great Hunt, however, is shiver-inducing, as all the storylines come together for one great release of tension.
The Great Hunt is really just a warm-up for the pure awesomeness that is books 3-6, but if you're uninterested in keeping the stories and vast cast of characters straight (and I don't blame you), this is where I suggest stopping. For myself, however, I'm remembering why I fell in love with fantasy in the first place. The Great Hunt became harder and harder to put down with every chapter that I finished, and it took all my willpower to not run immediately to my bookshelf and pick up book 3, The Dragon Reborn. I can hardly wait to read more! -
This is a review after my reread. I didn’t write one when I first read the book.
I just finished
The Eye of the World before this and comparing the two together, I feel like I do enjoy this one slightly more for a number of reasons. Since this is one of my favourite series ever, there won’t be any real criticisms here but rather why I loved it.
To begin with, we got to see some of Lanfear, who I personally think is the most interesting Forsaken in the entire series for reasons, no spoilers. Despite her being this evil villain, I still really do like her character as a whole and there times where you almost feel bad for her but then also not at the same time since she’s, you know, a ‘bad guy.’
I really am enjoying this reread of the series so far as you almost forget how much actually happens in each book and I was surprised at the amount of stuff that occurred and I feel like this happened due to the heavily descriptive nature of the writing style, but almost because the plot progresses a lot slower in the middle books as anyone would tell you. There’s also lots of smaller details that I’m picking up that I have forgotten before and properly reminded me at how rich and detailed the world building is despite the fact that the map looks like a literal blob on a page.
The characters also slowly grow on you as you progress throughout the books(of which there are 14). At the start, characters can be really annoying or frustrating, or that you wished they had a different mindset entirely, yet most of them end up growing so much beyond what they were, from farmer folk to legends that have done something important to be remembered, which I think is great.
Something that I think is certainly better than book 1 is that the plot goes in its own direction meaning there is an assortment of things that occur that is new in a sense. Whereas the first book was loosely based on LotR to boost sales or whatever, this book shows Jordan’s ability to craft a tale that is wholesome, breathtaking and new. Furthermore, we also get to explore more of the world which, in fantasy is one of the most exciting things for me. In the first book, all of the characters were essentially trapped in this little speck in the world yet by the end of book 1 they had already explored so much, and this book is no different. This only works however is the world is interesting and the world itself is well done, as otherwise it would be a repetitive slog of events.
I don’t know when I’ll pick up book three, but I do aim to read all of the books again eventually but if I’m being honest, it’s a pretty daunting task and I need a break sometimes. 10/10 -
These books are giving me happy-place feelings LotR(-movie)-style. Serious question though: How is Mat Sanderson’s favorite character? I’m hoping he will become more likeable - so far he only succeeded at annoying me. (He is like a grumpy Merry Brandybuck, touching stuff he shouldn’t.) My favorite characters as of book 2 are the mostly impenetrable stone fortress that is Lan, the more and more confident Rand (even if his lusting after/blind trust of that presumably evil bitch Selene was grating), and headstrong Nynaeve. On to book 3!
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And men cried out to the Creator, saying, O Light of the Heavens, Light of the World, let the Promised One be born of the mountain, according to the Prophecies, as he was in Ages past and will be in Ages to come. Let the Prince of the Morning sing to the land that green things will grow and the valleys give forth lambs. Let the arm of the Lord of the Dawn shelter us from the Dark, and the great sword of justice defend us. Let the Dragon ride again on the winds of time.
The second book in the WoT series is at times just as good, if not better than the first. (The only reason for not getting all the stars, is that some of the main characters decided to be unbearable and drove me up the walls.) It mostly concerns itself with the mythical Great Hunt that we have seen retold in countless fantasies, usually with slight alterations and twists and Robert Jordan does not disappoint with his version. Just as Rand and the rest have become comfortable in Fal Dara, the Amyrlin seat arrives along with a handful of Aes Sedai. Needless to say, Rand is very eager to be away from the keep and the scrutiny of the Aes Sedai and his opportunity arrives in the form of disaster. The keep is attacked and a valuable items are stolen. Our protagonists have to set out on a new journey, their own private great hunt if you please, in order to recover these stolen items and in no time at all the stakes are raised to dangerous levels as they are once again separated with danger besetting them from every side.
The events in this book unfold beautifully and there are so many fascinating developments. Apart from the actual hunt, we have the girls who start their training in Tar Valon and even some new abilities being uncovered. We have the appearance and interference of one of the Forsaken and some of the characters even find themselves in alternate worlds. And then we have the Seanchan invasion. Oh man. As if there wasn’t enough on everyone’s plates...they kill indiscriminately, keep Aes Sedai as pets to attack enemies with, although dogs are treated better most of the times and they ride things like horse-sized, scaly lizard cats and giant, three-eyed bear like creatures with frog skin and triangular heads, and no, these things are not herbivores. And they do all this while wearing armour that gives them the appearance of giant insects. O_O Their invasion just ramps everything up to a whole new level and there is SO much going on that it will keep you glued to the book right up to the climatic ending.
They were all watching him, all waiting. Death is lighter than a feather, duty heavier than a mountain. He made his decision.
I cannot wait to read the next book! -
*** 5 ***
This book and this series never Ever disappoints! It is magical, bewitching, enthralling, intricate, thought and emotion inducing, addiction promoting, and all together superior to almost any other series I have ever read... !!!
Yep, this is the reason I can not write a review on any of the books in this series. I get into it and then I turn into an absolute and total fan-girl and only superlatives of wonderfulness jump from my brain... It is not that I think the book is perfect (ooo, that was very difficult to type!). No. I know that it was written by a human thus imperfection is a given, but boy is it close to what my soul acknowledges as close to perfection. As a second book in a 15 book series it is supposed to be a set-up, just world building and introduction to the conflict, right? But it is soooooo much more! It is all that, done in the most engaging way possible, plus everything else a good Fantasy book can deliver. Tears, fighting, laughter, angst, battles, politics, intrigues, Game of Houses, Good and Evil, quite a lot of gray, simple village youths finding their way to glory and responsibility, religion, magic, war.... All the spectrum of feelings, from good to bad, from joy to frustration, from excitement to depression... Put it all together in a masterfully balanced plot with a "weave" of prose that transports you as far away from reality as we can possibly get, and you have this marvelous universe of Robert Jordan's creation...! I do it an injustice with my poor ability to convey its majestic greatness...
Thus, the only thing left for all of you out there who have not as of yet read this series is obvious - get it and read it! You will not be sorry:-)
I wish all of you Happy reading and may every book you read be what you need!!!
