The Great Hunt (Wheel of Time - Book Two)

Title: The Great Hunt
Author: Robert Jordan
Series: The Wheel of Time

Ratings

Score: 8/10
How long I would stay up reading: 4:00 am
How likely I am to read the next in the Series: Definite

Review

I was pleasantly surprised to find that in this second book of the series, the maps that seem to adorn most fantasy books were before the prologue. Anyone who has read my review of the first book, "The Eye of the World", will know that I found it being the other way round rather offputting. It feels like a much more natural order here. In fact, the majority of the problems I had with the previous book have simply disappeared.

The transitions between characters are smooth, and there are many more sub-plots than in the original, most of which tie together nicely in the last few chapters. There are less similarities to other famous works here, perhaps as Jordan seems to become more comfortable with his own style. Most importantly though, to me at least, the story starts a lot faster, opening with a sword fighting lesson and moving on to a raid of the town.

The prologue here seems to get in the way, since it is seemingly not very important. It refers to the whitecloak subplot, yet this is a very vague sub-plot, and rather hurridly ended. Despite being minor in compariosn to the rest of the story, it is ended quite badly, and leaves a lot of questions as to what exactly was going on.

However, as previously, it was brilliantly written and I will most definitely be following the series to it's conclusion (The last book has just been published).


More Information

Main Protagonist(s): 5 male and 4 female
Main Antagonist(s): 2 male
Main Relationships: Heterosexual undertones
Genre: Epic Fantasy
Preceeded by: The Eye of the World
Succeeded by: The Dragon Reborn
Brief Synopsis:

Every so often, a Great Hunt begins for the lost Horn of Valere, a legendary horn that when sounded will bring back the ancient heroes to do battle. Rand and his companions don't need to join in however, since the horn is safely in their possession. Or so they think. They are attacked by trollocs and darkfriends, who manage steal the horn, and cause Rand, Mat, Perrin, Hurin and Loial the ogier to travel with a host of warriors on the true great hunt. Meanwhile Egwene and Nynaeve are taken to Tor Valon to begin their training as Aes Sedai. But an Aes Sedai of the red faction betrays them, resulting in Egwene's slavery at Toman Head. With only their new friends Min and Elayne to help, How will Nyneave free Elayne, and why are the darkfriends, led by Padan Fain, taking the horn to Toman Head? Most importantly, will Rand al'Thor take up his destiny as the Dragon Reborn?

ISBN(-10): 1-85723-027-2
Website: Publisher's Author Page
Amazon Link: UK Site US Site
Pages: ~ 680
First Published: 1991
Publisher: Orbit Books