The Great Hunt (The Wheel of Time #2) by Robert Jordan

Hey book lovers! I have eight books to rate/review that I read in 2021 so I can share a blog post with my favourite books read last year (and then I have another post coming up with my 22 most anticipated books to read in 2022). I read the first ten books of The Wheel of Time series twenty years ago. When I heard about the adaptation I decided to re-read the series and finally finish it. I’m currently on book 5, so I need to share a review for books 2, 3, and 4. If you haven’t read The Eye of the World then be warned – SPOILERS, SPOILERS, SPOILERS.

About The Book 📚

Title: The Great Hunt (Book Two of The Wheel of Time)

Author: Robert Jordan

Publication Date: First published 1990

Publisher: This edition was published 2012 by Tor Books

Suggested Reader Age: Adult

Genre: High Fantasy, Science Fiction

About The Author

Robert Jordan was the pen name of James Oliver Rigney, Jr.
He also wrote under the names Reagan O’Neal and Jackson O’Reilly.
born in Charleston, South Carolina
served two tours in Vietnam
he received an undergraduate degree in physics
he was employed by the United States Navy as a nuclear engineer
Jordan admitted that he was a Freemason
On March 23, 2006, Jordan disclosed in a statement that he had been diagnosed with cardiac amyloidosis, and that with treatment, his median life expectancy was four years, though he said he intended to beat the statistics.
Jordan died at approximately 2:45 p.m. EDT on September 16, 2007
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6252.Robert_Jordan

My Review

› “And it shall come to pass that what men made shall be shattered, and the Shadow shall lie across the Pattern of the Age, and the Dark One shall once more lay his hand upon the world of man”, the Karaethon Cycle, The Prophecies of the Dragon

In the prologue, Bors is in a chamber with other people from all around the world wearing masks, including one Aes Sedai. A man appears to them, floating, claiming to be Ba’alzamon. He shows them holograph images of Rand, Mat, and Perrin and gives each person unique and silent instructions. Ba’alzamon tells Bors to return to Tarabon, and watch for the three young men:

“The muscular, curly-haired youth; the farmer with the sword; and the lad with the look of mischief on his face…the Blacksmith, the Swordsman, and the Trickster.”

In Fal Dara, near the Mountains of Doom, Rand and Lan are practicing with swords. Mat still has the tainted dagger from Shadar Logoth. The evil in the dagger is slowly killing him, but it would kill him even faster if he got rid of it. He must travel to Tar Valon. Moiraine said it’s the only safe place to separate Mat from the dagger.

“The Wheel of Time weaves us all into the Pattern as it wills, but sometimes it provides what we need before we know we need it” – Verin

For the first time in 400 years, the Great Hunt for the Horn of Valere has been announced. The horn must be found before the Last Battle with the Dark One.

We learn that Siuan Sanche, the Amyrlin Seat, and Moiraine had a secret plan for Moiraine to find Rand and bring him to the White Tower so the Amyrlin and Moiraine could keep him hidden and train him for the Last Battle.

Moiraine shows Siuan the broken pieces of one of the seven seals on the Dark One’s prison. The plan is for Rand to present the Horn in Iliad, proclaim he is the Dragon Reborn so others will follow him. But some have other plans for him…

“Fear will keep you cautious; caution will keep you alive.”

› I use the CAWPILE method to rate books.
0-3 Really bad
4-6 Mediocre
7-9 Really good
10 Outstanding

› Characters: 10
Verin is one of my favourite characters and I really hope we get to meet her in season 2 of the Amazon Prime adaptation.

I love that Nynaeva knits because I’m also a knitter. And I love her relationship with Lan. They would do anything for each other. He said “Mashiara. Beloved of heart and soul, it meant, but a love lost, too.”

Loial is also one of my favourite characters. I mean, who doesn’t love him really?

We get to know Lanfear and Ishamael, two of the Forsaken. We discover that Padan Fain is very evil. Hurin is one of the most unique characters I’ve ever read. He can smell violence and is able to track the trollocs. Min is cool. She has premonitions when she looks at people. She sees Elayne wearing a crown and having to share her husband with two other women. She also sees a white flame around Egwene. What does it mean?! We get to know Elayne, Galad, and Gawyn.

And the Aiel are mysterious. They live in “the Waste” aka the “Three-fold Land” as a punishment for a sin that only the clan chiefs know and won’t reveal.

The Seanchan and damanes and Domons are just…wow…that was emotional.

› Atmosphere: 10

› Writing Style: 9
The prophecies are super interesting. I’m pretty sure I’d be Brown Ajah.

› Plot: 8
I love the action, the trollocs and myrddraal. You’ll get 160 pages into the book before the plot really begins. Nynaeve’s testing was terrifying. I was on the edge of my seat.

› Intrigue: 10
I read a 672 pages in 6 days, so yeah…I didn’t want to put it down.

› Logic: 8

› Enjoyment: 10

Average 9.3

1.1-2.2 = ★
2.3-4.5 = ★★
4.6-6.9 = ★★★
7-8.9 = ★★★★
9-10 = ★★★★★

My Rating ★★★★★

› Final Thoughts
• The Dragon Reborn is a great read from beginning to end. It does have a slow pace at times, but the character development and world-building are perfection to me. FIVE HUGE STARS.