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Title: The Great Hunt (The Wheel of Time, Book 2) by Robert Jordan ISBN: 0-8125-1772-5 Publisher: Tor Fantasy Pub. Date: 15 October, 1991 Format: Mass Market Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $7.99 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.49 (246 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: Excellent
Comment: This is the sequel to The Eye of the World, to which it is superior in a number of ways. Once again the heroes find themselves trailing around half of their continent, but this time rather than being chased, they are doing the chasing - after the Horn of Valere and Mat's knife, and then after Egwene. What this effectively means in terms of atmosphere is that we have a much clearer feeling that this book has a definite goal in mind and is heading towards that goal with a lot of purpose and a fair bit of pace. With most of the character and world introductions out of the way, Jordan devotes this book to developing the story and characters further, particularly Rand and Egwene. Mat could do with some more development, but what is here is more than satisfying enough.
It is in this book that the series really starts to get underway. Here, many of the apparent throw-away characters and sub-plots begin to connect with the core, in particular Min and Elayne, cameo players in Eye, become major characters and Jordan doesn't waste too much time achieving that either. Even Bayle Domon (you know, the ship captain from Eye) makes a reappearance. By far the most important developments though are Rand's realisation that he is the Dragon Reborn, and the way he deals with that. This also leads to plenty of great moments for the Rand fans out there, as he rapidly, if reluctantly, starts to fill this exulted role. There's also a great and touching moment when Ingtar reveals his true motives, which I won't spoil for you.
But don't think there is nothing new in this book. On the contrary, we get to meet an empire from across the ocean, our first non-battle encounter with a Forsaken, and we even go to parallel universes.
And by the end of this lot, you're probably shaking you're head and saying "that sounds like a mess!" it's not, believe me. The Wheel of Time probably doesn't get any more tightly plotted than this installment, and it doesn't get much better, particularly not from a literary point of view.
Rating: 4
Summary: Very good second chapter
Comment: The Wheel of Time is probably the best-known and most widely read fantasy series other than The Lord of the Rings. There are many reasons for that:
(1) Books 1-5 of the series are non-stop action, adventure, intrigue, politics, magic, war, history and mystery wrapped together.
(2) Jordan creates believeable and often multifaceted characters.
(3) Attention to detail: from the various cultural traits of the 13 "nations" on the map (dubbed "Randland" by fans), to the commercial, political and economic interaction of the various peoples in the books to the characters and objects throughout "Randland".
(4) End-games. Jordan's at his best in the last chapters of books 1-6 and 9 when he writes of the climactic occurrences of each of those installments.
The Great Hunt, like The Eye of the World, again exhibits the best of Jordan's writing style and pacing. That is true also for books 3-5.
The Great Hunt picks up where Eye of the World left off and adds new facets to the complex plot: schisms and scheming among the sorceresses (Aes Sedai), an invasion by descendants of a long-lost conquistador exploration of lands across the ocean, introduction of the hero's jilted love interest, and exploration of more of Randland. The roles of Rand's various allies and friends are also revealed to a greater degree.
Once again, the writing is smooth, the various characters and their motivations work well, and there's action aplenty. The sense of innocence and mystery that corresponded to the heroes' relative lack of knowledge of their surroundings and the world at large in book 1 diminishes appropriately as the heroes are exposed to more of their world and the chaos therein.
The series is at 10 books (the tenth will be published late 2002 or so) and growing (13 total possible -- it's a common numerical theme in the books). The quality drops off sharply in books 6-8 before increasing slightly in book 9. You will likely enjoy the first 5 immensely, but know what you're getting into.
Rating: 5
Summary: Early on, this series shines
Comment: Robert Jordan's "The Great Hunt," the second in the huge and ever-growing Wheel of Time series, is a well-paced, well-plotted, engaging fantasy story that deserves to be read by fantasy readers - even those who will be inclined to ultimately drop the now ponderous series before it ends.
The story is your standard fantasy fare. There is an item of great power. There is a group of innocent young folks caught up in an adventure. The item is lost. And they quest to regain the item. Throw a slew of subplots, characters, creatures and locations into the mix and you have yourself a modern fantasy tale.
None of this is at all bad in the case of "The Great Hunt," which is an enjoyable read.
At this early stage of Jordan's series, the characters are interesting and fresh. New characters are regularly introduced, as are subplots, and all seem to fit well into the epic story gracefully being built up in this, the second volume of who knows how many. The action is brisk, the twists many, and the epic sweep of the climax engaging. Robert Jordan proves that by-the-numbers fantasy doesn't have to be bad. This works in every way and is likely to leave you turning pages until the wee hours of the morning.
Readers new to Jordan's series should be forewarned: It's a long series that has not yet ended, nor is there even an end in sight. With each successive volume reader complaints have increased. Many find themselves loving the early books only to quit the series before it's over. Others, however, have enjoyed the expanding scope of the story and revel in the sprawling cast of characters and innumerable subplots. It's a matter of taste, to be sure, but one thing is for certain - where Jordan's series has gone these days is certainly love it or hate it territory. Know what your tastes are and read reviews of future books before getting too deeply involved.
Later volumes aside, "The Great Hunt" is a worthy addition to any fantasy library and is recommended reading even for those who have no plans to actually finish the series.
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Title: The Eye of the World (The Wheel of Time, Book 1) by Robert Jordan ISBN: 0812511816 Publisher: Tor Fantasy Pub. Date: 15 November, 1990 List Price(USD): $6.99 |
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Title: The Shadow Rising (The Wheel of Time, Book 4) by Robert Jordan ISBN: 0812513738 Publisher: Tor Fantasy Pub. Date: 15 October, 1993 List Price(USD): $7.99 |
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Title: The Fires of Heaven : Book Five of 'The Wheel of Time' by Robert Jordan ISBN: 0812550307 Publisher: Tor Fantasy Pub. Date: 15 October, 1994 List Price(USD): $7.99 |
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Title: Lord of Chaos (The Wheel of Time, Book 6) by Robert Jordan ISBN: 0812513754 Publisher: Tor Fantasy Pub. Date: 15 November, 1995 List Price(USD): $7.99 |
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Title: A Crown of Swords (The Wheel of Time, Book 7) by Robert Jordan ISBN: 0812550285 Publisher: Tor Fantasy Pub. Date: 15 November, 1997 List Price(USD): $7.99 |
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