The Great Hunt: Book Two of The Wheel Of Time

Second novel in one of the greatest series ever written. Not the best in the series, but not the worst either. If you've read the first and you are considering continuing, you really should. If you haven't read the first, start with "The Eye of the World". As one progresses through the series more and more characters are added which may be daunting for new readers of fantasy, but all the characters stories are interesting and move the plot along nicely.Names of places and people can be confusing for those not used to fantasy writing, but the author conveniently provides a pronunciation guide at the end of the novel that can easily be referenced (although the presence of such a thing is telling in-and-of itself).This series as a whole has everything one could wish for from high fantasy: action, magic, politics, history, relationships, character growth, triumph, betrayal, hope, tragedy, comedy. Not as dark as A Song of Ice and Fire (Game of Thrones), not as light as Narnia, not as magical as Harry Potter, not as political as Malazan, and not as historical as Lord of the Rings. However, what this series accomplishes is a blend of all of these in a masterful work of art that is unrivaled in balance across themes.RIP Robert Jordan, may your work be preserved from the turning of the wheel to delight future generations, time without end.

Book Two in the Wheel of Time series is a solid if somewhat frustrating entry. The narrative expands dramatically and the bigger picture starts to become clearer but there are definitely some issues with the writing.Rand is a very frustrating protagonist to read. He seems to actively work against the progression of the plot. He displays a stubborn hesitance to proceed with truly important endeavors while sometimes showing brash impassivity in leaping to do things that are totally foolish and counter-productive.It's not just Rand either. many of the major characters in this series seem to act in irrational and frustrating ways. Communication is particularly lacking between the main protagonists. Often the failure to relay important information proves costly and there are times when the main characters make inexplicable errors in judgement at the worst possible times. There is also this irrational blaming of Aes Sedai for pretty much everything that all of the main characters seem to cling to no matter what happens. In my opinion, too much of the drama comes from that and it does frustrate the reader.All that aside, this book is, at times, a tour de force! There are epic battles, terrifying enemies, dark prophecies and legendary relics. It is a book that really hits you with everything and, despite a couple of points where it struggles for pace, it was definitely an enjoyable read.

The Great Hunt improves upon the first book in every conceivable way. The Eye of the World was really good, but it had some pacing issues, and it had to wrestle with the fact that to get it's foot in the door it had to be very Tolkien-esque. The Great Hunt on the other hand is a great book. It's like Jordan got the first one out of the way, sat down, and said, 'Okay, let's open this thing up.' I think I am now starting to see The Wheel of Time's true colors shine through, and it was very satisfying to watch.This is an extremely well-paced book. The reader can take a pretty good guess what is going to happen during its plot, and yet it doesn't totally fall to predictability. And even the things that I did see coming were still fun. While the first book plods along a bit at the beginning, this one moves naturally and flows through its builds and its releases. We already know most all of the characters (including a couple I did not expect to see again), and so we are able to just sit back and take in the story. I mentioned it above but I really feel like the series is starting to form its own identity with this installment. The world is opened up in new and interesting ways (Portal Stones/Mirrors of the Wheel immediately come to mind, as do the Seanchan and their exotic culture), and Jordan's skill as a writer is apparent in several powerful, trippy scenes. Jordan is not shying away from the freedom that a story based on cycles and cycles, years and years of time and events gives him. And the nature of the One Power (as we discover more about it alongside the characters) gives way to some very cool scenes.I believe the hook is in me now. And having just ended the second installment I am eager to see where the story goes next. On to The Dragon Reborn.Death is lighter than a feather, duty heavier than a mountain.Let the Dragon ride again on the winds of time.

When I saw that this novel comprised some 14 individual books (all at least 700 pages each, small print), I had second thoughts. Reading something this extensive would probably take me a year. And if it turns out to be uninteresting? Worse. Well, I could not have been more wrong. The story is absolutely fascinating, electrifying, hypnotic. I've already sped through the first two books in about as many weeks. I cannot recommend this novel series enough. If you enjoy high fantasy (not that Harry Potter nonsense), such as Lord of the Rings, etc., then this is the novel series for you. In places, the pace is very slow, but this is good, because the narrative pulls you into character and details you just know you will need later on in order to understand everything. Yes, it is a very complex story, but this also is good. It's like digging in to the richest, most well prepared, multi-course dinner you've ever eaten. And every bite counts. Again, if you loved Lord of the Rings, you will definitely love this novel series.

After moderately enjoying the first book of the all-famous fantasy series, I decided to give the second a chance. Needless to say, definitely an improvement on the first, but not by too much. The characters are much more proactive and intentional as they hunt the Horn of Valere and fight against the dark ones minions. We get more insights into other realms, plot and world development, and an ending which was really solid. If you enjoyed the first one I'd recommend this one too. Not perfect by any means, but a really enjoyable read.

This is so worth the purchase if you are new to the Wheel of Time series. However, the plastic peels from the cover on these newer books, which is a bit irritating. I know I will be buying hardback copies of these books in the future, so it is a bit irritating. But they do the trick and I stand by the term don't judge a book by its coverWith the first book I understood the complaints about the Tolkien comparisons. However, I think this book opened up the world so much more expansive than the first. As I reach each book I think this trend will continue. The Seanchan and the Mirrors of the wheel was amazing. I wont go into anymore detail because its kind of spoilers, but this book starts to become brave with more complex ideas. Absolutely loved it! Cant wait for The Dragon Reborn!

I have read the WoT series maybe a dozen times over the years, and still discover fresh titbits in every reading. The series and, by association, this book is written so well that you can easily find yourself immersed deep within from the word to. The characters Jordan brings to life are fantastic: each one different, immersive and, best of all, able to evoke feelings in you that other books just do not. Fabulous read that as usual I could not put down.

I thought I would read the first book or two before I watched the show. Now I am hooked on the books. This one follows on nicely from the first with some new antagonists and a broadening of the story and characters.If you’ve read book one but are worried this isn’t as good, you can rest assured. As I said, it’s Great.

First time I read this, I finished it in a week. At the time, that was a record for me (a record I kept until the Deathly Hallows came out which I finished in the space of about twenty hours). Unlike the previous book which was a 'run for your lives' adventure, this is a quest. We start off in Sheinar where Rand is just coming to terms with the fact he can channel and will go mad someday. In order to protect those he cares about, he estranges himself from them, a decision which will cause much friction throughout the novel. The story really starts when the legendary horn of Valere is stolen and an army of Sheinaran soldiers, along with Rand and his friends set out to hunt it down. The book suffers from a rather slow start, something that Jordan seems rather apt at doing. The hunt itself doesn't begin until chapter ten, a full quarter of the way through. The thing is, I don't really mind, Jordan is very good at setting the scene, and drawing the characters and where they are now that the previous adventure is over. It takes time, and for some, it may seem to be too much.There are two notable things about this book. The first is the introduction of Tar Valon and Aes Sedai society. Unfortunately, nothing much happens here. Most of the narrative is devoted to how the culture operates and the customs and rituals they perform. This portion is probably the weakest part of the book. Doubly so because even the character moments aren't that interesting, and sometimes I even cringe at them (Egwene, Min and Elayne excitedly exclaiming, 'Let's be friends!' to each other just smacks of something out of My Little Pony). However, once they get whisked off to Toman Head, things get interesting. There they meet the other notable thing: The Seanchan. Aside from the forces of Darkness, this is the main enemy for most of the series and they are very well portrayed. And what they've done to women who can channel is a very novel, if horrific, idea.But it is the ending that is the best. After plodding along at little faster than a snail, the last six to seven chapters pass by in a blur and I found it impossible to stop reading. It is an epic and exciting finale with so much happening.All in all, this is a very good book, possibly better than its predecessor. Unfortunately, it suffers from a slow pace and a little clunky writing now and then, but it is nothing I can't get past.