In The Great Hunt, the second novel in Robert Jordan’s #1 New York Times bestselling epic fantasy series, The Wheel of Time®, Rand al’Thor and his companions set out to retrieve a powerful artifact from The Dark One’s Shadowspawn.

For centuries, gleemen have told the tales of The Great Hunt of the Horn. So many tales about each of the Hunters, and so many Hunters to tell of…

Now the Horn itself is found: the Horn of Valere long thought only legend, the Horn which will raise the dead heroes of the ages.

And it is stolen.

In pursuit of the thieves, Rand al’Thor is determined to keep the Horn out of the grasp of The Dark One. But he has also learned that he is The Dragon Reborn―the Champion of Light destined to stand against the Shadow time and again. It is a duty and a destiny that requires Rand to uncover and master extraordinary capabilities he never imagined he possessed.

How was it?

The second book in this popular epic fantasy series the “Wheel of Time” by Robert Jordan is still as intricate in its storylines and detailed in its world-building as The Eye of the World was. Magic, politics, and prophecies still play big roles in the series with the addition of new – if not always interesting – characters, creatures, and places.

The story continues to follow the young villagers of the Twto Rivers, and we are blessed – yes I chose that word – with multiple P.O.V.s. I had almost forgotten how Rand Al’Thor, one of the main characters who has been marked by destiny, could be annoying. I almost skipped some chapters where he was the focus, his attitude and decision-making skills are grating, and the whole thing about him being a reluctant hero is fine but it’s been two books so his denials are tiresome. I was almost rooting for his enemies. If it wasn’t for Nynaeve – who also sometimes gets on my nerves – whom I like in the first entry but loved in the TV Adaptation I might have finished this book in weeks, with a couple of books in between, instead of days.

Obviously, one of the main plot points in this entry is Rand’s struggle with his destiny. There is some character growth but boy it’s slow. I would have much rather have spent more time on Perrin’s growth, he’s not as winy.
The hunt for the Horn of Valere, which is the great hunt the title refers to, adds a nice adventure/quest or even a game of cat and mouse to the story that is entertaining in particular when the artifact’s importance is taken into account. At any moment it could have been used just to claim it and it’s amazing how that pans out. Most of the characters’ actions are influenced by that horn and it puts everyone involved into a mix political intrigues, alliances, and betrayals. There are a few reveals in this book that are shocking, except maybe for one betrayal that I was waiting to come *cough, black Aja, cough.*

As complex as the world already is with its many kingdoms and characters, the author manages to introduce a whole new culture and custom while keeping it engaging. The geopolitical repercussions of this new threat and the prophecy are more prevalent here and I quite like it.

So the lore has expanded, the main characters are evolving, the motivations and loyalties are shifting, revelations are made, and there are enough action sequences to get the blood pumping as much as the mind was stimulated by all the skimming.

Previous book in the series:

If you like this content, please consider supporting the site by getting me a Coffee to keep it going: