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The Great Hunt

The Great Hunt

Book 2 of the Wheel of Time
Epic FantasyFantasy
Pages
689
Published
1990
Language
English

Synopsis

The Horn of Valere, said to summon the dead heroes of legend to fight in the Last Battle, has been found and then stolen, and with it the ruby-hilted dagger that binds Matrim Cauthon to a slow and certain death. Rand al'Thor, only beginning to accept what he is, joins the hunt to recover both, a chase that carries the company across half a continent and even into strange mirror-worlds of might-have-been. Far to the west, an invading people called the Seanchan come ashore with chained women who channel the One Power on command, revealing that the world is larger and stranger than the Two Rivers ever suggested. Meanwhile Egwene and Nynaeve travel to the White Tower to begin training as Aes Sedai, and a confrontation looms that will force Rand to declare himself before thousands. The second volume of The Wheel of Time widens the canvas dramatically, introducing nations, prophecies, and enemies that reshape the scope of the story while tightening the noose of destiny around its central figure.

Prose complexity
7/10

Vibe

AdventurousDarkTenseMysterious
QuestChosen OneReluctant HeroComing of AgeMultiple POVs

Genres

Epic Fantasy Fantasy High Fantasy Adventure Historical Fiction

About the author

R
Robert Jordan

Born in Charleston, South Carolina, James Oliver Rigney Jr. (1948-2007) wrote under the pen name Robert Jordan and became best known for the epic fantasy series The Wheel of Time. He served two tours as a U.S. Army helicopter gunner in Vietnam, earning the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Bronze Star, then took a degree in physics from The Citadel and worked as a nuclear engineer for the Navy. A fall and a long convalescence in the late 1970s turned him toward writing full time. Before fantasy...

Characters

Rand al'ThorProtagonist

Now unable to deny what he is, Rand reluctantly joins the hunt for the Horn while resisting his prophesied role.

Padan FainAntagonist

The malevolent peddler whose theft sets the hunt in motion and who pursues a vendetta of his own.

Ba'alzamonAntagonist

The Dark One's servant who continues to torment Rand and steer events from the shadows.

Matrim CauthonSupporting

Bound to a deadly tainted dagger, Mat must recover it to survive, even as his luck and old memories stir.

Perrin AybaraSupporting

Quietly grappling with an unwanted connection to wolves as he rides with the hunters.

All characters in The Great Hunt

Frequently asked questions

  • What is the Horn of Valere?

    The Horn is a legendary artifact that, when sounded, calls the spirits of dead heroes back to fight alongside the living. Its theft drives the book's central quest, and its existence raises the stakes for the coming Last Battle.

  • Who are the Seanchan and why do they collar women?

    The Seanchan are a vast empire from across the ocean who regard women able to channel as dangerous creatures to be controlled. They use a device called the a'dam, a collar-and-leash ter'angreal, to enslave them as weapons. Their arrival expands the world far beyond the first book.

  • What happens in the alternate worlds Rand visits?
  • Is The Great Hunt better than the first book?

    Many readers consider it a step up, with a broader world, higher stakes, and a stronger climax. It introduces several elements, including the Seanchan, the White Tower, and key prophecies, that become central to the entire series.

  • Was The Great Hunt published the same year as the first book?

    Yes. Both The Eye of the World and The Great Hunt were published in 1990, the first in January and the second in November, an unusually fast follow-up for an epic of this scale.

  • What does the title 'The Great Hunt' refer to?

    It names the quest to recover the stolen Horn of Valere, sometimes called the Great Hunt of the Horn, a legendary pursuit that draws hunters from across the world.

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