The Great Hunt

I read about 2/3 of the book, and I just couldn't take it any more. Take the whole 13 books of the series and make it into one and you might get a good story, the way it is is just too BORING!

The main plot is much more blend then the first book, the character development is too slow. You can see that something amazing is going to happen, but based on the writing style, you can bet it's not going to be in this book.

I actually preferred the first book in the Wheel of Time series over this one, and neither were that great to me. It seemed like after the adventures in the first one, the characters started over in this book (I see why it was suggested I skip #1). The story had a few interesting parts – the alternate lines for instance – but was a small reference in a larger story of mostly waiting around and moving places.

Rating 2.5
Better than Book 1, a fun fantasy adventure, will read Book 3 eventually.

Pros: Better story than TEotW (still a grab bag of fantasy tropes), the climax was more original and easier to follow, worldbuilding gets cooler, more lore from certain POVs, more balanced story and pacing.

Cons: repetitive and un-beautiful prose, simplistic characterization, tiring boy/girl obsession-romance (it's not even really romance just crushes that are cringy). The perspective of men and women in this world is weird, we're constantly reminded that men need to marry women, men need women to “settle them down”. It almost feels like you're trapped in a house with fundamentalists that constantly bring up their odd black and white views of gender norms.

I can't put my finger on it completely, because on the surface the world is matriarchal and seemingly has a refreshing anti-patriarchal complexion (given the role magic wielding men have played in the history of this world) but even still there are contradictory undertones. The descriptions dance around the “shape” of some of the women a little too much and it feels sly and deceptive for an otherwise wholesome story afraid of crossing lines, there's a sect of Aes Sedai that eschew warders and hate men (a man hating lesbian undertone if you will). There's more too to this sloppy hypothesis, I will try to update this at a later date.

I. Am. So. Invested.

This has to be the coolest world I have ever read. Never have I been so truly interested in learning more and more of the different cultures, histories, world's and people of this world that Robert Jordan created. This second book had more action, a new drive and some very interesting routes from which the journey can now take!

Really was a 2 most of the way through but the ending picked up and it was just enough to get a 3 star. Maybe if I picked this up when I was younger and have not read a lot of fantasy series before it, I would have liked it more. I also listen to the audiobook so maybe that had a little to do with it.

Michael Kramer who does the narration, I like everything else he has done and read. With this book I do not know if it is him or the writing or both. Just about everyone in the series so far are the most whinny and annoying people I have found in a book. Over the top whinny and annoying. To the point I almost stopped many times. The bigger story is good and I keep hoping they characters will grow out of it. The main group of younger characters act like 10 year old spoiled brats that are over reacting. The writer seems to think the way they react is normal.

I am going to try and couple more to see if the writer can grow and work out how the act.

Executive Summary: Not quite as good as the first book, but still quite enjoyable, especially on this reread. I think I enjoyed it more the second time because I was in on all the secrets and foreshadowing this time.Audiobook: Excellent as expected. There are more female POV chapters in this book than their were in [b:The Eye of the World 228665 The Eye of the World (Wheel of Time, #1) Robert Jordan https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1337818095s/228665.jpg 2008238], so it's a little more evenly balanced between Michael Kramer and Kate Reading. Both do a great job. The hours just fly by.Full ReviewMy original review talked about a slow start. I'm not really sure what I meant by that though. This book has one of the best prologues of the series. Dubbed the “Darkfriend social” by fans, we get a ton of foreshadowing and clues to events that don't unfold until later in the series. Maybe I didn't appreciate it as much the first time as I did on this reread. There are a few slower parts in first half or so, mostly time spent traveling around, but those were never very long or all that slow for me.I think the real highlight here is we start to broaden the POVs out away from Rand. I like him, and at the core it's really his story, but the reason I love this series is all the depth and subplots. Nynaeve continues to get on my nerves a bit, but there is part of this book towards then end that reminded me of why she becomes one of my favorite characters later in the series. It's just a shame Mr. Jordan made her so frustrating for so long.I'm a sucker for the magic school trope, and even though there isn't much of it here, I do like the glimpse we get into the novice program of the Aes Sedai. Egwene, Elayne and Nynaeve all appear to be way more powerful than everyone else, but don't really know what the heck they are doing.We also get a bit more depth to Mat and Perrin foreshadowing some of their stories to come, that really make this series more than just Rand's tale.Out in the world we get to meet some great new characters and catch up with some old ones. We learn about traveling stones and alternative universes a bit, adding even more depth to an already epic tale.Then there are the Seanchan. Just their name makes me mad. The kind of things depicted here show that fantasy can be used to show the cruelty mankind is capable while still telling an entertaining story. I know [a:George R.R. Martin 346732 George R.R. Martin https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1351944410p2/346732.jpg] made his name for gritty realism, but there are some darker elements here 5 years before [b:A Game of Thrones 13496 A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire, #1) George R.R. Martin https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1436732693s/13496.jpg 1466917] was published. It's nowhere close to Grimdark, but certainly darker than Lord of the Rings, which detractors often call this a copy of.The ending of this book was really great, and I already can't wait to jump into [b:The Dragon Reborn 34897 The Dragon Reborn (Wheel of Time, #3) Robert Jordan https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1437224137s/34897.jpg 791061] next month.

My overwhelming feeling towards this book is ‘eh'. I didn't ever feel compelled to not put the book down, and it shows in that it took me five months to finish it. I felt like we were just killing time for the first three-quarters of the book (is this where [a:Brandon Sanderson 38550 Brandon Sanderson https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1394044556p2/38550.jpg] learned that annoying habit?), and even when Stuff was happening at the end the only person I felt was really doing something was Nynaeve (how much ass does she kick? I love her.)I will read the next one ([b:The Dragon Reborn 11203967 The Dragon Reborn (Wheel of Time, #3) Robert Jordan https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1343770673s/11203967.jpg 791061]), but I'm going to tackle other things on the TBR pile first.

A good second installment in the series and progressed the story well and introduces some more elements of the world and magic system. I doubt this is going to be anyone's favourite in the series but it was a strong addition.
Overall a hard one to review without spoiling elements of the series.

Characters and DevelopmentThe main characters are split up once again in this book. A large amount of time is spent with Rand and Loial and a seperate plot line follows Egwene and Nynaeve. I didn't feel Rand developed significantly as a character in this one overall, while the events probably permanently modified the girls' for the remainder of the story.

Plot
The beginning opens up a new and exciting plot line involving the girls while I feel Rand's plot line doesn't progress in a meaningful way until the very end. All the “filler” in the middle is still extremely high quality and enjoyable for a fan of the series but I don't feel most of it is strictly necessary for the story to progress (I'm sure some of the characters and themes reappear in future books though so I may have to come back and modify this).

SettingA new group is introduced with their own customs and a new world and way of travel is introduced. Not going to say much more here for spoiler reasons.



TL;DRPros

• Introduces more elements of the world and magic system
• Progresses the major plotline in a big way right at the end
• Begins a major plot line about Tar Valon and Aes Sedai

Cons

• Overall lots of it is probably not critical to the story except the very beginning and very end

There were so many parts in this book that I enjoyed & loved, but also every Rand POV bored me to death and I had to skip some lines, because it is always the same whining about how he is NOT the Dragon Reborn and just wants to leave everything. I got it im the first part bro.
On the plus side, Nyaeneve and Egwene had so much standalone adventure in this book, that was actually thrilling, so I loved reading the second half of the book.

Just thought of the Horn of Valere, which is the greatest. Most mysterious Item in this Saga, teased in Book 1, main premise of book 2, and it finally being used took maybe 2 pages in this 700 pages book???


Overall, loved some POVs, hated others, loved some characters returning (like Min), so I am excited for how the story continues.

It was a mistake to watch the Amazon Prime Video series based on these books. There are significant differences. The books are better.

The author seems to have several recurring themes in this series. Predestination is powerful. Free will is an illusion. Women may let men believe that they are in charge, but behind the scenes they work together toward their own goals and belittle the men.

The author brings up the subject of women vs. men so often that I wonder what tragic events in his life gave rise to such a twisted viewpoint.

3/5

Ah... so, this was an improvement on The Eye of the World. Personally, The Great Hunt was very up and down. There were moments where I was hooked on the story, and then stretches where I was wondering how long more I had to read before returning to a point of motion in the story. The book is long, and when you read it in the context of a larger series it isn't that bad - but as a single novel, it doesn't really have an identity of its own.

Full review here on my website!

Last summer I really enjoyed listening to The Eye of the World. So, I got this. I've been trying to get through it since then.

My biggest problem was that so many characters, especially the boys, acted like complete idiots for so much of the book.

The ending was intriguing, though. So, I'll probably continue. Some day.

The world gets bigger in this second book. We get a peak into the world of Aes Sedai politics. 

Overall, this book kept a more even pace throughout than the first. Fewer instances of characters repeating their own thoughts throughout the book. Where book one builds the world and sets the premise, book two seems to stretch out and live in the world, even though new elements are introduced. 

I thoroughly enjoy this adventure. This doesn't get a five as I haven't taken away a deeper insights that paint the way I see life and the world. 

4.50/5.00

Burn me, light burn me. After reading the eye of the world, I expected something simple and familiar from the wheel of time. Wrong, very much I am. The Great Hunt is a sprawling, massively world building, glorious beginning of the epic fantasy that is the Wheel of Time. I absolutely love Robert Jordan's writing, the words are so poetic and classy. I can't focus enough to write down any criticism.

The Wheel Weaves as the Wheel Wills. The Dragon is Reborn. The Lord of the Dawn will be our salvation.

That ending though!

WorldbuildingThe use of the many worlds interpretation of quantum mechanics in fantasy is the highest point of this book for me. The concept of a multiverse is admittedly a common trope, but I have never read this in epic fantasy before, and more importantly it was DONE SO WELL. It was complex, closer to science than many superhero-versions of this trope. There was a moment where Rand seems to be stuck in a time loop? Not sure what that was. Story/PlotThe best part of the story is the Seanchan and the Sud' Dam Damane elements with Egwene. So intriguing and unpredictable. There was so much story here, I just loved it. I didn't rate this higher because I thought some parts of the story were kind of unflushed. I did not like the children of light arc... it seemed underdeveloped. And did we just kill Ba'alzamon again ? Character Dev Okay this is a tough scoring category for the wheel of time books since character development is so spread out over the 14 books. Taking this into account, I think the character development was very well done. Nynaeve and Eqwane win this easily. Rand's progress is also pretty good, although not as good as the women. I still don't get Ba'alzamon.. he seems so bland.. Dialogue/ProseThe prose was absolute killer. So poetic sometimes. Here are two examples of my fav lines:"By ship and horse the stories spread, by merchant wagon and man on foot, told and retold, changing yet always alike at the heart, to Arad Doman and Tarabon and beyond, of signs and portents in the sky above Falme. And men proclaimed themselves for the Dragon, and other men struck them down and were struck down in turn." "Yet one shall be born to face the Shadow, born once more as he was born before and shall be born again, time without end. The Dragon shall be Reborn, and there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth at his rebirth. In sackcloth and ashes shall he clothe the people, and he shall break the world again by his coming, tearing apart all ties that bind. Like the unfettered dawn shall he blind us, and burn us, yet shall the Dragon Reborn confront the Shadow at the Last Battle, and his blood shall give us the Light. Let tears flow, O ye people of the world. Weep for your salvation."Emotional impactThis is a very satisfying read for me. I loved the worldbuilding, the lore, the epic EPIC final scene! Wowza.... I am stopping myself from giving a higher score cause I think WoT can do better, grander! We'll see.

“Life is lighter than a feather, duty heavier than a mountain.”

The easiest five stars I've given in a long, long time!

I REALLY enjoyed the Eye of the World (WoT #1) and had high hopes for how the series would build, The Great Hunt improved on everything in #1 and I no longer like the series. I love it.

The character development (especially with Rand) is unlike anything I've read before, its natural and its the story perfectly, its forced when it needs to be and everything that happens is believable. I wont say more without going into spoilers but Rand is fast becoming a favourite character for me.

The world that Robert Jordan built is incredible, I've never read a world so detailed and well built. This is a series that fantasy fans need to read and fantasy writers need to take notes as its incredible. I've been toying with writing a Fantasy series for a while and this has changed everything for me, before writing the first line i'll take Robert Jordan lead and create the world.

Fantasy fans. READ THE WHEEL OF TIME!

5/5 stars
10/10

However you rate your books, this gets full marks!

The second book in The Wheel of Time series. I decided to continue on after finding the first book kind of lackluster because I watched the show and heard it was kind of pulling from books 2 and 3 as well as the first. Although I personally find the show to be lackluster as well unfortunately... 
This may be a semi-hot take again, but I am finding this author's writing to be so incredibly dull. You have to read hundreds of pages in between the action, and the action isn't really good anyway. The amount of just traveling in these books is insane (and at least in The Eye of the World it was tensed with them being chased...). I once again did the audio for this one (which is still weird with the split male and female perspectives, but I at least am used to it now) and at the end of this one there was also an interview just like the first one. The author kind of says stuff against the genre (and TOLKIEN) in terms of wanting to be different, and yet he still manages in 1400 pages to write nothing really different at all? I mean that's not to say there isn't some good stuff, but avoiding others tropes does not mean you're not just falling into other ones... 
I think the Great Hunt falls short in terms of characterization. For me, I didn't love the first, but I wanted to know more and see more. In the sequel, I don't think there's any character development. Yet again Matt and Perrin are hardly in use, and Rand says the same 4 sentences the entire time. Egwene becomes increasingly annoying, and Lan and Morgaine are pretty much MIA? 
The climax picked up in the slightest bit, and I did find myself invested. Weirdly enough, two back-to-back not great reads and I still find myself interested in continuing? Is this self punishment, or is there something more to gain here?