Review of Robert Jordan's The Great Hunt

Robert Jordan's The Great Hunt, released in the early 1990s, is the sequel to his bestselling novel The Eye of the World and the second volume in his wildly popular series The Wheel of Time. It follows the continued adventures of five young people from the small town of Emond's Field, as they pursue their destinies in various parts of Jordan's world, from the women's training to be Aes Sedai in the fabled city of Tar Valon, to the men's adventures to fulfill their destinies as prime movers in the fate of the world as it hurtles toward the Last Battle.

All in all, this is a fitting sequel to Jordan's original volume, and it lays the groundwork for much of the action that will occur later in the series. The characters, although somewhat childish and simplistic at times (the men, especially, although the women are equally prone to foolish behavior,) are nevertheless likeable, perhaps precisely because they are so incredibly fallible. It should be noted, however, that even this early in the series one can see the mannerisms and stock quotes that will come to play such an unfortunate part in the rest of the series. Character variety is not, sadly, one of the late Jordan's stronger writing talents.

What he lacks in character development he more than makes up for in elaborate plotting. Perhaps no other fantasy author is quite as adept at weaving together various strands and plotlines into an elaborate and beautiful whole. From the scheming Whitecloaks (religious zealots who hate everything to do with magic and its wielders, believing them to be servants of the Dark One,) to the growing menace of the Seanchan (invaders from across the sea,) Jordan weaves his plot so thick yet so tightly in these early volumes of The Wheel of Time that it's hard not to feel caught up in the entire adventure.

Jordan is also adept at building a world that is truly believable. Reading the novel and observing the ways that each country has its own mores and ways of speech, to say nothing of dress and hairstyles, it's easy to imagine Jordan spending years of his life just building this world for his characters to inhabit. Everything about this world is fully and richly imagined, which makes it a fine treat for those die-hard fans of the epic fantasy genre, although it might make it a little tough for those who favor short, terse prose.

All in all, The Great Hunt is a great read for anyone interested in the best of the epic fantasy genre. Be aware, however, that this is the second book in a series, and is therefore very hard to understand and follow if you have not read the original volume The Eye of the World. If you have, and if you're wondering whether you should invest your time and energy in the entire Wheel of Time series (currently projected to run to 14 volumes,) then the answer is a resounding yes. It may take some time, but the payoff will make it all worth it in the end.