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In any saga, there are bound to be some high points and some low points. Taken as a whole, the series may be incredible, but that does not mean that every piece contains as much magic as the one which preceded it. Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series is no exception, and never it is more apparent than during the series' second book, The Great Hunt. Do not misunderstand - this book is still highly enjoyable, and, perhaps more importantly, serves as a vital bridge connecting Eye of the World to the later books in the series. Nonetheless, as a stand-alone entry, this book might not receive such praise. At the end of this book, though the reader will at no point seek to abandon it, he will become painfully aware that precious little excitement unfolds throughout the book's duration.

The Great Hunt picks up a few months after the conclusion of Eye of the World, as our dear friends from Edmond's Field are all seeking to head south to various outposts. Egwene and Nynaeve, the village Wisdom, are to head to Tar Valon, where they will be trained as Aes Sedai. Mat, Perrin, and Rand, however, must ride in search of the legendary Horn of Valere, recently stolen from their grasp by a group of Darkfriends. This journey will take them across the span of the known world, southward along the Aiel Waste all the way to the far shores of the Aryth Ocean. Along the way, these young men will come to realize that life as they once knew it is suddenly a distant memory.

Robert Jordan still pens quite a tale in his second Wheel of Time effort, though I feel that he views The Great Hunt merely as a stepping stone to later books. New dangers are revealed to us, yet they are by no means resolved. We learn of the possible existence of the Black Ajah, a group of Aes Sedai who serve the Dark One. We are also introduced to a mysterious army that may well be the long-lost descendants of a mythical hero. We are even exposed to Darkfriends in placer where we would least expect them, reminding us of the true extent of the Dark One's grasp. These are chilling developments, and they hint at great adventure and danger in the coming novels. Unfortunately, save the final fifty pages of this book, adventure eludes our heroes for the majority of their journey.

Rand al'Thor, one of Jordan's three main protagonists in his series, receives the vast majority of the "screen time" in this effort. Jordan begins to explore the conflict within Rand, as well as his reluctant awareness of his special abilities. We see much of the adventure through his eyes, and we watch as he grows from a young shepherd into a powerful warrior. Of course, Jordan's development of Rand is at the expense of Perrin and Mat, not to mention the Warder Lan and Morraine Sedai. The former pair are merely passengers throughout Rand's journey, while the latter pair make solely token appearances in the novel. Jordan captivates the reader regardless, leaving him waiting eagerly for future tales. Each novel opens doorways into the lives of different characters, yet all follow the intricate web of the Pattern. And all are mere threads in the grand scheme known as the Wheel of Time.

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(Reviewed 11/29/99.)