Sections
The third book in The Wheel of Time series, The Dragon Reborn is a bit reluctant to move the story forward, recycling old themes, personal struggles, and even climactic fights. Its narrative strength, then, comes in the decision to abandon Rand to focus on his friends, finally giving them a chance to shine.
The story follows the events of The Great Hunt: Rand has been declared the Dragon Reborn and is surrounded by a small but devoted army. Convinced that he must act alone and quickly, Rand flees his camp and travels to the city of Tear to acquire a mythical sword that has the power to end the war with the Dark One once and for all. But the novel doesn’t follow Rand, turning [...]
The Great Hunt finally allows The Wheel of Time to become its own thing, breaking free from most of Tolkien’s structure, which so hindered The Eye of the World. It’s a competent fantasy novel that focuses on fleshing out its world, introducing and developing elements that make the series stand on its own feet.
As its title implies, the plot of The Great Hunt revolves around a big chase. Darkfriends, led by Padan Fain, have stolen the mythical Horn of Valere and a sinister dagger that is magically linked to Mat Cauthon, who is bound to perish without it. With the intention to save his friend, Rand sets out with him, Perrin, and a bunch of soldiers from Faldara, pursuing Fain to [...]
The first book of The Wheel of Time, The Eye of the World, is an epic fantasy novel that wears its inspirations on its sleeve – even to a fault: its story is clearly based on Arthurian legends and The Lord of the Rings, but it’s Tolkien who most shackles Robert Jordan’s novel. The Eye of the World shines when it occasionally breaks free from its influences and does its own thing, developing a fascinating protagonist and a couple of great themes.
It all begins on “an awkward morning, made for unpleasant thoughts.” Rand al’Thor is a young farmer accompanying his father to the local town, in the isolated rural region of the Two Rivers. The weather – always quick to react to [...]