*spoilers because it would be impossible to review them otherwise*
You always wonder if a long series will continue to stay as captivating as the first book. But no worries here. The first book was a great hook but the second book digs in and pulls you further along.
All the characters were introduced in the first book along with a low resolution layout of the social-political structure of the world, and it ended with the realization that the male protagonist could indeed channel the One Power and use magic which is forbidden for men. Yet, the support he received would indicate that it must be allowed in his case because he is believed to be the Dragon, who will defeat the Dark One, Shai'tan, once again. The Dark One, in the first book, could not operate at full capacity since he was and is still imprisoned, though slipping gradually through the cracks. So, he was temporarily damaged enough to be held at bay so that the characters and world building can carry on while setting him up as the final enemy to be defeated in the end.
Anyway, most who know me know one of my favorite tropes is the reluctant hero and I actually like how far ahead of the characters the reader is in this one. It's obvious in the first book that Rand is the "chosen one" figure who will be the hero of the story. But his reluctance almost to the point of naivety is justified due to the way the world is imagined and it's irresistible to watch him living in denial of his destiny throughout this entire installment before resigning himself to his fate at the end.
The world itself comes into sharper focus in this book too. The different kingdoms and the political landscape is explored earnestly as Rand maneuvers through the task he's given. He tries not to stand out or make any waves but only ends up becoming a person of interest which only puts a spotlight on him when he is revealed for what he is. The other young men from Two Rivers accompany him on the quest at hand because one of them is in need of a stolen knife from the first book that is directing his own mysterious destiny. However, while the first book gave equal time to the five ta'veren (a person who is a pivot point in the Wheel of Time that many destinies are woven around), this book stays mostly focus on Rand. I look for each to get their own push to the front before it's over. But, the ladies get an adventure of their own in this one as well. The two girls from Two Rivers begin their training to be Aes Sedai but not much time is spent with the drudgery of learning magic. Instead they are betrayed by one of the Sisters and, at least attempted to be, sold into a form of slavery. Rand becomes aware of their situation towards the end and wants to rescue them, especially Egwene, but they along with their other two lady friends who were also staying with the Aes Sedai rescue themselves and contend with their own growth and battle scars.
Their story has no direct bearing on the main thrust which Rand is involved in, but complements it by adding to the complexity of the landscape. The people they have to contend with as enemies are not shallow, simplified, and necessarily easy to place as evil even when they're not sympathetic like Seanchan people who were holding the women as captives. All of the factions and leaders think they're working against The Dark One even if they're only doing harm and inadvertently making his return easier. Instead of being threatened by one dark lord, it conveys the sense of the whole world being against the protagonists. Only the small group of heros/heroines has any clue as to what is really going on. It's frustrating and so much fun.
Summary of this book: The Horn of Valere that was found at the end of the first book is stolen at the beginning of the second. Rand's responsibility is to return it to where it was being kept. But a pattern I'm starting to notice in both these books (a pattern that I'm enjoying too) is that the first course that the characters need set out on is not where they end up. In the first book they skip their destination of Tar Valon to prematurely face the Dark One in the Blight where he's imprisoned but his hoards still live. They find the Horn about halfway through this book but never get the chance to return it since it's stolen again and taken to a place where it must be used to defeat the Seanchan who were spreading like a cancer throughout the region, taking advantage of the people's ignorance of the past ages. That's the short version of the book but there's so much more to it than that.
Indeed, there's so much story in these books that it's impossible to keep up by just my summaries alone - so many secondary and wild card characters affecting the events - so I still definitely recommend them for fantasy lovers. It's an exceptional series so far and I'm already enjoying the third book.
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