The Wheel of Time crosstalk: Is The Great Hunt a good book?

DAN: Well, I noted that both Eye of the World and The Great Hunt sort of slowed down in the middle but really picked up in the final third, although I think the first book had the stronger middle section and the second the better ending.

I don’t like hearing that Jordan makes a habit of separating characters by sex — this is just the second book, so it’s too early for me to recognize it as a pattern, but it doesn’t bode well.

That brings me to my final criticism: after Rand has won his battle, he’s comatose, and who should be mooning over him but…Min? I remember with the first book I thought the passion between Lan and Nynaeve came almost out of nowhere. But Min being into Rand came completely out of nowhere.

And worse, a lot of the women spent time talking about how much they like Rand. Min, Elayne and Egwene are all into him, from a distance, together? Stuff like that…it’s one of those moments that takes me out of the experience and makes me realize I’m reading a story written by a person, someone who apparently thinks the lead character he’s created is so irresistible that every woman he meets can’t help but fall for him. You can explain it away by calling Rand ta’veren or whatever, but it doesn’t mean it’s not uncomfortable.

And yes, I’ve heard the story leans into some of this stuff as it goes on, but I’ll get there when I get there. For now, this stood out as a moment that made me go, “Wait, what?”

I know I’ve criticized the book a look, but that’s just because complaining is way more fun than giving praise. Overall I did enjoy it, and I’m looking forward to reading The Dragon Reborn. Do you think I’ll enjoy that one like I have the last two?

COREY: I think that’s my sentiment on the series overall: I enjoy most of it, and Jordan really knows how to create a massive fantasy world, but I have my quibbles. You’re dead on as far as the Rand and Min situation goes, though. There are some romances in the books that grow organically, but Rand’s romances for the most part do not. There is one exception that you’ll read about later, but often they they do come out of the blue.

Looking at it from the vantage point of someone pretty deep into the series, I think Jordan’s handle on relationships, be they romantic or platonic, is pretty weak. From romances that blossom out of thin air to “friends” who constantly fight with one another, you’re only in for more of that. I remember in Hunt thinking it was jarring how much longtime friends Mat, Perrin and Rand were bickering. In the later books it gets even worse, especially with the female characters. I know you enjoy Nynaeve so far, and in a vaccuum she’s a great character, but holy hell she has entire chapters where she can’t think anything but negative thoughts about her friends.

At any rate, I do think you will enjoy The Dragon Reborn, especially if you don’t enjoy Rand as a character. The Dragon Reborn continues the trend of sidelining major characters that started in Hunt, which has very little for Moraine to do. I suppose that’s fine if there’s a narrative reason, but sometimes it feels like Jordan just didn’t know what to do with the characters for the whole book, so he just drops them.

Again, I don’t want it to sound like the books are bad, but they certainly aren’t perfect. Still, the good outweighs the bad, and I would say Hunt is the last book that feels like a stereotypical fantasy novel in some ways. From here on out, Jordan’s world begins to truly feel unique, and it turns into quite a ride.

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