The Great Hunt (1991) by American author Robert Jordan is the second book in The Wheel of Time cycle, a series of high fantasy novels that begins with The Eye of the World and encompasses 14 volumes. Jordan died in 2007 while working on the final volume, and fantasy author Brandon Sanderson completed the work based on extensive notes Jordan left prior to his death. The books draw heavily on mythology, religion, and fantasy tropes while creating a richly detailed world of magic, politics, diverse cultures, otherworldly creatures, and epic battles. In 2014, the series was nominated for a Hugo Award, and in 2021, a television adaptation premiered on Amazon Prime.

This guide uses the 1991 Tor Fantasy edition of The Great Hunt.

Plot Summary

In the fortress city of Fal Dara—in the border nation of Shienar—a delegation of Aes Sedai (women trained to channel the One Power) arrives, accompanied by their leader, the Amyrlin Seat. On the advice of fellow sister Moiraine Sedai, the Amyrlin Seat seeks an audience with Rand al’Thor. Rand, a shepherd from the Two Rivers village of Emond’s Field, has displayed the rare ability to channel the One Power—rare in men ever since the Breaking of the World. Moiraine suspects he may be the Dragon Reborn, the reincarnation of Lews Therin Telamon, the last Dragon who battled the Dark One and imprisoned him in Shayol Ghul 3,000 years ago. Rand, wanting nothing to do with the manipulations of the Aes Sedai, tries to escape the city.

Egwene, the woman to whom Rand has been unofficially betrothed—but who is now destined to train as Aes Sedai herself—hides him in the dungeons where she has been secretly meeting with Padan Fain, a prisoner and dangerous Darkfriend. He taunts Rand with prophecies of war and the coming of the Dark One until they decide to hide Rand in the women’s apartments, a place no man would normally go. Meanwhile, during a meeting with Moiraine, the Amyrlin opens a chest, revealing the long-sought Horn of Valere which, when sounded, will summon heroes from the Age of Legends into battle.

Without warning, Fal Dara is besieged by a Trolloc attack. As soldiers are caught unprepared, Padan Fain is freed, and the Horn and dagger—a tainted artifact to whom Mat’s life is bound—are stolen. Shienarian warrior Lord Ingtar is charged with retrieving it. He is joined by Hurin (who is a sniffer capable of smelling a trail of violence and murder), Rand, Mat, Perrin, Loial (an Ogier and friend of Rand), and 20 soldiers. Meanwhile, Egwene and Nynaeve, a “Wisdom” from Emond’s Field, depart for Tar Valon with the delegation of Aes Sedai.

After a long journey, the narrative culminates in Falme, the largest city on Toman Head. There, Fain meets with the High Lord Turak, leader of the occupying Seanchan forces. He presents to him the Horn and dagger as gifts, hoping for special access to the powerful Empress. The Seanchan are formidable warriors who use leashed female channelers as military weapons and subjugate their conquered territories through terror.

Back in Tar Valon, Liandrin Sedai tells Egwene and Nynaeve that Rand is in trouble, and if they want to help, they must accompany her to Toman Head. Elayne and Min, another friend, go along, but when they arrive, Liandrin turns them over to the Seanchan forces. The Seanchan immediately leash Egwene to a sul’dam, a Master of the Leash; Nynaeve, channeling devastating lightning strikes, escapes with Elayne. Now a damane (a Leashed One), Egwene is trained to use her power in battle and punished severely for disobedience, but Nynaeve and Elayne plan a rescue mission. Min, who is free to come and go, secretly meets with Bayle Domon, captain of the sea vessel Spray, to negotiate for passage when Egwene is freed.

Meanwhile, Ingtar, Rand, Mat, Perrin, and Hurin make their way to Toman Head via a Waygate. Once inside the occupied Falme, they search for Fain. Hurin finds his scent everywhere throughout the city but eventually locates the most recent scent inside the residence of High Lord Turak. They sneak inside and locate both Horn and dagger sitting in the open, but as they are about to escape, Turak and several armed soldiers appear. While Ingtar, Hurin, Mat, and Perrin engage the troops, Rand faces off against Turak, a highly skilled “blademaster.” Seeking the Void (a purging of fear), Rand becomes one with his blade and slays Turak. They take the Horn and dagger and flee.

Nynaeve, having figured out how the use the Power to release the leashes, sneaks into the damane residence with Elayne and Min and frees Egwene, who then collars Renna, her sul’dam. They run for the harbor where Domon awaits them. On the street, however, they encounter a contingent of Seanchan troops with their own damane. Egwene, now trained for battle, attacks the troops with Nynaeve providing additional support. Rand, having seen Egwene from a distance, resolves to go back for her while Ingtar, a confessed Darkfriend, seeks to atone for his crimes by single-handedly engaging a legion of Seanchan troops to help Rand, Mat, and Perrin escape.

As they gaze down upon the chaos unfolding in Falme, Mat decides to sound the Horn. As he does so, a fog envelops the entire city, and the legendary Artur Hawkwing and his forces rise from the dead and descend upon the city, pushing the Seanchan into the sea and vanquishing a host of Whitecloaks, ascetic fundamentalists who have invaded from the east. Lost in the fog, Rand encounters the Dark One, and they battle. Rand appears to sacrifice himself, taking a severe wound from the Dark One’s staff before plunging his blade through the Dark One’s heart.

When Rand awakens, Min and Moiraine are at his side; Egwene and Nynaeve have returned to Tar Valon. Moiriane tells him the battle is not over and, like it or not, he is the incarnation of Lews Therin. For that reason, he is destined to defeat the Dark One in the final battle. She tells him his battle was fought over the skies of Falme, witnessed by everyone on the ground. He can no longer hide his true identity, and he eventually chooses to embrace it.