Rating: 
Summary: Excellent
Review: This is the sequel to The Eye of the World, to which it is superior in a number of ways. Once again the heroes find themselves trailing around half of their continent, but this time rather than being chased, they are doing the chasing - after the Horn of Valere and Mat's knife, and then after Egwene. What this effectively means in terms of atmosphere is that we have a much clearer feeling that this book has a definite goal in mind and is heading towards that goal with a lot of purpose and a fair bit of pace. With most of the character and world introductions out of the way, Jordan devotes this book to developing the story and characters further, particularly Rand and Egwene. Mat could do with some more development, but what is here is more than satisfying enough.It is in this book that the series really starts to get underway. Here, many of the apparent throw-away characters and sub-plots begin to connect with the core, in particular Min and Elayne, cameo players in Eye, become major characters and Jordan doesn't waste too much time achieving that either. Even Bayle Domon (you know, the ship captain from Eye) makes a reappearance. By far the most important developments though are Rand's realisation that he is the Dragon Reborn, and the way he deals with that. This also leads to plenty of great moments for the Rand fans out there, as he rapidly, if reluctantly, starts to fill this exulted role. There's also a great and touching moment when Ingtar reveals his true motives, which I won't spoil for you. But don't think there is nothing new in this book. On the contrary, we get to meet an empire from across the ocean, our first non-battle encounter with a Forsaken, and we even go to parallel universes. And by the end of this lot, you're probably shaking you're head and saying "that sounds like a mess!" it's not, believe me. The Wheel of Time probably doesn't get any more tightly plotted than this installment, and it doesn't get much better, particularly not from a literary point of view.
Rating: 
Summary: Very good second chapter
Review: The Wheel of Time is probably the best-known and most widely read fantasy series other than The Lord of the Rings. There are many reasons for that: (1) Books 1-5 of the series are non-stop action, adventure, intrigue, politics, magic, war, history and mystery wrapped together. (2) Jordan creates believeable and often multifaceted characters. (3) Attention to detail: from the various cultural traits of the 13 "nations" on the map (dubbed "Randland" by fans), to the commercial, political and economic interaction of the various peoples in the books to the characters and objects throughout "Randland". (4) End-games. Jordan's at his best in the last chapters of books 1-6 and 9 when he writes of the climactic occurrences of each of those installments. The Great Hunt, like The Eye of the World, again exhibits the best of Jordan's writing style and pacing. That is true also for books 3-5. The Great Hunt picks up where Eye of the World left off and adds new facets to the complex plot: schisms and scheming among the sorceresses (Aes Sedai), an invasion by descendants of a long-lost conquistador exploration of lands across the ocean, introduction of the hero's jilted love interest, and exploration of more of Randland. The roles of Rand's various allies and friends are also revealed to a greater degree. Once again, the writing is smooth, the various characters and their motivations work well, and there's action aplenty. The sense of innocence and mystery that corresponded to the heroes' relative lack of knowledge of their surroundings and the world at large in book 1 diminishes appropriately as the heroes are exposed to more of their world and the chaos therein. The series is at 10 books (the tenth will be published late 2002 or so) and growing (13 total possible -- it's a common numerical theme in the books). The quality drops off sharply in books 6-8 before increasing slightly in book 9. You will likely enjoy the first 5 immensely, but know what you're getting into.
Rating:
Summary: Early on, this series shines
Review: Robert Jordan's "The Great Hunt," the second in the huge and ever-growing Wheel of Time series, is a well-paced, well-plotted, engaging fantasy story that deserves to be read by fantasy readers - even those who will be inclined to ultimately drop the now ponderous series before it ends. The story is your standard fantasy fare. There is an item of great power. There is a group of innocent young folks caught up in an adventure. The item is lost. And they quest to regain the item. Throw a slew of subplots, characters, creatures and locations into the mix and you have yourself a modern fantasy tale. None of this is at all bad in the case of "The Great Hunt," which is an enjoyable read. At this early stage of Jordan's series, the characters are interesting and fresh. New characters are regularly introduced, as are subplots, and all seem to fit well into the epic story gracefully being built up in this, the second volume of who knows how many. The action is brisk, the twists many, and the epic sweep of the climax engaging. Robert Jordan proves that by-the-numbers fantasy doesn't have to be bad. This works in every way and is likely to leave you turning pages until the wee hours of the morning. Readers new to Jordan's series should be forewarned: It's a long series that has not yet ended, nor is there even an end in sight. With each successive volume reader complaints have increased. Many find themselves loving the early books only to quit the series before it's over. Others, however, have enjoyed the expanding scope of the story and revel in the sprawling cast of characters and innumerable subplots. It's a matter of taste, to be sure, but one thing is for certain - where Jordan's series has gone these days is certainly love it or hate it territory. Know what your tastes are and read reviews of future books before getting too deeply involved. Later volumes aside, "The Great Hunt" is a worthy addition to any fantasy library and is recommended reading even for those who have no plans to actually finish the series.
Rating:
Summary: Even better than the first!
Review: I found Jordan's second adventure in the Wheel of Time even better than the first. I didn't think it possible, however, Mr. Jordan pulled it off. I was amazed at the world that the author created around his characters. I really enjoyed the fortress of Fal Dara. Jordan stays with his initial characters, not really introducing any new ones. He gives you a large taste of the Dark One and a glimpse at the forsaken. The characters are so well developed that you can really relate to them. I think Rand is my favorite character with Matrim running a close second. As each character struggles to learn their place in the story, you can feel there emotions and almost understand their thoughts. Jordan has done a fantastic job at brining a world alive as vividly as any author I can think of. The only draw back to this series is as I look ahead, I am not sure how long he can keep it going. I was sceptical that the second book would leave a lot to be desired, however, I think it is better than the first. I urge anyone who enjoys fantasy writing to read the Wheel of Time Series. Off to book 3!
Rating:
Summary: The Seminal--and Best--Chapter In The Wheel of Time
Review: If only each subsequent volume of The Wheel of Time could have been this carefully plotted and efficiently but gratifyingly sewn up by the last page! (Of course, RJ would probably be finished with the whole series by now if that was the case.) The Great Hunt picks up right where The Eye of the World left off, and immediately does two very pleasing things. First, there is action almost from the very first with a surprise attack in the middle of the night. Second, we are shown--not told!--details of the heirarchy of the Aes Sedai, Moiraine's long-running quest for the Dragon Reborn, and interesting details about the Borderlanders. The novel presents the struggles of young people who are forced to grow up immediately rather than gradually: Rand as a leader in the search for the Horn of Valere, and Egwene and Nyanaeve in the White Tower. This theme permeates the novel from start to finish. RJ has also filled this book with more of the seeds from which he presented The Wheel of Time universe than in any subsequent volume, carefully revealing backstory and exposition through encounters with Aes Sedai (particularly Verin), Forsaken, Cairhienin nobility, the Black Ajah and Borderlanders, to name but a few. Still, the plot has its share of action, including a night battle between Rand and a band of Trollocs that earns Rand high esteem from Perrin's wolf friends. Lord Ingtar is a particularly compelling presence in the novel. I am disappointed in the little time devoted to Moiraine and Lan in this volume, and though there are other complaints, on balance they are minor and do not detract from the book overall. A fine read, superior to its predecessor and subsequent volumes.
Rating:
Summary: Truly powerful.
Review: I find myself hard to express the greatness of this book without sounding repetitive or cliche. It just is that great. So great that I remember each unforgettable event that has happened in the book vividly and still emotionally. This was an extremely pleasant sequel to Eye of the World, and utmost fitting to such a great beginning and to such a deserving series. I feel so fortunate to have ever came to read this series being overwhelmed with such powerful story-line. This book is like a permanent bond towards the series, which I'm totally welcomed to be a part of. It'll leave you throwing fits of pleasure from the satisfaction it offers.
Rating:
Summary: Another amazing tale by Robert Jordan
Review: The travels of Rand, Mat, and Perrin continue, but now they are after the fabled Horn of Valere, said to raise dead heroes from the grave to fight for the one who blows the Horn. And meanwhile, Mat is being killed from the inside by a dagger he found in Shadar Logoth, a city full of evil. Though he also needs the dagger to survive, somebody evil, worse than a mere Darkfriend, wants the dagger as his own, and will do anything to get his greedy hands on it. This book is extremely good, but I only recommend it to those who have completed the first book in this series.
Rating:
Summary: Better Than Eye of the World
Review: This is one of Jordan's best books, in my opinion. The pacing is excellent (one of the few flaws of EotW), and the climactic battle was absolutely beautiful. Getting a closer look at the Ogier was a real treat, especially since Loial is one of my favorite characters. Having a glossary at the back that included new names was very helpful. Now, on to Dragon Reborn.
Rating:
Summary: Broadening the horizon
Review: With "The Eye of the World" tucked under his belt, Jordan had the fan base, the financial and critical success, and the foundation he needed as encouragement to make this series what he wants it to be: and with "The Great Hunt," he starts to spread his wings a little. This continues the habit of "Eye" of rambling over the lush world that he has created, giving each nation, each people a sharply distinct set of personalities, characteristics, even accents: what other series of books do you know of where you can immediately place the nationality of a character simply by the speech patterns of their first line of dialogue, or the cut and color of their clothes?
Jordan doesn't hesitate to ratchet the action up a notch here, either. The book has more of an adventurous feel to it, whereas the first maintained a sort of cool nervousness about the whole thing (actually a clever literary device to keep you sympathetic to, and connected with, the main characters).
Overall this is better than "Eye," not quite as good as "Dragon," but still worthy of five stars.
Rating: 
Summary: You could do worse
Review: The Great Hunt, Robert Jordan's second 'Wheel of Time' book, follows very much the pattern of the first (The Eye of the World). I have also read the third book (The Dragon Reborn), and it follows the same pattern also. I am not sure whether the later books of the series continue down the same path as the first three, but that the first three follow the same basic plot pattern is not good. This is the outline:
1. There will be a long journey, or several journeys, by the main characters.
2. At the end the characters will come together more or less accidentally.
3. There will be a big fight at the end in which the hero will kill the Big Bad Guy. Lest you think that all fantasy has this trait, I will point out that 'Lord of the Rings' does not, nor do most of the Weis/Hickman DragonLance books.
4. The climactic scene or scenes will be rushed and written less well than the earlier parts of the book.
5. There will be many characters and subplots used along the way that have no purpose except to clutter up the book. Example: In this particular volume some 'Whitecloak' characters are introduced in the beginning. It seems at first that the story will turn around these characters, but in fact they serve little purpose except to get killed in the end, unto no discernible purpose whatsoever.
6. None of the main characters will die, as they are needed for a raft of sequels that will bring Jordan a truckload of royalties. Unfortunately, considering how long they stay around, none of the main characters are interesting enough to make me care about them. In my opinion Jordan's story is simply too big. He would have been much better off creating his world by telling a story of reasonable length and then spinning more stories within the same fantasy universe. But to keep dragging out the same continuing story interminably begins to get old with this, the second volume. I cannot imagine how old this will seem if I last long enough to read all ten books of the series (though by the time I get to the tenth, there could be a few more...) Jordan is a good enough writer for me to rate his book a notch above pure pulp -- thus two stars. You could do worse when it comes to contemporary fantasy (R.A. Salvatore, for example). But you can do so much better!
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