The Great Hunt

The saga continues as Rand is faced with the daunting task of saving his friend, while a new enemy arrives from across the sea.

Summary of The Great Hunt

Novel written by

Robert Jordan

Book summary by Joan Albright. Edited by Angela Carter.

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The Great Hunt: Summary

Despite his resolution to leave, Rand stays in Fal Dara keep and trains with Lan until the Amyrlin Seat’s unexpected arrival. Egwene helps him hide, afraid that Aes Sedai will want to gentle him, but Darkfriends allow Trollocs into the keep. In the confusion, Padan Fain escapes, injures Egwene, and takes Mat’s dagger and the Horn of Valere.

The Amyrlin cannot heal Mat without the Shadar Logoth dagger. She suggests that Rand head south with the hunting party, and says she will not gentle the Dragon Reborn. Rand, influenced by Ba’alzamon’s constant intrusion into his dreams, believes Moiraine and the Amyrlin want to use him. He denies that he is the Dragon, but joins Mat and Perrin in the search for the dagger and the Horn.

After a failed assassination attempt on Rand or the Amyrlin, the hunting party is led south by the Shienaran soldier Ingtar. They are guided by Hurin, a Sniffer who can smell the trails of criminals. Several days into their journey, Rand, Hurin, and Loial are transported by a mysterious Portal Stone and find themselves in a mirror world—an alternate reality in which the Shadow appears to have triumphed.

Hurin still has Fain’s trail. Rand’s party follows it until they meet Selene, a beautiful woman who claims to have also been mysteriously transported. She guides them to a second Portal Stone close to Fain’s trail, and Rand reluctantly seizes saidin to take them home, despite his resolution that he will not channel.

Without Hurin, Perrin is forced to reach out to the wolves to stay on Fain’s trail. Verin joins him and Mat, supposedly sent by Moiraine. Egwene and Nynaeve travel by ship to Tar Valon to begin their training; Nynaeve is raised to the Accepted. Egwene meets Elayne Trakand and her brothers, as well as Min and Elaida.

Rand’s party has gotten ahead of Fain due to a quirk of the mirror world. Rand recovers the Horn and the dagger and takes them to the city of Cairhien, where he becomes embroiled in the local politics. He reunites with Thom—still alive as Moiraine predicted, and living with his apprentice, Dena.

Just before Perrin’s group arrives, Padan Fain sets fire to Rand’s inn and takes the Horn and dagger to Lord Barthanes’ manor. Rand and his reunited party gain entry to the manor through a stroke of ta’veren luck, but Padan Fain has vanished into the Ways. Thom’s apprentice is killed by King Galldrian’s agents; Thom determines to commit regicide.

Rand and company are thwarted at two separate Waygates by the Black Wind, which appears to be following them. They use a Portal Stone to travel to Toman Head, experiencing thousands of alternate lives and arriving months later than they intended.

In the intervening time, Egwene, Nynaeve, Elayne are hard at their studies until they and Min are taken to Toman Head by Liandrin—a member of the Black Ajah. Egwene is collared by the Seanchan and made damane. Padan Fain, unable to open the chest containing the Horn and the dagger, takes both to Seanchan High Lord Turak.

Rand’s arrival coincides with Nynaeve’s rescue of Egwene. He duels blademaster Turak and wins, but the party is pursued. Ingtar—spurred by what he saw during their journey by Portal Stone—admits to being a Darkfriend and stays behind so the party can escape.

Mat sounds the Horn of Valere and summons the dead heroes of legend to drive the Seanchan into the sea. Rand fights Ba’alzamon in a duel displayed across the sky, and is hailed as the Dragon Reborn.