As good as the 1st!

The Great Hunt takes up the reigns where the Eye Of The World leaves off, absorbing me into it's story and once again leaving me eager for more!

A story in it's own right, you could probably jump into this book without reading the first - but what a waste that would be!

Think 'Lord of the Rings' and you'll have an idea of the sort of book this is. Full of rich detail, complex, interesting, and exciting. The plot seems to twist and turn and unlike other books I've read the ending isn't transparent from the start.

Never a dull moment!

Excellent!

14 people found this helpful

Pronunciation confusion

Story is good, the 2 narrators could have communicated to each other before recording these books though, hearing the man pronounce stuff one way only for the woman to pronounce it another is ever so slightly jarring to the ears.
Is it More-ane? Is it Moi-rain? Please, between the 2 of you, choose!

10 people found this helpful

Repetitive

I actually enjoy the story quite a bit but the narrative is so frustrating and repetitive. No wonder he took so many books and so long to write these things. I don't know how many times I've been told that the witches don't lie, what an Aiel man looks like, that Rand doesn't believe he's the dragon, that the 3 main boys don't like the witches, that this thing is evil, that that thing is bad. I can remember points from a few paragraphs ago and a few chapters ago, even a book ago. Alas the author doesn't think so.

Also the woman's voice is so samey. I can't tell who is meant to be speaking half the time.

6 people found this helpful

Why is this Troy McClure narrating this??

The narration is awful. Simply awful.

I can’t even express just how disappointed I am.

Do yourself a favour and stick with physical.

Appalling decision to have a thick American accent narrate a medieval fantasy. Just shocking.

3 people found this helpful

Seanchan Rising

This 2nd book is where Jordan really starts to take the reins in this series. Much like Paolini does with his sequel to Eragon. The first Paolini book was written like a 16 year old, learning the craft of writing for the first time. In Jordan's case the first book had parts that were very much written as if an exercise in fantasy writing. With Paolini, the 2nd book read like it was written by a different author! So much better! In this case, you still know it is Jordan, but the ending of the first book could easily have been turned to stand on it's own, though clearly Jordan wanted the series to continue. One might be reminded of Buffy the Vampire Slayer on TV. The first series was only half a series, designed to play out as it was, and if it did not continue, then so be it. Clearly a beautiful forray into TV story arcing resulted, and here the 2nd book in Wheel of Time is where the story really starts moving.
Rand needs to accept he is the chosen one, but really struggles with this. Forced into helping Mat save his life, bound to the fate of the Horn of Valere and the Ruby Hilted Dagger from Shadar Logoth, we see forsaken rise into the story, and visit old friends thought lost in the first book. And the battle on Almouth Plain towards the end with the Seanchan weaves the crossover to book 3 perfectly. As with all Wheel of Time books, this one can surely be listened to separately, but you should do the obligatory context thing, and not lose out on such a brilliant series. Book 14 comes out this year in April (2012), and you should either read, listen or both all of the books through 13!!

4 people found this helpful

A great read

I have always loved this story and never get tired of re reading it. A good naration. Favorite character Mat Cauthen

1 person found this helpful

keeps you coming back for more

Great story.
Narrators are ok, some complain but I don't mind.
You have to pay attention as Storyline goes all over the place and there are quite a few characters.
I'm carrying on with the series for the time being.

1 person found this helpful

great but flawed

What did you like most about The Great Hunt?

the underlying story is conceptually great and engaging, very impressive. I just find the character models very basic...the interplay between men and women can be frankly irritating and somewhat juvenile. That aside the books each drive forward well, with each book marking a distinct step towards the end.

Who was your favorite character and why?

i guess Matt, just because he's the gambler/rogue type. Perrin is too much the boyscout, and Rand too much the brooding hero. Matt seems able to have a little irreverent fun.

Have you listened to any of Kate Reading and Michael Kramer ’s other performances? How does this one compare?

i have and they read them as well and professionally as others i've heard. I'm not particularly a fan of either's style, particularly Kate's to be honest...a little too stilted and dry, but that's a personal taste and isn't disliked enough to put me off.

Any additional comments?

these books are great, but let down a little by too many character threads that are never tied up and closed off, and poor female/male interplay/dialogue.
I've read all the books and am just re-listening to them at work in the background, as i don't need to pay full attention, already knowing the story...the books leave me occasionally enthralled and sadly sometimes annoyed.

2 people found this helpful

Average

Done it! Listened while working through the whole 14 books. Not bad - not brilliant either. Too much describing of what are people wearing, limited dictionary of dialogues and male-female relationships/interactions painfully similar, predictable -boring (Mr Freud would find it certainly interesting though :)

Maybe because English isn't my first language, maybe I'm spoiled by other writers or maybe Robert Jordan just isn't my type of author but haven't I been working at the time of listening I would considered it time wasted.

2 people found this helpful

Really enjoyable

A fitting sequel to the Eye of the world, the Great Hunt carries the tale to new depths of imagination.

2 people found this helpful