The Shadow Rising by Robert Jordan (Novel) [Revisited]

Rand, Mat and Nynaeve journey from Tear to the Aiel Waste to fulfill the part of the prophecies that say the Dragon Reborn is also the Aiel’s Car’a’carn.  To prove their worth Rand and Mat must enter the ancient and sacred city of Rhuidean and be tested. Nynaeye will train with the Wise Ones (the Aiel version of the Aes Sedi) about Dreaming.  Meanwhile Nynaeve and Elayne head to Tanchico to hunt down the Black Ajah taking Thom Merrilin and the thief catcher Juliin Sandar with them.   Yet the two story lines that most entertained me in this volume were those with Perrin and Min.  Min arrives at the White Tower to inform the Amyrlin Siuan Sanche of Moiraine’s progress advising Rand and upon her arrival sees a vision that something very bad is about to happen at the White Tower.  The best part of this terrifically dense book is Perrin’s journey to his home town of Two Rivers where he becomes the leader he was born to be and unites his people to battle a siege of Trollocs.  To assist him for the task is Loial and Faile Bashere.  It’s Perrin and Faile’s love story that gives book its emotional punch.  Considering all the story threads Mr. Jordan is weaving here it’s an impressive achievement.  Under a less skilled storyteller this chunk of epic writing could have been a logistic nightmare of unfocused subplots and underdeveloped climaxes.  The development of the Aiel culture and their tribal customs alone is enough to upstage the most accomplished writers out there.   Just when I was thinking the last book was the best one, this one reigns supreme.  There’s just so many memorable moments.  As anyone knowledgeable with The Wheel of Time knows, it is a bit long winded but in this case there really isn’t a section you can remove.  It’s a fantastic book.  Grade: A