The Shadow Rising

By Robert Jordan

The Shadow rising is the fourth book in the Wheel of Time series, by Robert Jordan.

Prophecy has been fullfilled, the Stone of Tear has been breached and Callindor - the sword that is not a sword has been wielded, the Dragon is reborn.

Selene finally reveals to Rand that she is Lanfear, one of the Forsaken and free of confinement. Lanfear asks Rand to join her but then the stone is stormed by Shadowspawn, Trollocs and Fades. Rand is forced to use Callindor to wipe out the enemy and clear the stone. Rand then decides to do exactly what everyone is not expecting and returns to his true heritage.

The seals of Shayol Ghul are weakening and the Dark Ones influence grows ever stronger. Portents abound with doom, will the White Tower of Tar Valon be broken? In the Two Rivers, the whitecloaks pursue a man with the eyes of a wolf and will destroy anything and anyone that get in their way.

The three main plotlines (with a mini Min plotline as a fourth) follow Rand's quest, Perrins journey with Faile to the Two Rivers (and the subsequent troubles there with whitecloaks) and Ewgene / Nynaeve at the White Tower. The pace of this book is a bit faster than the The Dragon Reborn and as such it reads a bit easier, even with all that is going on.

This novel shows the main characters beginning to accept and grow into their Ta'veren roles, taking on more responsibility (or in Perrin's case having it thrust upon him) and the character development in this book is by far more comprehensive than any of the previous 3 novels.

Jordan also manages quite a bit of world building in The Shadow Rising with more descriptive finer points to the magical system and in particular Rands use of Saidin (the male half of the source).

All in all, the Shadow Rising is an excellent book, another great work in an awesome series, one that I, as always, fully recommend.

Written on 15th January 2010 by .

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