The Great Hunt

For centuries traveling gleemen have told the tales of The Great Hunt of the Horn. So many tales about each of the Hunters, and so many Hunters to tell of...

Now the Horn itself is found: the Horn of Valere long thought only legend, the Horn which will raise the dead heroes of the ages.

And it is stolen.

Rand al'Thor, the farmbody who is thought to be the Dragon Reborn-the leader long prophesied who will save the world, but in the saving destroy it; the savior who will run mad and kill all those dearest to him-refuses to accept his fate. Even facing the dreaded Amyrlin, the leader of the Aes Sedai who may intend to "gentle" him, Rand fiercely denies his Power. He will have none of it-no matter what Myrddraal and Trollocs, Aes Sedai and dreams stand in his way.

But with the Horn another object is stolen: a dagger from the terrible ruins of Shadar Logoth. Unless the dagger is recovered, Mat Cauthon's life will end. And Mat is Rand's oldest friend. Unwillingly, distrusting everyone, Rand is drawn into the Hunt.

As Egwene, the innkeeper's lovely daughter, and Nynaeve, the young village wisdom, set out for Tar Valon's White Tower, seat of the Aes Sedai, Rand and the ogier Loial, accompanied by Perrin Aybara, the Wolfbrother who was once a blasksmith, track the Horn and Dagger through Shienar-and enter a world stranger than time itself. But Rand cannot escape his Power. The Dark One wants the Horn. The Dark One wants Rand.

At once a continuation of The Eye of the World and a novel complete in itself, The Great Hunt is written with all the warmth, excitement, and epic strength that distinguished the first volume of The Wheel of Time.

--From the jacket of The Great Hunt

And it shall come to pass that what men made shall be shattered, and the Shadow shall lie across the Pattern of the Age, and the Dark One shall once more lay his hand upon the world of man. Women shall weep and men quail as the nations of the earth are rent like rotting cloth. Neither shall anything stand nor abide....

Yet one shall be born to face the Shadow, born once more as he was born before and shall be born again, time without end. The Dragon shall be Reborn, and there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth at his rebirth. In sackcloth and ashes shall he clothe the people, and he shall break the world again by his coming, tearing apart all ties that bind. Like the unfettered dawn shall he blind us, and burn us, yet shall the Dragon Reborn confront the Shadow at the Last Battle, and his blood shall he give us the Light. Let tears flow, O ye people of the world. Weep for your salvation.

--From The Karaethon Cycle: The Prophecies of the Dragon