The short version
A faster, more distinctive sequel that expands the world and forces its young cast into separate tests of identity.
Quick answers
What to know before you start
- Where does it fit?
- Book 2 in The Wheel of Time.
- Can I start here?
- This is book 2. Check the series reading order first.
- Is the series complete?
- Yes — the indexed series is complete.
- When was it first published?
- 1990. Edition publication dates may differ.
- How long is it?
- 681 pages in the reference edition.
- Is an audiobook indexed?
- Yes — narrated by Kate Reading and Michael Kramer, with a runtime of 26 hrs 34 min.
- What is the point of view?
- Close third person with a widening ensemble.
What it's about
A spoiler-light premise
The theft of a dangerous artifact sends a pursuit across unfamiliar territory while prophecy and politics close around Rand and his companions. Separate journeys expose the group to new cultures, threats, and uses of power.
The reading experience
What to expect on the page
- Point of view
- Close third person with a widening ensemble
- Prose style
- Descriptive and increasingly distinctive
- Pacing
- Focused pursuit with several parallel journeys
- Story focus
- Identity, pursuit, cultural expansion, and prophecy
- Reading commitment
- High — direct continuation, though more focused than book one
You'll probably like it if
Readers who liked the first book's promise and want a more original, faster sequel.
Maybe skip it if
You disliked the core cast or the series' gender dynamics in the first volume.
Story profile
Themes & familiar elements
Themes
- Identity
- Duty
- Friendship
- Power and control
Tropes
- Artifact quest
- Reluctant destiny
- Separated party
- Portal worlds
Before you start
Content considerations
Spoiler-light subjects that may matter when choosing this book.
- Fantasy violence
- Captivity and enslavement
- Psychological coercion
- Death and grief
Editorial perspective
The Great Hunt is where The Wheel of Time starts sounding more fully like itself: stranger, broader, and more confident than its deliberately familiar opening.
Ways to read
Formats & editions
Print edition
681 pages
- Publisher
- Tor Books
- Length
- 681 pages
- Published
- 1990
Page count and cover can differ between editions.
Audiobook
Narrated by Kate Reading & Michael Kramer
- Runtime
- 26 hrs 34 min
- Edition
- unabridged
- Language
- English
- Listed for
- US
Details verified Aug 10, 2026. Retailer availability and edition details can vary by country.
Sources & verification
Where the edition facts come from
Publisher, format, ISBN, page-count, narrator, and runtime details are kept at edition level because they can vary between versions and markets.
- Audible US Unabridged English audiobook · checked Aug 10, 2026
At a glance
Fantasy Index scorecard
Continue in order
The Wheel of Time
The full series is available.
Closest matches
