Prologue: Umbral Men

So, The Great Hunt has started! I chose to point out the prologue because it is the first instance of a secondary character's voice rising to the narrator's spotlight (I know, I know, what about Domon? Well, to be fair, he does appear later in the series, if I recall correctly). While this may not seem like much, it is also the first time we (as readers) come to appreciate that the story won't be confined to the characters we were introduced to in The Eye of the World. Jordan's ability to tell the story not only from a chorus of familiar perspectives, but also from the minds of apparent strangers, means that perhaps the gang of bewildered children we've met won't be the only ones defending the world from the Shadow. Or helping it hobble into the shade of everlasting darkness.

Without picking apart the whole prologue, or revealing too much about later novels, the stranger's prologue (as good a name as any) will appear in most (possibly all) of the novels in the series. Yes, yes, what about Lews Therin in the first book, you might say. Well, it was the beginning of the first book -- at that point everyone is a stranger! Powerful foes are arrayed against the heroes, and it bodes well (and ill, for the faint-hearted reader).

Lastly, I think I'm losing my mind. I seem to have misplaced my copy of the next book in the series. I've had that copy of The Dragon Reborn for nearly fifteen years. If anybody sees it, let me know -- for all I know, it could be on walk-about!