(first time reader) The Great(est) Hunt - post 2

HI

Second post during my read of Great Hunt. I've been reading whenever I felt like it, finish chapter nine and the next is ten.

Jeez, this is a really fun book. We've met the Amyrlin Seat and some other Aes Sedai, learned about the Black Ajah, WE HEARD MORE ABOUT TAM'S PAST AND RAND'S BIRTH and SOMEHOW we've also lost the Horn of Valere and Mat's dagger.

My favorite section so far has to be when Rand faces the Amyrlin Seat. He'd been nervous and restless up until that point, always wary of Aes Sedai yet frustrated at the same time. His lashing out on his friends is understandable, his fear of being named the Dragon is understandable. Like it's one thing to suspect that you are THE DRAGON as opposed to one of the most powerful people in the world, and knowledgeable people, confirming that you are that Dragon and you'll need to fight the Dark One. Part of me is excited to see how he grows into that role, but part of me also feels really sad for him. Up until now, Rand's pretty much wanted peace and quiet and for life to be simple. I fear that he won't ever have that again.

Lan and Nynaeve's feelings for one another is one I don't feel so connected to but one I do appreciate. It's nice to see Lan going out of his way to give her something that basically means he can always keep close to her in some fashion. I don't know if romance can survive in this world, but I hope they get to spend some time together.

NOW, FOR MY THEORIES.

First on the list, I think Aes Sedai as a whole will implode, mostly because of the Amyrlin's seemingly growing distress over her command of the women but also to do with her distrust of the Red Ajah. Maybe distrust is strong but to me she seems to have the least faith in them. Liandrin has hinted at the presence of the Black Ajah (can someone explain how different these are to the Forsaken, please?) and that makes me think she's secretly in communication with some of them to a degree. Maybe Siuan will be overthrown. She did say that none from the Reds have been raised to Amyrlin after the last one fell to the Blue. In that, I think it will eventually lead to complete decimation of current day Aes Sedai, leaving Rand to get involved somehow from there.

Additionally, I think that the information concerning the seals of the Dark One's prison being unbreakable is misleading to some extent. Not just off the fact that one is broken but the fact that some unbreakable entity is possible to create. I don't have much else to work with but I wonder how legitimate that information on the seals are.

(this is getting long so I'll stop here)