The Shadow Rising

The Shadow Rising (abbreviated as tSR by fans) is the fourth book in American author Robert Jordan's fantasy series The Wheel of Time. It was published by Tor Books and released on September 15, 1992.

At 1008 pages for the paperback edition, The Shadow Rising is one of the longest books of The Wheel of Time, second only to Lord of Chaos at 1024 pages.

The Shadow Rising

Original cover of The Shadow Rising, featuring Rand, Mat, and Egwene in the Aiel Waste
Author	Robert Jordan
Cover artist	Darrell K. Sweet
Country	United States
Language	English
Series	The Wheel of Time
Genre(s)	Fantasy
Publisher	Tor Books (U.S.)
Publication date	September 15 1992
Media type	Print (Hardback & Paperback)
Pages	1008 pp (U.S. hardback edition)
ISBN	ISBN 0-312-85431-5 (US hardback edition)
Preceded by	The Dragon Reborn
Followed by	The Fires of Heaven

Plot summary

At the beginning of the book, all major protagonists are together at the Stone of Tear, where Rand al'Thor had recently, at the end of The Dragon Reborn, shown to the world that he was the Dragon Reborn by wielding Callandor.

Selene reveals herself to be Lanfear, one of the Forsaken, and tells Rand to join her. The Stone of Tear is then stormed by Trollocs and Fades (though Lanfear did not have anything to do with this; in fact, it is believed she sent her own Shadowspawn to battle with the attackers). Rand uses Callandor to send a lightning storm to kill all of the Trollocs and Fades.

Rand declares his intention to go follow the People of the Dragon, the Aiel, into their home, the Aiel Waste. Egwene al'Vere and Moiraine Damodred resolve to accompany him. Mat Cauthon, unsure of what to do, finds answers within the Stone of Tear's Aelfinn ter'angreal, and is prompted to follow Rand to the Aiel Waste. Perrin Aybara, after hearing rumors of trouble in Two Rivers, chooses to return home to the Two Rivers, and Faile Bashere goes with him. Elayne Trakand, Nynaeve al'Meara, and Thom Merrilin decide to go to Tarabon to hunt the Black Ajah. Also Min Farshaw arrives in Tar Valon to report to the Amyrlin Siuan Sanche inadvertently setting off a chain of events that will lead to a Tower split. Thus, The Shadow Rising follows four groups of characters in four main plotlines.

Aiel Waste

Rand uses a Portal Stone to transport Mat, Egwene, Moiraine, and the Aiel at the Stone of Tear from Tear to the Aiel Waste, where Taardad and Shaido Aiel are waiting for them. The Aiel Wise Ones have Moiraine, Aviendha, and Rand enter Rhuidean, and allow Mat to go with Rand. All three enter ter'angreal in Rhuidean. When Moiraine comes out, she has some knowledge of the future. Rand comes out with dragon markings on both arms, proving him to be He Who Comes With the Dawn, the Car'a'carn, the Chief of Chiefs of all the Aiel. Mat goes into a doorway ter'angreal which leads him to the land of the Eelfinn. He comes out with the gaps in his memory filled with those of men long dead, which also grant him fluency in the Old Tongue. He was also gifted with a spear called an ashandarei and a medallion ter'angreal that protects against saidar and saidin. This last was discovered when Halima Saranov tried channeling at Mat when he was in Salidar. Rand found Mat hanging from the Tree of Life after exiting the ter'angreal, but was able to cut the rope and revive him.

The Wise Ones assign Aviendha the task of teaching Rand Aiel customs as they travel to Cold Rocks Hold. On the way to Cold Rocks Hold they come across a group of merchants. The Aiel have the merchants follow them to Cold Rocks Hold.

At Al'cair Dal, both Rand al'Thor and Couladin of the Shaido Aiel declare themselves to be He Who Comes With the Dawn. Rand is forced to reveal the secret history of the Aiel in the Age of Legends to prove to the clan chiefs that he did enter Rhuidean and is truly He Who Comes With the Dawn, whereas Couladin is an imposter and did not. An uproar breaks out among the Aiel, and, hoping to avert violence, Rand uses the One Power to bring a rainstorm to the Aiel Waste for the first time since the Breaking of the World.

After fighting breaks out among the Aiel, Rand chases after Asmodean, who had previously been disguised as a gleeman traveling with the merchants, who turned out to be Darkfriends. Going by the alias Jasin Natael, Asmodean is after the ter'angreal access keys to the Choedan Kal, the most powerful sa'angreal ever constructed. They battle at Rhuidean, and Rand is aided by Lanfear in defeating Asmodean by cutting him off from the Dark One. Rand then explains to Lanfear that Asmodean will be forced to teach Rand how to use the One Power because Asmodean will now be suspected as a traitor by the Dark One and the other Forsaken.

When Rand returns to Al'cair Dal, he finds that most of the Aiel, except for the Shaido and a few others, have acknowledged him as the Car'a'carn and joined him.

The Two Rivers

In the Two Rivers, Perrin discovers that the people are caught between Trollocs, led by Slayer, and the Children of the Light, who Padan Fain is working with, who believe Perrin is a Darkfriend. He also finds Verin Mathwin and Alanna Mosvani, both Aes Sedai, in the Two Rivers. They are searching for girls to bring to the White Tower to become Aes Sedai, since both Egwene and Nynaeve came from the Two Rivers and are strong in the Power. With the help of Blademaster Tam al'Thor and Abell Cauthon, Perrin leads the people of the Two Rivers to war against the Trollocs, and the villagers begin to call him Lord Perrin, and Perrin Goldeneyes, titles that he tries without success to discourage. Before the final victory, Perrin marries Faile, and drives out Lord Luc after discovering that Luc is indeed Slayer.

Tanchico in Tarabon

In the city of Tanchico in Tarabon, Elayne and Nynaeve encounter Moghedien and the Black Ajah and remove a male a'dam from their possession. Elayne and Nynaeve also meet Bayle Domon and the Seanchan Egeanin. They 'befriend' the Panarch Amathera, whom they rescue from Temaile, who is tormenting her. They also manage to collect one of the Seals on the Dark One's prison. Nynaeve and Moghedien end up battling, discovering that they are equal in power. Nynaeve shields the Forsaken, but they are discovered by one of the Black Ajah, who damages the palace using a ter'angreal that makes balefire. In the confusion, Moghedien escapes.

White Tower

Min Farshaw arrives at the White Tower to report to the Amyrlin, as Moiraine bid her to do. Her arrival is noted by Elaida, who discovers that something is going on between Moiraine, Siuan and the Dragon Reborn. Min remains in the Tower in the guise of Elmindreda, a giddy, empty-headed woman unable to decide between two suitors. Elaida and her supporters confront and depose Siuan, stilling her and Leane Sharif her Keeper of the Chronicles. Elaida is Raised (made Amyrlin) and many Aes Sedai flee. Min hides, and with the help of the cook Laras, frees the deposed Amyrlin Seat and Leane. Min, Siuan and Leane are recognized by Gawyn Trakand as they try to flee the Tower grounds. He is reluctant to help Siuan since the disappearance of Elayne, but he helps them escape because Min asks it, and because it means helping Egwene as well. While riding through the city toward freedom across one of the bridges, they come across the gentled Logain, whom they force to go with them.

External links

• More detailed summaries of each chapter
• Even more detailed summaries of each chapter from http://www.encyclopaedia-wot.org
• ISBN 0-312-85431-5 (hardcover)
• ISBN 0-8125-1373-8 (paperback)
• ISBN 1-59397-535-X (audio CD)

Donate to Wikimedia