For many people, The Shadow Rising is the book that hooked them on the Wheel Of Time series. Rising above the more formulaic aspects of the previous three books, TSR introduced a narrative complexity and a palpable sense of history that captured the imagination and humbled the gentle reader. This is where the meat of the series truly begins, where we really are in the thick of it. We've got Rand and the Aiel in Rhuidean, Perrin in the Two Rivers, and Elayne & Nynaeve in Tanchico. We've got secrets and deceptions, action and suspense, surprises and revelations. We've got the history of the Aiel and the making of history in the White Tower. TSR gives Jordan a chance to stretch his abilities, and he makes the most of it.

We start out in Tear, where everybody is still catching their collective breaths from the climax to The Dragon Reborn, but as Rand drives Callandor into the Stone, the plot splinters into three distinct parts. Rand attempts to fulfill his Aiel destiny in the Waste, while Perrin sets off to rescue the Two Rivers from what turns out to be a terrifying amount of Trollocs and Myrddraal. Finally, Elayne and Nynaeve continue to hunt the Black Ajah, travelling to the chaotic mess that was Tanchico. Along the way, much effort is spent developing characters, giving protagonists like Elayne and Mat some needed 'screen time'. As well, Jordan gives us a glimpse into the Aiel's past all the way to the Age of Legends, a two-chapter section that I would stand up next to the highlights of any great literary giant of the last millennium with pride. Every time I read those chapters, I get a marvelous chill down my spine, as if I'm reading the histories of my own people.

I still have some nagging questions that threaten to break my mind in two (like, what exactly was preventing Asmodean from walking into Rhuidean before the end of the book?), but without question, TSR is the book that vaults Jordan into Tolkien's league.

Well, let's begin breaking down The Shadow Rising: