The siege of the Stone of Tear has ended. Rand, along with Moirane's help, has erased the Forsaken Be'lal from the Pattern, killing him. Using the Sa'angreal Callandor to finally kill Ba'alzamon, who was actually the Forsaken Ishamael in another form, Rand has proven himself to be the Dragon Reborn. However, in the wake of the victory, strange things begin to occur. Perrin's axe flies across his room and tries to kill anyone around him, Mat's playing cards come to life and try to slay him as well. As for Rand, all of his reflections from mirrors or other objects emerge and try to assume his place, by killing him. All three overcome their obstacles, but are bewildered by the sudden ominous occurrences. What had just happened, and why not to anyone else? Moirane, however, understands what has occurred. She explains that, as the seals on the Dark One's prison weaken, small "bubbles' of evil will escape. These bubbles are attracted to Ta'veren and, Moirane believes, more will soon appear. When the Stone of Tear comes under attack from Trollocs, and Rand's former traveling partner, Selene, reveals herself to be Lanfear, one of the Forsaken, Rand must do everything in his power to stop the destruction of the Stone. Using Callandor, Rand repels the invaders, but at a heavy cost. Now, Rand must travel to the Aiel Waste, to discover the truth behind his heritage to to realize his destiny as being far more than the Dragon Reborn.
The Shadow Rising is, so far, my favorite book in the series (I am up to book 5). First and foremost, it is filled to the brim with Aiel, the hearty, ninja-like people who remind me of the Freeman from
Dune, but with spears! Previously, there were only a few Aiel characters. Now, the author finally shows us what the Waste is like. I highly recommend this book for fans of the series, and for fans of the Aiel.
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