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The Shadow Rising  By  cover art

The Shadow Rising

By: Robert Jordan
Narrated by: Kate Reading, Michael Kramer
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Publisher's summary

The Wheel of Time is now an original series on Prime Video, starring Rosamund Pike as Moiraine!

In The Shadow Rising, the fourth novel in Robert Jordan’s number one New York Times best-selling epic fantasy series, The Wheel of Time®, Rand al’Thor now wields the sword Callandor. He is both the Champion of Light and the Dragon Reborn. Now, he seeks answers to another prophecy that lies with the warrior people known as the Aiel to put him on the path of learning how to wield the One Power.

Accompanied by Moiraine Damodred, Rand arrives at the Aiel Waste and is granted permission by the Wise Ones to enter the sacred city of Rhuidean. After passing through a doorframe ter'angreal, Moiraine gains foresight while the Aiel await Rand's return, either with both arms marked by dragon symbols, validating his identity as He Who Comes With the Dawn, the Chief of Chiefs of all the Aiel - or to never emerge at all.

Since its debut in 1990, The Wheel of Time® has captivated millions of readers around the globe with its scope, originality, and compelling characters. The last six books in series were all instant number one New York Times bestsellers, and The Eye of the World was named one of America's best-loved novels by PBS's The Great American Read.

The Wheel of Time®
New Spring: The Novel
#1 The Eye of the World
#2 The Great Hunt
#3 The Dragon Reborn
#4 The Shadow Rising
#5 The Fires of Heaven
#6 Lord of Chaos
#7 A Crown of Swords
#8 The Path of Daggers
#9 Winter's Heart
#10 Crossroads of Twilight
#11 Knife of Dreams

By Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson
#12 The Gathering Storm
#13 Towers of Midnight
#14 A Memory of Light

By Robert Jordan and Teresa Patterson
The World of Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time

By Robert Jordan, Harriet McDougal, Alan Romanczuk, and Maria Simons
The Wheel of Time Companion

By Robert Jordan and Amy Romanczuk
Patterns of the Wheel: Coloring Art Based on Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time

Listen to more books in The Wheel of Time series.
©1992 Robert Jordan (P)1997 Books on Tape

Critic reviews

"Jordan's multivolume epic continues to live up to its high ambitions. Complex plotting, an array of strong characters, lavish detail, and a panoramic scope make this series a feast for fantasy aficionados." (Library Journal)

"The fourth volume of the most ambitious American fantasy saga continues to suggest that The Wheel of Time will also be the finest." (Booklist)

Featured Article: Wheel of Time Character Guide—Perrin


Among the most popular and enduring characters in Robert Jordan's epic Wheel of Time series is Perrin Aybara: blacksmith, Wolfbrother, and Steward of the Dragon. Perrin is a beloved character because of his strength and leadership, and because of his parallels to some heroes from various myths throughout time. Here is everything you ever wanted to know about Perrin Aybara, one of the prophesied saviors to stand up against the Dark One.

What listeners say about The Shadow Rising

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Best Book So Far

Now totally addicted to the pattern that Jordan has woven, I have to admit this last installment was by far my favorite. YES, critics of Jordan are right in that he can describe every detail in the most mundane scenes...and YES, his characters are a bit one dimensional in their personas...BUT with a story this complex I have to admit I appreciate characters that I know won't change on me from chapter to chapter or book to book. What I think most critics miss is that this book is about the storyline and the pattern, not just about the characters that play within it.

This past week I learned that Jordon has died and that he didn't finish his last book in the series (and rumor has it the last installment is a mammoth!). I am committed to finishing this out and seeing Rand through as the Dragon reborn, finding out what Lord Perin Golden Eyes does, and discover what's up with Matt and his flair for luck and history. 4 books down, 8 more to go!

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33 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

PLEASE PROGRESS

The lack of real progress in this story is driving me crazy. I'm going to have to give it up cause I just can't sit through another 41 hours of boring lack of progress.

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30 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

I'm still listening...

I am struggling with continuing this series. The overall concept is intriguing but the writing is difficult sometimes. Things happen to characters that after four books we still have no explanation for, the girls are airheads at the best of times, oh Rand this and oh Rand that and all of the sudden he and Egwayne have no feelings for each other with no lead up, Elaine writes two letters that we have no insight into, Minh is supposed to be street savvy yet she sounds like an idiot when it comes to the opposite sex and someone please shoot me when Nineavh speaks. She's mean and grouchy and how are we supposed to like her or how do the others like her? Anyways I'm still listening because it is entertaining but im hoping Mr. Jordan connects the dots and smartens up the characters in the rest of the books.

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29 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars

Good at first, then...Meh

I stopped reading the series after this book. The tragedy of this series is that the world, the back-history, and magic system are exquisitely developed, but the plot is repetetive and the characters are hollow. The pattern of the plot (no spoiler) is a less-than-brilliant move by (insert character), which leads to an emergency, which is resolved at the last second in a maddeningly convenient manner (usually either an unlooked-for rescue or a new manifestation of magic). The characters are fantasy stereotypes. However, the books are very suspenseful, and these are common issues in all but the best fantasy. All might be forgiven except for the sheer unnecessary length of the series. There are at least two major plot lines that a good editor would have axed altogether to bring focus to a badly meandering story arc and cut the size down a bit. I would recommend this series only to die-hard fantasy aficionados who will appreciate what was done well and forgive what was done poorly.

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27 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars

Better than its predecessors

I have been lukewarm at best about most of the series so far, as Jordan's penchant for exhaustive repetition is nothing short of maddening, but in this book he manages to drop it (along with the omnipresent adolescent angst that manages to overshadow every significant event by burying it under a mountain of triviality) long enough to achieve a few moments with some genuine emotional resonance. To avoid posting any spoilers, I will refrain from specifics, but the most poignant are the moments of history that Rand views, and they succeed where so many other efforts by Jordan fail because he--probably unintentionally--drops his usual writing devices and gets out of the way to simply narrate the events for us. The contrast between this part and most of the rest of the series is really amazing, and shows just how strongly we can feel the emotions of the moment without having to have it spelled out repeatedly for us both before and afterward. It's unfortunate that Jordan seems to trust the intelligence of his readers so little.

So kudos to the author for some really great moments in this book (there are one or two more, but I cannot describe them without giving things away). I wish there were more like them throughout the rest of the series.

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16 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent Book

I believe this is one of the best in the series. I can't wait for the Fires of Heaven to come out. I really pray it is the unabridged version!

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14 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

In depth plot and storyline but whats with the constant and petty quarreling?!

I truly love the wheel of Time series universe created by Robert Jordan. For years I have both read listen to these books the only drawback is the petty war of the sexes immature nearly constant quarreling between the primary characters.

Its quite incongruous when comparing the lifetimes of literally earth shattering import these beings represent to the high school level judgmental pithiness and childish banter they display towards each other.

Rand and Perrin seem to be the only ones evolving into capable characters matching their reality.

Already deep into Book 4 and seriously these characters should have grown out of this by now. if it doesn’t stop soon I don’t think I can continue listening. Its beyond annoying and destroys the otherworldly fantasy element i so enjoy

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13 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

lances say

Through out the Wheel of Time different threads of each part continue to get more and more intriguing. The changes/challenges each character undergoe never fail to leave you wanting more.

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10 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Almost as great as the first book

Storylines pick up quite a bit in book four. The three main protagonists begin embracing their respective roles as Taurvanianamias (only Jordan knows how to spell that word). There's more action as well.

Note: I want to give this series one star when the story focuses on the women, Nineve in particular. I've never hated a character as much as Nineve; she's utterly obnoxious dimwit with less than zero common sense — a stupid, stupid girl.

Both narrators are truly outstanding, especially Michael Kramer. Bravo indeed.

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9 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Best in the series yet

This series has been fantastic, and this book is the best so far. Can't wait to get the next one...

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9 people found this helpful