The Dragon Reborn

infobox Book |
name = The Dragon Reborn
orig title =
translator =


image_caption = Paperback edition cover of "The Dragon Reborn", showing Perrin Aybara looking upon Rand al'Thor reaching for Callandor
author = Robert Jordan
cover_artist = Darrell K. Sweet
country = United States
language = English
series = The Wheel of Time
genre = Fantasy novel
publisher = Tor Books
release_date = October 15, 1991
media_type = Print (Hardback & Paperback)
pages = 624 pp (first edition, hardback)
isbn = ISBN 0-312-85248-7 (first edition, hardback)
preceded_by = The Great Hunt
followed_by = The Shadow Rising

"The Dragon Reborn" (abbreviated as tDR by fans) is the third book of American author Robert Jordan's fantasy series "The Wheel of Time". It was published by Tor Books and released on September 15, 1991. The unabridged audio book is read by Michael Kramer and Kate Reading.

Plot summary

"The Dragon Reborn" consists of a prologue and 56 chapters.

From the Mountains of Mist to Tear

Rand al'Thor, having been declared the Dragon Reborn by Moiraine Damodred at the end of the previous book, "The Great Hunt" , secretly leaves the Shienaran camp in the Mountains of Mist to go to Tear to prove himself the Dragon Reborn. Along the way he is hunted by Darkhounds.

Moiraine, Lan Mandragoran, Loial, and Perrin Aybara chase after Rand. Along the way, they encounter a Hunter for the Horn, Faile Bashere, battle Darkhounds, and discover that the Forsaken Sammael rules in Illian.

From Tar Valon to Tear

Mat Cauthon is taken to Tar Valon by Verin Mathwin, Nynaeve al'Meara, Egwene al'Vere, Elayne Trakand, and Hurin. Immediately after arrival in Tar Valon Hurin departs to report to King Esar in Shienar as well as his fellow Borderlanders, and the women skirmish with Children of the Light before heading to the White Tower.

The Amyrlin Seat, Siuan Sanche, sets Nynaeve, Egwene, and Elayne to the task of hunting down the Black Ajah. A lead sends the trio traveling to Tear.

In the White Tower, through the use of a "sa'angreal" by Aes Sedai, Mat is permanently healed of the corruptive influence of the ruby dagger of Shadar Logoth. Once healed Mat defeats Galad Damodred and Gawyn Trakand at the same time in a practice sword battle using a quarter staff. This wins him enough money to gamble with and escape from Tar Valon. Elayne entrusts Mat with a letter to her mother Queen Morgase, explaining that she will be leaving the White Tower for some time. Mat finds Thom Merrilin in an inn. The pair escape Tar Valon together and travel to Andor, where Mat delivers the letter and learns of a plot by Queen Morgase's lover, Lord Gaebril, to murder Elayne, Daughter-Heir of Andor. Seeking to prevent that murder, Mat pursues the women, who are already on their way to Tear.

Climax in the Stone of Tear

In Tear, Nynaeve, Egwene, and Elayne are unwillingly betrayed by Juilin Sandar, a thief taker, (who was under the influence of a form of Compulsion from Liandrin) to the Black Ajah and then imprisoned in the Stone of Tear, where they are rescued by Mat and a repentant Juilin. Faile falls into a Black Ajah trap meant for Moiraine, and Perrin risks his life in the World of Dreams to rescue her.

Rand and the Forsaken Be'lal duel in the Stone of Tear. Moiraine interrupts the battle and kills Be'lal with balefire. Ba'alzamon appears, disables Moiraine and attacks Rand. Rand takes Callandor, proving himself the Dragon Reborn, and, with it, kills Ba'alzamon. Rand thinks he has killed the Dark One, who he believes was Ba'alzamon, but Moiraine tells him that the Dark One is not human, and therefore cannot have been Ba'alzamon, because Ba'alzamon left behind a corpse. Egwene, remembering a parchment of prophecy that Verin Sedai showed her, instead deduces that the corpse is possibly Ishamael, Chief among the Forsaken. Ishamael however had been killed before by Rand, so his complete demise is unlikely. The Aiel in Tear take the Stone and reveal themselves as the People of the Dragon.

Notes

Among "The Wheel of Time" books, "The Dragon Reborn" was unique at the time in that it only had a handful of chapters told from Rand al'Thor's point of view. Instead, nearly all chapters are told from the perspectives of his friends and allies as they race to catch up to him and help him. This is unusual: Rand is the main protagonist of the series and, as the Dragon Reborn, he is the title character of this book. However, although few chapters are told from his point of view, his presence in the plot is ubiquitous; all major characters in the book are either trying to help him or working against him. Later books evince a trend toward more "worldwide" points of view, with Rand receiving comparatively little focus, although his presence (or absence) is still widely noted.

Release details

*1991, USA, Tor Books (ISBN 0-312-85248-7), pub date 15 October 1991, hardcover (First edition)
*1992, UK, Orbit Books (ISBN 1857230280), pub date 25 June 1992, paperback
*1992, USA, Tor Books (ISBN 0-8125-1371-1), pub date ? October 1992, paperback
*1992, USA, Gallant / Publishing Mills (ISBN 1879371294), pub date ? Nov 1992, audiobook (cassette)
*1993, USA, Tor Books (ISBN 0765305119), pub date ? September 2002, paperback
*1995, UK, Orbit Books (ISBN 1857230655), pub date 31 December 1995, paperback
*1999, UK, Orbit Books (ISBN 1857230248), pub date 6 May 1999 ?, hardcover
*1999, USA, Rebound by Sagebrush (ISBN 0785716335), pub date ? October 1999, hardcover

External links

* [http://www.encyclopaedia-wot.org/books/tdr/index.html More detailed summaries of each chapter from http://www.encyclopaedia-wot.org]