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The Shadow Rising

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Original cover of The Shadow Rising, featuring Rand, Mat, and Egwene in the Aiel Waste

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.

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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.

Rand declares his intention to go follow the People of the Dragon, the Aiel, into their home, the Aiel Waste. Mat Cauthon, Egwene al'Vere, and Moiraine Damodred resolve to accompany him. Perrin Aybara 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 comes out with full knowledge of the Old Tongue and armed with a spear called an ashandarei and a medallion ter'angreal that protects against saidar and saidin. This last was discovered when Halima tried channeling at Mat when he was in Salidar.

The Wise Ones assign Aviendha the task of teaching Rand Aiel customs as they travel to Al'cair Dal, the valley called the Golden Bowl where Rhuarc has called all the Aiel together. On the way, they are joined by a group of merchants.

At Al'cair Dal, both Rand al'Thor and Couladin of the Shaido Aiel declares 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 a 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.

Having realized the merchants were Forsaken and Darkfriends in disguise, Rand chases after Asmodean, who is after the ter'angreal access keys to the Choedan Kal, the most powerful sa'angreal ever constructed. They battle at Rhuidean, and Rand defeats Asmodean by cutting him off from the Dark One. When Lanfear finds them, Rand explains to her 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 Padan Fain, and the Children of the Light, who believe Perrin is a Darkfriend. He also finds Verin Mathwin and Alanna Mosvani, both Aes Sedai, in the Two Rivers 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, as well as Lord Luc. Perrin leads the people of the Two Rivers to war against the Trollocs. When Perrin agrees to help them, the people of the Two Rivers start to call him Lord Perrin, a title that he greatly tries to discourage. Before the final victory, Perrin marries Faile, and drives Lord Luc out after discovering that he 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 of the Dark One. 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 destroys the palace. 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 spends most of her time hiding in a disguise as a woman unable to decide what to do about a suitor and is going by the name Elmindreda. When the Tower splits, Siuan is disposed, Elaida is Raised, and many Aes Sedai are on the run, Min is taken and thrown in a cell to be used as bait and a source of info for Rand. She is freed and persuades Gawyn Trakand, who blames Siuan for the Tower's split, to help her free the deposed Amyrlin Seat and Leane Sharif. He agrees but only because Min asked and it means helping Egwene as well.

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