The Blight comes alive in all the worst ways as the group journeys north. Just when things are looking grim, they find themselves in the Green Man’s oasis, and he leads the way to the Eye of the World.
If Robert Jordan describes the sun as “sullen” one more time, I’m going to throw this book across the room. My teenage daughter is sullen. The family gathering after Grandma’s funeral is sullen. The sun is a giant, energetic thermonuclear reaction — how can it be sullen? The Eye of the World uses the word “sullen” fourteen times, and three of those are describing the sun. I’m not opposed to a little anthropomorphism, but when it stands out like this, someone needs to arrange an intervention. Jordan, buddy, there are other adjectives. Let’s find them together.
Moiraine and Lan erase the last vestiges of the campsite and the group continues north toward the Mountains of Dhoom. Trees begin to move in unnatural ways. One of them bends over to snatch an animal from the ground. Abominations charge them from the treeline, and Moiraine’s connection to the True Source seems to be no deterrent.
Just as the attacks grow overwhelming, a sound from behind makes the sickly forest stand still. Lan says it is the cry of a pack of Worms, creatures so lethal they can kill Fades. Yikes! Someone call Kevin Bacon — he’ll know what to do!
Lan says the Worms are afraid of what lives in the mountains, so they ride hard for the peaks. Trees collapse behind them and the sickening wail of the Worms grows louder. They aren’t going to make it in time, but to stand and face them is suicide. In this moment of crisis, the Blight abruptly ends and everyone is standing in a lush, healthy forest.
The Green Man is there. He is another character who has been repeatedly mentioned in the same breath as the Eye without anyone asking who the fuck he is. He seems to be one of those mystical caretaker “forest spirit” types. He is much larger than even Loial, and is composed of living foliage, save for a desiccated brown scar on his cheek. The Green Man identifies Perrin as a Wolfbrother, and calls Rand “Child of the Dragon” — but neither of them is very comfortable with the attention. Moiraine declares they are here to see the Eye of the World, and the Green Man agrees to take them to it.
Now, I admit I read this book before, but that was thirty years ago and I do not remember anything about the end of this book. However — why do I get the strong feeling that the Green Man is about to die? I suppose it’s because of the trope. You know the one — gentle immortal guardian of peace and balance, untouched by evil for millennia, until the plot shows up. Watch your back, Green Man.