EYE OF THE WORLD: Book I of The Wheel of Time

Vast, improbable fantasy that touches all the standard bases, with an unimpressive though complicated good. vs.-evil/cyclic-history backdrop. Upon peaceful, bucolic Emond's Field suddenly descends a horde of bestial, vicious Trollocs directed by sinister shadowy Fades at the behest of the Evil One. Their targets are three young men: sheepherder Rand, blacksmith Perrin, prankster Mat; all three miraculously escape. Also on hand are Moiraine, a well-dressed lady of the Aes Sedai (those who can tap the One Power to work magic) and her sidekick, the warrior Lan. Clearly, the only safe place for the three is Tar Valon, the magically defended city of the Aes Sedai. So, accompanied by the village Wisdom (witch) Nynaeve and her apprentice Egwene, they all set off. After some adventures and hairsbreadth escapes--the usual heroic-travelogue padding--they join up with a cuddly giant Ogier, Loial, who takes them through magical tunnels to see the Green Man. Nearby is the Eye of the World, which the Evil One fears: it's a source of power to be used against him. Finally, some sort of ethereal battle ensues, as Rand taps the power of the Eye to destroy the Evil One without quite knowing how. Neither will his readers. Despite one or two encouraging signs of inventiveness: portentous, ponderous, and contrived, with a rationale that's not even half worked out.