Tomes of Spellcasting

Welcome to the land of mystery, where the impossible is possible, and the improbable the reality. Join me as I investigate worlds filled with magic and meet the souls that wield this wondrous powers.

W A R N I N G !

This review does not represent the opinions of the general public. It reflects my personal thoughts and opinions on the book.

That said, on to the review!

Title: Belgarath the Sorcerer
Author: David Eddings
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Format: Paperback
Copyright Date: 1995

Before the birth of Belgarion the Godslayer, before the Battle of Vo Mimbre, before the War of the Gods, and before the theft of the Orb of Aldur...there was Belgarath, the Beloved and Eternal, the first Disciple of the God Aldur. Nearly seven millennia old, Belgarath is now the only living mortal who possesses even some first-hand knowledge of all that led up to the EVENT that decided the fate of the universe. From his first days as a thief to his following of Aldur's will, from the death of his wife to the birth of the Belgarion...only he can tell the story of these events, because in many cases he lived through them all. But really, given that he's a liar, a thief, and almost always to be found with a tankard of ale in his hand--not to mention that he's an inveterate storyteller who can't resist expounding in the stories he tells--can we really take his word for truth and gospel?

Belgarath the Sorcerer is a pseudo-autobiographical account of the life and times of Belgarath, Garion's ultimate grandfather. It fills in the holes to be found in what we know of Belgarath, including his origins and some of what really happened during his lifetime. In some cases, he directly contradicts what some of the purportedly accurate historical accounts of the time report about him, including what readers have seen excerpts from like The Book of Alorn and others.

Possibly the best aspect of this novel--apart from learning more about Belgarath's brothers and all--is the way Belgarath slips in and out of his chronicle to make direct comments to his readers, which in this case are supposedly Garion and Ce'Nedra. Now, you might think it odd to have this account now, after we've gone through The Belgariad and The Mallorean, and to be honest it was initially difficult to read so much when we knew what the ultimate result was going to be. But then, as you start reading, it becomes clear that, while you know what the outcome is going to be, there are all manners of ways for the outcome to arrive, and we get to see how things really happened.

I may not absolutely adore biographies, but Belgarath the Sorcerer is no ordinary biography. The Eddings have done a terrific job of revealing details that many readers probably would never have thought about as they read through the two quintets. They've answered any number of questions that lurked in the readers' collective subconscious, only to raise more about some other missing gaps in the history of Belgarath. Good job, Mr. and Mrs. Eddings!

Rating: Thumbs up! A chronicle unlike any you'll ever see again!

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