Tomes of Spellcasting--Queen of Sorcery

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: Queen of Sorcery
Author: David Eddings
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Format: Paperback
Copyright Date: 1982

Garion, who once thought himself an orphan, has discovered the truth: the woman he'd known all his life as Aunt Pol was really the sorceress Polgara who had watched nearly four millennia pass men by, and the old storyteller he'd dubbed "Mister Wolf" was really the over 7000-year-old Belgarath, first disciple of the god, Aldur, and one of the most powerful men in the world. More than that, however, he's discovered that his Aunt Pol is really his aunt, albeit many times removed, and Belgarath, as Aunt Pol's father, is really his grandfather, again many times removed. But these two powerful masters of sorcery are on a quest to find the Orb of Aldur, stolen by one whose goal is the awakening of a dark god whose own goal is dominion of the entire world. Now Garion--along with select others--is traveling in search of the stolen gem. But there's something else going on inside Garion himself: because what else is the distant grandson and nephew of two such powerful figures going to be but a sorceror himself? And more to the point, does he really want to become a sorceror?

Queen of Sorcery is the second book in the Belgariad. Although the story continues to follow Garion, we have finally reached the "present" where events are finally leading to a huge climax. But don't worry, we haven't quite reached that climax; we have a long way to go. But this book is a masterpiece within itself, filled with excitement and action, which is exactly what Garion's life is like now as he travels with people whom destiny is taking a powerful interest in.

One of the key attractions of this book is the greater development of the world picture. In Pawn of Prophecy all we really got to see was the kingdom of Sendaria and a brief, limited glimpse of Cherek. Now, though, we learn more about the politics of Arendia, Tolnedra, and Nyissa, three other kingdoms in this great world. We also learn about what kind of people live in these lands, and I have to tell you, there is an astounding difference in the way these kingdoms have turned out. Imagine a kingdom embroiled in a battle between King Arthur's knights and Robin Hood's archers. Imagine a kingdom whose people worship money even more closely than they worship the god that gave them that impulse. Imagine a kingdom filled with people who identify with the snake. Well, that's what we have here, and this kind of contrast is terrific to behold.

Queen of Sorcery continues and outstanding series. It's a masterpiece in and of itself filled with lies and deceptions, truths and discoveries. Everything that happens here, from the sadness of Arendia to the attack of the snake-animated mudmen to the great ashcloud that terrorizes Nyissa, is told in exquisite detail and developed into wonderful imagery. You don't want to miss this book!

Rating: Thumbs up! Ever discover who you really are but just wanted to go back to being who you were?

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