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Polgara the sorceress -
David and Leigh Eddings.
Contributor biographical information
Publisher description
Sample text
New York : Ballantine Books, 1997.
643 p. : maps ; 25 cm.
Annotations:
- "A Del Rey book"--T.p. verso.
Colored maps of the Kingdoms of the West and the Seven Kingdoms of Karanda on endpapers.
Reviews:
- Rebecca Barnhouse (VOYA, August 1998 (Vol. 21, No. 3))
Described on the dust jacket as the "crown jewel" of the two five-book Belgariad and Malloreon series, this book retells the stories of all ten novels from the point of view of Polgara, the three-thousand-year-old sorceress. In a first-person narrative, interspersed with comments directed at her father, Belgarath, Polgara tells her life story, beginning before she was born. After dwelling on her childhood and education, Polgara begins to skip quickly over the events related in the Belgariad and Malloreon novels, stopping at important points in time such as her twin sister's death and the ensuing regency period of Prince Daran, and her overthrow of the feudal system in Arendia. Unbeknownst to her father, Polgara has a strong mental link with her mother, Poledra, whom she has never seen, presumed by Belgarath to be dead. Both parents educate Polgara in magic and other types of knowledge, and she assumes her place in the direction of world events, fighting against the evil god Torak, and guarding the heirs to the Rivan throne. This novel assumes a knowledge of the earlier books, but readers new to the work of the Eddings team can still enjoy Polgara's version of the story. However, because Polgara is telling most of the stories from the distance of time, there is little sense of emotional involvement, and therefore little suspense. Polgara's character is established early on and then remains static, with no development or change. Likewise, the style, with Polgara's frequent asides to her father, to other characters, and to the reader, becomes tedious after the first 200 pages, and in a 643-page book, that's saying something. The writers might have done better if they had focused on a few events rather than giving such a broad overview, but hardcore fans probably will not mind. VOYA CODES: 3Q 4P S (Readable without serious defects; Broad general YA appeal; Senior High, defined as grades 10 to 12). 1997, Ballantine, 656p., $25.95. Ages 15 to 18. Subjects:
- Fantastic fiction.
| Language | Call Number | LCCN | Dewey Decimal | ISBN/ISSN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| English (eng) | PS3555.D38 P65 1997 |
97014785 |
813/.54 |
0345416627 (hardcover) 9780345416629 |