Dopo la morte di Ctuchik in La valle di Aldur, Garion e compagnia riprendono il viaggio per dirigersi verso Riva, dove l'Occhio deve essere riportato.

Durante il viaggio, a Garion viene imposto un corso accelerato di “tenere il comando” (condito con pungenti suggerimenti da parte di Silk): nessun lettore ne sarà stupito, visto che tutti immaginiamo da molte pagine quale sarà il suo ruolo all'interno della Profezia, ma forse è un tantino brusco. Tanto che Garion non fa che ricordare i bei tempi felici in cui zia Pol lo coccolava e si prendeva cura di lui.

Dall'altro lato della medaglia c'è Ce'Nedra, adorabile (caricate l'aggettivo di tutto il sarcasmo che riuscite a racimolare) principessa e futura sposa del Re Rivano. Per gran parte del romanzo si comporta come ha sempre fatto: capricci, sclerate egocentriche e bronci infiniti. È una pacchia leggere il suo punto di vista. A un certo punto, però, viene folgorata dalla Responsabilità e forse c'è qualche speranza che l'irritazione che suscita diminuisca a poco a poco.

Polgara e Belgarath continuano a bisticciare come sempre (per fortuna). Anzi, questa volta, Belgarath la farà incazzare così tanto che vedremo letteralmente volare le suppellettili. Durnik, Barak, Mandorallen e Hettar si sono un po' persi di vista rispetto ai primi volumi, data la crescente importanza di Garion e (purtroppo) Ce'Nedra. In compenso, veniamo a sapere qualcosina in più su Silk... il piccolo farabutto nasconde molto bene le sue rogne, ma forse avrei preferito vedere meno melodramma intorno a lui. I suoi sentimenti per Porenn mi sembravano già sufficienti... ( )

Ik snap het niet. De plot is voorspelbaar, de humor ook, de actie ook, de personages ook. En ik geniet met volle teugen! Het is een feest van herkenning, van ontspannen vermaak. Volgens mij is dat de kracht van Eddings. ( )

This will be the same review for all the books in ‘The Belgariad’ and ‘The Mallorean’.

These books changed me.
I started reading them as an 11 year old who was kind of floating around in this thing called life. I had friends at school, but no meaningful connections. This I didn’t understand until I was older. By reading these books I was drawn into an incredible world filled with characters that I knew and loved, and in some cases wanted to be (come on people, I can’t be the only kid that put a streak of white paint in their hair). The story is Garion’s ‘hero’s journey’ but I felt that the adventure belonged to me too. It was my ‘Neverending story’ if you will and it gave me the confidence to be more present in my own life. I own all the copies of both series set in this marvellous world and most of the extras too. They are a pretty tired looking collection of books because I bought them as a university student from second book shops all over Christchurch and Auckland. I love that they have been released again relatively recently with a fresh new look so that they can appeal to the younger generation. I thoroughly recommend these books for lovers of high fantasy, action, and relatable characters. It is the quintessential hero’s journey. ( )

Después de la muerte de Ctuchik se produjo un terremoto que destruyó la ciudad de Rak Cthol. Garion y sus amigos han de huir de Cthol Murgos mientras los nueve jerarcas de los grolims los persiguen con el poder de sus mentes. Pero la sombra de Garion viaja hasta el castillo donde aquellos están reunidos y allí se produce una escena escalofriante:

{Fourth of 5 in Belgariad series; fantasy, high fantasy, quest fantasy, young adult} (1984)

Warning: possible **spoilers for the previous books** ahead.

The quest for the Orb has been fulfilled but now the company need to get it out of Cthol Murgos and back to the Hall of the Rivan king, collecting Ce’Nedra on the way so she can present herself there on her sixteenth birthday. Garion feels that this is the end of the adventure and wonders what he is going to do with his life from now on, after realising that he can no longer return to Faldor’s farm as he had once assumed that he would. But he discovers that the quest was only the beginning and the Prophecy has not finished with him yet.

One criticism I‘ve seen about this series is that Garion doesn‘t get told everything. Well, apparently there‘s a reason …

He wondered also about his own life. The visit to Faldor's farm had forever closed that door to him, even if it had ever really been open. The bits and pieces of information he had been gathering for the past year and more told him quite plainly that he was not going to be in a position to make his own decisions for quite some time.
'I don't suppose you'd consider telling me what I'm supposed to do next?' He didn't really expect any kind of satisfactory answer from that other awareness.
'It's a bit premature,' the dry voice in his mind replied
'We'll be in Riva tomorrow,' Garion pointed out. 'As soon as we put the Orb back where it belongs, this part of the adventure will be all finished. Don't you think that a hint or two might be in order along about now?'
'I wouldn't want to spoil anything for you.'
'You know, sometimes I think you keep secrets just because you know that it irritates people.'
'What an interesting idea.'
The conversation got absolutely nowhere after that.

(but later on in the story:)

'Very well done, Belgarion,' the dry voice complimented him.
'Oh, shut up,' Garion said.

Sometimes that little voice in your head can get just a bit too annoying.

The recovery of the Orb leads to the catalyst that awakens Torak, the maimed god of the Murgos, which in turn will renew the aeons old war of East agains West. As we know, Belgarath warned the monarchs of the countries the group passed through to start preparing for war and now the armies start massing. Both Garion and Ce’Nedra accept that they have no control over their own destinies and grow into the roles that the Prophecy has proscribed for them.

This series was some of the very first books I read in fantasy and helped cement my love for the genre. I’m re-reading it for the 2022 group read. The trademark banter is still there in this book, even in the prologue, but with the approach of war things get a bit more serious. Eddings makes it clear that war is not all fun and glory.

Great was the wrath of the Emperor of Tolnedra. He assembled his armies to cross the Sea of the Winds and do war. Then the peaceloving Alorns held council to try reason upon this rash Emperor. And they sent out a message to advise him that, should he persist, they would rise up and destroy Emperor and kingdom and sweep the wreckage thereof into the sea. And the Emperor gave heed to this quiet remonstrance and abandoned his desperate adventure.

(Um …. diplomacy?) As we know, Alorns never go looking for a fight ...

Amongst the story and the banter he scatters some descriptive gems.

It was still early spring, and the night was cool but not chilly. There was a fragrance in the air, washing down over the city from the high meadows in the mountains behind Riva and mingling with peat smoke and the salty tang of the sea. The stars overhead were bright, and the newly risen moon, looking swollen as it rode low over the horizon, cast a glittering golden path across the breast of the Sea of the Winds. Garion felt that excitement he always experienced when starting out at night. He had been cooped up too long, and each step that took him farther and farther from the dull round of appointments and ceremonies filled him with an almost intoxicating anticipation.

I love that feeling of adventure when the rest of the world is hushed and the air is cool with the promise of a beautiful day ahead. For me, that happens on early mornings; I‘m not a morning person so it happens rarely, which makes it more special.

There's a little side adventure with a witch in the fens (once again there's a gentle hint that the prophecy is not the only thing happening in this world). I didn't agree with what Vordai had done with her fenlings but maybe that was the point? Just because you have power and intend to do good, it may not be the right thing to do.

I found this book very readable (although, disappointingly, most of the title pages for the different sections have come out as blacked out rectangles in this edition (Corgi 9780552168366 2012) and there is no Contents page. At least the maps all seem to be there). For someone who has only managed 16 books so far this year and been struggling especially with re-reads, I zipped through this in under 24 hours. Still enjoying being back in this world.

(April 2022)
4.5 stars ( )