Book Review – “Pawn of Prophecy” by David Eddings

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Book Review – “Pawn of Prophecy” by David Eddings

Posted on 03. Nov, 2007 by Brad in Books and Authors | Twitter: @bradhart |

The Pawn of Prophesy is the first book of a series by David Eddings called, “The Belgariad.” Like most fantasy novels, this story is a quest. It is set in a mythical land somewhere during an age of knights in armor and swords, similar in technology to The Middle Ages, but the physical setting shares no recognizable geographical landmarks or proximity with our own world. With more than just different names for continents and mountain ranges, Eddings has built a different world that is subtly yet distinctively different from this planet. The history and folklore of this new world are wholly unlike the tales from the history of our Earth.

The main character, named Garion, is an orphaned farm boy who has been raised by his Aunt Pol. A peasant of very humble beginnings, Garion becomes swept up into an epic confrontation between good and evil. One day, while Garion is still a young teenager, Aunt Pol’s father, a storyteller, arrives at the farm with news. Aunt Pol and her father must undertake a journey, opting to take Garion and the farm’s blacksmith with them. They seek to reclaim a magical orb that was formed by one of the seven gods who created their world. Calamitously, the magical orb has been stolen by an evil magician, thus jeopardizing their entire civilization. Along the road, the company is joined by two more members, a devious scoundrel called Silk and a Viking-like warrior named Barak. Throughout the development of the story, Garion becomes increasingly concerned that he is out of his element and that his Aunt Pol is not really a relative of his at all. He suspects that she is actually a powerful sorceress well known by kings and queens. Moreover, instead of being thrilled or awed when he finds himself before these royal courts, Garion whines and longs for the simpler days of his youth and his familiar farm.

Aunt Pol has a vile temper and a sharp tongue. Her father, an apparent vagabond and philanderer, drinks too much and likes the ladies. He also lies, cheats and steals, as does the scoundrel Silk. As the story progresses, Garion discovers that few of these characters are what they appear to be. The continuing string of revelations helps move the plot forward, but perplexes Garion and throws him repeatedly off balance.

This book is easy to read with a simple plot that sets up the beginning of a longer quest. The character development is not intricate or complex. Although the characters are imperfect, their flaws add to the entertainment within the story. The storyline is plain and straightforward. There is magic, much magic, like most fantasy works, but this is not a dark magic and the story has much good humor. The sequence of events moves easily and quickly, without surprises or interwoven subplots, holding the reader’s attention with action, not analysis.

The Pawn of Prophecy begins a series of five books. The company of travelers does not recover the magical orb in this book, nor even in the next one. This book should be approached with caution, however, for it can lead the unsuspecting reader into much larger reading regimen if one is to follow the full quest through to its conclusion.

Ann Wamack is a freelance writer with American Book Cellar. Please visit the site at http://www.BookCellar.biz to browse through an ever-changing collection of science fiction and fantasy books and audiobooks, new selection every month. We are constantly cruising the galaxy for the greatest values in sci-fi reading material.

Author: Ann Wamack
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Digital Camera Times