Genres
Description
She soars above a world of warriors, kings, and priests. The daughter of Belgarath and the shape-shifter Poledra, she has fought wars, plotted palace coups, and worked her powerful magic for three thousand years. Now, Polgara looks back at her magnificent life, in this fitting crown jewel to the saga that is the Eddings' Belgariad and Mallorean cycles. Her hair streaked white by her father's first touch, her mind guided by a mother she will not see again for centuries, Polgara begins life in her Uncle Beldin's tower, and in the prehistorical, magical Tree that stands in the middle of the Vale. There, she first learns the reaches of her powers. There she assumes the bird shapes that will serve her on her adventures. And there she starts on the path toward her destiny as Duchess of Erat, shepherdess of the cause of good, adversary of Torak the One-Eyed Dragon God, and guardian of the world's last, best hope: the heir to the Rivan throne. Here is the legendary life story of a woman of wit, passion, and complex emotions, a woman born of two majestic parents who could not have been more unlike one another. Ordained to make peace and make war, to gain love and lose love, Polgara lives out her family's rich prophecy in the ceaseless struggle between the Light and the Dark. Polgara is the epic culmination of a magnificent saga, and a fitting farewell to a world which, once experienced, will never be forgotten.… (more)
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
1997-11
Publication
New York : Del Rey, 1999.
ISBN
0345422554 / 9780345422552
Similar in this library
Awards
British Fantasy Award (Nominee — August Derleth Fantasy Award — 1998)
User reviews
LibraryThing member reading_fox
If you can't bear to read ten books of the same characters repeating the same plot, through the dubious device of a wheel of destiny type idea, then this is the condensed version. It doesn't quite have the same lightness and laughs the original does, and the writing hasn't got any more profound,
This is the same as Belgarath, but with a slightly different point of view. No improvement though.
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but it is shorter. Much shorter.This is the same as Belgarath, but with a slightly different point of view. No improvement though.
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LibraryThing member JeremyPreacher
Oh, Polgara. Ten books of characterization completely undercut in this explosion of sexist twaddle. Depressingly, I think it's a better book in a lot of ways than Belgarath the Sorcerer - the material is largely new (and entertaining) and, with the exception of the almost word-for-word repeat of
The sexism. This is the Eddings' chance to expound at appalling length their various opinions about the hard-wired differences between men and women, leading women to be conniving, emotional, good in the kitchen and with children, completely irrational in love, and made for making babies. Now, in their defense, this does not (in any of their books) prevent women from doing all sorts of interesting and significant things, but good god this pernicious 1960s thinking makes me flinch away from the page about every fourth paragraph.
The voice. This would have been the perfect opportunity to really develop Polgara's distinct voice - she's something of a restrained and mysterious figure throughout the books-with-plots, and her perspective should be unique. Instead, she sounds exactly like Belgarath throughout. Her audience-directed asides are even more irritating, if possible, but that's about the only distinguishing factor - except, of course, the frequent remarks about the differences between men and women.
Not a book I would recommend to anyone, really. The amusing Arendish political escapades do not make up for the serious commitment to eyerolling required.
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the Vo Mimbre section, is paced fairly well. But it's got two big problems that I can't overlook.The sexism. This is the Eddings' chance to expound at appalling length their various opinions about the hard-wired differences between men and women, leading women to be conniving, emotional, good in the kitchen and with children, completely irrational in love, and made for making babies. Now, in their defense, this does not (in any of their books) prevent women from doing all sorts of interesting and significant things, but good god this pernicious 1960s thinking makes me flinch away from the page about every fourth paragraph.
The voice. This would have been the perfect opportunity to really develop Polgara's distinct voice - she's something of a restrained and mysterious figure throughout the books-with-plots, and her perspective should be unique. Instead, she sounds exactly like Belgarath throughout. Her audience-directed asides are even more irritating, if possible, but that's about the only distinguishing factor - except, of course, the frequent remarks about the differences between men and women.
Not a book I would recommend to anyone, really. The amusing Arendish political escapades do not make up for the serious commitment to eyerolling required.
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LibraryThing member im-imagined
Possibly Edding's best book - much better than the main cannon of books it compliments (The Belgariad and the Mallorean). I would even suggest better than its companion, Belgarath the Sorceror.
LibraryThing member saehistoria
Ah-ha! The story that everyone really wants to hear. Pol is the ultimate fantasy female and the hints dropped in the Belgariad and Malloreon about her past leave the reader itching to know the whole story.
Eddings could be almost terse in his storytelling with Garion's two sagas, but Pol's book is
Pol's relationship with her father is a key element of the Belgariad and Malloreon, and it is founded on their love of Beldaran. The telling of that unique relationship leads to the revelation of Pol's character because she builds it entirely on the affection and grief that embodies her feelings for her twin sister. Beldaran's loss spurs the story on to round out Pol's personality so that she will be ready when the time comes for her to take up her role as Guardian of the line of Riva, and what a journey it is! From the Vale to Vo Wacune and Vo Mimbre, and finally to Faldor's Farm, Polgara blossoms into the powerful, charismatic and arresting sorceress who commands the worship of all Eddings' readers.
Had Eddings and his wife never composed this singularly sumptuous account of Polgara, the entire collection of the Belgarion novels would be less for it. This is a true achievement.
Eddings could be almost terse in his storytelling with Garion's two sagas, but Pol's book is
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where he allows for the lavish detail of the world and the rich character of the great lady herself to shine. All the stops are pulled and we are gifted with an even fuller account of 'what really happened' than Belgarath offered in his chronicle.Pol's relationship with her father is a key element of the Belgariad and Malloreon, and it is founded on their love of Beldaran. The telling of that unique relationship leads to the revelation of Pol's character because she builds it entirely on the affection and grief that embodies her feelings for her twin sister. Beldaran's loss spurs the story on to round out Pol's personality so that she will be ready when the time comes for her to take up her role as Guardian of the line of Riva, and what a journey it is! From the Vale to Vo Wacune and Vo Mimbre, and finally to Faldor's Farm, Polgara blossoms into the powerful, charismatic and arresting sorceress who commands the worship of all Eddings' readers.
Had Eddings and his wife never composed this singularly sumptuous account of Polgara, the entire collection of the Belgarion novels would be less for it. This is a true achievement.
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LibraryThing member RickeleBello
I love Polgara. I loved watching her character develop during the series and I enjoyed reading the book about her. She is a very powerful sorceress and it describes how she became that way.
LibraryThing member KirkLowery
Excellent filling in the gaps of a very long epic.
LibraryThing member seldombites
This is my favourite book from the Belgariad/Mallorean series'.
LibraryThing member willowcove
This entire series is wonderful. One of the earlier "young boy discovers that he's more than he was led to believe" stories. A classic in the fantasy genre that pulls you into a great read.
LibraryThing member drbubbles
Much snarkier than is common in fantasy.
LibraryThing member comixminx
Potboiler with annoying brogue bits, but hey, if you're a completist... Don't think I'll need to re-read this one.
LibraryThing member wyvernfriend
It's the story of her life up to Pawn of Prophecy by Polgara and mostly I liked the voice, except for the sexism and racism. You'd think that someone who had lived several lifetimes would have learned that there are a lot of things men and women have in common and that some women are different to
I did like Polgara's voice most of the time, but when she started generalising it made my hackles rise. I liked how her long life had made her cynical and that she regularly enjoyed herself, I don't remember reading Belgarath the Sorcerer, and I'm sure there's a lot there that is annoying too.
Still it was interesting to revisit my teenage years, I wonder how well the original series would live up to re-reading or would it really annoy me. I have reserved book one to see.
Honestly, David Eddings had one story in him and he kept re-writing it for a long time in various different clothes.
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others and not all women and not all [insert race here] are the same. Yes it's easy for someone who has lived a long time to become very ingrained in their thinking but she's done so much stuff and with wolves a lot of the time the female is the leader. It's lazy.I did like Polgara's voice most of the time, but when she started generalising it made my hackles rise. I liked how her long life had made her cynical and that she regularly enjoyed herself, I don't remember reading Belgarath the Sorcerer, and I'm sure there's a lot there that is annoying too.
Still it was interesting to revisit my teenage years, I wonder how well the original series would live up to re-reading or would it really annoy me. I have reserved book one to see.
Honestly, David Eddings had one story in him and he kept re-writing it for a long time in various different clothes.
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LibraryThing member JohnFair
If you'd thought that Belgarath's autobiography had covered all the Events of Necessity, then think again. In this story, Polgara, one of the twin daughters of Belgarath tells the tale of her long millennia looking after the various blood lines that were necessary to the completion of Prophecy.
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This could have been even more of a rehash of previously covered materials but, although there is obviously some of that, the story is actually deepened more in this than in the Belgarath book. I also enjoyed Polgara's acidic asides as she snipes at her father. Show Less
LibraryThing member SandyAMcPherson
After reading all Eddings' Belgariad series (to date, i.e. 1997), this prequel was very enjoyable. It wasn't all that repetitive and would be fine as a stand-alone. I haven't re-read it since it was given to me (1998) so I am not sure how well the work stands up to the test of time and changing
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tastes. The characterisations and adventures remain in my mind as well-done. Dare I re-read it and lose a great memory? Show Less