- Paperback: 600 pages
- Publisher: Voyager; New Ed edition (4 Jan 1999)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0002246961
- ISBN-13: 978-0002246965
- Product Dimensions: 22.8 x 15.4 x 3.8 cm
- Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 565,073 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
David and Leigh Eddings take readers on a fascinating behind-the-scenes tour of the extensive background material they compiled before writing their epic fantasy "The Belgariad" and the "Malloreon" and the two companion volumes, Belgarath the Sorcerer and Polgara the Sorceress.
The tour stretches from the wealthy Empire of Tolnedra to the remote Isle of the Winds, from the mysterious mountains of Ulgoland to the forbidding reaches of darkest Mallorea. Readers visit the time before Time when two opposing Destinies began the cataclysmic struggle for supremacy that would involve Gods and men alike, crack a world asunder, and threaten to unravel the fabric of the universe itself. One also gets to see the origin of the Orb of Aldur and glimpse the final act upon the Sardion Stone. --Amazon.com
Review
From reviews of Belgarath the Sorcerer:
‘My ideal summer read… Having enjoyed the entire ten-book serial, I was delighted to be able to read this latest addition as it not only provides fantastic escapism in itself, but, being a prequel, will make my re-reading of the other books all the more fascinating.’
The Irish Times
‘All the verve and pace we’ve come to expect.’
The Dark Side
‘Offers an absorbing storyline and some memorable characters as, once again, the author touches all the right fantasy bases, with warring gods, political intrigues, supernatural creatures and appealingly human magicians involved in a titanic war over the course of seven millennia. Eddings fans will no doubt snatch this novel off the shelves while readers new to the authors’
world won’t find a more appropriate place to begin exploring it.’
Publishers Weekly
‘There’s no denying Eddings’
offerings do entertain. This novel is for fantasy fans fed up with more fusty fare, or for anyone who likes mischief and merriment.’
West Australian
Inside This Book
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First Sentence
The myths of the Alorns describe a time when men and Gods lived together in harmony. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt
The myths of the Alorns describe a time when men and Gods lived together in harmony. Read the first page
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Concordance
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
25 of 25 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This is not the book to read if you are expecting another Belgarion et all story. It quite clearly states that it is not about that. What this book gives you is some idea of the details that the Eddings applied to create their world. In it you will find such mundane things as countries economic base, ruling structure and coinage - but if you keep going you will also be able to read the histories of all the countries you read about in the books as well as all their major texts (the prayer of Issa is particularly interesting). Eddings is at pains to point out in this book that this was just his approach to writing, and in no way should you attempt to recreate it as it may not work for you.
And valuable insight in the amount of detail required to bring to life a fantasy world.
17 of 17 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Having been a fan of this series for many years - indeed waiting impatiently for him to publish the ongoing books as he was finishing them, and having enjoyed the post-series prequel accounts (figure that one out), Belgarath and Polgara, I had to have this book when it came out. The amount of sheer hard work that has gone into constructing the world where we have followed the whole saga unfolding is extremely impressive and the origins of the different races, cultures and conflicts are well laid out, filling in a number of gaps left by the books themselves. Other reviewers have outlined the content of the book very well so I would like to make a slightly different point. The book was spoiled for me to a degree by Eddings's arrogant (I thought) dismissal of Tolkien right at the start. I doubt there is anybody alive who has read The Belgariad et al who has not read the Lord of the Rings. You must decide for yourself which you prefer or if you feel they both have equal merit but this element of 'one-upmanship', implying almost a contemptuous deisregard for the man who did it first altered my perception of Eddings. Having said that, the whole series, culminating in this detail-laden crowning work still stands as a landmark in fantasy fiction and will remain so for a long time to come.
14 of 14 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This is definately a book for those readers who want to know how the ideas behind the stories were formulated. It is really just a comprehensive list about each of the different gods and their people, but to the avid fan such as myself, I would reccommend it whole heartedly.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
An insight into the creative process!
This book really gives you a sense of all the work that goes into creating a new world, populated by believable characters.
Published 7 months ago by Steph
A must have for Eddings fans
This is a great book for fans of Eddings, it fills in any gaps and answers any and all questions. I have read this book several times and, along with the belgariad and mallorean, I... Read more
Published 20 months ago by L. Holmes
Should perhaps have been published before the Belgariad, etc
I saw no reviews before I bought this book and would have paid no heed if I had - this may have been my mistake. Read more
Published on 28 Nov 2001
Scary levels of background detail
I can understand people being disappointed in this book if they were expecting it to be another standalone prequel telling a single coherent story, but as long as you know what... Read more
Published on 22 Jan 2001
Dont get this!!!
I have read all of the Eddings books, except Althalus so far, and was appaled at the quality of this book. Read more
Published on 22 Dec 2000
A book to easily put down.
This book is a collection of details about charcters who are in previous books. It reminds me of a Friday afternoon publisher thinking what can we do very little work for to make... Read more
Published on 13 Nov 2000
One for fans of the earlier works.
This book sets out some of the material used in the production of David and Leigh Eddings' eariler series "The Belgariad" and "Malloreon". Read more
Published on 7 July 2000
Fantastic, a great insight into the Belgariad and More
If you have read The Belgariad, The Mallorean and the books on Belgarath and Polgara this work is an amazing read. Read more
Published on 31 Mar 2000
oh puhleese, not more merchandising
This is a definite anoraks only book for the sort of people who have trouble remembering that the belgariad and mallorean are fiction. Read more
Published on 19 Sep 1999
A History book for Eddings's world's fans.
Do not expect a book as thrilling as the Belgariad or the Malloreon because this time, there's absolutely NO action. Read more
Published on 1 Aug 1999
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