Queen of Sorcery

Queen of Sorcery (1982) David Eddings

The cover is coming off my copy of the second book of the Belgariad, Queen of Sorcery. As with the previous book, the spine is bent and the corners are rounded, but like the first book it’s from multiple readings and being carried around and shoved into pockets and backpacks so I could read at spare moments and escape whatever it was that was bothering me.

Garion has now come to terms with the fact that his aunt is Polgara the Sorceress and the man Aunt Pol called Old Wolf is none other than her father, Belgarath the Sorcerer. The are on the trail of the thief Zedar, who has stolen the Orb of Aldur.

As they travel through Arendia, others join their group–an Asturian and a Mimbrate. Although I don’t mind either, they aren’t my favorites. Silk remains my favorite, although his banter with Barak places him in a close third, after, of course, Polgara.

It’s quite interesting to read this book after so much time away. As is the case with many epic fantasies, the place of women in the world is quite often as second to that of men, although considering the time this book was written, I think it does a fairly good job of allowing women participation in governance and decision-making, and it gets better as the series progresses (and coincidentally, the state of women in the real world changed as the series was being written).

We continue to watch Garion grow and mature, and although he lapses into bouts of immaturity at times, as does any teenager, he still remains mostly sensible, even in the face of events. I remain fond of the following passage, for it has always felt very true to me:

The revenge he had wanted so desperately for the past several months was dreadfully complete, but the taste of it was bitter, bitter.

Then his knees buckled and he sank to the earth and wept like a broken-hearted child.

There is so much about this passage (and of course the story that surrounds it) that I absolutely love. Garion must come to terms with his actions, he does not–and cannot–take a life and brush it off lightly. And his moral uncertainty is much needed as his older companions (with one large exception) are able to kill at need and move on without thought to the consequences. I like the humanity we see here, and the recognition that despite everything, the taking of a life is not something to be easily brushed off without consideration.
Rating: 9/10

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