Polgara the Sorceress

Polgara, daughter of Belgarath and Poledra, narrates this epic final volume in the Eddingses' Belgariad and Malloreon fantasy cycles. Time-spanning EVENTS are crucial to the more than 33 centuries recapitulated here, as Polgara and her family are directed to shape history by keeping peace and spreading civilization, and as Polgara becomes the protector of generations of Rivan Kings in Exile, perpetuating the bloodlines that prophecies say will produce the Godslayer. Fantasy-adventure fans will find in these pages enough war and political intrigue to satisfy them. Yet the novel also focuses tightly on Polgara's education, and on relationships--covering the emotional rewards of them but also the inevitable losses over time, from the crushing death of Polgara's twin, Beldaran, through the passing of friends, aides and confidants such as Baron Kamion, the builder Killane and her beloved Count Ontrose. Pursued by Chamdar, the servant of the one-eyed god Torak, Polgara flees from town to town. Never strikingly original, by now this fantasy world offers little new. Rather, it will attract readers for its familiarity, for its promise of one final hurrah among well-liked characters and places, spiced by the kind of humor and drama that have made bestsellers of previous entries in the series bestsellers. (Nov.)