Belgariad (2) - Queen of Sorcery by David Eddings
And the next part! Queen of Sorcery (in German: Zauber der Schlange, in French La reigne des sortilèges) with 322 pages. Originally published 1982
Garion must accept that his aunt, his Aunt Pol, the woman who raised him, who mends his clothes and feeds him, in reality is Polgara the Sorceress. And the vagabond he calls Mr Wolf really Belgarath, the oldest human alive – a mystical figure who learned to use his power by Aldur, a god! When Garion himself starts using his magical talents, he faces wagon loads of self-hate and fear: Because how can these powers be anything but evil? But he also has other things to worry about: while his little band of adventurers has grown and one of the newest members, the spoiled Imperial Princess Ce'Nedra, drives him crazy, he is captured... And there is the mysterious voice in his mind...
This book is as good as the first. After Garion's little speech towards Polgara, I wanted to strangle him – but his reaction makes sense. I was so sorry for him after what happened with his stalker (who deserved his fate). He thinks he's a monster and he's actually not yelling at her, but at himself. Even though what he did was wrong, it's also quite realistic that you'd snap like that in this situation. The built-up towards it was, on a narrative level wonderfully executed. The scene itself was necessary to make him as a figure realistic. But I still could have slapped him! Poor, poor Aunt Pol! She did nothing wrong and he was just cruel.
As to the sorceress: I love how she mothers everyone. How she sets Ce'Nedra's head straight, and makes Garion be nice – and how she keeps Barack from doing something stupid. I'm so sorry for that man. He's a good person and suffers very much – from his wife and from his curse. Even though the latter does come in handy from time to time.
Ce'Nedra, by the way, is a real brat. She's spoiled, self-important, looks down on everyone... but she can be a sweet person if she wants something. Her upbringing and character are realistic and very well executed – but you could strangle her nevertheless. I am so, so sorry for her father. Having her as a daughter is really not something to wish for.
But I like her family, the dryads. Their society is really interesting, especially how they view men.
Apropos interesting society: The snake people! The way in which the characteristics of the animal is weaved in the culture is really, really gorgeous. The scenes in Salmissra's palace? Wonderfully executed, all the drugs and that stuff. She herself is weird, but well done – and she deserved her ending. Hey, she got what she wanted, didn't she? She' immortal. So, where's the problem?
What's also very interesting is Arendia – the conflict, how the serfs are treated, basically everything. And I love Mandorallen – his flowry speech filled with such eloquent thees and thous and forasmuches doth delight mine eyes.
Apart from this, the story was tense and full of original ideas.
In brief:
Stars for style, content, ideas and characters.
Prequel:
Sequel: