Castle Of Wizardry: Book Four Of The Belgariad (The Belgariad (TW), 4)

In the fourth book of his Belgariad series of fantasy novels, David Eddings presents us with a masterly false ending as it appears that the quest is complete, but how can this be with one and a half books left? The answer is that the resolution is merely one aspect of The Prophecy (a predestination theme which underlies the series), a step towards a greater confrontation. In this book Garion (the main protagonist) begins to come to terms with his powers and ancestry, and learns the nature of his nemesis. With an impending war brewing between the forces of Light and Darkness, the gathering of an army of an alliance of kings and a secretive journey into the midst of enemy territory the similarity of the narrative with Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings is at its most transparent. This book is well written and sets up the climax of the series in the next book. However, as with the previous three books there are many touching and perceptive moments included amongst the inevitable preparations for war, such as the surprising attraction between the religious fanatic Relg and Taiba the slave woman.

One of the biggest reveals I've ever read. Garion was foreshadowed a lot to be this great figure through out the first few books but didn't realise that he was The Rivan King. Belgarath actaully mentioned this name in The Pawn of Prophecy but it flew over my head.

Both Garion and Ce'Nedra are forced to face up to who they are and responsibilities far beyond their years. Yet again Eddings gives us great adventure (I flew through this just as fast as the previous books) coupled with wonderful insights into people, relationships and how we develop the balance between our inner world and our self-centred view of the world with the outer world and our interactions with others.

I have all the books of this series in my bookcase and I had to have it on my kindle. Would recommend it to all lovers of fantasy novels.

Rather than being the fourth novel, this reads like the fourth part in a HUGE novel split in to five: although, out of necessity, it has to stand on its own and has a preface with further expansion on the background to the plot, this volume continues our hero's adventures without a pause. As I said about the previous volume it is a very fast read: I am now on number five, and have ordered Volume 1 of the Mallorean, which is the next series set in the same World, hopefully with the same characters. Highly recommended.