Pawn of Prophecy (The Belgariad #1) by David Eddings

Pawn of Prophecy is another of the books that can be found in our “Legacy of Fantasy” series. The book tells the tale of a young man growing through adolescence while being swept up into an epic quest of good versus evil. This book, and those that follow it, are wonderful introductions to the Fantasy genre with interesting characters and a quickly moving plot.

The tale of a farm boy

Pawn of Prophecy tells the tale of a young farm boy, Garion, and his formative years living peacefully on Faldor’s Farm with his Aunt Pol, the stunningly beautiful and talented head cook. The first third of the book tells the tale of Garion’s young life in this pastoral setting, and the trials and tribulations of growing up beneath an overprotective guardian. Garion’s only chances to make mischief come when the ancient wandering storyteller, known simply as “Wolf” pays a visit to pilfer from Pol’s pantry and spin the occasional yarn.

End to tranquility

This would not be a very interesting book if it merely told of the trials and tribulations of a young boy on a farm. After Garion has turned fourteen, Wolf returns to the farm and speaks urgently with Garion’s Aunt. Eavesdropping, Garion learns that something has disappeared and must be tracked down. Mind aflame with curiosity, Garion is dragged along as Wolf and his Aunt Pol depart Faldor’s Farm with the smith Durnik accompanying them. The group soon expands to include a rather shifty fellow named Silk and a bestial warrior named Barak and sets off across the peaceful farmlands of Sendaria.

Clichés Galore

Most of the characters are clichés that often pop up in other books from this genre: wise cracking thief, gruff warrior, mysterious, wise old man etc. Even the general plot of the book is somewhat formulaic; something valuable was stolen and must be recovered. The world is, generally speaking, nothing especially original either: a farm country, a nomadic nation, a sailing people and a country in a constant civil war, to name a few.

Why you should read this book

If you can look past the formulaic style of writing and world building, this book serves as a wonderful introduction to the fantasy genre. In fact, this book (and the ones that follow after) was what initially pulled me into the fantasy genre (and reading in general). It catches the attention and is a relatively quick read, making it ideal for children. While some of the scenes can get somewhat violent, the content remains fairly child-friendly. As always, a parent should read the book and the entire series before allowing the child to open the cover, but I recommend this book for teens curious about the fantasy genre.

Chris is a 21 year old education major finishing off his degree in secondary science education. Chris, like many children, saw reading as a chore for many years. However, after much prompting, cajoling and threatening from a close relative, Chris started reading the Belgariad series by David Eddings and fell in love with the fantasy genre. What little free time Chris has, he uses to spend time with his fiancé, play the occasional video game or enjoy the outdoors.

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