Pawn of Prophecy (Belgariad Series #1) » (~)

The Belgariad is an epic fantasy of immense scope, telling the tale of struggles between ancient Gods and mighty Kings, and of men in strange lands facing fated events, all bound by a prophecy that must be fulfilled.

Long ago, so the Storyteller claimed, the evil God Torak sought dominion and drove men and Gods to war. But Belgrath the Sorcerer led men to reclaim the Orb that protected the West. So long as it lay at Riva, the prophecy went, men would be safe.

For a little while...thus begins The Belgariad, an epic fantasy of immense scope set against a history of 7000 years. It tells of the struggles between ancient Gods and mighty Kings, and of men in strange lands facing fated events, all bound by a prophecy that must be fulfilled.

Gale Research

Eddings's second novel, Pawn of Prophecy, which appeared nine years after High Hunt, was the first to have a fantasy setting. Its success allowed him to write full-time, and he launched both the "Belgariad" and "Malloreon" series. These series chronicle the adventures of Garion, a young orphan, who gradually recognizes his own magic abilities as extraordinary events begin to overtake the ordinary occurrences of his world. By accepting his own powers, Garion is able to enlist the aid of warriors and sorcerers to combat the followers of the evil god Torak. A Publishers Weekly reviewer remarks that Pawn of Prophecy was "obviously part of a longer work" and noted that Eddings's first volume was "a promising start."