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. Copyright 1997 Cahners Business Information, Inc. From: Reed Elsevier Inc. Copyright Reed Business Information

A sorceress reminisces on her proud life in this final volume in the authors' best-selling sf series, "The Belgariad" (e.g., Belgarath the Sorcerer, LJ Copyright 1997 Cahners Business Information, Inc. From: Reed Elsevier Inc. Copyright Reed Business Information

Readers of the Belgariad and Mallorean sagas will already know Garion the Rivan King's aunt, Polgara. But do they know she is 3,000 years old, daughter of two of the most potent wizards ever, a notable shape-shifter, and qualified as ruler, cook, doctor, midwife, and foster mother? Since the death of the first Rivan queen, Polgara's beautiful sister, Beldaran, it has been Polgara's duty to protect the line that will eventually produce the Godslayer, nemesis of Torak the One-Eyed. So doing, Polgara survives being the duchess of Erat and founder of the kingdom of Sendaria, arranges peace among the brawling Arends as well as the confrontation that hands Torak his first defeat, and endures the tragic death of far too many of the bloodline she is protecting, not to mention outliving even those who die at ripe old ages. Cast in the form of its engaging protagonist's memoirs, this book, though somewhat uneven in development and emotional impact, is a fine prequel--and coda--to the Eddingses' two multivolume works. Readers should swarm; libraries should provide. (Reviewed November 15, 1997)0345416627Roland Green From: Syndetics Solutions, Inc. Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.