Belgarath the Sorcerer
core novel 1995 Belgariad Universe
Record
| First published | 1995 |
|---|---|
| Original language |  EN |
| Work type | novel |
| Canon status | core |
| Reader rating | 4.10 (76,844 ratings, collected 2026-09-12) |
| Page count | 736 |
| First-edition ISBN | 0-246-13845-9 |
| First-edition date | 1995-07 |
| Internal chronology | 1 |
Synopsis
Belgarath the Sorcerer is a prequel to the Belgariad, narrated as the life story of the sorcerer Belgarath, one of the central mentors of the earlier series, recounting his origins and transformation across an immense span of centuries. It follows Belgarath from his early life through his apprenticeship to the god Aldur, his growth into one of the god's chief disciples, and the long series of struggles against Torak and other threats that shaped the world Garion later inherits. The narrative traces the founding of the order of sorcerers Belgarath comes to lead and the personal losses and choices that define him over the ages. Written as Belgarath's own account, the book fills in the deep history behind events only briefly referenced in the main series, ending as the stage is set for the events that open Pawn of Prophecy.
Where it sits
- Universe: Belgariad Universe
- Series: Belgariad Prequels core; position 1 of 2 in the series' recorded order
- Author: David Eddings
- Author: Leigh Eddings
Awards (verified)
- HOMer Award (Novel), 1996: nominated
Notes
- First book to credit Leigh Eddings as co-author on the original edition. Narrative frame is a post-Malloreon memoir; internal chronology reflects the in-world event order (~7,000 years of backstory), which is chronologically first despite its 1995 publication date.
- From the series record (Belgariad Prequels): Two prequels; chronologically precede The Belgariad despite being published after The Malloreon.
Neighbouring works
Publication order and internal chronology are tracked as two separate orderings and are never conflated: a book's place in one says nothing about its place in the other.
- Publication order, within the series Belgariad Prequels: position 1 of 2: next Polgara the Sorceress (1997)
- Internal chronology, within Belgariad Universe: position 1 of 12: next Polgara the Sorceress (1997)
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Eddings_bibliography
- David Eddings Wiki (Fandom)
- https://www.isfdb.org
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belgarath_the_Sorcerer
- https://www.sfadb.com/David_Eddings
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