Magician's Gambit
core novel 1983 Belgariad Universe
Record
| First published | 1983 |
|---|---|
| Original language |  EN |
| Work type | novel |
| Canon status | core |
| Reader rating | 4.15 (96,799 ratings, collected 2026-09-12) |
| Page count | 305 |
| First-edition ISBN | 0-345-30077-7 |
| First-edition date | 1983-06 |
| Internal chronology | 5 |
Synopsis
Magician's Gambit is the third volume of the Belgariad, picking up with Garion now beginning formal instruction from Belgarath in the use of his newly acknowledged sorcerous ability, the disciplined exercise of will and word that defines magic in this world. The company, now including seasoned warriors and rulers from several kingdoms, presses onward across dangerous and increasingly hostile terrain toward Rak Cthol, a stronghold associated with the sorcerer Ctuchik, one of the Orb's chief guardians on the side of Torak. Their route takes them through haunted and forbidding territory, where they must contend with monstrous creatures and the constant threat of discovery by their enemies. The stakes rise as the party closes in on the location where the stolen Orb is believed to be kept, setting up a direct confrontation with the forces holding it.
Where it sits
- Universe: Belgariad Universe
- Series: The Belgariad core; position 3 of 5 in the series' recorded order
- Author: David Eddings
Awards (verified)
- Locus Award (Best Fantasy Novel), 1984: finalist; Locus reader-poll placement, ranked 16.
Notes
- From the series record (The Belgariad): Original first editions credited to David Eddings alone; some later reprints/omnibus editions add Leigh Eddings retroactively (recorded per the original-credit rule).
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 The Belgariad: position 3 of 5: previous Queen of Sorcery (1982) · next Castle of Wizardry (1984)
- Internal chronology, within Belgariad Universe: position 5 of 12: previous Queen of Sorcery (1982) · next Castle of Wizardry (1984)
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Eddings_bibliography
- David Eddings Wiki (Fandom)
- https://www.isfdb.org
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Belgariad
- https://www.sfadb.com/David_Eddings
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