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

But that was only a story, and Garion did not beleive in magic dooms, even though the dark man without a shadow had haunted him for years.

Brought up on a quiet farm by his Aunt Poll, how could he know that the Apostate planned to wake dread Torak, or that he would be led on a quest of unparalled magic and danger by those he loved - but did not know?

For a while, his dreams of innocence were safe, untroubled by knowledge of his strange heritage. For a little while . . .