Garion and the rest of his traveling companions have retrieved the Orb of Alder and venture back to safe territory. Killing Murgos and finding armies along the way. They make stops at remembered placed, but as they enter farms and caves, Garion finds that they are different. More like they are the same and he is different. He has grown in the year he's been gone traveling with Aunt Pol and Belgarath. Suddenly he also finds himself a King to a country he doesn't know and people trying to murder him on a supposedly safe island away from those who'd do him harm. Ce'Nedra isn't being helpful either. But then bigger decisions have to be made and prophecies must be fulfilled.
As I said, it's not my favorite. There seems to be a lot more traveling happening and not as much storytelling going on. Events happen, but they have more of a diplomatic feel to them instead of action adventure. This series is written differently than most, especially nowadays, and goes slower. These events, diplomatic though they may be, needed to happen in order to further the story on. Slow going, but push through it and enjoy the last book.
As always the development of the characters is what holds me on, although I've become more and more intrigued by the final battle with Torak and what will happen in the future.
