This table contains the abbreviations I've used for citations while making this timeline, and the books to which they correspond. All editions I've used were published in the United States by Del Rey. With the exception of the five books comprising The Belgariad as originally released, all my copies are hardcover.
| Abbreviation | Edition |
|---|---|
| BtS | Belgarath the Sorcerer, first edition, first printing, 1995 |
| PtS | Polgara the Sorceress, first edition, first printing, 1997. Signed by the authors! |
| PoP | Pawn of Prophecy, first edition, eighth printing, 1984. This book corresponds to pages 1-192 of The Belgariad, Part One. |
| QoS | Queen of Sorcery, first edition, eighth printing, 1984. This book corresponds to pages 193-429 of The Belgariad, Part One. |
| MG | Magician's Gambit, first edition, fifth printing, 1984. This book corresponds to pages 431-644 of The Belgariad, Part One. (I also didn't actually use it while making the timeline, but I put it here for completeness.) |
| Bv1 | The Belgariad, Part One, first edition, first printing, 1995. Consists of Pawn of Prophecy, Queen of Sorcery, and Magician's Gambit. |
| CoW | Castle of Wizardry, first edition, third printing, 1984. |
| EEG | Enchanters' End Game, first edition, first printing, 1984. |
| GW | Guardians of the West, first edition, first printing, 1987. |
| KM | King of the Murgos, first edition, first printing, 1988. |
| DLK | Demon Lord of Karanda, first edition, first printing, 1988. |
| SD | Sorceress of Darshiva, first edition, first printing, 1989. |
| SK | The Seeress of Kell, first edition, first printing, 1991. |
The Belgariad, Part Two was planned by Del Rey as a counterpart to the publication of The Belgariad, Part One in 1995. Plans for this volume were lost in editorial limbo, according to the person who answered the web-to-email form at Del Rey in 1998.
I have, however, been informed by several visitors to this site that there is an existing two-part hardcover set of The Belgariad; one of them told me it was published 1983-4 by Doubleday. I've been unable to track down any copies of that set, however, and as a result neither book of that set was used to compile this timeline.
But I do have a firm citation for the second volume, even though I've never seen it myself. I received this from a reader of this site, who found it in the alt.fan.eddings FAQ. The book in question is The Belgariad: Part 2, published in 1984 by Nelson Doubleday, Inc., by an arrangement with Del Rey; ISBN 1-56865-038-8.
Since I originally wrote this, Del Rey has also released a two-part trade paperback version of The Belgariad.
I'd be surprised if someone didn't ask why I didn't use The Rivan Codex to assist in compiling this timeline, so I'm trying to keep ahead of you guys and answer the question first. :)
The answer is fairly simple. The Rivan Codex was the preliminary work that the Eddings' did when preparing to write The Belgariad back in the early 1980s (and again in the mid-1980s for The Malloreon). Because of this, the contents of The Rivan Codex do not necessarily reflect what actually went into the books. If nothing else, it would not take the work of Del Rey's editors into account.
As such, the information can't really be relied on, and won't be used--except, perhaps, where it corroborates what's already in the timeline or helps to resolve inconsistencies.
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