Shardik Summary
Richard Adams

Shardik Summary

Shardik tells how the presence of a monstrous bear inspires a subject island people to overthrow the ruling empire. Confident that this bear is Shardik, the promised incarnation of divine power, the Ortelgans capture the capital of Bekla. They are led by Kelderek, who first discovered Shardik.

While Kelderek ministers to the captive bear, the Ortelgans consolidate power throughout the empire and begin to rule harshly. Shardik suddenly escapes from Bekla. Following him into the countryside, Kelderek discovers that Ortelgans have allowed the slave trade to flourish. When Shardik perishes in the act of saving some children from a slaver, Kelderek believes that this is God's revelation: children must be cared for if society is to flourish.

Fundamentally Shardik is a novel about human misery. From the opening description of a forest fire, destruction is the constant occurrence of the novel.

Shardik is the...

(read more from the Short Guide)