What do You think about Belgarath The Sorcerer (1997)?
So this is the second time I've read this book, mainly cause I was out of stuff and I *really* hated the follow-up. I'll get to that sooner or later, but what I might have found charming about the digressions this time, I just found irriating and "clever." And it was carried to extremes in Polgara. I loved this series and perhaps it's been too long since I've read it, but I more think it's a matter of "you finished the series" let it go. The jokes that were sparkling are now tired. But maybe I'm just in a pissy mood today. Also, I find the reinforcement of gender roles to be annoying. I'm really on this kick lately about not believing in most male-female differences. That they are manufactured, but that's a rant for another day.Bad review. Sorry.
—Matthew L.
Belgarath the sorcerer has lived for thousands of years and been instrumental in bringing about the events described in 'The Belgariad', but the story started a long time before Zedar stole the Orb. In his own words, he tells his story, from being a young orphan chased out of his village to when he met Aldur, the God, who took him on his first disciple. As the centuries role by, he has to balance his own family and personal life, with the Events that keep occuring around him. As the NECCESITY guides him, he influences people and starts in motion things that won't have an influence for many, many years, but all aim to produce the Child of LIght, who will finally stand against the mad God Torak.Strangely, I didn't enjoy this as much as the books themselves, I think mainly because it is in first person, which I always feels takes away a bit of the drama. It still has Edding's sense of humour and I did like reading through the bits that are glossed over in the Belgariad. I think I should probably have read the Mallorean as well - the story told here doesn't give much of a background to it, but some things are mentioned that I think crop up in the later books. But never mind, not too much of a spoiler :) So overall, an enjoyable read.
—Dark-Draco
Well, this book is complicated to review. Mainly, because I am not quite sure what to say about it. The first time I read it, a few years ago, I fell in love with it and subsequently read all other David Eddings books (that is, until I realized that each and every one was the same and that I was not discovering any new characters from saga to saga). I recently tried it again, and hated it for how shallow, unrealistic and purely useless the book was, and when I decided to review it wanted to put 1 star.This book deserves the five stars I give it, however, as a great and fantastic children book, for ages 8-12 perhaps. The characters are all fun, well defined and the plot is clear but has some unexpected turns and twists. The world is, once again, clear, fun and simple, Manichean in a delightful and fantastical way. A must read for young fantasy readers.HOWEVER! For any older and more serious fantasy reader, the lack of depth and reality make this book an insult to any and all fantasy, as the world is paper thin, the characters are lifeless overused cliches and the overall story plain boring.Five stars for any younger readers, and a waste of time for all others.
—Jim Eisenberg
