What do You think about Magician's Gambit (1983)?
Colour me lazy but I decided not to do a review for Queen of Sorcery ahisnd thought I would combine the two in this revihw, I think the main reason is, is that this series more then most feels like one big book that has been split up in to five managable segments, I find after a while I am hazy over one book ends and another begins, so I figured that the midway point would be a good place to stop and reflect.The adventure mounts as you continue on the series and as Garion learns more about quest himself and his motley crew of companions are on. Gradually Garion is accepting his skills as a sorcerer and realizes that some important fate lies a head of him.This series never fails to get me fully absorbed, although this book is very much powered by a strong plot line giving these books a sense or urgency and a very definite direction what most gets my nose buried in to these books is the characters. Silk's wicked wit, Polgara's inexorable nature, Mandorallans towering nobility, Ce'Nedra's girlish machinisms etc all these characters mixed together make a good book with, lets face it a pretty standard fantasy plot, though a very well realized and executed one, a truely excellent one, well after the book is closed I know I will remember all these characters and they will stick with me, and they have, I first read this book 10 years ago!So at the midway point things are moving on to the conclusion of this series and I am thoroughly enjoying the journey.
—Suzanne the Mighty (Under the Covers Book blog)
The Belgariad has been beloved by me since I was a kid, but having read many more books of as many genres and authors since then, I've realized that Mr. Eddings authorship leaves much to be desired. I still love the story, characters, mythology, and magic, but there are a number of glaring problems. Mr. Eddings omits tactical and practical details. If it really takes Garion and friends weeks and months to travel around, then why don't Polgara and Belgarath use the time to teach Garion about sorcery? Why don't Barak and Mandorallen teach Garion and Durnik how to fight? Why is all this time being senselessly wasted? Garion should be going through some serious character development and education, but he's still just a dull and ignorant boy. For that matter, when do they re-supply? How do they feed their horses as they travel through the desert? Questions and problems like these have really been bothering me in this read through. Also, if their task is so urgent, why does it take them so long to get from place to place. Seems to me that Mr. Eddings could have sped things up by shortening distances and reducing interminable treks through mountains and wastelands and making a shooter, but faster paced book. Anyway, despite all these problems, The Belgariad remains one of my all time favorite series. I just wish someone more skilled would re-record a better audio version of the books.
—Dan
I read the Bellgraid and the Malloreon about 10 years ago now, so my memory isn't up to a synopsis of the series or anything, but I did highly enjoy them then, they still grace my shelves now, and I hope to reread them in the near future.These books are great for the reader that enjoys fantasy series reading (so if you prefer a one off, try something else). They develop an amazing story and history that kept me engaged. The two series are intimately related/connected. The world is more of a high fantasy setting with magic and prophecies (lighter than Tolkien's writing, but more in depth than Anne McCaffrey's).I would recommend this book to teens and adult readers of the Harry Potter series, Tolkien fans, and Pern fans.
—Michelle
