Amph The Will and the Word: Discussing David Eddings' Belgariad/Malloreon Cycles

I looked all over this board for a discussion on David Eddings and the Belgariad/Malloreon cycles, but all I found was a locked thread without much discussion that was about David and Leigh Eddings? books in general. So, I thought I?d start this discussion thread for two of my favourite fantasy series ever.

The Belgariad and The Malloreon are sister cycles. They take place in the same world and while each are complete in their own, The Malloreon continues on where the The Belgariad left off. David Eddings also wrote two companion books with his wife, Leigh, and published an index of sorts about the world the two cycles are set in.

The Belgariad

Pawn of Propechy
Queen of Sorcery
Magician?s Gambit
Castle of Wizardry
Enchanters? End Game

The Malloreon

Guardians of the West
King of the Murgos
Demon Lord of Karanda
Sorceress of Darshiva
The Seeress of Kell

Companion Books

Belgarath the Sorcerer
Polgara the Sorceress

The Rivan Codex

I highly recommend these books to anyone who loves the high epic fantasy genre. It?s a traditional quest-themed series ? with sorcery and prophecies, kings and queens, and the occasional demon. There?s also many different cultures and countries in the world where the books take place, which add some interesting flavour.

Also, I am a huge fan of the way Eddings? wrote these two cycles. I think he has a very witty narrative, which makes it so much more fun to read.

So, out of the people on these boards who?ve read these books, who?s your favourite character? What do you like best about the books? Any things you don?t like (I know I have a couple)?

Wow, I?m really bad at starting discussions.

edits -- markups

 

I've been wanting to read Eddings; heard he was good. Thanks for the titles -- I'll check him out

 

His later stuff gets a bit repetitive (he has this formula that he likes to use when creating fantasy worlds and it's the same thing over and over again), but The Belgariad was his first fantasy series (unless I'm somehow mistaken). It's my favourite out of everything he's written and it is really quite good.

And I have a feeling that there's a lot of characters you'd like, Nat. When you read them, watch out for Silk. He's one of my top favourite characters ever.

 

If this was an Elenium/Tamuli thread I'd be all over it. But I haven't read his other two series.

 

I've read the first book of the Elenium but had to stop because my library didn't have the others. But I liked it; it was intriguing and I love Eddings' prose. It's always so addictive. Once I get started on one of his books, I can hardly stop.

You should try reading the Belgariad/Malloreon at some point.

 

I'll give Eddings credit for coming up with some good High Fantasy concepts.

But the one reason I don't consider him a great, or even at times "good", writer is his characterization skills. You ALWAYS tend to have at least one "All Knowing Wise Alec" character, who in turn ends up driving me, as a reader, up the wall.

 

Oh, I remember these!

Vaguely, anyway.

I do remember the characterization issues, Starscream. Mostly about how there were national/racial cliches galore about all of the different countries Garion and company passed through, and the characters were then described as a typical ________ian, or had some kind of internal tension due to *not* being typical.

That part got a little odd, for me.