Guardians of the West (Book 1 of the Malloreon)

Rating:
Summary: Solid start
Review: I like Eddings because he tries to get away from the silly moralising postures adopted by some fantasy writers. He is more likely to encourage the readers to think in shades of gray than to adopt this right vs wrong mentality.

this first book is very interesting and I couldn't wait for the rest of the series, couldn't wait? I couldn't even put it down.

i also liked the snappy quips and banter of the characters it added to the interest in the book, and gives a reader time to digest some of the incidents that are happening throughout the plot. Eddings handles a large cast with ease, and the entire series is gripping.

Rating:
Summary: Eddings is not a good writer
Review: When I read a book, I tend to judge its worth based on two main pieces of criteria:

1. Overall entertainment of the story and the author's writing.
2. Any incite or understanding gained from the novel.

As far as that goes Eddings is 0 for 2. Eddings is probably the first author I've ever come across capable of writing an entire novel around static characters. Any plot developement comes from either the introduction of a character who suddenly gained information, or a tragic incident strikes from nowhere. The entire book is just the main character reacting to what happends arround him, just to discover that EVERYTHING is part of some prophecy that the reader is left practically blind to; so unless you plan on reading all of his novels (roughly equivelent to burning your hand on a stove, and for some reason, continuing to do so) your going to end the book with a feeling of no closure and confusion. The entire plot of the novel is roughly summed up in four simple steps:

1. Main character is confronted by random problem (death, kidnapping, sexual inadequacy).
2. Main character panicks and asks for help, or talks to his magic orb.
3. Problem thought to be solved, but is replaced by bigger problem from some prophecy.
4. Rinse, and repeat.

If you really want to read some fantasy I encourage you to read either the Lord of the Rings trilogy, or the Earthsea collection. As for this book, (and I've heard most of Eddings' books are similarily terrible) just say no.



Rating:
Summary: Should generally please most Belgeriad fans
Review: This review is intended for those who have read Eddings's preceding series, the Belgeriad (which begins with Pawn of Prophecy). If you have NOT read the Belgeriad, you really should read it first, both because it is the better work, and because if you don't like it, you definitely won't like this book.

Guardians of the West is the first book in Eddings's second five-volume series. This second series is known as the Malloreon. Eddings is very upfront about the Malloreon being in large part a repeat of the Belgeriad. Within the series, this is explained as a facet of his universe, that the same events keep recurring because something went wrong a long time ago.

It had appeared in The Belgeriad that Garion, the "Child of Light," had triumphed once and for all over the dark god Torak, the "Child of Dark." In Guardians of the West, the reader finds that this was not the FINAL, decisive meeting between Light and Dark, but only the most recent of many. The next meeting, however, is rumored to be the final one. Torak, being dead, is no longer the Child of Dark. Garion is still the Child of Light, but he will not necessarily still hold that title at the next meeting between Light and Dark.

Once again, Garion, Belgarath, Polgara, Ce'Nedra, Durnik, Silk, and young Errand set out to save the world. There is another, more personal goal that Garion and Ce'Nedra are pursuing at the same time.

Eddings's strength is creating distinct, generally likeable characters. But the Malloreon fails to measure up to the Belgeriad in this department. Most of Garion's other old friends from the first series - Barak, Hettar, Mandorallen, Lelldorin, Adara, Relg, Taiba - make appearances in this book, but they do not accompany him on his latest quest. Eddings apparently felt that he had mined those characters for all he could get out of them in the Belgeriad. That was presumably a wise decision on his part - he would know best whether he has run out of interesting things for Hettar to do - but these popular characters were unfortunately not replaced by equally interesting ones. The characters who join this second quest fail to engage the reader's interest.

The Malloreon is of course necessary reading for hardcore fans of the Belgeriad. It may irritate readers in many spots, however. It is true that Eddings falls into patterns of having Polgara be maddeningly superior, Belgarath be a scamp in a rated-PG kind of way, Silk be an aging adolescent sarcastic wiseguy, etc. Durnik is of course just boring, as is Garion too often. The worst drawn character is Ce'Nedra, who seems not to have matured one bit since first appearing as a spoiled 15 year-old princess in the Belgeriad, despite a decade of family and political responsibility. She is alternately whiny and flirtatious.

As the series develops, Errand shares more and more of the stage with Garion. This is a positive development, as Eddings allows Errand to be a good deal less of an idiot than he often forces Garion to be.

Eddings's books are not marketed as adolescent reading, but they are definitely best read as a young teen or late preteen. If you know a fantasy reader around 12-14 - or you yourself are within a few years of that age - then the Belgeriad in particular should be a must-read.

As for Guardians of the West and the rest of the Malloreon, those who like the Belgeriad should try this first book of the second series. If you DON'T like it, however, you may want to consider simply not finishing the Malloreon. The series does not improve in later books - Guardians is in fact the best of the five - and in particular the two books which follow it really drag at times.

Rating:
Summary: Eddings has done it again!
Review: The Belgariad series was amazing, and so are these! This book was so engrossing I read it in one day. The first couple of chapters are about Polgara, Durnik, and Errand's new, hilarious life. Of course there several dangerous adventures along the way to give you a mystery. Then we go to Garion and his firery wife who are having trouble making an heir. From that comes romance (obviously), assaniations, war, and the discovery of an ultimate war. We still get the laughs we got in Belgariad and the adventure, and the thrills. You need to read this book.