Rating: 
Summary: Excellent story and convenient format
Review: I have always loved the Belgariad - the story is an epic journey of the coming of age of a special young man who does not realize how special he is. The story combines alll of the best elements of fantasy and weaves them together with vivid (but not overdone) description and believable characters. Unlike many books in the fantasy genre, the Belgariad has strong and believable male and female characters. The challenges of differering cultures trying to get along in a heated political climate are also beautifully portrayed, and it is great to see the strong female characters play a part in it. The other great thing is that the story has artfully portrayed romance and intrigue - without being bogged down with gratuitous sex - this makes the book accesible to a wider audience and also makes it feel more genuine. One can easily get into the story, and feel that they are reading of real people. All of the characters are well-developed and individual...from the most incidental character on up to the main three. A must-read for fantasy fans!Thie edition is great because it is durable and it packs the first three books into one, which is more economicall on your wallet and your bookshelf. I also like this edition because i can lay it open on a table in front of me while reading and am thus less likely to lose my place - very convenient when caring for a baby. All in all, this is an excellent story at a great value.
Rating:
Summary: Awesome possum man!
Review: I promise, these books were the reason why I love to read! As a kid, I really hated to read, but after stumbling on the "Pawn of Prophecy" I was thrown into this world with wonderful characters and great settings. I've enjoyed reading a good majority of his books, and although some may think his caliber of writing has decreased, he is still awesome! I even got my sister into reading because of his books! I really love these books.
Rating:
Summary: Best Fantasy Series Ever!
Review: This is my favorite series of fantasy books! Nothing I have read can compare to the simple wonder and joy that these books create. The world is rich and vibrant, full of interesting places and people that give a wonderful depth to "The Belgariad" (books 1-5).
The plot is full and moves at a comfortable pace, never slow, yet never so quick that you feel rushed about. There is action, but it is not gratuitously bloody.
This is the perfect story for young readers (9-14), who want more excitement than "Harry Potter", and who's parents don't want them having nightmares!
Rating:
Summary: Utterly fantastic
Review: This was my first fantasy series and since then I've read a few more, both good and lousy, and I have to say I'm relieved that this was my first taste of the genre because it absolutely addicted me to fantasy! Eddings displays a lot of skill in creating his characters, and this was what I enjoyed most about this series. All the characters can be related to, each have their own quirks and idiosycrasies and the dialogue betweeen them is witty and chummy, making us believe that this is the Good Side. In subsequent series (the Mallorean, Belagarath the Sorcerer) Eddings has shown just how deeply he has developed the world of the Belgariad. His stories contain both concepts such as the conflicting Prophecies and the end of the world on a macro scale as well as the interactions between characters and races on a micro scale. I would recommend this series to anyone who is hesitant to step into the whirlwind never-let-go world of fantasy. This series will reel you in and keep you in.
Rating:
Summary: Great fantasy
Review: I am 37 years old. i have read the Belgariad series in several occassions. The more you read the more you get out of them Those who think the characters are trite fail to uderstand and see the whole picture. In a study of Fairy tales, it is said we are in fact all the characters. If you think about these books, in fact the characters seem simple each on their own. But put all together as a unity reveals so much about human psyche. His archetypes are amazing and make you think deeply about your own faults and blessings. In the simplicity of these books lies their wisdom. It takes more than an adolescent mind to be able to figure this out.
Rating: 
Summary: Outstanding!
Review: There are three fantasy series' I've given five stars. This one isn't one of them. Barely. That being said, it's a great read. It would be an easy mistake to chalk up the characters as being simplistic and trite, yet beneath many is something unique, something that makes him or her behave, in rare instances, in wholely unanticipated ways. Barak is an enormously powerful and savage warrior-berserker, yet has a secret that makes him lie awake nights, terrified and sweating. Silk is an irrepressably positive, humorous, and witty little rogue, yet on rare occasions we get a glimpse of him terrified out of his wits (something I never thought could happen), or sobbing like a lost child, not caring whether he lives or dies. My favorite character, Belgarath the Sorcerer, is often a match for Silk in roguishness and good humor, yet would stoically put entire kingdoms to the torch if it meant protecting the Prophecy he serves. Plotwise, I'll be honest, this series is not groundbreaking, yet the standard fare it presents is done with noteable compassion and humor. Where this series really shines, however, is in its pacing. Rarely if ever have I found its match in this area. The first book, Pawn of Prophecy, starts out a touch on the slow side, but it's short enough that all but the most impatient reader can get through the "boring" parts with ease. After the series kicks into gear, it's quite the page turner, without ever getting ahead of itself. I've given three series' five stars (Martin's "A Song of Ice and Fire", Moon's "The Deed of Paksenarrion", and Feist's "The Riftwar Saga"). I refrained from giving this one the same rating only because it never left me quivering in an uncontrollably emotional heap, unable to speak or move, like the others. Other than that, it's wonderfully entertaining and worth every second.
Rating:
Summary: Good volume idea
Review: In case you're thinking this volume series comes as a boxed set, as I thought, it's actually the first three books in ONE BIG PAPERBACK. I think it's better this way because it's All Inclusive, no need to hunt for separate books.
Rating:
Summary: I AM BELGARION
Review: I am the orb. My aunt's Polgara. I have a racecar and I will race you. I would rather read this book than go to school. I read this at lunch. I need something to do, because the other kids steal my lunch money. But I say to them, "A pox on you." My uncle turns into a wolf, and I will slay the king of Murgos anyday.
Rating: 
Summary: Intolerably trite
Review: I first read all David Eddings' fantasy novels when I was about 10. At the time I thought they were creative. Two years later I found them again and was surprised to find that I couldn't stand them. The plot is typical, as many people agree, but what surprises me most about this book is that most people appear to like the characters. Every character speaks the same way. The only differences between them are blatantly obvious ones which are supposed to make up for the lack of personality. I expect David Eddings has a chart of them all which goes something like this: "Polgara: likes to take baths, is mothering. Durnik: humble. Beldin: smelly and crude." Other than that, everyone tends toward cutesy insults and an abundance of the phrases "old boy" (from males) and "He's such a /good/ boy!" (from females). The Belgariad is certainly not character-driven, and with such a stock plot, I can't think of a reason to read the series.
Rating:
Summary: "Wonderful"
Review: When I was young, about eleven, i first picked up a David Eddings, not knowing what to expect. When I opened the book, Pawn of Prophecy, I thought it wouldn't be so good, it was to my suprise and delight, that I found a book worthy to be put in the genre of fantasy, and worthy enough to stand next to Dunsany, Tolkien and Verne. THe Belgariad is simply wonderful. I recommend all his books.
| 
