The Color of Magic

This very odd book is rather fantastic.

The story follows Rincewind, an "incompetent" wizard who only knows one spell, that's so powerful he doesn't dare use it, and Twoflower a former insurance clerk, now bumbling tourist who wants to see everything there is to see on the other side of Diskworld including tavern brawls, pirates, heroes, dragons, magic spells, and everything else that he's heard of from the docks. Oh, as well as Twoflower's luggage chest that walks on its own with about a hundred legs, and Death, who is spotted quiet often and is quite a character.

This book is a very well thought out Dungeons and Dragon's campaign (rolls of the dice included) with the most entertaining characters.

Terry Pratchett's writing style may not be for everyone, which is understandable because the way it describes things is rather obnoxious but in a humorous way. There were times when things happened and I had to go back because "What just happened?" As I said, it may not be for everyone but I laughed out loud and nearly fell over while I was jogging because of the way things were said or the weirdness of Twoflower.

I think the world that Terry Pratchett made is unique yet still has the basics of "typical fantasy." Magic, the Gods, Death, and pretty much the universe has been warped and changed to the delight and curiosity which is Twoflower and us as the reader. I mean, what fantasy world has dragons and jet planes? You tell me. ;)

While I was looking online a bit about this book, I found out that it is also a movie!!! WHAT!?! Starring Sean Astin, David Jason, and Tim Curry... I about died. The movie, I believe, is based on The Color of Magic and The Light Fantastic. The rest of the Disk World series and lore might be in it too, but because I haven't seen it, I don't really know for sure. I do plan on finding out though, just for a laugh because I'm sure Sean Astin will to a phenomenal job as the ridiculous tourist.

Wow.

Enchanter's End Game

The last book in the Belgariad is Enchanter's End Game. This is a very quick paced book that I finished in only a few days.

Garion, Silk, and Belgarath make their way across Gar og Nardak and to Mallorea to defeat Torak at the same time Ce'Nedra, Polgara, and the other Kings of the West march on Mishrak ac Thull to then get their boats to the Eastern Sea so they can take out Mallorean ships full of enemy soldiers. Battles commence and David Eddings' does it pretty well.

Eddings was able to have all of the many characters work well together and have sound endings and battle sequences. People they have met, even way back in Pawn of Prophecy, make appearances and have grown up/stayed the same (as needed).

Although this is the conclusion of the series, it still lets people have their bits of final growth that they need to complete their character arcs. Most of the building has happened in the previous books and so it's able to be more plot based, as opposed to the character and culture driven motives Eddings had in this world exploration--though obviously there was a wider overarching plot throughout.

Enchanter's End Game is very much based on moving armies and fighting battles, which in my opinion is fine because we have very solid characters and now he's letting them do their own thing. He's letting them finish out the story as it is needed to be.

I really like the big final battle with Torak. We know it's coming and we've known it since the beginning, pretty much. And I wasn't disappointed. Eddings set it up so then we understood the trials that Polgara would have--though the curveball that was thrown in caught me off guard the first time even though there was foreshadowing in PoP *wiggles eyebrows* --Torak's intimidation factor was brought and done well, and we got to see how most everyone was needed there. I'm still struggling with Ce'Nedra or Errand's part at the end and what important role she needed to play there... but everyone else made sense and fit well with all of the Prophecy. It was a nice bow without it being "bad." I do also like the good vs evil parallels. It was well done.

I have loved this series since I was in early high school and still very much enjoyed it. This series is a good one for beginning fantasy readers or those who are looking for a simple, light read. It is an older series, published in the 1980's and some may say that it doesn't transition well into the present. I can see why they would say that, but it is still enjoyable. Things happened throughout the series where it could be registered as a cliche or a troupe but it's not because it's from the classic season of fantasy which made the cliche before they were cliches. (I hope that makes sense.)

In the end, I've enjoyed it and am glad I got them. When reading them, keep in mind that they are from an older generation and to come at them as you would to Charles Dickens or Jane Austen or even Tolkien.

Castle of Wizardry

The fourth instalment of the Belgariad by David Eddings is a longer one. It is not my favorite one, but it is still good.

Garion and the rest of his traveling companions have retrieved the Orb of Alder and venture back to safe territory. Killing Murgos and finding armies along the way. They make stops at remembered placed, but as they enter farms and caves, Garion finds that they are different. More like they are the same and he is different. He has grown in the year he's been gone traveling with Aunt Pol and Belgarath. Suddenly he also finds himself a King to a country he doesn't know and people trying to murder him on a supposedly safe island away from those who'd do him harm. Ce'Nedra isn't being helpful either. But then bigger decisions have to be made and prophecies must be fulfilled.

As I said, it's not my favorite. There seems to be a lot more traveling happening and not as much storytelling going on. Events happen, but they have more of a diplomatic feel to them instead of action adventure. This series is written differently than most, especially nowadays, and goes slower. These events, diplomatic though they may be, needed to happen in order to further the story on. Slow going, but push through it and enjoy the last book.

As always the development of the characters is what holds me on, although I've become more and more intrigued by the final battle with Torak and what will happen in the future.

Magician's Gambit

The third book in the Belgariad series is my favorite of the first three.

It picks up directly where Queen of Sorcery. Running out of the snake country, through Maragor, the Vale of Aldur, and Ulgo Land all to get to sneak into enemy borders to get the Orb of Aldur in on of the most well guarded and scary temples of Torak.

I enjoy this book so much because of the diversity of cultures that are presented as well as the background we get on Bargarath. Mara is so sad and my heart breaks for the God. Relg, the zealot of UL, can be annoying to some but he grew on me. He also gets better when he meets a certain woman who makes me laugh.

As always in this series, the map and culture explanation was very important to David Eddings. So there is a lot of traveling in here, but unlike those cultures we explore in Queen of Sorcery I think these people and cultures are so vastly different which makes the comparison more interesting. Ulgo Land and Maragor are one of the most intriguing.

We, again, have many of the same recurring characters who are up to their old tricks, so much so that Silk gets himself in major trouble and has a little PTSD from his experience all the while Barak makes fun of him for it. They are my favorite characters throughout most of the series. Comic relief, okay. I love them.

I recommend this whole series to anyone who is starting to get into fantasy, teens for sure.