Demon King of Karanda

David Eddings' book number four of the Malloreon series, Demon Lord of Karanda. 

"Zandramas had stolen King Garion's infant son and fled to use the child in some ritual that would make the Dark Destiny supreme. Garion and his friends had followed, but now they were captives of Zakath, Emperor of Mallorea, who, while friendly, stubbornly refused to let them leave.

Meanwhile, a horde of demons was ravaging the cities through which they must travel. Zandramas was escaping further toward her goal. And the Seeress of Kell revealed that they must be at the anient palace of Ashaba within a matter of days or Zandramas would win by default. Then a horrible, fatal plague struck the city of Mal Zeth. closing it against all traffic in or out."

General Thoughts: I was originally going to give this one a much lower ranking, but then I remembered the Emperor and the time they spent in the Mallorean Empire and the development that happened there, and I had to give it a higher ranking. I don't do demons. I don't like them and it put a sour taste in my mouth toward the end of the book, but there were other parts of the book that could hold up the rest. 

<<Spoilers>>

Plot: Because we spent more time in particular areas, I think I was able to enjoy it more than others. Instead of we are traveling all over tar-nation for plot points to happen, we were able to be captured by the Empire and spend time with the Emperor in his city. Plague breaks out and we must find ways of escaping quarantine (it seems realistic after 2020), while still finding out what is going on in the country at the same time worrying about where Geran is with Zandramas. It was an engaging plot. I didn't particularly like the fact that demons were rampaging over the countryside and what Polgara had to do. It definitely left a nasty taste in the mouth. It was more disturbing than where Garion drops in on the Demon Lord. I do also find it kind of annoying that so much of the previous books are mirrored in this one. That fact is actually pointed out by Garion himself. It's as though David Eddings didn't want to come up with a new plot at all, which is saddening. 

Setting: We were able to get a better impression of what was in the world around us in this one than I think we did in others. It still has much to be desired in my opinion, but it's alright. 

Characters: The Emperor and how the Company "dealt" with him and the circumstances around him was good for development of side characters not actually in the Company. I wish there was more to the Company development wise then there seems to be. Ce'Nedra has gone into a depression that isn't talked about. Garion goes on rampages that isn't talked about. Belgarath and Polgara for "knowing everything" really suck at dealing with people and they don't develop at all over either series. They almost seem emotionless. Durnik does have to deal with the fact that a friend betrayed them, which is good for development and it is probably the most talked about. However, even that is lacking and then over quickly. 

Spice: 2/5 Spicy Chilis. I think there is mention of Ce'Nedra and Garion going to bed together or going into the baths together, but those curtains are quickly closed with hardly any flirtation happening. Between other characters there is a little, but not much. I don't know if David or Leigh Eddings know how to write romance, steamy or in simply just passing. There is hardly any of it in either series as I recall. 

Writing Style: I would want more of a focus on Characters instead of simply traveling, which we get probably too much of here. These books are almost like a travel guide through the kingdoms with the story being a secondary plot. It is also a rather dry book at times where there is little anticipation or even care at times for the characters and what they are going through. I have to imagine on my own what it would be like for Ce'Nedra to have had this baby kidnapped, because I'm not given it here. I don't think I've ever had any inclination to cry over a single person in the Belgariad or Malloreon, except on poor little singing boy in a war. But one side character out of eight books so far... that is a lot of not caring about the characters. 

Overall: If I reread this one, I'd probably skip parts. I don't do that often in books, but there are some moments that are just bland or demons happen. The time in the Imperial City was pretty good, but it has been found wanting. 

King of the Murgos

King of the Murgos is the second book of David Edding's Malloreon series. 

"In this second book of The Malloreon, Garion and Ce'nedra continue the quest begun in Guardians of the West. In their party travel the immortal Belgarath the Sorcerer, his daughter Polgara the Sorceress, and the little Drasnian, Silk.

"Garion knows that it is the mysterious figure Zandramas who is responsible for the abduction of his infant son, and he and his companions journey many miles and encounter many strange beings in their search for him.

"Their way leads through the foul swamps of Nyissa, ruled over by the Snake-Queen, and on into the dark kingdom of the Murgos, where human sacrifices are still made to the dead god Torak. Further on, however, even beyond those forbidding lands, they must face the ultimate danger - not only to themselves but to all mankind..."

General Thoughts: This has been my favorite book in the Malloreon series so far (of the four books I've read at this point) and I think that has to do with the titles namesake. He and Silk are hysterical. The tense situation in country coinciding with the humor that Silk and the King bring to everything is just amazing. It made the slight drudge which was the first part of the book worth it. 

<<Spoilers>>

Plot: The new plot of this series to is walk across the other side of the world to save the day. As if the first series didn't do enough travel. While the traveling isn't bad, it seemed to have lost it's engagement for me. Maybe the Belgariad has a nostalgia factor that this one just doesn't, but it seemed a bit more arduous than it had before. But at least we are well on our way to saving the baby Prince, which is strikingly similar to finding the orb in the first place. Hmm... I wonder why. I wish there was even some point of a "Hero's Journey" like there was in the last one, but no one seems to be learning anything new or developing as a character. Sure we learn new things about them, but Pol stays the same, Garion stays the same, even Silk stays the same. What to people learn? How do they grow? 

Setting: Most of the setting is the plot I think. Travel and find the boy to save the day. But we get to travel on the other side of the world into more uncharted territory that we definitely didn't get in the first series. New and unexplored cultures but with a new religious turmoil what with Torak dead and them still sacrificing people for nothing. Being in unkind territory does give us antagonists we wouldn't have gotten otherwise, which is cool, and new friendly characters which are better--in this context. 

Characters: This is what really makes this book: the characters. Sadly there is no Barak and some of the other main characters from previous series don't make much of an appearance. But Silk and the King are the real winners here. Their conversations were the most engaging part. Belgarath, Polgara, Garion, and Ce'Nedra are okay, but they don't hold a candle to Silk throughout this whole series. The Queen of Drasnia begins to make an great appearance too amongst the Western Kings. And Sadi is an interesting character too, though not a favorite. 

Spice: 2/5 Spicy Chilis. "Curtains Fall" on this one, but there is so little of anything remotely spicy, that I dropped that down. At times it feels like flirting is hard for them. 

Writing Style: David Eddings can make this journey hard to get through. Much of it is travel with "oh something happened a hundred miles after the last time anything happened. It is very scene oriented where nothing happens until dominos fall, if that makes sense. It can be very dry unless they decide to stay someplace for a longer period of time, like the Murgos palace or Salmisras palace or a camp, but in this book much of it seems to be moving and traversing the world to save Geran, but although important stuff happens, it doesn't feel like it. 

Overall: Though the ending was good, the meat of it was a struggle. And I'm having a hard time even wanting to finish the rest of the series, though that is has some other reasons too. The nostalgia is what is carrying me though this and even then it seems to be running out of gas. 

Guardians of the West

Guardian's of the West is the first book in the Malloreon, a sequel series to David Eddings' Belgariad. This is one where it is best if you read the Belgariad first otherwise there are major spoilers.

The story starts with Polgara, Durnik, Errand, and Belgarath travel down to the Vale. Now that the Evil God Torak has been defeated and the prophecy of the Child of Light vs the Child of Dark has been completed, things can become peaceful. They are able to live, for the first time in millenia, in peace without having to worry about Kal Torak waking up and ruling the world in darkness. However, small things begin to happen. People appear, have mysterious and odd conversations, then vanish. The East is very unsettled and in the midst of internal conflict and wars on a mass scale. There is talk of a strange dark stone and evil forces moving again. But their lives have been so focused on Torak and the Mrin Codex's prophecy that maybe they missed something. Is there something more moving out there now that Torak is dead and gone? Garion and Ce'Nedra are in Riva with trials of their own, marriage conflicts (brought to you by a clash of personalities), and the country grows restless without an Heir to the Rivian throne. There have also been murders in the castle and attempted assassinations, each time with so little information to go off of. Who is doing this? Why are they after the baby? What is this newly discovered prophecy that is throwing this world into an upheaval again?

This book starts off very slow. I started reading it years ago but I got through about half the book and nothing "super exciting" was going on so I put it down. (Apparently right before things really got interesting. This is the first book in a large series and so needs a bit of introduction. It also sets up the fact that years are passing between the death of Torak and the wiggling changes that this new prophecy and the workers behind it are implementing. This book goes to show that sometimes it just takes time for real dangers to hit and that sometimes those dangers, if left unnoticed or unchecked, can suddenly grow into all wars.

It also brings back the love of old characters. All of them I have loved throughout the whole Belgariad series many make their appearances here and seems will continue to do so as the series goes on. By the end, we are informed that many more new characters will find their way into the story and we're left with wondering "who are they?"

This book is written rather like The Hobbit where there isn't much in the way of description of surrounding areas. Hardly any at all. Much of the book is conversations and dialog with funny, snarky comments. Much is left to the imagination of the reader in terms of setting and other descriptions. This, I think, is mainly do to the time in which is was written, where Edding's lets the (now considered) cliches run themselves. He's not trying to break the troupe or cliche because fantasy was still fairly new and weren't considered cliche much.

I do really like the fact that women (in the very male ruled society) are still able to put their foot forward. Polgara is highly respected. A king dies and his wife takes over until their son can grow up and claim the throne, where she runs more of the campaign than the rest of the men do so it seems, and she is very prominent in all of the counsels that they have. Vella makes a return and has a fowl mouth that made some gentlemen blush yet can stand on her own feet and defend herself while being sold (which is Nardak custom). But then we also have many other different women throughout the books, casting different personalities and none of them were looked down on or belittled because some where more compassionate or powerful or sneaky or overcome by sea sickness. I think it would be interesting to read articles based on the women in his stories. There is a lot that could be said here.

In the end, now that things are moving forward a bit more dramatically, I'm very interested on where the rest of the story is going. Where it's not just black and white, good vs evil, one big bad guy where we know where we're going. But there is more of a mystery too it which can make it more exciting. I'm ready to read on.

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.

Queen of Sorcery

Book two of the "Belgariad" is one of my favorites.

Garion has learned much about the world since he's left the little farm he grew up on. He's made more friends, has his world turned upside down realizing that his aunt and friend the storyteller are far more distantly related, and this mysterious adventure is far less mysterious though no less dangerous.

Seeking the Orb of Aldur makes them travel south through Arendia, Tolnedra, and Nyissa. Throughout their travels, Garion has been made acquaintances of more than a few kings and is instrumental in stopping quiet a few feuds/civil wars. He's busy throughout this book and is learning slowly that things aren't what they really appear. He also finds new strengths within himself that he will have to master or else blow himself up.

As always, the characters in the books have been my favorite. They add three more to love though one only sticks around for a portion of the book. I love the fact that they all come from different walks of life and bring very different cards to the table. They are all part of a prophecy which we don't get a full picture of yet though a "bear, a rat, and a man who lives twice" are in there somewhere. Eddings created this story based off of his map of the world and (although some seem a bit stereotypical of their particular countries) they are all so different from one another. Part of it feels like a D&D group or many fantasy based RPGs, for those who are familiar with the game. But still they are comical and very dear to me. I love the growth that Garion does have. Not only his little whiskers but that he is growing up mentally. That his choices have consequences and he has to deal not only with his first actions but that actions that follow certain choices. Others show different sides of themselves as well as change; they realize fears or chances to stand up for themselves or others.

I also love how although they go from country to country Garion makes the realization that even though they crossed a boarder, none of the scenery actually changes (until you get to the swamps that is). He's realizing that boarders are merely an illusion that humans make. The land is the land. It is a small part, but now that he is out of his home country and actually traveling, he's realizing (helping us to realize) that the grass is just as green on this side as the otherside.

This is the book I go back to when I want a taste of the "Belgariad" and I always find I enjoy it.

Pawn of Prophecy

Pawn of Prophecy is the first book of the "Belgariad." The first time I read this was about ten years ago at the recommendation of my brother. It was my kickoff into fantasy which I am so very grateful for.

Garion is a boy who lives on a Faldar's farm with his Aunt. It starts out a bit slow, farm life, finding girls attractive, nearly dying while rafting on a lake, normal adventure-y things that one would do when you're too young to be working in the field. They will occasionally have visitors: the storyteller, merchant that are suspicious, and that strange rider that always seems to be lurking though no one else can see him. Aunt Pol and the storyteller seem to have a background, though it's a friendly one. Garion overhears conversation of something vastly important being stolen, then he is suddenly ousted from the life he knew into one of utter confusion. Joining up with his Aunt, the storyteller, the blacksmith from the farm who has eyes for Aunt Pol, a rat faced man, and a man as big as a bear, they find themselves in search of something while at the same time running from those who pursue them. Garion is finding himself way over his head in things he doesn't understand.

This book is very near and dear to my heart. While it might not be the best piece of literature out there, I love the characters and the cultures it creates and develops. David Eddings takes a lot of time for the cultures and peoples he creates and it shows through his writing. It is a "hero's journey" where we watch the development of Garion and his companions while they are seeking something vitaly important--though the quest seems to be not quite on par with the characters. Having read the series before, it gets better as the series goes on (similar to Tamora Pierces' books or really any debut novel).

The part of the book that I enjoy the most is and will always be the characters. They might be considered cliche now, but that is only because David Edding's was one of the first to modernly do it.  Silk is the thief among thieves. The first of the greats in my opinion. While not technically a thief, more like a spy, he is amazingly sly. He is my favorite. But the rest of the characters are just as fantastic.

I will warn all that this was written in the early 80's, and so the style is different from what we are used to today. They travel a lot in this series. They can travel leagues (whatever that actually means) and weeks will pass with the words "weeks passed." Which saves us from boring "and they traveled and traveled and traveled" expositions. But it portrays a sense of idleness, like not much is going on. It also seems like there are parts that are easily skimmable. Not that you should, but it is possible.

All in all, everyone should read these. They are a classic like Tolkien. Read them!