Based on the title, the cover art, the synopsis and the glowing reviews of how badass this book is, I was really expecting it to be right up my alley.Based on the title, the cover art, the synopsis and the glowing reviews of how badass this book is, I was really expecting it to be right up my alley. Sadly, it ended up being one of the worst fantasy books I've ever attempted to read. Every single character is exactly the same with no interchangeable qualities, the prose is beyond wooden, the dialogue is painfully bad, the descriptions of the world, characters and lore have absolutely no depth, meat or impact to them. Everything about this book felt soulless, empty, uninspired and shallow. It copies and pastes every classic fantasy cliche ever made and does a significantly worse job at portraying them than any of the actual classics do. Not only does it not do anything new, it doesn't even do any of the things it unapologetically copies and pastes remotely well, like it doesn't even try.
Really wanted to like this but I've been spoiled by much better fantasy....more
A fun pulpy Dark Tower story that takes place before the first novel in the main series.
Before Roland’s quest to chase down the wicked Man in Black, A fun pulpy Dark Tower story that takes place before the first novel in the main series.
Before Roland’s quest to chase down the wicked Man in Black, he was a wandering vagabond searching for a trail to follow. He stumbles upon a haunted village filled with slow mutants, dead bodies and a mad dog bearing the sign of a cross, a foreboding warning that the town is hiding a darker evil beneath its surface. Monstrous antics ensue as Roland struggles to fight his way out with all the odds stacked against him.
This story is creepy, enjoyable and gruesome, but doesn’t add much to the overall world, story, lore or characters of the main series. It’s just an enjoyable one-off side story with cannibalistic mutants, vampire ladies and gross bug creatures. I enjoyed it for what it is....more
The gritty 'hero' Elak makes a deal with an ominous man named Gesti to assassinate a troublesome wizard in exchange for a bit of loot to spend at the The gritty 'hero' Elak makes a deal with an ominous man named Gesti to assassinate a troublesome wizard in exchange for a bit of loot to spend at the bar. Sounds like a perfectly good reason to kill someone, right? All jokes aside, the assassination goes a bit awry as Elak encounters the spawn of Dagon within the wizard's domain, an ancient race that worships an evil sea god from the Cthulhu Mythos whose ambition is to sink all of the continents beneath the sea to return the world back to its original state. Craziness ensues, Elak kicks some ass and the rest is history.
Merged review:
The gritty 'hero' Elak makes a deal with an ominous man named Gesti to assassinate a troublesome wizard in exchange for a bit of loot to spend at the bar. Sounds like a perfectly good reason to kill someone, right? All jokes aside, the assassination goes a bit awry as Elak encounters the spawn of Dagon within the wizard's domain, an ancient race that worships an evil sea god from the Cthulhu Mythos whose ambition is to sink all of the continents beneath the sea to return the world back to its original state. Craziness ensues, Elak kicks some ass and the rest is history....more
The Kingdom of Delain is finally free from the oppressive threat of Niner the Dragon, but a new beast haunts the halls of the royal castle now, and heThe Kingdom of Delain is finally free from the oppressive threat of Niner the Dragon, but a new beast haunts the halls of the royal castle now, and he wears the face of a man. The dark sorcerer Randall Flagg poses as the right hand of King Roland the Good, but he has many sinister tricks up his sleeve to turn the royal family against each other and burn the whole kingdom to the ground from the inside out. It’s up to the young princes Peter and Thomas, King Roland’s sons, to get to the bottom of Randall’s treacherous plans before it’s too late.
Stephen King’s spin on classic epic fantasy tropes. It takes elements from Lord of the Rings, Wheel of Time, Shannara, Belgariad, Riftwar and a whole bunch of others with King’s usual spin of creepy shenanigans and morbid humor sprinkled on top. It’s a familiar story with a unique authoritative voice.
Famous recurring villain Randall Flagg (he pops up in The Stand, The Dark Tower and a few others) is up to his old tricks again, sneaking around shadowy halls, whispering sweet nothings into the ears of kings and sewing an epidemic of death and chaos wherever he goes. He’s up against some sly rascals this time around though, so he’s got his twisted work cut out for him. The story has a satisfying build up with sympathetic heroes and a climactic finale.
It’s always fun seeing King outside of his usual brand of whacky horror stories. I think he does fantasy, slice of life and literary fiction especially well....more
A cool mix of fantasy, sci-fi and horror from Clark Ashton Smith, written in a lucid nightmarish style that feels like a clash of H.P. Lovecraft and RA cool mix of fantasy, sci-fi and horror from Clark Ashton Smith, written in a lucid nightmarish style that feels like a clash of H.P. Lovecraft and Robert E. Howard with a few touches of Poe.
The imagery and prose are striking, but the stories themselves aren't that interesting nor are there any noteworthy or memorable characters to care about. Great for those who love vivid and imaginative landscapes and strange alien worlds to explore in rich detail.
I overall enjoy Robert E. Howard's Hyperborean stories better as they're more gritty and character driven....more
Stealer of Souls is a part of the Last Emperor of Melnibone version of the Elric Saga. It collects the Elric stories in the order they were originallyStealer of Souls is a part of the Last Emperor of Melnibone version of the Elric Saga. It collects the Elric stories in the order they were originally published in pulp magazines, rather than in chronological order like most modern editions of Moorcock’s collected works do. As such, this offers a totally different version of the Elric saga with additional side stories relating to the grander Eternal Champion multiverse at large which all share a single interconnected history of lore, gods, magic, cursed weapons and artifacts, as well as multiple dimensions of chaos and balance constantly warring against each other causing a universal ripple effect across the multiple alternate timelines coexisting in parallel.
Stealer of Souls revolves mostly around stories about Elric’s downfall from grace. It tells you how he becomes a danger to his loved ones, a slave to his own sentient sword and the cruelty of destiny, as well as his descent into madness and darker morality.
A good collection of tales from the Elric saga, but be warned they are written out of chronological order which means it’s easy to get massive spoilers for newcomers who aren’t already familiar or have no prior experience already reading this series. For newcomers I would personally recommend the latest 60th anniversary omnibus edition which has all of the Elric stories in chronological order contained within three massive omnibuses:
1: Elric of Melnibone
Contents: 'One Life, Furnished in Early Moorcock', by Neil Gaiman. Elric of Melniboné. The Fortress of the Pearl. The Sailor on the Seas of Fate. The Weird of the White Wolf.
2: Stormbringer
Contents: The Vanishing Tower The Revenge of the Rose The Bane of the Black Sword Stormbringer
3: The White Wolf
Contents: The Dreamthief’s Daughter The Skrayling Tree The White Wolf’s Son
After the royal prince has been kidnapped by an evil magician, the battle between the fated child of light and child of dark begins once more. Garion After the royal prince has been kidnapped by an evil magician, the battle between the fated child of light and child of dark begins once more. Garion and Ce'nedra embark on a journey with allies both old and new to retrieve the prince and stop the dark magician Zandramas before they bring ruin to the world once more.
Another fun adventure story, but a huge step down in quality compared to the last few books in the series. The characters are talking and behaving in ways that I feel don’t match up to the people they’ve been portrayed to be up to this point. A lot of the new minor side characters get in the way of the main characters from the original Belgariad quintet which means less interactions between my favorite members of the party. The actual destination of the plot feels muddled and is constantly going in circles with no sense of finality compared to the original quintet.
They’re chasing after Garion’s heir, but there’s no sense of urgency or world-ending threat anymore to really make it feel as gripping as it should be. There’s also no big emotional moments or intense character development bonding moments which were my favorite parts of the older books and really made them something special.
Not a bad book, but definitely the weakest in the whole Belgariad/Mallorean series so far. I was already perfectly satisfied with how things ended in book 5, so I’m debating on whether or not I should continue the Mallorean as it just feels kind of tacked on to the original story which already felt complete to begin with. Maybe I’ll continue some other day.
It’s been about a year since Grubbitsch Grady and his uncle Dervish faced off in a battle against the demon god Lord Loss. Things are far from happy aIt’s been about a year since Grubbitsch Grady and his uncle Dervish faced off in a battle against the demon god Lord Loss. Things are far from happy and normal, but they’re trying their best to settle into their new life together as demon hunting master and demon hunting apprentice. Out of the blue, the Grady family is contacted by a famous horror film maker named Davida Haym that would like to receive their professional input based on their knowledge and experience with the supernatural. On the production set for Davida’s newest film called Slawter, a dark conspiracy threatens the lives of everyone involved on the film set.
Slawter brings Grubbs and Dervish back into the lead roles. They’re still recovering from the trauma of losing their family members in their battle against Lord Loss, but they’re trying their best to be a normal family in the only way they know how. Studying magic, challenging evil and having some morbid bloody fun.
A good little horror thriller that connects some of the more magical themes and developments from Demon Thief while bringing focus back to the original main character Grubbs. The narrative isn’t quite as tight, strong or dramatic as the first two books as it mostly takes place on a film set with a bunch of side characters rather than a dark dramatic adventure revolving around the protagonists. It didn’t develop or progress things as much as I would’ve liked after such an impressively creative and expansive second book, but it was still fun as a bit of extra filler with old characters who were absent in Demon Thief.
Matilda is a brilliant learner who loves books and problem solving. Unfortunately, her parents are nasty shallow bullies and the headmistress of her sMatilda is a brilliant learner who loves books and problem solving. Unfortunately, her parents are nasty shallow bullies and the headmistress of her school Miss Trunchbull is even nastier than they are. To stand up for herself, her classmates and her beloved homeroom teacher Miss Honey, Matilda applies everything she’s learned from her copious reading to deal with the miserable bullies in her life. To do so may require the use of supernatural levels of wittiness and trickery, however.
This was a lot of fun. Matilda is an inspiring character that puts her head to good use in comically harmless but very useful ways. What makes her truly likable is her humbleness and compassion for others. She never lets her intelligence fuel her ego or corrupt her compassion for others regardless of how smart or dull they may be.
The humor in this book is also so ridiculous I thought it was great. Miss Trunchbull is a vile villain but she’s also undeniably hilarious in her own way, especially regarding her very long list of creative insults. She also serves as a good antagonist for Matilda to test her mettle against.
The kinship between Matilda and Miss Honey is nicely developed. I like how they both brought some light into each other's lives after they were both raised around such awful people. They don’t let their tragic upbringings interfere with their ability to be kind and protective towards others.
The second book in the Demonata series introduces a new protagonist named Kernel Fleck. He’s an odd lonely boy that can see mysterious multi-colored lThe second book in the Demonata series introduces a new protagonist named Kernel Fleck. He’s an odd lonely boy that can see mysterious multi-colored lights floating around in the world that no one else seems able to see. When his baby brother Art vanishes under strange conditions, Kernel discovers that these lights might just be windows to other worlds, dimensions and entire alternate universes. Against his better judgment, Kernel journeys across many nightmarish, demon-infested hellscapes to try and bring his brother back from the monster that stole him.
This took a little more time to make me feel invested in the plot than the first one did, but I really started to enjoy it once the ball got rolling. I was initially disappointed that we were given an entirely new cast of characters rather than continuing where the end of the last book left off, but I see now that this series is building up a bigger picture from multiple viewpoints and I suspect the old characters will return again at some point to join up with the new ones.
This book serves largely to expand upon the morbid magic system and twisted worldbuilding that was teased in the first book. It sets up higher stakes and promises far more brutal entities potentially eviler than Lord Loss himself. Kernel’s character development as he meets a crew of misfit dimension-hopping companions over the course of the book is nicely done.
The imagery and imagination in this series continues to be insanely creative, thrilling and imaginatively dark. It gets shockingly gruesome and wacky as well. It’s a chaotic bag of fun little horrors.
This is the most fun I’ve had reading a horror novel in a while.
Grubitsch Grady has always been an odd kid that comes from an even odder family that’sThis is the most fun I’ve had reading a horror novel in a while.
Grubitsch Grady has always been an odd kid that comes from an even odder family that’s obsessed with playing chess and harboring possible connections to frightening paranormal phenomena. He loves scary movies, playing pranks and getting himself into troublesome situations. Not even a wild rebel like Grubbs is prepared for the nightmarish hellstorm that’s coming for him, however. His life gets a lot more twisted when he discovers that he has sadistic demons, hungry werewolves, dark magic and ancient curses seeking to destroy him and tear his family apart during his coming of age.
The Demonata captures the whimsical atmosphere of classic YA fantasy like Harry Potter and Percy Jackson, but with the creepy wacky hijinks of old-school cartoons like The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy, Courage the Cowardly Dog, Invader Zim and Ren & Stimpy. It has just enough thrilling gruesome horror stuff to be constantly exciting and interesting, balancing it out with morbid humor, fun banter, coming of age adventure and chilling mysteries needing to be solved.
The imagery and creativity behind the settings, the magic and the monsters is also stunningly vivid and original, fusing elements of gothic horror, cosmic horror and dark urban fantasy. The characters are all likable and they all grow quite a bit for such a short novel that’s just barely under 200 pages. They solve their battles and problems through fairly unconventional means which makes things constantly entertaining.
I’m definitely looking forward to checking out more from this series.
From gangster, to soldier, to priest, to leader, and now a top member of the Queen’s Guard himself. Tomas Piety has climbed all the way to the top of From gangster, to soldier, to priest, to leader, and now a top member of the Queen’s Guard himself. Tomas Piety has climbed all the way to the top of the social ladder and he’s far from ecstatic about it. The royal court is full of ruthless snakes, prepared to make anyone disappear to raise their status whenever they please. They manipulate the world from the shadows, assassinating anyone that stands in their way; including their own friends and comrades. With the unexpected death of the queen at their hands, the royal seat is up for grabs and many cutthroat politicians, gang leaders and military men are more than happy to start a war for the Rose Throne.
Priest of Gallows is the grittiest book in the series yet. Tomas is confronted by twisted nobles and rich elites that are far more deadly, insane and ruthless than any gangster or soldier he’s ever faced. He has to try his best to prevent a war from breaking out while acting as a spy for the Queen’s Men, maintaining a false political marriage, raising a son that harbors dangerous magic, all while also remaining loyal to his former group of rogue soldiers without sparking conflict between them all. It’s an impossible task to balance and things keep descending into betrayal, bloodshed and escalating tensions between warring factions.
It delves deeper into the grimy world of corrupt politics. Insane savages that take pleasure in suffering as long as it fills their pockets with gold in the long run. A mad princess that could set the whole world on fire if she were to snap. Powerful men that could raze cities to the ground the moment they see an opportunity to strike.
This series never glorifies the gang violence or war drama at all either, quite the opposite. The characters frequently suffer from mental breakdowns, battle shock and PTSD. It really makes you feel the dread of what another war could mean for these hardened veterans that know just how devastating it is to fight on the frontlines and bear the weight of survivor’s guilt.
The slower pacing pays off with an explosive finale that sets up what I believe is going to be a brutal sequel to end the War for the Rose Throne series once and for all.
A lone warrior hunts down a werewolf in a forest. The sea curses a sailor that committed a terrible crime. Two men in love with the same woman find thA lone warrior hunts down a werewolf in a forest. The sea curses a sailor that committed a terrible crime. Two men in love with the same woman find themselves trapped in a cave haunted by monsters and a strange sense of déjà vu. A brutal bandit that lures travelers into a den of nightmares disguised as a tavern is approached by a spiritual warrior dressed in black...
A short collection of atmospheric horror stories and a few gritty sword & sorcery tales, one of which features Howard's iconic antihero Solomon Kane.
Howard’s horror stories are cool, but I enjoy his high fantasy stuff like Conan, Kull and Solomon more.
The Goddess Artemis has been captured by the Titans along with Percy’s dear friend Annabeth. To save them both from the hands of their enemies, Percy The Goddess Artemis has been captured by the Titans along with Percy’s dear friend Annabeth. To save them both from the hands of their enemies, Percy and a group of new companions are given a prophecy and a quest to retrieve their friends before something terrible happens to all of them. Unfortunately, the prophecy promises that not all of them will be able to return home alive.
This was a nice improvement over the first two books. The quest actually had some weight to it by punishing the heroes for their mistakes and throwing some genuinely challenging trials at them. It also wasn’t afraid to kill off protagonists when things got really bad which I have to give it credit for. There were some really imaginative action sequences in this one.
That being said, I still think it suffers from all the same issues I mentioned from the first two books. Titan’s Curse also feels like a repeat of The Lightning Thief for the most part. While I enjoy the creativity and fun campy nature of the series, I think its biggest weakness is that I feel totally indifferent about all of the characters. I don’t feel any attachment to them at all, but I do enjoy seeing how the plot constantly finds new ways to spiral into absurdity without ever taking itself too seriously.
I hope the last two books in this first part of the series kick things up, because I probably won’t continue beyond them.
It’s been eleven years since Garion and his misfit band of troublesome heroes settled the score with their archenemy Torak. The prophecy that swept thIt’s been eleven years since Garion and his misfit band of troublesome heroes settled the score with their archenemy Torak. The prophecy that swept them up in a series of tumultuous battles and trials is not quite over, however. The Orb of Aldur warns Garion of Zandramas, a dark force of nature that could potentially pose a bigger threat to his home and his loved ones than the evil god Torak that set him on his journey as a young lad. As the band of comrades gather together once more, they do everything in their power to start bringing the prophecy to a close once and for all.
After a satisfyingly wholesome finale to the first series, Guardians of the West brings back the gang to face a much darker threat than they ever have before. Dangerous cults gather to turn kingdoms against each other. Familiar faces die at the hands of new enemies. After a decade, everyone is a bit wiser and stronger, but deep down they’re very much the same.
Garion is still a bumbling oaf trying his best to play his part as hero and king. Polgara and Belgarath are still grumpy but lovable old sorcerers. Ce'Nedra is still an unhinged fireball. Silk is still a massive troll. Everyone is still just how I remembered them. It’s also nice to see how married life has worked out for some of the protagonists over the last decade. The weird magical prophet Errand that Garion rescued near the end of the last series also plays a more central role as Polgara and Durnik’s adopted son.
The plot structure and world building is a bit more all over the place this time around, almost like the author was just making up crazy scenarios for the protagonists to face on the fly. Honestly though, it kinda fits the absurd, chaotic and comical tone the series has always had. There’s even a sprinkle of cosmic horror teased by the new antagonist Zandramas. I’m curious how that will play out.
I’m not sure if I’ll like this as much as the first series, but there’s definitely some fun and interesting threats set up in this book for Garion and the crew to take on later.
The full uncensored brutality of war and military subjugation in an oppressively grimdark fantasy world.
The magic-deprived land of Jia is overthrown bThe full uncensored brutality of war and military subjugation in an oppressively grimdark fantasy world.
The magic-deprived land of Jia is overthrown by the enemy forces of Egril after they have rediscovered the awful magnificence of deadly magic in droves. The only people left standing are a street urchin turned terrorist, an old warrior and his crippled son, a disgraced cowardly daughter of a famous military hero and a mother that will resort to any means necessary to keep her mother and son safe. After being utterly wiped out and enslaved in a single night, this small group of unlikely rebels come together in unexpected ways to slaughter their oppressors from the shadows.
We Are the Dead is a nonstop thrill-ride from beginning to end. The bloody medieval warfare is relentless. People of all ages, genders and races are forced to make the most morally reprehensible choices imaginable in order to survive. The main protagonists are pushed to the breaking point and much farther beyond it over and over again.
The characters are interesting, the action is brutal and the pacing is heart-poundingly fast. If there’s one thing I could criticize, it’s that the pacing and action are so fast and constant that it sometimes leaves little room for world building, emotional stakes and character development to breathe.
A great grimdark fantasy that isn’t afraid to break the rules and push things to the absolute extreme, but I think it could serve well to slow down every once in a while to spend more time fleshing out the background details. I have no doubt this will improve with the sequels.
While the Belgariad is far from being perfect or original, it does an extremely good job with the tools at its disposal. The journey is cBelgariad 1-5
While the Belgariad is far from being perfect or original, it does an extremely good job with the tools at its disposal. The journey is constantly moving and evolving without suffering from the snail-like pacing typically associated with classic epic fantasy. The world is creative and full of vibrant life and simple yet interesting magical systems.
The characters felt like a group of close friends I could actually hang out with. They squabble, support each other and love each other like any old group of pals. Sometimes they’re annoying and stupid, but in ways all people can be which ironically made me like them even more. They all go through some great character development over the series and constantly change into better, more likable and more mature versions of themselves. By the end, I felt like they had all truly grown up for the best, even the stubborn old folks that’ve been alive for hundreds of years changed quite a bit in ways that made me feel proud of them.
This is also one of the few fantasy series out there where I actually thought the comedy was constantly hilarious and entertaining, and the romance was handled in ways that made me feel emotionally invested without being sappy or cringe-inducing. The relationships were genuinely pleasant, wholesome and funny to watch.
I can totally understand why a lot of people may criticize and dismiss this series for its flaws, but I think it’s a very endearing, charming and memorable experience with a lovable cast of characters if you can forgive it for its missteps and plot contrivances.
While 4.8/5 may seem like a higher rating than it critically deserves, I’m rating this series overall based on how much joy, fun and pleasant escapism it gave me every time I read it. Far from perfect, but I had an absolute blast.
My rating: 4.8/5
***
Pawn of Prophecy
Garion is a young orphaned farm boy believed to be the descendant of heroes, destined to confront the fallen Dark Lord Torak who betrayed the gods of the old age and threw the world into darkness. With Torak's wicked forces rising from the shadows to wreak havoc in search of an ancient orb that will allow their master to be resurrected, Garion sets out on an epic quest to gain the support of kings from around the world and claim the orb before it falls into the wrong hands. Accompanied by his fierce yet motherly Aunt Pol, the wise sorcerer Wolf, and a slew of colorful companions, Garion must face many challenges before he confronts his mortal enemy and discover the truth behind his lineage.
An engaging classic fantasy with fun characters and charming humor. The plot and characters are rather simplistic and cliche, but not necessarily in a bad way. All the characters are recognizable archetypes that have been done hundreds of times before. Garion is the orphaned farm boy turned hero of prophecy. Pol is the harsh yet lovable sorceress. Wolf is the wise old bearded wizard. Silk is the cunning sharp-tongued jester. Barak is the barbarian warrior with a heart of gold, etc. But the Belgariad manages to utilize these archetypes much better than most typical classic epic fantasy stories by making them far more human, realistic and relatable.
The story is as formulaic and by the numbers as fantasy can possibly be, but this was actually an intentional choice by the author. He wanted to prove that he could make a fun, engaging and entertaining series using all the familiar tropes often associated with classic fantasy. Where Eddings succeeds where many classic fantasy epics don’t is the great dialogue, stronger prose, tighter pacing, characters with bright personalities that pop out of the pages and consistently witty and humorous banter between the core cast.
Is it a monumental work of fantasy that redefines the genre? No. Is it highly entertaining with moments of brilliance here and there? Definitely.
Silk is my favorite character so far. He’s like Littlefinger from Game of Thrones, but if he were actually a decent guy that just likes gambling, debating and being a sassy little devil.
My rating: 3.8/5
***
Queen of Sorcery
Queen of Sorcery continues right where Pawn of Prophecy leaves off and expands upon everything the first book spent setting up. We continue following Garion and his crew of ageless royals on their quest to gain the support of foreign nations, receive support from a slew of colorful allies and hopefully retrieve the Orb of Aldur from the clutches of their enemies before the Dark Lord Torak can return to full power. They encounter many dangerous threats while Garion slowly matures and comes to understand what he’s truly capable of.
I’m glad I decided to give this series another chance. On a surface level, it’s easy to write the Belgariad off as a tropey epic fantasy saga that brings nothing new to the table. Once you peel back its familiar exterior however, it’s rich with imaginative writing, great characters, genuinely funny and entertaining dialogue, and surprising moments of emotional growth for the protagonists. The romance, comedy, pacing and distinct personality of the core cast is done better than most other classic series that fall into the same style of vintage quest fantasy.
Queen of Sorcery does struggle a bit to find its footing in the first half of the book, as the characters are lost and trying desperately to figure out a plan of action before they get outdone by the enemy. The second half of this one is truly great though, developing the protagonists, their relationships, their supernatural abilities as well as building up the threat of their deadly adversaries. The action scenes are also much more gritty and gruesome. Lots more bodies dropping this time around.
Now I’m actually emotionally invested in the story and looking forward to the rest of the series.
My Rating: 4.2/5
***
Magician's Gambit
Garion and his crew finally uncover the culprit responsible for stealing the Orb of Aldur and spreading chaos all over the world. Ctuchik, an old acquaintance of Belgarath and a faithful servant of the evil lord Torak stands between Garion and the orb. Before they can hope to stand a fighting chance, Garion must master his control over sorcery in the Vale of Aldur, travel through the haunted lands of Maragor, deliver Princess Ce'Nedra to safety and trust in his companions to have his back in the face of disaster and war.
Magician's Gambit was a bit of a mixed bag compared to the first two books, but my feelings are more positive than negative. The first half of the book is the best the series has ever been so far. It has great character development. The mentor/student training between Garion and his grandfather is a nice balance between wholesome and hilarious. The romantic chemistry between Garion and Ce'Nedra, as well as the subtle feelings between Durnik and Pol were nicely implemented.
It has some of the most interesting worldbuilding and lore, delving into the gloomy family history of Garion's ancestors while visiting some truly haunted places like a city made of tortured wailing souls and ancient wizard towers with strange technology. I also like that we got to meet some of the god figures of the story which have been teased since the very beginning. The encounters with them were chilling. A religious zealot that spent his whole life in a cave also joins Garion's party, which offers some unique dynamics to the group.
The second half wasn't nearly as good in my opinion, but far from bad. It just broke away from all the great magic, worldbuilding and character development going on in exchange for a standard fantasy quest adventure where Garion and his party track down Ctuchik in a final standoff for the Orb of Aldur. The ending also wasn't quite as emotionally impactful as the last two books, but does a nice job of setting up the sequels.
My rating: 4.1/5
***
Castle of Wizardry
The Orb of Aldur has finally been retrieved from the clutches of Torak’s henchmen, but the journey is just beginning. A terrible war is brewing. Ruthless soldiers and evil cultists are terrorizing the world with dark magic, slavery and human sacrifice. Garion must bear the burden of the destiny he was born to uphold and reach the heights of his true potential to stand against the ever growing threat of Torak’s awakening.
My favorite of the series so far. The prose and dialogue have improved a lot since the first book. The action scenes have more weight, sadness and brutality to them. The religious and political themes feel much more nuanced and thought-provoking. Everything feels more mature and serious in this one. Surprisingly, the comedy, romance and banter still remains just as consistently fun and entertaining as it’s always been in spite of all of this.
Garion and Ce’nedra receive a boatload of character development upon being forced to overcome some world-changing ordeals and internal struggles. Relg the religious zealot is more complex and interesting as he’s now placed in a position where his extreme beliefs are constantly being challenged. Polgara has a lot of emotional backstory moments that made me like her a lot more. Even Silk and Barak receive some development beyond being a couple of troublemaking goofballs. Barak evolves as a father and as a husband, Silk evolves as a son and as a friend. I’ve liked them both since the very beginning though.
There’s some really good subplots weaved in between the main narrative as well. Each one has a touching resolution that increases the depth of the internal struggles of the main cast as well as the finality of the building climax.
The pacing does get a bit messy in this one though. Some revelations are rushed and some really big moments fly by unexpectedly quickly. The last couple of chapters revolving entirely around Ce’nedra are great for her character development, but not quite as engaging or emotional as a lot of things that went down in the earlier parts. Still my favorite book in the series so far though.
Garion and Torak’s fated battle is finally on the horizon and I’m ready for the showdown.
My rating: 4.4/5
***
Enchanters End Game
Garion marches on with his companions on a quest to slay his immortal nemesis Torak before he awakens to full power. His dear princess Ce’Nedra has taken command of his kingdom to lead an army to serve and protect the people of the land before they’re wiped out by the encroaching calamity. All the pawns of prophecy have been assembled. All the pieces of a centuries-old puzzle have been placed down. Now the time for the final battle to decide the fate of the entire universe has come.
I had some mixed feelings about this final novel in the Belgariad series initially, but I walked away from the finale feeling happy and satisfied with how things ended overall. My main problem with this book is there’s a ton of needless filler content packed in the middle, most of which doesn’t even contain any of the main cast of characters that I’ve spent so much time growing attached to. It was the only time in the series I felt like skimming through some chapters in hopes of getting back to the good stuff.
Once the filler portions of the story are pushed aside however, the main characters return front and center for an epic and heartwarming final arc where everyone gets a satisfying resolution that makes the whole arduous journey feel worth it. This book is filled with death, carnage and war, but it manages to wrap it all up with the familiar charm, uplifting humor and gentle touches of human compassion that I’ve come to really enjoy from this series. I was smiling through the whole last few chapters.
As of now, I haven’t decided if I want to read the sequel series yet because I feel really good about how everything was finished up here, but I’m sure I’ll be tempted to revisit this world some time in the not so distant future. A lot of the filler content in this book seemed to be setting up issues for the second series to handle, so maybe some of the less enjoyable portions of this one will pay off in later books.
Garion marches on with his companions on a quest to slay his immortal nemesis Torak before he awakens to full power. His dear princess Ce’Nedra has taGarion marches on with his companions on a quest to slay his immortal nemesis Torak before he awakens to full power. His dear princess Ce’Nedra has taken command of his kingdom to lead an army to serve and protect the people of the land before they’re wiped out by the encroaching calamity. All the pawns of prophecy have been assembled. All the pieces of a centuries-old puzzle have been placed down. Now the time for the final battle to decide the fate of the entire universe has come.
I had some mixed feelings about this final novel in the Belgariad series initially, but I walked away from the finale feeling happy and satisfied with how things ended overall. My main problem with this book is there’s a ton of needless filler content packed in the middle, most of which doesn’t even contain any of the main cast of characters that I’ve spent so much time growing attached to. It was the only time in the series I felt like skimming through some chapters in hopes of getting back to the good stuff.
Once the filler portions of the story are pushed aside however, the main characters return front and center for an epic and heartwarming final arc where everyone gets a satisfying resolution that makes the whole arduous journey feel worth it. This book is filled with death, carnage and war, but it manages to wrap it all up with the familiar charm, uplifting humor and gentle touches of human compassion that I’ve come to really enjoy from this series. I was smiling through the whole last few chapters.
As of now, I haven’t decided if I want to read the sequel series yet because I feel really good about how everything was finished up here, but I’m sure I’ll be tempted to revisit this world some time in the not so distant future. A lot of the filler content in this book seemed to be setting up issues for the second series to handle, so maybe some of the less enjoyable portions of this one will pay off in later books.
When Tomas Piety and his crew of loyal cutthroats returned home from the war, they raised hell and burned out all the slimy scumbags terrorizing the pWhen Tomas Piety and his crew of loyal cutthroats returned home from the war, they raised hell and burned out all the slimy scumbags terrorizing the place. Not all is well, however. Not everyone is happy with a violent mafia leader acting as a priest running the place. Spies, politicians and criminal masterminds are scheming to overthrow his rule in the nastiest ways imaginable. Not even friends or family can be trusted. It’s every man for himself and even the most strong and brutal players will be tested to the limits.
A great continuation from the first book. It’s more dark and gritty. The stakes and machinations are much higher. The character drama is more intense. My favorite aspect of this series is seeing how war and trauma drastically affect the mental, emotional and psychological behavior of the characters. Seeing these fierce soldiers have massive meltdowns, bouts of violent and tragic insanity, turned into wild cornered animals when pushed beyond their limits is an exciting and engaging experience.
I love having a grimdark fantasy series written in the style of a gritty mafia drama with ruthless gangsters and thugs running the circus show. I can tell that things are only going to keep escalating from here. The ending promises more tragedy, horror and brutal thrills to come.
Garion is a young orphaned farm boy believed to be the descendant of heroes, destiThe first three Belgariad books are a lot of fun!
***
Pawn of Prophecy
Garion is a young orphaned farm boy believed to be the descendant of heroes, destined to confront the fallen Dark Lord Torak who betrayed the gods of the old age and threw the world into darkness. With Torak's wicked forces rising from the shadows to wreak havoc in search of an ancient orb that will allow their master to be resurrected, Garion sets out on an epic quest to gain the support of kings from around the world and claim the orb before it falls into the wrong hands. Accompanied by his fierce yet motherly Aunt Pol, the wise sorcerer Wolf, and a slew of colorful companions, Garion must face many challenges before he confronts his mortal enemy and discover the truth behind his lineage.
An engaging classic fantasy with fun characters and charming humor. The plot and characters are rather simplistic and cliche, but not necessarily in a bad way. All the characters are recognizable archetypes that have been done hundreds of times before. Garion is the orphaned farm boy turned hero of prophecy. Pol is the harsh yet lovable sorceress. Wolf is the wise old bearded wizard. Silk is the cunning sharp-tongued jester. Barak is the barbarian warrior with a heart of gold, etc. But the Belgariad manages to utilize these archetypes much better than most typical classic epic fantasy stories by making them far more human, realistic and relatable.
The story is as formulaic and by the numbers as fantasy can possibly be, but this was actually an intentional choice by the author. He wanted to prove that he could make a fun, engaging and entertaining series using all the familiar tropes often associated with classic fantasy. Where Eddings succeeds where many classic fantasy epics don’t is the great dialogue, stronger prose, tighter pacing, characters with bright personalities that pop out of the pages and consistently witty and humorous banter between the core cast.
Is it a monumental work of fantasy that redefines the genre? No. Is it highly entertaining with moments of brilliance here and there? Definitely.
Silk is my favorite character so far. He’s like Littlefinger from Game of Thrones, but if he were actually a decent guy that just likes gambling, debating and being a sassy little devil.
My rating: 3.8/5
***
Queen of Sorcery
Queen of Sorcery continues right where Pawn of Prophecy leaves off and expands upon everything the first book spent setting up. We continue following Garion and his crew of ageless royals on their quest to gain the support of foreign nations, receive support from a slew of colorful allies and hopefully retrieve the Orb of Aldur from the clutches of their enemies before the Dark Lord Torak can return to full power. They encounter many dangerous threats while Garion slowly matures and comes to understand what he’s truly capable of.
I’m glad I decided to give this series another chance. On a surface level, it’s easy to write the Belgariad off as a tropey epic fantasy saga that brings nothing new to the table. Once you peel back its familiar exterior however, it’s rich with imaginative writing, great characters, genuinely funny and entertaining dialogue, and surprising moments of emotional growth for the protagonists. The romance, comedy, pacing and distinct personality of the core cast is done better than most other classic series that fall into the same style of vintage quest fantasy.
Queen of Sorcery does struggle a bit to find its footing in the first half of the book, as the characters are lost and trying desperately to figure out a plan of action before they get outdone by the enemy. The second half of this one is truly great though, developing the protagonists, their relationships, their supernatural abilities as well as building up the threat of their deadly adversaries. The action scenes are also much more gritty and gruesome. Lots more bodies dropping this time around.
Now I’m actually emotionally invested in the story and looking forward to the rest of the series.
My Rating: 4.2/5
***
Magician's Gambit
Garion and his crew finally uncover the culprit responsible for stealing the Orb of Aldur and spreading chaos all over the world. Ctuchik, an old acquaintance of Belgarath and a faithful servant of the evil lord Torak stands between Garion and the orb. Before they can hope to stand a fighting chance, Garion must master his control over sorcery in the Vale of Aldur, travel through the haunted lands of Maragor, deliver Princess Ce'Nedra to safety and trust in his companions to have his back in the face of disaster and war.
Magician's Gambit was a bit of a mixed bag compared to the first two books, but my feelings are more positive than negative. The first half of the book is the best the series has ever been so far. It has great character development. The mentor/student training between Garion and his grandfather is a nice balance between wholesome and hilarious. The romantic chemistry between Garion and Ce'Nedra, as well as the subtle feelings between Durnik and Pol were nicely implemented.
It has some of the most interesting worldbuilding and lore, delving into the gloomy family history of Garion's ancestors while visiting some truly haunted places like a city made of tortured wailing souls and ancient wizard towers with strange technology. I also like that we got to meet some of the god figures of the story which have been teased since the very beginning. The encounters with them were chilling. A religious zealot that spent his whole life in a cave also joins Garion's party, which offers some unique dynamics to the group.
The second half wasn't nearly as good in my opinion, but far from bad. It just broke away from all the great magic, worldbuilding and character development going on in exchange for a standard fantasy quest adventure where Garion and his party track down Ctuchik in a final standoff for the Orb of Aldur. The ending also wasn't quite as emotionally impactful as the last two books, but does a nice job of setting up the sequels.
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