The Malloreon by David Eddings
I've just finished reading The Malloreon- a 5
book fantasy series by David Eddings which picks up where The Belgariad ends. Like the first 5 books, I've first read these numerous times and I still love them
This series consist of
Like the first series, I still love this one, but now perhaps a lot of it is for sentimental reasons. It's definitely flawed and they're basically just on a long long long long journey around a continent which was conveniently more or less non existent in the previous series and they're very much just repeating what happened in the first series. However, the characters still appeal to me and I get a childish satisfaction from rereading my childhood's favourite series - moreover I do think many of the characters evolve a bit (some only a sliver), but it's just one of those series, where I can more or less forgive anything. Eddings' biggest downside really is all the convenient happenings and characters - the MCs pretty much only bump into random strangers who just happen to be able to explain absolutely everything and know even the smallest detail, ensuring it's constantly spelled out for even the most clueless reader, and as Lan commented on my review of the Belgariad, by now you know nothing will happen - they're never in any real danger, these people can handle just about anything you throw at them. Thus, the tension is a bit lacking.
If you haven't read either series ever before, I do urge you to give it a try, despite all my negative remarks. If nothing else there's a fair bit of light vs. dark philosophy in both series, but particular the last one, and I found many of Edding's musings about good and evil quite interesting.
This series consist of
- Guardians of the West
- King of the Murgos
- Demon Lord of Karanda
- Sorceress of Darshiva
- Seeress of Kell
Like the first series, I still love this one, but now perhaps a lot of it is for sentimental reasons. It's definitely flawed and they're basically just on a long long long long journey around a continent which was conveniently more or less non existent in the previous series and they're very much just repeating what happened in the first series. However, the characters still appeal to me and I get a childish satisfaction from rereading my childhood's favourite series - moreover I do think many of the characters evolve a bit (some only a sliver), but it's just one of those series, where I can more or less forgive anything. Eddings' biggest downside really is all the convenient happenings and characters - the MCs pretty much only bump into random strangers who just happen to be able to explain absolutely everything and know even the smallest detail, ensuring it's constantly spelled out for even the most clueless reader, and as Lan commented on my review of the Belgariad, by now you know nothing will happen - they're never in any real danger, these people can handle just about anything you throw at them. Thus, the tension is a bit lacking.
If you haven't read either series ever before, I do urge you to give it a try, despite all my negative remarks. If nothing else there's a fair bit of light vs. dark philosophy in both series, but particular the last one, and I found many of Edding's musings about good and evil quite interesting.
5 paperbacks each of around 350-450 pages / first published in 1987-91
Review by Iben Jakobsen, BoB, 2012
Review by Iben Jakobsen, BoB, 2012
If I went back and read many of the books I did when I was younger I'm sure I'd come up with the same kinds of criticisms. I don't really even bother re-reading The Malloreon anymore! It's just too much like The Belgariad. I thought at least this time some of the characters would die but nope. Everyone's all still there and still kicking. Except this time Garion isn't as endearing because he's not a boy anymore but a powerful wizard. Urgh and don't get me started about Ce'Nedra. Oh how I wish she would die.
SvarSletI really wish I had the patience to tackle big series like this. I'm considering Game of Thrones but there's a lot of pages in each of the books! :P
SvarSletGoT is causing me pain, I'm telling you. I read the first four books years ago and now I'm totally stuck just 63 pages in in book #5 cause I can't remember who's who and why they are where they are. But rereading the first 4 books will take me months and I'm just not up for that right now :/
SletEddings' books are so much of an easy read they are a breeze. Martin's books are like wrestling a hurricane in tight quarters.