Book Review: The Belgariad-Volume

All powerful thingamabob, bad guys want it- oh wait, I've done this before. So there's really no need to tell you that as far as fantasy goes, The Belgariad doesn't really break any new ground. Or maybe, back when it was first published, this area was still considered new because Tolkien had probably only used it once. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that this book series sucks. In fact I gave it 7.5 for the last volume, and this one is going to get a higher score. It's good. Just not exceptional if you're only starting to read it after touching all other sorts of fantasy series. Because honestly, how many more stories do we need about all-powerful thingamabobs?

On to business now. The previous volume stopped at book three out of the full series (Which has a total of five books). So maybe that's where the groundbreaking factor is: Who needs trilogies when you can do quintologies? HAHA! I'm not even sure if I used the proper word, so I'll move on. Anyway, the first volume ended with the good guys getting a hold over the all powerful thingamabob I talked about last time. So the final volume focuses on 1)fleeing back to their own country with the thingamabob intact and 2) going on an all out war with the bad guys with the odds against them (aren't they always?). What adds uniqueness to this story is that, at this point it is told by following the two main characters- The starry-eyed Garrion and his reluctant bride-to-be, Princess Ce'Nedra. (don't ask me how to pronounce that) Garrion's story focuses on him getting used to the throne, and, subsequently, learning of the prophecy on how he must kill the Evil God that the bad guys worship with his flaming sword of doom! Okay, so it's not called the flaming sword of doom... I'm beginning to sound like Shahril ><. The Orb apparently was meant to be attached to a sword, to create Garrion's ultimate weapon. It does fulfill requirements for being an ultimate weapon- considering they had to beat a powerful boss at the end of Volume One to obtain it, says the laws of videogames. So, with his sword, he can now fulfill the prophecy, which says he must fight Torak, the Evil God. Catch now is that there are TWO prophecies. One that belongs to the good guys, and another that belongs to the bad guys. Respectively, the good guys say that they will win, and the bad guys say that they will win. Even though it is as clear as the light of day to the reader which prophecy in the end, will be the true one, it is not to the characters in the story, and so Garrion, though fearing for his life, marches forth with Belgarath the sorcerer (think Gandalf) and Silk (my favourite character, sarcastic thief/spy) to confront Torak, hoping that if he can kill off the God quickly, he will avert the need for a war which will cause the deaths of, well, a lot of people.

Don't worry, the war isn't averted. In fact, it is used as a diversion by Princess Ce'Nedra to ensure her husband-to-be gets across the borders safely. No wait, that doesn't sound very humane, does it? Bah. Anyway, the parts of the book that don't involve Garrion involve Ce'Nedra developing from the spoilt princess into army leader, delivering speeches to rouse armies and making deals with kingdoms, etc. etc. Basically it involves her growing up, and what the other characters involved in the war have to do. At this point it gets a bit confusing, considering that there are, in my opinion, way too much characters to follow. But it doesn't in any way destroy the finer points of this book- which as in the last volume, was the livid description of the world. Yes, I would say that that is David Eddings' best aspect. Countries have actual borders, customs, food, you get the picture. The world is almost as alive as if it were real. And you want to get to know it all the more.

What is obvious, though I don't mind it so much, is like in LOTR, there seems to be a lot of racial tension which reflects our world. Dark-skinned people are more evil, primitive, and deserve to die while the Westerns are high and mighty, the good guys in gleaming armor. If the author is implying what I think, and what some other sensitive people think, he is implying, then maybe he needs a good smack on the head. Which is why, again, I say that The Belgariad is good, but not dynamic. The good guys are infinitely good, and the bad guys are infinitely bad. Fullstop. Good is good and bad is bad.

And the ending is explosive. Ultraman-ish, I'd say. (chuckles) You'll find out what I mean if you read it yourself. But how the bad guy dies itself is a laugh. It's unique, I'll give it that, but I still found it hillarious.

And despite all that, I find that I enjoyed it all the same. Assuming I retain my interest as soon as I get to the bottom of my reading list, I'll move on to the Malloreon.

Or I'll shove Khairul's books further down the reading list some more and put the Malloreon there.

Ah well.

8 out of 10.