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Ik vind Zith trouwens een schatje! ( )

This will be the same review for all the books in ‘The Belgariad’ and ‘The Mallorean’.

These books changed me.
I started reading them as an 11 year old who was kind of floating around in this thing called life. I had friends at school, but no meaningful connections. This I didn’t understand until I was older. By reading these books I was drawn into an incredible world filled with characters that I knew and loved, and in some cases wanted to be (come on people, I can’t be the only kid that put a streak of white paint in their hair). The story is Garion’s ‘hero’s journey’ but I felt that the adventure belonged to me too. It was my ‘Neverending story’ if you will and it gave me the confidence to be more present in my own life. I own all the copies of both series set in this marvellous world and most of the extras too. They are a pretty tired looking collection of books because I bought them as a university student from second book shops all over Christchurch and Auckland. I love that they have been released again relatively recently with a fresh new look so that they can appeal to the younger generation. I thoroughly recommend these books for lovers of high fantasy, action, and relatable characters. It is the quintessential hero’s journey. ( )

{Second of 5 in Malloreon or seventh of 10 in Belgariad series; fantasy, high fantasy, quest fantasy, young adult} (1988)

I try to avoid including **spoilers for previous books** in a series when I write reviews but this time I really can’t. Read on at your peril.

The scene having been set in Guardians of the West and the new prophecy given, the quest continues ...

Or, rather, the new quest properly begins and, as you can probably guess from the title (and the fact that this series is called The Malloreon), is another race to the eastern parts of this world. I think I’m not giving too much away to say that this time it is not the Orb but Garion’s son that they need to rescue. Ce’Nedra is, naturally, upset and both parents have a vested interest in seeing this quest concluded as quickly as possible.

The group follows the trail to Prolgu, Tolnedra and Nyissa, meeting old acquaintances on the way, running into hindrances left behind by Zandramas and digging out information about the new prophecy, which was hidden behind the old one.

'Why is it that all of this seems to have happened before?'
'All of what?'
'Everything. There are Angaraks in Arendia trying to stir up trouble - just as there were when we were following Zedar. There are intrigues and assassinations in Tolnedra - the same as last time. We ran into a monster - a dragon this time instead of the Algroths - but it's still pretty close to the same sort of thing. It seems almost as if we were repeating everything that happened when we were tying to find the Orb. We've even been running into the same people - Delvor, that customs man, even Jeebers.'
'You know, that's a very interesting question Garion.' Belgarath pondered for a moment, absently taking a drink from his tankard. 'If you think about it in a certain way, though, it does sort of make sense.'
'I don't quite follow you.'
'We're on our way to another meeting between the Child of Light and the Child of Dark,' Belgarath explained. That meeting is going to be a repetition of an event that's been happening over and over again since the beginning of time. Since it's the same event, it stands to reason that the circumstances leading up to it should also be similar.' He thought about it a moment longer. 'Actually, he continued, 'they'd almost have to be, wouldn't they?'
'That's a little deep for me, I'm afraid.'
'There are two Prophecies - two sides of the same thing. Something happened an unimaginably long time ago to separate them.'
'Yes. I understand that.'
'When they got separated, things sort of stopped.'

Then they discover that Zandramas has fled towards Cthol Murgos - as well as a few other things they had not suspected about this new enemy. They cross the border and discover that, though the eastern kingdoms are distracted by being at war with each other, Zandramas has slowed them down by leaving their descriptions with orders for their arrests. When one member of their group displays unexpected powers all their precautions come to naught as they are arrested and thus come face to face with the King of the Murgos.

I'm enjoying this second series which follows The Belgariad. The first time I read it, as a teenager, I thought Ce'Nedra was a bit self-absorbed. Reading it now, I found her behaviour understandable under the circumstances (I certainly wouldn't be too happy) but, given the light treatment she comes across as a bit temperamental. Zith the snake also has a personality and, oddly, comes across as quite cute - as long as you don't annoy her.

Zith sulked in her bottle, still greatly offended.
'Really, dear, ' Sadi assured her, 'it's all right. Don't you trust me?'
There was a snippy little hiss from inside the bottle.
'That's a very naughty thing to say, Zith,' Sadi gently reproved her. 'I did everything I could to keep him from disturbing you.' He looked apologetically at Agachak. 'I really don't know where she picks up such language, Holy One.' he declared. He turned his attention back to the bottle. 'Please, dear, don't be nasty.'
Another spiteful little hiss came from the bottle.
'Now that's going entirely too far, Zith. You come out of there at once.'

This series was written near the end of the Cold War and though there is very much an East versus West vibe we start to see that people are the same all over the world. At one point Garion and his friends shelter at a ravaged farm on their trek through Cthol Murgos:

She sat on a pile of fragrant hay and bounced tentatively a few times.
'And this will make wonderful beds. I hope we can find a place like this every night.'
Garion walked over to the door and looked out, not trusting himself to answer. He had grown up on a farm not really all that much different from this one, and the thought of a band of marauding soldiers swooping down on Faldor's farm, burning and killing, filled him with a vast outrage. A sudden image rose in his mind. The shadowy faces of the dead Murgos hanging on those stakes might very well have been the faces of his childhood friends, and that thought shook him to the very core of his being. The dead here had been Murgos, but they had also been farmers, and he felt a sudden kinship with them. The savagery that had befallen them began to take on the aspect of a personal affront

There is a slightly darker shading to things though the banter and lightheartedness that we know this world for continues.

Something that caught my attention; the prologue quotes

from The Lives of Belgarion the Great (Introduction, Vol. IV)

- I hadn't noticed the plural before. Of course, as a sorcerer, Belgarion could live for a very long time but, as someone pointed out to me, as a part-dryad, Ce'Nedra could also be long-lived.

I'm still enjoying this re-read as we begin to explore parts of this world that we didn't see in the first series.

(September 2022)
4.5-5 ***** ( )

I know that David Eddings books are very much a repeated formula from series to series but that does not take away from my enjoyment of them. I first read his books many years ago when I chose them because they were the longest books I could find. I enjoy his characters and the plot and I find that in general they stand up to the test of time as long as you can enjoy the raging sexism. ( )

So here's the deal ... Belgarth, Garion, Polgara et al are very well written in a cosy somewhat moralistic world of excitement and adventure. Its not Tolkien - its warmer and more empathetic than that. The fun continues while the crew look for Garions and Cenedra's son who has been kidnapped. It was surprising and enjoyable to find a Murgo that it was okay to like! The narrator has some annoying habits, but overall it is easy to be drawn into this old favourite. ( )