Barak, Hettar, Silk and X'Nedra
Aug. 17th, 2009 07:08 amMandorellan: What say you, Barak? There can only be a couple of hundred of them...
The Belgariad by David Eddings is not good writing... But it was the first, non-LotR fantasy series I ever read, and as such it warrants a mention.
Five books: Pawn of Prophecy, Queen of Sorcery, Magician's Gambit, Castle of Wizardry and Enchanters' End Game (and if you think the titles are just a smidgen laboured, I'll certainly concur).
Garion is a farm boy, who lives on a farm with his 'Aunt', Polgara, and another farmhand, Durnik. I forget the exact set-up, now, but Polgara's father - Belgarath - turns up and drags Garion and Polgara off on a quest to complete a prophecy. Durnik comes along too.
The 'Bel' in front of 'Garath' denotes that he's a sorcerer, just like the 'Pol' in front of 'Gara'.
Anyway, The Gang set off across their world, slowly picking up a team of characters as required to fulfil the prophecy (which speaks to Garion directly, in often sarcastic manner), and Do Great Things.
Even as a 14-year old kid slap bang in the middle of this book's target market segment, The Belgariad made me uncomfortable with its casual racism: all people of a given land have exactly the same characteristics. Come from Drasnia? Then you're a thief or a spy. Garion's home land (whose name I forget, but which obviously also accounts for Durnik) is supposedly home to honest (but slightly... dim) good workin' folk.
OTOH, it has its moments - X'Nedra's kinda cool - although Eddings chickens out of showing and gives us a tell when she gets to be the great orator of her time and delivers a rousing battle speech to the masses. Definitely cheating.
Garion goes through a whole 'coming of age' thing with regard to the prophecy, X'Nedra starts off painful, but gets better, and it all moves towards one BIG FAT HAPPY ENDING, but it's a pretty nice, brainless ride there.
There's a sequel (series), The Mallorean, which I think I staggered through, but have (I hope) managed to scrub my brain free of most of the detail since.
The Belgariad by David Eddings is not good writing... But it was the first, non-LotR fantasy series I ever read, and as such it warrants a mention.
Five books: Pawn of Prophecy, Queen of Sorcery, Magician's Gambit, Castle of Wizardry and Enchanters' End Game (and if you think the titles are just a smidgen laboured, I'll certainly concur).
Garion is a farm boy, who lives on a farm with his 'Aunt', Polgara, and another farmhand, Durnik. I forget the exact set-up, now, but Polgara's father - Belgarath - turns up and drags Garion and Polgara off on a quest to complete a prophecy. Durnik comes along too.
The 'Bel' in front of 'Garath' denotes that he's a sorcerer, just like the 'Pol' in front of 'Gara'.
Anyway, The Gang set off across their world, slowly picking up a team of characters as required to fulfil the prophecy (which speaks to Garion directly, in often sarcastic manner), and Do Great Things.
Even as a 14-year old kid slap bang in the middle of this book's target market segment, The Belgariad made me uncomfortable with its casual racism: all people of a given land have exactly the same characteristics. Come from Drasnia? Then you're a thief or a spy. Garion's home land (whose name I forget, but which obviously also accounts for Durnik) is supposedly home to honest (but slightly... dim) good workin' folk.
OTOH, it has its moments - X'Nedra's kinda cool - although Eddings chickens out of showing and gives us a tell when she gets to be the great orator of her time and delivers a rousing battle speech to the masses. Definitely cheating.
Garion goes through a whole 'coming of age' thing with regard to the prophecy, X'Nedra starts off painful, but gets better, and it all moves towards one BIG FAT HAPPY ENDING, but it's a pretty nice, brainless ride there.
There's a sequel (series), The Mallorean, which I think I staggered through, but have (I hope) managed to scrub my brain free of most of the detail since.
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