Rating:  Summary: Good, but would a little subtlety kill him? Review: Eddings is the perfect weekend writer; if you've got time to kill (on a plane, at a family reunion) he can definetely make it go quickly. I thouroughly enjoyed this book, but it didn't really hook me like Robert Jordan or Katharine Kerr's first books did, probably because the characters aren't as rich and the plot isn't as complex. Additionally, Eddings might be advised to take some lessons in plot subtlety. Gee, is Aunt Pol more than she seems? What's with that white lock of hair? Could she have anything to do with Belgarath's daughter, coincidentally named POLgara? And gosh, what could that birthmark on Garion's hand possibly signify? And what's so important that its theft makes five kings drop everything? Could it possibly be the same magical object mentioned in the prologue? Eddings tries to keep us in suspense by doling out trickles of information about Garion, but is there anyone who didn't have everything figured out by the end of "Pawn of Prophecy?" This is not to deter anyone from reading the book - it's very entertaining - just don't expect the plot to provide you with vast amounts of mental stimulation.
Rating:  Summary: One of the best books I have ever read! Review: Once I read the first one I couldn't stop. I scrounged for money where ever I could find and got any copy I could find of the next one. Old, new it didn't matter to me. All I knew was that I had to get the next one and find out what happened to Garion, Aunt Pol and his compaions. Once you pick this one up you'll be like me and understand how incredible this and the others are. Mr. Eddings you are my idol!
Rating:  Summary: I just love this Eddings book Review: I love this book!!@!! I thought that the charecters were really beliveable and I laughed out loud while reading this book, I couldn't put it down!
Rating:  Summary: This book is a very good begining to the series. Review: This book is very good. I enjoyed it enough to want to get and read the rest of the series.
Rating:  Summary: The Best Series I Have Ever Read Review: This book starts off the most brilliant series that I have ever come across. I greatly recommend this to anyone who likes fantasy books.
Rating:  Summary: I've read the Belgariad 12 times... Review: I don't know how anyone could dislike this series. The Belgariad (and Malloreon) are pretty much the classic fantasy epic: a small group of heroes opposing a much larger group of the "bad guys", with some destiny and preordinance thrown in. Is it predictable? Sure. Is it predictable that the Bulls will win the NBA as long as Jordan plays? Sure. Do people still watch the NBA? Sure. Is there any reason you should read the Belgariad? Absolutely. It's one of the best fantasy series of all time. Someone before mentioned the vocabulary range was bad; I beg to differ...the books read very easily, and the dialogues between the characters are snappy, sarcastic, and many times, funny. A reviewer was annoyed that a character called people "dear" all the time. That reviewer should go meet my aunt; people talk like that ALL the time, which is why this series is good: when you read it, it reads realistically (as much as a fantasy series with magic and swords can, ! anyway).On a side note, lovers of Star Wars should read this and catch all the similarities (many of them VERY precise) between this series and the Star Wars saga. Heroes from the Belgariad and Star Wars coincide, as do some of the ways things work (magic in the books is similar to the Force). If you like Star Wars and haven't read this, keep an eye out! If you have read it, go re-read it and take a look. I was surprised, but it only made me read it even more (as the title says, I'm up to 12 times reading the entire 10-book series). The dialogue between characters is also SW-reminiscent: very quick, sarcastic, and sharp. There's a lot of one-liners in there, and I've found quite a few webpages that have voting areas for your best oneliners. ("I wonder how he'd like it if I threw him in the dungeon! Do I have a dungeon?" "We'll improvise.") In summary: Eddings doesn't bore you with 3-page-long sentences like Andre Norton, doesn't bore you with 10-page-l! ong sentences like Tolkien, doesn't entice you to burn the ! book with shoddy storytelling like any TSR book lately, and doesn't intimidate you with 1000-page books like Robert Jordan. These intimidating books are roughly 400 pages average and yes, there's many...but once you read one, you'll be hooked and you'd be in the frame of mind where if the 2nd book were 2500 pages and could rival the unabridged dictionary, you'd read it. My advice: order this book, Queen of Sorcery, The Magician's Gambit, Castle of Wizardry, and Enchanter's Endgame, all at once. If you don't, you'll be constantly wanting to get the next one, so make it easy on yourself at the start and get them all. (incidentally, no offense to the authors above; the comments are based on my opinions and talks with other people who read them. I actually like them, they just weren't as enjoyable or easy to read)
Rating:  Summary: The only Sci-Fi book I've ever found to be excellent. Review: The Pawn of Prophecy is a book that is an excellent read and an instant classic. This book has a detailed story line that spans over the course of 5 books it's current series and then 5 more in the Mallorean Gospels totaling 10 books which all of them are worth reading.
Rating:  Summary: Magnificent... Review: Being very picky about what I read, I have found Eddings to be a refreshing change to other Fantasy writers. One person mentioned that he could have written the entire series in a 600 page book, but I wish to defer. The story is perfect for someone who likes details about the characters they meet in the books. A major complaint of mine with other authors is that they never tell you what happens after all the excitement is over...Eddings does that, which makes his characters all the more human. I have read every book of his, with the exception of High Hunt and Losers, and I highly recommend them all.
Rating:  Summary: GRRRRRRRRRRRREAT!!!! Review: There is no way that you can read this book and not read the rest of the series. I read the story of Garion (10 books, 5 in each series) three times in the last two years. I've read it in a week before, all ten books. This series is awesome!
Rating:  Summary: A story for all ages Review: My husband started reading these books when he was in college. One night, I said "I have nothing to read" and then he threw Pawn of Prophecy at me. I finished the book in only a few days. I would literally tear myself away from it. It is a well told story with characters that you can relate to, with a unique humor to each of them. The entire series is worth reading again and again and again. One day, my children will begin the journey from Faldor's Farm, guided by Aunt Pol and Old Wolf. I cannot wait to share the experience. Thankyou David Eddings, for writing what will be held dear for years to come.
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