Book 1), Guardians of the West (The Malloreon

I think the real beauty of Eddings' books is the fact that there's always something happening. It's not the normal straight-line plot where they go after something, get it, and come back, but there are lots of little side-stories that make the book interesting.
I first read the Malloreon and after that read the Belgariad, and I still understood most of it. Reading the Belgariad first helps, but it's not a must. And when you do start reading Malloreon, after the first couple of chapters you'll find it extremely hard to put the book down.

This review is intended for those who have read Eddings's preceding series, the Belgeriad (which begins with Pawn of Prophecy). If you have NOT read the Belgeriad, you really should read it first, both because it is the better work, and because if you don't like it, you definitely won't like this book.

Guardians of the West is the first book in Eddings's second five-volume series. This second series is known as the Malloreon. Eddings is very upfront about the Malloreon being in large part a repeat of the Belgeriad. Within the series, this is explained as a facet of his universe, that the same events keep recurring because something went wrong a long time ago.

It had appeared in The Belgeriad that Garion, the "Child of Light," had triumphed once and for all over the dark god Torak, the "Child of Dark." In Guardians of the West, the reader finds that this was not the FINAL, decisive meeting between Light and Dark, but only the most recent of many. The next meeting, however, is rumored to be the final one. Torak, being dead, is no longer the Child of Dark. Garion is still the Child of Light, but he will not necessarily still hold that title at the next meeting between Light and Dark.

Once again, Garion, Belgarath, Polgara, Ce'Nedra, Durnik, Silk, and young Errand set out to save the world. There is another, more personal goal that Garion and Ce'Nedra are pursuing at the same time.

Eddings's strength is creating distinct, generally likeable characters. But the Malloreon fails to measure up to the Belgeriad in this department. Most of Garion's other old friends from the first series - Barak, Hettar, Mandorallen, Lelldorin, Adara, Relg, Taiba - make appearances in this book, but they do not accompany him on his latest quest. Eddings apparently felt that he had mined those characters for all he could get out of them in the Belgeriad. That was presumably a wise decision on his part - he would know best whether he has run out of interesting things for Hettar to do - but these popular characters were unfortunately not replaced by equally interesting ones. The characters who join this second quest fail to engage the reader's interest.

The Malloreon is of course necessary reading for hardcore fans of the Belgeriad. It may irritate readers in many spots, however. It is true that Eddings falls into patterns of having Polgara be maddeningly superior, Belgarath be a scamp in a rated-PG kind of way, Silk be an aging adolescent sarcastic wiseguy, etc. Durnik is of course just boring, as is Garion too often. The worst drawn character is Ce'Nedra, who seems not to have matured one bit since first appearing as a spoiled 15 year-old princess in the Belgeriad, despite a decade of family and political responsibility. She is alternately whiny and flirtatious.

As the series develops, Errand shares more and more of the stage with Garion. This is a positive development, as Eddings allows Errand to be a good deal less of an idiot than he often forces Garion to be.

Eddings's books are not marketed as adolescent reading, but they are definitely best read as a young teen or late preteen. If you know a fantasy reader around 12-14 - or you yourself are within a few years of that age - then the Belgeriad in particular should be a must-read.

As for Guardians of the West and the rest of the Malloreon, those who like the Belgeriad should try this first book of the second series. If you DON'T like it, however, you may want to consider simply not finishing the Malloreon. The series does not improve in later books - Guardians is in fact the best of the five - and in particular the two books which follow it really drag at times.

Well after such a marvelous series such as the Belgariad, Eddings had to write a seqeuel. And there it is- in all it's splendor. This book is the first of this series- and it is one heck of a book. In the best of the Eddings tradition, this book is both exhilirating and amusing. Eddings has the talent of making the charcters full, the plot intricate and comprhensive, and the layout realistic as possible. You would think that he himself is a master strategist and comedian. This book is a MUST!!!

I read all the books of David Eddings, i don't remember how many, but i can tell you this, if you enjoy books from the Dragonlance from Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman, or if you only enjoy good action and fantasy books, this is your stuff. Maybe they are not as good as Darksword, but is good enough to keep you hours reading. I enjoyed this book so much, as many, many other fantasy books i have read. So take my advice (i'm not an expert but i have read like 60 or more fantasy books), and buy this book (but first buy the Belgariath ones, if you don't do that you will miss the first part). Is a good choice, well, it was good for me.

The Belgariad series was amazing, and so are these! This book was so engrossing I read it in one day. The first couple of chapters are about Polgara, Durnik, and Errand's new, hilarious life. Of course there several dangerous adventures along the way to give you a mystery. Then we go to Garion and his firery wife who are having trouble making an heir. From that comes romance (obviously), assaniations, war, and the discovery of an ultimate war. We still get the laughs we got in Belgariad and the adventure, and the thrills. You need to read this book.

you find when reading this book that it really does follow on from the last series. i read this one first and i noticed i was missing alot of the history. it starts slow but in the last section picks up alot of pace and you find it hard to put it down for the last 150 pages. it sets the seen well for the series.

having read both the Belgariad and the Mallorean, also Belgarath the Sorcerer, and Polgara the Sorceress, several times, I must say that I love every one! For those that do not appreciate Mr. and Mrs. Eddings presentation, there are plenty of other authors out there, read those that please you. I found ALL of their books in these two series to be entertaining, and in a way, very like the Star Wars books, including those in the "X-wing" series. Not that they are the same in type, or content, certainly, but that once you pick up the books, and begin to know and attach to the characters, you just can't get enough of their stories. Each time I come to the end of these two series, I find myself wishing that the stories just didn't end there! KUDOS!--David and Leigh Eddings, your work is GREAT!

The book expands on the adventures of Garion, Silk, Polgara, et al. As is Edding's usual style, the book is well written and extremely readable.
It picks up the tale, immediately after Garion's wedding and begins another 5 book set into Eddings' fantasy world.

Highly recommended.

I love the fantasy in these books and a few of the side characters but I'm about to put it down simply because the main characters are so terribly written.

SPOILERS. So first someone tries to kill ce'nedra, then someone tries to maker her kill her baby, then someone kills brand, and none of these things caused them to worry enough to leave a guard on ce'nedra when the men leave to fight their war. So when someone steals you kid, I. Just. Don't. Care.

Buy this if you liked the Belgariad and want to know what happens to Silk and Mandorallen. There are whole chapters you can skip that do nothing but characterize Garion as a whipped, whiny brat.

Oh and the premise: The last prophecy was only a prelude, there's another prophecy that only matters if the first prophecy was fulfilled.

Poorly written. Poorly edited. But it's got enough to it that I'll probably finish it. It would be a great starter fantasy though. Someday I'll give it to my kids.

Good start to a good series. This story clearly is a reprise of the first series but since I enjoyed it the first red I also enjoyed it when it was recycled around again. Even though the characters are older the story still rings true and is a fun read.

This review is for the whole series BTW
There are few fantasy books that make me grit my teeth (and I've been reading steadily for 7 or 8 years) but David Eddings' Mallorean series gets me closer than ever before. While the Belgariad was fairly good and got better by the book, it's the complete opposite in The Mallorean. While there is some interesting writing, most of it involving battles and sorcery, 90% of the series is dominated by useless, annoying banter from the characters. The commentary from the heroes is just snide little comments that are sooooo unfunny you'd just shake your head and pray Eddings stops with it. Of course he doesn't and it's almost unbearable once Book 4 (Sorceress of Darshiva) rolls around.
As for the characters themselves, well it's hard to add on much more from the previous reviews. But every character seems to have one annoying trait outside Toth, unsurprisingly enough a mute. The females characters are just... annoying. Polgara frequently dishes out commands in which the male characters meekly obey. If they don't Polgara gets a 'frosty look in her eyes' as Eddings says a little to often. Ce'nedra doesn't say much but when she does I grit my teeth, and Velvet usually gets her way by using her dimples proving how pathetic the males are.
The story is a complete letdown, if you were expecting a change of pace from The Belgariad prepare to be shocked. It's nearly identical aside from a few minor changes. The plot is exactly the same as the Belgariad! Child of Light vs. Child of Dark in some piece of crap ruin. It's unbelievable!
I could list alot more negatives about this series but it's already been done and I'm tired. Stay far away if your a serious fantasy buff as this is the type of writing that could mentally scar you from reading fantasy for awhile (I myself took 6 months off before getting back into the groove)

I like Eddings because he tries to get away from the silly moralising postures adopted by some fantasy writers. He is more likely to encourage the readers to think in shades of gray than to adopt this right vs wrong mentality.

this first book is very interesting and I couldn't wait for the rest of the series, couldn't wait? I couldn't even put it down.

i also liked the snappy quips and banter of the characters it added to the interest in the book, and gives a reader time to digest some of the incidents that are happening throughout the plot. Eddings handles a large cast with ease, and the entire series is gripping.

it is too much like the old series, david eddings could have been a little more creative instead of a dark vs. light thing again. but this series does have some good parts in it and i always love reading books by david eddings.

I absolutly loved this book. Its a thrilling opener to a whole new quest envolving many of the most beloved characters from the Belgariad. Garion now a yong king is once again facd with peril and must follow the path of prophecy. Of course not alone, he's accompained by several of the old favorites from the Belgariad along with many new characters which will instantly take a hold on your heart. Which old characters return, well just read and find out I'm sure youll be pleased to find out. Over all this book was an excellent begening to the malorean series that has kept me reading for hours unwilling to put the book down.

This book had a lot of good reviews, so I was suprised that I couldn't get past about page 30. I tried to read the other series with the same characters, and couldn't get into it either. The characters are utterly stereotypical and forgetable, and I didn't care what happened to any of them. I have only not finished about 5 books ever (and I read at least one thick fantasy or sci-fi book a week), and this author scored 2 out of the 5. Skip this one.

In the Belgariad we got to see Garion as a boy now we get to see him as a man. In this first book of the Mallorean he and Ce'Nedra have their first child. That interesting episode is just the start of a long and arduous quest that reunites some old friends and introduces some new. This book is a wonderful blend of fantasy and humor. Case in point, Garion's reactions when Ce'Nedra goes into labor. Just thinking about it makes me chuckle. It is a must read for Eddings fans and for new readers it is a great introduction to his work.

I found the prologue so confusing, I almost put the book aside, but I'm glad I didn't! Eddings tends to be a little repetitive with his descriptions, and all his characters have the same brand of humour, but it still comes across well. The entire series is great, one of those ones you pick up and just don't put it down 'till you've raged through all five books. While slightly weak in spots, I'd still recommend it fairly highly.

With Torak destroyed Garion finally begins to relax. But before he knows it the dark prophecy is alive and taken a new person to carry out it's new scheme. Who is this person? What will happen to Garion and his family?

PLEASE don't waste your money on this book. It is SO boring that I put it down halfway through. Unless you like a book that puts you to sleep in the middle of day. So, please, turn off your computer and go outside and play. NEVER TOUCH THIS BOOK! By the way, is it possible to give it zero stars? Now, go read a Tolkein book because they are really good.

This entire series is wonderful! Eddings is probably the most imaginative author I have ever read, and his use of diction to build description, imagery, and characterization is astounding! However, before reading the Mallorean series, you MUST read the Belgariad series. The Mallorean will kind of make sense, but it will make better sense if you read the Belgariad first. The Mallorean series is a sequal series to the Belgariad.

i picked this book up and was at once taken to a different place, with sorcery and prophecy. i love the way Ce'Nedra, Polgara, and Liselle can deflate any of the men's egos at any given time! i liked this book so much that i went out and bought the rest of the series, and have read the Mallorean at least three times by now...and i still find it to be good reading. highly recommended!

I started to read this crap, and halfway through, I couldn't pick it back up. This whole business with Garion and Ce'Nedra fighting at the beginning caused me to lose my lunch on several occasions. It wasn't a total loss, I lost five pounds. Then again, I regained 10 after giving up in frustration and eating the book. Here's a tip: Take 'Guardians of the West' and simmer it until the pages brown. Douse heavily with BBQ sauce. Place between two halves of a bun. Voila, you've just made an Eddings burger. Eating the books is way more intelligent than actually reading them, after all.

This book was the greatest... if you're having problems falling asleep. Same ol', same ol'. Nothing changes. No one dies, exept some loser who never says or does anything. And the characters are all above any sort of temptation. They have no desires people!!! You know, it would be kinda entertaining if Eddings added something new to his novels... A TWIST? The baddies are so dumb it's sad. The good guys come, stomp some guys, come to some retarded cave and some blind person has a choice between lite and dark... GUESS WHO WINS?
It may be entertaining if Eddings wrote a book like Invasion, where characters arn't afraid to go over to evil. In fact it happens reguarly.
However, asking for anything more would be asking Eddings to get four times better in writing skill. He has no new ideas in any of his books EVER.

Please Mr. Eddings, toss that typewriter out of the window...your childish musings are annoying at best, and a great blemish on the genre at worst. Cookie cutter plots, characters, and situations populate this book, and every other that follows it.
This book deserves little more than a good roasting on a spit...it's that bad.

I've read lots and lots of sci-fi and fantasy, and after reading half of this book ..i had to give up. There was no action, no adventure, nothing but people riding or sailing around, having talks and hanging out. I understand character development but good lord...half the book and no end in sight.

Maybe the plot picks up later and its a blast, but for me, if after half the book there hasn't been anything happen...(and i mean NOTHING) and it doesn't look like anything coming..well i 've got to look for another book.

The guardians of the west is a good book but i wouldn't compare it to the books in the Belgariad. It is more or less a repeat of the Belgariad with differant bells and whistles. I would recomend reading this book, but read the Belgarid series first.

I have found that you can't go wrong, when you read David

Ennings. I was caught up in the story from page 1. I just could not put it down, and when I finished I could not wait too read

the next book.

When I read a book, I tend to judge its worth based on two main pieces of criteria:

1. Overall entertainment of the story and the author's writing.

2. Any incite or understanding gained from the novel.

As far as that goes Eddings is 0 for 2. Eddings is probably the first author I've ever come across capable of writing an entire novel around static characters. Any plot developement comes from either the introduction of a character who suddenly gained information, or a tragic incident strikes from nowhere. The entire book is just the main character reacting to what happends arround him, just to discover that EVERYTHING is part of some prophecy that the reader is left practically blind to; so unless you plan on reading all of his novels (roughly equivelent to burning your hand on a stove, and for some reason, continuing to do so) your going to end the book with a feeling of no closure and confusion. The entire plot of the novel is roughly summed up in four simple steps:

1. Main character is confronted by random problem (death, kidnapping, sexual inadequacy).

2. Main character panicks and asks for help, or talks to his magic orb.

3. Problem thought to be solved, but is replaced by bigger problem from some prophecy.

4. Rinse, and repeat.

If you really want to read some fantasy I encourage you to read either the Lord of the Rings trilogy, or the Earthsea collection. As for this book, (and I've heard most of Eddings' books are similarily terrible) just say no.