Book 4), Castle of Wizardry (The Belgariad

Story and series is superb. Unfortunately the editing leaves much to be desired. It appears that this edition was never properly spell checked prior to release. I compared it to my print editions on some of the worse of the misspellings. They were absent in the print versions. I am giving it a 1 strictly on technical reasons in the hope it might goad the author and publisher to cleanup this edition. I seriously considered asking for a refund due to the defects.

Excellent story horrible editing/translating. I am not sure how this great book was butchered when it was made available for kindle. Its obvious that this is one more victim of outsourcing. There is no "thee" in the book. It is replaced with "throe" which isnt a word. How very sad this is. I loved the series and couldnt wait to get it on kindle. Waste of money.

Have always loved this series. I've read it many times and enjoy it each time. You will find something new to love each time you read these novels. My hat's off to one of my favorite authors and I'd like to say to his family that he is sorely missed.

David Eddings gets the classic elements of fantasy put together is a story that has great promise. The weakness is the tedious dialogue that seems to be repeated over and over again. I want to see how the story finally ends, but there are moments when I just don't know if I have the fortitude to read of another temper tantrum or childish outburst. The characters take a long time to show growth, if they do at all. There are much better authors out there to read.

WHY would you only put on Kindle, 3 books of a 5 part series????? This is a great series that I first read 35 years ago and because of poor eyesite, haven't reread in about 15 years. I was so excited to see that books 1-3 were out on Kindle so I can read them again, but shocked that you skipped 4 and 5 - what is the point of having 1-3 if you can't finish reading the story? Maybe you should get to know your product before you start selling it.

In the fourth book of the Belgariad, The Castle of Wizardry, all the set up from the series so far finally come to fruition and the stage is set for the final book. Picking up where the story left off Garion finds himself leading the small group as Belgarath is out of it after the last show down and Polgara is maintaining a shield to protect Errand. What follows is Garion not just making the journey into adult hood but also stepping up into a position of responsibility and authority. Garion finally grows up and it is wonderful to see.

The middle of the book does drag a bit as it gets bogged down in some very necessary but at least mostly peaceful politics. Stick with it to the last third and you will be rewarded.

This book features a major plot twist to set up the fifth and final book, and I won't spoil it for you except to say that Garion is not the only one that does some major growing up, Ce'Nedra does as well. And, finally, we see some sparks start to really fly between our two annoying love birds.

We also finally get to journey through Drasnia and of course see the prince, Silk, in his element. The ending will leave you begging for the final book in the series.

I listened to this entire series on audio book and I just have to say that the reader for this series, Cameron Beierle, is phenomenal. Not only does he have a different, unique, and distinct voice for each of the characters but each kingdom has its own unique accent. The moment you hear him start to speak a line of dialogue you can tell what kingdom they are from immediately. He is an excellent reader and I can't recommend his audio books enough.

When I say intermediate, I mean it as an intermediate stage between two quests: one to reclaim the Orb, and the next quest for Garion to fulfill his destiny. I've been re-reading the Belgariad for the first time in 20 years, and was surprised at how strong this book was upon re-read. One can tell how Eddings has matured as a writer from Magician's Gambit to Castle of Wizardry. An example of this is when Garion creates the flower for his cousin, Adara-the reader can sense the quiet intensity of this scene as the flower is left behind while they ride away. This is the first example of such a scene in the Belgariad (although there are other examples).

This book comes across as the reflective one of this series. Garion has a homecoming at Faldor's Farm, where he makes peace with his past (Zubrette), and forces himself to move on. It's a poignant scene, and the reader can feel how hard it was for Garion to get the closure he needed at that place.

While the revelation of Garion as the Rivan King may not come across as too surprising, the reactions surrounding him are quite humorous, especially Ce'Nedra's "OH NO!". While Ce'Nedra may come across as a spoiled, whiny princess (which she is), Eddings does a fine job of displaying how petulant she can be when being forced into circumstances. The reader may not like how the character behaves, but the last section of the book (The Rivan Queen) does a good job of displaying Ce'Nedra growing up in the face of the coming war.

The Drasnia sequence was intense and taut for two scenes in particular. The first is the scene at the witch Vorhai's house. Eddings does a great job of converging emotional, philosophical and physical issues all in this scene. The questions of should nature be altered to our liking juxtaposes with a man's ability being put to the test are front and center in this scene. The second scene is in Boktor, where Silk's facade crumbles in the meeting with his mother and Queen Porenn. It's a powerful scene because Silk's bluff bravado has constantly served as a buffer against any danger, and it's frightful for Garion to see Silk exposed and raw in this scene. Great writing in this scene.

While this book can be viewed as a staging book within the Belgariad, it serves a deeper purpose for the characters to face their fears and resolve to move on in spite of those fears. Castle of Wizardry is a well-balanced book, and arguably the finest book in the Belgariad.

This is the fourth book in the Belgariad (after Pawn of Prophecy, Queen of Sorcery and Magician's Gambit, and before Enchanter's End Game).

After Ctuchik accidentally destroyed himself in Rak Cthol, the rock pinnacle upon which the city is built has started crumbling on itself and our heroes have to flee through the caves, taking the small boy Errand and the Marag slave woman Taiba with them.

Back on solid ground, they make for Algaria where Hettar is waiting with reinforcements. For that they have to cross the Eastern Escarpment, go down its deep ravines, and the entire Murgo nation is now pursuing them. After his ordeal in Rak Cthol, and protecting his crew from rocks thrown at them for several days, Belgarath collapses.

Yet there is no time to lose, as all protagonists must now converge to the island of Riva, to be there before Erastide in order to fulfill the Prophecy. There both Garion and Ce'Nedra will finally understand their role and embrace their heritage.

But when Garion touches the Orb, the slumbering evil god Torak awakes, and the Prophecy says that Garion is the only one who can confront him, alone. He has no choice but to secretly leave, with just Silk and a recovering Belgarath as company. Meanwhile, Ce' Nedra eavesdrops on the Alorn Kings' discussions and realizes she's the only one who can unite the armies of the West in the oncoming war with the invading Angaraks.

There isn't much to say about this volume which would differ from the previous ones, but it was nice to see some loose ends finally tied up. I enjoyed the flight through the caves of Rak Cthol and the meeting in boggy Sendaria with Vordai and her cute otter-like creatures, the Fenlings. I am now looking forward to reading what lies in store for Garion in the final volume, and also to seeing which hints will be dropped about the sequel, the Malloreon.

Just when I thought things were going to comet to some sort of conclusion.. David Eddings throws me for a spin with the ending of this book.

But I get ahead of myself -

In Castle of Wizardry Belgarion finally comes into his own - sort of. The prophecy peaks, things we, as readers, have known since the first and second book are revealed (and the characters are surprised by them? Really?). I suppose it would have helped, also, to have the prophecy revealed at the start of each book so we could see the pieces coming together as well - but that isn't how it's to be, so we really don't know just how explicit it is.

This book and The Magician's Gambit suffer a bit from "middle-child syndrome", all things said. It's obvious that the story is hurtling toward a grand finish, but first we have to get through all of the revelations and traveling - and there is a LOT of traveling. That said, I'm looking forward to seeing what the end brings and have thoroughly enjoyed a weekend completely absorbed in this world created by David Eddings.

The Belgariad as a whole is an entertaining piece of work. The stereotypical characters are fun to watch and listen to, and the plot doesn't tax your senses or raise the tension too high that you stop being entertained and actually start worrying about whether the heroes are going to make it or not. For those who haven't read the rest of the series yet, I'll recap quickly. It's the story of a young hero named Garion who has no idea he is the descendant of kings of old, whose destiny is to reclaim his ancient throne and kill the mad god Torak. He's aided in the quest principally by his Aunt Pol and his grandfather Belgarath. Other memorable companions include the wiley thief/merchant/spy Silk, the flightly princess Ce'Nedra, and the knight Mandorellen. Compared to the rest of the books in the series, Castle of Wizardry is a standout in this regard because this is where the lull in the story occurs. Readers that require it get some breathing room. This is the calm before the storm. As such, I don't find it to be as entertaining as the next book in the series. Nevertheless, you do get a lot of playful banter and relatively safe plot. The characters get to explore their own selves for a little bit, as opposed to being acted on by a whole lot of external forces in the previous books of the series. I like this book precisely because we learn more about the characters themselves. We find out the who and the why behind a prophecy that's thousands of years old. We get to follow the progress of a young kitchen scullion (Garion) who would be king of half the world, as he learns more about the extraordinary family of which he is the latest, and arguably the most important, member. We get to see old companions from previous books return. We get to see all the preparations being made for a titanic battle between the West and the East, and the struggle of a young hero to find a way out of all the bloodshed to come. Though it doesn't try to reach the level of literature with a capital L, it does obliquely ask some interesting questions. The question of how a mortal man can kill an immortal God is an intriguing one, and Castle of Wizardry ends on a rather high point by asking the question but not providing any hint of an answer. Overall I liked Castle of Wizardy. I think it's the best of the series behind the final book, Enchanter's End Game. Sure it's not high literature, but it's great "safe" reading for a rainy afternoon.

Castle of Wizardry it the fourth book in the Belgariad saga by David Eddings. This novel picks up right where book three, Magician's Gambit, ended. That being, Garion and the gang have just recovered the Orb and are seeking to get it back to Riva. There are some very good reviews on-line in regards to what happens in this book, so I would repeat what they have already said.

In terms of plot line and story quality, this book is rather one dimensional at times. There are very few side stories and at times the plot drags rather slowly. Just when the reader expects the pace to quicker and the story to move along, Eddings for what ever reasons slows the plot way down and the plot seems to stall at least two times in this book and the reader is forced to trudge along to keep going. It almost seems as though Eddings had a 5 book contract and came up a book short so he had to add some `fluff' here and there to fill some pages. That's not to say that some of the `extra' material isn't worthwhile, it just makes some stuff feel forced and non-genuine in how the story is laid out. In the end scheme of things, the over riding purpose of this book is to set up for the fifth and final book in this saga and it does that job just fine.

The characters in this book continue to develop well, most notably Garion and his transition from kitchen scullion to that of a powerful force in the world. I like that Garion has doubts and flaws and is unsure of himself. He is not the all-powerful character that can't be beat that seems to be in most books now. However, my one main complaint about these characters are they are so clich?d it's almost laughable at times. There are scenes where even before you turn the page you know character X will appear with a bit of wisdom that will cause character Y to think and change their plans. I understand it is hard to write new material with as much fantasy as there is, but you also don't have to be so laddened with the clich?s that it takes away from the book either.

With all that said, I did enjoy this book. I think the Belgariad is a good way to introduce people to the fantasy genre as there seems to be something in it for everyone. People who have read a great deal of fantasy may be a little put off by this, but if they look for the under lying story and read it for what it is I believe they too will enjoy this book. All in all I would probably recommend this book to people as there is some enjoyment to be found within its pages. I know I for one will finish off the saga, if for better reason than to see how it concludes.

Here we have the fourth book of David Eddings' Belgariad. This book has many things going for it: action, comedy, romance, and surprise. Guess what it doesn't have? A castle of wizardry.

Maybe I missed it, but I don't recall any such place. There is a castle. And a few folks who know something of sorcery stop by there for a while. But with that logic, they could also call this book: "Boat of Wizardry", "Swamp of Wizardry", or even "Horse of Wizardry". And who wouldn't want to read a book called "Horse of Wizardry"?

Now that I have gotten that out of the way, let's move to the story. The knock on this book is that nothing much happens and thus this installment needlessly delays the climax.

I don't agree. There's not as much action as the other books, but some critical things do happen regarding Garion and Ce'Nedra. Don't look for much from Barak or Mandorallen in this book. They're around but hardly do anything significant. Polgara and Belgarath have plenty to do and their banter is top notch as usual. Silk is more prominent than in past books and we get a brief glimpse into his back-story.

And I was surprised that I enjoyed chapters with Ce'Nedra in it. In previous books, her character was somewhere between annoying and pain-inducingly annoying. In this book, she is more often than not one of the best sources of comedy. I laughed quite a bit.

This is a decent book, but I only give it three stars simply because nothing about this installment is extraordinary. The few twists in the story are fairly predictable, and with little action, the meat of this book is just dialogue. Fortunately for us, this plays to the greatest strength of David Eddings.

At the beginning of time, something went wrong. It caused a splitting in fate-everybody and everything had two completely opposite destinies which could be fulfilled. Over millions of years, two opposite prophecies were formed, each predicting a certain fate for the world. Through the years they moved closer and closer together. Finally, the Child of Light and the Child of Dark, the instruments of the prophecies, were almost ready to face each other in a battle to the death. The winner would determine the fate of the world.
Castle of Wizardry follows the story of a boy called Garion, the Child of Light. It starts as he runs from the city of Rak Cthol where he and his companions reclaimed the Orb of Aldur, an ancient magical stone. The Orb had been stolen by a thief so that he could use it to awaken his evil god Torak from his sleep. After recovering the Orb, Garion and his companions traveled to Riva where shocking events occurred. Nothing could have possibly prepared him for the revelations which explain his past and reveal his future.
This wasn't really a bad book. I've written reviews for the first three, and I said pretty much the same things in each of them: the plot's amazing, as are the characters, but the quality of writing isn't anything special. I really won't change any of what I said for this one.
Really, the quality of the writing is the only problem. I think that there are a few parts which could have been worked on and would have made the book a whole lot better. It's sort of like a first draft. You get the idea put down, have some detail, all of that, but you still have to go over it, make it sound better, make more sense, add some detail, add some parts, take some out. I think that Eddings really didn't put as much effort into the final copy as he really could. As a result, you end up reading something which has some really good ideas, a really good plot, but you're occasionally skeptical of the writing quality. That's the only problem I can see in the book. Other than that, I would say that this is very exciting, and very good.
Even though the writing isn't all that great, I'd still recommend it. The plot and characters just about make up for the writing, so overall this is a pretty good book...

Like many I know who have read this series, I too am a multiple reader, i.e. I have read them several times. This forth book continues the story and actually does it quite well even though it is a "transition" book,i.e., a book that sort of gathers loose ends and sets up the rest of the story. The first half is excellent but the second half rather drags a bit. But that is okay as it sets us up for the next. As a side note, I recently was unlucky enough to have an extended illness with much time on my hands. I read this series again, along with The Malloreon. I actually took a pen and started cross-referencing the pages of the ten books involved. I am now up to 233 errors/contradictions in these books. (yes, I know, I need a life). I do not mean this in a particular critical way though...the errors and contradictions only add to the charm of these classics. Recommend them highly to anyone wanting just a simple good read which is simply fun.

Mild Spoilers ahead

In my review for Pawn of Prophecy I said that the Belgariad/Malloreon cycle is, in form at least, like a big Fantasy sitcom. This is most evident in this novel, where the episodic nature of the Belgariad is most evident. Extending that metaphor a bit, you discover that it's not really a fantasy sitcom (in book form of course) it's more a sitcom about an extended family set in a fantasy environment with fantasy tropes. There are similarities to The Princess Bride here, with that book essentially being a love story set in a fantasy setting and also very comedic.

The practical upshot of all that is that your average fantasy fan expects the action to intensify at the beginning of this book, but it doesn't because that's not the main issue here. There are other things happening here, the story, in the course of this book, goes from being a slightly prototypical, straightforward quest story to being much more geopolitical, a process that is going on in the background through all the little episodes.

There are a lot of little episodes too, this book is full to brimming with moments of pure Eddings wit. Most writers would love to have ONE such moment. Eddings has many, Garion and Adara, Barak and Meril, Polgara's worry over her father's possible psychic injury and the inability of his family to talk to him about it, C'Nedra's fear of public speaking, Lelldoren's story about his misadventures in Arrendia and most of all, Garion's fear for a people he has suddenly become the ruler of. For those of you who think the story should pick up here, think about this, without those episodic moments, we would not believe as audience that he would pick up a sword and head off to kill a God if we didn't understand his connections to the people around him.

I think of all my reviews for these books as one big megareview (I'm writing these as I reread the series) and as such I can say this, the resonances that are set up in the first book, the many rulers and heroes and other characters you meet in book two (and three) and the explanation of who the "dry voice" in Garion's mind is in book three finally meet in this one. Here they finally become a tapestry instead of just seperate story threads. It is from these relationships that the characters will draw strength in the next book of the series, which is more the big climactic action piece.

It is also worthy of note here that my personal favorite moment in all the Belgariad happens in this book when Garion returns to Faldor's Farm and sees his first love and realizes that that farm life just doesn't fit him anymore. There are few fantasy moments that acheive that level of emotion and can still make you laugh 2 pages later.

Onward to Cthol Mishrak!

It is in the nature of David Eddings that, no sooner does the plot head for its climax, but he starts to slow down. I think there is something in him that does not love endings. So now that Garion, Belgarath, and Polgara have regained the Orb you would expect they would quickly go on the attack. No such chance. Eddings has grand plans, and we are going to get every detail.

Belgarath is literally comatose from his battle with Ctuchik. Getting him to safety and retrieving C'Nedra are the big priorities, since it is time for Garion to return to Riva and accept the throne. And it is time for C'Nedra to present herself in that same throne room as the Tolnedran bride for the Rivan King. Thus much of the first half of Castle of Wizardry is spent on various domestic scenes where either Garion is bewailing his new responsibilities or C'Nedra is having fits about marrying a kitchen boy from Sendaria. This is comic relief before the tough get going, and there are many wry moments.

Then suddenly Garion realizes that the real game is deadly and that many lives could be lost before his final meeting with Torak. Enlisting Belgarath and Silk, Garion decides to skip the battles in between and head directly for the final confrontation, jilting C'Nedra and leaving Polgara in a spectacular rage in the process. Now the story splits in two as Garion travels through Drasnia on the was to Torak's resting place and C'Nedra begins to rally the armies of the West in order to divide the attention of the Angaraks.

This volume contains one of the most touching story arcs in this epic. Garion, Belgarath, and Silk find themselves caught by Vordai, witch of the Drasnian swamps. She forces Belgarath into a surprising bargain, one that beautifully displays Eddings ability to write something else besides light, sarcastic prose. In a sense, this episode makes the wait worth it.

As characters both Garion and C'Nedra do a lot of growing up in this volume. Although Garion will always be a bit bewildered and C'Nedra will never be 'reasonable.' But the requirements of the plot will put both of them and their relationship to the test.

I enjoyed this book, but it is very much over-written. Eddings frequently puts the plot on hold for side stories and long conversations. Many of these are interesting, or at least funny, but there are times when you just which something would actually happen. Eddings will never really break this writing habit, though it is sometimes mitigated. As such, Castle of Wizardy may displease the impatient.

In the fourth installment of the series everything finally comes together and is getting to the point where everything can escalate into a climatic ending. Finally Garion (and friends) reaches Riva, gets Iron Grip's sword, and becomes who he really is. The requirements of the prophecy have nearly all been fulfilled, and nearly all conditions are met. The only thing that really needs to happen now is the final battles, and the meeting between Garion and Torak. In "Castle of Wizardry" armies are raised, groups split up, the kingdoms of the west unite and Garion, Kheldar, and Belgarath head out for the Mallorean continent to greet Torak with the sword of Iron Grip.
A very exciting book that sets up everything for the climax of book five, and instantly captures your imagination, time, and attention, and then won't let go until you've finished the book.

The quest for the orb's climatic finish finally occurs in this book. Garion and everyone else in the group finally battle for the orb. In a dramatic battle, the orb is taken, and all seems well. This is the first half of the book, and it was a dousy.
The second half of the book, however, is dull and tedious. No real adventure occurs. It's merely a read about the management and ruling of the world, and about the princess's feelings. Nothing more than that. The series takes a dramatic turn downhill after the orb is taken, and it is by far the worst part of the series. It's tedious and dull at this point.
Edding has the usual stuff going for him - his language - the characters - the development of the prophecy - and the characters. The arguments between the slave women and the Ulgo are hilarious and witty. Though probably the worst book in the series, it is still not too bad.

Castle of Wizardry is about a boy named Garion. Garion is a young wizard that has to go on a long quest that is in the prophecy for him to kill the evil god Torak. On the way to kill Torak, Garion has to get the Orb of Aldur to Riva. once he got the Orb to Riva he has to put the Orb on this great sword when he did the whole world shook. When this happen the God Torak awoke from his slumber and started looking for his Sword. Garion has to marry Ce'Nedra. Before he can marry her he has to set off to kill Torak and save the world from total destruction. The reason Garion and Torak have to fight is because Garion is the child of light and Torak is the child of darkness and destruction. Garion does not whant t fight the god but he has to because this is all describe in the prophicythat is fortold

I found that reading book four of the Belgariad that the story really grew on me. What started off as a simple story of adventure turned into something far more, and was a very enjoyable read.

Story/Structure
The story still followed the very linear plot point procession. Characters go here, to here, to here and then to here, and finally to here. But what made this book enjoyable for me was the the switching of the POV character. About three quarters of the way into the book, after Belgarath, Garion and Silk left Riva, the POV Changed from Garion to Ce'Nedra, with Ce'Nedra finishing off the book.
One of the things about this book I liked was that it went more into the background of Belgarath and his wife. You also get to learn a few things about Garions history and his purpose in the events to come and the terrible burden that was laid on his shoulders.
While Eddings does a lot of telling intead of showing, I found this to be a refreshing change of pace. He could have easily gone into great detail about the events going on, including all of Ce'Nedra's speeches towards the end. Not only that, the telling cut down the chaff with Garion as he took to the throne of Riva and Overlord of the west. Typically telling is frowned on by writers, but here this works. It keeps the story moving forward without bogging it down.

Characters
The characters don't change much in this book. However, Garion and Ce'Nedra do. They grow up from being teenagers to being adults with tremendous responsibilities. Ce'Nedra espcially. She takes to the role of Rivan Queen very well.
Outside of that the rest of the other characters haven't changed much and their personal stories sometimes comes to the for-front.

Drawbacks
There was one minor annoyance in this book. The Necklace that Polgara gave Ce'Nedra. A plot device for the character to get information she otherwise wouldn't have gotten. There could have been other ways for this to happen, but they either didn't occur to the author or he felt this was the best way to get to the point and get Ce'Nedra to be where she was needing to be.

Overall
I enjoyed this book a lot. I gave it four stars because I only reserve five stars for truely outstanding books. But it is a very high four star rating. I found myself lauging a lot in this book because of some of the things Ce'Nedra does. I also liked Polgara more in this book, espcially reading about her "anger fit".
As I said in my previous reviews these books are simply pure adventure and good vs. evil story. If this is what you are looking for then this series is for you.

SRM
Steve's Reviews: Honest reviews from an honest guy.

Eddings certainly knows how to write an amusing, readable story. He has a fairly good sense of humor, the ability to keep numerous plot threads going without seeming confusing, and characters who are fairly likable.
The flaws in his work are more basic. The series suffers from a bad case of "Star Trek Worldbuilding": each country has a single personality. All the Tolnedrans are crazy about money. All the Sendarans are practical. All the Arends are brave and stupid. All the Mimbrates are romantic. With a few exceptions, there is almost no good worldbuilding.
The characters, also, are not very good. They seem to have no idea that they are inhabiting a Heroic Fantasy novel. Come on, now: how many of you REALLY think that a ten thousand year old Noble Sorceror would find much attraction in getting drunk?
Overall, Edding's stuff is sort of like the old epic "cast of thousands" movies which are fun to watch even if they're not very good simply because they've got huge casts and fancy costumes and lavish scenery. Castle of Wizardry is good for speed-reading on a hot summer day. But don't look to it for depth.

Although I like fantasy a lot, I don't have enough free time to read much of it. But I've read this series twice, and it remains one of my favorite works of fiction. I agree with other reviews that cite its awesome character development and witty dialogue as its strong points.
The one detraction is the intra-cultural homogeneity. Such cultural stereotyping is not in vogue in the PC era, but in truth most societies do stress certain values. Eddings takes this perspective farther than I would prefer, but I think that the book is so entertaining that this weakness does not affect its overall credibility and readability. (Heck, the world has sorcery -- a little suspension of disbelief is in order!!!)
Definitely read this book if you want to escape into a world of adventure, or if you merely want a good laugh. You can easily relate to the characters despite their larger-than-life abilities, which grants this series a personal touch that other fantasy novels lack. By the way, if I were a 7,000 year-old sorceror I would probably take to the bottle too, thank you very much.
Magician's Gambit got me hooked, but Castle of Wizardry is probably the high point of Eddings's masterpiece.

Once again I wish for a "half-star" rating, as this deserves a 3 1/2. I love the series, but this was the weakest of the five books in my opinion. There were interesting parts, and the dialogue, the sense of humor and even some of the twists and events are really enjoyable. I like the interaction between the kings as well, which is quite interesting.

I will say that if there were an area of criticism for Eddings it is in the lack of variety of some of the people. I have heard others call it his "Star-Trek Worldbuilding". All Alorns are "this way" all Mimbrates are "this way". A little more depth in this area would have made this a masterful series and book.

Even without it though this is a series that should not be missed.

It's hard to review this when it is not offered in Kindle! The first 3 were great but now I can only get this in paper or as an Audible book. Its almost like you are trying to force me to go Audible. I read the paper version many years ago and wanted top re-read it but I only use Kindle now.

'Castle of Wizardry' picks up the story at the same point as the previous book ended. Garion and his friends flee Cthol Murgos, where they killed the magician Ctuchik and recovered the stone of Aldur. The first half of the book tells the story of how they travel back to the western kingdoms, where Garion finally learns of the obligations his heritage brings. He has to make a very difficult decision regarding how to continue the fight against their enemy, the Angarak god Torak. He finnaly embarks on a journey to fight Torak, together with Belgarath and Silk. He leaves Ce'Nedra, Polgara and the rest of their friends behind to raise an army from all the western kingdoms to stop the invasion of the Murgo and Malloreon forces.
This is the sequel to 'Magician's Gambit', and fourth in the amazing series of five books known as 'the Belgariad'. The series is later followed by another five in 'the Malloreon'. The story is the classic fight between the Evil which seeks to rule the world, and the Good which wants to save it, but what really makes the book so great is the characters. They are all very distinct from each other, with their own personality and desires. Eddings manages to keep them all separate, so that they are not mixed together in a faceless group. Instead they each have their part to play in the quest to save the world.
I have read the entire series at least 20 times by now, and it remains my favorite fantasy. It is lighter than 'The Wheel of Time' series by Robert Jordan, which makes it suitable for younger readers as well, but it is great for anyone from around 12 to 112. I think many, like me, read this series as their first fantasy, and it is a great start to get interested in the world of magic and swordfights. There are other great fantasy series, but this series is still required reading for fantasy lovers.

I enjoyed this book, this series, and has become one of my favourites. It is is light or heavy read depending on how much you want to get out of it. His characters have believable personalities, especially the ones who have lived thousands of years. Belgarath and Beldin have enough sceptisism and hope in their characters to make them truely lovable. The story itself is full of twist that kept me coming back. The only disapointment was Errand/Eriond, I guessed his fate before the end, but still wasn't to big of a disapointment, it finished so well. Eddings will be hard pressed to dupicate the sucess of this series. I hope he writes more with these characters. Did I detect a bit of sarcasism ? Mr. Eddings Thank you.

I found this series very good. Not as good, perhaps, as a few other fantasy series I've read, but good nonetheless. David Eddings is a refreshing writer who does not fill up his books with swears and unnecessary sexual and nude scenes like so many other fantasy writers do these days. His books are very funny at times, and some of his characters are really well-developed. Others aren't quite so good, but it doesn't matter so much if you are just reading for entertainment. Like another reviewer said, I wouldn't read these books if you were looking for something deep and very well thought out and put together. But for a more relaxing time, I suggest these books, especially if you don't want any of the junk that they tend to put in books these days.

Garion, Belgarath, and group have just managed to retrieve the Orb of Aldur, and Chutchik managed to annihilate himself, and that's where this book continues.
It starts off decently, as the group has to escape from Cthol Murgos with the Orb, and the odd little child Errand. Of course, half of the Murgos and most of the Grolims are on their tail. Sadly, after this exciting escape, the book starts to get a little boring.
Garion's destiny, as if it was ever in doubt, it finalized, along with Ce'Nedras. Things move along rather slowly for most of the rest of the book - even as Garion, Silk, and Belgarath sneak away to face Torak. The book never really reaches any sort of climax at the end like the previous three did, sort of simply building up for the fifth book.
It's good, like the entire series is, but seems to serve little more than advancing the story, instead of really being exciting to read.

Have loved these books since I was a kid. Bought the first 2 when they came out digitally... and the rest disappeared?! What?! So, I'm buying all of the rest of the books used and making my own ebooks. License holder, publisher, distributer, I don't know who dropped the ball, but shame on you!

'Castle of Wizardry' picks up the story at the same point as the previous book ended. Garion and his friends flee Cthol Murgos, where they killed the magician Ctuchik and recovered the stone of Aldur. The first half of the book tells the story of how they travel back to the western kingdoms, where Garion finally learns of the obligations his heritage brings. He has to make a very difficult decision regarding how to continue the fight against their enemy, the Angarak god Torak. He finnaly embarks on a journey to fight Torak, together with Belgarath and Silk. He leaves Ce'Nedra, Polgara and the rest of their friends behind to raise an army from all the western kingdoms to stop the invasion of the Murgo and Malloreon forces.
This is the sequel to 'Magician's Gambit', and fourth in the amazing series of five books known as 'the Belgariad'. The series is later followed by another five in 'the Malloreon'. The story is the classic fight between the Evil which seeks to rule the world, and the Good which wants to save it, but what really makes the book so great is the characters. They are all very distinct from each other, with their own personality and desires. Eddings manages to keep them all separate, so that they are not mixed together in a faceless group. Instead they each have their part to play in the quest to save the world.
I have read the entire series at least 20 times by now, and it remains my favorite fantasy. It is lighter than 'The Wheel of Time' series by Robert Jordan, which makes it suitable for younger readers as well, but it is great for anyone from around 12 to 112. I think many, like me, read this series as their first fantasy, and it is a great start to get interested in the world of magic and swordfights. There are other great fantasy series, but this series is still required reading for fantasy lovers.

I enjoyed this book, this series, and has become one of my favourites. It is is light or heavy read depending on how much you want to get out of it. His characters have believable personalities, especially the ones who have lived thousands of years. Belgarath and Beldin have enough sceptisism and hope in their characters to make them truely lovable. The story itself is full of twist that kept me coming back. The only disapointment was Errand/Eriond, I guessed his fate before the end, but still wasn't to big of a disapointment, it finished so well. Eddings will be hard pressed to dupicate the sucess of this series. I hope he writes more with these characters. Did I detect a bit of sarcasism ? Mr. Eddings Thank you.

I found this series very good. Not as good, perhaps, as a few other fantasy series I've read, but good nonetheless. David Eddings is a refreshing writer who does not fill up his books with swears and unnecessary sexual and nude scenes like so many other fantasy writers do these days. His books are very funny at times, and some of his characters are really well-developed. Others aren't quite so good, but it doesn't matter so much if you are just reading for entertainment. Like another reviewer said, I wouldn't read these books if you were looking for something deep and very well thought out and put together. But for a more relaxing time, I suggest these books, especially if you don't want any of the junk that they tend to put in books these days.

Garion, Belgarath, and group have just managed to retrieve the Orb of Aldur, and Chutchik managed to annihilate himself, and that's where this book continues.
It starts off decently, as the group has to escape from Cthol Murgos with the Orb, and the odd little child Errand. Of course, half of the Murgos and most of the Grolims are on their tail. Sadly, after this exciting escape, the book starts to get a little boring.
Garion's destiny, as if it was ever in doubt, it finalized, along with Ce'Nedras. Things move along rather slowly for most of the rest of the book - even as Garion, Silk, and Belgarath sneak away to face Torak. The book never really reaches any sort of climax at the end like the previous three did, sort of simply building up for the fifth book.
It's good, like the entire series is, but seems to serve little more than advancing the story, instead of really being exciting to read.

Have loved these books since I was a kid. Bought the first 2 when they came out digitally... and the rest disappeared?! What?! So, I'm buying all of the rest of the books used and making my own ebooks. License holder, publisher, distributer, I don't know who dropped the ball, but shame on you!

The entire Belgariad series was excellent as was its sequel, The Mallorean, and its pre/sequel, Belgarath the Sorccerer. Eddings paints stunning mental images of the characters, giving them their own personal idioms and idiosynchracies, as well as letting them evolve, change, and adapt. His ability to write such long epics is elite. You are quickly enthralled in the stories, and just when you think the plot could end in Book 3, here comes Book 4 with a new unexpected twist. As was the case with Castle of Wizardry. It was another shining example of fantasy literature that can stand on its own, but will leave you needing to read the rest of the series.

Belgarath has destroyed his rival Ctuchik and now the company of companions have the Orb of Aldur. The company will travel to the Isle of the Winds where the orb will eventualy be fitted into a sword. Garion now becomes horrificly aware that he will have to face the mad god Torak in a one on one battle even though he is largely unsure of how to use his sorcerous powers.

The Group is also joined by a former Murgo slave named Ariana, a temptress who delights in teasing the fanatically religous Relg.

Over the four books Eddings has slowly and deftly built up the tension to the final book and the ultimate showdown between Garion and Torak. Eddings brilliance in character development shines again with the introduction of the Ariana character and her contatant tormenting of Relg. Eddings also builds the stress on Garion especially as he leads into the climax.

This is my first series by Eddings, but it will not be my last. The six books in the series of which this is number 4 all tie together to tell one story. It is the story of Garion, how he meets his destiny (and yes it is preordained - all part of a prophecy that had been operating for thousands of years) and the people who help or hinder him along the way. The story moves along with a good helping of plot and a small helping of travelogue, which is my main complaint about Jordan. Each book leads to the next and you are left wanting to know what happens to the people. There is his grandfather, aunt, wife-to-be, and friends against a hostile god, monsters and followers culminating in a massive battle to determine the fate of the world. The whole series is diverse enough to hold your interest through all the books and still want to know more at the end. But it can also be enjoyed in those times when you need something to fill in while you wait. Either way it is well worth your time.

Some people have told me that they don't like the Belgariad because it drags on too long, but I disagree. I think that Eddings gives each of the five books in the series it's own distinct flavor and character, and that makes the entire series sufficiently entertaining to be worth reading. "Castle of Wizardry", the fourth book in the Belgariad, has less action than the rest of the series, but it makes up for that by having more humor. There's lots of hilarious conversations and clever descriptions that poke fun at characters. It's the comic high point of a series that already very much tongue-in-cheek, and a delightful way to burn through a few hours of your spare time.

This series is a great entry level to fantasy, it doesn't have any real depth or much in the way of originality. If your looking for a enjoyable book that you can blow through in an evening then its right up your alley.

Eddings has run into a rut of writing the same book over and over again, but his 2 series the Belgariad and the Mollorian deserve respect since many fantasy fans got started with these.

For a younger fantasy reader these books are great. They are fun and end on a happy note. I even re-read them once every couple years just to see "old friends".

When I first started reading this book, I couldn't put it down. I mean- I read all night long. When I finally decided to get some sleep, at four-thirty in the morning, I was halfway through the book. Even as I read on, I found myself holding my breath, laughing out loud and even crying. This book is the perfect combination of all emotions. I look forward to finishing the 5th. My fiancee has already, and he has to catch himself not to give the ending away. My advice to you- BUY THE WHOLE SET!!! It is soooo worth it.

Eddings throws you, yet again, in a fantasy world where the characters will become as well known to you as life-like friends and the mystical aspects of this book don't seem cartoonish or petty. The beauty of Eddings works is they're all taken from a realistic start without any fantasy and incorporates it slowly and very believably as well. This book, as well as his other Malloreon series (which is a continuance of the Belgariad) MUST be read. Eddings is the only sci-fi type reader I will spend time with.

There are get characters as always in an eddings book, but they have very long stories that goes for many books. In this book, Garion and his family, belgarath and polgara are still looking for the missing stone, that they believe no one can touch unless of pure goodness. their search takes them all over the place where the map becomes very helpful. It nears the conclusion but not quite, the ending is predictable but sweet in the fifth book, and final of this series

Not the first book,but certainly one of the best,Eddings has acheived the status : Elite. I read this book during my lunch breaks, ( I was always late returning to work). It was delightful to have a dining room full of people look my way when i could no longer hold back my mirth at some witty comment made by one of the char's, and burst out laughing....Extremely delightful!! Thank you David for putting some humor back into life!

Magic boy takes control.

With grumpy old wizard Belgarath and daughter out of action due to overindulgence in magic keeping everyone in one piece, it is up to Gation to be head mojo maker.

Not only that, but this farm boy seems to have grown up to be a sorcerer and a king (don't injure your eyes rolling them, here).

The whole king thing is maybe not so cool when you find out you have to fight a god, even with a princess with the hots for you and the army she has put together.

2 out of 5

David Eddings hit the Jackpot with his 5 book fantasy series "The Belgariad" and Book Four "Castle of Wizardry" continues, in great style this easy-to-read fantastic romp through the Kingdoms of the West. "Castle" is the next installment in the story of Garion, a simple farmboy, thrust into the adventure of a lifetime, in search of a magical Orb. "Castle" begins just after the recovery of the Orb and the death of Ctuchik, follower of the Evil God Torak, but if you think the quest ends here, don't despair, there is still plenty of dark magic, corrupt priests and one very irate evil God to provide plenty of entertainment and excitement for Garion and his companions. And for those softer at heart, there's just a little bit of romance thrown in as well. So don't be shy, join Garion, Belgarath, Polgara, Ce'Nedra and all their friends on an epic adventure. But don't take too long, they can't wait much longer. After all, they still have to fight their way through Book 5 before they can start on their journey through the Mallorean...but then, that's a whole separate story!

This book has so many wonderfully funny parts - Ce'nedra jumping up "OH, NO!", Relg's and Taiba's "little theological discussions", "This isn't going to work, Rhodar," Anheg turned to the rotund monarch in disgust, "What are we going to call her? The Overlady of the West?", and so on. I memorized what is given of Ce'Nedra's first speech. I love these books! Breathe deep, seek peace. Tin

First, everyone is a critic, few get paid to do so.

Any work has rave reviews and negative reviews. Take a chance and read it for yourself to be the final judge.

Well, Unlike most reviews, I'm not going to 'book report' it and summize what happened... The climax of the entire Belgariad is steadily building, and the book is well written, setting fourth the final book and the fate of the universe.

A+

For people who enjoy reading for the purpose of getting into the story. The books written by David Eddings' are for people who get attached to characters and love to immerse themselves in reading. To me his books are like coming home for a visit.

If you want to read simply to get to the finish line---Eddings is not for you.

This book was overal worth my time (o:
I really loved the fantasy and story line, but the travel was tedious and it took a while to get the point out.
Definately worth reading though, the series is great and i cant wait to start on the next series.
Please email me if you wanna talk about fantasy books in general (o:
-Joe

I've read all the books in the Belgaraid seris but this one's my favourite!! I was reading the other reviews and I just can't understand how people could not like the book!! But then I'm only a teenager whilst others are adults so my bottom line is: this book is great for younger people because from an adult's point of view the book might be too immature and boring.

Eddings starts to go downhill with this 4th volume of the Belgariad, primarily because the more the story expands, the more problems creep up. Always conventional, although fun, Eddings should've been able to keep material this simplistic from having so many logical gaps. Still, lots of clever dialogue (sometimes this is all that Eddings has going for him) and more adventures with his well-loved characters make Castle of Wizardry a good (if brain-dead) read.

castle of wisardry is the forth book in the belgariad watch fallows garions jorney to face off agenst the great and evil torak one eye i loved this book. if you sart to read the belgariad you will fall in love with all the caractors i would recomend that every one read this book

The first half of the book promised to be the best in the series so far, but once they reached the mysterious orb, the book seemed to climax and then meander to the end. (Which by the way, was hardly an end, but more a chapter break.) This time out it's really Garion's story for the first half, and Ce'Nedra's for the second, and as interesting as she's become, the politics and posturing to set up the final act dragged me down a bit. Hopefully the last book will finish with a bang and not a whimper.

As I said in my title "The Castle of Wizzardry" is the best book I have ever read (and that is saying something). It immediately starts off with the characters running for there lives, and continues to be so till about the middle. Then we come to the romantic part of the book which is just absolutely hillarious. Then my favorite part is the end, which is (with out a doubt) thrilling. I highly recommed this book, it is just so good. I have read at least a thousand books in my lifetime and I have never read a book this good. READ IT!

The 4th in the series the Belgariad by David Eddings. This book completes the quest of retrieving the sacred orb of Aldur started in Pawn of Prophecy. Eddings' further develops the characters of young Garion and Ce'Nedra as they assume their destiny and the final battle that could end the world. The consistency with which Eddings develops his characters is amazing and fun to read. A good story for adults, and teens. Teens will identify with the main characters 'teen angst' in a world beyond their control and adults will appreciate the wry political commentary on a cold war that is no longer going on.

The first 3 books were extermely intresting, but book 5 in paticular was extremely dissapointing. After the great expation of battle between light and dark only to get a single page of actual combat of an extremly grave and unexeceptable let down

Many people think David Eddings is overly formulaic which he is a bit but since I enjoy the tale he tells I do not mind reading it over again. His characters always have great humor at their core and you can't beat a good epic tale for entertainment value. This particular book is one of my favorites by him.

As much as I hate to do it, I have to compare this book to Eragon's sequel Eldest by Christopher Paolini. However, Castle of Wizardry to me is what young CP should have aspired to do with his title character (Eragon). Eddings is masterful at creating challenges that advance as the lead character matures. In my opinion this is the finest of the series thus far.

I also recommend Jason Rider's Tucker O'Doyle series.

Now Garion must reach Riva before it is too late. A great action novel with my close calls. Eddings goes back to his classical ability to write a great action novel which will keep you page turning until the next morning.

I love this series of books. I have read them many, many, many times and I am still reading them. I recommend them to everyone. Very humorous characters. If you are confused about the people read The Rivan Codex, in it David Eddings explains about how he based the characters. Anyway, I LOVE these books. GET THEM! GET THEM! GET THEM!

I love this series and now that I've switched to the Kindle I would like to reread the books. Unfortunately, I can only find the first three in the series, books 4 & 5 are only available on the Kindle as Audio books!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WHY?!

I am really getting into the Belgariad series. I read The Elenium before this and was hooked from the start.

What I like about this book is that it keeps you turning page after page to find out what the plot will be.

Eddings is also a most excellent writer whose style is concise, humorous, and entertaining.

It may not be the best in the series - but I sat up many a night! I wasn't a major "fantasy" reader until I met this series and Eddings! I'm hooked and anyone looking for something just a little different, but quite believable, needs to read this series.

Hands down the very best book I have ever read. The Belgariad series had me on the edge of my seat the entire time that I was read it. I have read the entire series at least a half a dozen times in the last year. Davie Edding is the finest writer I have ever encountered.

I have read the complete set of all the Mallorean Gospels and thoroughly enjoyed them all. If you like fantasy you'll love these books. My praise and congratulations goes out to David Eddings and Leigh Eddings.