Guardians Of The West by David Eddings (The Malloreon: Book 1)

8/10

The Malloreon begins three years after Garion defeated the evil Torak, a story told in the five books comprising The Belgariad. Garion is now Overlord of the West and when the Orb of Aldur warns him “Beware Zandramas” he discovers that a new danger is growing in the East. The Dark Prophecy still exists.

The Belgariad was a prefect fantasy series for young adults but I must admit that there was nothing too original in there and the characters were basic stereotypes. But all in all the five books were great fun and very enjoyable. Eddings gets a bad press from many long-time fantasy readers but I think that they have missed the point; the books should be read when you are a young adult, not when you are older and more cynical.

Staring to read The Malloreon is a very easy experience, especially if you have read the Belgariad already. The characters are all there again and a great feeling of nostalgia creeps over the reader as they settle down for what they know will be a good solid read.

This is highly addictive stuff; if it draws you in then there is a big chance that you will end up reading every single book that Eddings has written. There were a lot of readers eager to hear more of Garion, Polgara and Belgarath and Eddings hasn’t disappointed in giving them five more books in which they can escape into.

The Malloreon is ideal for those who enjoyed The Belgariad, solid, even if sometimes by numbers fantasy from an accomplished author.