Guardians of the West

[sawyl]

Having taken things a bit easy this week, it's time to get return to the David Eddings re-read with The Malloreon, his second series of fantasy novels about Garion, his grandfather Belgarath the Sorcerer, and his aunt Polgara. The book opens a couple of weeks after the end of The Belgariad and spans a period of perhaps ten years. The book is almost entirely devoted to world building and character, with the group only setting out on their epic quest on the very last page.

In something of a departure from the norm, the point of view of the first part of the book is closely focused on Errand, the orphan used by Zedar to steal the Orb of Aldur. Having been adopted by the newly-married Polgara and Durnik, Errand returns with them to the Vale in Algaria where he and Belgarath help them restore Polgara's mother's cottage to a habitable state. Errand passes a largely idyllic childhood in the Vale, occasionally travelling with his family to Riva where Polgara helps King Belgarion smooth over some of his problems. During one of these visits Errand and Belgarion are called to the throne room late at night, only to see the Orb glow with red fire and for the Voice to tell them to beware Zandramas.

Eddings is generally rather good at writing charming domestic scenes, despite his adherence to absurd gender stereotypes. The Vale is nicely drawn and Errand's growing realisation that he has, and is part of, a family, is very well done. Without anything pressing to do, Belgarath reverts to something like Mister Wolf the Storyteller for the first time since Pawn of Prophecy, while Durnik, whose quiet stoicism and practically make him hard to characterise, gets a proper character trait: an obsession with fishing.

Garion, meanwhile, has been busy growing into his role as King of Riva and Overlord of the West. In addition to these responsibilities, Belgarath also burdens him with the responsibility of sifting through the various prophecies for information about Zandramas and the next meeting between the Children of Light and Dark. As if all that wasn't enough, Garion and Ce'Nedra find themselves under increasing pressure to produce an heir. Although they eventually manage it, Ce'Nedra's dryad heritage so enrages members of the conservative Bear Cult that they make a couple of attempts on her life.

Again, this shows off Eddings at his meandering best. He obviously likes his characters a great deal and delights in showing off the quiet details of their lives. Garion's role as arbiter of his neighbours' thorniest problems is rather amusing, especially when he decides to take on a pair of opposing armies singled handed. There are a bits that don't work for me — Polgara's annoying mysterious manner when helping with the missing heir problem and Garion's comic idiocy that starts the very second his wife announces she is in labour — but by and large, I like the gentleness and charm of the opening.

The plot proper beings when Garion notices a section in the Mrin Codex where several words seem to be blotted out. Determined to solve the mystery he travels to the Shrine of the Mrin Prophet in Drasnia to view the original manuscript, and then on to Belgarath's tower in Algaria with news of his discovery. When he gets there he receives the shocking news that Brand, the Rivan Warden and regent during the thousands years the Rivans lacked a king, has been murdered in a way that appears to throw suspicion on King Anheg of Cherek. Rushing home, Garion calls a council of the Alorn Kings and they realise that the crude frame up is intended to distract them from the large fleet the Bear Cult are building in Jarviksholm in northern Cherek. The kings descend on the city and reduce it to rubble, only for someone to slip into Riva while they are away and kidnap Prince Geran, Garion's son and heir.

An exciting rush to solve a scholarly mystery and a dramatic fight in a fjord — what more could one ask for? I have a terribly soft spot for the bit where Garion and Durnik learn to fly — it sounds such a wonderful thing to be able to do, I'm always a bit sad that it doesn't recur — and Belgarion's colossally over the top bit of magic that kicks off the battle of Jarviksholm never fails to make me laugh. I'm never entirely convinced by the way people seem to buy into the crude attempt to stitch up King Anheg — have they never even heard of a forged document? — but otherwise it's a pretty good beginning.

With evidence to suggest that the Bear Cult may have taken the prince to Rheon in northern Drasnia, the Alorn kings mobilise their forces to take the city. After various tribulations, they discover that Geran isn't in Rheon. Instead they receive a visit from a seeress, a woman named Cyradis of Kell, who instructs Garion to travel to Ulgo with his wife, his aunt, his grandfather, Durnik, Silk, and the seeress's guide, a huge mute called Toth. Cyradis also tells him that none of his other friends — Barak, Hettar, Mandorallen, Lelldorin, etc — from the Quest for the Orb are allowed to come with him and gives him the bad news that one of his companions will die before the quest is finished.

Finally, after an entire book of setup, we're off on the quest. The build up works rather well, with the uncertainty of the assault on Rheon, while Cyradis' ruthless ex cathedra pronouncements to much to shape the plot of the rest of the series, adding solid reasons why the same characters as last time can't come on the quest and turn the whole thing into a totally shameless retread of the first series.