Queen of Sorcery [Feb 20, 2019]

[Jenna, I'd be free if not for Temper & Edgewalker]

Feb 20th.

[Saksham]

I'm in

[Rob]

in

[Julia]

Oops, already started! But I'll be glad to join in the discussions! My reading schedule couldn't put it off much longer! :)

[Choko]

Spot 😊!

[Olivia]

I’ll be here!

[Barry]

I'll be starting on time or a bit earlier!

[Julia]

Looks like I'll be finishing four days before the Buddy Read starts! Maybe I will read lots of short books before Magician's Gambit.

[Rob]

It sounds like I better go hunting in the basement for my copy sooner than later :)

[Julia]

*Done!* 😁 But I'm waiting a little while before diving into book three!

[Olivia]

I dove straight back into that, reckon I'll finish today or tomorrow. Anyone else?

[lorii (Loriidae)]

Beginning my reread tonight. It has been 8 or 10 years since I last read this series.

[Rob]

I started last night and am in the middle of chapter 3.

[Barry]

End of Ch 3

I kinda (view spoiler)[am annoyed with Garion. Seems like as he gets older he’s not getting wiser. His impulsive ambush of Lloderin is just plain stupid. But, then at the end of Ch 3, he does give a wise advice to Lloderin and his cousin. (hide spoiler)]

Other than that nothing much has happened so far.

[Rob]

Barry wrote: "End of Ch 3

I kinda [spoilers removed]

Other than that nothing much has happened so far."

He is still pre-high school age at this point I believe! I forget how big ethnic stereotypes are in this series and how conforming they seem to be. I forget how well, if at all, Eddings lets characters break those predisposed roles/traits.

[Shaitarn]

I'm going to be a little late, but I will be reading this!

[Rob]

I'm about 1/3 of the way in. The series really starts to find its stride now :)

[Barry]

Well I’m done.

Like the first book, the plot remains pretty simple and straightforward, compared to contemporary fantasy books, I suppose. There are one or two plot twists that I didn’t expect. (view spoiler)[for example, I was expecting Asharak to eventually succeed in kidnapping and hurting Garion, I certainly didn’t expect him to meet his end like that. I also didn’t expect the Nyssan Queen to brazenly succeed in kidnapping Garion. (hide spoiler)]

There are obviously some intriguing mysteries yet to be revealed regarding Garion. Onto the third book, next month.

[lorii (Loriidae)]

Yes it is an old fashioned fantasy. I always loved the quest in these books, and although it is very stereotypical, the gathering of one to represent each Kingdom stands up over time for me.

I can't comment on your spoiler without giving future events away! :)

[Beste]

Aren't the characters just so adorable??
(Beside ofcourse our little monster)

I just don't like the way the women are written in both Belgariad and WoT series.

[Shaitarn]

Beste wrote: "Aren't the characters just so adorable??
(Beside ofcourse our little monster)

I just don't like the way the women are written in both Belgariad and WoT series."


It's funny because Polgara is really hacking me off; her whole 'unruffled, enigmatic wise woman who knows everything' character is really getting on my wick! At least Belgareth has a roguish streak - she's so po-faced it irritates the heck out of me!

I honestly don't know why that is - I've liked other female characters written by male authors, so I don't think I hate female characters generally. I'm going to conclude she's written rather badly - she needs a bit more depth or a bit more of a sense of humour or something!

[lorii (Loriidae)]

That's really interesting as this series was actually written by a husband and wife team. At the time they said it was one of the worst kept secrets in the literary world. Belgarath the Sorcerer (1997) was I think the first to have Leigh's name on the cover.

[Olivia]

I’ve finished. I feel like this one is not quite as sweet and intriguing as the first one. It’s a typical middle book. But I am very interested in seeing what happens in the third one.

[Shaitarn]

Loriidae wrote: "That's really interesting as this series was actually written by a husband and wife team. At the time they said it was one of the worst kept secrets in the literary world. [book:Belgarath the Sorce..."

I remember reading that in The Rivan Codex years ago. I don't know - some characters just really grate on me, and Polgara is definitely one of them! (Maybe I should point out I've read this a couple of time in my young pre-GR days, so I'm not adverse to it.)

Hetter and Barak are my favourites, despite being secondary characters.