How did you experience the book? Beyond whether you simply liked it or not, what were your initial reactions to it?
I admired this book. This is what I would call classic fantasy. It is well-entrenched in the same tradition as Tolkien without it feeling like a ripoff or heavy riff off of it. It's your classic coming-of-age adventure story, and I enjoyed it thoroughly. I wish I had known about this series as a teenager.
Are the characters convincing? Who are your favourites? Least favourites? What were your favourite actions? Motivations? Feats of valour? Turns of deceit?
The characters are, for the most part, convincing. I will say that they are more so in action than in dialogue. At parts I found the dialogue to be wooden and too declarative. In terms of action, description, and
much of the dialogue, the characterization was well done. I don't care much for Aunt Pol and Mister Wolf at the moment. They seem to treat Garion unfairly pretty much throughout the book. Even as a reader, you don't quite know why. You get the idea that Garion is a piece of the puzzle regarding the Orb, and that ultimately he is a major player in the Prophecy, but this information comes out very slowly, which makes Pol's and Wolf's treatment of Garion rather pestering and unnecessary. The overprotectiveness doesn't seem quite warranted until late in the book.
Garion as a character was well done. His inquisitiveness and skepticism are interesting to follow as he learns more about the world and how it works.
Silk/Kheldar and Barak are enjoyable, but they borderline on cheesy. I hope this becomes less the case as the series carries on.
What is the central conflict? What are the major themes running throughout?
Generally, Garion must come to terms with his role in a prophecy having to do with the powerful Orb, which was stolen by an unnameable thief. It is uncertain what the Orb will ultimately be used for, but it is understood that nothing good will come of it. The Orb must be found.
I'm sure the conflict will become more complex as the series unfolds.
What do you make of the plot? How do the events unfold and fit together? What drives the book?
I like how the plot is unfolding. It is currently a mixture of seeking out the stolen Orb and Garion learning about the world around him. It would seem that he also has much to learn about himself. This is the stuff of classic fantasy.
What do you make of Eddings' world? What resemblances do you see?
The world is certainly Tolkienesque. It's meant to be mythical, and there is a strong current of polytheism. The borders of each land mark more than territory; they mark distinct cultures. I look forward to discovering more of it, but I don't have much else to say about it currently.
Is the ending satisfying? Was it predictable? How well does it set up the rest of the series? Are you hooked?
The end of Book One was satisfying. The battle at the end was well sprung, and it was well resolved. The seriousness and timeliness of the matter at hand was made evident, and so the series has been set up. I look forward to Book Two.
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What do you make of it? There were a few events/aspects that warrant discussion, such as how "sorcery" works, what powers Garion has now and how they come to be, the transformation of Barak and what it will mean down the road, etc.