Prequels

[Princess Ivy]

I've been re-reading the belgarid and mallorean series, and enjoying them imensly, i now however find myself very reluctant to reread belgarath the sorcerer or polgara the sorceress. Is this where he began to repeat himself so desparatly?
I must say, the description of belgarath as written from the view point of belgarath is not the irrasciable old man of the originals, nor is Polgara as dominant or together in her book.
I know a lot has been given over to Althulas, Elder Gods and Regina/renata, but i haven't found a serious discussion of these prequels. How do other fans find these two?

 

[Lacedaemonian]

I thought that the Prequels were great, though I was not sure if there was a need for two prequels.

 

[moskel]

Both books were essential to the background story, the father-daughter realationship full of love, hurt dissapointment and angst. i think it was important to the reader to find taht they may be immortal but but had still lived with loss and vulnerability. I found that it brought a perfect completion to the stories. Tha'ts not to say that i wouldn't mind gettting more!

 

[Winters_Sorrow]

I thought they were alright, but it's always a dangerous thing prequels.
It takes away some of the mystery of the characters.
I quite like my characters to have a murky past. Too much exposition just means you're being led round by the hand and not given the opportunity to use your own imagination.

 

[Tsujigiri]

It takes away some of the mystery of the characters.
I quite like my characters to have a murky past. Too much exposition just means you're being led round by the hand and not given the opportunity to use your own imagination.

I'd second that opinion, some of it was interesting reading, but from the point of view of a game designer and writer, these prequels read like they were sharing Game Master specific knowledge with the players.....and while interesting I'm always drawn to wonder if that's all that marvellous an idea.

 

[Princess Ivy]

not to mention several inconsistancies. I enjoyed them as stand alone novels, as i like eddings style, but as an adjunct to the two series, i felt them overstated (although please note i'm on my third copy of Belgarath the Sorcerer as the others have fallen appart due to loving over-reading)

 

[jcm73]

I really loved the prequels. Both of them. I thought they were great in that they explained more of the history of the gods and the world. Also told you the same story, but from each perspective. There was a scene in one of the Mallorean books when Belgarath laughs and says he loves Pol and then they get all embarassed - can't remember exactly, its been a while...but you get to see more of their relationship and everything they had to go through to get Garion to where he needed to be. It was a tough life. I enjoyed the differences in the story, like when Belgarath is following Polgara as a scruffy dog thinking he's spying on her, and she knows its him the whole time. Or when Polgara moves into Poledra's cottage (Belgarath describes her as sulking or something) but she really moves there so she can get away, because she has other work to do and doesn't want him to be looking over her shoulder all the time. I also loved the character of Killane - the guy who did up her house and looked after everything for her. What a sweetie he was!

 

[stelfox1]

I thought The Prequels were very good, a very good indepth look at Belgarath and Polgara who in my opinion were always the two best characters of the whole series anyway.

 

[Riva]

Yep the prequels absolutely rocked. The history is the reason why i have re-read the belgariad so many times. Every time i read it again I get these aha-experiences when something links to something perfectly.

 

[Elyssandrel]

I loved the Prequels.
I thought it was a good in depth look at the characters.
Polgara comes across more warmly when you read her story.

 

[Rosemary]

I too enjoyed reading the prequels.
Then if your are so inclined, go back and re-read the series from the begining.
I found that it made some points in the books so much clearer, knowing Polgara and Belgarath a little better.

I don't think it cleared all of their murky past away. There are still a few issues in the series that have given rise, for further questions.

 

[Princess Ivy]

as i said in the first post, although i enjoyed the style of the prequels, and have read them many times, i didn't feel they were consistant with the characters as portayed in the series.

 

[devilsgrin]

my only gripe with the prequels was primarily with Belgarath and Silk not realising immediately who Asharak the Murgo was...Its probably the most glaring inconsistancy, and the one that springs to mind easiest. Since Eddings went out of his way to show us how good Silk was as a 20 year old in Belgarath, surely it could have been another grolim and not Chamdar/Asharak that they were tracking. Whilst Silk's mind may have been put to sleep by Chamdar so he didn't recognise him, Chammy could never have pulled the wool over Belgarath's eyes - sorry mind.
That said, this in no way lessens my love for these two books. I've re-read them so often i couldn't say how many times. Polgara really adds to Aunt Pol a great deal. Knowing her trials and losses, makes the passage in Castle of Wizardry where Garion is speaking to Adara about his argument with Polgara and he'd 'cut off my arm before i'd ever hurt her again.' you love her don't you?' Adara, 'I don't think there is even a word for what there is between Aunt Pol and I'... it never fails to put a lump in my throat and chills down my spine (i think i may have jumbled the sentences around, but you get the idea).

 

[unique_dragonfly]

I don't think of these books as prequels as they were written as "a look back into history so the children will know what happened". I guess it' s just my point of view.

 

[devilsgrin]

i don't think of them as prequels much either. There is something of he prequel in their nature, but i agree unique, they really are history books - just not written by a stodgy old professor... but by a true relic and his almost a relic-like daughter.

 

[YuYus dumber Brother]

The Prequels were great. THe why and how were mostly answered. The repeating came in the younger/elder God series.