Having read some (alright one) of the Belgariad series I had high hopes for this book and I was not disappointed. All the characters are witty and loveable and you even find yourself enjoying the 'evil' characters as they have their own quirks and idiosyncrasies that allows you to warm to them slightly (while still wishing for their demise...strange mindset that I admit). The story is epic in every way and my only complaint is that it did get a little to long, primarily through the sheer level of detail that the Eddings' added to the story, which on one hand is fine (Tolkien pulled it off in all his works) but it did slow the story in a few places which was a shame. Otherwise the story flows well, is engaging and will keep the reader enthralled for hours, particularly as it approaches the finale.