Editing The Malloreon (section)

=== ''Guardians of the West'' ===
{{Infobox book|
| name              = Guardians of the West
| author            = [[David Eddings]]
| illustrator       = Shelly Shapiro
| cover_artist      = Edwin Herder
| country           = United States
| language          = English
| series            = The Malloreon
| genre             = [[Fantasy]]
| publisher         = Del Rey Books
| release_date      = 04/1987
| exclude_cover     = yes
| media_type        = Print (  )
| pages             = 438 (paperback)
| isbn              = 0-345-33000-5
| oclc              = 17609325
| followed_by       = {{pslink|King of the Murgos}}
}}

At the end of ''[[The Belgariad]]'', [[Garion]] has slain the evil god [[List of The Belgariad and The Malloreon characters#Torak|Torak]] and expects lasting peace. The first half of the book concentrates on the first eight years of [[Belgarion]]'s reign, describing minor problems including Queen [[Ce'Nedra]]'s seeming infertility and a civil war in [[Arendia]]. All of these problems are resolved without much trouble, their resolutions providing some [[comic relief]]. The book also depicts the life of Errand, Polgara's ward. During his years under her care, Errand displays near-[[omniscience]]; this puzzles Polgara and Belgarath. During the same years, Errand encounters a lesson learned telepathically from an ancient tree and two contacts with people important to his destiny. The inciting action of the story occurs when Garion and Errand are both summoned by the Orb of Aldur, and the Voice of [[Prophecy]] warns them "Beware [[Zandramas]]!". Thereafter Garion and Belgarath seek to discover the identity and purpose of Zandramas through records of ancient, dubious prophecies. Ultimately, Garion learns that he is still a figure of prophecy and bears the responsibility of defeating Torak's successor, the "Child of Dark".

Subsequent to Garion's discovery, his regent [[Brand (Rivan Warder)|Brand]] is murdered by assassins sent to kill [[Ce'Nedra]] and her newborn son Geran. The assassins are traced to the Bear-Cult, a legion of ethnocentric fanatics dedicated to reunification of the empire divided among the sons of Garion's ancestor King Cherek. In response, Garion and other descendants of Cherek destroy the Bear-Cult, but are unable to prevent the abduction of Prince Geran. When the cult rising is put down, it is revealed that the leader of the cultists is the priest/sorcerer Harakan, a servant of Torak's disciple Urvon. Harakan escapes shortly after the revelation of his true identity.

The military leaders are later visited by the clairvoyant [[Minor Characters (Belgariad)#Cyradis|Cyradis]], who reveals that Geran's kidnapping was carried out by [[Zandramas]], the new Child of Dark, and that Garion must recover him with the help of [[Belgarath]], [[Polgara the Sorceress|Polgara]], Ce'Nedra, [[Eriond|Errand]], Durnik, and Silk; but shall later acquire the Huntress (a Drasnian spy named Liselle or Velvet), the Man Who Is No Man (the eunuch Sadi), the Empty One (Mallorean Emperor Zakath), the Silent Man (Cyradis' bodyguard Toth) and the Woman Who Watches (Belgarath's wife Poledra). With these companions he must travel to the [[Korim|Place Which Is No More]] for the final meeting between Light and Dark that will decide the fate of the world. When all objections are overcome, the company assembles and departs.

{{clear}}