You know you're a compulsive reader when...

I'm going up to my dad's country house for the weekend, from Friday to Sunday. As I'm packing, my thoughts turn to books. I've got 200 pages left of the last book of the Belgariad, and there's a 200-page non-fiction book that needs to be back at the library by Tuesday. I'm seriously considering bringing a third book, because I'm not sure if 400 pages will be enough to keep me occupied all weekend.

Is that wrong?

Books of 2010: 34. Enchanter's End Game (Belgariad, book 5), by David Eddings

(See my reviews for book 1, book 2, book 3, and book 4.)
Warning: This review contains spoilers.

Well, I'll give it this, book 5 of the Belgariad is at least faster-paced than book 4. Things rush inexorably towards the climax all book. The first hundred pages or so sees Garion, Belgarath, and Silk moving through Gar og Nadrak (yes! another kingdom!) towards their eventual destination of Mallorea. Witty banter ensues as Our Heroes (tm) get ever closer to the inevitable confrontation with the evil god Torak.

The entire middle of the book shifts perspective to Ce'Nedra's army and their preparations to invade Mishrak ac Thull (more kingdoms!) as a diversion to buy Garion et al some time to move into position. The point of view is mostly Ce'Nedra's, though there are some quite clever bits from the perspective of the various queens who have been left at home to run their kingdoms while the kings go to war. The army does, eventually, engage in a vary large battle, with one or two semi-unexpected plot twists along the way. Some secondary characters die, but no one of particular importance. In the end, Ce'Nedra, Polgara, Durnik, and the boy Errand are captured and sent to Mallorea, arriving the very same morning as Garion and his gang.

There's the mighty climactic battle between Garion and Torak. We've seen it coming for five books, and the good guys win, as we all knew they would. I was kind of annoyed with Eddings' writings at this point, with such overblown phrases as: "This was the EVENT for which the Universe had waited since the beginning of time." Yes, "EVENT" in all caps. Really, Eddings? Really? Was that strictly necessary? I don't know why, but more than anything else in the book, the all-caps EVENT annoyed the heck out of me.

The book ends with the marriage of Garion and Ce'Nedra, and also the marriage of Polgara and Durnik the smith. All is well... or is it? (Cue the dramatic music and the advertisements for Eddings' next series, the Malloreon.) It was fun while it lasted, but I think I need to give my brain a few weeks away from the fluffy fantasy. There's only so much of this I can take at a time.