Haha, my mom and I read the Belgariad many, many years ago. My uncles recommended them because he said they were similar to Tolkien. I was 8 year old, I think, and nursing my heartbreak over finishing LOTR. We were actually really disappointed in the series: I especially missed the artful language Tolkien used; the vivid characters and descriptions. I didn't like it at all and have never recommended it to anyone. It may have fallen short because I was looking for the deep-seated layers of hidden meaning I found in every page of lOTR; or it may have fallen short because I kept expecting it to be something it wasn't. ON another note, I'm really glad you're feeling better!