The version of this I bought was the first three books of The Belgariad. I read Pawn and I will probably read the others later: it's a quest, and a very pleasant read completely due to the really heart-felt characters. Foremost of course, the main character, a boy named Garion, who watches the angst of others with a matching empathy that is so very endearing. He does indeed do a lot in the observation-department, which is what a youngster would be relegated to, but because he is quite emotionally involved, it does not feel static.
I'm really not a quest person, which is a shame, because on some level quests are allegories for the passage of our own lives, which is why I think I balk at the rote and predictable elements of them.
Oh. I'm afraid that not liking quests could possible say unkindly things about my psychological composition.
Lessons for Writers: Emotions are very fine, delicate, ephemeral, sensitive things. If you can get them right, you are probably way ahead of the game.
David & Leigh Eddings were quite the couple, yes,
and David certainly knew characters were their strength.