Amph David and Leigh Eddings

David Eddings is one of the best writers alive, he has written many books such as those from the Belgariad and the Malloreon. He writes fantasy and his books are so imaginative, I think he is in the same league as Tolkien. He has enchanted me with with all his books and my favourite characters are Lady Polgara and Belgarath: Two great wizards that help the main character, Garion, on his quest for the Orb of Auldur.

I hope I'm not the only one that loves these enchanting stories.

 

While I love the Belgariad, the Malloreon and the Sparhawk books, I can't help thinking that the quality of the writing has gone downhill since Leigh actually started co-writing them. Belgarath and Polgara were good, but I thought The Redemption of Althalus simply rehashed all the plots he's used before. I've only read the first book of his new series, and I thought it was awful.

The one thing that does irritate me about Eddings is his 'tidy world syndrome'. Everything in his worlds are exactly in their places. There is precious little movement of peoples or ideas. Religions do not change or evolve, and borders remain almost exactly the same throughout seven or eight thousand years. I know it makes it easier from the writer's point of view, but I know even as I'm reading and enjoying the stories that it is just too tidy to be realistic.

 

I've never looked at it that way but yeah you're right, not much changes in his books. I can't stand The Redemtion of Althalus, I did't even bother to finish it. Also the Malloreon was basically just the same set of books as the Belgariad; he use the excuse that things are being repeated but at least it finishes the stories.

I have not read the Sparhawk books; is one of them something like The Ruby Throne?

 

I'm in the opposite situation- never read any of his books besides the Sparhawk ones.

My user name at every other board I visit is Sparhawk, but it was taken here

Sparhawk books:

Elenium:

1. The Diamond Throne


2. The Ruby Knight


3. The Sapphire Rose

Tamuli:

1. Domes of Fire


2. The Shining Ones


3. The Hidden City

I prefered the first series, since I found that slimy Prelate Annias, Martel and Azash to be better villians than the Cyrgai and others from the second ones. Both are very good though.

 

In the other books the story mainly is about a boy/man and two wizards. I was thinking of reading the Diamond throne and the rest of that series. I'll probably buy it some time.

 

I've read the Tamuli, and I thought it was... odd. Annias is much more entertaining a villain than a bunch of Bronze Age Spartans.

 

I'm defintely an Eddings Fan, I've got all the books.

Personally, I prefer the Garion books, but then again, those also have Silk who's got to be one of my favorite characters of all time. The Sparhawk ones are good as well, gotta love Kalten and Aphrael. Annias was an excellent villan though.

Contrary to what some others have said, I rather enjoyed The Redemption of Althalus.

 

Zalasta was pretty good but unfortunately he was only revealed towards the end. But I think he copped a worse fate than Annias in the end...burning for eternity can't be good.

 

I'd forgotten about Zalasta. I felt pretty sorry for him really.

Now who was it that Polgara set on fire for eternity? In the Malloreon, I think.

 

She didn't set anyone on fire that I recall. In King of the Murgos she sent the Grolim priestess Chabat to hell (with Aldur's help) for raising a demon and in The Demon Lord of Karanda she condemed a Grolim priest to live forever but never have a word he said believed.

 

I think I was thinking of the Grolim priest. Looks like I need to go back and read them again

*sigh* I guess I can put up with Eriond long enough to re-read the series.

 

I'm a die hard Eddings fan and loved the books about Belgarion and Sparhawk. I enjoyed Althalus and The Dreamers, too, but although they are fun reads, the magic from the first 4 Eddings series is unmatched.