The Eddings

[LordVyreth]

Yeah, I pretty much share the general consensus opinon so far. I enjoyed the Belgariad and Mallorean, but I was feeling diminishing returns by the time I got to the Ellenium and Tamuli. I still thought they were okay, but by the Redemption of Apthalas (or whatever the name was,) it was definately getting pretty tired. That one had a lot of other problems, too, from the nigh-omnipotency of the heroes to the fact that the bad guys are theoretically just as powerful but incredibly stupid and thus drop like flies. As a result, the good guys end up outnumbering the bad guys by an increasingly wide margin from the first third of the book or so on, making the ending pretty anticlimactic really.

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

I like Eddings -- particularly his dialogue -- but the rehashed plots and character archetypes do get old. It isn't timeless fantasy like Tolkien, but it beats most gaming fiction hands down.

That was partly his point, though. I recommend The Rivan Codex as a must-read for gamemasters and writers of fantasy, if only because it provides one perspective on how to make a fantasy world from scratch, and explains why Eddings selected his characters the way he did. If you haven't picked it up, it isn't a novel -- it's an in-depth treatise on the creation of the world, history, nations, and characters of the Belgariad and Mallorean.

 

[talinthas]

the elenium and tamuli are hilarious and well worth reading.
i've reread them a number of times and it still makes me laugh out loud =)

 

[Elf Witch]

I enjoy his books they are fun reads. They are some of the first books my son read when he was a kid and he loved them and they got him into reading all types of fantasy.

 

[Vocenoctum]

the first four series were fun, though by the end the repetition was tedious.

But Redemption was horrible. It was just bad, with characters that were not likable, and "redemption" doesn't mean locking up your guy until he finally gives in to your demands 2000 years later! There was also too much "cute" stuff for my taste, like the pregnancy and their speech.

But, if you haven't read it, The Losers is a non-fantasy novel of his, and was great.

I can't gather the energy to read the new series though, Dome of the Gods or something?

 

[Mouseferatu]

But, if you haven't read it, The Losers is a non-fantasy novel of his, and was great.

You thought so? Really? I thought it was, bar none, the worst novel I ever forced myself to finish. :\

I'm sure part of it has to do with some serious factual inaccuracies regarding the profession and purpose of social work, but even leaving that aside, I found nothing redeemable in that novel. Not the characters, not the story, nothing. I still have trouble believing it's the same David Eddings.

 

[Vocenoctum]

You thought so? Really? I thought it was, bar none, the worst novel I ever forced myself to finish. :\

I'm sure part of it has to do with some serious factual inaccuracies regarding the profession and purpose of social work, but even leaving that aside, I found nothing redeemable in that novel. Not the characters, not the story, nothing. I still have trouble believing it's the same David Eddings.

Mind you, it's been years, so I can't say WHY I liked it, but I remember liking it.
I'm not going to reread it, since then it might suck!

Redemption of Althaus was horrible, but then, it was obviously Eddings. It was so like his earlier works, but with none of the fun.

I remember liking Trolls Grindstone decades ago, and found some Boyer books in the used bookstore, but I'm almost afraid to read them. Erik Mona termed it the Krull Effect in this issue of Dragon.

 

[Hypersmurf]

The Belgariad is, without exception, my favourite series to read aloud.

About to finish reading Pawn of Prophecy to my girlfriend... starting on Queen of Sorcery this week some time.

-Hyp.

 

[Old One]

Pretty much echoing the rest...

I really enjoyed the Belgariad and have re-read the series half-a-dozen times. I also liked the Elenium. I suffered through the Mallorean and didn't even finish the Tamuli...just felt too much like Astro the the Jetson's treadmill.

~ OO

 

[Desdichado]

Quest for the Magic Rock, part 27...

The Auld Grump, who liked the first series...

Don't forget; the rock has to be blue...

I can, with reasonably good concsious, recommend the first series, but you're better off quiting while you're ahead after that.