David Eddings Anyone?

[Mark of Cenla]

After reading most of the Tolkien books multiple times, I stumbled onto David Eddings series The Begariad and the Malloreon, which I really like. :D Has anyone else read any of his stuff? What do you think? Happy reading.

[ringbearer]

Never heard of it...what's it about?

[Mark of Cenla]

It is about a stuggle between good and evil (of course). It takes place in a fictional place and time with medieval technology. There are supernatural happenings, sorcerers, strange beasts, battles, etc. There is more humor it than in Tolkien's works. The characters are very highly developed. Eddings has written two series with five books, two trilogies, and a few others. There is even his version of the Silmarillion ( The Rivan Codex).

I hope I have not made it seem like Edding's stuff is similar to Tolkien's because it really isn't, other than the genre. Happy reading.

[Talera]

David Eddings is fantastic! I loved the Belgariad and the Mallorean too. I haven't read the Rivan Codex though. Have you read his latest? The Redemption of Althalus? It was very good. Have you read the Elenium? I didn't think that was quite up to his usual standard as it seemed to be basically a re-run of the other series only with slightly different characters. Would you agree?

[Mark of Cenla]

Besides what I listed earlier, I have read Belgarath the Sorcerer, Polgara the Sorceress, and The Elenium. I am planning not to read The Rivan Codex. I am currently reading the first book of The Tamuli. When I finish those, I'll read The Redemption of Althalus, which I already have.


The Elenium and The Tamuli are somewhat similar to the earlier series. I just chalk it up to style. I am an English teacher, so I am analylzing literature quite often. When I read for fun, I don't analyze it too much. Peace.

[Twilight]

I liked the Elenium and the Tamuli as much as his other books. Yes, the situations were similar, but the characters were differant, and they handled things in a differant way. I thought that they were so good that I have read all of those books five times at least

I haven't heard about Redemption of Althalus before. What is it about?

[Haegondwen]

i thought that the elenium and the tamuli were just as good as his other stuff. and MOST books have the same good vs. evil plot. i dont think that this series is as similar to the other as most people have said. i think Eddings's style is what make them so similar. the perspective of sparhawk (or whatever his name was) is so different than that of garion it makes for a totally different read. IMHO -H

[Elbereth Gilthoniel]

I read most of the Belgariad and the Malloreon( this labrary hadn't the first book of the Belgariad :mad: ).
I liked them.

[silmälasi]

i enjoyed the belgariad .

[Mark of Cenla]

I just finished The Redemption of Althalus yesterday, so now I have no more Eddings to read. :(

[Haegondwen]

i just picked that up from the library the other day. redemption of althalus, i mean. is it any good? im not even sure what its about, i just got it cause Eddings is so awesome.

[Willow Oran]

I've read the Belegariad, the Mallorean, Polgara the Sorceress, Belgarath the Sorceror, and the first two books of the Elenium. I didn't really like the elenium as much as the Belegariad and the Mallorean. I think it was mainly because I read those two series first and I got used to him using the same set of characters. He's a really good author though.

[Haegondwen]

Keep reading the Elenium, and the Tamuli, they are definitely worth it. maybe you should wait a little while before you start reading them again, so you wont be so upset with the different characters. all of his books are as rich as the others. its defintely worth it. the Elenium and Tamuli are just as awesome and different enough that you dont get annoyed as with some authors who use the same characters with different names.

[TwirlingString]

Polgara and Belgarion are my favorite charcters, what about you?

[TwirlingString]

What's it about, I've never heard of it , but I've read everything else.:(

[Haegondwen]

What's what about, Twirl? i just finished the redemption of althalus. it was really good, but weird to see what is usually a series squished into one book. definitely worth it though. does anyone know when his (thier) next stuff will be out? or if anything will be out at all?

[Elbereth Gilthoniel]

I read the Belgerriad and the Mallorean I don't know if all the other books that he wrote was translate to hebrew.I can't read them in English.
I hope

[TwirlingString]

Opps! THe Riven Codex, what's it about.

[Haegondwen]

im sorry, i dont know what languages the books have been translated into Elbereth. ill try to check online

the Rivan Codex is the religious document that they follow all through the Belgariad. it was composed of ravings of supposedly madmen or farmers who were divinely inspired and stuff. the Eddings' wrote the whole rivan codex. there is another one, i think but i cant remember what it is. starts with an M or something.

[TwirlingString]

Originally posted by Haegondwen
im sorry, i dont know what languages the books have been translated into Elbereth. ill try to check online

the Rivan Codex is the religious document that they follow all through the Belgariad. it was composed of ravings of supposedly madmen or farmers who were divinely inspired and stuff. the Eddings' wrote the whole rivan codex. there is another one, i think but i cant remember what it is. starts with an M or something.

Maybe it's the Malloren, it's sounds like the books Polgara and Belgarath helped put together.

[Haegondwen]

the Mallorean is the sequal series to the Belgariad. the rivan codex was something that belgarath and polgara used in the belgariad to tell them what to do. it was a broad outline of the prophecy. there was another "ancient text" that had more specific directions in it, and thats the one that starts with m. its been about a year since i read them so i cant really remember what its called. maybe i should read them again. have you read the redemption of althalus?

[Haegondwen]

i cant really remember who my favorite characters are. its so hard to chose between them. Polgara is a definite though. im always impressed by strong women. but i loved silk and the guy who turned into a bear, i cant remember what his name is though.

[TwirlingString]

Silk is an interesting character, but I've always loved his thieves anyway. (That's probably not a good thing) I think his name was Barak, or something like that. Ce'Nadra is cool don't you think? I wish they'd write a continuation of the series. Why does everyone automatically call her Pol?

[Elbereth Gilthoniel]

to the word Barak has a meaning in hebrew it means lightning.

I like lots of characters I don't know who is my favorite.

[TwirlingString]

Strange, he does turn into a bear. But he does move pretty fast. Who would you say is more brainless, the Austrians or the Arendians? The knights get rather ridiculus. How can Pol tell the twins apart?

[Haegondwen]

lets see.....

-Pol can tell the twins apart because she lived with them her whole life. plus, they all have the psychic connection with each other, im sure that has something to do with it.

-every one calls her Pol because its the nature of people to give some one they like a nick name, dont you think? i actually dont like that nickname, but hey, i didnt write the book

-i didnt like Ce'Nedra. well, not that i didnt LIKE her, just that she was my least favorite. i dont like how a lot of authors use stereotypes. she was a small redhead, so of course she had to have a huge personality. maybe its just cause i dont like her attitude.

-i cant remember which Knights were which, but the ones who were lead by the guy whose name started with M (cant remember it) the ones who were honorable to a fault, in my opinion, were the stupidest. they need some lessons from Silk. Honorable is one thing, but they take it waaay too far.

-i loved the part where Barak (i think you are right) turned into a bear, although i think Eddings could have done a little more with it.

-Twirl, if you love thieves, then DEFinitely read the Redemption of Althalus. Althalus is a thief, the best in the world, supposedly. i found this book a little funnier than the rest, but maybe it was cuase it was all one book, and not spread out.

[Haegondwen]

i looked absolutely all over the internet and i couldnt find any david eddings books in hebrew anywhere. im sorry!

[TwirlingString]

Thanks for answering my questions. I have read the Redemption of Athalus, but I could only borry it for so long, maybe i better read it again. Remember when he found out she was pregnant?

[Haegondwen]

of course. im hoping that they use that pregnancy for a sequal. i love to read, obviously, and really good authors are hard to come by

[Elbereth Gilthoniel]

Haegondwen, thanks for the trying.what are the names of the books beside the Belgeriad and Melorien? It will be easier to find them when I know there names.

[TwirlingString]

If you mean the titles they are:

in the Belgariad
Pwan of prohecy
Quenn of socery
Magician's gambit
castle of Wizardry
Enchanter Endgame

and in the Mallorean
Gaurdians of the west
King of the Murgos
Demon Lord of Karanda
Sorceress of Darshiva
Seeress of Kell

I prefer the Mallorean, but I read them first.

[Elbereth Gilthoniel]

I ment in my last post not the Belgeriad and the mellorien I read them alreasdy (in hebrew) I don't know the names of the other books. I found in the school lybrary some books of him that I didn't read so I might read it soon.

[Polkat]

I have read everything he has written [except High hunt][and Losers][ok so maybe I exagerate]

I'll rephrase. I have read an awful lot by David Eddings. He is so cool.

My favourite character is Garion but everyone I know makes fun of me for liking him best :( because I usually do like the heros [eg, Frodo, luke skywalker]
So my new favourite character is Zakath. He is so funky even when he is evil.

Also love Belgarath. V cool.

[Polkat]

Have just gone up and actually <i>read</i> the posts. [If that doesn't work just imagine that read is in italics. [does anyone else find it annoying that read is the same in the past and present? stupid english lanuage.]

Pol can tell the twins apart if you mean Belkira and Beltira she did it in Magicians Gambit I think. Cant remember which. If you mean her own twins who remain annoyingly nameless and genderless almost certainly yes.

Cant remember what else I was going to write.

Oh wait got it.

Hasnt anyone read any of the Sparhawk books? All the posts seem to be about Garion [who is v cool but then so is Sparhawk] If you haven't I suggest you do. They're very good.

Something else...nope gone...er, oh yes. The Mimbrate Arends are by far stupider. The Austrians speak normally and do not charge into battles they stay well back and shoot arrows into things. There was one great line just after your first meeting with Mandorallen something about being disappointed in the cowardess of the big beasts that were going to kill them.
Wonderful stuff.

[Garina]

Yey! I have finally found other people who read and like David Eddings!:D I am so happy! Ok, I'm calm.
When u say Austrians do u mean Asturians? My favourite characters are definately Silk and Velvet - I love the way they are always trying to embarrass each other.

I have read the Belgariad, Malloreon, Elenium, Tamuli, and The Redemption of Athalus, and I loved them all. David Eddings has a wicked sense of humour. Leitha from the Redemption is so cool. I hope they do a sequel to that as he has kind of wound the other series up by completely triumphing over evil - how annoying is that? I'm not as keen on the Elenium but I love the Tamuli because the characters are so well written.

Does anyone else think that these books would make cool movies - if they got the right director.

[Polkat]

er, yes i did mean asturians. very embarressed at hideous david eddings mistake. oh well.

still like garion the best just dont tell anyone.

[Haegondwen]

you guys are hilarious. if it makes you feel better, polkat, i have always loved whatever female heroines in anything, books, movies, or tv. i just cant help myself. i think its a hero-identification kinda thing. who wouldnt want to be the hero (or in my case, strongest female character) i have also read everything Eddings and his wife have written except for high hunt and lovers, or whatever its called. i love them all. i think almost all the books i have EVER read would make fantastic movies, but its impossible to get a good director or a good writer to do any of them justice. SF/fantasy totally gets the shaft when it comes to that stuff. plus, there would have to be a movie for each book. and could them make movies out of the Polgara and Belgarath books? it would cost an absolute fortune to have to make all those movies and then have to remake them from a different point of view?

[Garina]

Yeah, I see what u mean - it would be a very long series of movies! They could always film the Redemption of Athalus though. Although that would probably be horrendously cut.:(
I am now depressed.

Sorry Polkat I didn't mean to embarrass u, i was just a bit confused. Garion is a cool hero because things dont always go his way, he makes mistakes and gets into trouble!

[Polkat]

It's alright, I embarressed myself. I did the same on the Princess Bride one. My spelling is awful. I try to tell people I am dyslexic but so far no one has believed me :(

I think David Eddings said he didn't want any of his books made into movies which is a shame coz that would be so cool, although v expensive. Also it'd spark off tonnes of debates about whether the cuts were good or the actors right etc etc and I recon Eddings just wants to avoid that.

[Haegondwen]

maybe with redemp of alth they could do a lotr kinda thing. they cut it, but well, and make it a trilogy of movies instead of one? why doesnt eddings what movies make of his books? is there a thread on here that is about what books would make good movies? do you guys have any problems with stereotypical characters? it always bothers me that in fantasy there always seems to be a young guy who needs to learn his skills, a big guy who already has them, a BIG guy who every one thinks is dumb but is actually smart, and a small, skeevy kinda guy who is a thief or assasin or something. then there is always a tiny chick with a big personality with a lot of hairand a young boy who is clever and witty who always causes a problem. there is usually a wise man of some sort they can go to for help. eddings has those characters too, but at least he breaks from them with Polgara and in the elenium; Sparhawks friend, i cant remember his name. i think it starts with K though. and Sparhawks squire. ok, so a lot of characters in the Elenium and Tamuli arent as stereotypical as they are in the belgariad. maybe its because eddings has SO many characters in every book.

[Polkat]

kalten?
is that the one you mean? i have just realised i spend more time writing on the "other fantasy" board that on the LotR one. hmmm should probably go and have another rant about loving the arwen/aragorn scenes in the movie.

kalten is kinda one of your sterotypical characters. he's dumb but not as dumb as he looks although his spelling is almost as bad as mine. [bad joke, please humour me and at least pretend to laugh]

not in a bad way or anything [i love eddings] but along the same lines has anyone noticed the characters do kinda reappear in different series?
does anyone know what i mean? ok i'll give an example.
Pol in belgariad is kinda like selphrenia in eleium [can't spell that] and like dweia in althalus.

think have written enough for today. am desparately trying to get off hobbit status so writing many pointless posts. byeeeeee

[Garina]

Kalten is the thick guy who is very loyal, Kurik is Sparhawk's squire in the Elenium, Khalad is the squire in the Tamuli. I think.

Is it just me or are Ehlana and Ce'Nedra really alike? Flute/Aphrael/Danae seem like her as well

[Polkat]

my point exactly

[Haegondwen]

my point as well. i think a lot of OTHER fantasy writers kinda of use the same characters. drives me crazy. but then, if you just had boring characters, it wouldnt be much of a book. i think that if you read a lot, as much as i do, its inevitable that you'll find similarities in characters, not just because there is only so much you can do, but becuase a lot of authors are inspired by other popular authors. im sure Eddings has inspired many an author to pick up her pen

[Garina]

Am reading all David Eddings books again. Feeling nostalgic with too much time on my hands!

Darn, will have to search for Polgara the Sorceress, as it no longer appears to be on my shelf.

My favourite series is the Malloreon

[Faeirex]

I feel I have to make a stand for the Elenium here, as all you guys are saying you didn't think it was as good. I'll say right now that I loved it.

On second thoughts, there are probably some good reasons why I loved the Elenium. I go for a specific type of guy. Confident, charming, perhaps a little rogue-like. Good fighter, makes witty comments, etc. I didn't like Garion. He was just too goody-goody for me, and he always did what Pol/Belgarath told him to. It just didn't interest me.

By contrast, in the Elenium, you have Sparhawk, Kalten, Tynian, Ulath, Bevier and Talen (adored Talen). All, to varying degrees, fulfilling what I look for in a man. What more can I say?

Also, the Elenium was a little darker than the Belgariad I think. The theme may have been a bit similar, but this time around it was a bit grittier, more serious. You can't really compare the two, but I do insist that the Elenium really was as good as the Belgariad.

Also, ignore Polkat when she says she's dyslexic. She's some type of super-genius, who has been predicted 8 A STARS in her GCSE's. She's just trying to find excuses for bad spelling...

~Fae

[Mark of Cenla]

Since I started this thread and get an e-mail everytime someone adds a post to it, I'll add my two cents. I adhere to two old cliches: There is no accounting for taste. AND To each his/her own. Thus, I do not much care who likes what for whatever reason.


By now I have read all of Eddings's fantasy books, except The Riven Codex. I liked each series but for different reasons. I really like Polgara and Sparhawk, but they are in different series. I like Anthalus too. I try to enjoy what I read without analyzing it too much. I will read it all again, probably next year after I read all the Tolkien agian.


Yes, there are similarities, and you can analyze them if you want, but I prefer to merely enjoy them or not. Peace and happy reading.

[Haegondwen]

im all for reading for pleasure, as that is usually what i stick too, but talking to people who actually enjoy the same reading material as i do without getting embarrassed is worth ripping apart favorite books. besides, if we didnt analyze, it would certainly wouldnt make for an interesting thread. my humble, and most sincere apologies for the run on sentance. and, as it is so early after a strenuous weekend, i cant remember how to spell material or sentance. im close enough, im sure

[Wayfarer]

I loved belgarath- Super powerful, super smart guy, who goes out of his way to make people think he's disreputable.

I also liked talen's brother... what's his name? "Don't worry, he's dead. He just doesn't know it yet.'

[TwirlingString]

Don't remember. I liked Beldin better.

[Garina]

Khalad is Talen's brother.
I liked Vella, Silk and Velvet.

[TwirlingString]

I can never decide which of the 2 major series is my favorite. While I love the plot and some of the characters of the Sparhawk books, I love ever character in the Mallorean and Belgariad

[Hans Moleman]

"David Eddings föddes 1931 i Spokane i den amerikanska delstaten Washington. Han studerade vid Reed College i Portland, Oregon och vid Washingtonuniversitetet. Efter examen där 1961 har han tjänstgjort i amerikanska armén, arbetat som inköpare vid Boeing och som lärare i engelska på college

[TwirlingString]

I don't think even TC could figure out what that meant

[Faeirex]

you feel like translating that? i'd like to be able to agree/argue with you, but i can't if i don't know what it means.

~Fae

[TwirlingString]

I think it was something about college and washington

[Radagast The Brown]

just read the three first books of Belgeriad. :cool: amazing book, no doubts. I love it!!!!!!!!!!! :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D

[Mark of Cenla]

I am reading the Belgariad series again, and I love it as much as the first time. I am now in the middle of the third book. I will read all of the Eddings books again before moving on to something else. Peace.

[Lanelf]

I read the Belgariad and Malloreon a few years ago now. My favourite character was probably Silk. Funny guy. I got kind of annoyed by... would you believe it? I've forgotten his name! That guy from the caves (Belgariad I think) who was one of those obsessive people who could walk through rocks.
*wanders off muttering "I don't believe I forgot his name!"*
Lanelf.

[Coney]

Originally posted by Lanelf
I read the Belgariad and Malloreon a few years ago now. My favourite character was probably Silk. Funny guy. I got kind of annoyed by... would you believe it? I've forgotten his name! That guy from the caves (Belgariad I think) who was one of those obsessive people who could walk through rocks.
*wanders off muttering "I don't believe I forgot his name!"*
Lanelf.

It's Relg:) ............I thought him a little boring but his partnership with Tabia was brilliant:D ............ no two characters were more "chalk and cheese":cool:

[Gwaimir Windgem]

I know that there was a Mrin Codex in Eddings' world (BTW, does anyone know what it's called? I can't remember for the life of me!), and I was thinking that it was made into a book, but maybe only the Rivan Codex was. And I liked Polgara, Belgarath, and the Seer (don't remember her name :( ), and Beltira and Belkira (partially because I'm a twin ;) )