Product Description
"BELGARIAD is exactly the kind of fantasy I like. It has magic, adventure, humor, mystery, and a certain delightful human insight."
PIERS ANTHONY
The master Sorcerer Belgarath and his daughter Polgara the arch-Sorceress were on the trail of the Orb, seeking to regain its saving power before the final disaster prophesized by the legends. And with them went Garion, a simple farm boy only months before, but now the focus of the struggle. He had never believed in sorcery and wanted no part of it. Yet with every league they traveled, the power grew in him, forcing him to acts of wizardry he could not accept.
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Customer Reviews (68)

Classic Fantasy
Queen of Sorcery is simply a continuation of the great Belgariad series, which began with Pawn of Prophecy. This second book is largely the same as the first, with regards to writing style, pace, and characters. The novel has a very leisurely pace, as the reader follows the epic quest from Garion's viewpoint of Belgarath, Polgara and their companions-It's not the kind of book where you will be perspiring with shock or anticipation as you turn the next page.

A couple new comrades are introduced in this book as the company travels south through Arendia. These characters are depicted admirably, with enjoyable and fleshed out personalities and bits of background. Each character is somewhat symbolic of their nations cultural tendencies and archetypal personalities. Eddings uses these differences to create distinct cultural traits of the areas that Garion's company travels through.

For me, the best part of this series is by far the characters Eddings has so lovingly crafted. They are very memorable and you know how each will react to new situations and to one another. The hilarious and witty interactions between Belgarath and Polgara and Silk and Barak are some of my favorite moments of the series, and the diverse cast of characters really brings the book to life.

The Belgariad is a classic Fantasy Series that is high quality and enjoyable, if rather predictable, reading.

Continuing with a Great Series!
his is the second book in the Belgariad series, written by David Eddings. Belgarath, Polgara, Garion and their companions are continuing their chase of the Orb of Aldur and it's thief. During the course of their search, they add members to their group: Ce'Nedra (the Tolnedran Imperial Princess), Mandorallen (a Mimbrate Asturian) and the Asturian archer, Lelldorin. The group begins by going through Arendia and then through Tolnedra. Eventually, the group winds up in Nyissa, a swamp like kingdom known for its snakes and its poisons. The troupe experiences setbacks and adventures that are expected in a novel such as this and Garion very nearly becomes a "man" very much before he or his Aunt Polgara intended him to.

The characterization in this novel is wonderful.David Eddings has obviously put a lot of thought into who is characters are and how he wants to portray them to his readers.The dialog is wonderful and makes it move quickly, even though the plot is somewhat predictable. The novels aren't bogged down in overly descriptive prose.

Generally a pretty good read.

high adventure
Many people think David Eddings is overly formulaic which he is a bit but since I enjoy the tale he tells I do not mind reading it over again.His characters always have great humor at their core and you can't beat a good epic tale for entertainment value.This particular book is one of my favorites by him.

Narrator is terrible!
I love this series and was excited to see it on audio form, but the guy who narrates the book (Cameron Beierle) is ghastly.His male characters all sound pretty much the same and he's made up an accent that at times sounds faintly German and at others faintly British.C'Nedra amazingly enough is either Italian or Spanish and is almost painful to listen to.If he narrates the entire saga, I'm not going to listen to it.

The Horse Is Out Of The Gate.
More of his ultimate destiny is revealed as Garion under the protection of his Aunt Pol begins to grapple with the extraordinary powers that are at his beck and call. Filled with action and political intrigue, Wolf and Pol struggle desperately to stop the Orb of Aldur from reaching the wrong hands and destroying the world. Sure at times some of the minor characters become interchangeable and a bit one dimensional, and Garion seems beyond naive and almost dumb sometimes with his wide eyed innocence. Still, the formula works, and in this book the plot has finally taken off with a shot. ... Read more

Product Description
"Eddings' BELGARIAD is exactly the kind of fantasy I like. It has magic, adventure, humor, mystery, and a certain delightful human insight."
Piers Anthony
Long ago, the Storyteller claimed, in this first book of THE BELGARIAD, the evil god Torak drove men and Gods to war. But Belgarath the Sorcerer led men to reclaim the Orb that protected men of the West. So long as it lay at Riva, the prophecy went, men would be safe.
But Garion did not believe in such stories. Brought up on a quiet farm by his Aunt Pol, how could he know that the Apostate planned to wake dread Torak, or that he would be led on a quest of unparalleled magic and danger by those he loved--but did not know...?
... Read more

Customer Reviews (368)

The Belgariad is good,
but don't get this book, get the omnibus The Belgariad, Vol. 1 (Books 1-3) and if you like it, The Belgariad, Vol. 2 (Books 4 & 5). it was written to be a series, and the individual "books" aren't that satisfying. This is the first series, and by *far* the best of Eddings' epic fantasies.

Exactly what I expected.
This book was in great shape and shipping was fast from Europe. Very good deal.

Off to a Spectacular Start
I read Pawn of Prophecy by David Eddings years ago - I think that I was in fifth or sixth grade.I had a hankering to read it again now because I'm sort of laid up with a broken ankle that's healing and the thought of re-reading past books that I had enjoyed was comforting to me.So I picked up this. I actually got the editions that are shown below the top one, because I fully intend to just plow right through the Belgariad and the Mallorean. So far, I've only gotten through Pawn of Prophecy and but I'm nearly done with Queen of Sorcery too, so be prepared for a review coming of that one shortly.

The novel focuses on Garion, a young boy in a world that has been around for thousands of years. He's a simple, normal boy at first blush - he plays with his friends on the farm, hurts himself occasionally, begins to notice girls and gets himself into the trouble that most young boys often do. We are introduced to his earliest memories - his Aunt Pol and the kitchen at the farm (she was the cook), his friendship with the smithy, Durnik, Erastide holidays with Faldor (the owner of the farm) and visits from the storyteller, Old Wolf. One day, Old Wolf (also affectionately known as Mr. Wolf by Garion), arrives at the farm and informs Aunt Pol that a mysterious item has been stolen by an unnamed thief, Mr. Wolf and Pol leave to find that thief, reluctantly taking Durnik and Garion with them. The group is later joined by Silk, a spy from the country of Drasnia and Barak, a Cherek warrior. Garion is dragged along and kept in the dark as he visits lots of different cities, and multiple countries. As the party meets more and more royalty, Garion's confusion increases, especially because, as things begin to speed up, he is left more and more to his own devices. At their last destination in this book, Garion becomes the central player in assisting the leaders in defusing various plans that arise during the course of their meetings, even though he is barely 15.

The plot isn't, perhaps, the most original plot to ever be put onto paper by an author, but the characters are memorable and the dialogue makes it all worth it.There isn't a lot of flowery prose, so the novels go by fairly quickly and the dialogue itself is especially witty at points. There are often periods of political discourse and history that fill people in on the background, without spending pages and pages of prose to it.I loved how his characters were very realistic - they all have their good points and bad points. I found myself loving them all, regardless!

epic adventure
Many people think David Eddings is overly formulaic which he is a bit but since I enjoy the tale he tells I do not mind reading it over again.His characters always have great humor at their core and you can't beat a good epic tale for entertainment value.This particular book is one of my favorites by him.

Decent book for younger people.
This is the first book that I seriously read as an adolescent. At the time, I absolutely loved the series. I re-read it several times and it lead me into reading books quite often, especially in the fantasy genre. I very much recommend it to any parents looking to get something for their kids to read if they're finally sick of re-reading Harry Potter.

For adults, it is a decent read though a bit cliche. Young farm boy grows up to learn he is the chosen one (referred to by Eddings as the Child of Light) and also a king who must face and defeat the evil god Torak. If you've run out of things to read and want something light, then by all means, read this series and the follow-up, the Mallorean. I personally can no longer read the series anymore, as I know the story too well and having grown up since falling in love with it and having read many, many other fantasy novels, have come to realize its not so great. But, it is decent. ... Read more

Product Description
Guided by the Orb of the God Aldur, Garion and Ce'Nedrea begin a great quest to rescue their kidnapped child. Making their way through the foul swamps of Nyisssa, then into the lands of the Murgos, they must ultimately face a horrible danger--to themselves and all mankind....
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Customer Reviews (32)

and so it starts anew
Many people think David Eddings is overly formulaic which he is a bit but since I enjoy the tale he tells I do not mind reading it over again.His characters always have great humor at their core and you can't beat a good epic tale for entertainment value.This particular book is one of my favorites by him.

David Eddings "King of the Murgos"
Book was recieved in a timely manner, and was everything that it was supposed to be: a first edition hardback in great shape. Thank you.

Half déjà vu, half voilà!
This is the second book in the Malloreon (after Guardians of the West, and before Demon Lord of Karanda, Sorceress of Darshiva, and Seeress of Kell).

In this volume we follow Garion and Ce'Nedra as they pursue Zandramas, who abducted their infant son Geran, heir to the throne of Riva, and follow the prophecy announcing yet another meeting between the Child of Light and the Child of Dark.

Accompanied by Belgarath and his daughter Polgara, Silk and Velvet the spies, Durnik the smith, the giant mute Toth, and Sadi the eunuch, their route leads from Ulgoland to Tolnedra, then through the Wood of the Dryads into the swamps of Nyissa, and finally across the kingdom of the Murgos to the Isle of Verkat.

Even though I was glad to see our companions hitting the road again after the tiresome first volume, the account of their adventures gave me a strong sense of déjà vu. Thankfully, mid-book, the story picked up again as they started exploring new territories. I particularly enjoyed the meeting with the Murgo king Urgit and his court. I hope we meet this interesting character again in the future.

Book Purchase
I am very happy with this purchase. The book was in great condition and arrived on the day expected. It is a book that I couldn't find anywhere else and the other one I had was falling apart so it is great to be able to get replacement books for some of my favorite reading.

Love Eddings
For people who enjoy reading for the purpose of getting into the story. The books written by David Eddings' are for people who get attached to characters and love to immerse themselves in reading. To me his books are like coming home for a visit.

If you want to read simply to get to the finish line---Eddings is not for you. ... Read more

Product Description
Bestselling authors David and Leigh Eddings welcome readers back to the time before The Belgariad and The Malloreon series. Join them as they chronicle that fateful conflict between two mortally opposed Destinies, in a monumental war of men and kings and Gods.

When the world was young and Gods still walked among their mortal children, a headstrong orphan boy set out to explore the world. Thus began the extraordinary adventures that would mold that youthful vagabond into a man, and the man into the finely honed instrument of Prophecy known to all the world as Belgarath the Sorcerer.
Then came the dark day when the Dark God Torak split the world asunder, and the God Aldur and his disciples began their monumental labor to set Destiny aright. Foremost among their number was Belgarath. His ceaseless devotion was foredoomed to cost him that which he held most dear--even as his loyal service would extend through echoing centuries of loss, of struggle, and of ultimate triumph.
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Customer Reviews (169)

A favorite
Great book that focuses on one of my favorite characters and does a great job of pulling together an epic adventure.

Nice back story
I loved the Belgariad and Mallorean so naturally this book is one worth reading. This lays the groundwork for everything set in motion during the two noted series. There are some cyclical ideas in the story telling, but I find this to enjoyable since most of life is cyclical. Since this book is essentially a historical account in the series, it makes sense that it has some repetitions, after all human history is repetitive. The best thing about this book was the foundation Eddings orchestrated for the premise of the Belgariad. It was very exciting and pleasurable to read about the beginning of the spiritual mythos that Eddings created in this realm. Learning about the gods involvements with human prior to the cracking of the world was very fun and worth reading. Also, the development of the Belgarath and Polgara characters lends itself to further enjoyment of the Belgariad and Malloeran series'.

More enjoyable than the ten main volumes.
This is the first prequel to the Belgariad and Malloreon (before Polgara the Sorceress).

In this prequel, Belgarath tells us about his youth and how he became Aldur's pupil and then disciple, along with his brothers Zedar, the twins Belkira and Beltira, Belmakor, Belsambar and the dwarf Beldin.

For a while they all live happily in the Vale, quietly studying, until Aldur's evil brother Torak steals the Orb and cracks the World.

Then follows a history of the events that led to the birth of Garion the Godslayer: Belgarath's meeting the remarkable she-wolf who'll become his wife Poledra, the division of Aloria between Cherek and his sons Dras, Algar and Riva, the birth of his daughters Polgara and Beldaran, the start of the Rivan line and Torak's disciples' efforts to obliterate it, the Battle of Vo Mimbre...

All the while, Belgarath and his brothers are taking care that everything clicks together, deciphering madmen's prophecies, and accordingly arranging meetings and marriages to ensure that Garion will be surrounded by the right companions when the time comes.

All in all, I enjoyed re-reading this prequel more than the ten main volumes, even though Belgarath's flaunty remarks to the reader tended to rile me. Eddings's style and plot crafting has definitely improved during the years between the writing of The Seeress of Kell and this present volume. I hope I will now enjoy Polgara the Sorceress as much as I did when I first read it, it's always been my favourite among the lot!

By far Eddings' best book!
I've been reading Eddings now for nearly 10 years and his "Garion" books are by far the best.Truthfully, though, I wouldn't have been as big a fan if I had actually started with the first book.I read Belgarath the Sorcerer first and fell in love with it.

Eddings' fantasy world, in my opinion, far outstrips any other series I've read simply because of the development he put into it.Cultures, a complex history, a medieval society with a bit of modernism thrown in...I get tired of barbaric worlds with "dangerous," unsettled lands.Eddings gives us actual countries with political complexities.

Great Prelude
This book gives a lot of the back story from before Garon leaves the farm. Would recommend to anyone thats a fan of the the Belgard and Malorian series of books. ... Read more

Product Description
Danger stalked Queen Ehlana's realm. When an ambasador from the far-off Tamul Empire begged for help, Sparhawk, Ehlana's champion and Prince Consort, was the Emperor's last hope. For surely the knight who had killed the evil God Azash could prevail against the terror in Tamul. But waiting for him was a glittering court seething with corruption, treachery--and the greatest danger Sparhawk would ever face!
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Customer Reviews (24)

Another wonderful book by Mr Eddings
By the time i got to this book i felt like i have read it before. David eddings is a fantastic writer but he needs to be more inventive. of all the travels his charactors have done it seems that the life would have been easier and history would have gone on it's merry way had everyone just stayed home.

Still okay
Not as good as the Belgariad and the Malloreon and a bit less interesting then the Elenium. I guess there's not really so much more to tell about Sir Sparhawk and friends. Still the Tamuli is a worthwhile read and this first book is easy to get through. I still find myself laughing at the understated style of speech used and all the 'be nices'.

And Now for the Rest of the Story
The Tamuli is the follow series to the Elenium, Eddings' first essay into the world of the Elenes,It is some six years later,Sparhawk is now Ehlana's husband and Prince Consort, Sephrenia and Vanion have withdrawn from the Elene kingdoms back to the Styric homeland, and Aphrael is incarnated as Ehlana's child Danae.For a while things have been peaceful, but something strange is happening in the kingdom of Lamork.

Suddenly ancient heroes start reappearing, agents are fomenting rebellion, and not a few mythical monsters are reappearing.Sparhawk investigates and realized that the problem is even more widespread than was believed.When he reports back to the Archprelate he discovers that the wave of trouble that is starting in the Elene kingdoms is under full steam in the Tamuli continent of Daresia.He finds himself invited to Matherion to come to the aid of the Emperor.Ehlana isn't about to let Sparhawk wander off by himself and Emperor Sarabian's invitation is used as the excuse for a full state visit.Everyone goes.

Once again Eddings starts out by using the plot device of a long journey across the kingdoms of Daresia as a time for some adventures, a lot of background filling, and the deployment of a new set of charaters.He has become quite exper at this and this grand tour manages to be interesting and avoid repeating itself.The last part of the book takes place in Matherion where immediate problems come to a head, old enemies return to the fray and, as an appetizer, we get one last battle to end the first volume.

Domes of Fire is very nicely done.It avoids the overdone repetitiveness that kept the Malloreon from being a success.It is, so far, the best piece of writing that Eddings has done.There is a great deal that is new, even though the core novel is straight out of the author's stylebook.I'm looking forward to the rest of the series.

Good Ol' Eddings
I do not argue that Eddings repeat a general plot of fantasy again and again in all of his works. The template of his is always character-centered stories based on interesting dialogue and adventure. One will notice that he avoids dwelling into too much combat action where he could, most of his battles are fought before and after the actual bloodshed (which is in fact reality).

However, the same format means BY NO MEANS the same book. In the Sapphire Rose he again introduces a new set of settings and satiric jokes.

For those that like these types of books, they would enjoy every one of Eddings' books, for those that feel his books duplicate themselves (which I feel is really untrue), at least read a few of his works, and the Elenium + the Tamuli is a nice option.

Deja Vu all over again...and again...and again
David Eddings made a name for himself in the fantasy fiction arena with the release of his epic series the Belgariad, which had some very memorable characters, some interesting concepts, and spirited dialogue, but stuck pretty close to the staples of the genre - orphan boy finding out he is the focus of an ancient prophecy, gods fighting over a powerful talisman, wizards & sorceresses, etc. The series was a hit, and Eddings obviously liked the characters enough to bring them all back for the 5-book Malloreon series. Unfortunately for the readers, the series fell short of the standard achieved by the Belgariad.

Eddings then turned his attention to a new series, the Elenium. Like the Belgariad, the Elenium had some very memorable characters and some more interesting concepts. The series focused on militant orders of Church Knights who were trained in various forms of magic. Familiar concepts like gods fighting over magical objects, prophecy, and wizards & sorceresses once again featured prominently, but the series proved to be quite enjoyable. Once again, Eddings seems to take pleasure in the spirited dialogue between the main characters.

True to form, Eddings couldn't help but bring the characters from the Elenium back for another trilogy, or which Domes of Fire is the first volume. The Tamuli series is basically the Elenium all over again with a different evil god as the man foe. The storyline is very weak, and there is almost no sense of urgency to the series. It was a struggle to make it all the way through, since there really wasn't any motivation to do so. The whole series seemed to be thrown together just so Eddings could have his characters banter back and forth for three more books. By this time, the dialogue that was once fresh and clever is tired and stale. One can only read the phrases "Be nice" and "Isn't he a nice boy" so many times before they wear quite thin (long time Eddings readers will know what I'm talking about).

While I would recommend reading the Belgariad and the Elenium, I just can't say the same about the Malloreon and this series, the Tamuli. It is just repeating what has already been done to death. Hopefully Eddings will realize this and try something new soon. Otherwise there will be no need for me to bother reading his future works. ... Read more

Product Description
“A STORY OF MURDER AND REVENGE . . . Outstandingly well paced and tightly plotted, the novel also stands out in its handling of various psychological themes.”
–Booklist

Eerily attuned to one another, twins Regina and Renata are so identical that even their mother can’t tell them apart. Then tragedy strikes: a vicious attack leaves one twin dead and the other so traumatized that she turns totally inward, incapable of telling anyone what happened or even who she is. She remains lost to the world, until the day Mark, a family friend, comes to visit–and the young woman utters her first intelligible word.

As she recovers, still with no memory of the past, her nightmares grow steadily more frightful, followed by wild fits of hysteria and dark mood swings. Her strange outbursts seem to coincide with the grisly serial murders that have begun plaguing Seattle. Could she be the killer? Determined to dispel his suspicion, Mark stakes out her home. The unholy sight he witnesses one night will haunt his soul for the rest of his life. . . .Amazon.com Review
Regina and Renata are truly identical twins. They are so strikingly alike, even their mother can't tell them apart. Since their DNA is identical and their infant footprint records were lost by the hospital, no one can be sure which is which. This doesn't bother the twins. In fact, they're inseparable--until one of the young women is murdered. The other has no memory of the event, no idea who she is. In her near-total amnesia, she can remember only family friend Mark, who has always been a surrogate big brother to thetwins. And Mark finds himself fearing that the effects of the trauma don't end with amnesia, for now a series of vicious murders terrorizes Seattle, accompanied by the howl of wolves....

A perhaps-supernatural thriller, Regina's Song is also a novella-length idea padded to 400 pages of novel. It may please young-adult readers, but it won't satisfy many experienced thriller fans. The plot twists aren't all that numerous or complex, and the cutesy dialogue in this turn-of-the-millennium novel seems more suited to the 1950s. --Cynthia Ward ... Read more

Customer Reviews (64)

Interesting plot, horrible dialogue
The authors had all the right material to start with, but the "cutsie" prose has me praying for a quick ending. Why are graduate students talking like 8th graders?

Very unique.
I read this book years ago.I enjoyed it at the time, though I would not call it spectacular.

Intriguing idea, bad science and bad writing
Sure, the idea was interesting, but the writing was bad (as most reviewers have noted) and the references to science was also groan inducing.The aforementioned reference to dental records (to determine which twin survived), the idea that multiple personality disorder actually occurs (it doesn't), and the description of a poison (which doesn't just paralyze, it also kills becuase of paralyzation).

Unfortunately, this books was groan-inducing.

Points for effort...
As a huge Eddings fan I bought this book regardless of the less then enthusiastic reviews. Unfortunately, after heaving read it, I have to agree with the various unforgiving critics.
The plot is childish and less then believable (even with fiction the story needs to contain a certain logic. A police officer sharing all sensitive details of the crimes with his younger brother and his room mates...? The Catholic church formally harbouring an obviously possessed serial killer?).
And I was prepared to accept even a very lousy plot as long as the dialogues had made up for it. But the sparkling and genuinely funny dialogues of yore have been replaced by childish and - again - unrealistic battering. Especially the baby-talk started to irritate me pretty quickly.
In the prelude to Belgarath the Sorcerer Eddings makes a stab at Tolkien for ignoring all difference between the sexes. It's a shame that his advancing age seems to limit him to sexless pre-adolescence relationships as well.
To conclude this review: the Sparhawk series was, is and will forever be my favourite work of fiction, with the Belgariad close after. But after Althalus and this Regina's song I'm actually reluctant to start reading The Dreamers. I was saving them for my holiday, but I think I'll bring along some back up material...

MUST I give a star?
David And Leigh Eddings have some talent in writing together, but too much of it is wrapped up in their supposedly all-powerful "formula" for writing fiction (originally developed as a formula for writing fantasy.)

First off, if one is going to write a book about contemporary young people, one should make an effort to study their speech and manner beforehand, else one look like a fool by writing their speech in an overly stereotypical and stylized manner. (Other reviewers have commented already on the excessive "cutesy" language. I was not as offended as some, but it was still annoying. I also don't find it plausible that any number of grad students can live in the same house without one of them bringing a bong into the place or using profanity. That doesn't include at all the bizarre lack of sexual expression in the protagonists. Since when does an "agreement" to not pursue each other romantically EVER harness the libido of a twenty-five year old male?)

Second, while the storyline was an interesting departure from the Eddingses fantasy works, elements of the "Eddings Formula" still cropped up-- INCESSANTLY. It is now apparent that the Eddingses are under contract to have at least one all-wise and ageless, beautiful woman in a platonic advisorial role to the main protaganist. They give her different names, and sometimes break her up into multiple characters, but she's still there. Usually I simply mentally replace whatever they named this woman with "Polgara" and it seems to work just fine. (They also must apparently use the phrase, "Be nice," in every published work. I think they need a new agent to get that out of their contract, because I am SICK AND TIRED OF READING IT!)

Third, David Eddings should really know better than this, since he used to teach college English, but the assignment of a one hundred word essay on "What I did for my summer vacation" would N-E-V-E-R elicit groans in an undergraduate. One hundred words is child's play. College papers are traditionally assigned by PAGE NUMBER, and during my Bachelor's Degree I would have fallen to my knees and kissed the feet of any professor assigning me a mere one hundred words. (I think I've hit that limit in this review already.) Worse, the paper was so poorly written as to be laughable for a junior high student. No college-level English department head would read it and demand that the writer become an English major. More likely they would read it and demand that the writer be moved to remedial English.

Fourth, The ending. Oh. My. God. The Ending. Was there a time constraint? Did the original idea not fit in the submission envelope? Wasn't there supposed to be a surprising twist somewhere? I was on page 70 when I figured out how the book was going to end (It was, after all, printed on the DUST JACKET.) The only surprises were learning the names of the new characters. (Their personalities, sadly, are never a surprise any more. You can go through every Eddings book published after 1999 and scribble out the character names, to be replaced with "Garion," "Silk," "Durnik," and most especially, the ubiquitous "Polgara.")

Having said all this, the book was interesting. It had an extraordinary premise that was botched by the clumsy writing of the once-great authors. There were funny moments. There were poignant moments. Nothing gripped like Kurik's death in the Tamuli, or cracked one up like Silk's description of Brill's attempt to learn how to fly in the Belgariad ("Does bouncing count?"), but there were flashes of the talent the authors used to display.

Ultimately, "Regina's Song" is the only book published by the Eddingses since 1999 that is worth the cover price. It will not surprise you, but it may intrigue you, even though, sadly, you simply won't CARE which twin was murdered because the Eddingses did a poor job of making you think about about them at all.

I have to wonder, though. As a published author myself (non-fiction), I routinely check Amazon.com to see where my readers are rating my books. This is important feedback for me, and the comments they offer help shape new books (or in my case, revisions of the current ones.)

Is David Eddings completely unaware that no book with Leigh's name on the cover has garnered more than a two and a half star average--EVER? Has he not noticed the comments from readers that his plots are "incessently repetitive," "boring," and "good in idea, miserable in execution?" Has no one pointed out to him that readers are sick and tired of his six stock characters?

In the Belgariad and Mallorean there was a definable reason for the repetition of the plot devices: the universe couldn't continue until the Great Mistake was repaired. In the Elenium and Tamuli there was enough (JUST enough) alteration to keep things interesting, but since then, the combination of stock, flat, unoriginal and unexciting characters coupled with repetitive plot ideas (and the rather insulting idea that the reader isn't smart enough to follow the plot, so it has to be rehashed again and again and AGAIN) has resulted in a group of books that I mentally declaim to be "AL" or "After-Leigh."

These books are incredible in idea, execreble, miserable, implausible, pathetic, trite, and NAUSEATING in their execution. "Regina's Song," sadly, is one of these.

This is Eddings's "Great Mistake" that has divided his universe and destiny: allowing his wife to collaborate with him. Time and the publication of six "AL" books that are all uniformly [...] have proven that David Eddings is, at age 75, a dog too old to learn new tricks. ... Read more

Product Description
END OF THE QUEST

It had all begun with the theft of the Orb that had so long protected the West from the evil God Torak. Before that, Garion had been a simple farm boy. Afterward, he discovered that his aunt was really the Sorceress Polgara and his grandfather was Belgarath, the Eternal Man. Then, on the long quest to recover the Orb, Garion found to his dismay that he, too, was a sorcerer.

Now, at last, the Orb was regained and the quest was nearing its end. Of course, the questors still had to escape from this crumbling enemy fortress and flee across a desert filled with Murgo soldiers searching for them, while Grolim Hierarchs strove to destroy them with dark magic. Then, somehow, they must manage to be in Riva with the Orb by Erastide. After that, however, Garion was sure that his part in these great events would be finished.

But the Prophecy still held future surprises for Garion--and for the little princess Ce'Nedra.

This continues the magnificent epic of The Belgariad,begun in Pawn of Prophecy, Queen of Sorcery, and Magician's Gambit--a fantasy set against a background of the war of men, Kings, and Gods that had spanned seven thousand years--a novel of fate, strange lands, and a prophecy that must be fulfilled! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (64)

and on it goes
Many people think David Eddings is overly formulaic which he is a bit but since I enjoy the tale he tells I do not mind reading it over again.His characters always have great humor at their core and you can't beat a good epic tale for entertainment value.This particular book is one of my favorites by him.

Great Beginning That Runs Out Of Gas.
The first half of the book promised to be the best in the series so far, but once they reached the mysterious orb, the book seemed to climax and then meander to the end. (Which by the way, was hardly an end, but more a chapter break.) This time out it's really Garion's story for the first half, and Ce'Nedra's for the second, and as interesting as she's become, the politics and posturing to set up the final act dragged me down a bit. Hopefully the last book will finish with a bang and not a whimper.

Tying up some of the loose ends.
This is the fourth book in the Belgariad (after Pawn of Prophecy, Queen of Sorcery and Magician's Gambit, and before Enchanter's End Game).

After Ctuchik accidentally destroyed himself in Rak Cthol, the rock pinnacle upon which the city is built has started crumbling on itself and our heroes have to flee through the caves, taking the small boy Errand and the Marag slave woman Taiba with them.

Back on solid ground, they make for Algaria where Hettar is waiting with reinforcements. For that they have to cross the Eastern Escarpment, go down its deep ravines, and the entire Murgo nation is now pursuing them. After his ordeal in Rak Cthol, and protecting his crew from rocks thrown at them for several days, Belgarath collapses.

Yet there is no time to lose, as all protagonists must now converge to the island of Riva, to be there before Erastide in order to fulfill the Prophecy. There both Garion and Ce'Nedra will finally understand their role and embrace their heritage.

But when Garion touches the Orb, the slumbering evil god Torak awakes, and the Prophecy says that Garion is the only one who can confront him, alone. He has no choice but to secretly leave, with just Silk and a recovering Belgarath as company. Meanwhile, Ce' Nedra eavesdrops on the Alorn Kings' discussions and realizes she's the only one who can unite the armies of the West in the oncoming war with the invading Angaraks.

There isn't much to say about this volume which would differ from the previous ones, but it was nice to see some loose ends finally tied up. I enjoyed the flight through the caves of Rak Cthol and the meeting in boggy Sendaria with Vordai and her cute otter-like creatures, the Fenlings. I am now looking forward to reading what lies in store for Garion in the final volume, and also to seeing which hints will be dropped about the sequel, the Malloreon.

Not the best in the series, but still worth a read
Once again I wish for a "half-star" rating, as this deserves a 3 1/2. I love the series, but this was the weakest of the five books in my opinion. There were interesting parts, and the dialogue, the sense of humor and even some of the twists and events are really enjoyable. I like the interaction between the kings as well, which is quite interesting.

I will say that if there were an area of criticism for Eddings it is in the lack of variety of some of the people. I have heard others call it his "Star-Trek Worldbuilding". All Alorns are "this way" all Mimbrates are "this way". A little more depth in this area would have made this a masterful series and book.

Even without it though this is a series that should not be missed.

Castle of what now?
Here we have the fourth book of David Eddings' Belgariad. This book has many things going for it: action, comedy, romance, and surprise. Guess what it doesn't have? A castle of wizardry.

Maybe I missed it, but I don't recall any such place. There is a castle. And a few folks who know something of sorcery stop by there for a while. But with that logic, they could also call this book: "Boat of Wizardry", "Swamp of Wizardry", or even "Horse of Wizardry". And who wouldn't want to read a book called "Horse of Wizardry"?

Now that I have gotten that out of the way, let's move to the story. The knock on this book is that nothing much happens and thus this installment needlessly delays the climax.

I don't agree. There's not as much action as the other books, but some critical things do happen regarding Garion and Ce'Nedra. Don't look for much from Barak or Mandorallen in this book. They're around but hardly do anything significant. Polgara and Belgarath have plenty to do and their banter is top notch as usual. Silk is more prominent than in past books and we get a brief glimpse into his back-story.

And I was surprised that I enjoyed chapters with Ce'Nedra in it. In previous books, her character was somewhere between annoying and pain-inducingly annoying. In this book, she is more often than not one of the best sources of comedy. I laughed quite a bit.

This is a decent book, but I only give it three stars simply because nothing about this installment is extraordinary. The few twists in the story are fairly predictable, and with little action, the meat of this book is just dialogue. Fortunately for us, this plays to the greatest strength of David Eddings. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (50)

Keeps me reading!
I've loved all three books (I still have two more to go!) and think it is very well written.I am a fan of fantasy type novels and there is a recurring theme of wizardry and spells and things of that nature...that's why I enjoy them!I think regardless of your age, if you like to read fantasy, then you'll enjoy this series!

the plot thickens
Many people think David Eddings is overly formulaic which he is a bit but since I enjoy the tale he tells I do not mind reading it over again.His characters always have great humor at their core and you can't beat a good epic tale for entertainment value.This particular book is one of my favorites by him.

A Difficult Book to Finish
I found this to be even worse than the first book, as far as unrealistic human behavior goes. I understand it's fiction, with characters inhabiting another universe, but if they don't behave like real human beings, I might as well be reading Science Fiction, not fantasy.

I read this after being recommended the series, and found this, the third one, the worst so far. There are some interesting aspects that have been added, such as the Ulgos, but I kept finding myself getting angry with the way everyone behaves.

*** Spoiler Warning ***

The worst example of this unbelievable characterization is when the main bad guy in the story, a sorcerer who is thousands of years old, breaks the single greatest law of magic, destroying himself in the process. I mean, come on! The guy would know better than that. As soon as he casts the ill-fated spell, he immediately says "No, wait! I didn't mean that!". Duh. Very disappointing.

Anyway, some of the events of the story kept me reading, but if the next book doesn't have some kind of turnaround, I'm done with the series, and maybe the author.

Bit Of A Sag In The Middle.
It's fine. I'm still feeling a bit like this was one large book that was broken into five separate ones. That said I felt a bit that this installment became a bit repetitive. I mean how many mountain passes can these characters go through? Still, my interest is still peaked to see how the series will turn out.

A pleasurable visit of various landscapes.
This is the third book in the Belgariad (after Pawn of Prophecy and Queen of Sorcery, and before Castle of Wizardry and Enchanter's End Game).

In this volume we follow our heroes as they try to catch up with the Grolim Ctuchik, who's bringing the Orb to Torak, while Garion learns more about his powers and about the dry voice in his head.

They start by going through Maragor and meeting the mourning, inconsolable god Mara whose people became extinct following a Tolnedran gold rush. They are then summoned to the Vale of Aldur, where Belgarath grew up and became a sorcerer. There Garion visits his grandfather's tower and is taught how to use the magic. The party then makes for Ulgoland and its troglodyte people. They are joined by the zealot priest Relg, who has the ability to find secret underground passageways and can travel through solid rock. He will help them penetrate the Murgo capital of Rak Cthol, where Ctuchik awaits their arrival.

What I enjoyed in this volume was watching Ce'Nedra becoming more and more infatuated with Garion, but also and mostly the variety of landscapes visited by the protagonists: the haunted land of Maragor and its terrifying ghosts, the peaceful and bucolic Vale of Aldur, the snowy peaks and claustrophobic caverns of Ulgoland, and the black sands of the Wasteland of Murgos.

The monsters that are naturally sprinkled along the way are a little dangerouser and tougher than in the previous volumes, and Silk even gets captured, but thanks to the group's assortment of strengths, they always manage to come out unscathed.

Again, this is a light and fast read, but very pleasant as well. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (35)

pure david eddings-not such a good thing after a while
David eddings is an extremely talented author in my opinion. I mean, the Belgariad was fantastic, being highly original and with a great plot.

Sadly, i cannot say the same with the Tamuli series. There were a few main problems that i just can't come to terms with. 1) the plot. Its basically a regurgitated version of the Mallorean, with the Bhelliom the Orb, and with the counterparts evil.

2) the antigonists. i suppose the author at one point was thinking "well, we just happen to have all these evil guys around. what can sparrowhawk do against all of them? Well, why not make them all stupid?" I mean, come on. the "evil god" is so outdated he loses to Sparrowhawk in swordfighting. Plus, his "evil minions" are bred for their stupidity. Their whole entire race is impossibly stupid. its like backwards evolution. To create warriors for his army, what does he do? he brings in armies from the past! what a wonderful idea, yes? Its just the fact that they're all outdated and are still wearing bronze armor. kind of unfair, don't you think. Okay. the protaganists come up against some minor hitch which they can't go across. No worries! Just give them a new power! I mean, every single detail in the plot is all there to help the protanganists. How senseless is that? You know from the start that Sparrowhawk will win, and even he knows it. He just calmly slaughters everyone in his way. Oh, did I mention? He's a god! (or something close to it anyway) So he can just blast everything in his path out of the way.

so, you see, everything falls perfectly into place for the good guys. It actually made me feel sorry for the bad guys. I'm serious.

3) the characters. A problem with Eddings is that his characters are too extreme. Do you ever meet anyone in your real life like any character in his books? Take for example Silk. I mean I love that character, with his personality and all, but its overdone. At first, I enjoyed his antics and all, but after the nineth book, I was utterly exasperated at him. Same goes for Sparrowhawk and his companions.

I didn't mind the overcomplicated plot, like some people. It seemed okay to me, actually.

So, you see, David Eddings can only write in one type of style. he never changes. Characters, plot, everything is duplicates. If you've read one series, you've read them all. Mallorean is an exact copy of Belgariad. Tamuli is carbon copy of Elenium. (with a few tweaks) Oh, and Elenium and Belgariad aren't all that different, either. In the end, you read the books just to see what happens to the characters, as you love them, but as soon as you realize they're fake and artificial, the game is over.

Gods, Spirits, Good and Bad Guys -- Again.
There's some sort of sense of accomplishment in reading sixteen books by one author one right after another.Either that ot it's a measure of sheer power of will.Will David Eddings, both statements are true.There are moments in his booths where he has repeated his plot for the umpteenth time when you just want to throw the book out the window.And then there are those times when he pulls something off perfectly and you have to admit to his talent.

The Hidden City is the last volume of the Tamuli, which is the second series about Sparhawk and Ehlana, and Eddings fourth series over all.After foiling several of Cyrgon and Zalasta's plans the bad guys kidnap Ehlana triggering a manhunt where every one of the home team is traveling under at least one layer of disquise.The must neutralize Cyrgon's plans for world conquest and find the road to the Hidden City, where Ehlana is being held hostage for Sparhawks good behavior.

This story shifts back and forth among the various players as they sneak, pose, fight, and steal their way across the lands of Berit.The make friends of enemies, stand of alien attacks and create general havoc, drawing steadily closer to the final conflict, where Bhelliom faces Klael and Sparhawk has one last fight with Cyrgon.This is a complicated story at this stage and Eddings' efforts to geep the threads in synch will occasionally leave the reader shaking his head.

Technically, this is Eddings best writing, but not his best plot (the Elenium owns that honor) or his most innovative (the Belgariad has that prize).But it never bogs down, although it takes a long time to unfold.Eddings is best at the interplay between his characters although they develop very slowly if at all.Butat least they are strong and original characters that can last for a trilogy or two.

Fantasy has come a ways since the days of these volumes but they still display an ability to entertain and their occasionally wry humor brought a new vigor to a genre that was always in danger of slipping into overblown language or pure hack and slashery.Eddings is no Tolkein, nor does he use the tortured heroes of Michael Moorcock, but repetitive that he might be, it is himself that he repeats, not someone he is imitating.I like him (in small doses, so it may be a decade before I read these again) and I think most fantasy buffs will as well..

I still love Eddings, but...
AmazonFox: For assistance in this review, I'm joined by my esteemed colleague, Bhelliom.
Bhelliom: It hath always been mine pleasure to lend mine opinion to any literary criticism.
AF: Uh, yeah. We're here today to review "The Hidden City", the conclusion to David Eddings' Tamuli series. Here's my assessment: It's a mess.
B: It doth displease me that thou hath dismissed this tome so curtly.
AF: Suck it up, Big Blue. I stick by my opinion. This book is literally a mess, cluttered with extraneous subplots, nonsensical plot twists, deus ex machinas, and irrelevant characters. Including you, buddy.
B: Be nice.
AF: No, I don't think I will. See, I LOVED the Elenium, the first trilogy in this series. I was so excited when the second trilogy, the Tamuli, came out. And then what does Eddings do? He proceeds to spend the next three books systematically undermining, negating, or otherwise rewriting the events of the Elenium
B: Yet doth not the plot, which doth pit the very forces of good against the wicked and foul forces of evil, somewhat redeem this over-complicated tale?
AF: Don't I wish. There's no real suspense! It's pretty much a foregone conclusion that Sparhawk and his friends will win this battle, and not only do we know it, but they all know it too. It's very, very boring to read about people saving the world when they're not even worried about it. And part of the reason they're not worried about it is that Eddings is frantically rewriting the rules in their favor at every turn. There's almost no struggle that's not solved by someone - or something - producing some mysterious new power or ability. Let's see, Xanetia glows, kills people with a touch, and reads minds. Hey, why not give her invisibility and the ability to turn into mist and float through windows, too? Why? *Because we can!* It reaches the point where you almost start to feel sorry for the bad guys. Come on, couldn't we at least give them *one* cool power that doesn't have a counter-spell or a solution Khalad can figure out in his sleep?
B: Thy simple speech and uncouth manner disturbeth me.
AF: Hey, let's not even get into how annoying all those `thees' and `thous' of yours are! I fell asleep every time you piped up for more than a paragraph. I mean, for the love of God...!
[Aphrael pops into existence]
Aphrael: Yes? You rang?
AF: Aaagh! STOP IT! Stop being cutesy! Stop the God puns! We get it, OK? It's not funny anymore!
[Aphrael vanishes in a huff.]
B: Ahem. It seemeth to me that a more deliberate examination of yon plot would serve better than this continued stylistic quibbling.
AF: Oh, you want to know about the plot? Fair enough - but which one? Here's Sparhawk desperately trying to save the kidnapped Ehlana - no, wait, he's plotting strategy with the Atans - no, hang on, he's talking philosophy with Bhelliom - wait, now he's battling other-worldly monster soldiers summoned by Bhelliom's archrival, Klael. You didn't know about Klael? Silly, of course Bhelliom has an opposite! Didn't you read the Mallorean?
B: Well, really!
AF: Oh, stop it, we all know you're just a prettier Orb of Aldur, enough with the vain protests.
B: Then it is thy contention then that Eddings hath, as they say, jumped the shark with this volume?
AF: You could say that. You could also say that he grabbed the shark by the nose and tail and proceeded to skip rope with it, and you wouldn't hear any argument from me.

Running Out Of Steam
The entirety of the Tamuli series is basically a rehash of its predecessor, which is generally regarded as being the far superior of the two. This is especially true of The Hidden City, which performs the incredible feat of being both glacially slow and pathetically rushed at various points in the novel. Cyrgon also fails miserably to make a credible enemy. He is arrogant, reviles intelligence, lacks subtly, and is, indeed, a blob of goop, at least most of the time. Klael is slightly more intimidating, but the god-rock still renders him rather unimportant. Indeed, Eddings struggles to come up with a credible reason disallowing Sparhawk from simply zapping around and annihilating most of his enemies with Bhelliom. Aside from these serious issues, the trademark banter between Eddings hero's (and I use this term loosely) is decidedly average, such that those who have extensively read his books before will be able to predict the use of certain popular one-liners far in advance. All in all, your time would be better spent reading (or re-reading) some of David's earlier books.

Fantasy for people who don't read real fantasy ...
Well I did manage to struggle my way thru to the end - but then I was stuck in hospital with nothing else to read and at least Eddings' turgid prose took my mind off all the injections, crap food etc. My first impression was that this hodge-podge of characters, gods etc. was what you would get if you mixed together large snippets of Tolkein, Moorcroft, Peake, Chalker with perhaps a smidgen of Buffy the Vampire Slayer in a blender. Ok to be fair it IS the third book of the series - perhaps if I'd read the first two I might understand the convulated rulesgoverning the various gods/demons/heroes but even so I couldn't help feeling the story had plotholes a mile wide. For example, given the powers that Aphrael has why can't she help the human characters a lot more?Why do they have to plod around fighting all the time?Way way too many characters, too many silly names, confusing side plots, lack of coherent rules (vital in fantasy!) to say nothing of the fact that many of the 'heroes' are cruel and vicious and unfair.The ending was a damp squib and I felt sorry for any reader who had struggled their way thru the whole three books ... ... Read more

Product Description
Two masterful tales of magic, fantasy, adventure, and the epic struggle between good and evil come to life in a collection by the best-selling novelist that includes The Losers and High Hunt. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

A Distinctly Different Flavor
These two novels are David Eddings' first successes as an author.High Hunt was his first published novel, and The Losers was written in the '70s but wasn't published until 1992.I've ended up liking these works more than any of Eddings' other works.

They're darker and richer in tone and content than most of his other works, and have none of the things I've come to actively dislike about his other novels; the group that, between them, can do almost anything, God-characters, stupid bad guys who don't even present a challenge to the protagonists, and very little suspense or feelings of danger.Instead, there is actual tragedy, struggle, and soulsearching.The characters actually interact and develop relationships, instead of merely quipping at each other all the time.They even experience pain and uncertainty without the overarching feeling that everything's happening as it should.The endings are ambiguous, with almost a bittersweet feel to them, instead of the overly-sugary endings of Eddings' other works.They are vastly different from what I had come to expect from David Eddings.

I've taken more away from reading these two novels than I had with all Eddings' other works combined.

The Losers and High Hunt are not too bad....
"The Losers" is a contemporary novel that stars a man named Rapheal.Rapheal has all the positive aspects of life; good looks, intelligence, and athleticism.However, when he goes to college, he roomswith a man named Damon who represents all the negatives of society. Shortly after this meeting, Raphael has a severe accident that will foreverchange his life.Raphael moves away, and thinks nothing of his old lifeuntil Damon finds him again.This novel contains the classical motif ofgood versus evil.

In "The High Hunt", the reader is introducedto a pair of brothers coming from a disfunctional family.Dan, who is theyounger brother, has just been discharged from the Vietnam war.Withnothing to do, Dan looks for his older brother Jack, who he has not seen inyears.Dan is quickly taken in by Jack and Jack's friends.However,Jack's friends are not the most "politically correct" friends.Ahatred grows between some of these friends, which culminates in a huntingtrip high in the mountains.What happens when guns and hatred mix?Findout...it is an entertaining novel that does slip down into the decadence ofsociety.

Tales of Introspection
Well known for characters such as King Belgarion and Sir Sparhawk, David Eddings takes a step back away from fantasy into the world of non-fiction, revealing his commanding mastery of the English language in his two novels:The High Hunt and The Losers.At times hilarious, offensive, but alwaysintrospective and thought-provoking, the two novels lead the reader into anever spiraling path of self-reflection.With witty commentary on thesocial customs of modern society and their affects on an individual,Eddings creates tales which are a must for those who consider themselveshardcore Eddings fan - allowing exposure to a side of the author that ismerely hinted at in his fictional writings. ... Read more

Product Description
Raphael Taylor was a golden boy--blond, handsome, charming, a gifted athlete and a serious student, an angel in every way. Damon Flood was a scoundrel--a smooth, smilling, cynical devil, as devious and corrupt as Raphael was open and innocent. The day Raphael met Damon was the day he began his mysterious fall from grace. And the golden boy fell very fast and very far....
... Read more

Customer Reviews (25)

A commentary on the true results of the welfare state.Not a fantasy.
Like most, I came into this book without any idea of what to expect.In some ways, that might have lessened my enjoyment of this one, as this might be one of those rare books for which it would be better to read some reviews BEFORE the book, so that you would know what you're getting into.Instead of the expected fantasy or urban adventure novel, THE LOSERS turns out to be a sharp social commentary full of Eddings' philosophical views about life and society.No magic and not much action, this book has disappointed many fans of the Belgariad and Malloreon, and that is too bad, because taken for what it is, this book is actually quite good.The biting condemnation of the welfare system and those who become dependent on it will ring true to most readers, even as neither Eddings nor the reader will likely come up with great alternatives.The lessons within THE LOSERS about living with what life throws your way, and not turning into just another number, are powerful.While many have criticized Eddings' condemnation of social programs as being overly negative, verging on unfeeling and bigoted, his overall point here is a positive one.Society should realize the dangers of our fellow human beings falling into the trap of living from one welfare check to the next, which really cannot be considered much of a life, but which may be extremely hard to escape from once ensnared.Eddings' character Raphael is not as much disdainful of his "Loser" neighbors as that he feels sorry for them, and feels drawn to prevent others from becoming "Losers".In all, its not the people on welfare Eddings is condemning here, but the system as a whole.A system that treats people as numbers, or as helpless to help themselves, or as if simply being able to afford the next loaf of bread and the next pack of cigarettes could enable someone to live a meaningful life.

In some ways reminiscent of Ayn Rand's powerful fiction in Atlas Shrugged or The Fountainhead, this is a book about the ugly aspects of our society that, while unpleasant, should not be ignored.Also like Ayn Rand, Eddings' strong Individualist philosophy has been misinterpreted as uncaring and cold by some readers.Actually, I'm sure Eddings believes that a greater emphasis on Individualism would lead to the best life for the most people, and is therefore the most compassionate social philosophy.

In the end, this is an enjoyable book when approached with the right expectations.It may also challenge some people's beliefs about what a compassionate and caring society should do to help the less fortunate, and what the end results of that help might really look like.Recommended.

Learn To Type
I liked this book, though the style was quite different from the formula fantasy I was half expecting from a David Eddings book. The writing here has a lot of heart to it, managing to portray with just enough detail the perspectives, insights and motives of some fairly unusual people. The book reminds me a little of the short urban-fantasy stories of Charles de Lint, in that it contains a little bit of real depth and color that stays with you after reading it. I wonder how much of his characterization was based on observation in his home town (where the story was set). The portrayal of social workers as bright-eyed, calculating young women out to make people do "what's good for them" was fairly viscous, and the description of the welfare state was depressing as hell. How much is accurate insight and how much is amusing cynicism I couldn't say.

This was a good book - depth, color and an acknowledgment of the little joys in life. I'd guess that if you take the time to let this story sink in it'll be worth a read ... if you aren't able to do so you'll probably be disappointed.

Good Book When Eddings Stops the Polemics
This should have been a five-star review, because this should have been a five-star book. Eddings's every word is perfectly placed for maximum impact, his characters are surprisingly well-developed and sympathetic, and his message is ultimately uplifting. The problem is that he gives that message over and over, yet neither deepens it nor shows the opposite perspective. Those who agree with him will wish he'd represented them better, while those who disagree (probably the majority--he's apparently advocating the abolition of welfare) will skip those pages for the story and characterization. That said, this is definitely a good book, and even Eddings's polemics are better than, say, those of Dean Koontz or Michael Crichton.

Early Eddings. Glad he moved to true fantasy
This is one of Eddings' first books and it shows. After High Hunt which is a contemprary adventure novel, he delved into a surreal world of the underside of society. The disabled, needy and regretfully, self-righteous characters in this book do not inspire sympathy or a desire to make change. They tend to just make you sad and thankful things are better in your own life.
Raphael is in many ways an anti-hero. The reader does not like him or even root for him most of the time. For this reason alone, I found it extremely difficult to get through this one.
I absolutely love Eddings' fantasy novels of the 80's and 90's. The Belgariad is my favorite series of all time. The Mallorean series is a close second. The Elenium and the Tamuli, while repetitive are still a step above most. Regretfully, the Eddings' (plural now that they are openly writing together) have gotten stuck in a rut in the last decade.
My true hope is that a fresh story will come from them in the near future and it will re-kindle the freshness and approachability of the Belgariad.
This novel was not attractive even in a dark-gritty way. It just hit a sour note for me.

Caution, thought provoking
Yes, it seems simplistic and trite in spots because of repetition but when you think about it, some of the actual ideas behind the "losers" and those who come in contact with them arecreatively original (creatively presented?) and I ended the book glad of the repetition so I was sure I understood the points.

My BA's in sociology so I know the story's situations or "case studies" weren't as black and white as presented, most social workers aren't "evil," but the starkness of the presentation helped backlight all the author's main points and left one free to apply the points to other situations which might be closer to one's own life.

Any "problem" in one's life, habit or desire or lack of desire for change by self or other can be helped, I think, by applying Eddings' points about the "losers" and/or their helpers.

I liked that it was a story within a story too; the sociological points were made in little case studies within a larger story of two characters with a hint of mystery as one didn't know what the complete story was until the end and which boy was going to "win" and what "winning" would mean.I liked the play on words with winner/loser and didn't mind the corny angel/devil names, especially since an unknown "angel" (who wasn't) was part of the mystery and not understood until the end. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (17)

At least as good as The Belgariad!
But then again - this is David Eddings, and this man IS the best! These books are absolutelyfantastic - funny and well written. Everything David Eddings writes - Belgariad & Malloreon + prequels, Elinium and Tamuli - it's just perfect.

PS. Iknow I've written this once, but this time it'll link to my user-site.

Typical Eddings: Awesome!
I have found myself reading and re-reading David Eddings work with great frequency. He writes about believable characters that bicker, pout, and get along much like my friends with whom I grew up. This is not Tolkein. Theheroes aren't perfect. Belgarath is about as flawed as they come and isperfectly contrasted by his prudish daughter Polgara. Poor Belgarion iscaught in the middle with the way he was raised and egged on by his littlequeen. This makes for a great comedy. The adventure is almost secondary tothe story or as Alfred Hitchcock would put it, the McGuffin; a simple plotdevice.

David Eddings is one of the best writers there is.

Top-Notch Fantasy
If you enjoy Fantasy, you will love both the Belgariad and the Mallorian. I've read them so many times, I've lost count. So have both my kids. What makes Eddings' books so good is his ability to bring his characters tolife. They become more than just fictional constructs - in fact, theybecome friends.

At least as good as The Belgariad!
But then again - this is David Eddings, and this man IS the best! These books are absolutely fantastic - funny and well written. Everything DavidEddings writes - Belgariad & Malloreon + prequels, Elinium and Tamuli -it's just perfect.

Truly a magnificent work...
This series of books is truly wonderous.Although the adventure may be found boring by those who wish a fight on every page, the characters aretruly magnificent.Eddings manages to fully develope over a dozencharacters that the reader will feel he knows intimately by the end of theseries.The Mallorean can easily be read time and time again. ... Read more

Product Description
All 4 paperbacks by Leigh and David Eddings in the series The Dreamers. ... Read more

Product Description
New series, new world, and a glorious story destined to reach the biggest audience yet.They are called the Dreamers. They look like sleeping children. They are, in fact, Gods.There are eight elder Gods, four awake, four asleep, by turns. When they sleep, they sleep for eons. The only time the Gods are vulnerable is when the sleepers awake.Knowing this, the Ruler of the Wasteland, ambitious to become a God by destroying Gods, watches and waits, marshalling troops for war. So it is that the coming of the Dreamers passes unnoticed in the Wasteland. But the world is soon out of kilter, it is being dreamed, and the awakening of gods is no simple transition.The sleeping Gods are stirring. When they wake the battle will begin.There will be trickery and deception. Tribes of humans, creatures of the deep, the sea itself and the earth, the weather and the divinities, all will play their part in the epic struggle against the Ruler of the Wasteland.In their own exquisitely effortless style, David and Leigh Eddings weave a web around the reader of magic, mystery and humour.The Elder Gods is the first in a new and eagerly anticipated series of four books from the bestselling authors David and Leigh Eddings. It is a magical, action-packed, totally engaging and characterful novel on the grandest scale. ... Read more

Product Description
Somewhere beyond the farthest pole of the world, the Land of Dhrall lies anchored by the will of four powerful yet eccentric Gods. From controlling the weather to influencing the course of mortal men, these deities can bend reality to their whims. But bound by the laws of nature, they cannot take lives.Yet the Gods are not the only power. For in the center of Dhrall is the Wasteland, the domain of a mysterious, voracious horror known as That-Called-the-Vlagh. A nightmare made flesh, the Vlagh has created a massive army of hideous monsters in a plan to conquer Dhrall and overrun the world. And now, at the end of a cycle of Time, That-Called-the-Vlagh may succeed.In the coming battles the people of Dhrall will be aided by a ragtag force of pirates and mercenary soldiers. But the true warriors against the Vlagh will turn out to be four enigmatic children known as the Dreamers. Raised by the Gods themselves, these children have the ability to summon dreams that can alter the fabric of reality. And unlike the Elder gods, the Dreamers do not hesitate to use their powers to kill. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Genuinely Bad
I couldn't believe that David Eddings could write a book as bad as the reviews were saying, so I had to read it myself.I'm sorry to say that the reviews were spot on.This is bad by any fantasy novel standard, not just Eddings's.The dialogue is terrible, the repetition of exposition is maddening, and the majority of the thinly-developed characters all sound alike and are almost interchangeable in any particular conversation.The authors were already taking on a challenge by having the main characters be "gods" who are never in any danger and seem like they could brush away what few obstacles they face with a wave of their hand if they wanted to, but when you add the element of "dreamers" who foretell the future with nigh perfect accuracy, and the events in the story play out just as they're foretold... I mean, how do you create suspense or any sort of compelling story out of that?The book needed to be either thought-provoking or high comedy to work, and it's not anywhere close on either count.It just has no redeeming qualities, and I've never said that about any fantasy novel, let alone an Eddings novel.

Slow and boring
I bought this book because I like David Eddings. I shouldn't have bought this. It was very slow and boring. I read the whole book hoping it was going to get better. I refuse to buy the second book.

dimwit gods
If you like clever plots, actions, novelty, deep psychological background, surprises, you won't find it here. Read back the others series of the Eddings, you will have fun and thrills. Here, it 's shallow and repetition. When in the same book (the Second of the serie) you have three times the same plot, with a very small difference of point of view, and the same jokes, well, it's boring. The plot is one of PC game, Age of Empires, Civilization.
The foe : The BIG evil Vlagh, insectoids mama, who generates millions and millions of soldiers each week, and has the IQ of a lemming.
The gods :
4 gods who seems to discover humanity just before going to seep, and give 4 others gods ( the heroes) power to wrestle with the foes.
The heroes:
standard humans, who get along telling wise cracks and trying humor. One tactics against the insectoids, build forts, poison them, retreat, and once again, buil fort... at the end, a god finish the foe with pyrotechnics.
Do it four times, and you have four books.

If you know that you will be interrupt several times, and read it 30 pages a day, with a trepidating life around, you will forget that the Viking sergeant crack, was the same that the Indian ranger just said the chapter before.

A good start to another excellent Eddings series...
I've read all of the Eddings' work several times.I truly love the way they do dialog and the relationships between characters.This book reminds me of the first book in the Belgariad series---they spend quite a bit of time laying out groundwork that doesn't seem to have any use in the plot thread in THIS book---but I suspect will prove useful lateron.I'm looking forward to the rest of the books in the series, but I'm afraid they don't write them as quickly as I read them.Readers will recognize some of the characters from the other series from Eddings.Not that they are the same, but that certain types are used again.That does not, however, detract from the story in my opinion.The only real mistake I made was reading this book before the rest were available.Now I'm stuck.

I have to say, if you enjoyed the other Eddings offerings, you will most certainly enjoy this one. ... Read more

Product Description
Finally the knight Sparhawk had come to possess Bhellion, the legendary jewel of magic. With it, he frees Queen Ehalana from the crystalline cocoon that preserves her life, but Bhellion carries dangers of its own. And now Sparkhawk is being stalked by a dark lurking menace that is only the beginning of his troubles....
... Read more

Customer Reviews (30)

SAPPHIRE ROSE REVIEW
I AM VERY FAMILIAR WITH THIS AUTHOR'S BOOKS. THIS IS A GOOD EXAMPLE AS FANTASY BOOKS AT ITS BEST. I WOULD RECOMMEND THIS BOOK TO ANYONE.Sapphire Rose (Elenium)

THIS IS A GREAT BOOK!
Sapphire Rose (Book 3 of the Elenium)


OVERALL SCORE: (A+)
READABILITY: (A), PLOT: (A+), CHARATERS: (A), DIALOGUE: (B), SETTING: (A+), ACTION/COMBAT: (B+), MONSTERS/ANTAGONISTS: (A-), ROMANCE: (C+), SEX: (Light), AGE LEVEL: (PG13)

This is a very entertaining fantasy story, by one of the best fantasy writers of today, while it may not be quite as good as his "Belgariad" or "Malloreon" series, it comes close.

**SPIOLERS IF YOU HAVENT READ BOOKS 1& 2 YET!**

In Book 3, Sparhawk the Knight Militant of the order ofPandion Knights and Queens Champion, has finally cured his Queen Ehlana, and restored her to her throne. But Annias is still close to taking the Archprelate Throne of the Elene Church, with the help of Martel and the evil god Azash. This story revolves around the election and the politics behind it for the first have of the book, and it is fascinating and very entertaining! Then Sparhawk must go and use the Sapphire Rose to complete the quest in a dramatic ending.

Won't disappoint
This is the last book in The Elenium and so all loose ends are getting tied. Sparhawk must save his pretty, young Queen, and this is accomplished pretty much in the first five minutes and for the rest of the book we watch as Sparhawk must save the world from the evil God, Azash and his underlings, Adus, Krager and Sparhawks sworn enemy, and one time friend, Martel. He must play a game he doesn't like, waiting for Martel to make his move and to follow him and try to stop him. He must do this without getting killed (his wife would NOT appreciate that) or allwing Azash to get his hands on the Sapphire Rose, or Bhelliom, the most powerful object in the world. Surprisingly, there is also a moment towards the end of the novel when you will need a tissue or two. All in all, this was a great book and has firmly cemented its place as one of my all time favourite books. If you're thinking about reading this book, then stop thinking and start doing, you don't know what you are missing out on.

A Rose is a Rose is a Rose
With Bhelliom in hand Devid Eddings takes the plot of the Elenium into its final stanzas - curing Ehlana, undoing of Annias' plot to gain control of the Elene church, and the final defeat of the schemes of the god Azash.Each of these is a story in itself, and the book is densely plotted as the final phase of Sparhawk's efforts falls into place.

There is really only one serious problem with this book.The weakest character in the series makes her debut - Ehlana.Edding's, for some reason, tends to make his female romantic leads a strange combination of domineering and fluttery.C'nedra, in the first two series, is the perfect example of a woman who is stuck the stereotype of the devious female.Selfish, manipulative, irritating, and then occasionally she will step out of character.Elhana could be C'nedra's sister.She waken, maneuvers Sparhawk into marrying her, directly interferes in church politics like a pro, and then settles into a kind of wishy-washy background character.Go figure.The good news is that while Ehlana has a prominent role in the story, she actually doesn't have a very big part.

The most interesting part of the book is really the struggle for control of the church, which is pure politics and sneakiness.Annias' plans must be undone.This means that Sparhawk and the church leaders opposed to Annias must play a complicated waiting game in the hope that enough evidence will be found to expose the priest as in league with Azash.As Annias has managed to bribe himself into possession of a simple majority, this becomes a game of inches.

Once the politics are over, Sparhawk is free to perform his real duty.The world's only hope is that the Pandion knight can use his control of Bhelliom to work the end of Azash.Not an easy task, and Sparhawk must overcome not only the Sapphire Rose, the the ancient troll gods before he can enter the city of Zemoch and confront Otha and Martell for the last time.His companions once again are his squire Kurik, his friend Kalten, Sephrenia, the first knights of the Elene orders, and Talen, the thief.The interplay of the characters is as good as always, but this is the third quest of the series and it gets a bit familiar at times.

As usual, Eddings wraps things up tidily with a strong climax, throws some curious hints in the epilogue and then the curtain descends.Of the three different series so far, this is both the shortest and the best written.The Belgarion is, perhaps, the most original, but the Elenium is the work of a mature writer, and it shows.As you might expect, this is only a temporary stopping point - we are promised yet another sequel.

My favorite Eddings book ever!
The "Sapphire Rose", of course, is the Bhelliom, an object of such enormous power that worlds literally revolve around it and Gods have fought wars for it. All Sparhawk cares about, though, is that it is the one thing that can save the life of his poisoned Queen, Ehlana.
Ehlana's healed pretty early in, which leaves the rest of the book for Sparhawk to vanquish evil, destroy the Bad Guys, etc etc. See, once the Bhelliom resurfaces, Azash, the evil God of the Zemochs, knows who's got it. Since Bhelliom is the one thing Azash needs to free himself from his prison and take over the world, he's a little interested in getting Sparhawk to give it to him - or wresting it from his cold, dead hands, whichever's easiest. To that extent, there's a long, protracted section of the book devoted to the election of the Archprelate (the equivalent of the Pope) in the Holy City. If Annias, who secretly worships Azash, can buy enough votes, he wins, and Azash gets Bhelliom. So before Sparhawk can go off and kick immortal butt, he and his buddies have to head off this impending disaster first. It's political, it's complicated, and there are long sections where nothing happens but debate and voting. But it's also intelligent, witty, and gives several characters (including Ehlana) a chance to shine. Put it this way - if you think the political stuff in "Star Wars" is too complicated, you'll hate this part of the book. But if you enjoy that stuff, as I do, and seeing how wars are won by more than sword-waving, this book is fantastic.
Of course, there's real action, too - Sparhawk does face down Azash, with some help (of course). Ehlana and Sparhawk get married - their love story is both awkward and romantic, and quite cute. And someone dies - I can't say who, but I cried when I read it. (And there's no "Man-with-two-lives" business as in the Belgariad.)
The best book in a great series! ... Read more