I Have a Question For Fans (And Critics) of David Eddings

[TheBeerPatriot]

Good discussion.  I had read Eddings in high school and early college as well.  I found the Belgariad entertaining, but the Mallorean was wasted potential with the new continent.  As has been pointed out several times, Zakath could have been a complex character but was eroded as the series went on. 

 

I always had a problem with the main premise of the Mallorean, where the Seeress would choose between the Light and the Dark.  Like the Seeress is going to choose Dark? C'mon! I couldn't help but think of Judge Smails in Caddyshack ("Do you choose good, Danny? Good...goood...verrrrry good!")

[Sylvia]

I liked The Belgariad and The Mallorean. Call me a weirdo.  :-\

[The Fisher King]

NOT a weirdo!!! ;) :)

 

 

Fish

[JenniferL]

I like it too, in much the same way I like cheeseburgers and french fries. I know its not good for me, but boy do I enjoy it.

[reyler]

Does the Malloreon also go straight to your hips?

[JenniferL]

Probably.

[Sylvia]

Well maybe I shouldn't be reading the series again then......Eh, oh well. More cushin' for the...um...yeah ;)

[Mablir Dorlig]

My big problem was that the Belgariad/Malloreon/Elenium/Dreamers/Tamuli/Preludes/Sequels/whatever was all the same story and was always helped on the way by a Deus ex Machina - the Dreamers was certainly the worst for this an uber-god helping out lesser gods who can't cope with a god gone wrong

 

I loved the Belgariad the first time but after so many iterations of the story line I'm sorry....

 

BTW - shouldn't the title have been David & Leigh Eddings?

[Leatherleaf]

I read the Belgariad a long time ago, and though I was in my early teens, I thought the books childish. Sorry, I can't really recall many details, including character names, but the point that I hated was when the 2 old wizards duelled, and the bad-guy (for lack of a better term, again, sorry) declared, "Be Not!", which happens to be exactly the one thing you cannot do as a wizard. Being centuries or more older, you'd think the idea of saying "Be Not!" would never even occur to the guy. I finished the Belgariad, but never went for a re-read...

[The Fisher King]

I agree that it was a little ridiculous that Zedar would do that in that situation...ESPECIALLY when you consider that 'just' killing someone is allowed under their 'rules.'

 

I understand that he was being overmatched by Belgerath in the fight, but still, you would think that he would force all his remaing energy at one last shot at killing Belgerath...not 'unmaking' him.

 

 

Fish

[Sylvia]

Zedar wasn't trying to unmake Belgarath, he was aiming at the orb. I don't understand why he didn't say something along the lines of "Come here" about the stone, then he wouldn't have to worry so much about Belgarath having it.

[The Fisher King]

Youre right, Sylvia - great catch. I knew that, but have forgotten over the years.

 

Zedar was definitely trying to unmake the orb.

 

I would imagine, in the author's mind at least, that Zedar did not do as you suggest because he knew that if he got the orb in his hands that Belgerath would just tear him apart to take it away...remember, Zedar could not USE the orb.

 

Also, that would have just been a replay of the first three books anyway - Zedar having the orb in his posession, I mean.

 

Just my thoughts.

 

 

Fish

 

[reyler]

Just to be a pedantic asshole, you guys are actually talking about Ctuchik, not Zedar. And they were actually more or less evenly matched. Being terrified beyond all reason by the notion of the Orb in Garion's hands (and half-nuts to boot) is a semi-acceptable explanation for trying to unmake it, but the actual written execution of it, as most everything else, is really clunky.

 

Anyway, how did the revelation that UL was the father of the gods do whatever it did to theological thought in their world? How did it get out? Who that was present at Cthol Mishrak went and told the Associated Press? According to the prequels, Belgarath at least already knew. And anyway the notion of "theological thought" in a world where 100% of the people agree on the creation myths is kind of ludicrous.

[The Fisher King]

Ul played a muuuuuuuch larger part in later years in the sequel series...almsost made me wonder if Ul was a retcon.

 

 

Fish

[wotfan4472]

After reading this funny as post...... I am glad I graduated to better series. ROFL!!!!!

[The Fisher King]

Who that was present at Cthol Mishrak went and told the Associated Press?

 

LOL - reyler; after all this time, you STILL rock!

 

 

Fish

[Rand the Plumber]

This takes me back.  When Pawn of Prophecy came out, I was 16.  I remember eagerly purchasing the books as they appeared in my local secondhand bookshop.  I thought they were childish at the time, but for sheer escapism, they were brilliant.  I read the series through in the couple of months after the publication of the next volume, by which time it would have appeared in the secondhand shop and I would be ready to purchase it.  I loved all the books, and eventually graduated on to actually buying them new!  It was, what?  15 years between the publication of Pawn of Prophecy and Belgarath the Sorcerer?  By that time, both The Belgariad and The Malloreon were safely packed in boxes in my parents' attic.  Never mind, I could remember the whole story anyway.  O! Memory!  Fickle, I name thee!  "Belgarath" and "Polgara" fitted nicely into what I thought I remembered, and I was content.
 
Last year, responding to parental demands that I "shift the crap out of their attic" (they were downsizing, in case any of the offspring began to show signs of returning to the nest), I brought it all home to give away, throw away or keep.  Among the books I kept were Eddings' quintets: I thought it would be nice to have a shelf or two of my childhood memories on the study bookshelves, next to the professional, academic and other "grown-up" books.  Besides, an un-shelved stack of my Other Half's books were making their determined way towards the empty shelves, and I just wasn't going to let that happen.
 
And there, dear reader, my story should have ended.  But - fool that I am - I thought it would be nice to re-read the whole series for the first time in twenty years...
 
Beware your childhood memories.  They are very fragile.

[Jhirrad]

This takes me back.  When Pawn of Prophecy came out, I was 16.  I remember eagerly purchasing the books as they appeared in my local secondhand bookshop.  I thought they were childish at the time, but for sheer escapism, they were brilliant.  I read the series through in the couple of months after the publication of the next volume, by which time it would have appeared in the secondhand shop and I would be ready to purchase it.  I loved all the books, and eventually graduated on to actually buying them new!  It was, what?  15 years between the publication of Pawn of Prophecy and Belgarath the Sorcerer?  By that time, both The Belgariad and The Malloreon were safely packed in boxes in my parents' attic.  Never mind, I could remember the whole story anyway.  O! Memory!  Fickle, I name thee!  "Belgarath" and "Polgara" fitted nicely into what I thought I remembered, and I was content.

 

Last year, responding to parental demands that I "shift the crap out of their attic" (they were downsizing, in case any of the offspring began to show signs of returning to the nest), I brought it all home to give away, throw away or keep.  Among the books I kept were Eddings' quintets: I thought it would be nice to have a shelf or two of my childhood memories on the study bookshelves, next to the professional, academic and other "grown-up" books.  Besides, an un-shelved stack of my Other Half's books were making their determined way towards the empty shelves, and I just wasn't going to let that happen.

 

And there, dear reader, my story should have ended.  But - fool that I am - I thought it would be nice to re-read the whole series for the first time in twenty years...

 

Beware your childhood memories.  They are very fragile.

 

Truth there, especially with Eddings. I read them when I was young and didn't really have a great appreciation for truly excellent writing. As I got older, and tried to read his work, the more I realized one thing in particular: He writes the worst dialogue of any published author I've ever read. It's just atrocious. I tried to read The Redemption of Althalus and just could not finish it. The cheesy dialogue drove me insane. When I looked back on his other books, I realized it was there too. And I was sad, because now I can never enjoy them again...

[The Fisher King]

+++

 

 

Fish

[wotfan4472]

I wonder what other authors set people off like this?? I can mention a few movie adaptations that are wrong wrong wrong!!!!!!!

[damandred]

I think i hate eddings so much because i used to love him so. Browsing the book shelves in my local charity shop last week and picked up the hidden city, eddings 3rd tamuli book, what complete tosh. It just goes to show what a one trick pony Eddings is. Gods running around with humans, bantering like some cheesey sitcom.eck.

Some authors should just quit while there ahead with a concept, but eddings just milks his untill any respect you had for his work, haunts you like the childhood memory of a randy old priest.

The belgariad was, for me as a kid my favorite set of books. Garion and Belgarath my two best charactors. By the time the end of the Mallorean came about, it was like the fantasy version of two and a half men but not as funny. I liked the first set of Sparhawk books as well, not as much as the Belariad, but enough to want to know the ending. Sigh. Getting the above mentioned book from the charity shop reminded me how much eddings likes spoiling his own rep by carrying on writting. Trying to read the elder/younger gods series, convinced me eddings and his wife ended up going round the bend. I hope for the enjoyment he gave me in my youth that hes in some nice institution somewhere getting the very best care.

 

Be Nice! No!

[reyler]

David Eddings died a few years ago, and his wife went a few years before that.

 

Also, why won't this thread go away?

[damandred]

David Eddings died a few years ago, and his wife went a few years before that.

 

Sorry to hear that. Of course most of my last post in this thread was tounge in cheek. No matter my feelings on some of his work, he gave me many great hours reading for many years. He will be missed.

 

Also, why won't this thread go away?

[JenniferL]

Because David Eddings is still fun. Stop pretending everything has to be super serious and enjoy life. 

[damandred]

Wow. Really? If i would of knew the guy was dead, i probably would of made my post a bit more respectful. As it is i still think some of his worked sucked, and that he went over the top with the cheesey dialogue, which is a shame as IMO he could of been better. I think the letter in the codex to the tolnedren ruler, from the united aloria rocked.

That wasnt aimed at you jennifferl. honest.