Possibly VERY Unpopular Thread lol

[Rane Longfox]

I enjoyed Eddings when I first read him, but that was basically because it was the third lot of books I'd ever read, after Narnia and the Hobbit/LotR...

Then I started reading stuff like Erikson, Martin, Mieville... phew. never looked back since then

(Incidentally, I love Narnia. and the Hobbit. Eddings is just not up to standard in modern fantasy once you get past the age of about 12. Maybe 14...)

 

[Brian G Turner]

Hi Flame of Eternal Dar, and welcome to the chronicles network.

 

[Quokka]

pretty much the same sentiments here. I loved the Belgarion and Sparhawk series when i read them (again about 13 or so) and have re-read them so many times. these were the stories that got me into fantasy, simple story lines, cartoonish characters and a good bit of humor. The fact that the two series were so similar didnt bother me and id say now i actually prefer the sparhawk series. but the althius ones was once to many. I remember being fairly excited when i saw Eddings had finaly released something new, only it wasnt, i was very disappointed. Like someone else said the old series are good teen fantasy (and early teen at that) but IMO he's like an actor who got type cast and now just plays the same old safe roles.

 

[a|one]

IMO he's like an actor who got type cast and now just plays the same old safe roles.

Except type cast actors only get offered one kind of role and dont have much of a choice, Eddings just gave up on the whole 'new ideas' concept.

 

[Quokka]

True enough.

 

[Polgara]

I agree with what you're saying. I tried to read The Tamuli and the Elenium, but I could never get into it the way I did with the Belgariad and the Mallorean. Once I got into them, I was like a reading demon, nothing got in the way of me finishing those! I liked Althalus, not as good but it was an alright read. It was DEFINATELY influenced by his wife! I am enjoying the Elder Gods, I've read both titles so far, and really I think it's more to do with my love of early eddings that I am perceveiring with it. Really I wish that my mind could be erased, so I could go and read the Belgariad, mallorean and 2 prequels again for the first time!

 

[Cuda Rahl]

i would like to be the odd one out! but everyone seems to have nailed it on the head. i think davids books have a an intrigue at th beginning with the travelling and stuff but as they get along they get more complex, but dont get me wrong i like complex books btu its the same in all the series ive read of his. the characters work with a god to stop an evil god and colectiing help and ally on the way

 

[nixie]

I don't dislike Eddings, but his books are all carbon copies of each other.I read Eddings when I can't be bothered with anything with a bit of bite to it .His books are enjoyable but very predictable.

 

[garreth Jacks]

I agree with a lot being said hear I can not judge them though because I have only read the Elenium,Tamuli and the Redemption of Althalus

The Redemption of Althalus was the first book I read so I thought it was brilliant and the same with the Elenium but when I read the Tumuli I read a line that made me very disappointed and it got to me every time

The line was “Be nice.”

I hated this line with a passion, at first I though it was a good funny line then I tried to say the words back to me to get an idea how they would sound I realised how stupid this line is.

Or it could just be me

 

[Jay]

Not unpopular with me, Eddings has always been one of my least favorite, and IMHO one of the most overated authors in fantasy.

 

[Lacedaemonian]

David Eddings... R.I.P.

Amen.

 

[Eradius Lore]

i have only read Redemption of Althalus so i cant really judge him

 

[Liselle]

You're all entitled to your opinion, but I think you're being entirely too harsh on Eddings. I don't necessarily disagree with what you're saying, but I would like to point out that sometimes it's nice to know what to expect with books. All too often I've read a book that sounded fantastic, only to discover that it's really not my cup of tea. When I pick up an Eddings book, however, I know that I'll be getting fun characters, daring heroics and a happy ending. Which is, more often than not, exactly what I want. And I know a lot of other people who feel the same way.

 

[Brys]

Well, I don't want to waste my time on a book which I already know all of the story is. Eddings was kind of enjoyable when I was younger, but never particularly good. If I can predict the ending to a book in advance, it's probably time to stop reading it because you're not going to see anything new. I could write it myself, and that would be a far more enjoyable thing to do than to read the same (not to mention simplistic and boring) story again. Liselle, you seem to be saying that you want to be able to expect the style - fun characters, daring heroics, happy ending - that's different to what Eddings gives you. He gives you all that, but they are the same characters, the same daring heroics, the same happy endings and worse - the whole plot's the same. The names are changed but nothing else is. There are literally hundreds of authors who write books of the nature you describe above, but at least they won't be carbon copies. I know that if I read a Feist novel, it'll possess those basic characteristics. In the same way as you, when I read a Mieville novel I expect certain characteristics - depth to characterisation, a very dark, depressing tone, a powerful atmosphere, a not particularly happy ending - but each of his books are very very different. Eddings is not just the opposite in the characteristics he chooses, but in how similar each of his books are.
I had some respect for Eddings after reading the Belgariad and Elenium, but his work has got worse as his career has progressed. Though IMO he was never one of the greats of the genre, he wasn't too bad for lighter fantasy.

 

[Rosemary]

You're all entitled to your opinion, but I think you're being entirely too harsh on Eddings.

And I know a lot of other people who feel the same way.

I have read and enjoyed all of his books bar The Elder Gods. Eddings writes in a style which I like. His characters have all been given terrific personalities.
Not all books need a happy ending and I am not keen on those books where you know what to expect...

 

[Liselle]

I don't like books with sad endings. Real life can depress you enough without reading depressing books on top of that. And besides, it's the journey that's the exciting part. It doesn't always have to be about the destination.
Despite that I do agree that the Elder Gods, etc. are not as good as the Bel/Mal books. But nothing ever will be as good as they are.

 

[Foxtale]

As I said in the other thread, he seems to be reusing old dialogue. For instance, "Shocked at you, Shocked!" Is taken straight from Redemption of Althalus, and he's repeated it about three times in the series. Then theres "without a hint of a smile" which has been said five or six times a book. After Althalus (my favorite book by far), he seems to have lost his muse.

 

[GhostShell]

I find eddings works like the Sparhawk and Belgareth worlds will always be the best.
But you can say others are slipping too, Feist has been a bit lulled ever since the riftwar saga and empire sagas.
It goes around, but eddings is 75 now and he's still writing.
I think if you enjoy how he's doing things, why question them?

 

[Kynsilaukka]

Isn't it funny how we, who "ought to be on our beloved author's side", criticize and diss him/them more than the professional critiques, who seem to praise him from the heavens 'til the dark door of scheol?

I wouldn't say we're being too harsh to him (except maybe for that tacky R.I.P.), as we've read everything he has to offer too many times. But the new readers don't pick up the cliches and recycled characters, plots and so on. My friend, as example, enjoyed the Dreamers' Book 1 (Elder Gods, Younger Gods... Which one is it, blaah...) very much, and when I complained about these Eddings-disappointments, she just shrugged over it.

So, Eddings is probably still doing it right, but I'm almost anguished about the way he trests his old readers... I wish some of his books would flop so badly, that his publishers would force him do something new.

 

[Rujokiwa]

I feel I must disagree about the Elder Gods and Redemption. I really enjoyed these books, so much more than Sparhawk and co. I still read those stories, but I didn't think they were his best.

What I like most about Elder Gods is the way that the point of view changes all the time and we get to see the story from the perspective of different characters instead of just one character. Book 3, in my humble opinion was very clever in the way that this was done, as we got to see the same events through different eyes, and some of the more perceptive amongst the characters worked out what was going on. (I must say that I didn't see the ending of book 3 in that series coming, it took me by surprise and left me wanting more).

I enjoyed Redemption as well, not least because it was all in the one volume and I didn't have to wait for the next book to be released to finish the adventures. There were parts of that story I missed the first time I read it, and it wasn't until I reread it and took my time with it that I really understood it and appreciated it. It was clear from the beginning of that book (or at least when characters were introduced) that 'the boy people and the girl people' were going to get together, with each other and which matchups would occur. In particular I loved the whole way that both sides could change the future or the past through dreams. Hey, wait a moment ... 'The Dreamers' .... hmmm

Sparhawk and co didn't really do it for me. Kurnik dying really turned me off the series. Maybe if I had picked it up a bit later in life I would have enjoyed it more, but as it was, I think some of the concepts in the series were a bit much for me at the time. I mean, I had to look up the meaning of brothel in a dictionary when I first read the first book of Sparhawk's adventures and dad wasn't too pleased with me when I asked him what it meant!

For me, The Belgariad, The Mallorean, the Prequels and even the Rivan Codex will always havea place near the top of my reading preferences. Even in high school (a long time ago now) I wrote English and other subject assignments on his works, and at University i used materials from these books for assignments in different subjects, even quoting from Rivan Codex for my metaphor for the teaching process being alot like an Epic Fantasy Trilogy. I was immediately hooked and couldn't wait for the next book.

I think it's only natural that they would have similarities in their stories. but to me, the majority of characters in the different stories are not carbon copies of predecessor characters in other stories.

I am eagerly awaiting the final book in their current series to arrive here so that I can rush out and get it and devour it.

Well, until Silk, Rabbit, Talen and Gher get together for a game of cards, make mine Eddings!