How long have you loved Eddings?

[Liselle]

I thought it would be interesting to ask everyone why they started reading Eddings in the first place, how old they were, etc.

I first read the Belgariad when I was seven. I pinched the books off my auntie because she kept saying how good they were I'd read them by torchlight when I was supposed to be asleep, and I've never looked back

 

[The Ace]

My early years in Glasgow, too long ago to think about.

 

[Talysia]

I think I started on the Elenium and Tamuli when I was still at school, and I loved them so much I got all of the Belgariad and Malloreon pretty soon after. I'd just finished the Dragonriders of Pern series and was looking for something else enjoyable to read.

 

[Clansman]

In 1983, when I was 16, I found Pawn of Prophecy, Queen of Sorcery and Magician's Gambit, and bought all three. It seemed I waited forever until Castle of Wizardry came out, and then finally Enchanted End Game (originally to be "Enchanter's End Game" or vice versa. I can't remember which).

After that, the love affair with Eddings wore off, because I grew up, and Eddings didn't.

 

[Grimward]

A few years out of college, was amazingly in between Zelazny, Brooks, Foster, Donaldson and Feist offerings, had only just discovered Wurts, and was buying anything that looked interesting from The Science Fiction Book Club here in the States. As noted elsewhere, hung out long enough to finish the Elenium series. "Love" in this case would be a strong term for me, but they kept me sufficiently hooked to round out the 3 books....

 

[ghost8772]

was sixteen or so, read the Belgariad, couple years later started the malorean and had to wait for each installment after Demon lord.

 

[Yuoaman]

About seven months... yeah... I just read the Belgariad this past spring, then moved onto the Mallorean, and just finished The Redemption of Althalus, and will be starting the Elenium in a few days.

 

[NGH]

Eddings is a great writer, but I've moved onto bigger, more complex stories from the time I began reading his stories. What really killed any lasting pursuit was when I read The Elder Gods about three to four years ago. I still treasure his earlier works, and he is, after all, one of the authors that spawned my love for this genre, but his work really hasn't changed over the years and I've just... lost interest.

 

[JockGonnagle]

I picked up Eddings in the Kids section at Waterstones about 3 yrs ago. I was 13. I think it started me off reading longer more involved books, like Kate Elliot as it was only later that I found out that his books are usually found in the adult's section, and it is near Eddings (on the shelf, that is) that I now do most of my reading. I have no friends who like him, despite much petitioning that some of his dialogue is unequalled, and the worlds he creates are so rich and full with vast histories and.... Ohh I go all mushy just thinking about it

I am particularly in Awe of Eddings' writing as a dabbler in authordom myself. Having read his books had given me inspiaration (that I must school myself not to stray in to plagarism) to build up my world fully before I start writing, and now I have started the novel some parts of the story just write themselves as the way the world should work is so obvious to my mind...

sorry about the ramble, but it's rare I get to explain this to anyone who even remotely undersands

 

[Rosemary]

I didn't start reading Eddings until the early 1990's and I was hooked! I still enjoy re-reading his stories, with his dry wit and imagination.

Have read all of his series, including the prequell to the Belgariad - Belgarath The Sorcerer and also the companion novel to Belgarath - Polgara the Sorceress.

 

[kirgi08]

Early 80's here.'08.

 

[dreir]

When I was 14, while I was at a boarding school (roughly 20 years ago ). Somebody left Magician's Gambit in the study hall, and I 'borrowed' it because of the intriguing cover. It was my first adult-size book. It opened up a whole new world to me and sparked my eternal love for the fantasy genre. I had to patiently save my own pocket money to get the Belgariad and then the Malloreon, one book after another, since they were too expensive for my parents to buy them for me at the time (but mom and dad were fully supportive of it). Although like NGH I lost all interest by Elder Gods, I owe him (or them, I suppose) too much not to regard his books (I have them all except for Elder Gods and the non-fantasy ones) with great fondness.

- Dreir -

 

[Canus Lupus]

I started Reading the belgariad when I was 12, around 4 years. And apart from the Dreamers I've read all of his books twice or more. I must say that he has been one of the authors that has inspired me to write

 

[Talysia]

Welcome to the Chronicles, Canus Lupus!

I can't believe that it's been so long since I first picked up the series. I don't have all of the books now, but I wouldn't mind rereading the Belgariad again.

 

[Zombie]

Oh, for me it was my thirteenth summer and I had checked out the Diamond Throne from the local library. I was reading it in summer school and just remember being captivated by the story and the characters. After that I just had to own the rest of the books and remember when Tamuli was being published begging my mom at a local bookstore to buy me the hardcover edition of Hidden City.

 

[white_wanderer]

I encountered Eddings when I was 16 (yes, 20 years ago!) when a friend recommended Diamond Throne to me after I had finished the First Chronicles of Thomas Covenant by Stephen Donaldson.
I still have, and read, the original paperbacks that I bought 20 years ago and take them with me whenever I have to go on long journeys - they're a good read.

 

[Zombie]

I think one of the things that drew me into picking up the Diamond Throne was the awesome cover art. When I got the paperback I ended up reading it into tatters.

Has anyone seen the new editions of the Elenium and Tamuli where all three books in each series have been combined into a single edition?

 

[Talysia]

Yes, I've seen them, and I've been meaning to get them - to replace my original copies of the books. The UK covers for the combined books look rather classic, I think, (and I'm hoping they haven't changed in the meantime, as I rather like them). They aren't a patch on the original artwork, though.

 

[Tinsel]

I thought it would be interesting to ask everyone why they started reading Eddings in the first place, how old they were, etc.

I first read the Belgariad when I was seven. I pinched the books off my auntie because she kept saying how good they were I'd read them by torchlight when I was supposed to be asleep, and I've never looked back

I was in High School which was a long time ago, a couple of decades. Anyway, I have not read the books since. I did read the original ten books, and I read his newer series that came out after the original, but I did not read the very latest books that went back and looked at the lives of the original characters. They came out many years after I had read the series and I was not able to remember enough or regain an interest so I did not read them. Now the possibility does exist to go back and read everything that there is, but it has not happened yet. I did like these books, they are very good.

 

[Beldarius]

Back in 2000 (I was 12 years old at the time), I decided to go shopping for books in my grandma's hometown. I noticed "The Seeress of Kell" in the bookstore and read the back cover, found it interesting and bought it. I've never regretted my decision. It was also my first fantasy book so I have Dave to blame for my obsession with fantasy literature. XD

I managed to finish my collection of Finnish language Eddings books just last year - they quit printing the books in Finland so it took me 11 years to collect them. ...I also have Elenium and Tamuli, Redemption of Althalus and The Sorceress of Darshiva in English. I'm intending to collect all of his books in both English and Swedish (that would bring my collection up to 72 books, but what the hey. XD).