From archive (archive) Subject: Re: David Eddings From: mangoe@umcp-cs.UUCP (Charley Wingate) Organization: University of Maryland, Dept. of Computer Sci. Date: 8 Nov 86 05:27:36 MET Gareth Husk writes: >After stating in the pre-amble that Eddings was using the series to >devolop ideas in philosophy it quickly became a very standard plot >where one race is regarded as inherently evil, to be killed with no thought >at all. THe American edition has no such preamble (I for one am glad of it). And I think that the "standard plot device" is what you THINK is happening, but it gets changed up in the last two books into something more complicated. Personally, I like everything up to the Climactic Battle Scene, at which point Plot Expediency seizes the reins and everything goes to hell in a handbasket-- except for the constant trail of teasers for The Sequel. I especially like the prologue to _Magician's Gambit_, which is almost enough to stand on its own merits as an independent story. My problem with the series is that after four and a half books of not explaining, the story simply disintegrates into a swamp of plot devices and bad theology. THe plot of _End Game_ is a hairy monster as it is, and then we have this terribly unsatifying ending. Also, I can't see how there could be a sequel of much interest-- it's like trying to continue past _The Return of the King_. So I'm hoping this Big Sequel will not pan out. C. Wingate From archive (archive) Subject: Re: David Eddings Keywords: Warning: broad Belgeriad plot spoilers From: chen@gt-stratus.UUCP (Ray Chen) Organization: The Clouds Project, School of ICS, Georgia Tech Date: 9 Nov 86 08:56:08 MET David Eddings pulled off quite a feat. He starts out with an epic storyline and stereotyped characters. The storyline involves the return of a King, salvation of the Universe, and the death of a God. The major characters are indeed incredibly stereotyped. He then makes you forget about the epic story, and concentrate instead instead on the day-to-day details. He takes stereotyped characters and makes them almost believable while still keeping them stereotyped. Character interaction ends up seeming as (or more) important than the big events. At the end of the story, he has the reader (and the main character) worrying about his upcoming marriage and the fact that he may become a *very* hen-pecked husband. He does this so well that I found myself not only sympathizing with the main character but also totally forgetting that this guy was now a King, Overlord of the West, one of the most powerful sorcerors in the world, and quite possibly immortal. On top of all this of course, he is (and will be for a number of years) the Guardian of the most powerful artifiact in the world -- an artifact that can amplify his sorcerous powers and is usable only by him and his direct descendants. And he had me feeling *sorry* for this guy because he was about to get married. You'd never see anything like this in a Tolkien-style epic. Eddings really illustrates the point that no matter how epic the adventure, you have to live it on a day-to-day basis. I find it difficult to pin a short description on the Belgeriad, but if I had to, I'd call it "an epic told in a humorous, non-epic way". The author's notes state that Eddings was trying to develop certain philisophical and technical ideas about the genre. Well, that's what I think he was after. Ray Chen chen@gatech.UUCP From archive (archive) Subject: Author Lists: David Eddings From: JWenn.ESAE@XEROX.COM Date: 19 Jan 89 08:09:24 GMT David Eddings has only written in one world (excluding a deer hunting related novel a decade earlier). Sure all his characters are sterotypes, and his plots are very much standard quests, but he manages to make it massively entertaining with some surprises lurking when one doesn't expect them. [O] == Omnibus (a book that completely contains other books) [NSF] == Not SF /John arpa: JWenn.ESAE@Xerox.com ---------------------------------------------------------------- David Eddings The Belgariad Pentalogy The Belgariad: Part One [1985] [O] Pawn of Prophecy [1982] Queen of Sorcery [1982] Magician's Gambit [1983] The Belgariad: Part Two [1985] [O] Castle of Wizardry [1984] Enchanter's End Game [1984] Second Belgariad Series Guardians of the West [1987] The King of Murgos [1988] Demon Lord of Karanda [1988] High Hunt [1973] [NSF]