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Belgariad Universe #13
The Rivan Codex: Ancient Texts of THE BELGARIAD and THE MALLOREON.
Ancient Texts of The Belgariad and The Malloreon
When David Eddings sketched a strange map one morning before work, he took the first step in an extraordinary imaginative journey that would last for years and result in a majestic saga of Gods, Kings, and Sorcerers--one loved by millions of readers the world over. Now David and Leigh Eddings take us on a fascinating behind-the-scenes tour of the extensive background materials they compiled before beginning the masterpiece of epic fantasy unforgettably set down in The Belgariad and The Malloreon and their two companion volumes, Belgarath the Sorcerer and Polgara the Sorceress.
Our tour stretches from the wealthy Empire of Tolnedra to the remote Isle of the Winds, from the mysterious mountains of Ulgoland to the forbidding reaches of darkest Mallorea. We will visit the time before Time when two opposing Destinies began the cataclysmic struggle for supremacy that would involve Gods and men alike, crack a world asunder, and threaten to unravel the fabric of the universe itself. We will see the origin of the Orb of Aldur and glimpse the final act upon the Sardion Stone.
Along the way, we will stop to greet old Belgarath, the Old Wolf, disciple of the god Aldur; Polgara, his enigmatic daughter; brave Belgarion, the Rivan King; and his beautiful Queen, Ce'Nedra. Old enemies will be waiting, the maimed god Torak, evil incarnate; Zandramas, fearsome Child of the Dark; and the tragically corrupted traitor, Belzedar.
Rare volumes will be opened to your eyes. Sacred holy books in which you may read the secrets of the Gods themselves and of their prophets. Scholarly histories of the rise and fall of empires from the Imperial Library at Tol Honeth. The profound mysteries of the Malloreon Gospels.
Brimming with the adventure, romance, and excitement readers have come to expect from David and Leigh Eddings--including invaluable advice for aspiring writers on how and how not to create their own fantasy worlds--The Rivan Codex will enrich your understanding of all that has gone before . . . and whet your appetite for all that is yet to come.
When David Eddings sketched a strange map one morning before work, he took the first step in an extraordinary imaginative journey that would last for years and result in a majestic saga of Gods, Kings, and Sorcerers--one loved by millions of readers the world over. Now David and Leigh Eddings take us on a fascinating behind-the-scenes tour of the extensive background materials they compiled before beginning the masterpiece of epic fantasy unforgettably set down in The Belgariad and The Malloreon and their two companion volumes, Belgarath the Sorcerer and Polgara the Sorceress.
Our tour stretches from the wealthy Empire of Tolnedra to the remote Isle of the Winds, from the mysterious mountains of Ulgoland to the forbidding reaches of darkest Mallorea. We will visit the time before Time when two opposing Destinies began the cataclysmic struggle for supremacy that would involve Gods and men alike, crack a world asunder, and threaten to unravel the fabric of the universe itself. We will see the origin of the Orb of Aldur and glimpse the final act upon the Sardion Stone.
Along the way, we will stop to greet old Belgarath, the Old Wolf, disciple of the god Aldur; Polgara, his enigmatic daughter; brave Belgarion, the Rivan King; and his beautiful Queen, Ce'Nedra. Old enemies will be waiting, the maimed god Torak, evil incarnate; Zandramas, fearsome Child of the Dark; and the tragically corrupted traitor, Belzedar.
Rare volumes will be opened to your eyes. Sacred holy books in which you may read the secrets of the Gods themselves and of their prophets. Scholarly histories of the rise and fall of empires from the Imperial Library at Tol Honeth. The profound mysteries of the Malloreon Gospels.
Brimming with the adventure, romance, and excitement readers have come to expect from David and Leigh Eddings--including invaluable advice for aspiring writers on how and how not to create their own fantasy worlds--The Rivan Codex will enrich your understanding of all that has gone before . . . and whet your appetite for all that is yet to come.
394 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1998
235 people are currently reading
2449 people want to read
About the author
Leigh Eddings
35 books101 followersWife of
David Eddings
, co-author of many of his later works and uncredited co-author of his early works.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 111 reviews
November 12, 2008
Allow me to point out that this book is definitely not one to be read from start to finish. It's not that kind of book.
This is the book that you read when you want to gain a full understanding of everything concerning the world and its history. This is where you turn for religious teachings, for currency names and exchange rates.
If anyone ever decided that they wanted to make a game or a movie based on these books, then this is definitely the place that you want to look to get the specific information you would need to fully flesh out the world.
Basically, this book contains all of the interesting details about the world that would seem rather boring or unnecessary to a typical reader of the books.
So, as far as being a good read goes, this one just cannot even begin to compete. As far as being an interesting source of information about an excellent series, this is definitely top of the line material.
This is the book that you read when you want to gain a full understanding of everything concerning the world and its history. This is where you turn for religious teachings, for currency names and exchange rates.
If anyone ever decided that they wanted to make a game or a movie based on these books, then this is definitely the place that you want to look to get the specific information you would need to fully flesh out the world.
Basically, this book contains all of the interesting details about the world that would seem rather boring or unnecessary to a typical reader of the books.
So, as far as being a good read goes, this one just cannot even begin to compete. As far as being an interesting source of information about an excellent series, this is definitely top of the line material.
July 22, 2008
I find it impressive that they wrote this 460+ page book just to prepare for writing 10 others. As a fan of the original Belgariad and Mallorean, as well as both Polgara the Sorceress and Belgarath the Sorcerer, this "how to" process provided more insight than I initially expected. I found much of it fascinating, but think they could have pared down things like currency for the sake of publishing. Otherwise, a good read.
February 16, 2009
My considered opinion is that David Eddings is a little bit of a dick (and a little bit of a misogynist too, although I think he tries). I've been working with that theory since about Belgarath the Sorceror, and this book proved me right.
That said, he's got some good insights on writing, especially writing fantasy (he worldbuilds first, starts the story second), and seeing the origin of all his stories, with notes about the changes he made, makes me want to go reread both the Belgariad and the Mallorean all over again.
That said, he's got some good insights on writing, especially writing fantasy (he worldbuilds first, starts the story second), and seeing the origin of all his stories, with notes about the changes he made, makes me want to go reread both the Belgariad and the Mallorean all over again.
July 5, 2024
This is the second book of "let me expand upon my worldbuilding" that I have read this year, but whereas "Papa Tolkien's" world is endlessly rich and layered, a treasure trove that continues to delight with each new gem, a close viewing of the world of the Belgariad and the Malloreon only reveals the thinness of its fabric.
I mean no discredit to Mr. and Mrs. Eddings. Any degree of worldbuilding is difficult. It is evident from the length of this book that they put an extensive amount of preparation into the foundation of these two popular series. Their preparatory work clearly paid off in their own understanding of their world - for example, being able to discuss world history and politics from the perspective of a Tolnedran academic, complete with the inherent biases that entails.
However, beyond the planet-of-hats historically inspired nations and the oft-repeated story of Belgarath's reclaiming of the Orb of Aldur, one gets the sense that there is not really a lot more to say. Much of the detail on coinage and costume doesn't make it into the novels; the histories presented here are largely contained within the novels (the exception being an overview of each Tolnedran dynasty and their major socio-political achievements); and the rest is a (p)rehashing of Belgarath the Sorceror and Polgara the Sorceress.
The whole book has the feel of that bonus poster you get for backing a kickstarter: no doubt super exciting if you are a diehard fan, but leaving the rest of us thinking we never actually asked for this and wondering what we're supposed to do with it.
I mean no discredit to Mr. and Mrs. Eddings. Any degree of worldbuilding is difficult. It is evident from the length of this book that they put an extensive amount of preparation into the foundation of these two popular series. Their preparatory work clearly paid off in their own understanding of their world - for example, being able to discuss world history and politics from the perspective of a Tolnedran academic, complete with the inherent biases that entails.
However, beyond the planet-of-hats historically inspired nations and the oft-repeated story of Belgarath's reclaiming of the Orb of Aldur, one gets the sense that there is not really a lot more to say. Much of the detail on coinage and costume doesn't make it into the novels; the histories presented here are largely contained within the novels (the exception being an overview of each Tolnedran dynasty and their major socio-political achievements); and the rest is a (p)rehashing of Belgarath the Sorceror and Polgara the Sorceress.
The whole book has the feel of that bonus poster you get for backing a kickstarter: no doubt super exciting if you are a diehard fan, but leaving the rest of us thinking we never actually asked for this and wondering what we're supposed to do with it.
January 14, 2009
Almost a guide to writing fantasy. It contains the notes which provided the details from which sprung both the Belgariad and Mallorean series. Interesting for readers of both series, especially to see where he made changes and how to go about writing a fantasy novel. Warning: IT ISNT A NOVEL ITSELF!
November 30, 2020
https://songedunenuitdete.com/2020/11...
Je ressors soufflée de cette lecture si enrichissante et ce, à bien des niveaux, et… sonnée par l’étendue de ce que j’y ai découvert. Je ne pensais vraiment pas que l’auteur avait pensé à tant de choses pour créer La Belgariade et la Mallorée. Au-delà du genre, je trouve qu’il a un autre point commun avec Tolkien : les langues. Le pouvoir des mots, lorsqu’on le maitrise est une porte ouverte vers des royaumes palpitants !
Au-delà de la genèse d’un univers, c’est une belle leçon d’apprentissage pour qui souhaite écrire un roman de fantasy bien construit que David et Leigh Eddings nous offrent avec ce Codex.
Je ressors soufflée de cette lecture si enrichissante et ce, à bien des niveaux, et… sonnée par l’étendue de ce que j’y ai découvert. Je ne pensais vraiment pas que l’auteur avait pensé à tant de choses pour créer La Belgariade et la Mallorée. Au-delà du genre, je trouve qu’il a un autre point commun avec Tolkien : les langues. Le pouvoir des mots, lorsqu’on le maitrise est une porte ouverte vers des royaumes palpitants !
Au-delà de la genèse d’un univers, c’est une belle leçon d’apprentissage pour qui souhaite écrire un roman de fantasy bien construit que David et Leigh Eddings nous offrent avec ce Codex.
March 29, 2019
ah, nostalgia
you've always had a way with words, dave (or was it leigh?)
p215: ordinary warriors--addressed by rankar
p251: entire mountain ranges quite literally crumbled into rubble, and colossal tidal waves raced across the oceans of the world, forever altering coastlines a half a planet away.
you've always had a way with words, dave (or was it leigh?)
p215: ordinary warriors--addressed by rankar
p251: entire mountain ranges quite literally crumbled into rubble, and colossal tidal waves raced across the oceans of the world, forever altering coastlines a half a planet away.
December 20, 2021
Pretty interesting, the relgious texts more so than the rest.
January 19, 2018
Près de 10 ans de recherche pour enfin trouver ce tome ! J'ai pris énormément de plaisir à découvrir les dessous de la création de cet univers, même en 460 pages de descriptions, Eddings ne m'ennuie pas ! Vraiment un tome qui complète à la perfection les aventures de Garion, Polgara, Belgarath et toute la troupe. Merci au couple Eddings pour ces soirées passées à rêver !
June 26, 2020
The Belgariad is a fantasy classic by any definition. The Malloreon and the prequels, though somewhat repetitive and often “campy” are still good reading. As far as The Rivan Codex goes, well, let me just say that personally I’m a sucker for fantasy histories (starting with The Silmarillion). Come on, you haven’t lived until you’ve read Master Jeebers’ Tolnedran histories, King Anheg’s personal diary or the Dalasian Book of Fates. I enjoyed this one second only to The Belgariad.
A note on separating the art from the artist:
If you’ve read any of the books, you may have wondered, “Who is this Eddings guy?” The truth is, he’s someone with some major skeletons in his closet. I believe there is both good and evil residing in all of us. Eddings chose to indulge his capacity for evil in one of the worst possible ways. In short, this guy was a monster. He served prison time for physical abuse of his adopted children who were found caged beneath his basement stairs swollen bruised and cut.
I think all reasonable people can agree that this is abhorrent. The question is should we still read his books? Here are my thoughts on the matter:
1. Does enjoying a work of art mean that I like the artist as a person or support their views? No.
2. Do his books promote or condone child abuse? No.
3. Am I supporting child abuse by purchasing his books? No - there’s not even a question because he’s dead.
It’s a shame that his legacy is tainted by evil, but I can enjoy the books for what they are and separate the story from the storyteller.
A note on separating the art from the artist:
If you’ve read any of the books, you may have wondered, “Who is this Eddings guy?” The truth is, he’s someone with some major skeletons in his closet. I believe there is both good and evil residing in all of us. Eddings chose to indulge his capacity for evil in one of the worst possible ways. In short, this guy was a monster. He served prison time for physical abuse of his adopted children who were found caged beneath his basement stairs swollen bruised and cut.
I think all reasonable people can agree that this is abhorrent. The question is should we still read his books? Here are my thoughts on the matter:
1. Does enjoying a work of art mean that I like the artist as a person or support their views? No.
2. Do his books promote or condone child abuse? No.
3. Am I supporting child abuse by purchasing his books? No - there’s not even a question because he’s dead.
It’s a shame that his legacy is tainted by evil, but I can enjoy the books for what they are and separate the story from the storyteller.
November 14, 2012
The Rivan Codex is actually quite entertaining, for what it is - a collection of notes and reference materials used in the creation of the Garion books, bookended by Eddings's firmly-stated opinions about how to go about writing a fantasy series. This was pure 'nip to me when I was a teenager - I am fascinated by the process of worldbuilding, and while large chunks of this are fairly dry, they're interesting, at least to me. (And the bits that aren't purely notes are largely written in the more formal style that I think Eddings does reasonably well - the prose ends up being tighter and less digressive, and actually has some rhythm. Compare the origin of Belgarath here with the version in his eponymous book.)
It was a little ironic that I felt this held up fairly well, when one of my big complaints of all of Eddings's work that I've bothered to reread is the sloppiness and shallowness of the worldbuilding. I think he did too much of the wrong kind of worldbuilding to lead to the sort of books I like - there's too much history and geography, and not enough character of any kind. So, for example, when we meet a secondary character, he ends up being a shallow collection of racial characteristics, because Eddings had a nice detailed list of what all the races were like - but no particular thought seems to have been given as to what individual people were like, outside of the main characters. And so we end up with a world that feels very shallow overall. And there are all sorts of minor bits of worldbuilding that end up getting retconned, because they were invented separately from the needs of the actual story.
This is actually a book I would recommend to aspiring fantasists who are familiar with the Garion books, because I think it highlights many of the series's strengths and weaknesses. I don't necessarily think Eddings's advice should be followed without question, but that's true of all writing advice.
It was a little ironic that I felt this held up fairly well, when one of my big complaints of all of Eddings's work that I've bothered to reread is the sloppiness and shallowness of the worldbuilding. I think he did too much of the wrong kind of worldbuilding to lead to the sort of books I like - there's too much history and geography, and not enough character of any kind. So, for example, when we meet a secondary character, he ends up being a shallow collection of racial characteristics, because Eddings had a nice detailed list of what all the races were like - but no particular thought seems to have been given as to what individual people were like, outside of the main characters. And so we end up with a world that feels very shallow overall. And there are all sorts of minor bits of worldbuilding that end up getting retconned, because they were invented separately from the needs of the actual story.
This is actually a book I would recommend to aspiring fantasists who are familiar with the Garion books, because I think it highlights many of the series's strengths and weaknesses. I don't necessarily think Eddings's advice should be followed without question, but that's true of all writing advice.
December 6, 2010
I have been a fan of David Eddings ever since I read Pawn of Prophecy 20 years ago. I know that his books are derivative, repetitive, and obvious, but even with all this they are enjoyable and fun to read, rather easy and light.
I have over the years added all the books from the Belgariad and Malloreon to my bookshelves at home. When I recently came across "The Rivan Codex" I wondered why I had never added this book, or even read it. I did recall seeing it in the book store when it was first published but could not recall why I ignored it.
After picking it up at the local library, (thankfully I did not spend any money on this tripe), and after reading through it I remember now why I avoided this book in the beginning.
The book is based upon source material that was written when Eddings was developing the stories. Most of what is written here is not new and can be found in the Belgarath the Sorcerer and Polgara the Sorceress books. It is obvious that this material was written early and much of it not fully developed.
Christoper Tolkien has published most if not all of the source material that his father wrote when developing his books. These are interesting and important to have because of Tolkien importance to this genre and literature in general. David Eddings even though his books are fun to read they are far from important. My thoughts are that this books release was unnecessary other then to drive revenue for the publisher
I have over the years added all the books from the Belgariad and Malloreon to my bookshelves at home. When I recently came across "The Rivan Codex" I wondered why I had never added this book, or even read it. I did recall seeing it in the book store when it was first published but could not recall why I ignored it.
After picking it up at the local library, (thankfully I did not spend any money on this tripe), and after reading through it I remember now why I avoided this book in the beginning.
The book is based upon source material that was written when Eddings was developing the stories. Most of what is written here is not new and can be found in the Belgarath the Sorcerer and Polgara the Sorceress books. It is obvious that this material was written early and much of it not fully developed.
Christoper Tolkien has published most if not all of the source material that his father wrote when developing his books. These are interesting and important to have because of Tolkien importance to this genre and literature in general. David Eddings even though his books are fun to read they are far from important. My thoughts are that this books release was unnecessary other then to drive revenue for the publisher
December 30, 2008
As a fantasy writer, I was fascinated to learn how one of the fantasy genre's most successful writers planned out his novels. I was well aware that Eddings was a formulaic writer, but it was interesting nonetheless to hear about his past in addition to reading the sheer amount of extra material he compiled in order to write The Belgariad.
While interesting, it is all academic, and obviously out of context to anyone who hasn't read The Belgariad or The Malloreon. For those who have, you'll only like this book if you're interested in encyclopedic details more than, say, a rollicking fantasy adventure.
While interesting, it is all academic, and obviously out of context to anyone who hasn't read The Belgariad or The Malloreon. For those who have, you'll only like this book if you're interested in encyclopedic details more than, say, a rollicking fantasy adventure.
August 17, 2011
I remember reading this book over a decade ago and learning for the first time that authors did not always start out glamourously. Not that it deterred me. It did however tell me to write fantasy in a formulaic fashion. I always used to feel terrible that the story ideas I had didn't come out very similar to his formula, which I now understand as a good thing.
February 27, 2016
The most startling thing about this was actually how much the voice changed from Eddings writing his forewords/afterwords to the actual content og the ancient texts. Otherwise, it was an informative read about the world of the Belgariad and the Malloreon; a lot of background information that was somewhat interesting.
June 11, 2011
I love any book that includes the original ideas, short stories, and how the characters went from their beginnings to their current form. I love when the writer talks about their deals, contracts, and research.
May 30, 2021
Wow, Eddings is a dick.
look, I liked the Belgariad when it came out, when I was in high school, back in the 1980s. Even back then, though, I called them "bathroom reads" -- something that didn't spur deep, profound thoughts, wasn't literary, just a light, entertaining read for distraction. We're not talking Shakespeare here, in other words.
But rereading them? The series has not aged well. Even for the '80s, it was cliched, hackeneyd writing, with horrifying, misogynistic, racist, and disgusting characters and scenes in too many places.
The Rivan Codex is Eddings's background notes for the books, and man, I couldn't even get a couple pages into through Eddings's introduction without going, "Wow, this guy's a dick." The intro is nothing but Eddings lecturing us on how edumacated he is, compared to us poor ignorant peasants, as he reels off all the classic works he's read that supposedly inspired his books.
Then we get this:
"For those of you who intend to follow my path,here's what you should do. Get an education first. You're not qualified to write epic fantasy until you've been exposed to medieval romance." (The Rivan Codex, introduction
Wow. Just...wow.
In one, gutsy anglo-saxon phrase: Fuck. That. Bullshit.
But that one excerpt accurately sums up this book: Eddings's arrogant delusional self not only condescends to explain why the Belgariad is Worthy Literature, but sets himself up as the gatekeeper of fantasy writing.
Fuck. This. Book
look, I liked the Belgariad when it came out, when I was in high school, back in the 1980s. Even back then, though, I called them "bathroom reads" -- something that didn't spur deep, profound thoughts, wasn't literary, just a light, entertaining read for distraction. We're not talking Shakespeare here, in other words.
But rereading them? The series has not aged well. Even for the '80s, it was cliched, hackeneyd writing, with horrifying, misogynistic, racist, and disgusting characters and scenes in too many places.
The Rivan Codex is Eddings's background notes for the books, and man, I couldn't even get a couple pages into through Eddings's introduction without going, "Wow, this guy's a dick." The intro is nothing but Eddings lecturing us on how edumacated he is, compared to us poor ignorant peasants, as he reels off all the classic works he's read that supposedly inspired his books.
Then we get this:
"For those of you who intend to follow my path,here's what you should do. Get an education first. You're not qualified to write epic fantasy until you've been exposed to medieval romance." (The Rivan Codex, introduction
Wow. Just...wow.
In one, gutsy anglo-saxon phrase: Fuck. That. Bullshit.
But that one excerpt accurately sums up this book: Eddings's arrogant delusional self not only condescends to explain why the Belgariad is Worthy Literature, but sets himself up as the gatekeeper of fantasy writing.
Fuck. This. Book
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 23, 2022
David si rivolge ai lettori, o per meglio dire agli scrittori in erba che spesso gli dicono di voler scrivere un libro fantasy come il suo, per suggerire loro il miglior approccio, ovvero di rinunciare.
Scherzi a parte, qui l’autore si diverte a dare una riordinata a tutti gli appunti e studi fatti durante la creazione delle saghe dei Belgariad e dei Mallorean e a raccoglierli in una specie di compendio.
Si tratta in realtà di un lungo excursus su storia, geografia, economia, politica, usi e costumi di ogni singola nazione del suo mondo. Molto puntiglioso e abbastanza tedioso, se non fosse che personalmente mi sono ritrovata immersa nelle atmosfere delle avventure lette tanto tempo fa e questo mi ha regalato una sorta di nostalgia e affetto che mi inteneriscono il cuore.
Piuttosto interessante invece la spiegazione di come ha creato la storia, con un rigoroso metodo scientifico basato su archetipi, miti e spunti presi a prestito dalla nostra storia e dai nostri stessi popoli. Il che potrebbe forse sembrare poco poetico, ma ha dato vita a delle storie che personalmente ho amato molto.
Suggerisco la lettura di questo libro solo ed esclusivamente a chi ha adorato in maniera viscerale le saghe dei Belgariad e dei Mallorean. Tutti gli altri lo saltino tranquillamente a piè pari.
Scherzi a parte, qui l’autore si diverte a dare una riordinata a tutti gli appunti e studi fatti durante la creazione delle saghe dei Belgariad e dei Mallorean e a raccoglierli in una specie di compendio.
Si tratta in realtà di un lungo excursus su storia, geografia, economia, politica, usi e costumi di ogni singola nazione del suo mondo. Molto puntiglioso e abbastanza tedioso, se non fosse che personalmente mi sono ritrovata immersa nelle atmosfere delle avventure lette tanto tempo fa e questo mi ha regalato una sorta di nostalgia e affetto che mi inteneriscono il cuore.
Piuttosto interessante invece la spiegazione di come ha creato la storia, con un rigoroso metodo scientifico basato su archetipi, miti e spunti presi a prestito dalla nostra storia e dai nostri stessi popoli. Il che potrebbe forse sembrare poco poetico, ma ha dato vita a delle storie che personalmente ho amato molto.
Suggerisco la lettura di questo libro solo ed esclusivamente a chi ha adorato in maniera viscerale le saghe dei Belgariad e dei Mallorean. Tutti gli altri lo saltino tranquillamente a piè pari.
August 20, 2021
Se come me siete fan di Eddings, questo interessantissimo libro raccoglie i "bozzetti preparatori" del Belgariad e del Malloreon. Esatto, prima di scrivere le due pentalogie David Eddings ha scritto i "libri sacri" che fanno da struttura portante alle religioni del Belgariad e alle profezie del Malloreon, nonché ha compilato degli "annali" per tratteggiare le storie delle diverse nazioni.
Poi ha modificato alcune cose, quindi non aspettatevi una continuity precissisima.
Se vi sono già venuti due coglioni così a leggere Belgarath the Sorcerer e Polgara the Sorceress, lasciate pure perdere. Oppure leggetevi solo l'introduzione di Eddings, perché quella è veramente interessante - rileggere per l'ennesima volta l'ennesima variazione sul tema della battaglia di Vo Mambre no.
Poi ha modificato alcune cose, quindi non aspettatevi una continuity precissisima.
Se vi sono già venuti due coglioni così a leggere Belgarath the Sorcerer e Polgara the Sorceress, lasciate pure perdere. Oppure leggetevi solo l'introduzione di Eddings, perché quella è veramente interessante - rileggere per l'ennesima volta l'ennesima variazione sul tema della battaglia di Vo Mambre no.
February 24, 2021
I really devoured this book! David Eddings is such a genius to be able to think on so many layers, and then take from all this planning and make two meaningful series out of it. Is it a must-read for Belgariad fans? No, I wouldn't say so, but it is still super enjoyable, and I love how much Eddings' own voice mirrors Belgarath's commentary in Belgarath the Sorcerer.
Are you still there? What an amazing thing! If you've read the Belgariad, I'm sure you can see now where most of it originated. (If you haven't read the Belgariad, why are you reading this?)
Here I am trying to save the world and 'Polgara' is nagging me about bathing!
Women! (Doesn't that sound familiar?)
Are you still there? What an amazing thing! If you've read the Belgariad, I'm sure you can see now where most of it originated. (If you haven't read the Belgariad, why are you reading this?)
Here I am trying to save the world and 'Polgara' is nagging me about bathing!
Women! (Doesn't that sound familiar?)
December 19, 2019
While the background material is interesting, I find the biographical section to be troubling.
The Eddings left out the jail time they both served for child abuse, and that they had their children taken from them is one thing.
But that Mr Eddings invents a high-minded righteous reason he left teaching (he was fired for going to jail, he did not quit over a pay dispute) and then gave it direct credit for the circumstances that led to these books being written leaves a taint over the whole thing.
I don't usually go in for a biographical reading of any authors work, but that "The Losers" was written immediately after David got out of jail for locking his child in a cage, does seem to explain the loathing of social workers expressed in that novel.
The Eddings left out the jail time they both served for child abuse, and that they had their children taken from them is one thing.
But that Mr Eddings invents a high-minded righteous reason he left teaching (he was fired for going to jail, he did not quit over a pay dispute) and then gave it direct credit for the circumstances that led to these books being written leaves a taint over the whole thing.
I don't usually go in for a biographical reading of any authors work, but that "The Losers" was written immediately after David got out of jail for locking his child in a cage, does seem to explain the loathing of social workers expressed in that novel.
December 17, 2024
Hadn't read this in over 10 years, but someone mentioned something that made me think of it, so I grabbed it.
This shouldn't be your first dive into this world. While it is an excellent peek at 'how the sausage is made' from many viewpoints and it informs so much of the actual story, this isn't really a novel on it's own. It makes sense if you have the basis to refer to, which is ironic since most of this was the Eddings' initial planning for The Belgariad and The Mallorean (and later Belgarath's and Polgara's books).
A fan will love this. Anyone who wants to get into genre writing will love this. Anyone else, go pick up Pawn of Prophecy instead and meet us back here in a bit.
This shouldn't be your first dive into this world. While it is an excellent peek at 'how the sausage is made' from many viewpoints and it informs so much of the actual story, this isn't really a novel on it's own. It makes sense if you have the basis to refer to, which is ironic since most of this was the Eddings' initial planning for The Belgariad and The Mallorean (and later Belgarath's and Polgara's books).
A fan will love this. Anyone who wants to get into genre writing will love this. Anyone else, go pick up Pawn of Prophecy instead and meet us back here in a bit.
June 7, 2021
My history professor gave me an assignment to read Eleanor of Aquitaine and the Four Kings and compare it with a more contemporary biography. I think Eddings must have read the Kelly book, because wow is he wrong about Eleanor.
This was interesting from a craft perspective but as I am no longer a completist, it will be leaving the house shortly.
This was interesting from a craft perspective but as I am no longer a completist, it will be leaving the house shortly.
July 21, 2017
This isn't a novel. It appealed to me from a certain academic perspective as within this text is a wonderful lesson in world building. The painstaking creation of a world, nationalities and several religions is amazing to behold and shows the effort needed to create something as rich as the world of the Belgariad. Perhaps this is easier today with tools like scrivener but the graft must be the same.
May 22, 2018
I read all of the Belgariad and Mallorean series, and loved them. They were the Harry Potter series of my youth. In this book Eddings peals back the finished product to explain how he planned the series before writing them. The majority of the book is his pre-narrative construction of his fantasy world. The first and last chapters are the best as he speaks to his readers, especially to aspiring writers, giving a detailed explanation of hows and whys.
July 5, 2022
The texts at the root of the Belgariad and the Malloreon. Initial plot outlines and other supplementary texts. "Essays" by Eddings as well. The Holy Books of all the gods, the Histories of the Western and Eastern Kingdoms as written by Tolnedra. The Battle of Vo Mimbre. The History of the Eastern Kingdoms by the Melcenes. The Malloreon Gospels. Plus an entry from the diary of Anheg of Cherek. Some funny insights.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 17, 2018
I reread this mostly for the essay on how to write a fantasy novel. It's classic and so funny. I skimmed the rest of the book, which is fun in a kind of geeky way. It's amazing how much effort he put into creating this world. I skipped the part about the Mallorean Gospels because I'm not rereading that series.
October 20, 2019
A long time ago I read David Eddings books Polgara and the series which goes with it. I have not read them for years. I picked up this book and it was just too much for me. Perhaps if I read it following the previous series it would have held more interest. The story was interesting enough to keep my interest for a bit, but I just stopped reading.
November 18, 2020
Interesting background
I haven't read the original books in years, but the story has stuck in my mind, which is a feat that testifies to its power.
This Kindle edition is littered with strange typographical errors, no doubt a byproduct of the conversion process, but is still perfectly clear nonetheless.
I really should dig out my old copies for nostalgia's sake.
I haven't read the original books in years, but the story has stuck in my mind, which is a feat that testifies to its power.
This Kindle edition is littered with strange typographical errors, no doubt a byproduct of the conversion process, but is still perfectly clear nonetheless.
I really should dig out my old copies for nostalgia's sake.
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