David Eddings fans - over here

[sashh]

OK so there are at least 4 of us on MN, if you are an Eddings fan please sign in.

Ooh, me! Still regret getting rid of all the books when I thought we were moving to DH's house, which was even smaller than my house at the time. I may have had to rebuy them all on kindle. I know they are dated, sexist and he only had 2 basic female character types - but I loved them as a teen and still enjoy a guilty reread.

Heeelllllooooooo! Loved the Polgara quote, not seen an Eddings reference in years.

I've still got the Belgariad, the Riven Codex, Polgara, Belgarath and the stand alone Redemption of Athalas. Got rid of the Mallorian thought.

I do believe I'm due a re-read😊

Love these books, any recommendations for similar style series?

I've still got some on my shelf, like a Pp I too ditched the Malloaian...

Me! Not read the Belgariad for aaaaaaages though, DH is currently re-reading for the billionth time so might read them after him.

I don't mind the Mallorian.

Was a huge fan as a teenager, still have full set of Belgariad and Mallorean (I am nearly 50! 😳) I did read the series with Sparhawk too, found it a bit too similar though and never really connected with it. I looooved Silk, and just felt such resonance with Garion being a misunderstood teen. I got him. 🙃

I may do a reread too.

Me me me!! Read the Belgariad over and over as a young teen. About to introduce my dd to it. My family set up a mastermind quiz on it for me once 😁 and I used to copy the map out obsessively. Rereading it as an adult I find the writing a little lacking and repetitive, especially toward the end of the Mallorean. Although the Sparhawk ones have less charm I think they are better overall.
For similar type of thing try Brendan Sanderson or Michael Sullivan.

I blew my entire wedge of holiday money on the Belgariad when I was 13 or so and still have them. I also kept the Malloreon, but got rid of all the others, too repetitive. Am definitely due a reread!

Me!

ME! I'll put my hand up. An Eddings book was nearly always on the go as my second book - the belgariad, mallorean, elenian, tamuli and the athulus books for the win. Never got in the later books.

@Jammydodged - any high fantasy book series will probably be a win for you given how formulaic Eddings was with his/their writings. Try :

• Sanderson series, like Mistborn, or go to


• Robin Hobbs and her farseer trilogy or to


• Feist's Riftwar saga (start with Magician)


• Kristen Britains Greenrider series is pretty good too (although not finished)

Eddings' later stuff was repetitive and often dire, (looking at you, Althalus!) but I forgive him that because he was the first author I came across whose fantasy novels weren't serious to the point of deadly. I think he opened the door for a lot of authors to write good stories and lighten up a bit.

I don't put Robin Hobb into the same bracket though, she is a vastly superior writer. Feist started off well but then started taking himself too seriously, so I've hung on to the original Magician trilogy and got rid of the rest.

I loved them as a teen and early 20-something. I haven’t dared revisit them as I don’t want to taint the memories

I'm here! The Belgariad is my comfort read. I don't read a lot of high fantasy these days as I prefer YA which is definitely not YA, if you know, you know but I'm always down for a quest to find the magic thingimajig with the whole entourage!

Ooh, I'm here. I reread them during one of the lockdowns. They're definitely not great writing and my god, the intrinsic sexism and a bit of racism is very dating but I can't help it, I do thoroughly enjoy them. They're just so much FUN.

I was a bit disturbed to discover that Eddings and his wife were prosecuted for child abuse and it has put me off since then.

Thoroughly enjoyed the first few series of Feist. And the spin off written by someone else.

Met my husband on a David Eddings fan forum 22 years’ ago. Still together.

Due another read through.

Me! I'm listening to the Belgariad free on youtube.

I discovered David Eddings one summer between first and second year of university. I can’t think of any other author I actually read out of sequence as I was relying on the library and second hand bookshops. I remember having to wait for The Seeress of Kell to be released.
What was really funny was that my two best friends also, independently, started reading them that summer.

Me! The Belgariad was the series that got me into fantasy as a child. Was thrilled to discover many years later that my boss was also a fan so finally had someone to discuss them with. Liked the Sparhawk books too. Couldn’t finish his last series though. The Elder Gods was full of paragraphs taken from his other books, just with different character names, way too repetitive

I love the Belgariad and Mallorean, not so much anything after that. Polgara the sorceress was my favorite.

I remember reading Eddings in secondary school when Harry Potter came out. There was something in the newspapers about how parents were complaining about Harry Potter being too violent and laughing because it was nothing compared to Eddings (I think this was the first or second HP book).

Wow I was in my 30s when I discovered Eddings although spent my childhood reading sci fi and some fantasy.

I also used to read Piers Anthony - I must pick that up again.

So glad to have found my people.

I loved them too, but on re-reading was irritated by how many people just 'noted' things - it was like Eddings couldn't think of another word! Haven't read them for years. But Polgara was so brilliant - I still want to be her when I grow up (I'm 64).

I used to like Piers Anthony but the sexism meant eventually I gave them all away. Love Robin Hobb and some of Brandon Sanderson. These threads are always SO expensive though...

I loved The Belgariad. The humour was wonderful. The first time I read about Garion lifting that boulder and getting stuck I properly laughed for ages. I am another Silk fan - brilliant dry humour.

I agree about the repetition and the characters almost become 2D caricatures. Silk is always "sardonic", Hetter always minimal dialogue and quiet, Polgara always "raising an eyebrow", Belgarath always "filching cakes and ale".

The Dragonlance chronicles fit a similar demographic too - good stories though not great characterisation - though in the Legends trilogy, Raistlin is excellent as a tortured mage.

Me! I used to save up my pocket money so I could buy the next in series, then read them so many times they’re nearly falling apart. Not sure whether to replace or not 🤔 can’t see an edition I like enough to spend the £ (Ideally I’d like some cool hardcovers with gold lettering like some of the Harry Potter special editions.)

Favourite was the Belgariad, with Garion coming into his powers and messing up as he experimented. Ce’ Nedra was fun too. I wasn’t quite as keen on Mallorean as I felt it never fully unpacked the horror of the baby abduction, would have preferred the book without that random tragedy.

Loved Sparhawk too, especially the chats he had with Blue Rose. I particularly liked that in an early conversation Blue Rose says “I will harden your heart and strengthen your arm” and later Sparkhawk becomes a bit more emotionally distant and cold but we’re left to work out for ourselves that it’s because of the influence of the Blue Rose…

Favourite line was when Belgarath admits he’s late and injured because a tree fell on him. Yep random crap happens even to super powerful immortal sorcerors…

Oooh I loved loved loved reading Eddings! Like pp I read him first during my first year at uni. Had the Belgariad, Mallorean and Polgara and Belgareth. Adored them and were a comfort read in my early twenties. Sadly my DC are not interested but I still have most of them.

Confession time; may have completed accelerated reader quizzes on them under my DD’s school account. 100% result 😝

Loved the humour, especially Silk and Beldin.