David Eddings

[EmpressOfJurisfiction]

I loved the Belgariad and the Malloreon when I was younger but rereading them now...

Polgara advises Islena to have a few children to keep her busy and twhen Ce'Nedra's mourning her lack of cleavage, gives her similar advice. Young women are constantly falling head over heels for older men and luring them into marriage. Most people only ever wear one colour.

What does anyone else think?

I see what your saying but I think I still read these in the same way I did when I was a teenager! Eddings and particularly the Garion series are my go to comfort reads and despite their shortcomings I love them!

The 'time' they are set in is sort of medieval-ish too so having children would have been seen as a woman's 'duty' a bit more than it is now (not clutching at straws at all here!)

love your username too - jasper Fforde is another favourite of mine

I did plough through these when I was younger but felt that the female characters were awful even then. They put me off fantasy for years.

Penguin . Thursday Next is my favourite character EVER.
I see what you mean about the medieval angle. And tbf Polgara, Ce'Nedra, Liselle etc were strong women... Hm. I want to read them again now.