My library has a poor selection

[Rahl Windsong]

My Library has a poor selection of this author. I recently read The Redemption of Althalus and there were aspects to this story that I really enjoyed but Althalus himself was not one of those aspects.

Rahl

[Princess Ivy]

one thing i can say, althalus is not one of his better novels.

[Mark Robson]

I'd agree with that. Start with Pawn of Prophecy if you can get your hands on a copy. His early works were more enjoyable IMO.

[dwndrgn]

I couldn't even finish Althalus.

[Rahl Windsong]

Well I finished it, but like I said the Althalus character was not one of my favorites. What I liked was the way Eddings described the gods of that world, and I really liked the ideas behind the dagger that when read would put the right person on the path of helping the goddess Dweia (sp?) Anyway I hate to put down a book once I start it and I did finish it but really I never expected to say much about it again. hehe

Rahl

[Princess Ivy]

Originally Posted by Rahl Windsong

Well I finished it, but like I said the Althalus character was not one of my favorites. What I liked was the way Eddings described the gods of that world, and I really liked the ideas behind the dagger that when read would put the right person on the path of helping the goddess Dweia (sp?) Anyway I hate to put down a book once I start it and I did finish it but really I never expected to say much about it again. hehe

Rahl

Eddings is a good writer, My problem with Althulus wasn't its writing style, that was as enjoyable as ever, my problem was the copycat of the earlier books. it just was so tired.

[jcm73]

I disagree. I really enjoyed Althalus. I liked him as a character, and I enjoyed the book. I loved that he gathered all his people around him (or rather Emmy did!) and then they just got into everything and did it. I liked how the story turned around at the end and they went over the same road changing history! I thought it was a good book, and the kind of Eddings story that you appreciate (ie. writing style similar to his earlier work) and thought the fact that the story was one volume was great!

[stelfox1]

I have been looking around the local book shops trying to find Althalus, so I was going to order it online. Is it really worth searching for this book, i have read a lot of bad reports about it.

[Amber]

Well if you love Eddings other works do. It's exactly like them. Identical character molds etc. if you're just mildly interested don't

[BINKY]

I tried reading Althalus, but really couldn't get into it, so gave up................which is weird cos i love his other stuff!

[Sparrowhawk]

Well all of his stuff is repetitve! its the way he writes..
I mean Mallorean is practically a copy of Balgariad the problem is just dont read him all at once then it becomes too much!
read one series then go to something else and come back for another.
Althalus for me was less repetitive than his other work because it is a stand alone book away from the others!
The latest series is just a big pile of steaming dung IMO. put me right off Eddings and Im a big fan got all his books up till the second one of the present series but rue the day i bought the first, its so bad!!!!

[Sparrowhawk]

Read Althulas its pretty good its a stand alone story so you dont have to worry about getting hold of any other books!
his writing is repetetive but its always been as such...Mallorean is a carbon copy of Balgariad and the funny thing is its MEANT to be a copy! its still good but you cant read the two series after one another its becomes too much!
the same goes for all of Eddings' work you cant read too much of him at a time you must take breaks and read someone else in between.
I love his writing and the story lines ive got all his books but know what his weakness is aswell...all his work is excelant (barring the current series, bought first book and is absolute tripe put me right off Eddings) but you have to read in small doses, one series at a time!

[GOLLUM]

Well I'm not really a fan of Eddings at all. Pretty simplistic for my tastes and written a bit to much to a formula but if it captures a certain readership then good luck to Mr Eddings is what I say.

I read the Belgaraid probably 20 plus years ago and didn't read much more after that...

[ladyflorange]

I really liked Althalus too! I thought it was a great book, and so did my sister. I also recently read the Elder Gods and The Treasured One and really enjoyed them as well although I didn't think I would. Pawn of Prophecy is still on my 'to read' list, although people keep telling me to start it!

[Priv8eye]

I read Althalus years ago (it was bought for me as a present) as I was 'falling out' with Eddings. It is, like much of his other work, full of similar characters and themes doing the same stuff that they did in the other books (but hey, this worked for Micheal Moorcock right?).

Perhaps one of the other problems in althalus is that the title character doesn't really need that much redeeming, making the title a little redundant. Yeah he is a thief, but hes a not a psychotic murderer or anything like that.

Eddings better works are probably (through the hazy, rose-tinted glasses of memory) the Belgariad (but don't bother with the photocopy posinbg as a sequal) and the first of the Sparhawk books (but again don't bother with the sequal).

It has been a long time since I read Eddings and I will go out and read the older stuff again soon (looking for Sparhawk), but only throught he local Library. Can't be bothered wasteing my money on him/them again.