[ghost8772]

my feeling has been that David Eddings wrote the male characters, and Leigh wrote the female characters. their interaction as husband and wife was there to form the interaction between characters. Polgara, childless mother figure, always as an aunt. She is constantly herding her young relative in the direction she wants him to go, add in her relationship to Belgarath the old man to refuses to go in the direction she feels he needs to go so she could be proud of him. Ce'Nedra - princess to her teeth - as an initial presentation she is shown for what she IS, an immature spoiled brat who is actively working to ensure she STAYS spoiled. then when things get turned on her she is still working to have the universe revolve around her. takes a long time several inched of ground teeth, but persistent work by all to finally get her to at least stop looking to how consistently the universe revolves around her.

Sephrenia and was in a situation where she was limited by being a styric. its even described. their gods make their decisions for them, as well as do a lot of the deep thinking, but when confronted by Elenes, they are both more knowledgeable, and less complex at the same time.

Ehlana was assertive, learned the arts of persuasion and argument, as well as being a stunningly beautiful woman, as was said, there are times when she acts beyond her years, as a powerful mature monrchs in full command of herself, then other times when she is a teenage girl etc...

yes the male characters are easier to relate to, they are a lot more easygoing and really only rouse themselves to action when its a matter of life and death of someone else. yes the women are bossy, pushy, clingy, and otherwise, but at least they're fairly real, consistent, and operate within the limits set on them.