[Loki]

Does anyone here, that has read most of Eddings books find that he cant come up with any other plot than a thief or vagabond(belgarath, althalus) is compeled to go to this place and stays there for a few hundred billion years learns how to become an almighty magician then gathers a party and kills the bad guy. Does anyone disagree or agree with me?

[Cadfael]

Hey Loki

All I can say to you is...

"Be Nice"

As Eddings writes when he can't think of anything else to write...zzzzzzzzzzzzz

[Bardos]

I have only read the D.Eddings's Elenium , and I hate Sparhawk. Nothing can stop that guy! And the villains are so useless -you pity them. *ugh* Also traveling is so boring.

No offence to those who like it, ofcourse...

[Pluvious]

I stopped reading Eddings long ago, but isn't just about everybody an ally with the good guys?

And dennizm, "But you still love me right???"

Shouldn't it be necessary to know something about the human character to write a novel?

[Cadfael]

Hey Pluvious

"Don't pout, it isn't nice" Said Pol <again>

[Kietal]

I think everyone has lost the key thing that makes Eddinhgs books so good, the characterization and the subsequient banter between the characters (Who can't laugh at Pol and Beldin). The way that the stories span multiple books gives the reader a deeper involvement with the characters, one gets so use to Silks snide remarks and his remedy for a hangover. The plot's may be repetitive but its just his formula for his fantasy stories. I love Eddings writing and to say Eddings sucks because of one character is so unsubstancial.I for one did not like Rand at first as he never stops wining, this may have an extreme insight into what a character is going through but there is no need to go into the problem in chapter deepth is soooooooooooooooooooooooo boring it helped cure my insomnia. Well send of the nukes in my direction. http://www.sffworld.com/ubb/wink.gif

[Rupert Avery]

I agree with Kietal the banter between the characters is what makes the books great.
The day Belgarath turned to Silk and said
"trust me"
made me laugh out loud on a busy train (which got me a lot of stares) because the way Eddings built up the relationship between theses two over the series made that simple sentance funny.I just think people put down Eddings because of his so so plot and they forget about the top characters.
Look at when Silk taught Garion the secret finger language but because he taught him when it was cold and they were out doors when Garion uses it it is said he has accent.I think he just spends more time on his characters and I think some other writes can make there books alot better if they did this too.Well now Im just rambling on so I will finish up by saying that Eddings is better then most people think.

[Pluvious]

Eddings tends to appeal to the younger or newer generation of fantasy readers.

I do like his book names though.

[Drewids]

I think Rupert hit it on the head. People often talk about Eddings being to "general" in his characters, but how many authors can take a few lines by a character and the reader can laugh because they understand the characters personality.
Also, I have to say that people bag on Eddings for being basic and repeating storylines, but for me the quest is usually the best part of the book. You get to know the characters, the worlds landscape and new races. The continuing treks were great. How often I have read chapter after chapter of characters jumping from castle to castle is quiet boring. The quest is where anything can happen and predictibility is really low.

[Bardos]

From what I remember, in Elenium, the characters just traveled and *nothing* happened. That was why I was so bored. I don't know about Eddings's other books -and I don't think I will read them...