Magic's Promise (The Last Herald-Mage Series, Book 2)

Customer Reviews:

Not as Promising.......2007-10-10

"Magic's Promise" suffers from a problem common to many trilogies-it carries on from the first part,and at the same time it's all in anticipation of the grand finale.

In "Magic's Promise",Vanyel is sent to solve a royal murder mystery. It's pretty conventional,and surprisingly cliched for Mercedes Lackey. Mercedes Lackey is unaccustomed to writing mystery stories;it shows especially in this installment.

However,"Magic's Promise" does have promise. Vanyel struggles with the loss of his lover,Tylendel,as well as his feelings of attraction towards a young,teenaged prince. His banter with his Companion,Yfandes,shows the deep bond between them. Vanyel's relationship with his family is also developed as they come to terms with his homosexuality. "Magic's Promise" leaves the reader wanting more,and Lackey delivers.

Vanyel's Amazing Tale Contines..........2007-05-05

Naturally, after I finished reading the first book (Magic's Pawn (The Last Herald-Mage Series, Book 1)) in "The Last Herald-Mage" trilogy, I had to dive into the next one. Had to see what Vanyel would be up to now that he'd become a Herald-Mage.

Turns out he's the most powerful Herald-Mage and when we first see him again, he's in desperate need of some good rest. All the magic he's been doing on his mission has taken its toll. He decides to spend some time with his family, since they keep asking for him to visit, and hopes he can find some rest while he's there.

Well, wouldn't you know it? Rest is not what he gets at all. Yfandes receives a desperate call from across the border that a fellow companion is in danger. She and Vanyel take off to help. There they find an amnesiac Herald Prince, whose tale brings about an entire host of problems that ensure Vanyel will not be getting rest for some time to come.

What I love about this book is the relationship between Vanyel and his companion, Yfandes. She is a magnificent force and a fitting companion for him. Their conversations are highly entertaining, be it teasing, emotionally charged ones, or even just idle chit chat.

I also like that Vanyel starts to learn that people look at him funny because they are in awe (or fear) of his power, not because he is gay. Yeah, he can be a little dense. Powerful, but dense.

However, his power is what makes him so isolated from others. He is sent continually on missions because he is the only one who can do what needs to be done. I had to keep reminding myself that the trilogy is called "The Last Herald-Mage." He has to because there are so few left, not to mention the simple fact that many of the people, Herald's too, see Herald-Mages as the only solvers to every problem.

I found it fascinating to see Vanyel grown up and how he approaches each situation. I felt saddened too by all he's gone through...very. I found myself only more attached to the character by the reading of this book. Simply put...he and his story are amazing!

An Utterly Engrossing Series!.......2007-03-31

I picked up this series because I was in the process of writing a fantasy novel with a gay hero and I wanted to see what other works were out there. I had never read Ms. Lackey's work, so I didn't know what to expect. I was not just pleasantly surprised by this trilogy, I was completely captivated by it and very sad when I reached the final page. The plot is interesting and the pace is quick. The characters, especially the hero Vanyel, are extremely sympathetic, primarily due to the fact that they are so flawed. Some may find the romance a bit sappy, but I'm the first to admit that I dig that kind of thing and you'll see it in my own novels as well.Orphan's Quest (Chronicles of Firma, Book One) Best of all for me, though, was the fact that although her hero is unapologetically gay, the series does not become mired in its "gayness" as so many other works of gay-themed fiction I have read.

This trilogy gave me a great deal of inspiration to push on with my own fantasy aspirations. I owe Misty a big hug if we ever meet face to face. I highly recommend these three books. Whether you're gay or straight, you'll find them an excellent read and, like me, you'll be sorry to reach that last page.

Pretty good, once you get past the homosexuality.......2006-02-27

I really had to detach myself from the main character because he's gay. It drastically lowered my enjoyment of the book. But, the story was actually pretty good and worth reading.

For a series with the word "Magic" in each title, I thought the use of magic was woefully small. Most of the "good stuff" happens "off-screen" and is only mentioned as an aside.

The "hero" was constantly described as the most powerful herald-mage alive, perhaps ever. Yet, I only ever saw him do something that seemed rather basic and then suffer for days or weeks during recover from over-using his magic.

Finally, it was hard for me to fully enjoy a story that focuses so much on the depression, moodiness, and sulkiness of the hero.

Still... I found it worth reading. (Though I won't recommend it to my kids.)

magic's promise.......2005-10-30

This volume continues the trilogy of Herald Mage Vanyel Ashkevron. He returns after an exhausting Border stint dealing with all sorts of unfriendly magic creatures to find a letter waiting for him from his father, who wants him to pay a visit. Naturally, magic is involved, including a demon, various nodes of supernatural power, and a young man who may or may not have killed his family (by magic).

The only thing that didn't ring true for me were the reconcilaition between Jervis, the armsmaster and Vanyel. Suddenly, a man who's always been shown to be a brutal bully is dissolving and apologizing and incidentally shown not to have any prejudice against gays (which Vanyel is). Ditto the previously stern and foreboding father suddenly happy to mend any old wounds. The forgiveness happened way too fast to be believable.

I Promise You: Preparing for a Marriage That Will Last a Lifetime

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a must for any couple thinking about getting married
Very Insightful!

I Promise You: Preparing for a Marriage That Will Last a Lifetime
Willard F.Jr. Harley
Manufacturer: Revell
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Love & Romance | Relationships | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

Marriage | Relationships | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

General | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

General | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0800718933
Release Date: 2006-10-01

Book Description

Marriage is a truly unique commitment that requires more than just love to keep it together. And those considering marriage today know too well the frightening divorce statistics--many come from divorced families themselves. So where can an engaged couple turn for help strengthening their marriage before it starts? I Promise You offers couples four ways to create a healthy and vibrant marriage: care, protection, honesty, and time. Each chapter contains useful and practical exercises to help readers make each of these four keys second nature in their relationships. Engaged couples will find this book an invaluable tool in evaluating and improving their relationships. Additionally, pastors and counselors will find I Promise You an excellent source of information and advice.

Customer Reviews:

a must for any couple thinking about getting married.......2007-03-19

This is a great book with topics that every couple should address before getting married! You may feel you really know your partner well, let me tell you this book will lay it all out and allow you to get into each others mind and heart like nothing I have ever read, and I teach the Pre marital class for our community church, so I have all the books on the subject in my library!

Very Insightful!.......2006-11-08

In this work you will find a guide to help with your relationship in preparing for a long productive life with the one you love. In the excitement of beginning a new life together very few of us think beyond walking down the isle, but what really does happen after the vows are made and life truly begins with all the problems this world can bring. Will you have a foundation that is lasting?
In Dr. Harley's book you will find a breakdown of four principals that should be addressed and implemented in your relationship to help insure a stronger tomorrow. They are: The Promise of Care; The Promise of Protection; The Promise of Honesty and The Promise of Time. In each of these topics he identifies what it really means to care,to protect, what honesty is, and the giving of time along with mountains of breakdowns in each category to help you understand the principles given and how applying them to your relationship will help it bloom and last forever.
I Promise You gives great guidelines that will help to ensure a happy ever-after and these gems are not only for the soon to be married but for any couple that wants to enrich their lives in a beautiful way. Easy to read, understand and apply, this book will surely help many .

Average customer rating:

Allineare un romanzo meraviglioso ! (Truly a Wonderful Novel)
A wonderful story,
You won't be able to put this one down!
You will not be alble to put this book donwn......
Absolutely Fantastic

Last Promise, The AMS
Richard Paul Evans
Manufacturer: NAL Trade
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Romance | Subjects | Books

General | Contemporary | Romance | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0451216016

Book Description

Unabridged, 6 cassettes, 9 hours

Customer Reviews:

Allineare un romanzo meraviglioso ! (Truly a Wonderful Novel).......2007-08-02

This book was literally tossed at me with the comment "I think you'll like it." What an understatement. Truly one of the better novels I have read. A terrific story, extremely well developed characters, and an easy read. Hadn't heard of RPE, but I definitely am a new fan. The story is a love story that takes place in Italy. I have never been there, but I must say after reading this one it's next on my travel list. Our main character Eliana leaves the states to marry Maurizio (who turns out to not be such a nice guy). They have a sickly son who is left to the care of Eliana while her husband is off traveling and in the company of several different women. When a new man moves into their apartment building, an American named Ross, he an Eliana start up a relationship that of course Maurizio is made aware of by one of his employees who lives in the village. Of course what is good for him is not OK for his wife...things get ugly, to the point of Maurizio threatening to take their child Alessio, away from his mother. I don't want to divulge too much of the plot to you. I can honestly say it was one great read, I didn't want it to end.

A wonderful story, .......2007-06-12

I loved this book, its one of Richard Paul Evans best. The sunflower is a wonderful book also. Hard to put down. Great Book!!

You won't be able to put this one down!.......2006-10-20

This is a great book - one I could not put down until I had it completely read! It is a story in which a lot of people can relate to and it offers hope to others in similar situations.

You will not be alble to put this book donwn.............2006-06-23

This is the very first book that I have read by Richard Paul Evans and I was hooked by the time I finished reading the first chapter. Very powerful story about love. By the time I was done reading the book my husband had purchased all other titles written by Mr. Evans. Read the book, you will be just as hooked as I was.

Absolutely Fantastic.......2006-06-08

I rarely have the chance to read (have two boys and third on the way) and I just happened upon this book at the bookstore and the cover caught my eye. I read the jacket and decided to give it a try. It sat for months on my dresser before I finally got to pick it up. I read half of the book in just a few hours...it is a wonderfully written novel and I am definitely going to be reading the rest of his books. The characters come to life and it's extremely difficult to put down! Definitely the best book I've read in YEARS!

Average customer rating:

Fantasy With Passion

The Last Herald-Mage
Mercedes Lackey
Manufacturer: Guild America Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 0739422952

Product Description

A 3 in 1 omnibus -- includes Magic's Pawn, Magic's Promise, and Magic's Price.

Customer Reviews:

Fantasy With Passion.......2005-08-15

Mercedes Lackey's Last herald Mage series consists of three different books, originally published separately: Magic's Pawn, Magic's Promise and Magic's Price. They describe the life of one man, from adolescence to maturity, who lives in a world peopled with kings, warriors, fantastical creatures and all of the things that readers of fantasy have come to love and identify with.

One slight twist: Vanyel, the story's protagonist, just happens to be gay.

From the titles, the stories obviously have to do with magic and the people who wield it. Lackey writes with great passion, and it is her love for the world she's created in these books that makes them worthwhile. Her system of magic isn't overly complex, but it is well thought out, and has appeal to a wide range of readers.

Rather than focusing on epic battles and the machinations of vast armies, Lackey concentrates on character development and interpersonal relationships. One gets a sense that she spent time getting to know each character and giving that character a piece of herself.

The first book deals with Vanyel's coming of age. I won't go into detail, because spoiling the plot is hardly the point of a reader review. I will say that where Lackey fails is that she sometimes is reduced to the overly dramatic. When something slightly funny happens, the characters shove fists in mouths to keep from laughing, and can barely stand up for fear of splitting sides. When something bad happens, it's always the worst thing imaginable. But such is adolescence, and one comes to enjoy Vanyel's strengths, be annoyed with his faults and earnestly hope he will mature. Which he does.

Aside from creating a very competent feel for magic use, from the perspective of a reader of fantasy, the plots to each of the three stories are interesting and well written. The plots move, rather than just serving as an excuse for another writer to extrapolate upon what she thinks magic is.

On top of all of that, a love story that touches the heart, if you're a reader who enjoys that sort of thing.

Mercedes Lackey writes with grace and style. If you are a reader of fantasy who enjoys works by writers such as Anne McCaffrey or Terry Brooks, the Last Herald Mage series is definitely something you should consider putting on your reading list.

The Last Best Hope of Earth: Abraham Lincoln and the Promise of America

Average customer rating:

A PRAGMATIC HERO
Good general biography

The Last Best Hope of Earth: Abraham Lincoln and the Promise of America
Mark E. Neely Jr.
Manufacturer: Harvard University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

General | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0674511263

Book Description

Mark E. Neely, Jr., gives us the first compact biography of Abraham Lincoln based on new scholarship. Neely, a Pulitzer prize-winning historian, vividly recaptures the central place of politics in Lincoln's life. Richly illustrated, nuanced and accessible, written with attention to the age in which Lincoln lived, yet ever alert to universal moral questions, this book provides a portrait of Lincoln as an extraordinary man in his own time and ours.

Customer Reviews:

A PRAGMATIC HERO.......2000-10-16

The Title of Professor Neely's biography of Lincoln is taken from Lincoln's second Message to Congress dated December 1, 1862. It is an inspiring phrase and an apt title for a Lincoln biography. Professor Neely's biography is good and solid in its analysis of Lincoln's life. It lacks, however, something of the eloquence and vision of the title and of Lincoln's words. We never learn why Lincoln considered the United States "the Last Best Hope of Earth" or what that can mean for our country today.

That said, this book is a good introduction to Lincoln and his Presidency. The book skims briefly over Lincoln's life before he became the 16th President. There are advantages to this, but the treatment of the Lincoln-Douglas debates and of the Kansas-Nebraska Act which led to them is too brief to help understand sucession and the Civil War which followed.

The book's treatment of Lincoln's relationship with his Generals and of the strategy of the War is probably the best single chapter. It has something to teach even those who are familiar with the military history of the war. The chapter on Lincoln as a pragmatic politician and on the 1864 campaign is also well done. The book treats the Emancipation Proclamation at length but to me anyway left something to be desired. (The text and some explicit treatment of it would help) and discusses the fate of Civil Liberties during the War and domestic development during the war in good but not dispositive detail.

If you are looking for an understanding of Lincoln and of the Civil War this is a good place to start but not to end. I suggest reading the book together with the complilation of Lincoln's own speeches and writings in the Library of America series.

Good general biography.......2000-05-14

I really enjoyed this work. I felt it could have been more in-depth, but only so much can be expected from its relatively short length. It is a good resource and point of departure for the Lincoln historian or enthusiast, but I would recommend additional reading to fill in the gaps.

The Last Mile of the Way (Standing on the Promises, Book 3)

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The Last Mile of the Way (Standing on the Promises, Book 3)
Margaret Blair Young , and Darius Aidan Gray
Manufacturer: Bookcraft
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1570089043

The "All" Series (17 Volumes, ALL THE - Last Words of Saints and Sinners, Apostles, Kings and Queens, Parables Prayers, Women, Men, Trades & Occupation, Doctrines, Children, Messianic Prophecies, Miracles, Teachings, Books and Chapters, Holy Days and Holidays, Divine Names and Titles Promises of the Bible.)

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The "All" Series (17 Volumes, ALL THE - Last Words of Saints and Sinners, Apostles, Kings and Queens, Parables Prayers, Women, Men, Trades & Occupation, Doctrines, Children, Messianic Prophecies, Miracles, Teachings, Books and Chapters, Holy Days and Holidays, Divine Names and Titles Promises of the Bible.)

Manufacturer: Zondervan Pub. House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000GGTIQA

COMPLETE Viking Fantasy Series: (1) Wild Is My Love; (2) Wild Sweet Promise; (3) The Last Viking Queen (Set of 3)

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COMPLETE Viking Fantasy Series: (1) Wild Is My Love; (2) Wild Sweet Promise; (3) The Last Viking Queen (Set of 3)
Janelle Taylor
Manufacturer: Various
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000WSHEK4

Distant Shores/The Last Promise (Reader's Digest Select Editions in Large Type, Volume 125: 2003)

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Distant Shores/The Last Promise (Reader's Digest Select Editions in Large Type, Volume 125: 2003)
Kristin Hannah , and Richard Paul Evans
Manufacturer: Reader's Digest Association
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000F8BBUA

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Product Description

Contains two novels: Distant Shores by Kristin Hannah and The Last Promise by Richard Paul Evans -- both in large print.

Book Description

Mythmakers and world builders of the first order, the Eddingses spin tales that make imaginations soar. Readers have thrilled to The Belgariad and The Malloreon, magic-filled masterworks chronicling the timeless conflict between good and evil. But with those sagas brought to their triumphant conclusions, fans were left hungry for more. Now at last the wait is over. With The Redemption of Althalus, the Eddingses have created their first-ever stand-alone epic fantasy . . .

It would be sheer folly to try to conceal the true nature of Althalus, for his flaws are the stuff of legend. He is, as all men know, a thief, a liar, an occasional murderer, an outrageous braggart, and a man devoid of even the slightest hint of honor.

Yet of all the men in the world, it is Althalus, unrepentant rogue and scoundrel, who will become the champion of humanity in its desperate struggle against the forces of an ancient god determined to return the universe to nothingness. On his way to steal The Book from the House at the End of the World, Althalus is confronted by a cat--a cat with eyes like emeralds, the voice of a woman, and the powers of a goddess.

She is Dweia, sister to The Gods and a greater thief even than Althalus. She must be: for in no time at all, she has stolen his heart. And more. She has stolen time itself. For when Althalus leaves the House at the End of the World, much wiser but not a day older than when he'd first entered it, thousands of years have gone by.

But Dweia is not the only one able to manipulate time. Her evil brother shares the power, and while Dweia has been teaching Althalus the secrets of The Book, the ancient God has been using the dark magic of his own Book to rewrite history. Yet all is not lost. But only if Althalus, still a thief at heart, can bring together a ragtag group of men, women, and children with no reason to trust him or each other.

Boldly written and brilliantly imagined, The Redemption of Althalus is an epic fantasy to be savored in the reading and returned to again and again for the wisdom, excitement, and humor that only the Eddingses can provide.

Download Description

It would be sheer folly to try to conceal the true nature of Althalus, for his flaws are the stuff of legend. He is, as all men know, a thief, a liar, an occasional murderer, an outrageous braggart, and a man devoid of even the slightest hint of honor. Yet of all the men in the world, it is Althalus, unrepentant rogue and scoundrel, who will become the champion of humanity in its desperate struggle against the forces of an ancient god determined to return the universe to nothingness. On his way to steal The Book from the House at the End of the World, Althalus is confronted by a cat--a cat with eyes like emeralds, the voice of a woman, and the powers of a goddess. She is Dweia, sister to The Gods and a greater thief even than Althalus. She must be: for in no time at all, she has stolen his heart. And more. She has stolen time itself. For when Althalus leaves the House at the End of the World, much wiser but not a day older than when he'd first entered it, thousands of years have gone by. But Dweia is not the only one able to manipulate time. Her evil brother shares the power, and while Dweia has been teaching Althalus the secrets of The Book, the ancient God has been using the dark magic of his own Book to rewrite history. Yet all is not lost. But only if Althalus, still a thief at heart, can bring together a ragtag group of men, women, and children with no reason to trust him or each other.

Customer Reviews:

Pass it up.......2007-09-03

I'm afraid I'm in the negative camp on this one. Read it if your'e new to Fantasy. Otherwise, pass.

I read the Belgariad and follow-ups about 10 years ago and thought they were excellent - mainly because of the mystery line in the stories but also because of consistency in the characers. You ended up knowing exactly how each of them would react in every situation and they did not disappoint. Imagine my surprise when I find them in this book again, but with other names. Other reviewers have analysed the similarities in more detail and I agree (Andine = Ce'nedra, etc). I expected new ones.

Besides this, there are sections of dialogue which were extremely irritating, e.g. two pages of conversation between two people and every sentence is ended by saying the other one's name - grates on your nerves. Then there are the modern Americanisms e.g. I guess, for sure, no way.

Something else that bothered me at times were the indefinites: not really..., sort of....., rather...., might....and so on. They seemed to be inserted in sentences that did not require uncertainty or indecision to be expressed and while those are comfy phrases that makes the reader feel at home, it does become too much when employed four, five times per page.

I also agree with other reviewers about the plot and the loopholes in various areas - e.g. the brand new child queen Andine disappears from her bed and the abducters journey on with no mention of any hue and cry, search or lamentation heard from her kingdom? Come on.

At first I was charmed by the cat, but when she became Dweia the quality of her conversation deteriorated disappointingly to one-sentence sweet nothings aimed at Althalus - eeeooowwww.

By the way, is it not interesting how CJ Cherryh and the Eddings came up with the same fictitious name - one for a man and the other for a place?

Terrible.......2007-08-02

Lots of reviewers have talked about the awful rehashing. Eddings even admits that when he sets out to write fantasy, he picks common elements, throws them in a blender and spews it out.

Short, half page blocks that ended in one liners, without changing the scene, left me feeling bewildered and annoyed. The antagonists are universally incompetent, and this book doesn't even have the benefit of gory action typical of the Belgariad and Tamuli series.

Athalus -> He's not witty, or funny. For wit and humor, Eddings should take a page from Terry Pratchett. If Athalus tried to "charm" me with the tripe he was spouting in the book, I'd have punched him. He just comes across as a smug git.

Gher -> Pseudo-scientific rubbish spouted as "divine insights". An illiterate boy from a pre-Renaissance culture makes the "leap" about space and time being essentially the same.

McGuffins
-> a stupid Knife that for some unknown reason causes pain to the opposing side's agents, thus guaranteeing their exposure and demise. No equivalent exists for the enemy to use against the "heroes".

-> A house (both sides have access to a similar device) with doors to anywhere and anywhen. For some mysterious reason, armies are not allowed to march through the house BEHIND enemy lines. Oh no... you have to stop IN FRONT of the enemy and dig trenches. A "teleport accurately at will" device is an invitation to destroy supplies, assassinate officers, plant disinformation, sow discontent etc. Instead, it's used to deliver armies to battles ON TIME. This smacks of lazy writing; a plot device that at best the author(s) hadn't thought through clearly, or at worst invented just to give a barely plausible reason to put enough soldiers at the correct battle at a precise time without figuring out all those troublesome distances (which the authors created).

Coupled with instant food anywhere, the protagonists basically had ZERO logistical problems. Speaking of instantaneous food creation at no cost, with the threat of the civilian population starving, instead of doing the obvious and conjuring roasts out of thin air, a good half chapter is devoted to acquiring wheat by BUYING it.

-> Windows of the house, allowing the protagonists to observe anywhere and anywhen with 100% accuracy. Earlier in the book, the doors were used for this purpose with some risk (doors opened but no one crossing through). The author(s) do not explain why suddenly the windows are used later which are 100% safe. The enemy apparently has no equivalent for unknown reasons.

-> Time does not pass in the house unless Dweia wants it to, i.e. time passes for the protagonists in the house but they can emerge as if no time has passed in the real world. Injured personnel are sent to the house to recover, but for some reason several days have passed. Again, a stupid plot device that was not properly controlled, going up against another stupid plot device of unavailable personnel and the drawing down of a time limit.

The list goes on and on, with trite dialog and "banter" that is repeated ad nauseum; apparently there are only 5 conversations in the entire world that Althalus lives in.

This piece of expletive reads like an unedited first attempt at a novel by an amateur. Could this be the work of just Leigh Eddings with David lending his name to it? Or some other abominable hack? Or just a cheap attempt to cash in with a quick and dirty book that no doubt was pounded out in a few weeks?

It's All about the Cat!!!.......2007-03-02

I thought this book was GREAT! Now I have noticed that many people were less than satisfied with it, and many have compared it to The Belgariad, and it seems people who enjoyed the Belgariad think that this book fell a bit short. Well personally I only thought the Belgariad was "ok." I really enjoyed the Elenium, David Eddings' other series. I think the Belgariad was a bit more 'epic.' But I like this book becasue it is not epic, it is very lighthearted and fun.

My one complaint is the characters to seem to be recycled out of some of his characters from his other series, but I LIKE those characters, so it only bothers me slightly.

My absolute favorite character is the cat! She has a certain amount of wit that I can appreciate. This is only one book, which is kind of nice becasue normally I read huge long epic fantasy series where there are 12 books and they are all the size of dictionaries, this is a nice quick book that is great to pick up again and again when I need a break from my normal reading. I especially enjoy how funny it is, Lady Luck turns her back on Althalus in the very begining of the novel and it is great to see all the bad situations one person can get themselves into when luck turns the other cheek. I like how silly this book is!

So don't expect anything to epic, if you like David Eddings' writting style and characters you should find this a fun read!

A Must Read For Eddings Fans!.......2007-02-25

The Redemption of Althalus is a must read for any fan of David Eddings. Where this isn't his best novel, it is a very good and underrated effort.

Before purchasing this hefty novel, I read a lot of the reviews from others and almost passed on this book. To sum up those bad reviews is quite simple: The beginning of this story is pretty slow and tacky. The first 50 or so pages describe the main character, Althalus. It starts out very promising as a dark novel (ala The Ruby Knight), but then the female characters slowly get introduced for the next hundred or so pages and with that, the story slows and gets horribly tacky and boring. The first 150 pages went from dark and serious to tacky and silly (the characters still call a woman by a silly nickname--Emmy--even after they discover she is a Goddess? Please. And how many comic book Andy Capp copyright infringements are violated with those "pet" references?). At many points in the first 150 pages you can tell that two people wrote this novel. It stands out so bad in the beginning, you may give up reading the story (dark, serious, action--David; as compared to calling everyone by childish nicknames, talking about food and marriage--Leigh). Don't fear, though. It picks up in a major way.

The rest of the novel, without giving up any spoilers, is filled with intense scenes and plots. It's well done and not rushed--remember, this is a 700+ page novel. The ideas like the House with the doors and windows are a welcome change to the typical Eddings story. Otherwise, all Eddings royalists will recognize the basics--An object of some kind (orb, jewel, in this case a magical knife), brings a handful of familiar characters (if you liked Silk, Belgarath, the tough Sparhawk, Sephrena, and Polgara, then you'll like the similar characters in this book. In turn, though, if you disliked the weaker and whooped Sparhawk, Flute, Garion, Ce'Nedra characters, well, sorry, those similarities are in here a bit, too) going up against unspeakable odds during their journey.

This is a typical Eddings book and it most certainly will NOT disappoint. Just do your best to get past the first 150 or so pages and everything will go smoothly from there on. As a David Eddings fan, I will tell you that you will definitely enjoy this book.

a fun book.......2006-11-10

I was told by my brother to read this book and I kept stalling but finely relented ...
I shall always love him for it...this book is hysterically and just plain good fun...I have been reading since a young girl , I read all types of books but I keep this one close whenever I need a good laugh...

Average customer rating:

slow start...but it makes up for it!

The Redemption of Althalus
David; Eddings, Leigh Eddings
Manufacturer: Del Rey
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Customer Reviews:

slow start...but it makes up for it!.......2006-11-24

I thought it was a little slow in the beginning, kind of tough to get into. But once it gets moving the characters are wonderful and there are twists of the plot that keep you guessing through the whole thing. Its a lot like "The Tamuli" (also by Eddings) that way.

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The Redemption of Althalus
David Eddings
Manufacturer: Ballantine Publishing Group
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000MZL69M

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Redemption of Althalus
David Eddings
Manufacturer: HARPER COLLINS 1 PAP
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Redemption of Althalus 18bk Bin
EDDINGS DAVID , and LEIGH
Manufacturer: Voyager
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

La Rédemption d'Althalus, tome 1 : Les yeux d'Emeraude

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La Rédemption d'Althalus, tome 1 : Les yeux d'Emeraude
David Eddings , and Leigh Eddings
Manufacturer: Pocket
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: 2266105612

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The Redemption of Althalus
David Eddings
Manufacturer: Del Rey
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000O8SF14

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The Redemption of Althalus
David Eddings
Manufacturer: Artemis
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

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The Redemption of Althalus
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ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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Redemption of Althalus

Manufacturer: Tandem Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: 1417646586

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