Author Gush: David Eddings and The Elenium

God bless this series.

This series is one of my all-time favorites, dear reader, and not just because I started reading it at such a young age. Like many people in middle school, when I first dipped a toe into a new series my mom had to read it first to make sure it was appropriate.

Hence my confusion when, in the first ten pages of The Diamond Throne, the main character cordially greets a whore and contemplates garrotting a drunkard to death. That this had somehow passed the  “mother test” made me utter the sixth grade equivalent of “what the fuck?” (The book did actually end up being child appropriate believe it or not)

This story was badass. It had magic, monsters, a ticking clock! Sure its characters were portrayed as being burly knights who could punch a broadsword through someone’s chest but they were also portrayed as being incredibly just, righteous and, most importantly, having some excellent dry wit.

I simply adore characters flipping each other shit and there’s plenty of that in this series with more to spare.

The Elenium and its sequel series The Tamuli were written by David and Leigh Eddings after they finished The Belgariad and The Malloreon, and it shows (lights go out, someone gasps, questions asked at parliament).

Don’t take this the wrong way, dear reader, I love The Belgariad and The Malloreon, but The Elenium is just so damn good (and fans of both series will note there may be more than some passing similarities wink-wink, nudge-nudge, somebody-please-validate-my-fan-theory). The pacing is so much crisper in The Elenium, whereas The Belgariad had a slower build up to an ever-so-sweet payoff . The Elenium wastes no time at all: you open the book and BAM! There’s Sparhawk. He’s a badass with a heart of gold and while noble he will also fuck you up if you look at his friends the wrong way.

And the best part? Even the horse has wit, dear reader.

The fucking horse.

I mean good golly miss molly, Faran the warhorse has more character development in this series than some main characters written today!

That is insane dear reader. Faran makes plop-plops on the street.

Smug little bastard

In any case, that The Elenium and Tamuli are only three books each will ensure that you’re not wasting any time getting to the action. They’re short. They’re sweet. They’re glorious.

Next time you’re in the market for some new reading material, why not give them a try?