Aphrael (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
silverthunder) wrote2006-11-15 10:52 am
silverthunder) wrote2006-11-15 10:52 am
David Eddings
I'm basically only making a second post today because I've decided I'm going to work on my Philosophy paper in my free time at work and now I want to procrastinate. Whee...
I finished some new (to me) titles by David Eddings a while back, but never bothered to say anything about them because it never occurred to me until now (when I'm looking for stuff to keep me from doing actual work - go figure).
The first was 'The Losers', which was his second published novel, I think, so it obviously came before the fantasy work that made me such a big fan. This one is about a man who becomes crippled, and manages to be a story about his relationship with a friend as well as a commentary on social workers and the sorts of people who come to rely on them. It was really well done, and I was actually on the edge of my seat waiting to find out what was going on - because you knew there was *something* going on behind the scenes, but you don't find out until the end.
Big thumbs up, and reminds me of why I love his writing so much.
The second was 'The Younger Gods', the last book in his latest series. I wasn't too impressed with the series as a whole, because it tended to go back and rehash stuff from different perspectives and spent a long time in flashbacks dealing with the backgrounds of various characters. On one hand, this allows us to get to know the many different people in the book a little better, but the main storyline suffers as a result. I felt this entire series could've taken place in one or two books. I liked the characters, but the plot was kind of weak. It lacked the fun and adventure of his previous series. I also hated the ending. Far too tacked-on and the way it wrapped things up felt wimpy. At the very least, I thought it could've been left without the time bending. They didn't *need* to resolve Longbow's tragedy - the defeat of the Vlagh gives him enough closure to satisfy readers. (never mind the fact that the all-too-easy way the Vlagh was defeated was another weak point) I think Eddings' need to give all of his characters a happy ending gets the better of him sometimes, although this is the first time I've actually wished he'd just left things alone.
I hope this isn't his last book. I know he's getting older now, but I'd be disappointed if this was going to be the end.
I finished some new (to me) titles by David Eddings a while back, but never bothered to say anything about them because it never occurred to me until now (when I'm looking for stuff to keep me from doing actual work - go figure).
The first was 'The Losers', which was his second published novel, I think, so it obviously came before the fantasy work that made me such a big fan. This one is about a man who becomes crippled, and manages to be a story about his relationship with a friend as well as a commentary on social workers and the sorts of people who come to rely on them. It was really well done, and I was actually on the edge of my seat waiting to find out what was going on - because you knew there was *something* going on behind the scenes, but you don't find out until the end.
Big thumbs up, and reminds me of why I love his writing so much.
The second was 'The Younger Gods', the last book in his latest series. I wasn't too impressed with the series as a whole, because it tended to go back and rehash stuff from different perspectives and spent a long time in flashbacks dealing with the backgrounds of various characters. On one hand, this allows us to get to know the many different people in the book a little better, but the main storyline suffers as a result. I felt this entire series could've taken place in one or two books. I liked the characters, but the plot was kind of weak. It lacked the fun and adventure of his previous series. I also hated the ending. Far too tacked-on and the way it wrapped things up felt wimpy. At the very least, I thought it could've been left without the time bending. They didn't *need* to resolve Longbow's tragedy - the defeat of the Vlagh gives him enough closure to satisfy readers. (never mind the fact that the all-too-easy way the Vlagh was defeated was another weak point) I think Eddings' need to give all of his characters a happy ending gets the better of him sometimes, although this is the first time I've actually wished he'd just left things alone.
I hope this isn't his last book. I know he's getting older now, but I'd be disappointed if this was going to be the end.