David Eddings

David Eddings was a modern American author who specialized in archetypical epic tales. He died in June, 2009. Most of the books he wrote were High Fantasy, were Doorstoppers, and were part of a long series (some of which were in the same universe,) were Strictly Formula, were Troperiffic, and were awesome.

There was also snark. Lots and lots and lots of snark. Snark which was often used to hang lampshades.

Eddings saw history as cyclic, and so he was willing to recycle plot arcs in his series. "The Malloreon" has a similar structure to "The Belgariad," for instance (which is even used as a major plot point).

Most, if not all, of his books were co-written with his wife, though only the latest gave her shared credit (due to Executive Meddling - his publisher figured that boys wouldn't want to read a fantasy-book with a girl's name on the cover.) This is probably one of the main reasons for the abundancy of strong female characters, who are outspoken and fierce enough to make you wonder how those medieval societies manages to maintain their male-dominated status quo...

Series he wrote include:
 * The Belgariad 'Verse
 * The Belgariad
 * Pawn of Prophecy
 * Queen of Sorcery
 * Magician's Gambit
 * Castle of Wizardry
 * Enchanters' End Game
 * The Malloreon
 * Guardians of the West
 * King of the Murgos
 * Demon Lord of Karanda
 * Sorceress of Darshiva
 * Seeress of Kell
 * Belgarath the Sorcerer
 * Polgara the Sorceress
 * The Rivan Codex


 * The Elenium 'Verse
 * The Elenium
 * The Diamond Throne
 * The Ruby Knight
 * The Sapphire Rose
 * The Tamuli
 * Domes of Fire
 * The Shining Ones
 * The Hidden City


 * The Dreamers 'Verse
 * The Elder Gods
 * The Treasured One
 * Crystal Gorge
 * The Younger Gods

Other books he wrote:
 * The Redemption of Althalus
 * The Losers (please note that this is not a High Fantasy novel and is more of a Randite propaganda piece)
 * High Hunt (Another modern story)
 * Regina's Song (Another modern story)

Tropes Employed: "Know that I hate thee, Belgarion. For hate's sake will I throw myself into the darkness. For hate's sake I spit out my last breath at thee, my damned brother -Torak, in the Ashabine Oracles."
 * Author Vocabulary Calendar - Eddings had an obscurely peculiar fascination with the words "obscure," "peculiar," and "fascination." Also "prosaic", and especially "blandly". We thought we noticed you noticing.
 * Don't forget "unmitigated", particularly modifying the word "ass". (The pack animal, of course.)
 * BFS - The sword of Riva. A huge broadsword forged from meteoric metal that incorporates the all-powerful Stone of Aldur as its pommel, burns with blue flame, is completely weightless when the Orb is in place, and can only be wielded by Riva's descendants. Found in The Belgariad and The Malloreon
 * Expy - many between the Belgariad 'verse and the Elenium 'verse.
 * Velvet (Liselle) = Melidere
 * Silk (Kheldar) = Stragen
 * Barak = Tynian/Ulath
 * 'Zakath = Sarabian
 * Cyradis = Xanetia
 * Dals = Delphae
 * Mallorean Empire = Tamul Empire
 * Mal Zeth = Matherion
 * The Light Prophecy and Dark Prophecy = Bhelliom and Klael
 * Torak = Azash
 * Friend Versus Lover
 * God-Emperor - In The Malloreon cycle, it is revealed that the emperors of Mallorea are divine per definition, due to the original emperor being a LITERAL God, Kal Torak. In The Tamuli it's the inverted form, with Cyrgon, a god who is also the earthly ruler of the people of the same name.
 * Knight in Sour Armor - Eddings' heroes have a definite tendency in this direction. Most of them are worldly, sometimes world-weary older men, who approach fighting and heroism as a duty rather than a means to seek glory. The major exception is young, idealistic Garion, but even he starts to lose his shiny attitude as he ages.
 * Love Hungry: The child goddess Aphrael in Sparhawk.
 * Plot Induced Stupidity - Probably the most pervasive trope used by Eddings. His characters always have tremendous powers at their dispositions -- from sorcery to entire gods and even powers being ABOVE gods) -- but they use them only when the plot says so. Sometimes there is a very flimsy excuse given about why they can't (which is ignored as soon as the author wants something cool to happen), but just as often it just never comes to the mind of the heroes that they could do it.
 * Serial Killings, Specific Target - Regina's Song
 * Shining City - the City of Kell in The Malloreon, Vo Wacune in Polgara the Sorceress and Fire-Domed Matherion in The Tamuli.
 * Shout-Out:


 * Spiritual Successor - All his works revolve around somewhat similar worlds and plotlines, but with distinct characters, atmospheres, and themes.