The Elenium/YMMV

"After a moment, he heard Kurik's hoarse whisper coming from the kitchen door. "Is that you?"
 * Acceptable Targets: Apparently, short people, since much is made of Avin Wargunsson's height. Granted, Thalesia is known for its gigantic looming Scandinavian-type warriors, but the constant mockery, contemptuous dismissal, and outright insults hurled in his direction are...a little unsettling. And its Played for Laughs. The only thing which prevents this from becoming a Dude, Not Funny moment is that Avin is genuinely such a sniveling coward, social climber, and nasty, plotting evildoer that you can't help but feel contempt for him yourself and enjoy what happens to him. (Though again, some of his actions may be justified, or at least understandable, due to the constant ridicule and rejection he has suffered all his life.) That, and what happens sadly is Actually Pretty Funny.
 * What seems to be this directed at homosexuals via the Baron Harparin ends up being a fairly clear demonization and denouncing of pedophilia, since the gay owner from Mirtai's past is depicted quite fairly, honestly, and sympathetically.
 * Alas, Poor Villain: After everything Martel has done, when he lies dying Sparhawk and Sephrenia both gather to his side and mourn his death. Sephrenia even grants him her blessing, which she had withheld after Martel's fall from grace.
 * Big Lipped Alligator Moment: In The Shining Ones, Aphrael summoning a
 * Canon Sue: Arguably, Xanetia, the Oh, and she can
 * Lampshaded and perhaps justified in-universe;  Needless to say; Sephrenia, the goddess Aphrael, and every other Styric character are deeply suspicious of what amounts to an entire race of evolving gods, and frequently view it as a very, very dangerous thing.
 * It's also sort of lampshaded in that Styricum's biggest gripe with the Delphae is that they are just so damn perfect and perceived to be really smug about it.
 * Which is pretty rich, coming from the Styrics.
 * Crowning Moment of Funny: See the entry, but really, the entire sequence in Cippria where Sparhawk and Kurik break into the Elenian consulate turns into a comedy act, from a random naked lady to an unnecessary bridge to Sparhawk's juvenile shenanigans once they're inside:

For an instant, he was tempted to whisper back, "No," but then he got himself under control again."

"Sparhawk: Ulath, I've got a question.
 * Ulath does this occasionally.

Ulath: For me? Oh, Sparhawk, you shouldn't have!"

"Ulath: How could Talen pick a Troll's pocket? They don't even have pockets!"
 * Fridge Logic: It's said several times that what people call 'magic' is in essence asking a god to perform an action for you.
 * Specifically, sanctioned Styric magic is asking a god to perform an action for you. There are other ways of doing magic, like the way renegade Styrics call upon powers of the imprisoned Elder Gods...or rather, the same powers the Elder Gods use (like the one who could call upon demons and otherworldly monsters). In fact,.
 * Has anyone else noticed that
 * It's implied that Talen will be taking up the position.
 * Full-Frontal Assault: Bellina,
 * And then inverted when the Knights run across a horde of naked revelers trying to summon Azash into a clay idol, and promptly assault them.
 * Also done by Lillias during her farewell to Sparhawk.
 * Hilarious in Hindsight: During the second book the Knights are approached by a displaced Troll in the dark who starts shouting for them to hand over the child who stole from him. Everyone automatically assumes it's Talen. It's inexplicable at first, until you find out later the Troll is actually Ghwerig and he's looking for, not Talen, whom everyone thinks of instantly when they hear "child" and "thief".


 * Magnificent Bastard: One could make a case for Martel. The man has his fingers in just about every Evil Plan in the books, and just when you think you've stopped them all, he shows up at Chyrellos with a massive army, having tricked Wargun into chasing shadows hundreds of miles away, to . Oh, and the Ehlana thing?
 * Narm: Annias' title is Primate. It makes sense if you think about the origin of the word, but it's hard to take a guy seriously when people are practically calling him "ape" left and right.
 * This troper actually joked about  corrupting Annias with the promise of tons of bananas.
 * Scarpa. His character lose a lot of points when you know that his name means "Shoe" in Italian.
 * That might be a bit of Fridge Brilliance, since Scarpa's status as a bastard son of a prostitute caused everyone (even his own father) to kick him around all his life (and generally treat him like something you'd scrape off the bottom of one).
 * Sequelitis: One could make a case for the Elenium being some of Eddings' best stuff. But then the Tamuli comes along, which is a big step down, largely thanks to an abundance of Harmless Villains.
 * Tear Jerker: Aphrael can be a very irritating character at times, but her declaration of  made this troper want to cry.
 * Martel's last words:  Both of whom are his enemies, and one of whom   Also, arguably supports Foe Yay.
 * No mention of when
 * Woobie, Destroyer of Worlds: Ghwerig the troll. In reality, he is maddened by the loss of Bhelliom, and he devotes most of the rest of his life to searching for it, and even though, he eventually finds it, but is killed by Sparhawk and Kurik. Even they feel a little sorry for him when he sobs about how lonely he is.